Trusting the Testimony

“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

(John 20:29 ESV)

 

Many of us, today, struggle with faith. We find it difficult to believe in Jesus. We find it difficult as we are filled with so many questions and doubts.

 

“If only I could see Jesus,” we tell ourselves, “then I could believe.” “If only I could see one of his miracles,” we say, “then it would be easier.” “If only I could hear his voice, like his disciples,” we exclaim, “then I would have no doubts.”

 

In this way, we are a lot like Thomas. You may recall that he was absent when Jesus first appeared to his disciples. And, when they told him what had taken place, he refused to believe.

 

“Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” These were the words of Thomas after hearing their testimony. And these are the words to which Jesus referred when he appeared next.

 

One week later, Jesus appeared to his disciples again, this time while Thomas was present. And he invited Thomas to touch his wounds. He invited Thomas to stop doubting, and to believe.

 

At this point, Thomas exclaimed that Jesus was his Lord and his God. At this point, he confessed faith in Jesus. At this point he believed.

 

Jesus then spoke the words seen above. He pointed out that Thomas had believed because he had seen him. But those who believed without seeing, Jesus said, are blessed.

 

Jesus appeared to his followers for a period of forty days following his resurrection. At that point, he ascended into heaven. And, from that point on, the faith of believers was based not on sight. It was based on the testimony of Jesus’ followers.

 

Those who were there shared with others what they had seen. They shared with others what they had heard. And they shared with others what they had experienced.

 

This is what is meant when Jesus called his disciples to be his witnesses. They were called to bear witness to what they had seen. They were called to testify regarding Jesus, and what he had done.

 

Countless people, since, have received this testimony. They have believed this testimony. And this includes those of us today, who believe. It includes us, as the testimony of the apostles is what makes up the New Testament.

 

John alludes to this in the very next verse. In verse 30, of this chapter, he writes: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

 

The reason, then, for John’s testimony is that we might believe. The reason for his testimony is that we might believe Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God. The reason for his testimony is that, by believing, we might have life in his name. And the same, you see, is true of the other apostles, whose writings make up the New Testament.

 

And we, then, are the recipients of the blessing, referred to by Jesus as he spoke to Thomas. We are those who have believed without seeing. We are those who, unlike Thomas, have been brought to faith without having been there.

 

That being said, this reveals to us, also, the importance of Scripture. It reveals to us why we must faithfully make use of God’s Word. It’s in this way that we receive the testimony of the apostles. It’s in this way that we are brought to faith. And it’s in this way that we are blessed.

The Fulfillment of Scripture

“After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth.”

(John 19:28-29 ESV)

 

Fluids are essential to us. They are essential to our body. We cannot, in fact, live without them.

 

I’m a pastor, and not a doctor or a biologist. And, for this reason, I don’t know the accuracy of this statement. But I’ve always been told that we can live for only a few days without water.

 

This, of course, may depend upon the environment in which we find ourselves. We’ll die faster from dehydration in a desert than we will in a temperature-controlled building. But we all understand that we’ll die faster from dehydration than we will from starvation.

 

For this reason, as Jesus hung on the cross, as he carried out the will of the Father, it’s obvious to us why he would become dehydrated. It’s obvious to us why he would become thirsty. He had been brutally beaten. He had lost a great deal of blood. He was completely exposed. And, hanging on the cross, he had no access to food or water.

 

It’s of little surprise to us, then, that Jesus was thirsty. It’s of little surprise to us that he expressed this need. And there seems to be little, if any, spiritual significance to this statement, made by Jesus from the cross.

 

However, as we read the above passage, something significant stands out. Jesus made this statement, John says, to fulfill the Scripture. Knowing that all was now finished, Jesus made this statement that Scripture might be fulfilled.

 

The term used here, to fulfill Scripture, means to accomplish Scripture or to execute Scripture. It means to complete Scripture, or to make it perfect.

 

Jesus, then, said that he was thirsty to do just that. He said that he was thirsty to complete Scripture. He said that he was thirsty to accomplish what the Scriptures said.

