Be Quiet!

 “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 ESV

As Christians, we are certainly called to share the gospel. We’ve been called to bear witness for Christ. And we’ve been called to make disciples.

We also have a civic duty to vote. We have the duty to cast our ballot for representatives who will best represent our values. We have the duty to vote for candidates whom we believe will best serve our nation.

We ought to take both of these responsibilities very seriously. We should do them diligently. However, there’s another side of this that we must consider.

Here, in the United States, we have the freedom to say what we want. We have the freedom to voice both our beliefs and our opinions. However, that being said, many of us have become quite obnoxious in doing so. We’ve become obnoxious as we constantly feel that we must make our voices heard.

This is true when it comes to interpersonal conversation. But it’s even more true when it comes to social media. As we hide behind the computer screen, we’re emboldened to say what we will in a way that is both tactless and insensitive.

As we see above, this is not God’s will for us. Paul urged the Thessalonians to love one another. And he encouraged them to do so more and more. However, he then went on to tell them how they were to live within society.

They were to aspire to live quietly, and to mind their own affairs. In other words, they were to be at rest. They were to stay home and mind their own business. And they were to hold their peace, they were to say little to nothing, as they went about their lives.

They were also to work with their hands. They were do so that they might walk properly before others, or win the respect of others. And they were to do so that they might be dependent upon no one.

As we carry out our call to proclaim the gospel and to make disciples, and as we carry out our civic duty to vote for our representatives, we would do well to cultivate these other character qualities as well. We would to do well to love one another more and more. We would do well to hold our peace and to say little. We would do well to stay home and mind our own business. And we would do well to work hard to both support ourselves and to win the respect of others.

Disregarding God

 

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 ESV

 

Many of God’s commands are ignored or disregarded today. They are explained away that we might do as we please. And many of these commands concern our sexuality.

 

Living together outside of marriage is prevalent and even accepted among the church. The hook-up culture has found its way into the church and is practiced by many of its members. Divorce for any and every reason is common and accepted. And homosexuality is both practiced and accepted within the church.

 

As Paul makes clear in the above passage, this is not to be the case among the people of God. God’s will for us is our holiness. His will for us is our sanctification. His will for us is that we learn to control our body. His will for us is that we express ourselves sexually only within the bond of marriage.

 

As this is taught and enforced within the church, today, many see it as old-fashioned. They see it as out of touch. The believe that it’s not in keeping with the times in which we live.

 

They, then, disregard these words as the opinion of man. The disregard them as the teaching of man. They disregard them as the teaching of a man who didn’t know any better. And, doing so, they live as they please.

 

Truth, for so many of us, is defined not by God’s Word, but by experience. It’s defined by our feelings. And it’s defined by the feelings and practice of those who are dear to us.

 

Paul, however, makes the point that whoever disregards this directive disregards not man, but God. In this way, he’s making it clear that this is not simply the will or the teaching of man. These commands have come from God himself.

 

This tells us how serious we must take these words. Few of us have a problem dismissing the teaching or the opinion of a man. We have little problem doing so even if he’s extremely educated and cultured. However, even those who have a more liberal interpretation of Scripture are much less willing to disregard God and his direct commands.

 

We must, then, receive these commands for what they are, the very Word of God. And, knowing this, we must conduct our lives accordingly. We must refrain from sexual immorality in all of its forms. And if we’ve fallen short, we must repent and seek the forgiveness that was won by Jesus on the cross.

Growth - A Gracious Blessing

 

“Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 ESV

 

As Christians, we know and believe that our forgiveness and salvation were provided for us by Jesus. We know and believe that he made these blessings possible by his death on the cross and his resurrection from the grave. And we know and believe that these blessings are received as a free gift through faith in Jesus.

 

As we reach out to unbelievers, this is the message that we proclaim. This, we know, is the message of the gospel. It’s the good news of what God has done for us.

 

However, after we receive the gospel, after we receive God’s forgiveness and salvation, our understanding and our message suddenly change. Instead of trusting in Jesus for the blessings that he provides, we look to our own efforts to produce growth in our faith. And instead of proclaiming the gospel, we instead proclaim a message of law, a message of what must be done in order to achieve growth.

