Grace For The Journey

  We will look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 today and see God’s counsel for the end times.  God in His marvelous grace always forewarns man of impending judgment and doom!

• Before God destroyed the world the first time with a flood of water, He raised up Noah, a man of righteousness, and allowed him to prophecy and forewarn the people of his day for 120 years.
• Before Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven, God allowed Abraham to intercede for the people there.
• He also placed Lot inside the city, and if Lot had been faithful, he no doubt, would have been able to save some of those people from that judgment of fire.
• God used His prophets to forewarn the children of Israel that, if they did not change their ways, they would be led away captive by the Babylonians for a period of 70 years.
• Likewise, when Jesus was here on this earth, He forewarned the Jews of His day, that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, and that their temple in which they worshiped was going to be completely destroyed that not one stone would be left on top of the other.

God, in His mercy,

And

God in His grace,

Never leaves Himself

Without a witness

In this world,

Regardless of how godless

The people might seem to become.

God always forewarns mankind of impending judgment and doom!

Now, it is no less true concerning the Second Coming of Christ, for God has forewarned us through prophecies and signs that point us to the nearness of His imminent Return. But unfortunately, we too are guilty of ignoring God’s great desire to let us know that we need to prepare ourselves spiritually for His Return.

In our previous studies of Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, we have seen that some of the believers in Thessalonica were having some problems with the doctrine of the Return of Christ.  They were eager concerning the Rapture of the Church, and looked for the coming of Christ in their life-time.  However, they had no idea that this age of the Church was going to span some 2,000 years.  Therefore, Paul instructs them to be cautious, because false teachers were going around preaching that they were already involved in the Tribulation period.

The Church in Thessalonica was therefore in danger of falling victim to deception and error.  So Paul gives this warning in verse 3, “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come the great falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”  Paul says . . .

The “day of the Lord”

Has not come,

And will not come

Until two things happen:

(1) “For that day shall not come, except there come the falling away first …”  The Greek word that has been translated “falling away” is the word for “Apostasy.” And.

(2) “… That man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”

I will cover the first of these signs in today’s blog.  Our study of the “man of sin… the son of perdition” will require additional study of the Word of God than we have time for today, but which we will look at tomorrow.

The word “apostasy” carries with it three ideas:

(1) The word “apostasy” means “opposition towards God.”

It is used in the Bible as being opposed to God, and is the same as the Hebrew word used in Jeremiah 29:32, “Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that I will do for My people,’ says the Lord, ‘because he has taught rebellion against the Lord.’”

(2) The word “apostasy” also means “a falling away, or departing from  the truth”

This is the same language used by Peter when he warns against apostate teachers who deny redemption by the blood, as seen in 2 Peter 2:1-3, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.  And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.  By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long-time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

(3) The word “apostasy” also means “rebellion against constituted authority.”

This meaning is in direct opposition to the message of Paul, as recorded in Romans 13:1-3, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.  Do you want to be unafraid of the authority?  Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.”

Already in our world there is a great apostasy.  Already in our world there is opposition and hostility towards God.  Already in our world there is a rebellion against constituted authority.

But the “apostasy” that is discussed in this our passage today is the “apostasy” that is involved within the ranks of organized religion.  There is a great and growing “apostasy” among “professing Christians” today.  You will notice that I said “professing Christians,” for the truly born again child of God, will not, and cannot become an apostate.

Zechariah 13:6 prophecies this very truth, “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’  Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’”  Just as surely as there were those among the Jews that were in violent opposition to Jesus, there will be those among the ranks of organized religion that are violently opposed to His teachings.

Today, as never before in the history of the Church, Jesus Christ is being attacked.  He is being stripped of His deity and of His virgin birth; He is being lowered to the level of great religious leaders and the founders of other cults.  And the world is saying that He was lying about His Second Coming!

Therefore, let’s look at the kind of apostasy that is going on right now, that is preparing the way for the Coming of the Lord.

First, there is an apostasy of belief.

The Bible gives this warning in 1 John 2:18-20, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things (It is impossible for the born again believer to be deceived about the truth of Jesus Christ, because we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Truth). I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.  Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”

Just as Jesus had His forerunner in the person of John the Baptist, and his disciples, to prepare the way for Jesus when He came forth preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, Satan has his forerunners to prepare the way for the antichrist when he come on the scene.

Before the people are ready

To receive the antichrist,

The real Christ must be

Displaced in people’s minds,

And in their hearts!

And the way Satan does this is to send out false teachers to deceive them into believing “another gospel.”  This truth is seen in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 & 13-15, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted – you may well put up with it … For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder!  For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Every false religion, every cult,

And every denomination,

That departs from the Word of God

Is a forerunner of the antichrist.

Every preacher, and every teacher,

That takes away from

The Lordship of Jesus Christ,

And says that Jesus Christ

Is not the only way to God,

Is a forerunner of the antichrist.

Do you know where the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons, and all of the other cults, get most of their members?  They get them from those who are on the rolls of Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and other evangelical churches who have never been saved, so they believe a lie!

There is an “apostasy” of belief

Going on in the churches today,

And Paul says they

Are “enemies of the cross.”

Not only is there an “apostasy” of belief . . .

Secondly, there is also an apostasy of behavior going on in our churches today.

Let me remind you that . . .

False teaching

And false living

 Always go together!

This truth is seen in 2 Peter 3:3 the Bible tells us, “Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.”  The person that denies the truths of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, always goes hand-in-hand with the person that is a slave to his own unholy desires and selfish lusts.

“Apostasy” has sabotaged the Bible . . .

• It, has humanized God;
• It has deified man;
• It has minimized sin;
• It has glamorized sex;
• And it has destroyed righteousness through the Atonement of the Cross.

And if you go into the average church today, you will hear very little , if any preaching on the inerrancy of the Bible; the necessity of being saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, by the Word of God alone, for God’s glory alone; the Lordship of Christ; and the literal Second Coming of Christ.  Sadly . . .

Because the focus of many churches

Has been turned from

The message to ministry,

There is very little solid doctrine

Being advocated; and there is very little

Difference between church members

And those that are members

Of the local service clubs in town!

What, then, is the answer?  It is simply not enough to come and join the church, and to follow with baptism, and become involved in some program.  My friend . . .

It is absolutely necessary . . .

To become aware of your sin problem;

Accept what Jesus has done about that on the cross

And ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart,

To forgive your sin and change your life!

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

  I want to spend the next five blogs looking into Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians.  A few months after writing his first letter to them, Paul writes his second letter to the Christians at Thessalonica.  Why did he find it so necessary to write this second letter?

Let me give you a short list of the possible reasons:

1. The first letter didn’t answer all their questions.
2. Verse 4 tells us their persecution had intensified.
3. Chapter 2:2 tells us they had gotten a letter from someone claiming to be Paul … but this letter wasn’t from Paul.

4. Chapter 3:11 tells us that some of the Thessalonian believers had quit their jobs to wait for the Rapture.

But the real problem was that these Thessalonian Christians were under such unexplainable persecution, that they concluded that surely God was displeased with them.

Have you ever felt that way?  I mean, when things go wrong … or when bad things happen to you … do you feel like God is punishing you … or is displeased with you to the point that He is withholding His blessings from you?  I think all of us have gone through that kind of thinking at some time in our Christian life.

That kind of thinking is what some have called “The Principle of Retribution,” and it is at the heart of every major religion.  And this kind of thinking and/or teaching says, “If you displease the gods, they will get you…floods, famines, fire, disease are the result of the wrath of the gods.” And it is amazing how many Christians have the same kind of warped idea about God.

Many preachers preach, and many Christians believe that God will reward the people who do good with prosperity … and punish those who do bad with suffering.

Why is it so easy to bring this kind of thinking from heathen religions over into Christianity?  It is something we have learned from childhood.  In one way or another . . .

We have been taught

That good behavior

Earns you rewards

And bad behavior

Earns you pain or disaster.

And because of that kind of thinking, we carry this into our Christianity.  And with that kind of thinking comes the idea that . . .

Suffering is a sign that

God is displeased with you,

And prosperity is a sign that

God is pleased with you.

And we draw the natural conclusion: If you have enough faith, God will reward you financially, physically & spiritually.  And the other side of that coin is, If you don’t have enough faith, that’s why you’re sick, poor and unsuccessful.

Faith is important for our salvation and in our living for Christ.  But there has to be a balance in our theology when it comes to this matter of sickness and healing, success and failure, and being wealth and being poor.  The truth of the matter is that bad things do happen to good people.  Why?  Because we live in a fallen world and life is not always fair.

