True Hope

1 Timothy 1:1, 2 – True Hope

This morning, as I was reading the opening verses of this powerful letter, God impressed on my heart three things. Paul wrote in these opening verses about God our Savior. He called the Lord Jesus Christ our hope. And then he referred to Timothy as a true son in the faith. I’m not sure why these three phrases called to me like they did this morning. I’ve read them hundreds of times – usually just skimming over them so that I can get to the “more important” stuff. At least that’s the way most of us feel as we read these verses. But there was just something about these words this morning. So let’s look at them for a few minutes.

First, Paul spoke of “God our Savior.” That is not a phrase that we use often. Usually, we talk about Jesus our Savior, and He is. Yes, it’s true that God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son are two of the three persons that make up the Trinity. Yes, they are One being, so it is acceptable to use the terms interchangeably. But I don’t think that Paul was trying to remind his readers that Jesus is God. I think He is trying to tell us that God the Father has always been the Author of salvation. Perhaps that is too fine of a distinction, but I don’t think so. God has always been called our Deliverer, our Healer, Our Sustainer, and so many other names that refer to our salvation. He brought the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt, and He has saved us from our sin. He is our Savior.

I read recently about another possibility: a comparison of two different saviors. In Roman thought and politics, the emperor was often called the savior of his people. In fact, the emperors considered themselves to be gods. As Paul fought against this false religious/political system, I think he wanted to show these Roman citizens who the true Savior and God really is.

Second, Paul used the full name and title of God the Son. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Understand it this way: Jesus is His given name and it means “salvation.” Lord is His “earthly” title, and it indicates that He is our Master. Christ is the Greek version of Messiah, and it demonstrates His purpose in coming to the earth. Salvation has come in the form of the true Messiah, and all who submit to His Lordship will be saved. My friends, this is the only hope that the world has to avoid eternal damnation, and He is the Hope of Christians. Know this: hope in this context is a certainty, not wishful thinking. It isn’t like we would say, “I hope I didn’t miss the bus,” acknowledging the distinct possibility that we have. It is the certainty that we who know Jesus will live eternally with Him.

Like Timothy, a true son in the faith, we can know we are saved. The word “true” is used to refer to a legitimate son, but Paul was not claiming to be Timothy’s father either physically or spiritually. We know that Timothy was the son of a Greek father and was raised up in a Christian environment by his mother and grandmother. No doubt they led him to faith in Jesus. What Paul was saying is that Timothy was the real deal – a genuine Christian devoted to Jesus and His church. Truthfully, there is no greater compliment that could be paid to a Christian. Are you a true son/daughter of the faith?

Reporting for Duty

1 Timothy 1:1 - Reporting for Duty
 

Have you ever been in a situation where people were constantly calling into question your credentials? Wondering out loud if you were truly qualified for the task at hand? Questioning whether you have what it takes to get the job done? Even suggesting that you may not have the right to take that position? Throughout Paul’s ministry, he was questioned in this manner. His authority as an apostle was denied, and he was constantly forced to defend his calling. You can see it in many of the letters he wrote that have been included in our Holy Bible.

As he wrote this letter to the younger minister, Timothy, Paul settled the matter up front. He didn’t do this for Timothy; this young minister knew who Paul was and admired him greatly. If it were not for Paul, Timothy would not have been the man of God that he was. No, he was not justifying his position to Timothy but to all his critics who would read this very important letter. It is important because it contains two of the most significant passages in the Bible as it pertains to the leadership of the church. We will get to these eventually, but they deal with who should serve as pastors and deacons, and my friends, if our churches would heed the words of this apostle, many problems could be dealt with before they came into being.

So look at how Paul starts his letter. He states up front that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ because he had been commanded by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. Understand two things: he was saved by the grace of God that was offered to him in Damascus. When Ananias came to Paul on Straight Street, Paul gladly and freely chose to accept God’s invitation to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Of course, following the dramatic way Jesus revealed himself to the man who was known as Saul in Acts 9, how could he not accept this wonderful gift that not only changed his name to Paul but also changed his life forever. But know this. Once he had accepted God’s gift of salvation, he became God’s slave, and God ordered him to duty. He commanded Paul to be an apostle. This is the second thing that I want you to understand: once Paul said “yes” to salvation, his right to say “no” to God vanished. The same is true for Christians today: Jesus is not the Lord of our lives if we ever tell Him “no.” And if He is not the Lord of our lives, then He is not our Savior, either.