 

Just as there’s nothing we can do to receive the forgiveness and the salvation of God, there is nothing we can do to attain growth in our faith. This too is a blessing received only by grace. And it’s a blessing that is received through faith.

 

We see this as we look at the above passage. Paul had been expressing his concern for the believers at Thessalonica, and his desire to see them. And he looks to God to provide that opportunity for him.

 

He then goes on to express hope that the Lord would cause their love for one another to abound. He expresses hope that the Lord would cause their love for all people to abound. And he expresses hope that the Lord would establish their hearts blameless in holiness before God.

 

In this statement that we tend to read over as nothing more than a personal sidenote, Paul makes it clear that Christ alone is the source of this blessing. It’s the Lord who causes our love to abound. And it’s the Lord who establishes our hearts blameless in holiness before God.

 

We, then, must not look to ourselves for our growth in faith nor in our love for others. We must understand that, just as we are saved by Christ alone, so too do we grow in faith. It is his work as we look to him. It’s his work as we trust in him.

 

The changes that we see in our life, then, are the fruit of this work. It is something that’s produced not by our efforts. It’s something that’s produced by the Lord’s work in our life.

One in Christ

 

^“But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?”

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 ESV

 

As believers, we will sometimes receive news that causes us great distress. We may have a conversation with our child, in which they tell us that they have left the faith behind. We may receive news that someone we’ve taught or discipled has fallen into unrepentant sin. We may hear that a well-known or well-respected pastor has abandoned the faith or been seduced by his sinful nature. Or we may hear of a scandal that has been uncovered in the larger Church and that is being widely reported in the news.

 

Even if we are firm in our faith, and even if we possess a strong assurance of our salvation, this news is very distressing. It’s very upsetting to us. And it may even cause us a great deal of stress.

 

Recognizing that we’re saved through faith in Jesus, and that these events taking place in the lives of others have no bearing on our salvation, we might wonder why this is so. We might wonder why these reports weigh on us so heavy. We might wonder why they bother us so much.

 

We can understand the reason for this as we look at the above passage. Paul had been extremely concerned for the believers at Thessalonica. He feared that they may have fallen from faith in response to the persecution they had suffered. And, for this reason, he had sent Timothy to check on them.

 

Now, Timothy had returned and his report was good. They were firm in their faith. Their love was intact. They remembered Paul kindly and longed to see him again. And this report gave to Paul great comfort.

 

Paul then makes this interesting statement. He says: “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” What Paul means is that, before the good news had come to him concerning their faith, there was deadness. His heart was heavy. But now that he’d received this encouraging report, there was life.

 

As believers, our hearts are bound with one another. They are bound as we are the body of Christ. They are bound as we share together in faith as well as the call God has entrusted to us.

 

As a result, as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:26, when one part of the body suffers, all suffer together. And if one member is honored, we all rejoice together. We cannot separate or isolate ourselves from the rest of the body.

 

The same reality plays itself out in our life, in our congregation, in our association or denomination, and in the larger Church as a whole. Because we are members of one body, we are affected by the events happening in the life of the church as a whole. We can be filled with great joy or sorrow depending upon the events taking place.

 

And this is not something that we should strive to undo. We shouldn’t seek to become unbound from the body that we might escape this entanglement. It’s a blessing as we seek the edification of the church. And it’s a blessing as we ourselves are built up by the rest of the body.

The Easy Life?

 

“Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.”

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 ESV

 

Christians in America are conditioned to believe that we should have it easy. And we have, in fact, had it easy throughout our nation’s existence. We’ve been able to worship freely and to live out our faith without any real challenges or difficulties.

 

We’ve had it so easy that we’ve come to believe this is the way it’s supposed to be. We’ve come to believe that an easy life is the blessing of God that results from our faithfulness. We will sometimes go as far as equating the ease of our life with our level or strength of faith.

 

Nothing, however, is further from the truth. Although an easy life is certainly a blessing, in a sense, it is not indicative of our spiritual maturity. Nor is it a sure sign of God’s blessing.

 

Paul mentions in chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians that the believers in that city had been suffering for their faith. They had been suffering for their faith just like the believers in Judea. Suffering was something that automatically went along with faith in Christ.