The truth is the wicked do prosper and the godly do go through tough times.  And this is not a new truth.  David saw it and it troubled him, as seen in Psalm 73:1-15, “Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart.  But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  For there are no pangs in their death, and their strength is firm.  They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men” … “Behold, these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches” … “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was vexed in my mind.”  David finally got his answer, as seen in verses 16-17, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me – until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.”

It was obvious to Paul that Satan was working overtime. As the lion, he was seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:7-8), and as the serpent, he was seeking to deceive (2 Corinthians 11:3).  It was in response to these needs that Paul wrote his second letter.  He began with their most pressing need, the persecution they were experiencing because of their faith.

In these first few verses, Paul offered words of encouragements to his suffering friends.

He begins by encouraging them to praise the Lord.

 In verses 2-4 he says, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”

After greeting his friends, Paul launched into a statement of praise to God for what God Himself had accomplished in their lives.  Paul was practicing his own advice that he had given them in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks.”  You cannot help but notice Paul’s repeated thanksgivings in these two letters.  You see . . .

Not only does prayer

 Change people and situations,

But so also does praise.

No doubt the Thessalonian believers did not consider themselves to be very spiritual as they suffered, but Paul detected what God was doing among them.

Of all the people in our lives, you and I are the worst one to evaluate our own lives.  Many times others can see the spiritual improvement when you and I miss it completely.  On the other hand, we often will miss the blaring signal that our sins are sending also.

Paul points out four things that God was doing in their lives for which he was thankful for:

First of all, he reminds them their faith was growing.

In verse 3 he says, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly…”  I am sure you have heard this saying before –

A faith that

Cannot be tested

 Cannot be trusted.

I think one of the truths that we often fail to teach new believers is they can expect their faith to be tried, because Satan will see to it. You see, faith, like a muscle, must be exercised to grow stronger.  What a tragedy that so many Christian fall by the way-side when they face a trial of their faith!

Second, he reminds them their love was abounding.

Paul states this in verse 3, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other…”  In 1 Thessalonians 3:12, Paul had prayed that their love for each other would increase, and now he sees his prayers being answered.

 Suffering and heartache can make us

Selfish and filled with self-pity,

But when suffering is mixed with grace

 And faith, it produces love!

Why? Because when Christians suffer, their faith reaches upward to God, and their love reaches outward to their fellow believers.

Third, he reminds them that their patience was increasing.

Paul writes in verse 4, “…so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience…”  No matter how we look at it, these Thessalonian Christians were having a hard time for the cause of Christ.

But we need to be reminded of something . . .

God never wastes time

And He never wastes experience.

If we will put our trust in the Lord,

Trials will work for us not against us.

That is exactly what James 1:2-4 says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

If we trust God and yield to Him, then trials will produce patience and maturity in our lives.  If we fight and rebel against our circumstances, then we will remain immature and impatient.

Fourth, he reminds then that their faithfulness was their testimony.

Paul says in verse 4, “… so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure …”  The Greek word that is translated “faith” here can easily be translated “faithfulness.”

What this is teaching is . . .

We reveal our faith in God

By our faithfulness to Him.

These early Christians were faithful to the Lord and to one another, in spite of the  troubles they endured.  When a person forsakes the church at the first sign of trouble in his life, he shows his lack of faithfulness to those around him.

Paul had every reason to praise God and give thanks for what God was doing in the lives of these young Christians.  These believers had proved to be good soldiers under massive attacks from the enemy, and this fact caused Paul to rejoice “with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” He never ceased to give thanks and praise God for the faithfulness of his converts at Thessalonica.

One of the greatest things that any pastor will ever remember about the members of his church is their faithfulness to the cause of Christ!!  You might become my greatest friend and closest companion, but it is your faithfulness to the Lord that brings joy to my life.

Let me ask you this question, “Do you see yourself in this picture that Paul has painted of those early Christians?”  Is your faith growing?  Is your love for other believers abounding?  Is your patience increasing? Are others encouraged because of your faithfulness?

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

  Shock and disbelief!  That’s what I felt when I saw the news that Kobe Bryant just died in a helicopter crash on Sunday Morning.  As I began to comb through various online news and social media outlets after church, I slowly came to the realization that it wasn’t just Kobe who died, but also his beautiful daughter and seven other precious souls.

While thinking about the massive blow that this tragedy would have been for Kobe’s wife, surviving children, and entire family, two other things dominated my racing thoughts.

First, I considered why this news is so shocking to us.

Over 150,000 people die every 24 hours.  We all clearly know that life can end for any of us in the blink of an eye.  Of course, it always hits closer to home when it’s someone we personally know or who is universally known.  But, I think the reason we find ourselves struck with disbelief in these devastating instances is that many of us have what some call “The Invincibility Complex.” Despite the fact that we know how fragile and fleeting life is, a kind of subconscious mental block is always hovering right below the surface of our minds, deceiving us into thinking that this can never happen – especially to us, to someone we know, or to the seemingly immortal superstars who appear to be immune to the cruel sting of death.

This deceptive outlook is extremely dangerous, because . . .

An understanding of our mortality

Is the strongest safeguard

Against a wasted life

And a regretful eternity.

As the Bible instructs us in Psalm 90:12, when we number our days, we gain a heart of wisdom.  This thinking begins with “the fear of the Lord.”  The Bible tells us in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  Once our hearts have been enlightened by wisdom’s sobering touch, we begin to understand the reality of the undeniable truth of what the Bible says in James 4:14, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”

Ultimately . . .

Wisdom should lead us

To examine the state of our soul,

And to make sure that we have

Run to Christ for redemption

And reconciliation with God.

 And as the Holy Spirit confirms in our hearts that that we belong to Him, we find ourselves motivated to conduct our lives in righteousness, and to live in time for eternity – making every moment count for the glory of God.  We will live from the gospel and will be provoked to lovingly proclaim it to the lost around us. We will be compelled to keep our accounts short with the Lord, and to run to Him in repentance whenever we stumble, knowing that His love for us is inexhaustible, and that He sympathizes with our every weakness.

Secondly, this tragedy reminds me of the brevity and uncertainty of life.

Three months after 9/11, Kobe Bryant wrote a column for Newsweek reflecting on what he had learned from the tragedy.

He stated: “I’ve learned also that you can’t take things for granted. You know how we always say ‘See you later?’  One thing I’ve realized from September 11 is that you can’t ever say that for sure.  Things change in the blink of an eye.  People go to work and don’t come back.  One minute they’re living and the next minute they’re not.  And, it doesn’t matter who you are, there is nothing you can do about it.”  He concluded his article with these words: “We never know when our time here will be over, so we all need to make the most of every minute we have.”

Just as Kobe Bryant sought meaning in the aftermath of 9/11, many been searching for meaning in his shocking death. The unpredictability of life he highlighted in his Newsweek article is one obvious fact.  Another is his observation that, with regard to mortality, “it doesn’t matter who you are.”

All of us have an inevitable appointment with death.  The Bible says in Hebrews 9:27, “And it is appointed unto to man to die once, but after this the judgment.”  This is because we are all sinners.  The Bible say in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  And as a result of that the Bible says in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  We all need to be ready for death when it comes and the way to do that is to acknowledge that we are a sinner, admit that we cannot save ourselves, accept what Jesus did upon the cross and through the empty grave in obtaining our salvation, and ask Him into our lives to be our Savior and Lord.

Thirdly, this tragedy reminds me that all people are important.

Our culture focuses on celebrity.  For example, seven other people died in the helicopter crash along with Bryant and his daughter Gianna, but their stories have not been the focus of media attention.  One of them was John Altobelli, a baseball coach who helped hundreds of players earn scholarships to Division I programs over the years.  He and his wife Keri were on board the helicopter with their daughter Alyssa, who played on the same basketball team as Gianna Bryant.  Another victim was Christina Mauser, the top assistant on the girls’ basketball team.  Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, a teammate of Gianna Bryant’s, also died in the crash, as did the helicopter pilot, Ara Zobayan.

Those we don’t know

Are just as important

To their family and friends

As those we do know.

Other stories have occurred in the last few days that highlight this need to be aware of the importance of all people.  House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler has been front and center in the impeachment process.  Few know the name of his wife, Joyce Miller, or the fact that she has undergone surgery for pancreatic cancer.  This news came to light only when Nadler announced Sunday that he would miss a day of the impeachment trial to be with her “to meet with doctors, determine a path forward, and begin her treatment.”

