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The Word of God
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
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2 Timothy 4:1-5 Preach the Word
2 Timothy 4:1-5 Preach the Word
INTRODUCTION:
Well, it’s orientation day. You’ve just been offered a new position, and, well, like any company, it’s important that you’re well briefed as to what’s involved. Eli, you’re likely the most recent to go through the orientation process for a new job. Now, I’m not sure what Chick-fil-a’s process is like. Nor do I know who much owner, Randy Atkins, is involved in the process. I’m guessing, like many companies today, you likely had to sit through a series of orientation videos, highlighting some of the perks you get for working at the company. They want you excited about your new position.
But they also, at least I hope so, lay out their expectations for you regarding your new position. They likely covered who you are to report to, who you’re accountable to. What you primary position is, the scope of that position. Of course, you’ll need to know your schedule, when you should be expected to be available. What your position consists of, and the way you are to carry it out. (With that customary Chick-fil-a smile, and the trademark phrase: “My pleasure.”) What about your work environment. What challenges are you likely to face. Are there any hazards to be aware of? What other responsibilities are involved?
TIMOTHY
We’re in 2 Timothy. And for a bit of background, Timothy isn’t exactly what we’d call a new hire or a new recruit. He’s been mentored by Paul for some 20 years. Nevertheless, Timothy is indeed stepping into a new position, a position where he’s going to have to carry the torch now. Why? Because Paul’s at the end of his service. He’s finished the race. It’s time for Timothy and others to carry on the work.
Now, Paul didn’t have Timothy sit through a bunch of impersonal cookie-cutter videos. No. Paul sent him a letter, a couple letters actually.
Like a position at Chick-fil-a, Timothy’s position would be one of service, one of providing food and nourishment, but a food and nourishment that far exceed any physical meal. Timothy, however, would not provide his services so much to those who are lining up at the drive-thru, those who by nature have a craving for the meal he’s called to serve. For many, this bread would be bitter and distasteful.
As far as Timothy’s ultimate supervisor, the One he will give account to isn’t one who could merely fire him, although fire isn’t altogether absent the consequences for failing to faithfully carry out his duties. Timothy would give account to none other than God Almighty and the Lord Jesus Christ who is to judge the living and the dead.
That’s somewhat an overview of what we’ll be looking at this morning. But before you check out, thinking, well, I’m certainly not Timothy, or called to Timothy’s position, so this obviously doesn’t apply to me, let me assure you, this matters greatly to all of us, regardless of your calling.
READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
ACCOUNTABILITY
As already mentioned, the One to whom Timothy will ultimately answer is God. Look again at verse 1. I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
Before laying out the charge to Timothy to preach the Word, Paul reminds his young protégé that it’s not before Paul that Timothy will answer. Timothy, you will answer to God and Jesus Christ who took the nails of judgment in your place. Paul wants to make very clear the seriousness of this call by pointing Timothy to the authority that he will ultimately answer to.
Now, don’t think to yourself: well, I’m not Timothy. I’m not pastor Josh. I’m not even an adult male… so I’m somewhat exempt. Isn’t that what you complementarian reformed types teach. Well, there is certainly a high standard those who serve in the office of pastor and elder are expected to hold to. But if we were to walk through the qualifications, one thing you’d likely see is that most of the expectations, most of the standards are what every believer is called to. Let’s just take Paul’s first letter to Timothy as an example. An overseer is to be trustworthy, above reproach, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not puffed up with conceit. Let me ask. Which of these expectations is the follower of Jesus exempt from?
But what’s more, while most of you will not have to worry about giving an account for what you proclaim from up here, we all have a calling to be faithful in whatever our service in the Lord might be. We are to glorify God in all things, not simply church related functions. We are all called to be faithful stewards of the gifts God has given us. And just so we’re clear, neglect lets none of us off the hook.
Beyond that, as followers of Christ, called to sit under the authority of God’s Word, you will give an account for how you respond to the faithful proclamation of this Word. You won’t give an account to me or Sherif. You will give account to Jesus himself… this Jesus who is to judge.
We don’t tend to like the idea of Jesus judging. Or perhaps I should put it this way, those who aren’t truly in Christ don’t tend to like the idea of Jesus judging. You see, for those truly in Christ, we are looking forward to that day when Jesus judges the living and the dead. Why? Because it is the day of final vindication, where all of Jesus’ faithful are vindicated before all their enemies, as our King sets the faithful on His right and pronounces blessing over them, giving them the reward of their inheritance before the rest of the watching world.
I can’t stress to you enough how important it is that all stand before the great white throne of judgment. Because it is here that God is glorified in the vindication of His servants. All of our persecution, the slandering, the mocking, the disregarding our words of warning, our sufferings, our denying ourselves, while the world watched on thinking, o what fools. Why don’t they just eat, drink, and live it up. Sin all that you can now. All of it will be vindicated. While the unfaithful will be placed on the Lord’s left, will receive justice, the justice that seemed to have been set aside, will finally come upon them in full.
Why does this matter for Timothy? Because Timothy is about to hear the impossible challenge he faces in carrying out his position. And you and I, in whatever capacity we serve, if we truly serve faithfully, we will face some of the same challenges. Not only will we give an account, but all will… that includes those who oppose our Commander in Chief, the Lord Jesus, and His calling on our lives. And knowing that should encourage us to press on in our service faithfully, knowing that justice will prevail, when Jesus returns and brings the fullness of His kingdom.
PREACH THE WORD
So, what is this call for Timothy? Beginning of verse 2. Preach the Word. The word preach, κηρύσσω, means to proclaim, to preach, to herald a message openly and publicly. So before moving on, let’s address what preaching is not. Preaching is not private counsel. Preaching is a private service hidden from view. Preaching is public proclamation, not just for the church but for all who will hear to hear. In that sense, our doors here are open. We do not hold a closed service for members or believers only.
SCOPE:
What’s the scope of what we are to preach? The Word. This Book, the Bible. Which parts? The New Testament? Well, the New Testament was still in the process of being written down and disseminated. At the time of Paul writing to Timothy, it would have been well understood that Paul wasn’t so much focused on what was currently being penned as he was the sacred writings of what we call the Old Testament. So for those who stick to a primarily New Testament diet, you obviously don’t hold to the New Testament’s teaching, if you even know what it’s teaching.
Perhaps many of you have noticed 1) that the Old Testament is four times the size of the New Testament, and 2) that Sherif and I like to spend a lot of time in the Old Testament. Why? Well, three verses earlier Paul points out to Timothy that ALLScripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
But if we back up one more verse, to 3:15, we see that it is this Word, again, Paul is referring primarily to the Old Testament Scriptures, which do what? They point to Jesus! That’s what Timothy grew up with. Those are the sacred writings that Timothy was acquainted with. And get this. Those are the Scriptures that are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Sorry, Josh. I want to understand. But I’m just not sure I get it. How is the Old Testament able to make one wise for salvation through faith in Jesus? Well, that’s a good question and honest question. And one that the church has sadly neglected answering, and worse, set an example that seems to suggest that the Old Testament has little to do with Jesus other than a few prophecies here or there. Shame on us. Jesus himself says the whole of Scripture is about Him. Not a few select prophecies throughout. Even if we’re talking 500 prophecies throughout the whole Old Testament, that’s a very small percentage of this huge codex.
The Old Testament is not primarily a book of stories from which we are to glean some sort of life lesson. We sat through the half-time devotions for Upwards Basketball, and as is most often the case, the pastor, I believe he was the youth pastor, misused Scripture to teach what amounted to an Aesop’s Fable. When Jesus was twelve, the age of some of you guys in here (pointing to the ball players), he asked good questions. Make sure you go through life asking good questions. It will help you go far.
My point is not to single this pastor out. This is the extent in which most of the American church read their Bibles, and especially the Old Testament. But do you know what the apostles did with the Old Testament. They used it to prove that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. They used it to show that the God who doesn’t change, hadn’t forgotten His promises. They revealed that Jesus is Yahweh, the Lord of the Old Covenant now come in the flesh to satisfy the law, pay the penalty of sin through the sacrifice of Himself, and to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel, which includes every sheep who hear and listen to His voice.
These are the Scriptures, Timothy, that you are to preach, because they are able to make people wise for salvation in Jesus Christ. And this is the preaching Jesus’ church is to sit under.
SCHEDULE:
Okay. So I get it. Preach the whole Word, the whole counsel of God, as Paul says in Acts 20, which Josiah read for us. What are my hours? What’s this schedule look like? When do I get vacation time? Or, just tell me when I’m supposed to be available. Well, Timothy, stand ready in season and out of season… or more literally, in good times and bad times. Preach during those opportune moments, and during those inopportune moments. Don’t base when to preach on whether it’s the in thing or popular, or whether you’ll be commended or stoned, not just when you see fruit or flocks are showing up in mass. Not when it’s safe, not even when people are receptive to what you have to say.
The prophet Isaiah, He was called to preach and immediately told that God Himself was going to close the ears of his hearers. How long? Well, way passed Isaiah’s ministry and the Lord sent his people into exile and only a remnant remained.
The point here Timothy is for you not to concern yourself with the results. God alone gives the growth. You are simply to faithfully proclaim His Word.
Now, I get that Paul is exhorting Timothy here. But we can certainly apply this to ourselves. While we’re not all Watchmen, as we Sherif read for us in Ezekiel 3, at least not in the same way, don’t think you and I are welcome to keep silent while droves are marching straight to destruction. As a reminder of our Wednesday night class series, we are all to be ready to give a reason for our the hope that is in us, our hope in Jesus, our hope in His gospel. Well, when are we to be ready? ALWAYS!!! That’s another way of saying, in season and out of season. Not just when it’s politically or socially acceptable.
Society will tell you not to bring up politics or religion over Thanksgiving Dinner. Let me ask. Are you going to listen to society, or are you going to listen to God’s Word. If your faith isn’t demonstrated and expressed verbally regarding Thanksgiving, what kind of Thanksgiving are you celebrating? A worldly one with a generic thanks to no one? Thank the Lord of creation who makes all of these blessings possible, and even more so, give public thanks before the entire gathering for what Christ has accomplished. Because only in Jesus being the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world makes it possible for any of the world to enjoy a single Thanksgiving. Because after Adam and Eve ate, that would have been the end of it. Christ was crucified in God’s mind before the first sin, and that’s the only reason why Adam and Eve were able to even walk out of the Garden to breath another day.
What’s the schedule of the Christian? Always be ready, regardless of the season. So long as people are showing up at Grace, we’ll proclaim the Word here. But if a day comes when no one’s here, I’ll proclaim the Word somewhere else. It might be another church or in my family room or on a street corner. And I pray, you are somewhere either proclaiming or sitting under the proclamation of this Word.
MODE:
So, what does preaching consist of? Still in verse 2. Paul gives Timothy 3 rapid-fire imperatives: reprove, rebuke, and exhort.
Reprove/Expose:
The first: reprove, has to do with convicting or exposing sin. The preacher of God’s Word is to proclaim God’s Word in such a way that it exposes our sin. Now let me just say, there is nothing pleasant about this. As the author of Hebrews writes, For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant.
Trina just had open heart surgery, and she’ll tell you, it was painful. She wasn’t looking forward to the pain. She didn’t delight in the pain after the fact. But I’ll tell you what she is looking forward to: the restoration of physical health that surgery is intended to bring about. She wants to be able to walk the farm without being winded. She wants to care for her chicks and goats. But she’s been physically limited.
We don’t delight in the painful scalpel of God’s Word. We delight in the restoration the surgery is meant to bring about. And just so we’re clear, I have to work through these messages in my own heart before I ever get up here… and it’s hard. A lot of times, it’s really hard.
Our neighbors just got married. And as a wedding gift, and I have found it to be a great wedding gift, we gave them a little book titled When Sinners Say I Do. It is by far the best counseling book I’ve yet to come across. You might ask, why on earth would anyone title a book, When Sinners Say I Do. But one of the things the author recognizes and doesn’t hold back on is the fact that we are all sinners. Even more so, he recognizes that like Paul, he is the chief of all sinners. In fact, you know who Paul wrote those words to? Paul wrote them to Timothy.
Harvey, the author of this book, points out the great blessing it is to come to terms with this reality. You see. So long as we fail to see our sin for what it is, 1) we can’t truly know the love of Christ, 2) we will never be able to love others well. Preaching is intended to expose our sin so that we repent and turn to Christ and receive His mercy. There is no transformation apart from our sin being exposed. And the God who saves, loves His people to much to leave them untransformed.
Rebuke/Warn:
The second thing preaching does is rebuke or warn. The next step in the preaching of God’s Word, after exposing our sin is to warn us of sin’s consequences.
Now I get it. There is absolutely nothing popular about this. But again, this is meant to be good medicine. It’s one thing to have the MRI done and the cancer exposed. But if the doctor simply tells you what you have, alright Joe, it looks like you have cancer of the heart. Have a good day. But fails to tell you what needs to happen next and the consequences if you neglect suggested treatment, what good does that do?
Loved ones, we have cancer of the heart. That’s what sin is. But there’s a treatment regimen far stronger than the best chemotherapies. It’s called the gospel. But get this, one dose of chemotherapy isn’t going to do it. This cancer runs deep. It will take the rest of your life to rid yourself entirely of this disease. But with a steady dose of this gospel treatment, you’ll notice the cancer of sin gradually go into remission, to where it no longer reigns in your members.
But if we fail to sit under the preaching of God’s Word, how do you expect to fight off the cancer of sin? Do you really think yourself wiser than the great Physician who prescribed this regimen of preaching? Don’t fool yourself.
Exhort:
The last thing preaching must necessarily do is exhort. Now the word here translated exhortcan mean encourage or comfort. And in many texts it is used in that sense. And it is possible Paul is telling Timothy, after you’ve exposed their sin through the proclamation of God’s Word, and warned them of sin’s consequences through the proclamation of God’s Word, finally, encourage them through the proclamation of God’s Word.
While it’s true, the proclamation of God’s word should bring hope and encouragement, that’s likely not the context in which Paul is using exhort here. Rather, exhort here, after exposing and warning, is to plead with one’s hearers to act… respond. Repent and believe the good news. Certainly, there are words of comfort. But only so far as there is a positive response to the message of the gospel. Timothy, urge your hearers strongly and urgently, “Flee from the wrath of God, and flee to the stretched out bloody nail-pierced hands of Jesus that are ready to receive you.
It's not enough to disclose the MRI results, and warn the patient, it looks terminal, and then walk away. We plead with the sick, “You don’t have to let this thing take you out. You don’t have to allow that cancer, that sin, that addiction, lead you to hell. There’s help. There’s hope. Don’t fight this thing on your own. You aren’t strong enough. But Jesus is.”