 

We see this truth in the above passage as well. Paul had sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to check on them. He had sent Timothy to strengthen them in faith. And he did so out of fear that the enemy may have lured them from faith by way of their affliction.

 

He recalls how he’d shared with them that they were destined to suffer affliction. They had been appointed to suffering. And this suffering had come to pass.

 

Everywhere the church has existed, suffering has typically come to those who believe in Jesus. And this has been true not only in history, but also today. Our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world are well-acquainted with suffering.

 

As we read the words of Jesus, particularly in the gospel of John, he makes it clear that this is normal for the believer in Jesus. It results, he tells us, from our association with him. As the world responded to him, so does it respond to us. And as the world treated him, so will it treat us.

 

This, then, is something that we must expect. It isn’t something that we should find unusual or abnormal in any way. As believers in Jesus, we too are destined to suffer affliction.

Our Only Boast

 

^“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.”

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 ESV

 

We live in a very selfish culture. We live in a culture of self-seeking people and behavior. We live in a culture where the ultimate goal of most is both status and recognition.

 

For this reason, we boast in our accomplishments. We brag about our successes. And we put our achievements on full display.

 

We boast, for example, in our education. We boast in the awards and honors we’ve received. We boast in our wealth. And we boast in our status, in relation to others.

 

As believers, this tendency to boast doesn’t seem to fade. It remains. We maintain a continuing desire to boast before both God and man.

 

We boast most often about our behavior. We boast most often about our obedience. And we tend to boast about our perceived status.

 

We boast in the fact that we don’t smoke, drink, or chew, and that we don’t go out with girls who do. We boast in the fact that we attend church every week and that we read our Bible daily. We boast in the fact that we teach Sunday School, that we’ve assisted with the youth group, and that we serve on the church council.

 

However, as believers, our boasting should be found not in our perceived successes.  It should not be found in our perceived obedience. And it should not be found in our perceived spiritual maturity.

 

As we look at the above passage, we see the source of Paul’s boasting before Jesus. We see the source of his joy, as he stood in the Lord’s presence. And it didn’t have anything to do with his own personal sense of righteousness.

 

The source of his boasting was the Thessalonians, themselves. The source of his joy was the Thessalonians, themselves. The source of his hope was their faith and salvation.

 

When I say this, I don’t mean to imply that he was taking the credit for their salvation. He rejoiced in the fact that they had received the salvation of the Lord. And they were dear to him as they had done so through his ministry.

 

In the same way, when the Lord comes, we cannot boast in ourselves. When we stand before the Lord, we cannot boast in any of our perceived accomplishments. We can boast only in the salvation that God has provided. We can boast only in the salvation he’s granted to others. We can boast and rejoice only in the work that he has accomplished through us for the salvation of the lost.

Receiving the Word

 

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!”

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 ESV

 

 

When someone shares an idea that is different than our own, or when someone shares an idea that makes us uncomfortable, we respond by saying: “Well, that’s your opinion!” We simply dismiss them. We dismiss them, telling ourselves that it’s only the idea of a man.

 

This makes virtually any idea easy to dismiss. Man, after all, is fallible. Man, after all, is imperfect. And, for this reason, any idea that comes from man is likely to be wrong.

 

This is something that can hinder the work of ministry, as well as the work of God in our own life. As the Word of God is proclaimed, it is often dismissed as nothing more than an opinion. It is often dismissed as nothing more than the teaching of man.

 

For this reason, it’s viewed as something that is fallible. It’s viewed as something that’s potentially flawed. It’s viewed as something that is deficient and lacking.

 

However, as we see in the above passage, it was received differently by the believers at Thessalonica. When Paul and his companions brought to them the Word of God, they received it as just that. They received it not as the word of man, but as the Word of God himself.

 

And this was not only something that they confessed. It’s something that was expressed in their lives. Believing it to be the Word of God, they became imitators of the believers of the congregations in Judea. Believing it to be the Word of God, they suffered for their new faith, just like the Jewish believers.

 

This leads us to ask ourselves an important question: How do we receive the Word of God? Do we receive it as the word of man? Do we receive it as the opinion of man? Or do we receive it as the Word of God himself?

 

If we receive it as the word or opinion of man, we’ll continue to dismiss it. This is especially true when it contradicts something that we already believe to be true. And it’s especially true when it makes us uncomfortable.