Unless you live in Turkey, you may not be following closely the search for survivors after an eqrthquake struck Friday night, collapsing buildings and killing at least forty-one people.  Unless you live in Newburgh County, New York (sixty miles north of New York City), you may not know that a home invasion Sunday morning took the lives of three people, one of whom was a ten-year-old boy.

If you’re like most of us, your concern about the escalating China conoravirus crisis is related to the degree you perceive it to be a personal threat.  It also may not surprise you to learn that, according to Nielsen, twice as many people watched The Young and The Resless soap opera as watched the impeachment trial last week.  Many Americans apparently don’t see the relevance of the trial to their personal lives.

Celebrities obviously make the news because they are celebrities. But . . .

A central tenet of the Christian faith

Is that every person matters

Just as much as every other person,

Whether the world knows their story or not.

Paul’s assertion in Galatians 3:28 that, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” was radical for his culture.  The biblical claim that “whoever” believes in Christ receives eternal life (John 3:16) broke down the racial and cultural barriers of Jesus’ day and ours.

The fact that the intrinsic value of every person seems so commonplace to you illustrates the impact of Christianity on your worldview.  If you were living in Communist China or North Korea, where individuals are seen as subordinate to the state, it might not be as obvious.

Nor should we is the belief in the sanctity of every human life is accepted by everyone in our culture.  It has been noted that, with respect to our abortion laws and the statue of the unborn, “moving a few inches transforms property into a person.”  Many abortion advocates moved beyond the argument to have abortion “safe, legal, and rare,” advocating for the ending of unborn life more adamantly than ever before, even to the time of birth.

The systemic prevalence of racism and rising popularity of euthanasia show that for many Americans, the equal status and sanctity of every person is more fiction than fact.

The best way to help our culture

Value every person

From conception to natural death

Is to value every person we know

. . . Today.

None of us knew on Sunday morning that Kobe Bryant would not be alive on Monday morning.  None of us knew on September 10, 2001 that September 11, 2001 would change our world.

Mordecai’s admonition to Esther is God’s word to us: “Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

It is by God’s providence

That we are alive

Not just where we are

But when we are.

And that we will meet

Those who need to know the Lord

And know the Bible truth

About facing their immorality

Every day that we live.

Pastor and author Mark Dever has noted: “Today is what the Lord has prepared you for.”  For whom has he prepared you this day?

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

 

 

Grace For The Journey

  We are looking at the last verses of 1 Thessalonians  chapter four.  There’s often an interesting background to what we read in Paul’s letters to the young churches he had founded.  The verses we will look at today are Paul’s response to a misunderstanding that had caused grief to the new Christians at Thessalonica.  Paul the apostle had personally taught his converts that the Lord Jesus was coming again to gather up His people, His church, to be with Him forever.  What a wonderful truth that was!  What comfort it gave to the little band of Christians living in a hostile world!

After some months Paul had to leave the city to return to Athens and then go on to Corinth in the south of Greece.  It was then that a misunderstanding of the doctrine of the Second Coming caused the believers some grief.  A few of the church members had died.  These deaths came as a great shock.  They began to be concerned about what was going to happen to their loved ones?  Were they going to miss the Second Coming?  They concluded that they had died too soon.

It is clear that they had misunderstood what Paul had taught that they should be ready for the Lord’s call or return at any time.  But human nature being what it is, they worried themselves sick about the fate of their friends who had died.  They wondered if those who had died would be at a disadvantage compared to those who were living when Christ returned?  Would their loved ones be miss the resurrection?

Paul’s assistant, Timothy, relayed the story of their grief to Paul.  You can imagine how Paul felt!   He had a real pastor’s heart and that’s how the first letter to his friends at Thessalonica came to be written.  He wanted them to know the full story, the whole truth, of the Second Coming of Jesus.

A simple misunderstanding can cause great anxiety.  Communication nowadays is so easy with e-mail, fax, text, and telephone, but before the 20th century it was very slow.  Two hundred and forty plus years ago messages were passed over long distances by signal stations on hills.  When the Battle of Waterloo was being fought England anxiously awaited the outcome.  At last the signals began to whirl, the message being spelt our letter by letter: “Wellington defeated …” The two words came through clearly and then fog covered the hillside.  Quite understandably the people thought they had lost!  The people were plunged into despair.  What a catastrophe for the nation!  But when the fog lifted, they saw the rest of the message: “Wellington defeated…the enemy.”

Misunderstandings causing confusion and trouble often happen in daily life if we’re not careful.  And that’s what happened in Thessalonica.  It’s the work of the enemy to sow seeds of error, confusion and doubt between believers.

Paul responded to their doubts and concerns

With words of reassurance.

In verse 13 he says, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.”  Before the resurrection of Jesus Christ death in the pagan world was literally believed to be the end.  A grim epitaph has been found on a tombstone of that time: “I was not; I became; I am not; I care not.”  There is no comfort there for those who are left behind.  There is no answer to the question, “What is the purpose of this life on earth?”

Of course, death, inevitable as it is, does bring grief through the parting of loved ones.  It would be very unnatural, in fact, inhuman, not to mourn when we lose someone near and dear to us.  Jesus did at the graveside of his friend Lazarus.  What Paul is saying is that the Christian’s mourning is not hopeless grief.

Death for the Christian is entirely different from that of the unbeliever because we share in Christ’s victory over death.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor and theologian was martyred for his faith by the Nazis days before the end of the Second World War in 1945, but before he was executed he wrote: “This is the end, but for me the beginning of life.”  For the believer, death is simply the gateway into the very presence of God.

Therefore . . .

Paul launches out into

One of the great fundamental truths

Of the Christian faith,

The Second Coming of the Lord Jesus.

When Jesus died on the Cross, the vast majority of His countrymen thought they had been the last of Him, but those who had witnessed His resurrection and ascension knew better.  They recalled Jesus’ teaching of His coming kingdom and it became absolutely clear to them that the next event in God’s calendar was the Second Coming of Jesus in great glory.

In Acts 1:11 the angelic messenger had predicted when Jesus ascended, “This same Jesus … will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”  No wonder then that Paul writes authoritatively.  There could be no doubt.  It was a statement of fact although still to be realized.

It was “the blessed hope”

That sustained him

In the many trials of life.

Paul makes four positive affirmations concerning this great event for the Christian believer.

The first is the Return.

 Paul says, “The Lord Himself will come from heaven.”  The Greek word that Paul uses for “come” is the word that was used for a visit of a person of high rank, especially of kings and emperors, visiting a province.  The Second Coming is when Jesus Himself comes, not one of His deputies or representatives.  It will be a personal, dramatic, public and unmistakable coming.

What Paul is teaching is that Christ is going to Return to complete the divine work and plan that God has for all of creation.  Man have made tremendous progress in terms of knowledge, but his flawed sinful nature has become ever increasingly apparent.  All the advances made seem to be one step forwards and two backwards, in morality, selfishness and exploitation.

Thousands are dying as a result of wars among people within the same country; there’s a great movement of refugees from the east to the west, both political and economic, as a result of man’s inhumanity to man; children, teens, and young women are being abused from sex trafficking and in their own home … I could go on, but it is clear we are destroying ourselves and can’t save ourselves.  It was equally as bad back then.

It is no wonder that believers are asking, “When is Jesus coming?”  Paul wrote this warning in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”  He is simply echoing the words of Jesus found in Matthew 24:36-44, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

 Although the Bible gives us “signs” that point in that direction, it is  entirely appropriate to say that only God Himself knows for sure. But that hasn’t stopped many from predicting a date for Christ’s Return.  But those dates have all come and gone, leaving many a red face of embarrassment and scrambling for some logical explanation!

 Second, there is the Resurrection.

Paul simply says, “And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

Christianity is essentially a faith of resurrection.

When a Christian dies, it’s not the end.  Although it is true the body is laid to rest in the grave, the soul and spirit live on.  The dying but repentant thief crucified with Jesus was assured of being with the Lord immediately when his life ended: “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Death is the gateway into the very presence of God.

Paul himself testified in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” For him, passing through death would bring him a closer, richer, and fuller experience of Christ than he was already enjoying on earth.  This is the Christian hope, in stark contrast to pagan hopelessness.  Therefore, Paul makes this promise, “the dead in Christ will rise.”

Third, there is the Rapture.

Paul is led by the Holy Spirit to write, “We who are alive … will be caught up…”  The word “Rapture” itself is not found in Scripture but is derived from the Greek word that Paul uses for “caught up.”  The word is means “to seize, to snatch away, to take by force.”  In the physical realm, it expresses that moment when I walk over and “snatch” something out of your hand.  In the biblical and spiritual realm. it expresses that moment when Jesus will “snatch” His church from the hands of death and the grave and bring us to himself.  And it is in that moment “the dead in Christ will rise first… and we who are alive…will be caught up” and given our imperishable, immortal resurrection-body.