That’s what preaching does. It exposes sin. It warns regarding sin’s consequences. And it pleads for sinners to repent and trust Jesus to heal them.
MANNER:
But there’s a manner in which this is preaching thing is to be carried out. End of verse 2. With complete, or better, all patience and teaching. These words qualify the three preceding imperatives, with the “all” here applying to both the patience and the teaching.
All Patience:
The hard job of ministering this Word is that the fruit isn’t immediate. It’s not like building a custom shed, Josiah, and then you can step back and admire the accomplishment. Nor is it like finally passing a test, Carmen and our students here.
It’s more like studying and preparing for a test that’s decades off. Or like raising kids. God knows how they’ll turn out, not us. The minister is to do the work, but in the end, he’s got to entrust that work to the Lord.
Progress and signs of progress come slow. And this doesn’t just apply to preachers, but to parents raising there kids in the fear and admonition of the Lord. It also applies to those we are called to disciple. And just a reminder, who’s called to make disciples? The church. Not the pastor. Not Sherif. Although we certainly have a role and responsibility in the matter. But making disciples falls to the church. The process is often slow going.
Part of the issue is that we all have to start from guess what? Where we are. Were all at different points along the way. Be patient. Remember, you once had to start somewhere. Like a newborn infant there was a time you required milk. But there’s also a time when the child grows up and should be digesting solid food.
Patience and Warning aren’t at adds. You warn your child. But you also need to discern where she is. The same is true of God’s flock.
All Teaching:
Not only does preaching require all patience, it also requires all teaching. Your translation might have the word “complete” or “great” before “patience.” It’s simply the word, “all,” and it applies to both the patience and the teaching. Just as the apostle Paul, in Acts 20, which Josiah read for us, reminded the Ephesian elders that he didn’t shrink from declaring the whole counsel of God, so too the church is called to preach the whole counsel of God.
Which in turn means we are to sit under and receive the whole counsel of God, not just the pastor’s favorite themes or pet peeves, not just what’s in line with the times. Not even simply addresses the most prominent issues the church faces. Why does this matter? Because if we only focus on the current issues and avoid addressing those things that aren’t currently an issue, guess what? Soon enough they will be!
The whole counsel of God is required to make the man of God complete. The whole counsel of God is required to make one wise for salvation. That’s why, although we’ll do short series on this or that theme, such as our Word of God series we’re currently in, for the most part we teach and preach through books of the Bible and large sections of Scripture.
This is also why, Sherif and I try to make sure your diet at Grace doesn’t consist solely of the most familiar passages, but instead we include books and passages you may not be familiar with, such as Haggai and Leviticus, and yes, we’ll be returning to Jeremiah to finish that up this year.
So, while preaching is more than teaching, it’s not less. The Word must be taught and explained in order to truly proclaim its implications and exhort people to respond.
ENVIRONMENT:
Okay, Timothy, you now know who you are accountable to, what you’re called to do, how you are to do it. Now, I think it’s important you understand the environment, the working conditions, you’re called to minister in. Verse 3.
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Paul’s words in verse 2, be ready in season and out of season, presupposes that Timothy is going to be facing a time not only where false teaching runs rampant, which Paul addresses multiple times throughout his letters, but where people are actually seeking out these false teachers. And I don’t have to tell you that what was true in Timothy’s day, is every bit as true in ours.
There are entire denominations that profess to be the church that have completely rejected the sound doctrine. They have rejected to the point where they can’t stand to listen to God’s authoritative Word. They speak out against what God’s Word clearly commands. And instead they promote worldviews and ideologies that are completely opposed to God’s Word.
The Episcopal church on Tuesday served as a modern-day example of this turning away from truth and wandering off into myths. Not to mention the supposed bishop who was herself in direct contradiction with the clear teaching of Scripture. Here we have a denomination professing to be the church, professing to proclaim the teachings of Jesus, and yet completely disregarding the teachings of Jesus. What’s more, this false teacher perpetuated the myth of the transgender child.
Now, for anyone who listened to her message, she began with Psalm 19, May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.
But I assure you that here words were anything but acceptable in God’s sight, for she completely distorted the truth of God’s Word, in order to promote her own agenda and tickling the ears of her flock who sought out such a false teacher to proclaim, not God’s Word, but their own fanciful desires.
Bishop Mariann Budde, rather than exposing sin, warning of sin’s consequence, and exhorting people to flee from God’s just wrath against sin into the merciful arms of Jesus, instead, she affirmed people in their sin and called others to do the same. Rather than pointing people to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, she is leading countless thousands to hell. And she will be called to account by the Lord Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead.
Here's the thing. And I know there are many who would likely hear her message, and think, I don’t see the problem. I mean, she called for unity and asked everyone to be nice to each other. And this is exactly why we need to sit under the preaching of the whole counsel of God’s Word, so that we can be better discerning when false teachers arise using biblical words, while promoting something altogether contrary to the Bible. As J Gresham Machen, founder of Westminster Theological Seminary, argued, liberalism is not simply a different denomination of Christianity, it’s a different religion.
Budde stated in her message that “Jesus said unity is the solid rock upon which to build a nation” and that “unity teaches us to hold multiple perspectives and life experiences as valid and worthy of respect.” But get this. Unity isn’t the solid rock. Jesus is. And apart from following Jesus and submitting to Jesus as Lord, meaning submitting to His whole counsel, there is not unity, nor can there be unity. To suggest unity teaches us to hold multiple perspectives and life experiences as valid and worthy of respect, is to try to build unity on disunity.
Why do I bring this up and make such a big deal out of it? Because the text demands it. Scripture demands it. God demands it. People are heading for hell. And they are being led astray by false teachers who have blood on their hands.
Let me be clear. You can’t willfully disagree with Jesus, with His clear teaching, with His apostles’ clear teaching, and call Him Lord. Because He doesn’t simply demand outward obedience. He demands heart obedience, taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. Don’t fool yourself, thinking it’s safe to hold an opinion different than Jesus. And just to be clear, Jesus affirmed the entirety of Scriptures’ teaching. So don’t think you are somehow safe holding an opinion on any issue that is contrary to Scripture. That is to reject Jesus as Lord. And to reject Jesus as Lord is to reject Him as Savior. If that’s you, the exhortation for you is to repent and receive mercy.
One more thing. And I’m pleading with some here. Don’t allow your bitterness towards an individual or a group keep you from submitting to Christ. Bitterness paves the road to hell.
A distorted gospel, where we’re all God’s children and He loves you just the way you are, saves no one! The pure unadulterated Word of God alone makes one wise for salvation because is exposes sin, it warns of sin’s consequence, and it pleads for sinners to repent and flee to Christ for refuge.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Timothy, rather than being like this false teacher, Verse 5. Always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Let’s look at these four last imperatives briefly.
Sober minded:
Being sober minded has to do with being free from influences and intoxicants, and it suggests being alert and watchful so as not to fall under such influences. Timothy, you must be alert so as not to fall into these same deceptive traps. You have one standard, one final source of authority: the Word. The same Word you are called to preach, make sure you are preaching it to yourself.
Endure suffering:
Furthermore, you are to endure all suffering. To stand here and proclaim this Word faithfully is to invite suffering, pain, hardship. The easy lifestyle preacher is foreign to biblical Christianity. When the truth of God’s Word is proclaimed, some people are going to be offended, some angry, some indifferent. Doing this Timothy, you’ll watch people wander from the truth. And it will be hard… painful. As much as you long for them to know life, they will choose the deadness of their sin. But your identity isn’t in your hearers. It’s in Jesus.
Do the Work of an Evangelist:
Timothy, you aren’t preaching this Word to no ends. You’re calling people to salvation. Remember, preaching isn’t about giving people life lessons on practical living. Preaching is to be gospel-centered with a focus on Jesus’ death for sins, his burial, and resurrection—our hope as believers.
Fulfill Your Ministry:
Finally, Timothy. Fulfill your ministry. Preaching is not the only thing Timothy was called to do. There are no doubt many other duties involved. Make preaching the priority, but do not neglect other responsibilities.
CONCLUSION:
Church, I hope you understand, I can’t stand up here a proclaim to you fluffy messages. Pull up your pillows and relax. I wouldn’t be loving you if I did. I understand the average church wants everyone to feel comfortable, have a lot of laughs. But there’s an edge to God’s Word that’s there for a reason. That’s meant to prune us, removing those areas in our life that aren’t yet conformed to Christ. And there’s only one way you and I will be conformed to Christ, God’s prescribed means, through the faithful preaching of this Word and the Spirit opening our hearts to receive it.
You see, this sharp double edge sword of God’s Word is what pruned Jesus. Jesus was the tender shoot from the stump of Jesse who came and bore the full penalty of God’s Law in order to fulfill all that was written, including being cut off from the land of the living, not for his transgressions but ours. And Jesus Himself is the Word, who not only prunes you, but prunes that which is dead in you, that you might have life in Him.
Psalm 19:1-14 The Word of God: The Revealing of Glory
Psalm 19:1-14 The Word of God: The Revealing of Glory
MELTED GLORY
How many of you enjoyed the snow last week other than Caleb? As much as I don’t like the cold, I’ll put on my six layers of shirts along with my artic Carhartts, just so I can go out and play with the kids. What I’m not about to do, Caleb, is go sledding in shorts and a single T-shirt. You can forget that foolishness. Instead, I prefer to injure myself building an 800-pound snowman. And I think I accomplished just that … injuring myself, that is.
Two years ago, I think our snowman reached 8 feet, so my goal this year was 9, which I think we might have achieved. And you know what? I was quite proud of our giant 9-foot snowman… for about a minute… until Rita Storie sent a picture of her boys’ 11-foot snowman. You see, we can only bask in our own glory for so long.
Now, most don’t seek to achieve renown in displaying their artistry and architectural abilities by sculpting their creations out of snow and ice that will eventually melt. Although, Opryland does seem to rake in a lot of tourists anxious to see some of the most elaborate and impressive ice sculptures carved by man.
But for the most part, we like to put our efforts toward things we hope will outlive us—more permanent sculptures, paintings, songs, poetry, novels, inventions, and architecture. But when it comes to the achievements and the glory of man, they might as well be a puddle of melted snowman. As Isaiah 40 reminds us, all the glory of the nations is nothing more than a drop from a bucket.
In the end, all of man’s glory will either melt, or corrode, or fade, or be consumed in a fire. Just consider some of the multi-million-dollar estates that stood so beautiful and glorious just days ago but are now little more than ash.
There’s only One whose glory will shine into eternity, and that is the eternal God who is Himself glorious.
We’re continuing our series on The Word of God. Today, we’re looking at The Revealing of Glory. How God’s glory is revealed in His Creation. How God’s glory is revealed in His Word. And how God’s glory is revealed in His Servant.
READ: (Psalm 19)
BOOK OF NATURE
The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims the work of his hands.
The word in verse 1, the heavens declare, that verb “to declare” comes from the Hebrew noun for “book” or “writing”. The heavens are like a scribe, pulling out his pen, writing out the glory of God.
God has given us two books: the first is the book of nature and the second, the book of Scripture. Both books have the same aim: revealing, declaring, recounting the glory of God. God’s glory is written all over the pages of both Creation and Scripture.
BELGIC CONFESSION
The Belgic Confession, article 2, addressing The Means by Which We Know God, says, First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, since that universe is before our eyes like a beautiful book in which all creatures, great and small, are as letters to make us ponder the invisible things of God: His eternal power and His divinity, as the apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20.
The point of these first 6 verses is that all of creation speaks. Verse 2. Day to day gushes forth speech; night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor words, their voice isn’t heard. Yet, their lines of communication encompass the world!
The rest of creation may not have been endowed with the gifts of verbal communication the way God’s image-bearers have been, but it still speaks. It does so without words. What does creation communicate? The one thing it was created to—the glory of God.
General revelation provides everyone with a general knowledge of God, a knowledge of God’s glory … so glorious that the only proper response is worship. One needs nothing more than the glorious witness of the sun to be in awe of this magnificent God. And that’s the example David gives.
THE SUN
Look at this poetry. End of verse 4. In the heavens, God has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The sun rejoices in displaying God’s glory… like a bridegroom on his wedding day. He’s not put off, reluctant, indifferent or somehow lethargic in his duty. He comes out of his chamber like an athlete taking off out of the sprinter’s blocks. And he runs his course, this glorious marathon, with a big happy smile on his face, beaming so brightly that the warmth of his happiness—his joy—touches everything! Nothing is hidden from its heat.
Not only does the sun rejoice in displaying God’s glory, the sun never tires of displaying God’s glory. Every moment painting a majestic and unique sunrise somewhere on the planet. And in that exact same moment, a sunset halfway around the globe.
The sun reflects God’s glory so brilliantly, we’re not able to gaze upon it with the naked eye without such glory blinding us. What a portrait of our glorious God who is infinitely more brilliant and glorious than the sun.
WORK AND SLEEP
Creation rejoices to display God’s glory. Creation never tires of displaying God’s glory. But what about us? Did you wake up this morning zealous to worship this eternal God, displaying His glory to those here to worship with you?
What about tomorrow? Back to work, whether that’s at a job or caring for little ones, or whatever it is you do. Do you break forth out of your sleeping chamber in worship? Running your course with joy like the sun does? Never tiring of living to the glory of God? Because that’s what you were created for.
Work—wherever it is and whatever it is—should be an act of worship to God, a means of displaying His glory with your members, your faculties, your gifts He’s granted you.
And even sleep is meant to be an act of worship. Just as the sun appears to rest to the glory of God so that the stars might shine more brilliantly, so too, we’re not called to accomplish everything. We’re called to rest to the glory of God, entrusting ourselves and everything else into His powerful hands.
BOOK OF SCRIPTURE
While creation displays the glory of the Architect … the Artist … The Word of God displays the glory of the Author. Verse 7.
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the lord are true, and righteous all together.
Now, scholars suggest that Psalm 19 isn’t a literary unity, that it’s most likely been stitched together. Why do they come to this conclusion? Well, in the first stanza, you have the general term for God, and the content deals with what we call general revelation or the created order.
But in the second stanza, rather than mentioning God in general terms, David uses the personal name of the Lord—YHWH—six times. And the content for this stanza has to do, not so much with creation, but with God’s Word… His special revelation.
You see the problem? I hope you see the problem. Because, while I believe the scholars I quite wrong on their conclusion, this seeming discrepancy between the first and second stanza clues us in on something hugely important.
