Live in the studio, Keith and Nathan catch up. Since Nathan has been absent for a few episodes, we let him weigh in on the topic of the 10th commandment. Desiring what others have, only to find that it doesn’t satisfy. The aim ought to be on the treasure in heaven. Even there, we’ll have various and different rewards.
Weighing in on the issue of race, Nathan points out the fallacy of value on skin color. Value comes from being created in the image of God. Different cultures and styles are not wrong when they can express their unique characteristics to worship God. Slavery and discrimination can take on many different forms than only the American style of it. Regardless of the variety, it’s all wrong.
Moving to our main topic, Keith presents the idea of being comforted. The bible is consistent in portraying it alongside being grieved, under hardship, or as the final justice of trying times in life. Is there such a thing as too much comfort? Where should the line be drawn in seeking comfort?
No doubt, the pains in this life can be overwhelming. The need and desire for comfort can be elusive. There is the need to just stay in bed, or medicate, but these should be weighed by practical requirements of life. Duties and responsibilities to family members may be the lever that gets us moving, despite personal pain.
Comfort can lure us into a position of putting us to sleep. The creature’s comfort could be well deserved, but it may insulate us with a false sense of security or invulnerability. Nathan reads from Revelation 3:1-6 for an example of a church facing defeat due to its complacency.
The church was built on a highly defensible hill, complete with the best security measures, and was never defeated for hundreds of years. The only way the untouchable city was ever defeated was over the comfortable complacency of the guard on the wall.
All it took was one moment of falling asleep. As Christians, have we fallen asleep, thinking our city is untouchable by the enemies of our culture?
The city of the Christian faith is like that undefeatable city. There is nothing wrong with the city of faith. Safety relies on being watchful and keeping the outside world culture out.
As dire a situation as the one described, Jesus promises hope to the ones who have remained awake.
Here are the scripture references Keith read or alluded to in the episode:
Genesis 37:35
Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.
1 Chronicles 7:22; Job 2:11
Job 7:13
“If I say, `My bed will comfort me, My couch will ease my complaint,´
Job 21:34; Job 30:28
Psalms 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalms 71:21; Psalms 119:50; Psalms 119:52; Psalms 119:76; Psalms 119:82; Proverbs 29:17; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Isaiah 12:1; Isaiah 22:4
Isaiah 40:1
“Comfort, O comfort My people,” says your God.
Isaiah 51:3; Isaiah 51:19; Isaiah 57:18; Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 66:13; Jeremiah 16:7; Jeremiah 31:13
Lamentations 1:2,17,21
2 She weeps bitterly in the night And her tears are on her cheeks; She has none to comfort her Among all her lovers. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; They have become her enemies.
17 Zion stretches out her hands; There is no one to comfort her; The LORD has commanded concerning Jacob That the ones round about him should be his adversaries; Jerusalem has become an unclean thing among them.
21 They have heard that I groan; There is no one to comfort me; All my enemies have heard of my calamity; They are glad that You have done it. Oh, that You would bring the day which You have proclaimed, That they may become like me.
Lamentations 2:13; Ezekiel 14:23; Zechariah 1:17; Zechariah 10:2; Luke 6:24; Acts 9:31; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 2:7
2 Corinthians 7:4,7,13
4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more.
13 For this reason we have been comforted. ¶And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
Ephesians 6:22
1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
2 Thessalonians 2:16,17
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
Philemon 1:7
For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
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“Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
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