This is an amazing and supernatural event.  It is incredible and unbelievable apart from faith.  And the question that springs to mind is, “How is this possible?  How is it possible that only believers will be ‘caught up’ and the unbelievers left behind?”  The first thing that we have to realize is that the power of the resurrected Christ is at work.  It was God who raised Him from the dead and, if we believe in the literal resurrection and ascension of Jesus, then we should have no difficulty in believing that the Rapture will take place.  It is that same power that raised up Christ that will raise the believers in the Rapture.

Someone might object and say that it’s impossible for a body to rise against the law of gravitation, but this overlooks the fact that in the resurrection body of Christ higher laws were in operation.  For example, think of a huge 747 aircraft setting on an airport runway.  It weighs many tons and is firmly clamped to the ground by the force of gravity.  It cannot possibly fly!  That is until the power of the jet engines are turned on and the laws of aerodynamics come into play, proving that there is a force which can overcome gravity.

So it was with the Lord Jesus.  Just as death and the grave could not hold Him when His Father raised Him from the dead in a glorified body, so nothing could hold Him when the time came for Him to return to His Father.  And so it will be when believers the world over “hear the voice of the archangel…and the trumpet call of God.”   Ephesians 1:3-14 makes this promise, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

My Greek professor said it well, “The Bible is simply teaching us that those who have been “born of the Spirit” (John 3:8) have within us the Holy Spirit who acts as a “magnetic attraction” that will respond to the coming of Christ.”  Just as iron objects are seemingly miraculously caught up by a magnet, so will Christians be “caught up” and drawn to Christ!

Paul goes on to say that this earth-shattering event will take place “in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”  Again questions arise: what’s the meaning of “the clouds … the air?”  There are many references to “clouds” throughout the Bible – at the Exodus and Mount Sinai when God revealed Himself in clouds, and in the life of Jesus, at His transfiguration and ascension God spoke from a cloud.  But the reference here seems to point to Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 2:1-3, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.”

This is a subtle way that Paul has of once more reminding believers of the authority that we have over Satan and his demonic army.  In fact, when the Rapture takes place, we will meet the Lord in the very dwelling place of Satan and exhibit our total mastery over him once and for all.  As one studies the Bible, there can be no doubt as to the reality that’s being portrayed.  It’s the personal, visible appearing of Jesus Christ and the gathering to Him of all His people, whether dead or alive at the time.

Fourth, Paul turns with joyful anticipation to the reunion.  

He writes in verse, “And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  This is surely  . . .

The climax of the ages –

The descending Lord

And

The ascending saints

Being united forever.

 This is the heart

Of the Christian hope.

This earth is frequently the scene of sad separations but for the Christian it will be a thing of the past, never to happen again.  There, in the presence of the Lord, we will be beyond the reach of evil, pain and suffering.  Revelation 5:9 reminds us that heaven will be the place of the greatest reunion of all time, with people “from every tribe and language and people and nation.”  That’s the glorious prospect for the future but we don’t know when it will be, so back to the present!

What does the Return, the Resurrection, the Rapture and the Reunion mean to us in the here and now?  The Bible reminds us in Philippians 3:20 that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there.”  Bu . . .

While we “eagerly await the Savior”

We are called on to live

Our daily lives in constant

Readiness for our Lord’s return.

No one but God knows if it will be in our lifetime.  Therefore, our present task is to work for the kingdom of God as if the Return of Jesus will be delayed until the next century but be ready if He should return tonight!  But what a prospect!  No wonder John prayed, “Even so, Come, Lord Jesus.”

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

  Today we come to the fourth chapter of the book of 1 Thessalonians.  In these verses, Paul is led to instruct the believers in living for the Lord.  The Bible uses the word “walk” when it seeks to describe our life with Christ.

Along with jogging, walking has become a popular exercise and outdoor sport. As one drives through the neighborhoods, you can see individuals and entire families enjoying a walk together.

In the Bible, the Christian life is be compared to a walk.  In fact, this is one of Paul’s favorite pictures.

In Ephesians 4:1 he says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” In Ephesians 4:17 he says, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk…” In Ephesians 5:2 he says, “…walk in love.”

In Ephesians 5:8 he says, “…walk as children of light.”

The Christian life begins

With a step of faith.

But that step leads

To a walk of faith.

2 Corinthians 5:7 tells us, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Walking suggests progress,

And we must make

Progress in the Christian life.

Walking also demands strength, and God has promised us in Deuteronomy 33:25, “As your days, so shall your strength be.”

We need to “walk in the light” because the enemy has put traps and detours in our Christian pathway, and many times Satan disguises those traps as other people and/or circumstances.  And, then, at the end of life’s walk, we will step into the very presence of the Lord.

In this chapter, Paul described a threefold walk for the child of God to follow.

First of all, we are to walk in holiness.

Verses 1-8 describe the world the Thessalonica Christians lived in.  The moral climate in the Roman Empire was not healthy.  Immorality was a way of life; and, thanks to slavery, people had the leisure time to indulge in the latest pleasures. The Christian message of holy living was new to that culture, and it was not easy for these young believers to fight the temptations around them.

Paul gave some reasons why we should live a holy life and abstain from sensual lusts.

• To please

Paul says in verse 1, “…you ought to walk and to please God.” Everybody lives to please somebody.  And there are many people who live to please themselves.  When we live only to please ourselves, we have no sense of the needs of others.

And, then, there are those folks who are so busy seeking to please everyone else, that they have lost sight of themselves.  In other words, they really try to be “all things to all people,” and it simply doesn’t work that way.

Pleasing God ought to be the major motive of the Christian life, as seen in the example of Jesus in John 8:29, where He said, “I do always those things that please (the Father).”

•  To obey

Note what Paul says in verses 2-3, “For you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.”  Paul reminds these new believers that sexual immorality did not please God.  God created sex; therefore, He has the authority to establish its boundaries.  From the beginning He established marriage between one man and one woman.  And in Hebrews 13:4 we are once again reminded that “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.”

• To glorify

Paul says this in verses 4-5, “That each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God.”  This is the positive side of God’s commandments.  Christians are supposed to be different from the unsaved.  The words “possess his vessel” means to “control one’s body.”

Paul brings up something that is forgotten in our world – We have two choices: (1) We can allow our “flesh” to control our lives; or (2) We can allow the Holy Spirit to control our lives.   One leads to painful failure, and the other leads to glorious victory – To escape the judgment of God.

In verses 6-8, he continues by saying, “That no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.  Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.”

While it is true that the Christian

Is not under condemnation

(John 5:24 & Romans 8:1),

It is also true that

We are not free from the harvest

Of sorrow that comes

When we sow to the flesh

(Galatians 6:7-8).

There are many of God’s dear children today that are living in misery and pain because of their disobedience to God’s Word and will for their lives.

Second, we are to walk in harmony.

Verses 9-10 tell us, “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia . But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more.”

The transition from “holiness” to “love” is not a difficult one.  Paul made this transition in his prayer in 3:11-13, “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.  And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”

 Just as God’s love is a holy love, so our love for God and for one another ought to motivate us to holy living.  The more we live like God, the more we will love one another.  Child of God, it is impossible to be right with God and wrong with men.

Did you know the Bible says that walking in love is good for your health?  Look at what the Bible says in Proverbs 4:10-27, “My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.  I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.  When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.  Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.  Guard them, for they are the key to life.  Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers.  Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way.  Turn away and keep moving.  For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble.  They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of violence!  The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like total darkness.  They have no idea what they are stumbling over.  My child, pay attention to what I say.  Listen carefully to my words.  Don’t lose sight of them.  Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.  Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.  Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.  Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.  Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.  Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.”

Medical science has proven this to be true.  Researchers have discovered that hostility produces stress that causes ulcers, tension headaches, and a  host of other ills.  Now when you think of hostility, you may think of the type of anger you feel when something serious happens.  But according to the experts, that kind of thing isn’t what causes the worst problems.  It’s the little things: when the dry cleaners ruin your favorite dress or pants, for example.  Or when the cafeteria lady puts gravy on your mashed potatoes after you’ve specifically told her not to.  Sound familiar?

Just think how much stress you could avoid by being quick to forgive and not counting up the evils done to you.  Imagine the physical and emotional benefits of living like that!  If you have allowed yourself to be habitually bound by hostility, that may sound like an impossible dream, but it’s not!