General revelation only offers a general knowledge of God. Hence, God is referred to generally. As much as creation discloses about God, it does not enable us to know God personally or intimately. We can know things about His character and His attributes,
But to know God intimately, we need special revelation. We need God to communicate to us in a more personal way. We need His Word. We need to know His name. So, in the second stanza God’s personal name goes from hiding in the background to taking center stage.
It’s the Law of the Lord, the testimony of the Lord, the precepts of the Lord, the commandments of the Lord, the fear of the Lord, the rules of the Lord. Because this Word doesn’t simply reveal general things about God and His splendor, but specifies who He is.
PERFECTION
Whereas creation doesn’t reveal God perfectly… Wait a second Josh. Who says creation doesn’t reveal God perfectly. Well, to reveal God perfectly, creation would have to be perfect. Wouldn’t it? And I assure you creation isn’t perfect. If you don’t believe me, just look in the mirror. Or better… ask you wife.
Whereas creation doesn’t reveal God perfectly, especially given the Fall and it’s being subjected to futility, God’s Word does. The Law or Torah of the Word is perfect.
Notice, that it’s the Word that even reveals how we are to view the heavens, how we are to understand general revelation. Now, let’s be clear. This isn’t due to some deficiency with creation, but a deficiency in us due to our sin. It’s not that we can’t see God’s glory in creation, but that we close our eyes to His glory. In our sin, we refuse to see His glory. Hence, we need God’s Word in all its fullness if we are to see the glory that’s so readily available to us.
In fact, if you look at the language used at the beginning of this Psalm, it becomes clear that only someone familiar with the creation account as recorded in God’s Word in the book of Genesis would pen such a song.
I hope you’re beginning to see the differences between and our need for both of these books. David pens this Psalm based on both the Book of Nature and the Book of Scripture (the Pentateuch up to that point). Where the heavens display the glory of God to the eyes, God’s Word displays the glory of God to the heart. And this Psalm is one that is certainly penned from the heart.
OUT OF PLACE?
David lists six different terms to express God’s Word: law, testimony, precepts, commandments, fear, and rules.
And one, the fear of the Lord, likely seems a bit out of place in this list. But when we think about it, this is indeed the category the fear of the Lord belongs to. Why? Well, creation certainly displays God’s power and might, but without a command or a law to transgress, the fear of the Lord is somewhat irrelevant.
A vague god with no expectations, no standards for righteousness, need not be feared or respected. But the Lord isn’t some vague deity formed in the human imagination, who supposedly set the universe in motion, bid his creatures good luck, and then checked out. The fear of the Lord finds its foundation in the fact that God has set a standard for His people.
LAW
Scripture itself makes clear in Romans 4, where there is no law, there is no transgression… no sin. But God’s law has indeed been given since the beginning… verbally in the Garden to be sure.
But also, this law has been written on every human heart, that’s the case Paul makes in Romans 2, so that everyone knows the law of God which they are to obey.
Everyone knows right and wrong. In our pride, however, we suppress the truth of this law. Why? Because we want to determine good and evil for ourselves. We long for autonomy. We want to be a law to ourselves. That’s what autonomous means. We don’t like the idea of submitting to another, even if that other person is the Creator of the universe.
We need the written Word, the written Law of God to expose our rebellion, to cut against our fallen preferences, and most importantly, to give us life. Because to live against God’s design and God’s law is death.
PERFECTION IN THE LAW
So, as David recounts this glorious Word of God, what tops the list? Verse 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.
Our attempts to govern ourselves, to be a law to ourselves, will always struggle. Human laws will necessarily have areas of inconsistency so long as they are built on something other than God and His Word. Why? Because they go against reality. And God is ultimate reality. This is why secular laws and a secular society will always come up short in promoting any kind of justice and even more so promoting life.
But there’s a perfection in God’s Law that revives the soul that has been flatlined due to sin and sin’s consequences.
TESTIMONY
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
God’s testimony or witness of Himself and His ways provides a solid and trustworthy foundation that enables even the simplest to be made wise… wiser than the most intelligent astrophysicist who rejects God’s Word or secular philosopher with all his complex reasoning… why? Because they bear false witness to who God is.
To order one’s life according to truth, according to reality is wisdom. To order one’s life according to what they know to be false is what the Bible calls foolish. They may be brilliant, but ultimately they are fools.
PRECEPTS
Verse 8. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The suppression of truth leaves us empty, frustrated, and bitter. Why? Because it goes against reality. Now, I know the world finds that reason strange, because the world loves fiction more than reality. But that’s in part because they rejected actual reality. The reality they don’t like is the reality they created for themselves by removing God from the picture.
Yeah, Josh. But what about the countless religions where people do worship god. Well, the problem is that they aren’t worshiping the true God. They aren’t worshiping God in truth. They have rejected God’s righteous precepts, His teachings. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. Only in following God’s righteous statutes, indeed, the only righteous statutes there are, can one find true and lasting joy.
The teachings of Islam won’t deliver. The teachings of Buddhism, or Hinduism, or Mormonism, or even Judaism, or any other religion that rejects the Triune God as He has disclosed Himself in Scripture will fail to deliver lasting joy. Because such teachings aren’t righteous, and they don’t lead to righteousness. They may hint at righteousness to the degree they mirror God’s precepts. But so long as they are grounded in a worldview contrary to the God who has disclosed Himself in His Word, their teachings are grounded in rebellion… a rejection of the true God. And there is nothing righteous to be found in rebellion. And there is no lasting joy in unrighteousness.
COMMANDMENTS
The commandments of the Lord are pure, enlightening the eyes.
Remember how Jesus often rebuked the religious leaders and warned his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees? These were to supposedly the teachers of God’s commands, but rather leading God’s people to walk straight paths, Jesus called them blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, they will both fall into the pit.
What’s the issue? They added to the commands of God, turning God’s clear pure commands to nothing more than the teachings of men. So, rather than leading God’s people to see the glory of God, they held a veil over their eyes. They’d read the Law of Moses, and yet failed to see glory.
God’s commands are absent all impurities, nothing unnecessary is added. Which means, if you think you only need to concern yourself with part of this Word, you’re missing a vital part of your diet. This is why Paul can rightly say that all Scripture is profitable to make the man of God complete. Because the whole of it is pure. It is this pure Word that allows us to see clearly, removing the haze of the commandments of men.
FEAR
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.
The fear of the Lord has a bad rap even among Christians. And O how often I have heard teachers and preachers attempt to explain away the fear of the Lord as if it’s some unclean thing we need to remove from God’s Word. But right here we’re told that the fear of the Lord is clean.
There’s nothing unclean or impure regarding the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the only means in which you and I can become clean. It is impossible for anyone to be clean apart from the fear of the Lord. And those who truly fear the Lord above all else will endure forever.
What led to uncleanness is a lack of the fear of the Lord. If Adam feared the Lord as he should have, he wouldn’t have ate. And if you and I truly feared the Lord as we should, we wouldn’t follow in his footsteps.
Satan’s tactic was to get the woman (and the man who was with her) to set aside the fear of Lord with the words: you won’t surely die. Don’t be deceived loved ones. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, meaning the fear of the Lord will enable you to respond rightly to God’s Commands, His Law, His Word, His revelation of Himself.
And just so we’re clear. The fear of the Lord isn’t being done away with in heaven. The fear of the Lord isn’t as result of the Fall. It was good and right before the Fall. It was the neglect of such that led to the Fall. This fear of the Lord is clean… and it will endure forever.
RULES / JUDGMENTS
The rules—or better, the judgments—of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. While the world made enact unjust laws, hand down unjust verdicts, slander and accuse others unjustly, God’s judgments are always true, always righteous.
When God sent His two messengers to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham, out of concern for his nephew Lot, pleaded with God. Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? Absolutely He will. Even when it rubs us the wrong way. Even if such judgments come upon those … we … love … so … dearly.
Most of us have those in our lives who have rejected Christ. Some who have passed on, and their judgment is sealed. Some of you might be convinced that Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Clyde were good folks. You can’t possibly see how a good God would condemn them to hell, simply for not believing in Jesus. I’m addressing this because this distortion keeps us from understanding and seeing the glory of the gospel.
No one, absolutely no one goes to hell simply for not believing in Jesus. We love John 3:16, for God so loved the world… But how few Christians know what follows. God sent His Son into the world in order that those under condemnation might not perish. God didn’t send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already. Why? Because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God—who takes that condemnation away. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but—now listen to this—the wrath of God remains on him.
JUSTICE
The world already stands condemned. Jesus came to remove that condemnation we justly deserve. God’s judgments are true and righteous altogether. He is righteous in condemning any and all to hell because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But He’s also righteous and just to forgive us all our unrighteousness, for anyone who places their faith in His Son who paid the full penalty of our rebellion. Those are the only two options. They are the only two option because they are means by which God shows Himself righteousness.
I’m not pronouncing judgment over God; that’s His. Romans 3:25. God put Jesus forward as a propitiation, a satisfaction of His wrath, in order to show His righteousness. Why? Because in His divine forbearance He had passed over former sins. Verse 26. This was to show God’s righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
DEFENSE
The cross was as much about upholding God’s glory as it was anything else. Because to compromise His justice, God would in turn compromise His glory. The cross was necessary.
You see, the whole of Scripture has one ultimate goal really. And it’s likely not what you think. Scripture, more than anything else, is the defense of God’s glory. But get this. This God, He defends His glory in the most glorious way… redeeming rebels, saving sinners. But understand, what is ultimate to God is not you or me. What’s ultimate is defending His glory. And that is ultimately why you and I are saved.
God will not share His glory. And that my friends is good news. Isaiah 48:9. For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.
We are saved, not because we are ultimate; nor is our salvation ultimate. We are saved because God’s glory is ultimate. That’s the purpose of creation. God created to publicly display His greatness, His perfections.
Creation, the Bible, and even you… are not primarily about you, nor primarily about mankind. It’s all about Him. It’s about God’s glory. And to flip the script, which so many do, and have been doing since Genesis 3, is to 1) get the story wrong, 2) miss the beauty of the story, and 3) find yourself eternally separated from the Lord and His glory. And O the countless churches that are guilty of this, teaching a distorted compromised gospel, because they fear man and not God. The world, the U.S., Middle TN is full of man-centered churches. And when man is central… when you and I are central… you know who isn’t? God! And there is no salvation in a man-centered church, proclaiming a man-centered gospel. You know why? Because the point of salvation is God’s glory, not man’s.
DESIRABLE
Just as David ended the stanza on creation with an illustration, he does so with this stanza on the Word. Verse 10. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Are you able to sing this song with David? That God’s Word is more to be desired than wealth, even great wealth? If so, does your life match that desire? Do you put as much effort into knowing this Word and studying this Word as you do any other facet of your life?
Psalm 111. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Where are we to study God’s wondrous works, if not in His Word? It doesn’t say that God’s works are studied by some who take delight in them, but all who take delight in them. The inference is that if you don’t study God’s works in His Word, it’s likely because you aren’t among those who delight in them.
Let me ask you this. Are God’s laws, His commands, His decrees sweet to you? Is the fear of the Lord sweet to you? It should be. Why? Because that sweet fear of the Lord will keep you and I away from bitter regret! David found God’s Word desirable, in part because he knew his own sin nature, and this Word warned him, helping him to align his life accordingly. David recognized the reward of keeping this Word—the reward of a godly life, a life pleasing to the Lord… a life that glorifies the God who made him. Do you desire that kind of life?
THE LORD’S SERVANT
Last stanza. Verse 12. God’s glory revealed in His servant.
Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent of hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Up to this point, verses 1-11, has been extensive praise for God displaying His wondrous attributes and mighty works in creation and His Word. Here, David wants to join in in glorifying this great God by seeking to have his life conformed to God’s revelation.
If the created order shines forth the glory of God, shouldn’t I join in by ordering my life accordingly? If God’s Word shines forth God’s glory, shouldn’t my life be conformed to what His Word ordains? O Lord, don’t let me live contrary to Your designor Your decree. That’s what’s going on here. May my life, my words, my every thought be pleasing to You, Lord.Why? Because in this Word, David met His Rock and His Redeemer.
And it’s in this Word that we meet ours. You see, it’s at the cross, that our eyes are finally opened to see the glory that was always there. We had been blind to it because we believed the lie… the lie that caused us to question God’s goodness, causing us to believe that God had withheld something good from us.
MOSES’ REQUEST
Maybe you’re still buying into that lie… questioning God’s goodness toward you. Well, perhaps Moses’ experience with God might help you see the glory of God’s goodness more clearly.
If you think about it, Moses had witnessed God’s glory in creation. All of God’s beautiful creation was there for Moses to gaze upon. The heavens declare the glory of God! Wasn’t that enough?
Moses was also witness to God’s mighty signs and wonders performed in Egypt. Surely, he saw enough of God’s glory in those events!
Moses heard God’s glorious name proclaimed by God’s own voice out of the burning bush! And Moses was even the recipient of God’s Law. The Ten Commandments, written on the tablets of stone by the very finger of God. Don’t tell me Moses hadn’t seen God’s glory!
And yet, while Moses is up on the mountain, Israel sins. So Moses comes down and intercedes on their behalf and pleads with the Lord not to forsake His people. And the Lord says, This very thing that you have spoken, I will do, for you have found favor in my sight.
And Moses makes the most wonderful request. Please show me your glory. And how does the Lord respond. Sorry, Moses. I already have. No. Moses asks, Please show me your glory, and God says, I will make all of my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim to you my name, “The Lord.” And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy…
I will make all of my goodness pass before you.
I’m not going to pretend to know what Moses saw that next morning from the cleft of the rock as the Lord’s glory passed by. But I wonder, if by chance, what Moses saw was a vision, an image, a shadow, of the cross… the Lord of glory … marching up the hill … back flayed open from scourging … blood dripping from his brow from that tightly cinched crown of thorns … His body weighed down by a splintery beam of rugged timber … publicly condemned as a criminal … to pay the penalty … for us … who had spat upon His glory revealed in creation … who spat upon His glory revealed in His Law … who spat upon His glory revealed in His servants … indeed who spat upon His very face just like the religious leaders and the soldiers who crucified Him. He bore that shame and disgrace for you.
I will make all of my goodness pass before you. Do you doubt God’s glory now? Can you see it now? O Holy Spirit help us to see it. Open the eyes of our hearts. Loved ones, you won’t see it apart from this Word, because only here in this Book will you meet the King of glory.