Child of God, when you surrender your life to Christ in this salvation relationship, God becomes your Master – your Commander-in-Chief. Not only are we not allowed to say “no,” our hearts should be so in tune with His heart that we don’t ever want to reject His commands.

What does it mean to be an apostle? The word literally means “one who is sent.” He was a messenger. In this case, Paul became a messenger of Jesus Christ. His message is a simple one: God is our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ is our hope.

Amazing Grace

2 Thessalonians 3:14-18 – Amazing Grace

Authority – that’s how Paul spoke. With authority. He told it like it was, and he expected the church to listen because he was speaking with God’s authority. “If someone doesn’t obey what I’ve written in this letter,” said Paul, “then exercise church discipline.” Isolate him from the body of Christ so that he can come to his senses – so that his shame will get the better of him.

But notice how we are to do this: admonish him as a brother, not as an enemy. It seems we go to extremes in these situations. One extreme is that we either ignore someone’s bad behavior, pretending it didn’t happen or pretending it isn’t sin. And, folks, there is a lot of that going around. In the name of tolerance, we are fast re-writing God’s Word so that very few things are considered sin any more. The truth is that as a pastor, when I have tried to deal with some of these issues, I have been accused of being intolerant, unloving, and angry. Folks, let me remind you of something: to tolerate sin is unloving and all anger isn’t sin. The other extreme is that we become angry and aggressive, and we let our emotions go wild as we “discipline” our brother (that kind of anger is sin). Literally, he becomes our enemy. Paul said, “No!” We are to lovingly and gently restore someone who has stumbled into sin. Our goal is to bring healing, not to destroy another Christian.

So the key is that we must stand firmly for what is right, never condoning a brother’s sin, and never condemning a brother’s life. Have you ever heard that old saying, “But for the grace of God, there go I?” The only thing standing between all of us and an eternity in hell is God’s grace, and the only thing that keeps you from being the one undergoing church discipline will be the grace of God that strengthens you. Without Him, we would all continue to live in sin.

So Paul wrapped up his letter to the Thessalonian Christians in his usual way. He took the pen in hand and prayed a beautiful blessing of peace and grace into the lives of believers. Peace that comes only from His presence in our lives. Grace that flows freely from Calvary’s Cross to all who will receive it. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see!”

Don't Grow Weary

2 Thessalonians 3:13 - Don't Grow Weary

As a lost person, doing bad things is fun. The Bible tells us that there is pleasure in sin – for a season (Hebrews 11:25). So lost people like to stir things up. They make unfounded allegations trying to plant seeds of doubt and distrust into the hearts of people. Truthfully, if they didn’t get some level of enjoyment out of this behavior they wouldn’t do it. They may convince themselves that they are serving the greater good, but in reality, they are simply tools of the devil who is using them to bring discord into the body of Christ.

But for Christians, doing good things brings the greatest pleasure: worshiping God, telling others about His love, ministering to the needs of hurting people. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that if you don’t enjoy these things that you aren’t a Christian – well, maybe I am. Children of God, these are the very things that the Holy Spirit compels us to do. It is the mind of Christ in us. It is the very heart of God in us. And, my friends, if we let the mind of Christ indwell us and if His heart becomes our heart, then worshiping God and touching the lives of the weak and hurting should energize us.

Do you remember the story of the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4? Jesus had sent away His disciples to get food. They were all tired and hungry from their journey. When they returned, they found Jesus ministering to this woman. They were shocked on so many levels: a Jewish man speaking to a woman who was not his wife? In public? Alone? And a Samaritan woman, at that? How could this wise Rabbi make such a cultural/religious mistake? Of course, none of them would confront Jesus, but when they offered Him food, He turned them down. Why? He said that He had meat that they couldn’t comprehend. What did that mean? Jesus was telling them that He was no longer tired and hungry because ministry to hurting people energized Jesus, and it should do the same for us.

Try this out sometime when you are tired or depressed: go visit someone in a nursing home; do something nice for someone in need; minster to someone who cannot repay the favor. I guarantee you, child of God, that you will find your exhaustion eliminated. Your depression will disappear.