Because as a born-again believer, you have the love of God inside of you.  If you will yield to that love, it will set you free. Remember when Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave?  He was alive but still bound in the grave clothes.  Jesus commanded the bindings to be loosed so that Lazarus could be free to walk.

Jesus wants that same kind of freedom for you.  So, I challenge you to get into agreement with Him.  Remember: It doesn’t take a medical miracle to turn your life around. All it takes is a decision to yield to the force of love.

Last of all, we are to walk in honesty.

Verses 11-12 says, “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

Like the church in Corinth, it seems that Paul is now dealing with this issue of strife, boarding on division, in the church here in Thessalonica.  It seems as if envying, strife and divisions had reduced these two early churches to a state of carnality and had stunted their spiritual growth.

The years have passed but Satan has not changed his strategies. He knows that a house divided against itself will fall.  He also knows that Ephesians 4:13 says if we all come together in the unity of our faith, we will arrive at the full stature of Christ Jesus. He has assigned a spirit of division to operate in our personal lives, our church lives, our social lives and our family lives. His goal is the same as it was in Corinth and Thessalonica, “to bring envying, strife, division” and to stunt our spiritual growth.”

But we don’t have to yield to that spirit.  We can live in harmony, as we live the Christian life in walk in honesty before God and men.  How?  By allowing Christ to live His life through us.

Let me close by reminding you that the Christian walk is accomplished by holy living, harmonious living, and honest living.

When Christians as well as unsaved people watch your life, God will be glorified.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

  We come today to the third chapter of 1 Thessalonians where In these verses, Paul talks about his partners in the Gospel ministry and how he had sent them to establish them further in the faith and encourage them to grow in their faith.  Some of the believers in the church were disturbed that Paul and others were encountering persecution and sufferings because of their relationship with Christ.  When Timothy reported back how their faith was helping them work through these issues Paul was greatly encouraged and glad.  He rejoiced in the news and it deepened his desire and prayer that God would direct their way to them so they would be able to see them and to “perfect what is lacking in your faith.”  Then he wraps up the chapter by praying that the Lord may increase and about in his love and further build them up in the faith.

I think we all would agree that the gospel is good news.

It is certainly good news

That I am forgiven of my sin;

That I have been born-again

Into God’s family;

And that I am destined

For heaven not hell.

All of that is very good news.

And . . .

All of that is possible

Because of what Jesus

Has done for me.

When we consider God’s plan for us, and where it ultimately takes us, it is absolutely, unquestionably good news!

But the Bible teaches some aspects of that good news that we would hope was there.  One such verse is in our text, as Paul shares his concern for these believers “that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”

What is Paul saying believers are appointed to experience?  The Greek word Paul uses here means, “trials, affliction, or trouble.”  No matter how you translate it, it is still not what we are hoping to find concerning God’s plan for our life.

We find it very easy to embrace passages like Philippians 4:19, where the Bible says “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus;” Or Deuteronomy 28:8, where the Bible says, “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you;” and Deuteronomy 28:6, where the Bible says “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.”  Those are truths in the Bible that we enjoy reading.

But what are we to do with a verse like 1Thessalonians 3:3?  I could just jump over it and try to find something more positive to think about; or I could just say this just applied to the early church but it doesn’t really apply to us today.  But that would not be being true to God’s Word.

So, what is Paul saying about troubles in a Christian’s life?

First, he is saying don’t be surprised when it happens.

In verse 4 Paul says, “For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.”  Now in that context the trouble came as a result of their testimony of Christ.  It could have come in the form of lost opportunities on the job or maybe even the loss of jobs.  Conversely, there would be financial consequences to their faith.   Certainly there were social consequences.  A Jewish family would often disown children who turned to the Christian faith; they would lose their inheritance; they would lose their family support system.

The community at large was not Christian.  In fact, the whole economy and political structure centered around the “divine” Caesar and his favor.  Of course, we know from Acts that Paul and others were physically beaten and imprisoned because of the public stand for Christ.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:18 and 3:5 Paul specifically mentions the devil’s involvement in all this.  Satan resists the propagation of the gospel.  Satan looks for opportune times of discouragement to tempt believers and try to defeat them.

Therefore, Paul reminds these believers that behind their persecution there was part of a spiritual battle going on.  And the biblical fact is the battle has not ended and like it or not there is no neutral ground.  That’s why we are told in Ephesians 6 to put on the whole amour of God.  That is why Peter gives us this warning in 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”

There is a tendency for us to think something really strange has happened when a trials, difficulties, and persecution come into our lives.  There may even be the temptation to think God has somehow let us down.  But both Paul and Peter are saying that troubles and difficulties are not inconsistent with living for God.

In other words . . .

Jesus did not come into your life

Simply to make it easier

And more enjoyable.

He came to redeem you

From eternal destruction

And prepare you for eternal glory!

The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:13-16, “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

Notice how Peter distinguishes between two kinds of suffering.

The Bible teaches us that

Suffering comes as a natural

Consequence of our own sin.

But the Bible also talks about

Our suffering as a consequence

Of our commitment to Christ.

One can be eliminated through repentance,

But the other may only be eliminated

With the Rapture of the Church.

Second, he is saying watch out for the tempter in those situations.

 Verse 5 says, “For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.”  Did you catch Paul’s play on words in that verse – “the tempter had tempted.”

Satan is the tempter

 And quite simply

That’s what he does;

He tempts.

He tempted Eve in the Garden. He tempted Jesus in the wilderness. And most of us have learned by now, he tempts us as well.

But a time of trial and testing has its own special issues of temptation.  When did the devil tempt Jesus to turn stones to bread?  He did it when Jesus was hungry.  When did the devil tempt Judas to betray Jesus?  He did it when all their hopes and plans seemed to be falling apart.

Satan is an opportunist. He is a strategist. He has a short-term and a long-term plan for your destruction.  But he looks for those moments when he can step in with his lies and suggestions; those times when you are tired or discouraged; those times when you have taken hit after hit; then he looks for an opportunity to deliver a knock-out punch.  That’s what Paul was worried about concerning these believers.

This truth is very clearly pointed out for us in the account of Jesus’ temptation, as seen in Luke 4:13, where the Bible says, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him unto an opportune time.”  Although those temptations were over Satan would continue to look for other opportunities.

This is exactly what we have been told in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”  What, then, is the answer?  Peter gives us the answer in verses 9-10, “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.  But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”

Look how that passage begins

 With the devil’s objective – devour.

But ends with God’s objective –

To perfect, establish,

 Strengthen, and settle you.

Don’t lose sight of the end of the matter.

In Psalm 73:2-6 we find godly Asaph very disillusioned about his walk with God.  It looked to him that instead of being the head he was the tail.  It looked to him that the advantage went to the ungodly rather than the godly.  So, he says, “But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped.  For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men.  Therefore, pride serves as their necklace…”

I have no doubt that most of us have had those same feelings. There are times when it seems as if you just can’t seem to “get avbreak” in life, and you look around and it seems like it is lost and ungodly folks that are having all the luck.  So Ashap pours out his complaint to God, as seen in verse 12, “Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches.”  In verses 13-14 he concludes, “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence.  For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning.”

Then the key to the whole thing hits him – suddenly revelation comes and he understands what is going on.  We read what he finally realizes in verses 17-19, “Then I understood their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!  They are utterly consumed with terrors.”

The difference lies at the end of the matter.

One ends in terror and destruction.

The other ends in glory and everlasting joy.

Third, he says we are to pray for and encourage one another in such situations.

Notice how Paul addresses the whole group.  He has no thought of them enduring these things without the support of one another. He puts himself in the boat with them and them in the boat with him.  Folks, please drive this truth home . . .

We are in this thing together.

It is not every man for himself.

Our commitment to the Lord

Is also a commitment to one another.

Not only has the materialism of our culture invaded the church but so has the individualism.  It is hard for us to comprehend covenant commitment to one another because our society does not think that way at all.  Our society is built on stiff competition. There are economic benefits that have been reaped by structuring our economy around the selfishness inherent in fallen man.  That’s why it works.  It is based upon a broad reality.  That’s why communism fails.  It was based on an idealistic concept out of touch with man’s fallen nature.

But in the church, in the Body of Christ . . .

We are to live by another set of principles.

Instead of selfishness we are to live unselfishly.

Instead of every man for himself

It is one for all and all for one.

Paul commends these Christians at Thessalonica for the love they are exhibiting toward one another.  They are encouraging each other and supporting one another.  Paul sends Timothy to add to that encouragement, as seen in verses 1-2.  This whole chapter revolves around Paul’s concern for them.