Psalm 119:169-176 The Word of God: The Word that Works
Psalm 119:169-176 The Word of God: The Word that Works
Words, in themselves, are passive things. Open a dictionary. You’ll see thousands of them. But they won’t do anything. They'll just lie there. But set them in motion with your lips or the strokes of a pen, and those passive objects become active agents, ambassadors sent out to accomplish the will of the one who communicates them.
Just think of the red octagon at the end of your street with the letters S-T-O-P. The officials who placed it there expect it to cause you to stop. "Wait a second, Josh. That sign doesn’t cause me to stop." Well, you tell that to the officer when he lights up the blues and starts writing that citation. "No, I mean, it's my foot that causes me to stop. You know, when I press on the brake pedal" Really? I don't think that's what the automotive engineer would say. He'd tell you it's the friction between the brake pads and the rotors that cause you to stop. You see, there are layers of secondary causes, but the initial cause is that stop sign communicating to you on behalf of the city who put it there.
What about those words that aren't commands? If I’m standing next to Steve, and he suddenly says, “Hey, you’re standing on my foot,” he's not simply giving the location of my shoe. He intends those words to cause me to move my foot.
Well, God’s Word does things. God’s Word acts. It may be an ancient text, but it’s living and active. And God intends for His Word to accomplish the purpose for which He sent it.
Psalm 119 isn’t just the longest Psalm in the Psalter, it's the longest chapter in the whole of Scripture. 176 verses, every single one of them, in some sense or another, devoted to this Word of God, in its varied forms, such as precepts, laws, testimonies. It's composed of 22 stanzas, each stanza set forth with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order to aid memorization so its readers might store up God's word in their hearts.
We’re not going to look at its entirety this morning; just the final stanza, under the letter Taw, beginning at verse 169. And what we’ll see is that this Word invites prayer, it evokes praise, it exposes preferences, and it achieves preservation.
READ: (Psalm 119:169-176)
INVITES PRAYER
In the opening pair of verses, we find that God’s Word invites prayer. Look at verses 169 and 170.
Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word
Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.
The key phrase here is, “according to your word.” The picture is one of the psalmist bringing his plea before God’s face, grounding his petition in God’s Word. You see, it’s in the Word itself that the psalmist discovers this gracious God who grants understanding to the simple. Give me understanding according to your word.
It's in this Word that the psalmist comes to know this merciful God who rescues the powerless. Deliver me according to your word. Hence, when the psalmist makes his plea, he prays, Lord, do so according to your word.
Do you find yourself praying like the psalmist here? Do you ground your prayers in God’s Word, praying, Lord, answer this request according to your Word? Of course, you’ve got to know this Word if you’re going to pray accordingly.
While we rarely admit it, we sometimes approach our knowledge of God as if it comes primarily from sources other than Scripture. And it’s true that God has given us other sources that help us to know something about Him.
Scripture itself affirms that God’s eternal power and divine nature have been clearly manifested ever since the creation of the world. Look around and you can’t help but see that there is some sense of order to creation, even in its now fallen state. Even in us fallen human beings, we see enough of the Imago Dei, the image of God, to learn something of God.
But these sources are inadequate for us to know God rightly. Sadly, too often, we get our theology from the fallen world—its movies, television, social media, the news, books and articles other than the Bible, friends and neighbors—many of whom glean their view of God from these same subjective fallible sources.
I can’t tell you how many “Christians” I know and meet, and it’s obvious that the Bible is not the primary source for their theology, nor is it the primary source for wherever or whoever they’re getting their theology from. But I’ll say this, it’s a very high percentage. The average professing believer doesn’t know this Book.
Why don’t they know this book? Because they haven’t read this Book. At most, they get all of their knowledge of the Scriptures secondhand. But do you realize, God doesn’t want you to know Him secondhand. Jesus didn’t come for you to know Him secondhand.
Jesus didn’t take the nails for you on the cross for you to be indifferent about knowing Him. And if you don’t pour over this Word, I’m just going to be honest with you, it’s not because you don’t have the time, rather, it’s because knowing Jesus is not a priority to you.
His sacrifice on the cross was like that Christmas gift you received however long ago that either you never even took out of the box to begin with, or maybe you did open it, enjoyed it for a season, and then set it on the shelf and moved on to better things.
Jesus tells a parable regarding those who treat the seed of His Word just like that. Some receive the word with joy at first but never develop any roots. Others allow the things of this world—Jesus calls them weeds—to choke out the seed of His Word. In either case, they never develop any fruit.
This psalmist, however, you can tell that he delights in this Word; he studies this Word; he wants God to respond according to this Word. You can tell he intimately knows God, not second hand, but rather, he gleans his view of God from God’s infallible revelation of Himself—Scripture.
So, the psalmist prays for understanding and deliverance—recognizing that such are in God’s power to grant. You see, it’s the all-wise God who doles out understanding; it’s the all-powerful God who alone is mighty to save.
But there's another reason why the psalmist makes this plea to the Lord. In this same Word, the psalmist finds that this omniscient, omnipotent Being is approachable—not because He’s somehow safe—no, not at all—but rather because He’s good. The psalmist discovers in God’s revelation of Himself that the Creator has a beneficent, benevolent will towards His creatures.
For those of you familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia, do you recall the scene when Mr. Beaver first tells the children of Aslan?
“Who’s Aslan?” one of the girls asks. “Aslan?” said Mr. Beaver. “Why don’t you know? . . . He’s King of the wood, the son of the great Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don’t you know who is King of beasts? Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion!”
And the two girls ask if he’s safe. “Safe?” Mr. Beaver says. “Who said anything about safe?” ‘Course he isn’t safe. . . But . . . he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
You see, the Psalmist doesn’t find the omnipotent King of the universe—who knows every intimate detail of his life, including his every sin—approachable because He’s safe—but because He’s good.
Jesus himself points us to this beneficence of his Father. “Which of you,” Jesus says, “if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
God is approachable, not because He’s safe, but because in His goodness, He has provided a way for us sinners to approach Him, by giving the greatest gift of all, His Son. We see God’s goodness displayed in full when we gaze at the cross. And only because of this gracious act of infinite goodness and mercy are any of us able to approach this Holy God. This Word, and this Word alone, tells us just what Jesus’ death on the cross accomplished for us—access to God. The psalmist, looking forward to the cross, prays. And as believers, looking back at the cross, we pray.
EVOKES PRAISE
In the first pair of verses, we see how God’s Word invites prayer. Next, we find that this Word evokes praise. Look at verses 171 and 172.
My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.
The psalmist’s first request for understanding has, to some degree, been answered: “for, you teach me your statutes.” And what does the psalmist do? He praises God.
Do you ever consider what a great God we must have simply in the fact that He does teach us His ways? That He has disclosed His righteous law to us? That He didn’t leave the world to wander aimlessly for all eternity.
There is a sense in which God has written His law on every human heart. But with the Fall, that law within is somewhat marred and blurred—or at least our understanding of that law. But realize, from the very beginning, God gave verbal witness to humanity as to what righteousness looks like. In the Garden, righteousness was found in not usurping God’s authority as God, that God alone would pronounce what is good and what is evil, and that mankind would not have a say so in such but rather have obligation to heed God’s law.
But even after the Garden, after mankind had gone its own way, God enacted His plan to lead His people back to righteousness, giving them His Law and His written Word.
Do you realize that God was under no obligation to give us the gift of His Law? And it is indeed a gift. Do you realize that God could have forever given us over to our own destructive ways? What an awesome God we must have, just in the fact that He has made available His Torah, His instruction to humanity.
Moses reminded the people of this very thing. In Deuteronomy 4, he says, “For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” This takes us back to our previous point regarding God’s being approachable. It’s not so much that we approach God, but that He first approached us. This God is near to His people. Thus, we bring our prayers before Him.
Moses continues, “And what great nation is there that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?”
The psalmist can’t help but ‘bubble up’—that’s the word in verse 171—The psalmist can’t help but bubble up praise for having such a gracious God who teaches His people His law. In contrast, the idols of the nations were dumb! They’re mute. They didn’t teach their people anything. They couldn’t teach them anything! They were but the work of human hands! What can a creator learn from its creation?!
The psalmist doesn’t just praise God for instructing him. The psalmist recognizes that all the commandments of the Lord are righteous. So, the psalmist can’t help but sing of them, relaying them to the world in song.
I remember as a kid, the first time I learned a game-changing secret for the original Super Mario Brothers. Yes, I once played video games. Long before there was Mario Kart or whatever the latest iteration is, we had the original Super Mario Brothers.
Now, try as I may, however many times I played, I couldn’t beat the game. I could never get passed Bowser, the demonic king who had kidnapped the princess and sought to take dominion of the entire Mushroom Kingdom, the world in which this game takes place.
But a friend taught me this thing he called the “turtle stomp.” If you stomp on a certain turtle shell over and over again, eventually, with each trample upon this turtle, it would start adding extra lives to your avatar—up to 99 lives! I’m just gonna tell you, with 99 lives, anybody can beat that game!
Now, what do you think I did after the first time I tried this? You can’t contain that kind of excitement. That my lips poured forth some joyous shouts is an understatement, because nothing was going to keep me from victory now!
You know what else I did? I told all my friends! Why? So that together we could celebrate the victory of crushing the evil dragon-like reptile who stood in our way of completing the game.
Our walk in this world is certainly no video game. There’s nothing virtual about heaven and hell. Yet, God has given us His Word to teach us how we might have victory over sin, death, and the dragon-like enemy who seeks to keep us from finishing the race.
God’s Word doesn’t teach us how to have some quantifiable number of lives that we earn for ourselves by stomping on others as we trek through this world. No, we learn that we don’t secure anything for ourselves. But that Jesus, allowing himself to be crushed on the cross, secures for us—not 99 lives—but eternal life!
And soon, Jesus will once and for all trample this tyrant king under his feet, and the final rescue of His Bride—His princess—will be complete.
Let me ask. When you consider God’s plan of salvation as taught in His Word—that Jesus has made a way, that he is the way, the only way—do your lips pour forth praise? Does this gift of salvation overwhelm you to the point that your tongue can’t help but proclaim to the world God’s righteous command to repent and believe this good news?
Or do you find God’s plan of salvation unpalatable? Intolerant? Something you’re ashamed to share with your friends, family, and neighbors? Because if you aren’t overwhelmed by this gift of salvation and the cost it took to purchase it for you, you likely don’t know this salvation. Because this righteous plan of salvation found in this Word should cause you to sing. It should cause you to pour forth praise, a praise you are unable to hide from the watching world.
To this salvation we turn next:
EXPOSES PREFERENCES
So far we have seen in this single stanza of the longest Psalm how God’s Word invites prayer because He’s an approachable giver of good gifts, and His Word evokes praise for He teaches us his righteous commands. Now, we’ll look at how this Word also exposes our preferences. Look with me at verses 173 and 174.
Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight.
Receiving the understanding the psalmist previously asked for in verse 169, he now continues his prayer for deliverance, stressing why he longs for God’s salvation in particular.
At first glance, this Psalm may seem to have little coherence in the ideas presented in each individual verse, as if the psalmist haphazardly came up with lines about God's Word that just happened to begin with the designated letter for each stanza. But such is far from the case. We forget that the psalmist is penning this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There is no accident of order here.
It's only after God teaches the psalmist His statutes and the psalmist recognizes the righteousness of all God's commands that the psalmist expresses, in his continued appeal, how he has chosen the Lord's appointed ways, and that he delights in the Lord's instruction, His law.
Why is it important that the psalmist comes to terms with his preferences? Well, the psalmist, in learning the ways of God, has discovered that he's not just being saved from something, but that he's being saved to something. He’s being saved from the kingdom of darkness ruled by the prince of the power of the air—Satan himself. And he’s being saved to the kingdom of light where Jesus reigns as Lord.
You know, Jesus doesn't leave us the option of receiving him as Savior without also receiving him as Lord. Yet there are so many who try. Jesus refuses to allow himself to be just another deity on the mantle of our life, to have a place beside other gods—the other things you and I tend to worship.
Listen to some of Jesus’ words:
Not everyone who calls me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven…
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me…
Why do you call me Lord and not do what I say…
This was Israel's struggle. They wanted God as deliverer, but not as King. So, they demanded a king in their own likeness, so they could be like the rest of the nations.
I can’t count the number of gospel conversations I've had, but I can count on one hand the few in which the individual was sincerely honest with themselves about what was at stake. I'll share one.
When my wife, Jenny, and I first came to Christ, this individual, who was already a long-time friend, decided she’d join us for Sunday school, as well as ongoing Bible studies in our home, checking out what it was that drew us to our new relationship with Jesus.
For well over a year, she regularly participated, until she decided to end this journey. We were in our kitchen, and she told me straight up, “Many here,” pointing to those gathered around the living room and dining area, “they only want Jesus as insurance from hell. Their life looks no different from mine… but it should.
Whatever it is they want to call it, they aren't following Jesus. But I know that if I decided to follow, my life is going to look very different, and there are a lot of things in my life that I'm just not willing to let go.”
She was right. She couldn’t continue worshiping the things she did and follow Jesus too. Without repentance, there’s no salvation… because there’s no genuine faith. Those who don't repent are ultimately saying to Jesus, "I don't truly trust you. My way is better for me." You can’t trust Jesus for salvation, if you can’t trust him with the rest of your life. It’s that simple.
Now, don't misunderstand what I'm saying. I'm not saying that those who follow Jesus will never sin. But I am saying that those who follow Jesus will agree with him as to what is sin and therefore do what Jesus commands — waging war against the sin in their life, and that, through drastic measures if need be.
As our Lord says, If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Jesus is by no means suggesting that waging war against the sin in our lives will be easy. Far from it. It is nothing less than warfare against your old self. The only way you and I will take such drastic measures against our sin is if we delight in God’s instruction and have chosen His ways.
The psalmist longs for salvation from this King because he’s looking forward to dwelling in this King's kingdom under this King's rule. The psalmist prefers God’s ways over that of the world’s.
How about you? Are you looking forward to a kingdom in which God’s righteous law is lived out by all, including you? Or do you even delight in God’s law? Because if you don’t delight in God’s law for yourself in the here and now, there will be absolutely nothing about heaven in which you’ll delight, for God’s kingdom will be a kingdom of righteousness. There will be nothing unsavory or unwholesome. There’ll be no place for gossip, or greed, or envy, or boasting. There’ll be no place for any of the idols you currently worship. What will be there is the Lamb who was slain in the place of those who now find their delight in Him, who delight in His law.
ACHIEVES PRESERVATION
So, God’s Word invites our prayers, it evokes our praise, it exposes our preferences, and all 3 of these come together in this final pair of verses for the psalmist’s preservation. We’ll look at them one at a time. Verse 175.
Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.