But look at what Paul said – do not grow weary in well-doing. Why? Because unlike Jesus, we are not divine. Have you noticed that even though He is the Son of God, Jesus took time away to become physically and spiritually refreshed? Sometimes when we do ministry, we see the worst in people. They will take advantage of you. The needs will be overwhelming. And the only way not to become cynical and defeated is to find refreshing and renewal physically and spiritually. Unless we take the time to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to us, we will run out of gas even if we are energized by doing good. By the way, that is why God gave us the gift of Sabbath, but that is a story for another day.

Troublemakers and Busybodies

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 - Troublemakers and Busybodies

Even in a great church like the one at Thessalonica, there are troublemakers and busybodies – people who keep things stirred up by involving themselves in things that do not concern them. Apparently, some of these had turned this into more than just a hobby – it was a career. Full-time. With expected benefits. Keeping things stirred up took up so much of their time that they didn’t have jobs. Because they didn’t have jobs, they had no money with which to buy food. So they simply depended on the kindness of fellow church-members to take care of their needs, and I believe that even while they were partaking of their free food, they continued to practice their (un)spiritual gift of stirring things up (see. V. 12).

Paul’s solution? No work, no eat. Don’t misunderstand. Paul’s heart was huge. He was always concerned about the true needs of people. He encouraged Christian benevolence everywhere he went. But folks, we need to understand that we aren’t always helping by giving. Sometimes we are enabling people to be lazy, to continue to be troublemakers, or to indulge ungodly habits. So Paul’s solution was a good one. Take care of those who could not take care of themselves, and let those who can take care of themselves work for a living. This would take up more of their time and they wouldn't be able to keep things stirred up -- at least not as much as before.

Again, Paul used himself as an example. As a minister of the gospel, his financial needs should have been met by the church. Instead, he made tents to earn a living and to support his ministry so that no one could blame him of taking advantage of the church. No one could accuse him of using his position for selfish gain. He wanted, more than anything else, to show his fellow Christians how important it is to live out the calling of Christ with no strings attached.

It amazes me at how often this scenario plays out in churches today. Not many days go by when someone does not come along with a sad story. They say that they need help desperately. Some of these requests are valid. Many are not. It is so easy to become cynical and deny those requests outright because none of us wants to waste the limited resources we have. There are too many valid needs that can be verified to take the risk, but Paul reminded us of a very important truth: “Do not grow weary in doing good.” That is what we are called to do! But Paul also reminded us of another very important truth. If these professing Christians continue to cause trouble, don’t feed them and practice church discipline.

Behave Yourself!

2 Thessalonians 3:7 - Behave Yourself!

Do you want to know how to avoid the problems associated with church discipline? Don’t walk in a disorderly fashion! It’s that simple! Paul told us the truth: you know better! If you are a child of God, you know better. Always remember that lost people are going to do the kinds of things lost people do because they are lost. But Christians know better because the Word of God tells them and the Holy Spirit reminds them how we are supposed to live. I overheard something the other day that I was not intended to hear. When the person realized that I was in the room, their whole demeanor changed. They knew they had done something wrong. Did that person feel guilty? I don’t know, but they were sure unhappy about being caught. Christian brothers and sisters, we know how we are supposed to act, and we know what we are supposed to do when we stumble into sin. We repent, and repentance makes things right. We get into trouble when we try to cover up our sinful behavior, pretend it didn’t happen, or ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

There are many things that I admire about Paul, but one thing I admire greatly is the fact that he was willing to put himself out there as an example for people to emulate. I don’t know if it worked like this in his day (I’m almost sure it did), but today when you use yourself as an example, you are called “self-righteous” or “holier-than-thou.” Paul didn’t care. He told these early Christians that they knew how to behave because they had seen proper Christian behavior modeled for them by himself.

We need more of that today, but no matter how hard you try to live the Christian life, someone will be there to make accusations and tear you down. If you stand against sin, they say you are intolerant or that you are a legalist. If you confront the sinner, they say you have an anger problem. Paul didn’t care what they said, and neither should we!

Church Disipline? Are You Kidding?

2 Thessalonians 3:6 - Church Discipline? Are You Kidding?

Church discipline? In the 21^st Century? Are you serious? Absolutely! I believe that the single-greatest cause for the spiritual apathy, declining influence, and decreasing numbers in our churches is the fact that we no longer practice church discipline. There is no standard set to which to ascribe. There are no boundaries for behavior. There is no antidote for the evil influence that creeps into the church. As a result, the salt has lost its saltiness and the light has been diminished (Matthew 5:13-16).