 

Although he does not cite it for us, the Scripture to which John is referring is Psalm 69. In verse 21 of that chapter, we read: “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” This was written by King David as he pleaded with God for help, as he pleaded with God for salvation from his enemies.

 

This passage not only shares with us what was going on in the life of David, at that moment in time. It points us forward to Jesus. It points us forward to his suffering at the hands of his enemies. And it points us to his thirst, along with the provision of sour wine, in the face of it.

 

We see, then, that Jesus does this in every way. He accomplishes, he completes, all that Scripture says. Scripture, you see, directs us to Jesus. All of Scripture, both the Old and the New Testaments, point us to Jesus. It’s not merely a book of stories, a book of history, or a book of laws. It’s a book that directs our attention to the Savior of the world that, by believing in him, we might receive salvation.

The Committal

 “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

(Luke 23:46 ESV)

Most of us like to maintain control of our life. We like to maintain control of our affairs. And we’re unwilling to turn that control over to others unless it’s absolutely necessary.

There are times in life, when we have to do just that. There are times in life when we have to entrust ourselves into the care of others, allowing them to make decisions that can drastically impact our life. And we have to do so for our own good, as well as the good of others.

This is true of us when we are young, while we are under the care of our parents. It’s true of us when we are ill. It’s true also of us as we age, and as our abilities begin to wane. 

As we see in the verse above, this is exactly what Jesus did as he hung on the cross. We find that this is exactly what he did as his life reached its end. We find that, as he was about to die, having completed the purpose for which he’d been sent, he entrusted himself, he entrusted his soul, he entrusted his life, into the hands of God the Father.

He did so in the words of David, from Psalm 31. In fact, he fulfilled the words of David from this Psalm. As David fled from his enemies, he made an appeal to God for help and for salvation. And he entrusted his well-being, he entrusted his spirit, into the hands of God.

We do this with others during their funeral. We have a service for them, called the Committal.  And what we are doing, in this service, is entrusting them into the care of God.

We commit them into the hand of God knowing that we’re powerless to do anything for them. We commit them into the hands of God knowing that we have no say, that we have no authority, when it comes to their eternal destiny. We entrust them into the hands of God, knowing that he, and he alone, determines their fate. We entrust them into the hands of God, knowing that he, and he alone, can give them life. We entrust them into the hands of God, knowing that he, and he alone, can give them salvation.

And, in the same way, we can entrust ourselves, we can entrust our very soul, into the hands of God. We can do so, knowing that we are safe in his care. We can do so knowing that he wants only our good, that he wants only our blessing.  And we can do so knowing his ability, as well as his promise, to provide just that.

This, in fact, is something that we must do, as Christians. And it’s something that we must do not only as we’re facing death. It’s something that we must do each and every day of our lives.  It’s something we must do every moment of every day. 

It’s something we must do as we’re truly powerless over our life. It’s something we must do, recognizing that this power and control is possessed by God alone.  It’s something we must do, recognizing that, in spite of our sin and the punishment we deserve, he is willing to grant us his blessing.

As we do so, even though we hate to cede control of our life, this fills us with peace.  Even though we hate to give up our sense of independence, it gives us a calmness of spirit.  And even though we hate to acknowledge how powerless we truly are, it provides us a sense of tranquility.

It does so because no longer are we fighting a fruitless battle for control.  It does so because no longer are we engaged in a losing battle for independence. And it does so because no longer are we taking part in a war we cannot win for the fate of our soul.

A New Creation

 “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

(2 Corinthians 5:16–17 ESV)

As believers, we know the desire of God, for the salvation of all people. And we know that, in Jesus, God has provided just that. He’s provided for all people the forgiveness of their sins. He’s provided for all people salvation from death and hell. And he’s provided for all people the blessing of everlasting life.

This blessing must be received by faith. It, however, is available to not only a select few, but to all. There is no distinction.

We, however, are prone to making distinctions. We are prone to judging people based upon their past and their present sins. We are prone to determining, in our own mind, who is deserving of these blessings and who is not.

If someone had a rough past, and once lived a life of sin and rebellion, we deem him unworthy. If someone is struggling with a certain sin, right here and right now, we deem him unworthy. And if someone is not growing in faith and holiness as fast as we believe he should be, we deem him unworthy.