The psalmist continues his plea to the Lord, “Let my soul live!” But why does the psalmist long for the Lord to preserve his soul? So that he might live to God’s praise, His glory.
Earlier, the psalmist spoke of praising God with his mouth, but here, his whole being. The Hebrew word literally means “shine,” though it’s most often translated: “to praise” or “to boast.” It carries the idea of shining forth. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. . . So let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
How are we to do this? The second half of the verse, “let your rules help me.”
We were made to reflect, to shine forth, God’s image. But since the Fall that image has been compromised. The serpent led Eve to think that God couldn’t be trusted, that He was withholding something good from her. And this distorted view of God has caused us to shine forth a distorted image.
The psalmist recognizes the importance of this Word if he is to shine forth God’s image aright.
What about us? How are we supposed to shine forth the image of God when we don’t know what He looks like? When we fail to regularly open this Book to get a good look at Him?
You do realize that there’s no conforming to the image of God apart from His Word.
I assure you. It is doubtful that you or I will become the holy men and women of God we are called to be if we neglect this Book. And the author of Hebrews makes it clear. Without holiness, no one… no one will see the Lord. There’s no finishing the race without holiness. Period.
This Book has been given to you that in seeing God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ, you might long all the more to see Him in person. You see, this Word has been given to you, to see you to the end.
O, but being in the Word is no guarantee that you or I won’t stray. Final verse.
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
This last verse seems so out of place. What a strange way for the psalm to end! How is this even possible? You know, we only looked at the last 8 verses. There are 168 before these. And if we were to read them, here’s some of what we’d find.
“I will keep your statutes.
I have stored up your word in my heart.
I delight in your testimonies.
I will meditate on your precepts.
My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.
Your words are my counselors.
I cling to your testimonies.
I will keep your law continually, forever and ever.
I have kept your precepts.
I promise to keep your word.
O how I love your law.
I do not turn aside from your rules.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
And we could go on. . . After 175 verses of this, how is it that he’s gone astray? Did he take his eyes off the Word that’s a lamp to his feet and a light to his path?
John Bunyan, a Puritan, wrote an allegory of our Christian pilgrimage called, Pilgrim’s Progress. The main character, Christian, is on his way to the Celestial City.
But along the way, more than once, something causes him to veer from the straight and narrow path he was to follow.
Sometimes the path was too cumbersome, and he sought an easier way. Sometimes the path forked, and the false path looked an awful lot like the straight one. And sometimes he was deceived by those he met along the way.
What’s interesting is how quickly Christian realized that he had strayed, that he was no longer on the right path and was in grave danger of not finishing his pilgrimage.
It’s because the psalmist has not forgotten the Lord’s commandments that he knows he’s off course and in desperate need of help. He’s in need of being sought.
In Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, it’s both sons who are lost. The younger may have wandered physically, but the affections of both sons wandered from their father. The younger son, however, is brought back. “Brought back!? No, no, Josh, he walked back on his own.” Did he? The text says that the son was found.
You see, he was brought back by the remembrance of his Father’s good and gracious character, which the older brother despised. He was brought to repentance, finally realizing that he had sinned against his father and even heaven. He was brought low, recognizing that he no longer worthy to be called, “Son.”
And yet, the father was not content with his lost son being brought back part way. He wanted his son back in full. Even the son’s remembrance of his father’s kind character failed to match the fullness of the father’s grace, clothing his once rebellious son with the best robe.
In the same way, God draws His children back when we go astray. He seeks us with His Word that has been stored up in our hearts, this word that reveals how he first rescued us, by sending His own Son, the Word become flesh. It is this Word, the God-man, Jesus, who came to seek and save the lost.
Maybe you’re sitting here this morning, realizing that you have strayed. Perhaps, you’ve been straying just a bit here and there, in certain areas of your life. Maybe you’ve even fooled yourself into thinking it would be but a small little detour off the straight and narrow, and now you feel that you’ve gone too far off course. You’re not sure that there’s a path back. You’re not sure the Father would even have you back.
Hear this Word! God is sending out his Word right now, to seek you, and to bring you back to the fold. And He has the best of robes waiting for you, as He longs for nothing more than to clothe you with the righteousness of His Son. That is what Jesus purchased for you. Turn around. It’s not too late. May His grace lead you home.
CONCLUSION
Well, I guess this is a good place to end. It’s where the psalmist ended.
But I do have a question for you. What are you doing to store up this Word in your heart, in your family’s hearts, your children’s hearts, your grandkids’ hearts?
If you’re not storing up this Word in your heart, how is it going to keep you and lead you back, or your children back should they start to drift? Are we really so naive to think that we are beyond this?
After 175 verses of praising God’s Word, delighting in God’s Word, storing up God’s Word, keeping God’s Word, the psalmist realizes that he isn’t immune from drifting. He needs this Word to keep him. And so do we.
This Word invites our prayers, it evokes our praise, it exposes our preferences, and it achieves our preservation. And that’s just a single stanza of a single Psalm. Go discover what else God’s Word does. May it be there, stored up in your heart for that hour when maybe you’ve wandered a little off course. And may God use it to seek you and lead you home, all the way to His celestial city.
Titus 2:11-14 Living between the Advents: Trained by Grace
TITUS 2:11-14 LIVING BETWEEN THE ADVENTS: TRAINED BY GRACE
INTRODUCTION:
READ: Titus 2:11-14
ISSUE AT HAND
Let’s first get a context for our verses. Paul’s letter to Titus confronts the issue of false teaching and distorted doctrine that has led to a failure for many in the church to live godly lives in this present age. If you look back at chapter 1, verse 10: there are many who are rebellious, empty talkers and deceivers… who teach for shameful gain, teaching what they ought not to teach. They are upsetting whole families and causing divisions, and therefore, they must be silenced.
QUALIFIED LEADERS
Hence, the first order of business in which Paul addresses is to appoint qualified leaders to teach sound doctrine and quell divisiveness. (1:9) Titus is to appoint those who hold firm the trustworthy word as taught so that they may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. Now, it’s important to recognize that the lives of these men must reflect the doctrine they profess. So, Paul gives a list of qualification for those who would oversee God’s church. That’s verses 5-8.) Why? Verse 16. Because our lives will demonstrate whether we truly know God, or merely give lip service to the idea of knowing God. They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works.
TEACHING COMMUNITY
Paul’s vision for the church, however, doesn’t end with appointing elders. In chapter 2, Paul lays out a vision for establishing the church as a teaching community that lives out sound doctrine in their day-to-day lives. Older men are to be sound in the faith; older women are to teach and train up younger women; slaves must live in such a way that they adorn the doctrine of God with their lives, in particularly, in their relationship with their earthly masters. Titus himself must not only teach but set an example for all in his life and his teaching.
EMPHASIS ON SOUND DOCTRINE
Now, why do we cover the context of the letter before just simply digging into our verses? Because this entire letter has a major emphasis on sound doctrine. But if we look no further than our 4 verses, they don’t raise the explicit issue of sound doctrine, but rather focus on how one should live between the Advents, the first and second coming of our Lord Jesus. But as far as Paul is concerned, these four verses have everything to do with sound doctrine.
SOUND DOCTRINE OR JESUS?
I’m still amazed at how many believers suggest that they don’t really care that much about doctrine, just give me Jesus. Well, on the surface that has a nice simple ring to it. It definitely seems to help guard us from becoming Pharisees. But do you realize that you can’t know Jesus in truth apart from sound doctrine. And if you’re not grounded in sound doctrine, you’re in danger of worshiping a different Jesus than the one presented in the Scriptures.
GOSPEL TENETS
Why do you think we make such a big deal about our tenets of the gospel? Because it’s a reminder of those core beliefs that the church universal has long held to. And they were recorded into creeds and confessions… you know why? To refute the errors that arose within the church. Like the creed we read from today, by Athanasius, regarding the doctrine of the Son of God—or in theological circles, Christology. The first half of the creed which we didn’t read this morning has to do with the doctrine of the Trinity.
ARIUS/ARIANS
Why do these matter? Because there was a grouped called the Arians, the followers of a man named Arius, who denied the divinity of the Son in the absolute sense. Sense the Son is begotten, the Arians insisted that He must not be eternal. These attacks not only impacted the church’s Christology, but it also attacked the doctrine of the trinity.
IF JESUS IS NOT GOD
And here’s the thing, if Jesus is not God, if He is not divine, He is unable to pay the penalty for our sin, because if Jesus is not God, our sin is not first and foremost against Him, and therefore, we are still indebted to an infinite holy God, for trespasses deserving of infinite restitution, of which we as finite beings can pay none of it. It would take an eternity for any of us to pay the penalty of even our smallest act of treason against this eternal God. And thus, hell, is eternal.
For Jesus to forgive our sins, our sins must somehow be against Him. For Jesus to make restitution/recompense for our sins against God, Jesus’ life must be of infinite value. Otherwise, he’d have to be crucified again and again for an eternity.
The Athanasius Creed is an example of what Paul addresses here in his letter to Titus to refute error and instruct in sound doctrine. “Sound doctrine” (1:9), “sound in faith” (1:13), “sound doctrine” (2:1), “sound in faith” (2:2), adorn doctrine (2:10).
FROM SOUND DOCTRINE FLOWS GODLINESS
Sound doctrine matters because from it flows godly lives zealous for good works. Only when our doctrine is sound can we rightly understand the grace of God for the amazing grace that it is.
TWO ADVENTS
The major doctrine presented here in our text is nothing less than the two Advents of Christ, which Paul records as two “appearings” Verse 11. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.And verse 13. As we await our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Everything we do in life, as believers, should flow out of these two comings. So, let’s consider the flow of Paul’s argument beginning with this first appearing.
GRACE APPEARED
Verse 11. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.
CRADLE AND CROSS
At the very least, what we have here in this first appearing is the Christmas story. But as we have noted time and again this Advent season, if you fail to see the cross when gazing on the cradle, you aren’t truly seeing the Christmas story.
This little babe whom Joseph would help wrap in strips of cloth and lay to rest in a stone feeding trough would one day be wrapped in a linen cloth and laid to rest in a stone tomb by another Joseph at the end of his life.
FROM INCARNATION TO DEATH
The grace of God that has appeared includes the entirety of Christ’s first coming, from the miraculous virgin conception and God taking on human flesh, to the brutal Roman cross where God Himself is put to death for our sin, to the resurrection that guarantees the payment.
GRACE AND TRUTH MADE KNOWN
Indeed, the grace of God has appeared in the person of Jesus Christ. If you recall where we ended for our Christmas Eve service, we ended in John 1. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
JESUS’ NAME
And what does Jesus’ name mean? Jesus’ name means: Yahweh saves. The angel of the Lord tells Joseph, You shall call him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Notice, he doesn’t say, you shall call him Jesus for he will save God’s people, although that is certainly true. But rather, Jesus, Yahweh in the flesh, will save His people from their sins.
SALVATION TO ALL?
Yahweh Himself had come, bringing salvation… but bringing salvation for who? Your verse 11 likely reads “all people” as the ESV records it. And that’s a good translation. Literally, it’s “all men” used in the plural, meaning men and women. The question is really how we understand this word “all.”
How do we understand this text when we know that Jesus doesn’t actually save everyone? Not every individual will be saved. Jesus himself affirms such. So unless Scripture is okay with contradictions, we know that the text isn’t saying that the grace of God saves everyone.
TRANSLATION DIFFICULTIES
There’s a slight difficulty in this text, as there’s no immediate verb attached to salvation, so translators have to insert an implied verb. Literally the text would read, For the grace of God has appeared: salvation to all men.
So most translators have opted to insert the word “bring,” bringing salvation for all people. The NIV: “offering salvation to all people” to try to capture the nuance that salvation is brought and made available, but not necessarily received.
BRINGING PIZZA
I can bring pizza. Buy pizza. Prepare a table and set pizza before our entire congregation. Not everyone is going to receive this pizza. Some, maybe, don’t even like pizza. It’s not my taste. Others, well… pizza sounds good, but I better not eat it because of the cheese. I’ll have my wife make me a vegan pizza instead. It’s just as good! Some might like the idea of pizza, but they just don’t like where the pizza came from, or who purchased the pizza—I’ll buy my own pizza, thank you—or who delivered the pizza, or who holds out the pizza.
There are all sorts of reasons some won’t receive this pizza. And then, there are those who are hungry for it and thankful for it and will enjoy it to the full.
FREELY OFFERED TO ALL
That’s one way we can understand verse 11. This grace of God has appeared for the purpose of offering, presenting salvation before all. And it’s true that the gospel is freely offered to all. God doesn’t stiff arm people to keep them from coming to Jesus and receiving this salvation. But neither does He allow anyone to come to Him on their own terms. He has set salvation before all. And He has set the terms for this salvation to be received.
NON-NEGOTIABLE TERMS
And these terms are non-negotiable. Why? Because it is the only way anyone can be saved. Remember our discussion of the Athanasius Creed. One must pay the infinite debt we owe for our rebellion, or we can’t be saved. There was absolutely no other way for us to be saved than God coming and paying the penalty of our sin Himself. (Romans 3:25).
WITHOUT EXCEPTION OR DISCTINCTION?
While the gospel is freely offered to all without exception, there’s another way to understand Paul’s use of “all” in verse 11. Rather than “all” without exception, suggesting that every individual persons is presented with this salvation, it is more likely that Paul is using “all” in the sense of “all without distinction.” And here’s how I come to that conclusion.
CONTEXT: MALE, FEMALE, YOUNG, OLD, BOND, FREE
In the first half of chapter 2, Paul gives instructions for men, women, young women, young men, bondservants, and masters. There’s no sphere of life that the gospel doesn’t reach and speak into. This is likely the sense Paul has in mind, and it best fits contextually with the rest of Paul’s letter. Whether male or female, young or old, slave or free, salvation has been brought to all, regardless of the anyone’s background.
NOT MERE COMMON GRACE
And this grace displays itself, not primarily in God’s common grace given to all, but in the salvation that is offered through the child-King who was born to save us from our sins by paying the penalty in our place.
TRAINED BY GRACE
This grace not only brings salvation. It trains us in godliness. For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.
While we are passive recipients of God’s grace, we are passive in this salvation, meaning we do nothing on our end to contribute to it, the regenerative grace of this salvation doesn’t leave us passive agents. This salvation produces something within us. It trains us.
DISCIPLINING A CHILD
The word in verse 12 is that of training up a child, disciplining a child for the sake of maturity. That’s what God’s grace is working in us. As God’s children in Christ, we are being disciplined for maturity in Christ.