That concern caused him to sacrifice something dear. He needed Timothy to be with him at Athens.  It was hard ground.  It was a difficult ministry.  When Timothy left Paul felt very lonely – you can see that in some of the words he uses.  He was facing hardship himself, but he sent Timothy anyway because he loved them and wanted them to be all right.

Paul wanted these believers to be so established that they would not be shaken or moved by the trouble they were experiencing.

When people skip over truths

Like we have here in our text,

When people think that salvation

Is nothing more than

An escape clause from Hell,

There is very little stability.

What we are talking about here is essential to our standing faithfully during times of trial and testing.

Paul prayed for these people and asked them to pray for him.

• He prayed that he himself might go help them in their faith.
• He prayed that the love they were expressing would abound more and more.
• He prayed that they would stand firm and be ready for the coming of the Lord.

Paul didn’t just pray out of religious obligation.

His prayer for them flowed out

Of his love for them.

I think that is the secret

To a sustained prayer life –

If God can get our hearts

And fill them with love

Toward hurting people,

We will pray.

You and I may not be experiencing the same troubles that these Christians at Thessalonica were experiencing.  But we deal with the same adversary.  We are tempted by the same tempter. We need each other’s prayers and encouragement just like they did.  And we need to keep our eye upon the Lord and His coming just like they did.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

As we come to the last part of 1 Thessalonians 2, we’re moving into the warmest section of any of Paul’s writings about the love and affection he felt for his fellow Christ followers.

He begins by establishing

That the basis

For those relationships

Is the Word of God.

The Bible is God’s hammer that sometimes gently taps on us and other times it pounds away at our stubborn pride.  This passage gives us five facets of Christian growth, a few of which have some pain associated with them.

The first facet is the Word of God within you.

Verse 13 says, “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”  The word translated “received” literally means, “to be taken up with the hand.”

The idea here is

That the Word of God

Is to be taken by us.

The word translated “accepted” goes a step further.  It means, “to welcome eagerly.”  When we receive the Word of God, we are saying that we acknowledge its authority.  When we accept it, we are allowing it into our hearts so that we can be changed by it.  This is the same idea that David expressed in Psalm 119:11, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

If the Bible is the Word of God, and it is, then we must bow in submission to it.  We should never say, “I know what the Bible says, but…”  If we know what the Bible says, then there’s no “but.”  We should say, “I know what the Bible says, period.”

When the Bible makes a statement, it is not up for a vote.  If you’re waiting for God to tell you something different than what’s in the Bible you’ll be waiting a long time.

Paul takes this one step further in the last phrase of verse 13 when he says, “…which is at work in you who believe.”

The power of the Word of God

Is tied to a surrendered, believing heart.

That is why Paul says in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: to the Jews first, then for the Gentile.”

The Gospel is the power of God!  In fact, Hebrews 4:12 puts it this way, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  Most of us can testify to the fact that God has used His living and active Word to speak directly to our hearts and lives.  When God’s Word is in us, our attitudes and beliefs change.

The second facet of spiritual growth is we have an enemy.

To the extent we experience

The power of God’s Word within us,

We will collide with

A world that rejects it.

We could put it this way: If you believe the Bible, you’re going to have some enemies.  This truth is seen in verse14 where the Bible says, “For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews.”

But in spite of the persecutions, the Thessalonians did not falter. They stood strong in the face of persecution. The truth is, every generation of Christians has known persecution for their faith, and today is not different.  The Bible puts it this way in Philippians 1:29, “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him.”  1 Timothy 3:12 is even stronger, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

In verses 15-16, we read some of the most vivid language in the entire New Testament about those who killed Christ, “Who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out.  They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.  The wrath of God has come upon them to the uttermost.”

It’s important to see Paul’s response to these truths . . .

As hurt as Paul was

By the treatment he received

From unbelieving Jews,

He had a tender love for his people.

After all, he was Jewish himself, and so was Jesus.  Look at the words the Holy Spirit led him to pen in Romans 9:2-3, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.”  His heart’s desire is made clear in Romans 10:1, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”

It must have broken the heart of Paul as he wrote that the sins of the Jews are being heaped up “to the limit.”  This phrase means, “to fill to the brim,” and is the same term that Jesus used this term in His sermon against the Pharisees in Matthew 23:32, “Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!”  And yet, God patiently waits as His people continue to rebel against Him.

But, the latter part of verse 16 states that when the time is up, God’s patience will come to an end and judgment will fall, “The wrath of God has come upon them to the uttermost.”  One day God will unleash an unprecedented time of tribulation and judgment upon those who refuse to embrace the Messiah.  The Jews and the world may continue to ignore and reject the truth of God’s Word, but there’s a limit to His patience.

The third facet of spiritual growth is to surround yourself with fellow believers.

Verse 17 says, “But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.”  As we learned yesterday, Paul dealt with the Thessalonians with the gentleness of a mother.  The phrase “torn away” is a very powerful image that literally means, “When we were made orphans.”  Paul had a close and intimate relationship with these new believers but now he feels like a child who has been ripped away from his parents.

Remember that Paul had stayed in Thessalonica for only a matter of weeks, and because of intense Jewish opposition, he was run out of town.  But he always planned to return to finish the job he started.  However, because he had been delayed in his return, his opponents had begun to slander his character.  Isn’t that just like man nature?  When people don’t meet our expectations we grip and complain.  Some of the new believers were beginning to question his motives, “If he loved us why did he leave us?” they asked, “And why doesn’t he come back to see us again?”

Even though Paul was not able to go back, he never really left them in his thoughts.  He thought about them all the time.  And his longing for them was “intense.”  For Paul and his team . . .

The Christian faith must be centered

On a passionate all-consuming

Relationship with Christ;

But it must not be lived in isolation.

We need each other.

Jesus made it very clear, we are called to do life together.

Much of what the Bible teaches about the Church can only be accomplished as we function in deep friendships with fellow believers.  A quick search of all the “one another” statements in the New Testament reveals that we are to:

Love one another (John 13:34)

Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)

Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)

Accept one another (Romans 15:7)

Instruct one another (Romans 15:14)

Greet one another (Romans 16:16)

Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)

Bear with one another (Ephesians 4:2)

Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21)

Admonish one another (Colossians 3:16)

Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Live in harmony with one another (1 Peter 3:8)

Offer hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)

The fourth facet of spiritual growth is to know your enemy.

Verse 18 states, “For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan stopped us.”  Paul tried again and again to reconnect with the church at Thessalonica but it never worked out.

The phrase “Satan stopped us,” is a military metaphor for an army that sets up a roadblock in order to impede the enemy.  Every time Paul tried to return to Thessalonica he ran headlong into a satanic obstruction.

We must remember that Satan is real and that he is determined to attack Christian relationships.  2 Corinthians 4:4 refers to the adversary as the “god of this age.”  Ephesians 2:2 describes him as “the ruler of the kingdom of the air.”  In John 8:44, Jesus called the devil “a murderer … and the father of lies.”  1 Peter 5:8 warns us about ignoring the reality of Satan’s destructive work, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  And, Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that, “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

In spite of the satanic attacks that hindered Paul from returning, he had the assurance of knowing that God was working in their lives through the Word of God that he had taught them.  These believers were his crown and joy, even though he couldn’t see them in person.

The fifth facet of spiritual growth is the rewards of God before you.

Verses 19-20 declare, “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”  Paul has “hope” because even though he can’t see the believers, he has confidence in what God was doing in them.  The word “joy” pictures his own inner feelings when he will see them presented to the Lord and welcomed into His kingdom.  The “crown” refers to the wreath of leaves given to the winner of a race in the Greek games.  It’s a victor’s wreath, a gold medal, and a trophy of triumph.

I want you to notice something . . .

Paul’s greatest hope,

His most joyful aspiration,

And his crowning achievement

Was to see men, women and children

Accepting Christ as their Savior, and Lord,

Thereby being In the presence

Of the Lord Jesus

When He comes in His glory.

If we could ask Paul what really fired him up, if we could find out what kept him going when things were tough, his answer would be something like this: “I will do everything I can to make sure no one is left behind when Christ returns!”

Revelation 1:7 reminds us that when Jesus comes again, many people will be filled with fear because they’ve not been saved, “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.  So shall it be!   Amen”  But, Revelation 4:10-11 also teaches that believers will one day lay their crowns at the throne of Jesus, “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” These crowns will be presented to believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ.  But the greatest joy will be when we are able to lay them at the feet of Jesus in recognition and honor of the price that He paid for our salvation.

