Seventy one years ago today we can remember (at least my wife can) some elders, our neighbours, talking fearfully together. Children can sense the attitudes of older people, at times they need the reassuring tone of parent’s voices - and when such is absent, but they are worried and anxious, it is really noticed.

In this ungodly 21st Century genuine reassurance that comes from real faith will become more and more necessary both for ourselves, and to encourage others; but such reassurance must have a sound foundation. Seventy one years ago today the Second World War was declared and the memories of the First World War, which had finished only 21 years before when something like 5 million people died, was still in vivid memory; for this reason, great anxiety was the dominating mood. Their fears proved only to true, 6 years of horror began, more powerful weapons were used, and many many millions died, including 6 millions Jews.

Now our reading today (2 Corinthians 1 & 2) illustrates how Paul puts into a positive light the great affliction he and others had recently experienced. He looked at such afflictions from God’s perspective. He writes: “For we do not want you to be ignorant brothers of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God” [1 v.8,9].

Events during the 1940s certainly enabled those who really believed the God of the Bible to grow in real faith. The time is surely going to come, and maybe quite soon, when, if we have not learnt to rely on God, we will experience very great anxiety. That was the experience 71 years ago, the future may well create an even greater challenge to our faith.

Now note another point Paul makes in this chapter, it is to ask the question, “Do I make my plans according to the flesh?” [v.17] This question makes us think of today’s political dramas! Paul questions human planning as being “ready to say, ‘Yes, yes’ and ‘No, no’ at the same time?” Only those who know the true gospel, and who really rely on God, know how to think positively in planning positively for the future. Paul concludes this chapter by stating, “we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” Let that also be true of us.

Today Depression has become a major health problem; one that is very hard to deal with, medically. Many medications threaten to create more problems because of their side affects. We have thought about this during the last 3 days as we have read the LAMENTATIONS of Jeremiah. What a difficult life this prophet experienced since he was called to serve God as a young man. Now we picture him sitting, as an old man, by the ruins of the wondrous temple Solomon had built 350 years before while all around him is the burnt and ruined holy city of Jerusalem. He is utterly depressed.

He writes, “Look O LORD, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me ... my groans are many, and my heart is faint.” [Ch. 1 v.20,22] After all he has been through; all his efforts to make the Kings and princes turn back to God and seek God’s mercy, but they would not listen. Instead they turned on him; one of his worst experiences was being thrown into a dungeon which was really a cistern and sinking down deep into the mud at the bottom.

Then he is caught up with the enemy in the capture of the city, but they give him his freedom! But freedom to do what? He is utterly distressed and laments, “My eyes are spent with weeping ... my bile is poured out to the ground because of the destruction ...” [Ch.2 v.11] But stop! In today’s 3rd chapter suddenly a new way of thinking comes into his mind.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The LORD is my portion says my soul. The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man (or woman) that he bear the yoke in his youth” [v. 21-27]

Our life revolves around our relationship with God; if depression strikes, the only real solution is to rediscover that relationship. Jeremiah further says, “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD.” [v.40] Or, as Paul puts it today in the final chapter of 1 Corinthians, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” [v.13,14]

What do you believe? Some might respond, ‘Believe about what?’ This is a question that could be widely asked today? Answers are confusing. However, because so many have convinced themselves that they are no more than the highest form of animal that has evolved, many choose not to think too far into the future, it all looks so bleak.

When I was young the Russian leader, the communist Krushchev – an atheist as were all such Russians – jeered at westerners for believing in “a pie in the sky”! And he was justified! The Bible’s real message is totally different and the substance of it is in today’s 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Note carefully how Paul begins this chapter.

“Now I would remind you brothers (and sisters – footnote) of the gospel I preached to you. which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.” [v.1-2]

Paul then re-iterates what he preached. It centred on the certainty of the resurrection to occur when Jesus returns (v.21,22). He says that if there is no resurrection, the dead stay dead “and your faith is in vain” (v.12-14). When Jesus returns there will be a renewal of life for all who have died believing in the gospel message – and they will then have a wonderful spiritual body (v.44-49)

But in Corinth, the prevailing Greek belief was in an immortal soul or spirit. The Greeks were ridiculing the Christian hope and saying “there is no resurrection of the dead” [v.12], it is not needed as we are going immediately into a spirit existence. It is tragic that this false belief was to be adopted by much of the church in the centuries that followed. Paul warned of this happening (2 Timothy 4 v.3,4) and stressed his personal hope and expectation was that “there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord ... will award me on that Day” because “I have kept the faith” [v.7,8]. If we do not keep this faith, our belief is in vain!

Today many have no hope in an existence beyond this life; others have a false faith, based on human philosophy, in a spirit existence after death. Let us not be among those who “believed in vain” – or among those who give up on believing in God’s word and live only for the here and now. The hopelessness of life without God becomes plainer every day. Look up and read the last verse in today’s chapter.