Now, none of us find all discipline to be pleasant. Hebrews reminds us that for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
We are being trained, disciplined, really to renounce our former ways of ungodliness and worldly desires. Jump down to chapter 3 verse 3. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
So, don’t think this is going to be an easy transformation! It’s not going to come automatically. Sanctification won’t happen if you are passive in the process. This training, this discipline, is nothing less than learning how to put to death your old self.
WHAT WE’RE UP AGAINST
It’s important that we understand the magnitude of what we’re up against. Sometimes, I’m not so sure we realize the formidability of the forces that stand against us. O, they’re not omnipotent like our Lord, but they are nonetheless foes not to take lightly. Which is why we need to stay suited up in our spiritual armor, which we looked at a couple weeks ago from 1 Thessalonians 5. We need to workout our spiritual muscles so that we are strengthened by grace. We need to be trained in military tactics, so we aren’t caught off guard by the devil and his schemes of deception.
A BATTLE FOR SOUND DOCTRINE
Well, Josh, how do we do those things. Well, let me draw your attention back to just how much of this letter is about training and teaching sound doctrine. Why? Because our warfare isn’t primarily against flesh and blood.
This is a spiritual war against enemies that can’t be seen or physically defended against. It’s a warfare against the forces of deception, against those who oppose a true and right knowledge of God. This is a battle of the heart and mind, a battle over ideas, over worldviews. It is a battle for sound doctrine, a battle for nothing less than truth.
ESSENCE OF UNGODLINESS
To renounce ungodliness, we need to know what the root of ungodliness is. Romans 1:18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (there’s our word) and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Why? For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. . . Notice, ungodliness, in one sense has to do with suppressing the plain truth that God has made readily available to all.
So what’s at the heart of ungodliness. Romans 1:25. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. The word used for worship in verse 25 and the word for ungodliness in verse 18 both come from the same root. Ungodliness is, at its essence, misplaced worship—any thought, word, or deed contrary to the worship of the One true God who alone is worthy of all worship. Ungodliness is all things opposed to true worship.
Renouncing all ungodliness is to renounce all our misplaced worship, which means denying ourselves of those worldly passions that draw our hearts away from God.
In Titus 1, verse 16, Paul writes that unbelievers deny God by their deeds/works. Here, in verse 12, he is saying that because we know God and have received such grace, we are to deny those things that are contrary to God, those things that dishonor the One who formed us to image Him.
SELF-CONTROLLED, UPRIGHT, GODLY
Putting to death our old self, now we are to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
SELF-CONTROL
Now, self-control is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit, which means, we don’t do this by our own strength, by our flesh. Rather, by the Spirit we put to death the deeds of the body.
UPRIGHT
Living upright or righteously…
Jesus has made us righteous in our union with Him. But now we must live out that righteousness that we have in Christ.
GODLY
And I already mentioned godly. As opposed to ungodliness, godliness has to do with everything that flows from a true worship of God in truth.
Jesus himself addresses this with the woman at the well. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
HOW
How do we do any of these? Well, for one, we fix our eyes on the gift of grace that has appeared, meaning we fix our eyes on Jesus. We notice how our Lord lived out these traits perfectly in order to save us.
PERFECT SELF-CONTROL IN MIDST OF TEMPTATION
Jesus practiced self-control. We might wonder if self-control is even an attribute which we would ascribe to Jesus, and that’s because we have a hard time truly believing that Jesus was tempted in every way we are. But that gets back to the issue of sound doctrine. If Jesus wasn’t truly tempted as we are in, then he is unable to save us. Jesus is able to serve as our great high priest only because he has been tempted in every way we are, yet without sin.
Jesus lived out self-control perfectly, never caving to the flesh, as we often do, even when he was at his weakest and hungriest. Even when he was most disappointed, when others let him down, or wronged him, Jesus practiced self-control an responding in perfect righteousness and godliness.
PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS
Jesus was perfectly upright, even when mistreated and unjustly condemned, he never retaliated, but entrusted himself to His Father who judges justly.
PERFECT GODLINESS
And Jesus lived out perfect godliness with his every breath, every word, every thought, every deed being an act of worship, honoring his Father in all things.
JESUS WORSHIPED?
Some might hesitate to say Jesus worshiped. I mean if Jesus is God, can Jesus rightly worship. Well, remember our creedal confession. Jesus is truly God and truly man, without the blending of his essence, but by the unity of his person. As a man, Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly, including the first commandment, including all the commands to worship. Jesus’ whole life was an act of devotion to His Father. He prayed to his Father. He praised his Father. He relied completely on his Father. He did all things to the glory of his Father.
IN THE PRESENT AGE
In the present age. It could be easy for us to gloss over this last phrase. And if we’re honest, we sometimes leave off this aspect of Paul’s instruction. You know, I can worry about denying my worldly passions sometime later. I can renounce my old ways when I’m older. In fact, I might even wait until I get to heaven. Then I’ll worry about godliness and righteousness and self-control. But for now…
Well, if you think like that, you won’t find yourself in the kingdom of heaven. We are being disciplined for life transformation in the here and now—in this present age. If you don’t participate in the sanctification process now on this side of glory, you won’t have an opportunity to participate in the sanctification process later.
CURRENT TRAINING GROUND
This fallen world is the training ground! Not heaven. When your Bridegroom comes to receive His Bride, He doesn’t want to find the Bride had no interest in preparing for His arrival. Jesus is returning for a Bride prepared, a Bride adorned for her Husband, a Bride adorned in righteous deeds. Listen to this from Revelation 19:8, concerning the Bride. It was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure… now listen to Johns next words… for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
You fail to be a Bride prepared on this side, you won’t be at the marriage supper. Yes, Jesus’ righteousness covers his Bride. But he covers his Bride through transforming her to be righteous and pure.
GRACE TRANSFORMS
You see, this grace of God that has appeared, that brings salvation, not only removes our judgment; it also removes the power of sin. Jesus died, not only to secure our forgiveness but also our faithfulness. This is not just a grace that rescues; it’s a grace that renews.
Grace trains us to renounce ungodliness by showing us how abhorrent and empty and undesirable and displeasing our former lives were in God’s sight—so much so, that He sent His only Son to die a gruesome death on a bloody cross!
And yet, he did this for us, while we were yet enemies. That’s how God showed His love for us. And that grace moves a heart that knows that salvation to delight in self-control, to delight in uprightness, to delight in godliness… NOW!!!... here in this present age, out of an overflow of thanksgiving and love for this God would grant us undeserving rebels such a pardon… and yet… more… adoption as sons.
AWAITING HOPE
Verse 13. For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
SUFFERING WITH CHRIST
Our hope isn’t in this age. This is the age of preparation. This is the age of suffering. This is the age of discipline. This isn’t the age we long for… not if we’re in Christ. No. We long for the age to come. But we recognize the necessity and the purpose of this age. Part of our union with Christ means that we get to experience, certainly to a lesser degree, but nonetheless a true participation in Christ’s sufferings. Without suffering with Christ, we can’t rightly know the love of Christ.
Prosperity preachers, including what we might call “dime-store” prosperity preachers, those who are a bit more subtle, they like to leave out that the call to follow Jesus is the call to come and die. They don’t like to talk about suffering with Christ. But it’s all over the New Testament. And if you refuse to willingly suffer with Christ, you will have no inheritance with Him either. This is the age of our suffering. The age to come is the age of glory, when we will receive the consummation of our blessed hope, and see the appearing of the glory of this great God and Savior.
GOD AND SAVIOR
Now, who is Paul referring to here at the end of verse 13? Two people or one? While it is possible to translate this verse as “our great God and our Savior Jesus Christ,” it would be the exception to the rule in Greek grammer, meaning, based on the Greek in which the New Testament was written in—Koine Greek, to translate this phrase as referring to two people would be inconsistent with normal grammatical practices.
This verse, here in Titus 2, is one of the clearest expressions of the Apostles referring to Jesus as God.
Going back to the creed, the Athanasius Creed, Sherif read earlier for us in service, it’s a reminder that sound doctrine must entail the deity of Christ. If you don’t affirm the deity of Christ, you’re not saved, because your faith is misplaced; you’re faith is in another Jesus than the Jesus of the Scriptures; you’re faith is in a Jesus who can’t save.
MODERN DAY ARIANS
I brought up the Arian controversy earlier, those who denied the eternal nature of the Son. That controversy is very much alive today. One such group that denies the full deity of the Son, as if you can be half divine, however that works, is modern day Jehovah Witnesses. They even came out with their own doctored up translation to try to remove any mention of Jesus as God.
But here’s the thing. They could never dismantle the New Testament enough to remove the Apostles’ stance on the deity of Christ.
AVALANCHE
To borrow from B. B. Warfield’s avalanche illustration:
The attempt to explain away the New Testament’s witness regarding the deity of Christ is like a man sitting at a computer analyzing the individual stones of an avalanche, and how one might navigate their way through such by mapping the pathway of each stone so that they are easily dodged, coming through the other side of the avalanche unscathed. But an avalanche doesn’t come down one stone at a time; but all at once.
CRUSHING CORNERSTONE
One may think to pick apart the deity of Christ, by setting aside this verse or that with various challenges. But the verses of Scripture aren’t set in isolation, nor are they few in number. The weight of Christ’s deity comes down in one solid mass.
This Cornerstone will crush you. Don’t think you can get around it by picking it apart. The only refuge from the crushing weight of this Cornerstone is by building your life on it.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Matt 21:42). The one who falls on this stone will be broken in pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.
But for those who hear Jesus’ words and does them, they will be like a wise man who built his house on the Rock.
A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION
Verse 14. This God and Savior, Jesus Christ, gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
APPLIED TO JESUS
Even if we were to translate God and Savior as two distinct persons, verse 14, ascribes those things which belonged to God in the Old Testament now to Jesus in the New. Those things that belonged to Yahweh are now used of Jesus. You can’t escape the New Testament’s witness for the deity of Christ.
Exodus 19:6, after redeeming a people, namely Israel, from bondage in Egypt, the Lord, Yahweh says, “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine.”
Deuteronomy 7:6. Moses reminds the people, “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord God has chosen you to be a people for his own treasured possession.”
Here, in our text, this is applied to Jesus, and those He redeemed—the true Israel, consisting of Jew and gentile alike, including those in Crete where Titus is—these redeemed are Jesus’ own treasured possession.
TOO MANY AVALANCHE STONES
I mean, follow the text. If God and Savior are two distinct persons in verse 13, then only one of them gave themselves up for this people to redeem them. The Father didn’t give Himself up; the Son did. And now, what was applied to Yahweh in the Old is now applied to Jesus is the New. Of course, as already mentioned, I don’t think verse 13 refers to the Father and the Son, but only the Son.
My point is, you think you avoided having to deal with the deity of Jesus in one verse, and then you have to deal with it in the next. But if Jesus isn’t God, the entire New Testament makes no sense whatsoever.
LAWLESSNESS
Jesus didn’t give himself for us without purpose. He did so to redeem us from our lawlessness. It might be helpful for us to recall just what lawlessness is. Do you recall the first commandment? You shall have no other gods beside me.
But what about the first commandment before the first commandment? The very first commandment? Do not eat. Which was really another way of expressing the first commandment of the big ten. Do not eat from this tree was the one way in which Adam and Eve would demonstrate whether they affirmed that God was God, or they were.
Our greatest form of lawlessness, just like Adam and Eve’s, is exalting ourselves. Rather than living to the service of the glory of God, we seek to live to our own. And it has brought nothing but corruption and destruction and brokenness and heartache upon God’s creation. Jesus came to redeem us from ourselves.
But more than that, he gave himself up in order to purify us for Him, that He might take us as His Bride. And what does Jesus’ Bride look like? She’s zealous for good works, just like her groom.
GOOD WORKS
So, what are good works? Genuine good works?
LIMITED GOODNESS
Scripture acknowledges good works in two ways. It is right to acknowledge that the unbelieving world does those things that benefit others in a temporary sense. It is right to acknowledge those deeds as good. But all those deeds are limited in their goodness. They are limited to the fallen kingdom of man. And every such work will be short-lived, producing no lasting fruit.
These works won’t carry over into eternity. At most, they display that we all know, the whole world knows, without exception, how we are to live, and yet, more often than not fail to, not because we are physically unable, but because we have no regular taste for doing such works.
BROCCOLI
It’s kind of like eating broccoli. If most of us have the options set before us, we’d choose the greasy pizza or burger or chocolate cake over the broccoli. Steve wouldn’t! But the rest of us would.
Yet, we’ll eat the broccoli because we know it’s good for us. We know it’s healthy. We know it’s the right thing for us to do. But eating broccoli saves no one. It won’t sae your neighbor in the long run, and it sure won’t save you. Eventually these decaying bodies will give way regardless of how much broccoli you eat, no matter how much broccoli you encourage your neighbor to eat.
CHANGED TASTES
But in Christ, our tastes are changed to where we actually prefer the broccoli over our past indulgences of sugar and grease.
So while the unbeliever will do good works in a more limited sense, the believer will delight in doing good.
GENUINE GOOD WORKS
But Scripture also makes clear that there are no genuine good works done outside of Christ—outside of our union with Christ. Meaning, the unbeliever may feed the homeless, but such ultimately fails to be a good work in the ultimate sense of the word because it fails to do the ultimate good thing, which is to glorify God. Rather, the unbeliever does these things for their own glory, for corrupt motives, to either be thought well of by others, or to feel good about oneself.
HARSH WARNING
Why does this matter? Because Matthew 7:21, not everyone who says to Jesus, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. It’s not enough to call Jesus Lord! But only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
If you are not zealous for good works, if the Christian life for you is nothing more than a head nod to Jesus on a Sunday morning, or at the dinner table, then you don’t truly know him as Lord. You only know him as fire insurance.
O, but Jesus doesn’t stop there. On that day, many will claim to have spoken in Jesus’ name, casting out demons in Jesus’ name, doing many might works in Jesus’ name… and Jesus will declare, “I never knew you.”
FULL TIME CHRISTIANS
That, my friends, should cause us to tremble. Sadly, there’s this rampant belief in the church that thinks we can somehow merit our salvation by eating enough broccoli, doing enough good deeds here and there in Jesus’ name, and then turn and use the rest of our time living out our own godless agendas. If I eat enough broccoli it will compensate for all the junk I put into my system!
But such a mindset, doesn’t actually do any good deeds for Jesus. Those good deeds are ultimately a part of the godless agenda that ultimately make a name for oneself.
JUDAS
You realize, Judas proclaimed the gospel, cast out demons, and walked with the twelve, doing many of the same works the others did? Indeed, Judas appeared to walk with Jesus, at least physically. But his heart was for himself.