In this verse, Paul said that when a brother starts acting up in an unChristian manner, we are to withdraw from him. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 5. A man is having a sexual relationship with his stepmother. Paul said this church is “to deliver him to Satan so that his spirit may be saved.” In the following verses, he described what he meant. The man is to be excommunicated from the church. Fellowship is withdrawn completely. The idea is that as a Christian, he will see how serious sin is, and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he will repent. Outside of the protection of the church, he would face the devil alone and find out just how hostile the world could be when the church’s prayers and ministry ends. An additional element in this practice is that his removal from the fellowship would prevent him from leading other members astray.

Paul urged this same action again in 1 Timothy 1:19-20 under different circumstances. Jesus laid out this course of action in Matthew 18:15-20. If the brother sins, go to him one-on-one. If he listens and repents, great. He has been restored. By the way, when you do this, do it with love and a gentle spirit after you are sure that you are walking in the light of God’s love (Matthew 7:1-6; Galatians 6:1). If the sinful brother refuses to repent, take one or two people with you to gently confront him again. If he continues to reject the restoration process, take the matter before the church. If he still remains in his sin, he is to be treated “like a heathen and a tax collector.” Excommunicated. Isolated. Alone. He is to become an outcast so that he might come to his senses and be totally restored.

That’s the whole point: restoration. Not judgment. Not ridicule. Not defamation. We all sin. We all need to be confronted from time to time. And if we are spiritually sensitive, we will listen to our Christian brothers, repent of our sin, and the fellowship will be restored. Church discipline will not be necessary, and the man who strays will find healing, and the church will be strengthened!

The More We Know Him

2 Thessalonians 3:5 – The More We Know Him

Closing remarks. I’ve asked this before, but let me ask again. How many times do you just skim over these last few verses or ignore them altogether? I know that I do it sometimes, but look at these verses carefully. Read them and re-read them because these are some of Paul’s most heart-felt words. Many of these verses were written by his own hand (Paul had a secretary that penned much of what is contained in these letters).

Think about this: “Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” We know that is part of the Holy Spirit’s job description – to lead, guide, and direct us. And He does. One of the prophets described it as hearing that still small voice whispering into our spiritual ears saying, “Go this way” (Isaiah 30:21). But Paul prays that He will direct us in two ways: into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.

First, what does it mean to be directed into the love of God? The word love is the Greek word agape, and it means the purest kind of self-sacrificing love. It is God’s kind of love. Understand, though, that Paul is writing to Christians, so he isn’t talking about salvation. He wants them to draw closer to God’s love so that they can experience it even more and have a greater appreciation of it. The more we know God loves us, the more we love Him. The more we love Him, the more we love each other. And the more we love each other, the more we know Him (1 John 2:7-11). It’s a “vicious” circle.

And do you want to talk about patience? Forget Job. Look at Jesus. At any moment of His earthly ministry, He could have said, “Father, they aren’t worth it! Let’s just wipe them out and start over.” But He didn’t. Why? Because of His love for us. And the more that we realize that it is only because of God’s amazing grace that He didn’t call 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set Him free, the more we recognize His patience and are then able to reproduce it. That is what lies behind Paul’s prayer: that we might love like God loves and demonstrate the patience of Jesus. That’s what the world needs today. Love that gives itself for their good and the patience that says, “God, I so want you to send Jesus back to take His bride home, but there are so many lost people. Give us one more day to reach as many as we can.”

But try an interesting experiment. Replace the word “patience” with the word “endurance.” It is a viable translation of the Greek word that Paul uses. Notice what Paul is saying now: those who know God and His love and who are directed into the endurance of Christ have the ability to endure everything the world throws at them. Persecution, ridicule, resistance, gossip, backbiting – you name it. You can endure, but only if you know Him.

Touching Hearts

2 Thessalonians 3:4 - Touching Hearts

Paul said that he had “confidence in the Lord concerning you.” That is an interesting way to put this. He didn’t say that his confidence was in the Thessalonican Christians though I’m sure he had some level of confidence in their desires and abilities. Sadly, no matter how committed people might be, desires wain. Commitment levels drop off. Abilities fall short. Any time we place our confidence in human beings, we are going to be disappointed; but if our confidence is in the Lord, we will never be disappointed.