If we’re serious about the Word of God and growing in our faith, let’s follow these five facets that will lead us to a victory wreath.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

 

Grace For The Journey

Yesterday, I wrote about what the church should be.  We looked at the first chapter of the letter of Paul to the church of Thessalonica.  That chapter introduced us to what every church should be. I want to continue our look through this powerful and profitable book over the next several days.

Chapter two introduces us to what every pastor should be.  It explains how the great Apostle cared for the new believers in the churches that he founded.  The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:28 that Paul considered “the care of all the churches” a greater burden than all the sufferings and difficulties he experienced in his ministry.  How the churches learned and lived was very important to him.

Paul rightly understood the growth principle for every Bible-believing, Bible-practicing church . . .

Just as God uses people to bring the Gospel to the lost,

He also

Uses people to nurture the babes in Christ

And help lead them to grow in their faith.

The church at Thessalonica was born through the faithful preaching of Paul and his helpers, and the church was nurtured through the faithful pastoring that Paul and his friends gave to the infant church. This helped them stand strong in the midst of persecution.

In chapter two, Paul reminded them of the kind of ministry he had as he taught and cared for the young church.  Several aspects of his ministry emerge.

1) We are able to see the motivation of his ministry.

We see that in verses 1-6, “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.  But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.  For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.  But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.  For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness – God is witness.  Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.”

Verse 4 tells us that Paul was convinced that he had been “put in trust with the Gospel.”  In fact, Paul said this in Galatians 1:11-12, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.  For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  Paul saw himself as a steward of God’s message.

When Paul wrote, a steward owned nothing, but possessed and used everything that belongs to his master.  In Genesis 39:1-6 we are told that Joseph was a steward in the household of Potiphar. That is, he managed his master’s affairs and used all his master’s goods to promote his master’s welfare.  Jesus reminds us in Luke 16:1-2 that every steward one day must give an account of his stewardship.  If he is found unfaithful, he will suffer loss.

The message of the Gospel is a treasure God has entrusted to us.  We must not bury it; we must invest it so it will multiply and produce “spiritual dividends” to God’s glory.  Some Christians think that the church’s only responsibility is to protect the Gospel from those who would change it (Galatians 1:6-9).  But . . .

We also must share the Gospel;

Otherwise,

We are protecting it in vain.

Paul gives us this insight in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.”  In Paul’s mind . . .

Faithfulness is the most important

Quality a steward possesses.

He may not be popular in the eyes of men; but he dare not be unfaithful in the eyes of God, as seen in verse 4, “Not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.”  The pastor and/or Christian who “plays to the grandstands” will lose God’s approval.

When we see the characteristics of Paul’s ministry as a steward, we understand what faithfulness means.

2) We are able to see the manner of his ministry.

Verses 1-2 say, “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.”  Paul and Silas had been beaten and humiliated at Philippi; yet they came to Thessalonica and preached.  Most of us would have taken a vacation or found an excuse not to minister. Paul was courageous, he was not a quitter.  He had a “holy boldness” that was born out of a dedication to God.

Paul’s preaching was the cause of “much conflict.”  When the apostle Paul came to town it was like a “whirlwind” had taken place. Paul was a “stormtropper” for the cause of Jesus Christ. There was no “middle ground” when it came to the apostle Paul . . .

You either loved him, or you hated him.

Why?

Because he always went against tradition

To preach the truth of the Gospel.

3) We are able to see the message of his ministry.

The Bible tells us in verse 3, “For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.”  The Greek reads like this, “So you can see that we were not preaching with any deceit or impure purposes or trickery.”

Paul was writing to assure his hearers that his message was not something that he, himself, had “made up,” but it was a message from God.  I have come to believe that . . .

If the preacher has no message from God,

He has no message at all.

4) We are able to see the motive of his message.

He is led by God to say in verse 3, “For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.”  The Greek literally reads, “nor of an impure motive.”  I believe it is impossible to preach the right message if your motive is to preach His Word solely for His honor and glory.  And I am convinced the reason that so many sermons today are shallow and are not changing hearts and lives is that preachers are using the pulpits to get their message across instead of God’s message.

This will be avoided

If our motive is

To not “shun [keep back; fall short from]

To declare the whole counsel of God”

(Acts 20:27)

Which is done as we

“Preach the Word”

(2 Timothy 4:2a).

5) We are able to see the method of his ministry.

Paul says in verse 3, “For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.”  What Paul is saying is that he did not use trickery to win converts.  The Greek word translated “deceit” carries the idea of “baiting a hook.”  In other words, Paul did not try to “trap” or “trick” people into being saved, the way a clever salesman traps people into buying his product.

Salvation does not lie

At the end of a clever argument

Or a subtle presentation.

Salvation is the result

Of Holy Spirit conviction

Based on the Word of God.

Paul’s method was as pure as his motives . . .

He presented the Word of God

In the power of the Holy Spirit,

And trusted God to bring

A person to salvation.

Through the years, we have used a term in our preaching and teaching that really is not a biblical term.   That term is “soul winner.”  The truth of the matter is . . .

We are not “soul winners,”

We are “seed sowers.”

God has called us to sow the seeds of the Gospel by simply sharing what He has done for us through the finished work of Christ.  It is the Holy Spirit that wins a person to Christ.  That is why Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  The word is “witnesses” – We are simply to tell what we know to be true in our own lives.

6) We are able to see Paul’s tender boldness.

Verses 7- 8 tell us, “But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.”  The Greek words that Paul uses here portray that of tenderness and caring.  As a nursing mother imparts life to her child.

Paul gently feeds these new Christians

On the “milk of the Word”

That they might grow

To maturity in their faith.

As an apostle, Paul was a man of authority; but he always used his authority in love.  The young Christians sensed his tender loving care as he taught them the Gospel.

7) We are able to see Paul’s deep concern.

Verses 9-12 say, “For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  Paul considered himself, a “spiritual father” to the believers at Thessalonica, just as he did toward the saints at Corinth, as seen in 1 Corinthians 4:15, “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”  The Spirit of God used the Word of God in Paul’s ministry, and many people in Thessalonica were born again into the family of God.

Verse 11 is a very interesting verse, and reads like this in the Greek, “And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children.”  As busy as he was, Paul still had time to pay attention to the members of this great church as if they were his own children.  While it is good for pastors and church staff to preach and/or teach to larger groups, we need to understand that nothing – absolutely nothing – will take the place of loving people and investing the Word of God in their lives.  Our Lord was never too busy to speak to individuals, even though He preached to great multitudes.

It was during this time of personal contact that Paul encouraged the believers.

Paul was aware that Satan

Is constantly seeking to get Christians

Discouraged and feeling defeated.

And every Christian needs someone to encourage them in the Lord.  The word that has been translated “exhorting” is the Greek word that means, “to call to one’s side, to encourage.”  It does not mean that Paul scolded them.  Rather, it means he encouraged them to go on with the Lord.

8) We are able to see the heart of Paul’s message.

Verse 12 tells us, “That you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  In the Greek, the verb is in the present tense, and should read, “Continue to live worthy of God, who is continually calling you into His kingdom and glory.” Here is an important scriptural principle to know . . .

The God who called us to salvation

Is constantly calling us

To a life of holiness and obedience.

This is seen in 1 Peter 1:15-16, where the Bible says, “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.”

No wonder the church at Thessalonica prospered in spite of persecution, and shared the Gospel with others for miles around. They had been born again, based on the Word of God, and nurtured right by a godly pastor who loved God and taught His Word.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

No doubt you have heard someone say, “If you ever find the perfect church, please don’t join it.  If you do, it won’t be perfect anymore!”  Since local churches are made up of human beings, saved by the grace of God, no church is perfect.  But . . .

Some churches are closer to the

New Testament ideal than others.

Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says in 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3, “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.”

The church at Thessalonica was in that category.  At least four times in this letter (1:2; 2:13; 3:9; 5:18), Paul gave thanks for the believers that made up this church and the way they responded to his ministry.

Several years ago, I preached as series of messages through this powerful Letter.  As I sat down to study Paul’s words to the church at Thessalonica, I must confess that my mind was drawn to our church family right here at First, Baptist, Butler.

And as I read Paul’s words of praise,

I could understand the pride and love

That he must have felt for those

Whom he loved and led

In their walk with God.

In this opening chapter we see Paul beginning the letter with unmixed praise.  It is a wonderful thing when a pastor can think of his church and say, “I give thanks always for all of you.”  Paul loved the church at Thessalonica.  These people were on his heart and he was concerned for their spiritual welfare.  In this chapter, Paul tells us what kind of a church he left in that wicked city.