 

But when we receive it as the Word of God, it’s able to transform our lives. It will do so because, only then will we receive the conviction it brings. It will do so because, only then will we receive the hope that it gives.

Don't Be Their Excuse

 

“For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV

 

As Christians, and as congregations, we have a tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot. As a people who sincerely desire the salvation of the lost, and as a people who are making every effort to reach out to them, we have a tendency to put off those to whom we’re ministering. We have a tendency to be demanding of those who have come to learn more about Jesus and the gospel we proclaim.

 

When I say this, I’m not referring to the preaching of the law. I’m not referring to the fact that we talk about sin. We must, after all, present both the law and the gospel if people are to receive Jesus in faith. I’m talking, rather, about things in our behavior that turn them away.

 

We often seek to burden those new to our congregation. We push giving too hard and too soon. And we push them too hard in terms of involvement in the church.

 

In addition to this, our behavior is often unbecoming to those who have yet to receive the gospel or are new to our faith. In some cases, we are abrasive in terms of our behavior. And, in others, it seems to them that the faith which is displayed in our life doesn’t match that being proclaimed to them.

 

As we look at the words of Paul, above, we see that these are things he avoided. He worked night and day that he might not be a burden to them while he proclaimed the gospel of God. He didn’t seek financial support from those to whom he was reaching out. In addition to the support he received from congregations that were already established, he worked quite literally as a tentmaker to make ends meet. This, of course, is the source of the term “tentmaker” that we use today, referring to those in ministry who are bivocational.

 

He also says that his behavior, along with that of his companions, was righteous and blameless. In saying this, Paul is not claiming to be without sin. He is saying, however, that they were in no way hypocrites. They authentically lived out the faith that they proclaimed to the people.

 

These are things that we must consider as we reach out to the lost. It must not appear that we are trying to gain at the expense of those with whom we share. And, at the same time, the faith that is seen must match that which we proclaim.

 

Although we must take care to proclaim both the law and gospel in all their purity, we must make sure that we do not come off as selfish or greedy. We must also live a life of ongoing repentance and faith before those to whom we are ministering. We must do all that we can to ensure that we are not the reason that others reject the message of Christ.

The Nature of Ministry

 

“For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.”

1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 ESV

 

We tend to think that ministry means giving to people what they want. We think that it means telling people what they want to hear.  And we think that it means telling them what they want to hear in the way they want to hear it.

 

We also think that it means seeking our own gain from it. We think of it as a job or a profession. We think of it as a means that we can use to gain for ourselves the things that we desire.

 

And we tend to think that it means growing and building our own influence.  We think that it means building a following for ourselves. We think that it means encouraging a devotion in others to ourself.

 

This, we believe, is how we build the church. This, we believe, is how we reach people for Christ. It’s all a numbers game. As someone once told me, it’s all about butts in the pews.

 

These things, however, completely contradict the true nature of ministry. We can see this above, in the words of Paul. He tells us that neither he nor his companions came with words of flattery. They did not come with a pretext for greed. And they did not come to the Thessalonians seeking glory from people.

 

Even though they did have a measure of authority, as apostles, they did not use that for their own advantage. Instead, their reason for coming was to serve. And the way that they conducted their ministry was in love.

 

Paul says that he and his companions were gentle among them. He compared their ministry to that of a nursing mother, taking care of her own children. They lovingly nurtured and tended to the people.

 

Because they affectionately desired the people of Thessalonica, they shared with them not only the gospel, but their very selves. They shared with them their very lives. In other words, ministry happened in the context of relationships.

 

This is something that’s largely missing in the church of America today. Church, for most of us, is about fulfilling our obligation. It’s about attending worship, but getting out of there as quickly as we can and interacting with as few people as we can. There is little, if any, desire for relationship with the other members of the church.

 

We, then, wonder why we leave church feeling so empty. We wonder why our attendance at church seems so meaningless. And it becomes easy for us to remain absent from the church.

 

Yes, it is by our faith that we are saved. Our forgiveness isn’t dependent upon church attendance. However, that being said, we both receive ministry and minister to others only in the context of relationship. We both receive ministry and minister to others only in the context of love.