I like the way that the NKJV translates this verse. Paul’s confidence is that the Lord would touch them. I pray every day, it seems, that God would touch my heart and that He would touch others with healing and strength. When I pray that prayer, I am asking for God to move in their lives through the power of the Holy Spirit and His Word to change, strengthen, heal, guide, etc. I think Paul means the same thing. He is asking God to touch them and enable them to be obedient to God’s command and to accomplish what He has called them to do.

As you look back over this letter, you see what Paul wants them to do: to stand firm in the knowledge that Jesus is coming again; to fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness; to glorify the name of Jesus through their good works; to know the truth about the Antichrist; to hold firm the teachings of Paul; to proclaim those teachings to the lost; and to pray that the gospel will spread in an unhindered fashion.

That’s a pretty good list, isn’t it? Impossible to do in our own strength, but not with God touching our hearts.

He Will Make Us Stand

2 Thessalonians 3:3 – He will Make Us Stand

As I read this verse again, I am overwhelmed with a sense of awe, wonder, and gratitude. First, Paul said that the Lord is faithful. As I meditate on that simple statement, my heart bursts with joy. I’ve seen it in my own life over the years and just recently as I posted the other day. Yahweh, the Lord – Yeshua, Jesus – the Holy Spirit – is faithful. The Godhead, Trinity, Triune God – however you want to describe Him/Them – is faithful. The One who created the universe – not just the Father but the Son and the Holy Spirit as well – is faithful. Like a husband who loves His bride so completely that He puts her needs above all else, who never strays from His commitment to her. Like a man who makes promises and always keeps them. God is faithful to us even when we are so unfaithful to Him. He is faithful to take care of us in the depths of our despair and at the height of our joy. He is faithful to minister to broken hearts and wounded bodies. He is faithful even when we are not, and He lovingly disciplines us because that is what a good Father does. When everyone else around you fails, He is faithful. I cannot grasp the why of it, but I am overjoyed by the fact of it.

But look specifically at the promise Paul made. He is faithful to establish and guard us from the evil one. He is talking to Christians, and Paul tells us that God will give us strength to stand against the winds of adversity and the trials that will come. Like trees firmly rooted. Like a building on a solid foundation. He is faithful, and in the end, He will make us stand.

And He will guard us from the evil one. The Devil? Yes. The Antichrist? Yes. The unreasonable and wicked men? Yes. Please don’t misunderstand. They will attack, and it will hurt. We will take blows to both body and soul, but they will not destroy us. The promise isn’t that life will be easy but that we will overcome. Why? Because of the Faithful One. He is guarding us, and while the enemy may be able to physically harm us, he has no power over us spiritually. We are safe and secure in the Father’s hand. Read Jesus’ High Priestly prayer in John 17 today. Know that He was talking about His disciples, but the prayer also applies to us. Please take time to read this passage. It will change your life!

Help Out Your Pastor

2 Thessalonians 3:3 - Help Out Your Pastor

Unreasonable and wicked men – who are they? Men and women who refuse to listen to God’s Word whether it comes from the Holy Spirit, the Bible, or God’s chosen leader of the church. Don’t get me wrong. I am not equating these three because the Spirit and the Word are infallible – human leaders are not. However, God has made it clear that He gives to us those leaders we need to guide us. Pastors are those New Testament leaders. Read 1 Timothy 3. The New King James Version calls this man a bishop, and Paul gives us a description of the qualifications to serve. If a man doesn’t meet those qualifications, he shouldn’t serve, but if he does and he is called to pastor the church, then he should be followed. Not blindly, but he should be followed as the God-given leader of the church.

Unreasonable and wicked men/women in the church are those who refuse to follow. They stand against the pastor. They refuse to follow his leadership. That is the unreasonable part of all of this. No matter what the pastor attempts to do, they reject it and they criticize. Oh, how they criticize. And ridicule. Call it gossip or backbiting. It doesn’t matter. They work behind the scenes and create turmoil, confusion, bitterness, and despair. And they hinder the gospel. They quench the Spirit. They prevent lost people from being saved.

Wow! You say, “That is quite an accusation!” Yes, it is. You see, as a church, the Spirit of God must be allowed to work freely. If this atmosphere of turmoil is present, God’s Spirit is quenched. God is not going to birth spiritual babies into a toxic atmosphere. He is only going to place them in an incubator that will allow them to thrive.

I listened to a song on the radio the other morning as I drove to the church: “On Fire” by Sanctus Real. The lyrics say this:

Remember when you couldn't wait to show up early and find your place.