We, then, shy away from such people. We fail to share with them the comfort of the gospel. And we regard them as pariahs in the church.

We make distinctions in other ways, as well. We make distinctions in terms of appearance and dress. We make distinctions in terms of a person’s education level. We make distinctions in terms of his wealth. We make distinctions in terms of his speech. We make distinctions in terms of his race. And we make distinctions in terms of his culture.

As we look at the verses preceding the passage above, we find that people did the same with Paul. They judged him by worldly rather than godly standards. They judged him based on their outward impression of him rather than his heart and faith.

Paul even points out that he and his companions once did this with Christ himself. They looked at him according to the flesh. They looked at him in terms of worldly standards.

As we look at the passage above, we find that this is wrong. We find that it makes us guilty. We find that, in this way, we fail to display the heart of God.

Paul says that he no longer regarded anyone according to the flesh. This means that he no longer regarded them according to a worldly point of view. He, rather, regarded them according to the gospel. He regarded them according to God’s point of view.

He, then, lays out that view for us. If anyone is in Christ, he says, he is a new creation. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.

In Christ, we have been made new. In Christ, we have been given a new life. And as his faithful, we must regard both ourselves and others as such.

Sheep

 

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

(Philippians 3:17-21 ESV)

 

Although we claim that we’re our own person, although we like to believe that we are free-thinkers, and although we insist that we make our own decisions and do things our own way, the opposite tends to be true. Even though we hate to admit it, we are sheep. Even though we hate to acknowledge it, we tend to follow the crowd. We tend to do exactly what everyone else is doing.

 

We wear what everyone else is wearing, and we’re critical of anything that doesn’t match the trending style. We watch the shows and the movies that everyone else is watching. We listen to the music to which everyone else is listening. We talk like those around us. And, of course, we think like those who surround us.

 

Whether this is done knowingly or unknowingly, this is the case. We are not the unique people that we believe ourselves to be. And we are not the rebels, we’re not the nonconformists, that we believe ourselves to be.

 

While this can certainly be a bad thing, if we’re following the wrong crowd, it can also be a positive thing. It depends upon the company we keep and the role models that we admire. If we’re looking to the right people, and following their example, it can be a great blessing.

 

This is why, in the above passage, Paul encouraged the people to imitate him. This is why he encouraged them to keep their eye on those who walk according to the example seen in him and his companions. As they followed the example of Paul, and as they emulated the faith of Paul, they would remain on the right course.

 

I realize that a statement like this may seem arrogant on the surface. It may seem that he’s holding himself up before others in a prideful way. And, for this reason, we’d be uncomfortable making a statement such as this.

 

We must realize, however, that Paul is not claiming perfection. Nor is he claiming to be sinless. He is, however, an example of the very faith he was proclaiming to others.

 

His focus, you see, was not on himself. Nor was it upon his obedience. His focus was on the cross of Christ. This was his source of comfort and assurance. And it was this to which he directed others.

 

For this reason, it’s people like this, it’s people like Paul, that we should emulate. We should imitate those who look only to the cross of Christ. We should seek to live like those who trust in Christ, and in Christ alone, for the salvation he provides.

 

And, in the same way, as we trust in Christ, we are that example for others. Although we must never think too highly of ourselves, we must realize that our hope in Christ is a model for those who surround us. As we walk through life, with our eyes fixed on Jesus, we can reveal to others what a life of faith looks like.

The Lord of Peace

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV)

Peace is something that we all crave. It’s something that we all desire. It’s something for which we all long.

However, that being said, it is also something that seems elusive. It’s something that seems distant. And it’s something that seems impossible to obtain.

As we live life in this world, it seems anything but peaceful. We hear about conflict between nations of the world. There is conflict on the political front. There is conflict in our community. There is conflict in our churches. And there is conflict in our families.

As we seek out this peace, our tendency is to think that it’s something that is ours to obtain. We believe that, if we include certain people in our life, we can have peace. We believe that, if we exclude others from our life, we can have peace. We believe that, if we place ourselves in the right environment, we can have peace. Or we believe that, if we work the right job, we will have peace.