The Source of Our Message

 

“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 ESV

 

Although we like to think of it as a peaceful work, the simple reality is that ministry often brings conflict along with it. It can be conflict from the outside, from unbelievers to whom we seek to minister. But it can also be conflict from within, among the church itself.

 

Although we hate to admit it, this conflict can change the way in which we seek to minister. And it tends to do so not for the better, but the worse. What I mean is that we begin to neglect or even forsake our God-given duties in an effort to avoid conflict.

 

If anyone had reason to do so, it was Paul. We see in the above passage that he had suffered and been shamefully treated in Philippi. And it stands to reason that this could cause him to be a bit gun-shy as he stepped into the next community. 

 

However, Paul said, he and his co-workers had boldness as they came to Thessalonica. They had boldness in God to declare the gospel even in the face of conflict. And they had this boldness due to the source of their appeal.

 

Their appeal, he explains, did not spring from error or impurity. Nor did it spring from any attempt to deceive. It came from the fact that they had been entrusted with the gospel by God.

 

For this reason, they spoke not in an effort to please man. They rather spoke to please God who tests our hearts. In other words, regardless of the response they received, they sought only to faithfully carry out their calling which had been given to them by God.

 

What an example this is for us. After all, like Paul, we too have been entrusted with the gospel. And we too have been commissioned to proclaim this message to the world.

 

However, that being said, as we face conflict, we often tend to modify either our approach, our message, or both. We often approach ministry for our own sake, seeking to gain from it personally. And, in this way, the gospel and our ministry are corrupted.

 

As God is the source of this message, as well as our hope, we must not waver even in the face of conflict. We must deliver this message not in an effort to please man. We must seek only to please God who entrusted to us this great work.

A Sincere Faith

 

“For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 ESV

 

One of the primary accusations thrown at believers today is that of hypocrisy. And while we sometimes dismiss these accusations, citing our sinful nature, while we often write them off because it’s impossible to live a perfect life, they are not unfounded. It’s true that many of us, who profess to be believers in Jesus, are hypocrites.

 

It’s true that we are actors. It’s true that we are posers. It’s true that we don’t sincerely believe the faith that we proclaim.

 

Those making these accusations do not expect perfection. Believers and non-believers alike understand that no one is perfect. They do, however, expect to see evidence of the faith we confess.

 

If we proclaim the Word of God, it should be evident that we receive the Word of God. If we proclaim the Word of God, it should be clear that we’ve turned from the false gods we once served and that we now serve the Lord. And if we proclaim the Word of God, it should be clear that we are sincerely awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promises, that we’re awaiting the return of Jesus along with the blessings this will bring.

 

When our life fails to align with the faith that we confess, it affects our witness in a negative way. However, when the two match up, it has the opposite effect. It creates a strong witness that can have a powerful impact.

 

This is exactly what was going on among the believers in Thessalonica. Paul says that the word of the Lord had sounded forth from them. In other words, they were faithfully proclaiming the Word of God.

 

However, in addition to this, their reputation was known everywhere. The faith of the Thessalonian Church was well known. It was reported how they had received Paul. It was reported how they had turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. And it was reported how they awaited the return of Jesus.

 

In the same way, when our life matches the message we proclaim, it will certainly have this effect. It becomes clear that our confession is not empty or hollow.  It is clearly seen that our faith is genuine. It’s clearly known that we believe and hold to the faith that we declare to the world.

 

That being said, if it becomes clear that we are hypocrites, the answer is not for us to try harder. The answer is not for us to conform our life to the message we proclaim. We must, rather, trust in the message we proclaim. We must receive the salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus, and offered to us in the gospel. And the rest will come naturally. The evidence of our faith will flow naturally from our belief.

Chosen

 

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”

1 Thessalonians 1:1-7 ESV

 

I’ve often heard that adoptees struggle with feelings of being less than. They feel that, because they aren’t the natural child of their parents, they are less important or less loved. They feel that, because they aren’t natural siblings of their brothers and sisters, they are less accepted.

 

I love the response of their adoptive parents to these feelings. They tell their adopted children that, although they aren’t natural children, they were chosen. I love this because the word “chosen” elevates them. It tells them that their parents, indeed, love them. It tells them that their parents desire them. And it tells them that their parents love and accept them not because they have to, but because they want to.