Cause you didn't want to miss a thing.

And your heart was open and ready for change.

Oh, those days.

You were never afraid to sing, never afraid to lift your hands.

Didn't care what people would think.

You were on fire, and church was more than a place, and people were more than faces, and Jesus was more than a name.

Remember when you weren't ashamed. To tell your friends about your faith.

A time when you felt the pain of just one lost soul that was slipping away.

Your heart was soft, you had radiant eyes, but slowly the pressures and burdens of life pulled you into the dark of the night.

But when did you lose your sight?

Cause you were on fire, and church was more than a place, and people were more than faces, and Jesus was more than a name.

Oh you were on fire, you let life put out the flame.

But he's still calling out for you cause he wants to light your heart again. And set it on fire.

Set it on fire.

Turn your eyes, turn your eyes and don't forget what it was like.

Set me on fire, set me on fire.

I wanna hold God's people close, wanna feel the power of Jesus' name.

Set me on fire. Set me on fire.

When was the last time we were on fire like this? As a church? As an individual?

Can I take just a moment to ask you to help your pastor? Pray for him as Paul asked the Thessalonian Christians to pray. But don’t stop there. When you hear unreasonable and wicked men/women doing what they do, would you stand up to them? Do it lovingly. Do it with compassion. Say, “I don’t want to talk about this with you, but if you will go with me to the pastor, I will sit down with you while we talk this out.” It’s the Christian thing to do, and it will promote unity in the church – and that is the kind of atmosphere where God will work.

What A Day!

What a day! Yesterday started early and finished late. Today started even earlier. I didn’t have time to post yesterday, but today I am sitting in a waiting room. Yesterday was a good day with men who are ready to move forward to accomplish great things for God. Today will be a day to minister to my family. Even though I am tired, I am blessed. God has been so good to me. Even though there have been difficult days in my ministry and for my family, God has always shown Himself to be faithful – beyond anything I could ever deserve or ever repay – to walk with me through these days. I have not literally been through a fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, but some days have felt like it. The absolute truth, though, is that One like the Son of God (actually, it was the Son of God) was right there in the furnace with me.

For the vast majority of my life, I feel that I have been supernaturally protected. In my ministry, I have had tough times, but nothing like some men have gone through. My immediate family had been spared from most of the things that have affected other families. My grandparents passed away 30 years ago, and while it hurt to lose them, but I was not overwhelmed by grief. In the last 7 years, both my mother and father have died – the first time that I was personally affected by the kind of grief I see all of the time in ministry. Again, I was not overwhelmed. I found that the counsel I have given to hundreds of families over 33 years of ministry to be true. I knew it was in my mind; now I had experienced it in my heart. God’s grace is sufficient; He walks with us through the dark valley of the shadow of death. For those of you who know my family, I hope that you have seen God’s grace working through us during these times.

Last year, the fiery furnace intensified – but only briefly. Our little granddaughter Lucy was born, and her life almost ended immediately. She spent weeks in the NICU, and for days we did not know if she would survive. For weeks after the NICU, the doctors told us that she would likely have brain damage, be developmentally challenged, and have some physical problems as well. Our hearts were broken, but again, we were not overwhelmed. God loved us in tangible ways. Some of it through brothers and sisters in Christ who came around us and acted as His hands, His feet, and His voice. But most of His love came through His tender presence in the waiting room like the one I sit in today and in the parking lot where I walked and walked crying out to Him for my sweet family. And God showed up again, comforting all of us and completely healing little Lucy. Of course, our oldest granddaughter, Hayes, told us first thing: “God can do that.” And He did!

And so today, I sit here waiting for my daughter, Jennifer, to have surgery. It isn’t life-threatening, but my father’s heart demanded that I be here. And I am not alone – He is here, once again in the fiery furnace, loving me. But most importantly, He is in that holding area loving my daughter and His. He is with Rob, a godly young man that loves my daughter with a love that challenges my own – well, he would probably say that it blows it out of the water, and that’s okay with me. God is at their home loving on Sonya as she takes care of Hayes today. He is in Pensacola speaking words of comfort into the hearts of Ashley and Jon as they wait for word about the surgery and as they take care of Ashley’s strep throat and Lucy’s foot, hand, and mouth virus.