We, then, do all that we can to grab hold of it. We do all that we can to obtain it. We do all that we can to place ourselves in a position where we will have this peace. We do so even if it means violating God’s law.

We fail to realize that the Lord alone is the source of our peace. We fail to realize that it’s he who can bestow this peace. And we fail to realize that, for this reason, we can have peace regardless of how our outward circumstances may seem.

In the above passage, Paul refers to Jesus as the Lord of peace. This tells us that he is the God of peace. He is the author of peace. We, therefore, can look to him for this gift of peace. He, in fact, is the only source of peace.

And this is what Paul wishes for the believers at Thessalonica. He asks that the Lord will give to them peace at all times and in every way. He asks that the Lord will give them a perpetual peace that will remain with them in every circumstance in which they might find themselves.

This is something we can have because the peace that Jesus gives to us is not subjective, but objective. It’s not simply a feeling of peace that can pass away when our circumstances become difficult. It is a real, outward reality. It’s not dependent upon our circumstances nor our emotions. It’s dependent only upon Jesus and what he’s done for us.

Although we were God’s enemies, we are no more. Although we were dead in our trespasses, we are no more. Although we were once far off, we are no more. By his sacrifice, he has made peace for us. He has obtained peace for us. And he has granted to us this peace, which is received through faith in him.

Judge Not?

^“If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 ESV)

 

The greatest of modern virtues is that you shall not judge. We’re reminded of this on a daily basis. And even though this belief is completely ripped out of the context in which Scripture presents it, we go along with this in the church.

 

What I mean is that little, if any, correction is offered by the church. Even if we preach the Word of God rightly, we offer little in the way of personal application. We are unwilling to address the sin in which our members live.

 

I’m not suggesting that we should make knowledge of their sin public. Nor am I suggesting that a spectacle be made of their wrongdoing. However, we turn a blind eye to it and ignore it.

 

By our silence, we give our tacit approval to their actions. We tell them that their lifestyle is acceptable before God. And we tell them that no confession, repentance, or forgiveness is necessary.

 

We see, in the passage above, Paul’s instruction for such an occurrence. And we must note that he is not addressing our dealing with unbelievers. He’s addressing our interaction with those who confess faith in Christ.

 

He says that if anyone does not obey the instruction given in this letter, we’re to take note of him. If anyone does not obey the instruction given in this letter, we’re to have nothing to do with him. We are not to associate with him or to have company with him.

 

However, even though we are to use this measure, we’re not to regard him as an enemy. We’re not to consider him as one whom we are against. We’re, rather, to warn him as a brother.

 

In other words, we are seeking not his harm, but his blessing. We are seeking not vengeance, but the salvation of his soul. We are seeking not his punishment, but his repentance.

 

This is not a lone passage where this teaching is presented. We see it throughout Scripture. And not only is it seen in the Old Testament, where we might feel that we can dismiss it as an outdated law. We see it also in the New.

 

We see this, for example, in 1 Corinthians 5:11, which says: “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”

 

There is a right way to go about this, of course. It’s to be done not in a spirit of condemnation, but one of love. However, Scripture is clear that this tool is to be used as we seek the salvation of souls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Face of Weariness

 

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV)

 

As we live the Christian life, we sometimes become tired. We become tired as we witness the evil taking place in the world around us. We become tired as we deal with the sin of those who surround us. We become tired as we’re confronted by the ire of the unbelievers in our midst. We become tired as we deal with conflict and strife in the church. We become tired as we deal with our own struggle with sin. And we become tired as it seems to us that our efforts are futile.

 

Our natural response, in this fatigue, is to give up. Our natural response is to stop trying. Our natural response is to, at best, do nothing. And our natural response, at worst, is to live, behave, and believe like those among whom we abide.

 

Throughout the book of 2 Thessalonians, Paul had been talking to this congregation about the return of Christ. He talked about the Lord’s judgment. He talked about false prophecies and false christs. The talked about the man of lawlessness, and the disruption he’ll bring to the world. And he talked about those who confess faith in Christ while living a life of idleness.