 

The same is true, I believe, when it comes to marriage. I don’t believe in the whole soul-mates philosophy that permeates society. And some believe that eliminating this belief lessens a person’s value in the relationship.

 

I, however, beg to differ. I believe that being chosen is what elevates our value in the relationship. It tells us that we are loved not because it was ordained. It tells us that we are loved by choice. It tells us that our spouse, it tells us that our romantic partner, desires us above everyone else.

 

However, that being said, many of us struggle with the word “chosen” when it comes to our relationship with God. We struggle with it because it seems to imply that others were not chosen. It seems to imply that, while God loves some and has chosen them to be his own, he has rejected others. It seems to imply that he has destined them to eternal judgment.

 

And this idea contradicts the plain teaching of Scripture. It does so because, according to God’s Word, God wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God does not want any to perish, but all to reach repentance. And Jesus served as the propitiation, or as the atoning sacrifice, for the sin of all people (not only for some).

 

Yet, as we look at the above passage, Paul says that the believers in Thessalonica were chosen by God. This was plain to him because they not only heard the Word as it was brought to them. It came to them in power and the Holy Spirit with full conviction. They also became imitators of both Paul and of the Lord, as they suffered affliction because of their faith. And, in this way, they’d become an example to other believers. In other words, as the Word was preached to them, they had received it. And, as they received it, it had transformed their lives.

 

This gives us a clue regarding what Paul means when he says they were chosen. Although God knows fully who will trust in him and who will not, and although he knows fully who will be saved and who will not, he does not decide this for them. He doesn’t prevent some from coming to faith while he allows it for others. Nor does he prevent some from being saved while he causes it for others.

 

God has ordained that those who believe in him will be saved. He has predestined those who believe to be conformed to the image of Christ. In other words, he has chosen people of faith to be his own. He has chosen those who believe in Jesus to be his own.

The Cooperation of Congregations

 

“And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.” I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.”

Colossians 4:16-18 ESV

 

We’re often taught, in the church, about the spiritual gifts. We learn how the Spirit of God has given to each believer his grace, or his gifts, that are to be used in his service and for the blessing of the body of Christ. And we’re encouraged, in this way, that no matter how significant or insignificant our gifts may seem, we all have an essential role to play in the body of Christ.

 

It's only infrequently taught, however, that this same principle applies to congregations. We are all, after all, part of the Church. We are all part of the body of Christ. And, in this way, one congregation can be a blessing to another.

 

As I read the above passage, three of the Fundamental Principles of the AFLC (the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations) come to mind:

 

The seventh principle says: “A free congregation gladly accepts the mutual assistance which congregations can give one another in the work for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.”

 

The eighth principle reads: “Such assistance consists partly in the mutual sharing of spiritual gifts among the congregations through conferences, exchange visits, lay activities, etc., whereby congregations are mutually edified, and partly in the voluntary and Spirit-prompted cooperation of congregations for the accomplishing of such tasks as exceed the ability of the individual congregation.”

 

And, finally, the ninth principle tells us: “Among such tasks may be mentioned specifically the training of pastors, distribution of Bibles and other Christian literature, home missions, foreign missions, Jewish missions, deaconess homes, children’s homes and other work of mercy.”

 

We see this at work in the words of Paul above, as he calls the Colossian church to share Paul’s letter with the Laodiceans. We see it as he encourages them to read his words that he sent to the Laodiceans. And we see it again as he instructs the believers in Colossae to encourage a certain individual, named Archippus, to fulfill the ministry that he’d received in the Lord.

 

In this way, each congregation was able to serve as a blessing to the other. In this way, an individual believer was encouraged to be a blessing to others. And in this way, not only was one individual congregation edified. The Church as a whole was built up and strengthened.

 

It’s essential, as individual believers, to consider the role we can play in building up our own congregation. However, it’s equally essential for us to consider how our congregation can be a blessing to another. It’s equally essential to consider not only how we (as an individual or a congregation) might be built up, but also how the Church might be strengthened.

Genuine Concern

 

“Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”

Colossians 4:10-15 ESV

 

I grew up in an area with a good-sized population. And, in such an area, we didn’t acknowledge everyone. We did so only with those we knew.