I didn’t intend to write this today, but when I get tired, I get emotional. And I am both this morning. But even more that that, I am overwhelmed – not by the fiery furnace of life but by the presence of One Who is not only like the Son of God but is the Son of God. So many people in our world will never know this Presence because they will never know Jesus. Many of them simply shrug off this concept as nonsense, but those who have experienced it know it’s true. There is an old hymn that asks and answers a question that I have been asked many times: “You ask me how I know He lives – He lives within my heart.” If you haven’t experienced this truth, you cannot imagine it to be true, but once you have experienced His presence, you can never doubt again.

Willing to Change?

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 - Willing to Change?

Paul asked for prayer so that the gospel would go forward quickly and with power and that his team would be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. I shared in my last post who the unreasonable and wicked men were for Paul, but are those same people still around today? Yes, they are, and they have a major influence on the church. First, we have to understand that in our 21^st century American culture, these are both men and women. In reality, it has always been this way, but in Paul’s culture, women were not as outspoken as they are today.

Like Paul, we face many of the same kinds of people: legalists, lawless, intellectuals, pseudo-intellectuals, etc. Most of these types of people are in our church, and we deal with them on a regular basis. Like the Judaizers in Paul’s day, the traditionalists fight against the gospel going forward. Most of these people would never admit it, but by their attitudes and actions, they do. This is the “we’ve never done it that way before” crowd on steroids. Ministry must stay just as it was 100 years ago. The facilities can never change because Aunt Bertha donated this piece of furniture and it must stay in exactly the same location until the building falls down around it.

The problem with this mindset is that the world outside the church building is changing. The people out there are looking for God. They want to discover what true worship is. They need to understand the concept of ministry. But too often, by our stubborn refusal to adapt our methods we make ourselves irrelevant. Know this: the message never changes – always keep that in mind. It is of the utmost importance. But remember what Paul said: “I have become all things to all people so that I might reach some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). At Mars Hill, he used one of the Athenian’s own idols to proclaim the gospel (Acts 17:23). My point is that we endanger the lost world by stubbornly refusing to change our methods and by refusing to adapt to the culture.

When people see us and think, “I will never fit in,” shouldn’t we be willing to change for the sake of the gospel? If they see our facilities and think the same thoughts? We can dress up our bodies and our buildings – and I think that we should always give God the best of the best – but if we don’t have enough love to make ourselves attractive to the community we want to reach, we are, like Paul said only “sounding brass and tinkling cymbals” (1 Corinthians 13). A lot of noise and no substance. God, help us to be willing to change!

Keep Praying

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 - Keep Praying

A preacher’s work is never done! By the way, every child of God is a preacher – a proclaimer of the gospel. And when a preacher says, “Finally,” hold on. The message isn’t over yet. This is especially true with Paul because he likes to end all of his letters with a section on practical application of all that he has stated as well as ethical concerns and closing exhortations. Typically, you find very powerful information in these passages.

So as Paul concluded this letter to the Thessalonican Christians, he said, “Keep praying!” No doubt they were asking how they could continue to be part of his ministry, and he let them know that prayer is one of the ways they could join him. But look at his specific requests for prayer. First and foremost he wanted them to pray that he would be able to keep doing what he had been doing so that the Word of the Lord would continue to spread. The New King James Version says pray that the word of the Lord “may run swiftly.” The image of the runner often symbolized the effort required to do well, and Paul reminded his readers that we must do our part. When we do our part by proclaiming the truth, the gospel will spread rapidly in an unhindered fashion. Paul also asked that they pray that as the gospel spreads that it would be glorified/honored/accepted by those who hear. All three of these words are implicit in Paul’s request.

But that wasn’t the end of his prayer requests. Paul asked these Christians to pray that his team would be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. Don’t misunderstand. Paul wasn’t afraid of these men. This wasn’t a selfish request in any way. He wanted deliverance so that the gospel would be unhindered.

When you read of Paul’s missionary journeys in the Book of Acts and combine that with his epistles, you find that the unreasonable and wicked men are both Jews and Gentiles. Legalists and antinomians (lawless ones). Gnostics and Judaizers. All were evil and rejected the gospel, and they resisted all who proclaimed it. Paul was praying for the freedom, both physically and  spiritually, to preach the Word boldly.