 

As we read these words, it’s easy for us to understand how the Thessalonians may have grown tired. It’s easy to understand why they might want to give up. But in light of these truths, and in light of these circumstances, Paul called on them to press on.

 

He told them that they were not to grow weary in doing good. They’re not to tire of doing that which is good. In other words, they were to continue in their service of the Lord. No matter how things may have seemed, they were to continue to live as they had been called.

 

The same message speaks to us, today, right where we find ourselves. Rather than losing all hope and giving up, we’re to press on. We’re to continue living as we have been called. We are to continue in our service of the Lord, and we are to continue loving our neighbor, no matter how fruitless it may seem.

 

We are to do so knowing that it is never truly fruitless. We are to do so, bearing in mind the encouragement that he gave to the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 15:58, where he says: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

 

Serving the Lord is never empty. It’s never meaningless. No matter how things may seem, God is faithful to do his work, and he is faithful to work through us, that his purpose might be accomplished.

Boundaries

 

“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 ESV)

 

We often debate, when it comes to political discourse, how to handle public welfare. We often debate to whom this help should be given, and in what instances. And we often debate to what extent it should be given.

 

In the above passage, however, this issue is discussed not as a matter of politics, but as a matter of church life. And, in this statement, Paul is very clear. As Christians, we are expected to work.

 

When I say this, of course, I’m not referring exclusively to work outside of the home. I’m referring to work in all of its forms. I’m referring to work as it is carried out in our typical vocations.

 

A stay-at-home parent, as a case in point, is not considered idle because she fails to work outside of the home. She would, however, be considered idle if she fails to carry out the duties of her vocation. She would be considered idle if she fails to care for her home, her children, and her husband.

 

Paul also does not expect those to work who are incapable of doing so. He calls upon the church to care for older widows. And generosity for those in need is clearly encouraged.

 

However, as we see above, Paul calls on Christians to disassociate from those, who profess faith in Christ, who are idle. He calls on us to keep away from those who are lazy. He calls on us to withdraw from those who are slothful or sluggish. And he calls on us to remove ourselves from those who, while they are unwilling to work, continually involve themselves in the affairs of others.

 

This type of lifestyle, he says, is not in accord with the tradition that he and his followers had passed on to them. He then holds himself up as an example. Even though he had a right to the support of the congregation, he worked hard while he was among them that he might not be a burden on them.

 

He also gave to them the command that, if anyone was not willing to work, he was not to eat. He did not permit those who were unwilling to work to receive such help. He did not allow them to, in this way, prey on the generosity of their brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

He commanded and encouraged such persons to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. He commanded them to work quietly and to eat their own bread. He encouraged them to work in a quiet fashion and to earn the food they ate.

 

As Christians, following through with this command feels anything but graceful. In fact, it may feel harsh and critical in nature. It, however, is a form of discipline. It’s a call to repentance. It’s a way of revealing to the idle the sinfulness of their inaction that they might receive the mercy of Christ.

Our Source of Confidence

 

“And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:4-5 ESV)

 

We’re often skeptical of people. We doubt them. And we do so for good reason. We do so, knowing that no one is perfect.

 

This is true of us, even as Christians. We know and believe that we are a sinful people. We know and believe that we are born in sin. And, for this reason, we are cynical. We are distrustful of others.

 

And, based on our experience, we may feel that we have good reason for this cynicism. We may feel that we have good reason for our lack of trust in others. After all, even those who love us most have failed us time and again.

 

However, our confidence in others is not dependent upon them. It’s not dependent upon their reliability. Nor is it dependent upon our past experience.

 

We see this in the above passage. Paul had been asking for the prayers of the believers at Thessalonica. He desired that they would pray for him and his ministry. And he went on to express a confidence in them.

 

He’s confident that they were doing the things he’d commanded. And he was confident that they would do the things he’d commanded. However, the basis of that confidence was not them. The basis of that confidence was the Lord.

 

“And we have confidence in the Lord about you,” he writes. It’s clear, then, that his confidence was not in them. His confidence was in the Lord.

 

And this makes complete sense. Even though people are imperfect, God is perfect. Even though they are fallible, God is infallible. And even though they are weak, God is strong. Although we have little, if any, reason to be confident in others, we have every reason to be confident in the Lord.