The first thing Paul says about the church at Thessalonica was that they were inspired by faith.  You see that in verse 3, “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith.”  These were people of faith.

What makes a church be known by their faith?

What does it mean to be a great people of faith?

If we are going to be great people of faith, six things will have to be involved.

1) There will have to be an undeniable commitment to the Lord.

We see this in verses 3-4, “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.”   All of these words mean that the believers in Thessalonica were in a deep and powerful relationship with their Lord . . . it was obvious for all to see . . .

They were great witnesses of the Lord.

By faith they witnessed;

In love they labored for Christ;

By their patience they waited upon the Lord.

In other words . . .

They had made an undeniable

Commitment to Jesus Christ

For their lives.

Those people at Thessalonica were people of faith, and love, and patience, as they brought people into the fellowship of a growing church.  This is seen in Acts 17:4, “And some of them (the Jews) were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.”  They were growing daily in their faith and seeking people for the Kingdom of God.

I am absolutely convinced, when a person is really saved, I mean really saved, they are . .

Going to have a heart to grow.

They are going to have

A desire for the things of God.

And each church has the responsibility

To feed them on the

Powerful and living Word of God.

Therefore, a part of that great faith is a commitment to the Lord.

2) They were also conscientious in their living.

That is what verse 5 tells us, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.”  Later Paul emphasizes the same thing in chapter 4, verse 1, “Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God.”

These Christians lived in a very evil day where immorality was running out of control.  The church that is worthy of God is conscientious in its living.

The church of faith must be prepared

To stand-alone with the Lord against the world.

It doesn’t matter what standard the world has,

The standard of God does not change.

3) They were conquering in faith.

They were conquering in spite of limitations.  We see that in verse 6, “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.”  Even in “much affliction” they conquered.

God is called by many names in the Bible. He is the Lord, our Healer, our Provider, our Banner, our Strong Tower, our Refuge, and our Righteousness.  He also promises to be our Deliverer. But . . .

There are many believers who never experience

God’s mighty delivering and conquering power

Because Satan has convinced them

To focus on their limitations

 Instead of God’s power.

Sometimes people will talk about what is keeping them from obeying or serving the Lord, and they say, “You don’t understand.  If it wasn’t for  . . . (and then they will mention what it is that is hindering them – “I don’t have the money” … “I don’t have the time” … I don’t have the ability or knowledge” . . .).  My response is always, “But have you considered what God can do?”

If we don’t trust God

And live by God’s promises and power

In spite of our limitations,

We won’t serve at all.

These believers at Thessalonica just gave, and they just worked. Every time they witnessed they got persecuted; many times when they shared their faith they got in trouble with the authorities.  In fact, right before Paul wrote this letter, he and Silvanus were stoned at Philippi, but he said, “I want you to know that even though the Jews are persecuting us, and the Gentiles are persecuting you, it really doesn’t matter what price you have to pay, because we have a job to do.”  And folks, I want to tell you something, if you and I back up from the dreams and the plans that God has given us, if we back up, I don’t care what the excuse is, we fail. And I am telling you tonight, regardless of whom we have to tackle, and regardless of our circumstances, and regardless of what the excuse is, we must conquer is spite of our limitations.

4) They had confidence in their leadership.  1 Thessalonians 2:13 says, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”

Now that is pretty amazing . . .

The believers at Thessalonica

Believed that when Paul

Stood to preach,

That it was actually God

 Speaking through him.

They just believed that Paul was God’s “mouth-piece” to their church.  And then there are those folks who say, “Well, we just ought to follow God.”  That is absolutely right, but God did not show up in Person at Thessalonica. Therefore, the people at Thessalonica believed that when the preacher preached, God spoke.  I wrote down a statement several years ago that sums up what Paul is getting at, “If God does not speak nothing worthwhile is going to be said.   Folks, ought not to come to hear me, for I don’t have anything worth hearing.  But God has a Word through His Word that is proclaimed for every person that has come to hear Him.

The Holy Spirit led Paul to write more about this in his letter to the Thessalonians.  In chapter 4, verse 9 the Bible says, “But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.”  And in chapter 5 verses 12-13 the Bible says, “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake.  Be at peace among yourselves.”  Now there are the qualities of a great, growing, living, dynamic church . . .

They loved the Lord,

They love their pastor,

And

They loved one another.

4) They were consistent in their loyalties.

We see that in verses 4-8 of chapter 3, “For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.  For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.  But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good  remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you – therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.  For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.”

Paul was encouraged

By their steadfast

Faith and faithfulness.

These people were consistent in their loyalties to God, His Word, and their living for Him.  That was such an encouragement to him – he was happy to hear and see what God was doing in them as their faith and obedience grew.  I can sense a little bit of how Paul felt – I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the active faith and faithfulness of our church family to the Lord!

When I look around, and I see the deadness of the religious crowd, and when I see the hand of God moving so mightily on our church, I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to know the Lord and be faithful to Him

5) There was a concern for what is lacking.

We see that in chapter 3 verse 10, “Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith.”  I have learned a powerful lesson in my years of ministry .  . .

It is easy to come and to voice our problems,

But a real mark of faith is when

You and I can get concerned enough

To be obedient to God’s will for our lives

And pray that the Lord will

Perfect what is lacking in our faith.

God has called us to be a people of faith.  And as a people of faith, we can make a difference in our world.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Grace For The Journey

  Millions of people, both in society and in the church, are suffering under a crushing weight of guilt.

• Maybe you’ve had an abortion, or advised someone else to have one.
• Maybe you’ve lied to a friend, or stolen something and never made it right.
• Maybe you’re addicted to alcohol or pornography or drugs or spending more than you have.
• Maybe you’ve hurt someone and never sought their forgiveness and now you can’t forgive yourself.

It could come from a thousand different things, but if you feel hopelessly lost under this pressure of guilt, the message of this blog is for you.

It’s counterproductive to try to get rid of guilt feelings

Without dealing with the cause of the guilt.

Only by denying reality can you avoid guilt feelings.

You need a permanent solution to your guilt problem,

A solution based on reality, not pretense.

The good news is that God loves you

And desires to forgive you for your sin.

But before the good news can be appreciated, we must know the bad news.  The bad news is that there’s true moral guilt, and all of us are guilty of many moral offenses against God.  The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Sin is falling short of God’s holy standards.  It separates us from a relationship with God (Isaiah 59:2).  It brings disappointment, disaster, and death to our lives.  But the Bible also gives us the Good News.  The Bible says in Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus died on the cross as the only one worthy to pay the penalty for our sins demanded by God’s holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21).  He rose from the grave, defeating sin and conquering death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 54-57).

When Christ died on the cross for us, He said, “It is finished” (John 29:30).  The Greek word translated “it is finished” was written across certificates of debt when they were canceled. It meant “paid in full.”

Because of Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf,

God freely offers us forgiveness.

The Bible makes the very clear.  In Psalm 103:12, the Bible says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”  The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  And the Bible says in Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Salvation is a gift,  The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”

This gift is not dependent on our merit or effort,

But solely on Christ’s sacrifice for us.

God offers us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life,

But it’s not automatically ours.

In order to have the gift, we must choose to accept it.

You may think, “But I don’t deserve forgiveness after all I’ve done.”  That’s exactly right. None of us deserves God’s forgiveness.  If we deserved it, we wouldn’t need it.  That’s the point of grace.

Once forgiven, we can look forward to spending eternity with Christ and our spiritual family (John 14:1-3; Revelation 20:11-22:6).  You can look forward to being reunited in Heaven with your loved ones covered by Christ’s blood (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

God doesn’t want you to go through life

Punishing yourself for the wrongs you’ve done.

Your part is to accept Christ’s atonement, not to pay for it.

No matter what you’ve done,

No sin is beyond the reach of God’s grace.

He has seen us at our worst and still loves us.

There are no limits to His forgiving grace.

And there is no freedom like the freedom of forgiveness.

You need to become part of a family of Christians called a church.  You may feel self-conscious around Christians because of your past.  You shouldn’t.  A true Christ-centered church isn’t a showcase for saints but a hospital for sinners.  The people you’re joining are just as human and imperfect as you.  Most church people aren’t self-righteous.  Those who are should be pitied because they don’t understand God’s grace.

A good church will teach the truths of the Bible, and will provide love, acceptance, and support for you.  If you cannot find such a church in your area, contact me and we’ll gladly do what we can to help you.

This is God’s Word For Today … This Is Grace For The Journey

Rest and Rejoice in this eternal truth!

Pastor Terry

Ephesians 4:7 – “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”