His works—all of them—were works of lawlessness because at the heart of them all was the breaking of the most fundamental commandments, all of which are summed up under the two great commands: love God and love neighbor. How? Because everything Judas did ultimately flowed from a love of himself and a love for the things of this fallen world, which also is a form of loving oneself.
PROSPERITY GOSPEL
I love myself so much, I’m going to deny myself nothing. I’m going to keep nothing from my grasps. Which means, I’ll even mix in a little religion here or there, because I want a bit of everything and anything so long as it doesn’t keep me from something else I like.
If following Jesus might give me health in this age of disease. I’ll follow… somewhat. If following Jesus will get me a nice shiny new car, I’ll go through the motions. If following Jesus will gain me some attention, I’m in.
The prosperity gospel wants no part in glorifying Christ by dying with Him, suffering with Him, being humiliated with Him, being an outcast with Him, being mocked and scorned and beaten with Him. Having no comfortable place to rest your head … with Him. Forsaking the pleasures and indulgences of this fallen world … with Him.
BALANCE
Now, we need to be careful in seeking to be pious for our own glory. That’s just as much a danger. Titus 1:15. To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. They profess to know God, but they deny hi by their works.
PRESS ON
This is a hard word, I know. But with the warning comes the promise. Loved ones, our Bridegroom is coming back. This age of suffering and denying oneself is short in comparison to eternity. And if we keep our eyes fixed on the glory of Christ, the shininess of some of those desires will lose some of their luster. And if you fail, remember, you’re not seeking to earn your salvation; you’re seeking to live out your salvation in this fallen age so that you can enjoy the fullness of it in the age to come. Lean into the grace of God that has appeared and the promise of the appearing of Christ’s glory that is sure to come.
TWO ADVENTS
You see, the first Advent, our Savior came in veiled glory under the cover of night. But when Jesus returns it will be in unveiled glory for all to see. In his first appearing he came with no beauty that we should desire him, but in his second, we will see those eyes that are like flames of fire. In his first appearing, he came to lay down his life for his enemies. When he appears a second time it will be to rue with an iron fist and crush every opposition.
If you have not fallen on the mercy of this Humble King, do so while His pardoning mercy is held out to you. For the grace of God has appeared… bringing salvation for all people. Come and know this King, this God, this Savior, Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 8:11-15 The Hope and Offense of Christmas
Isaiah 8:11-15 The Hope and Offense of Christmas
INTRODUCTION:
Every Who down in Who-Ville liked Christmas a lot
But the Grinch, who lived just North of Who-Ville, Did Not!
The Grinch hated Christmas, the whole Christmas season.
Now please don’t ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
it could be perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
Decades before ever memorizing my first verses of Scripture, I grew up memorizing Dr. Seus… sometimes whole books… sometimes just lines.
Perhaps what prompted this memorization as a child was the rhythm of the lines, the ring of the rhymes.
I loved Dr. Seus, and I still do. But I have no idea what Theodor Seuss Geisel thought of Christmas himself. His hit, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, at the very least, speaks toward the excessive commercialism of Christmas, as many of us know it, in the Western hemisphere. There’s a part of us that is very well aware of the emptiness of such worldliness, even if we can’t pinpoint exactly what it is.
Many can relate to the Grinch’s hatred of Christmas. But the Grinch found Christmas offensive for a much different reason than most of the world. The world finds Christmas offensive, not because of the ribbons and tags, or because of the packages, boxes, and bags. What the world finds offensive about Christmas has to do with the Christmas story itself, which is why the world dresses Christmas up as it does. If we put just enough trimmings and trappings on this whole event, perhaps we can mask the offense of the Christmas story.
We’re in Isaiah 8 this morning, looking at The Hope and Offense of Christmas.
READ: (Isaiah 8:11-15)
A CHRISTMAS TEXT?
Now, I haven’t forgotten that this is the last Sunday before Christmas, nor that there is the expectation to do a more sort of “Christmassy” message this morning. So, I can hear the average churchgoer, “Is this really a Christmas text?”
And my answer is, “Absolutely.” Actually, every text of Scripture points toward Christmas, whether pointing forward to Christ’s coming, or backward to the fact that Christ came.
But this text is likely more Christmassy than perhaps we initially recognize.
First, our passage is found between two of the most familiar Christmas passages in the Old Testament—Isaiah 7, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and Isaiah 9, for unto us a child is born, to us a son is given.
Second, this text has everything to do with Immanuel, God with us, recorded, not only in chapter 7 but here in chapter 8 in both verses 8 and 10.
Third, if you’re not yet convinced that this is indeed a Christmas passage, the passage Chase read for us from Luke 2 when baby Jesus is presented to the Lord at the temple, Simeon alludes to this very text.
IMMANUEL
So, what does Immanuel mean? Not a trick question. Immanuel means God with us. I’ve shared this before. If it was possible to summarize the Bible in 3 words, God with us is as close as you can get. Or perhaps one word, Immanuel.
BACKGROUND
Now, for the fun part. What is the context of Immanuel in our passage? Because, it’s one thing for me to just come up here, grab a few verses of text, and share some thoughts about them without ever bringing them under the context of the passage itself. In fact, that’s what many do. And you can quickly fill pews if you simply use the Bible as no more than a discussion prompt, because if that’s all the Bible is, then you remove the offense of God’s Word, and people can come and participate in nominally religious events and feel good about themselves for giving God a little of their time.
But if you remove the offense of God’s Word, you’ll never discover the hope, the genuine hope to which this Word points.
You see, part of the offense of Christmas is that it takes place in a context that is grounded in the reality of our fallen condition revealed to us in the Word of God. So, if we truly believe this to be the Word of God, then we’ll want to understand the context so that we can rightly apply this Word and receive the help that we most desperately need.
[Isaiah 6 – 9 summary]
So, let’s try to grasp the context in which we find Immanuel.
First, we need to back up to Isaiah 6—one of the most foundational texts in all of Scripture. Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! Our Triune God is thrice holy.
Upon witnessing this theophany of God’s glory, Isaiah is sent to proclaim God’s Word, God’s holiness to His people. But Israel would refuse to heed Isaiah’s message… until she is reduced to a mere stump. Isaiah 6:13. The holy seed is its stump. Now, stump appears dead… barren… no expectation that life would sprout from it again. And yet, from this stump of Israel, a shoot would spring forth but in the most impossible way… from a virgin daughter of Israel, who hadn’t even known a man.
Isaiah 7 presents the question: who can be trusted? Alliances with foreign powers hostile to God and His people? Or the God of Israel Himself? Who truly has the power to deliver from harm? Where can one truly find refuge and sanctuary?
Isaiah 7-9 is ultimately a story of where one can and should find hope. And it is a story of the utter disappointment and ruin that will come to those who seek to find hope somewhere other than this holy God.
The world turns to powers it hopes to manipulate… powers to whom they need not give an account of themselves… powers that require no repentance, no reformation, only tribute.
GIVE US A KING
If you recall, after Israel came into the promised land, after the time of the Judges, Israel demanded a king to fight their battles for them. They saw all the hostility they faced in the land, as a lack of the Lord fulfilling His promise to drive out their enemies from their midst. But the problem, as is always the case, wasn’t the Lord, but their failure to heed God’s commands.
God’s people never drove out the nations as the Lord commanded them, because they liked to intermingle with those nations. Their failure to drive out the nations, left them surrounded by enemies. So, rejecting God as their king, Israel demanded for themselves a king—one like the nations around them had.
Well, here, several kings after king Saul and king David, having one’s own king has proven insufficient, regardless of whether the king was a good king or bad. So, king Ahaz and Judah sought an alliance with one of the most powerful nations on the planet, indeed, the most powerful nation at the time, Assyria. (Now, don’t confuse Assyria with that of Syria. They sound similar, but they aren’t the same.) The people thought such an alliance would provide a refuge, a sanctuary, from their more immediate enemies, Syria and Israel.
Chapter 8, verse 5. (Read 8:5-8)
TWO WATERS
The portrait the Lord paints for Isaiah is of 2 rivers, 2 sources of water. The first (verse 6), the waters of Shiloah, a small spring that flowed down the Kidron Valley. The second, (verse 7) the great River Euphrates found in the land of Assyria. Shiloah represented God’s good provision for His people. While the Euphrates represented the king of Assyria.
This whole image is a picture of God’s people—their continual rejection of Him and His good provision for them. But if what the Lord’s people needed was a more powerful military, He would have given it to them, because He withholds no good thing from those who trust Him.
The Lord had long cared for and protected His people, as a Shepherd leading His flock beside streams of water. But the people saw this raging River of the king of Assyria more promising than the promise of “God with us.”
Not only would Assyria fail to provide the security the people sought. This alliance would ultimately spell ruin for many. The great deluge of Assyria would prove to be a flood of God’s wrath on those who despise Him. Ahaz’s politics would not spare him or the nation. Verses 9 and 10. This flood of destruction would overflow the nations and eventually land on their doorstep. Your counsel, your alliances, Ahaz, will not stand. They will come to nothing.
The only hope is God’s mercy, Immanuel, God with us. Despite all our unholy alliances, God would be with those who place their trust in Him; He would spare a remnant. He would be their sanctuary.
The Lord warns Isaiah. Verse 11. Do not walk in the ways of this rebellious people. Don’t be pressured by public opinion. Don’t fear what the people fear. Instead, fear the Lord. Verse 14. For the Lord Himself will become a sanctuary. But the Lord will also be a stone of offense, and many shall stumble on it, and shall fall and be broken.
That’s the context of Immanuel in Isaiah 7, 8, and 9. That’s the context of the promised virgin birth and the coming child who would be Mighty God and Prince of Peace.
Indeed, that is very much the context of Christmas, Do we find ourselves trusting in God’s provision for us, or do we seek hope elsewhere… to our harm? Making alliances with the world… to our harm? Desiring to be like the nations… to our harm? Finding refuge in those entities that, to the world, seem powerful and promising as they rage like mighty waters upon the theatre of life?
Or will you find your hope, your refuge in that which is gentle and lowly like the waters of Shiloah? Because that’s the question the Christmas story presents to us.
Verse 11. (Read 11-12)
The Lord warns Isaiah not to cave to the pressure of public opinion. That’s the meaning behind verses 11 and 12. The Hebrew term the ESV translates, “conspiracy” means bound together. You can hear the pressure from the people. Listen Isaiah, this thing is bound together, this alliance is a done deal. We have dealt with the threat. Our greatest fear has been neutralized. Trust us.
And if we’re honest, we’re often pressured into giving into public opinion. Christmas will cost you something. Why? Because faith will cost you something. You see, faith necessarily includes those actions that arise from faith. Your faith will display itself to the watching world as to whether you truly find your hope in the message of Immanuel, the message of Christmas, God with us. Or is it merely some sweet story that perhaps could be nice if it were true. Listen, Christmas isn’t merely some sweet story. If the Christmas story is true, then it means this Holy, Holy, Holy God has come to dwell in our midst. And in our sin, that should make us tremble.
Some of you are having to make hard decisions this Christmas season… decisions your unbelieving relatives don’t get. They question why you place such an emphasis on this church stuff. They don’t understand how such can be so important, such a vital part of your life.
But in Christ, this is the priority. This… what we’re doing this morning, is the weekly event around which we arrange the rest of our schedules, not the other way around. Gathering with the body of Christ to worship our King is not optional.
Sure, we know there are other urgencies in life that may pull us away from this Sunday or that. We want first responders manning ambulances, fire trucks, police cruisers. We want hospitals staffed. But not because those things are a priority over worship, but because in Christ, we serve in those spheres as an act of worship, caring for the needs of others out of an overflow of Christ’s tender care for us.
Your neighbors and family members, they don’t understand. Don’t give into the pressure of politics and public opinion. Don’t fear what the world fears. Fear God. You’ll show what it is you fear by whether or not you succumb, prioritizing worldly alliances over trusting in Immanuel, God with us.
The people of Isaiah’s day were so concerned with protecting their interests, that they made alliances with the world, and they missed Immanuel, God with us. And the same tends to be true in our day.
THE OFFENSE OF CHRISTMAS
Verse 14. And He, that is, the Lord, will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.
These verses, as mentioned earlier, are what Simeon refers to when the child Jesus is presented at the temple. Luke 2:24. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.
Jesus comes as this rock of stumbling and stone of offense. Why? To expose people’s hearts. How does Jesus expose hearts? Well, in many ways, not the least of which is his offensiveness. Even his coming as a little babe is offensive.
Why do you think the world has created different taglines to avoid using the word Christmas. Because Christmas is offensive, and it shouldn’t be surprising that many would find Christmas offensive.
“Offensive?!? Who finds Christmas offensive?” Most of the world actually. O they don’t necessarily find the word Christmas offensive in itself, so long as they can dress it up with a meaning altogether different than the word represents.
While I’m not going to go through a long-complicated history of the origin of the term, for time’s sake, we’ll simply recognize that Christmas, in its original sense, has to do with the celebration of the birth of Christ.
That aspect of Christmas is indeed offensive. If we share the Christmas story, it will be offensive to many, that is, if we are faithful to the actual Christmas story.
Now, Christmas, on the surface, is not as overtly offensive as that of Good Friday and Easter. I mean, if we just take the pieces of the story, a young mother and her husband traveling to Bethlehem, finding poor accommodations, having to place their newborn in an animal trough for a crib, shepherds, and Wisemen, and angels singing,.. the individual parts if we stand far enough back, don’t seem all that confrontational. But with Good Friday and Easter, your forced to reckon with making sense of this man’s death.
But get this. While Christmas might not be as “in your face” it calls us to reckon with why this child came in the first place. And the answer is, he came to die on Good Friday and rise on Easter Sunday. Without the incarnation, we have no Easter, and we have no forgiveness of sin. This little babe born in Bethlehem was born, more than anything else, to die.
I mentioned that Wednesday at our Christmas Hymn Sing, and I was afraid I might have misspoken because I mentioned that we would even sing songs with lyrics that pointed to Jesus’ death. And did you know, of all the lyrics we sang that night, only one explicitly, at least that I caught, referred to Jesus’ atoning death on the cross, and that was The First Noel. Now many of our Christmas hymns spoke of salvation and specifically dealing with our sin. But only The First Noel mentioned how. And with His blood mankind hath bought.
Christmas is offensive because at the heart of the Christmas story is the reality that the Word that spoke creation into existence humbled Himself by becoming a speechless infant, occupying a womb that He Himself formed, nursing at breasts that He alone filled, having to be carried by hands He created… all in order to heal our prideful race.