 Now here is the key to all of this. We pray, but it is God who works. Look at v. 3. It is the Lord who is faithful – faithful to hear our prayers and to answer our prayers. How will He answer? He will establish and guard. I think the order of these words is important considering the reason Paul is writing this letter. They had been deceived, so more than anything, they needed to be strengthened/established. Without God’s strength and our faith being firmly planted on the Word, we cannot withstand the assaults of the wicked. That’s why so many Christians run from the battle and fall into temptation. But when God strengthens us and we accept His strength, we stand firm and God protects us. He keeps us safe from the evil one.

The Truth

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 - The Truth

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” These were the words of the great philosopher, Gomer Pyle. For those of you not familiar with his work, Gomer was a character first on “The Andy Griffith Show” and then on his own show that bore his name. A country bumpkin turned U.S. Marine who oftentimes uttered great wisdom in spite of his obvious shortcomings.

With that said, this is a good paraphrase of Paul’s words. Yes, you were fooled by false teachers. Yes, you listened when you shouldn’t have. Yes, it caused you to doubt everything you believed in. Don’t do it again! Stand fast and hold firm! These Thessalonian Christians had been given a great foundation through the teachings of Paul and those true teachers who had followed him. They had listened to him preach and they had read his letter. It was trustworthy the first time around, and they could trust it to always be true.

Do you want to know what I believe? I believe that it is still true 2000 years later. These letters – in fact the whole Bible – is still true and relevant today. As true and relevant as it was when first written. Our problems today do not come from a lack of truth or revelation from God. Our problems come from a lack of belief and acceptance of the truths God has given. “All Scripture is God-breathed…” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is what we need today – to stand firm on and hold to with all our might. Why? Because as in Paul’s day, there are false teachers who are telling us that what we have is inadequate and incomplete. They claim to have a new revelation that will lead us into the real truth. That’s what Mohammed claimed. And Joseph Smith. And David Koresh. And Jim Jones. And countless other false teachers and cult leaders who have caused millions, if not billions, of people to believe lies. Please, I beg you, return to the Truth.

If you do, do you know what will happen? God, Who loves you and has given you a future that is good, Who has consoled you in the past and poured out His grace on you, will comfort you. When you follow lies, there is no comfort. There is only uncertainty because the Spirit of God won’t let you be comfortable until that time when He gives you over to the strong delusion (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). But if you return to the Truth, God will establish and strengthen you in every good word and work.

Tell Someone!

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 - Tell Someone!

Good news! News that causes Paul to celebrate. Even though the Thessalonians had been deceived by false teachers, Paul knew that they were still saved, and if Jesus had returned in their day, they would be taken into heaven? Why? Because God had saved them. Paul says they were chosen by God from the beginning. Chosen for salvation. The truth is that God’s choice is for all to be saved. Peter tells us that “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Paul said that “whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). The issue is that God had chosen them from the beginning, and they chose Him in response. You see, it’s all about God’s love – a love so great that even before this world was created, God had a plan to redeem us (Revelation 13:8).

Notice how Paul qualified their salvation. It is through “sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” Understand this: all salvation is qualified by these phrases. When we are saved, we are made holy by the work of the Spirit in our lives. He transforms us. According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, we are made into new creations. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1, 2 that we are transformed. Folks, salvation changes us from the inside out. Our hearts are changed. Our minds are changed. Our behaviors are changed. Our vocabulary is changed. The shed blood of Jesus paid the price to cover our sin, and the presence of the Holy Spirit transforms us into new creations.

But sanctification is an ongoing process. It begins when we believe the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection. When we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord, then we are saved. But throughout our lives, we are continuously being made holy (sanctified) through the indwelling Spirit of God.

Notice what Paul says in v. 14. These Christians were called when he proclaimed the gospel to them. That is why the proclamation of the gospel is so important. God has chosen this as the only method of bringing salvation to a lost world. And we are the ones chosen to do the proclaiming (Romans 10:14). We must tell the world. We don’t have to prove it; we just have to tell it. The Holy Spirit’s job is to take that proclamation and do the convicting. When lost people receive our word and bow to the Spirit’s conviction, then they will obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christians must proclaim the gospel everywhere we go. Some of you are saying, “I’m not comfortable doing that.” Let me ask you a question: if your neighbor’s house was burning to the ground and they were all asleep inside, wouldn’t you risk everything to go into that house and warn them? You might be scared. It would definitely make you uncomfortable. But you would ignore those emotions and do it because you value life. How much more valuable is spiritual life? Eternity? Think about it – but only for a moment. Then tell someone about Jesus.