 

He knew that they were keeping his commands not because of any goodness or strength on their part, but because of the Lord and his work in their lives and hearts. And he knew that they would keep his commands in the days ahead, not because of any intrinsic holiness or piety, but because of the Lord and the strength he would provide.

 

Based on this, he blesses them, asking that the Lord would direct their hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ. He asks that the Lord will direct them into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.  He asks that the Lord would direct their hearts into God’s love and Christ’s endurance.

 

This is also the reason that we can be confident in others. We can be confident in them because of the Lord. We can be confident in them because of his ongoing work in their life.

Missing the Obvious

 

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Luke 3:22 ESV

 

Many of us, in the course of our spiritual journey, come to believe that God is one whom we must seek out. We come to believe that he is one whom we must discover. We come to believe that God is someone whom we must pursue.

 

We, then, set out to do just that. We set out to do whatever it takes to discover God. We set out to do whatever is necessary to understand God.

 

While I tend to believe that our intentions in doing so are good, we are missing something. In fact, we are missing the obvious. We are missing the obvious because God has clearly revealed himself to us.

 

We see this, first of all, in our Christmas celebration. We see it there because God didn’t expect that we should come to him. Nor did he wait for us to come to him. He, rather, came to us.

 

God came to us in the flesh. He came to us, born as a baby. And he, then, lived among us.

 

We see this also in the third chapter of Luke. We see that Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized. And, after he’d been baptized, and as he was praying, the heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven.

 

This voice declared the words that we read above. God declared that Jesus was his beloved Son. And he declared that he is well pleased with Jesus.

 

These words were spoken to Jesus, of course. But they were spoken to Jesus in the hearing of all who were there. They were spoken to Jesus in the hearing of all of those who had come to be baptized, as well as John the Baptist himself.

 

In this way, Jesus’ identity was made clear to them. They came to understand Jesus’ identity from the mouth of God himself. They were able to hear the voice of the Father speaking of Jesus’ identity.

 

We learn from this that God is not hidden from us. He isn’t one who conceals himself from us. We learn from this that God is one who comes to us and reveals himself to us.

 

Although you and I weren’t there to observe Jesus’ birth, and although we weren’t there to hear the voice of God at the time of Jesus’ baptism, the same is true for us. In Jesus, God himself comes to us. And God speaks to us, making clear the identity of Jesus.

 

He does so primarily through his Word. He does so primarily through Scripture. In this way, he speaks and reveals to us these truths.

 

And, for this reason, we need not do anything great. In fact, there is nothing at all for us to do. We need only to listen. We need only to receive his Word. We need only to believe the Word he has spoken.

 

Deliver Us From Evil

 

“But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:3 ESV)

 

It’s clear to us, as we look at the world of today, that evil has grown. It’s clear to us that evil has become worse. We see it in world events as well as in the actions of individuals.

 

We see this also as we look over the course of time. What was once unthinkable has now become common. What was once absurd has now become very real and ordinary.

 

As we’re confronted with this evil, we wonder what can be done about it. We wonder where we can look for help. And we look to many individuals and institutions to provide that help.

 

We look to our legislators. We do so, believing they can create laws that will eliminate the evil with which we live. We look to the courts. We do so, believing that they can change the moral compass of our nation. We look to the military. We do so, believing that their might can not only hold evil at bay, but put an end to it in the places it is sent. We look to our schools and universities. We do so, believing that if only a better education is granted to more people, they will leave their evil thoughts and actions behind. And we look to psychologists, counselors, and health professionals. We do so, believing that the source of evil is nothing more than an illness or a disease to be treated.

 

In the prior two verses, Paul asked for prayer from the people. He asked for prayer that he and his companions might be delivered from evil, or from the evil one. “For not all have faith,” he reminds them.  But, as he goes on to state in the verse seen above, “the Lord is faithful.”

 

The Lord, he says, will establish them and guard them against the evil one. He will strengthen and protect them from the evil one. He will establish them and keep them from evil.