 

When I went to college, I became good friends with a guy from rural South Dakota. And I, along with my other friends, would tease him relentlessly. We did so because he would greet and wave to everyone that he passed.

 

The past ten years, I’ve lived in smaller communities, and I now do the same thing. As I drive down the road, I wave at everyone I see. And when I walk down the street, I greet each person who passes.

 

In smaller communities, you tend to know most of those who surround you. And, in the same way, you tend to have greater concern for those who surround you. This, then, leads you to acknowledge them.

 

This is what came to mind as I read the above passage. In these verses, that we largely tend to ignore, we see greetings being sent. We see them being sent between those who served alongside Paul and the church at Colossae.

 

And this was no mere acknowledgement. It was an expression of concern for the people of this congregation. It was an expression of love for these brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

We see this especially when it comes to Epaphras. He was one of them. In other words, he originated in the church at Colossae and had gone to serve alongside Paul. And he always struggled on their behalf in his prayers. He labored earnestly for them, as he prayed for them. He wrestled in prayer for them.

 

This indicates something more than a fleeting thought or a passing prayer. It indicates a strong interest in their well-being. It indicates a great longing for their blessing.

 

As a pastor, I try to interact with my church members as much as I can. And, while some of these interactions are planned, others are not. I may simply bump into them at the hardware store or at the school.

 

I also pray regularly for the members of my congregation. I do so corporately, in worship services, times devoted to prayer, and as we gather for Bible study. However, I also do so personally.

 

The sense I get is that this isn’t very common among believers. It’s not common for congregation members. We don’t regularly show concern for our fellow church members by interacting with them. We don’t take the time out of our day to visit, even briefly, with those we encounter. And it’s also relatively uncommon for us to pray for our fellow church members.

 

It’s even more rare that we do so with members of other congregations. It’s even more rare to do so with our fellow believers who live in another community. More often than not, we fail to even think of them.

 

May God give to each one of us such a love for the brethren that we will not only acknowledge them. May he give us such a love for them that we pray for them. And, more than that, may he give us such a love for them that we struggle, that we wrestle, for them.

Encouraging News

“Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.”

Colossians 4:7-9

 

Encouragement comes in many forms. And this is true not only when it comes to our personal life. It’s true not only when it comes to our emotional well-being. This is true also when it comes to our faith.

 

Speaking for myself, I’m often encouraged in my faith as I read Scripture. I’m encouraged as I take part in a Bible study. I’m encouraged as I read devotionals written by others, or as I listen to someone preaching or teaching the Word of God.  And I’m encouraged through fellowship with other believers.

 

However, I’m also encouraged in my faith as I hear how the Lord is working in other congregations. I love reading up on the new church plants in our Association, and hearing about new ministries that are being undertaken by congregations. I also love receiving updates from the mission field. I love hearing about people being brought to faith in Christ, baptisms that have taken place, and new congregations that have been established in the remotest of locations.  And I love hearing about the work of God in the life of another believer. I love to hear the ways in which the Word of God is impacting them, and seeing the ways in which God is using them.

 

This is why I love hosting missionaries when they’re in the area. This is why I subscribe to various prayer lists in our body of churches as well as in our community. This is why I love gathering to pray with other pastors in our community each week. And this is why I love reading the Ambassador, the monthly magazine of the AFLC.

 

It was for this reason that Paul had sent Tychicus and Onesimus to the church at Colossae. He wanted them to be updated regarding his well-being. And he wanted them to be encouraged as they heard about the work God was doing through the ministry entrusted to him.

 

As I consider this, it seems like a great deal of effort was taken to merely encourage another congregation. It seems that a great deal of effort was taken to inform another congregation. And this gives us some insight as to how important this is.

 

For this reason, I encourage everyone to keep from ignoring this information as it’s released. Follow our missionaries on Facebook. Sign up for prayer updates. Attend mission presentations. Subscribe to the Ambassador. And do so with the knowledge that, as you learn of the Lord’s work, you will be encouraged in your faith and in the ministry God has entrusted to you.

And, in the same way, don't hesitate to share with others what God is doing in your life and in that of your congregation. It may be exactly what they need to hear. It may encourage them in their life of faith as well as in their ministry.