 

Although it’s a simple reminder, what is the source of our help? What is the source of our deliverance? That source is none other than the Lord.

 

Certainly, he can work through people and institutions to carry out his work. He can use legislators and the courts. He can use armies and military might. He can use the education system and health professionals. But we must bear in mind that he alone is the source of our aid.

 

We, then, must look to him. This, after all, is what Jesus taught us to do. He taught us to pray to the Father that he might deliver us from evil. He taught us to pray to the Father that he might deliver us from the evil one.

 

And, no matter how it may seem, we can know and believe that he will do just that. He will do so because he is faithful. He will do so because is both willing and able to guard us.

Assumptions

 

“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ESV)

 

So often, in life, we take things for granted. We assume that things will work out as they should. We simply trust that they’ll function as intended. And we presume that the desired results will be achieved.

 

For example, as I leave my house each morning, I take for granted that my car will start. I assume that it’ll fire up and take me where I need to go. I plan my day around the assumption that I’ll be able to get to the places I need to be. And this is true even when the weather is extreme.

 

Because of these assumptions, we give no real thought to them. We seemingly have no concern for them. We’re not worried or apprehensive about these things in any way.

 

This is true also when it comes to our faith. We take for granted that the Church will do its job. We take for granted that it will grow. We take for granted that our faith will spread. And we take for granted that people will honor his Word.

 

For this reason, we fail to pray for the salvation of souls. For this reason, because we take these things for granted, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the Church.  And, for this reason, we fail to look to the Lord on behalf of the unsaved.

 

We don’t tend to offer up the petitions requested by Paul in the passage above. We don’t ask that God’s Word would speed forth. We don’t ask that it would be honored. Nor do we ask that the Church might be delivered from evil men.

 

We simply assume that these things will happen. We assume that the Church will faithfully carry out its mission. We take for granted that God’s Word will speed forth because it is, after all, God’s Word. We expect that his Word will be honored. And we presuppose that the Church will be protected from those who intend it harm.

 

We see from Paul’s request, however, that these are needs that ought to be entrusted to the Lord. We see that these blessings cannot be taken for granted. Like every other blessing that we need or desire, these are things for which we are completely dependent upon God.

 

I can say, speaking for myself, that I value the prayers offered up for me, as I serve the Lord. I value the prayers offered up for the ministry of the church. I value them because it’s only with his strength and blessing that we can accomplish anything.

Chosen

“But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 ESV)

 

Because the Lord is God, and because he’s all-powerful, it is clear to us that he is sovereign. It’s clear to us that no one can impose his will upon him. And it’s clear that he is in control of all things.

 

This is true also when it comes to our eternal destiny. Scripture similarly speaks to us of predestination. It tells us that we, as believers, have been chosen by God to obtain his blessings. It tells us that we have been chosen by God as recipients of his salvation.

 

This, however, raises some questions, especially when it comes to his redemption. It raises some questions as Scripture is clear that God desires for all to be saved. And it’s clear that he is the propitiation, or that he’s the atoning sacrifice, for the sin of the whole world.

 

This being true, God cannot arbitrarily choose some to be saved and others to be damned. He cannot ordain that some will spend eternity in hell with no chance of obtaining forgiveness.  How, then, are those truths reconciled?

 

This confusion is explained away in the above passage. Paul says that he chose us as the first fruits of those who are being saved. Here, we see the element of God’s sovereignty and his divine will. But we’re told also how we are chosen. It’s explained to us on what basis we are chosen.

 

He tells us, first of all, that we are chosen through sanctification by the Spirit. And to be sanctified means to be made holy. So, we are chosen as we are made holy by the Holy Spirit.

 

This reminds us that we play no role in our salvation. It tells us that the work necessary for our salvation is performed by God. And it leads us to trust not in ourselves, but in God, for this great blessing.

 

He tells us also that we are chosen to be saved through belief in the truth. As most of us know, we receive the grace of God through faith in Jesus. And our faith is the basis of God’s choice.

 

What I mean is this: God has chosen for salvation those who trust in Christ. He has chosen for salvation those who believe the gospel. He has chosen for salvation those who, in this way, receive the blessings he’s graciously made available to all people.