Christmas is offensive because at the heart of the Christmas story is the reality that the God of all creation had to don human flesh and suffer the most lowly conditions including a humiliating and excruciatingly painful death on a cross in order to heal the brokenness and corruption created due to our rebellion against Him.
Christmas is offensive because at the heart of the Christmas story is the reality that we were utterly incapable of remedying any of this ourselves, we were completely and utterly helpless. And no worldly alliance could alleviate our pitiful situation in the least.
Christmas is offensive because at the heart of the Christmas story is the reality that we aren’t good, regardless of how much we try to fool ourselves into thinking otherwise.
The Sanctuary of Christmas
Christmas is offensive because this child born at Christmas is offensive. But for the same reasons that Christmas is offensive, Christmas is also a sanctuary. You see, we couldn’t save ourselves. And praise God; He took pity on us, rending the heavens and coming down to enter our helpless state, vanquishing our enemies, granting us mercy, showing us His immense love.
As Psalm 46 reads. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
In other words, whatever threats may come, with God as our refuge, we need not fear any of them. That includes the raging river of the king of Assyria. Instead, we will rest and rejoice in the gentle, humble stream God provides.
You see. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God—the city being the people—the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.
God is in the midst of her, that’s Immanuel, God with us.
And Jesus himself, He is the river of life. If anyone thirsts, Jesus says in John 7, let hem come to me and drink.
You know, it’s not coincidental that Jesus sent a blind man to this pool of Siloam to wash. Siloam being the Greek form of the Hebrew, Shiloah in verse 5 of Isaiah 8, the very waters the people rejected. And as we discussed, the waters were representative of God’s provision of Himself for His people.
The man born blind, in John 9, wasn’t restored due to there being special healing properties associated with this particular spring of water. The man’s vision was restored because he came in contact with Living Water, he came in contact with Jesus himself.
God didn’t give us just any son. He gave us His own Son, His only Son. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end.
God sent His Son to make peace with us, by paying the penalty of our sin on the cross. And that gift of grace is meant to awaken something inside of you.
A NEW HEART
Many, like the Grinch, would seek to stop Christmas from coming. Herod would slaughter a slew of innocent baby boys in an attempt to put an end to Christmas. The priests and scribes figured they could just ignore it, and it would go away. Others had sought to redefine Christmas, suggesting that Jesus hadn’t really come in the flesh, that Christmas was simply a spiritual notion. (You can read about that in the letter of 1 John.)
In all the world’s efforts to stop Christmas from coming, Christmas came. Somehow or other, it came just the same! And for more than 2000 years, the reality of Christmas has filled countless thousands with hope. And yet the world remains puzzled, much like the Grinch.
It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags! And the Grinch stood there puzzling, till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.
And what happened then… Well… in Who-Ville they say, that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day!
The Grinch… well… he was partly right. Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Christmas comes from God. But to say it came without packages… well… that’s not entirely true. The Wisemen brought gifts to this newborn King. Whether they wrapped them or not, I don’t know.
But what’s more, Christmas came in the most amazing, astounding, beautiful package anyone could have imagined. The God who made us in His likeness packaged Himself in ours.
And when your eyes our opened to behold this most precious of gifts, your affections will grow. O not like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes. No, you’ll need an entirely new heart to recognize and appreciate this gift… And that too is a gift from God.
With the coming of Christmas, a new King has arrived. And this King must be reckoned with. Like Herod, some are more hostile. Like the priests and scribes, some are more indifferent. And like the Magi, the shepherds, Mary and Joseph, the multitude of heavenly hosts, some see the glory of Christmas and worship.
What’s your response?
Faith, what you truly believe and trust in, faith necessarily requires a response. Your faith will display itself before the watching world as to whether the true meaning of Christmas is offensive to you… or a sanctuary of hope, because of the promise it offers to us… Immanuel, God with us.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Living between the Advents: Concerning Those Awake
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Living between the Advents: Concerning Those Awake
We’re continuing week two of what it means to Live between the Advents. Last week we looked primarily at the issue Paul raised concerning those who have fallen asleep, that is, those who have physically met death before the Lord’s return. This week we’re looking at the other side of the issue, Concerning Those Who Are Awake, or at the very least, those who ought to be. Which raises the question, if you’re not awake already, I pray that today is the day. We’ll get to what being awake means and what it entails as we move through our text.
READ (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
SENSITIVE DOCTRINE
As mentioned last week, we’re dealing with a fairly sensitive topic among believers. A topic, that sadly can be of great contention, to the point that we will often avoid it unless we are in circles of those who side with us. It’s sort of like bringing up politics over Thanksgiving dinner. Depending on who shows up, that might be the quickest way for a very unthankful celebration.
Here’s the thing. Scripture doesn’t record this stuff because it’s somehow not relevant for us as believers. In fact, eschatology or end times, is meant to encourage us and prepare us through both warning and hope. But since we find ourselves in disagreement, we end up avoiding covering what is perhaps one of the most important doctrines geared towards the perseverance of the saints.
SECOND COMING – SAME EVENT
So, here we are, week 2, looking at the Second Coming. And even my phrasing of that throws some off. Because they don’t see the connection between chapters 4 and 5 as discussing the same event. To be upfront with where I’m coming from, as well as what has been the predominant understanding for the church universal for nearly 2000 years, I don’t know of a single text in all of Scripture that disconnects the final salvation of the elect from the final judgment of the world, as though they take place with some interval of time between them. That view, to my best understanding, has to be read into the text.
READING AS A THESSALONIAN
Try to look at it this way. If we take Paul’s words at face value, if this was the only letter we had if we were the original recipients, the most natural reading of the text would be that both the end of chapter 4 and the beginning of chapter 5 are dealing with two aspects of the same event.
If I was from Thessalonica, and this is what Paul wrote to me, I would be forced to understand that the Lord descending in 4:16 and the Day of the Lord are one and the same thing—the Second Coming.
HEBREWS 9
The church has historically understood the final redemption of believers and the final judgment of the wicked as taking place together at the Second Coming. We see this in numerous texts throughout Scripture. One obvious example is what Samuel read for us in Hebrews 9:27-28. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so, Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many (that’s the first coming), Christ will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Like Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, the author of Hebrews, at the very least holds forth final judgment—verse 27, then comes judgment, side-by-side with final redemption—when the Lord comes to save those eagerly waiting for Him.
RELEVANCE
Why do a spend time trying to make this point? Because Paul is writing to the Thessalonian believers—not unbelievers, but believers—because the Lord’s Second coming, the coming Day of the Lord, is relevant to them. The Day of the Lord, the Day of final judgment, is not merely relevant for some far-off generation. Nor does Paul make the Day of the Lord irrelevant to the Thessalonians by suggesting that they will be removed before the Day.
It’s really difficult to make sense of our text here in 1 Thessalonians 5 if it doesn’t apply to the Thessalonians, that the coming Day of the Lord could happen to these very believers. And the same holds true for every generation since. If your view of the end times keeps you from believing that Christ could come this very day, you need to adjust your view. Because that’s the point Paul makes in our passage.
Now, what I’m not saying, is that there is no progression to the events of that Day. But the Scriptures don’t seek to give us a blueprint as to any chronological order, but rather places these aspects side-by-side so that we might remain awake and not found sleeping, encouraging perseverance through both the promise of hope and warning against negligence.
INTERMEDIATE STATE
One other issue we need to address before jumping directly into our text is that of the intermediate state. The Bible doesn’t promote an independent doctrine of the intermediate state. Not that we can’t deduce some things concerning it.
But the teaching of what happens to believers who die between the advents is never detached from the Bible’s teaching on the resurrection and the final renewal of creation. And this renewal of creation includes the complete eradication of sin and all that goes with it! Otherwise, the renewal will be short lived at best.
In other words, the believer has a single hope which culminates, not in death, nor in some intermediate state. Our expectation is singular: a glorious, eternal existence with Christ, in new resurrection bodies, as well as Jesus putting a final sweeping end to all of our enemies. We have a single unitary hope.
FURTHER CLOTHED
And that’s exactly what takes place in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5. We looked at the first half last week, the promised hope of resurrection. Now we turn to the other aspect of this glorious event—the final judgment, or what is often referred to as The Day of the Lord.
Verse 1. Now concerning the times and seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
There’s no need for Paul to write to them concerning this. But guess what? He is! Why? Well, certainly not because he doesn’t expect them to be here when the Day of the Lord comes, but because they just might be! No one knows the hour!
UNDUE SPECULATION
There’s also an admonition here not to give in to undue speculation of when. O how much of the church has been guilty of this! Those who have an unhealthy fixation for trying to figure out the times and seasons, trying to pinpoint just where we are on the timeline of events.
WHERE WE ARE ON THE TIMELINE
Well, I’ll tell you where we are on the timeline. And I’m confident that I’m right on this one. So, if you’re taking notes, this is the one to take. I’m going to play the role of a prophet for just a minute and give you the answer every person with an unhealthy appetite for speculation wants to know. You ready? We are between the First Advent and the Second Advent. We are living between the Advents.
We’re between Jesus’ first coming and His Second—which we read in Hebrews 9. And that is the most anyone can rightfully claim to know. If anyone suggests to know more. I suggest you hightail it in the other direction because they are a false prophet. They ae claiming to know more than Jesus himself.
WARNING
Not only is there an admonition against undue speculation, but much of what follows is a warning that applies to the Thessalonians to make sure they aren’t caught off guard when The Day comes.
THIEF
Why? Because the Day will come like a thief. When does a thief come? Well, he certainly doesn’t come when he thinks you’re expecting him. He comes when you least expect it. Jesus makes this point clear. If the master of the house knew what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house get broken into.
Why doesn’t God tell us the precise timing of things? Because He knows us. We’d wait for the Day and then start to get ready. And you know what would happen? Well, I’ll tell you what wouldn’t happen. Sanctification wouldn’t happen! We would not progress one iota in the process of sanctification.
We’re not given the hour because if we were, we wouldn’t have to exercise our faith. There’d be no developing spiritual muscle in exercising our faith. Waiting is good for us. And just to be honest, while I know waiting is good for me, I’m not very good at it. O how much I still need to grow in faith. How often I feel that my faith isn’t much larger than mustard seed size. But praise God, that’s all that’s needed to move mountains. (I tend to have 1 watermelon faith. Not 5, Katie.)
Loved ones. It’s good that we don’t know the hour. Otherwise, our Lord would have given us the exact time of His return. Because He withholds nothing good from us.
And since He withheld this bit of information, don’t go on these speculative journeys that take you away from the task at hand… which is staying alert at all times.
WOMAN IN LABOR
Because when the Day comes, it won’t only come like a thief, who you may think to prevent from breaking in, when you’re startled out of bed. No. The Day will also come like that of a woman in labor.
Jenny and I welcomed our first grandbaby Thursday morning. We’ve been waiting for this day. The due date was supposed to be Wednesday, but like the thief in the night, we’re never really sure at what hour the baby will come. Jordan thought she was going into labor last Sunday. First pregnancy, so we figured these were just the early beginning of the labor pains.
And “pains” is certainly the right word. It’s the word Paul uses. I think Jordan’s words were more like, “I thought I was dying. It was awful.” And that was just the early contractions. It would be another four days before the baby made her appearance.
Now, I’ve never been in labor, but what I can tell you, and you ladies can correct me if I’m wrong, but from my best understanding, once labor sets in, there’s no turning back. You can’t escape the process. That baby is coming. O it might be days before the baby is finally ready to come out. But one thing is for sure, the baby isn’t staying in there.
The Day of the Lord is coming, and there’s no avoiding it. Not even death will keep you from this Day. All will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account. And if death meets you beforehand, your opportunity to prepare for the day is over. There’s only one safe hiding place, and that’s behind the Cross of Jesus Christ.
PEACE AND SECURITY
While people are saying, peace and security… Most of the world thinks it lives in relative peace even though it is at enmity with God. O there may be war in Ukraine and the Middle East. There may be tribal wars in Africa. But relatively speaking, unless you’re on the battlefield or in the war zone, you feel somewhat safe, at least safe enough that you’re going about day-to-day life. You’re still eating and drinking, marrying and having babies.
The illustration Jesus uses is the days of Noah. Matthew 24. (I mentioned last week that Paul is parallels Jesus’ words in Matthew 24. So however you view 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, it better mesh with what Jesus says in Matthew 24, because that’s what Paul is going off of.)
But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. (And yet we’ll speculate as if we can figure it out.)
For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood, they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
(For those of you who might have been influenced by the Left Behind Series, the ones taken aren’t caught up in some rapture. They are swept away into judgment. Only Noah was left… and those with him in the ark. Everyone else was taken into judgment.
SUDDEN UNEXPECTED INTERUPTION
Consider how many people, including those who profess the name of Jesus, live without any regard, any due awareness, any acknowledgment of God in their day-to-day lives. Consider how many attend church events, and that’s the extent of their regard to the things of Christ and His coming.
How many will leave church this morning, not just here, I’m talking about the countless thousands who fill pews and sanctuaries around the globe. How many will leave church this morning and not give another thought about the things of God, as if the Christian life can be relegated to a Sunday morning event that takes place inside of a church building. Their lives will be suddenly and unexpectedly interrupted by Jesus’ coming. That’s Paul’s warning here.
THOUGH UNEXPECTED NOT SURPRISED
But, verse 4. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
Why shouldn’t the day surprise you? Because you are not in darkness. Your eyes have been opened. That’s the point of the light. You now see, what before you were blind to. How? Because the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
LIGHT HAS DAWNED
With the coming of the first Christmas, the First Advent, light has dawned. Light has broken into the darkness, our darkness. Jesus came as Light. Exposing our sinful deeds, not in order to condemn us for those deeds, but so that we might be saved through Him. That’s John 3.
Everyone who does what is wicked hates the light and does not come to the light lest his works should be exposed. Why do people refuse to come to Jesus. One reasons and one reason only. They love the darkness, they love the darkness because they think it keeps their sin from being exposed, that they might continue to live contrary to God.
But for those whose eyes have been opened, we rejoice that our sins have been exposed… exposed for the horror that they are, so horrifying that they landed our beloved Lord Jesus on the cross. And now that we see aright, now that we see clearly, we walk on straight paths that are pleasing to God.
CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT
Since we are children of the Light, verse 6, then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
LITERAL?
First, let’s make sure we understand what is meant by some of these words. Because honestly, I get confused by this whole idea of reading the Bible literally, at least by what some suggest literal to mean.
REVELATION 20
For example. in Revelation 20—that’s the famous millennial text, indeed the only millennial text in the Bible, Some take it to mean, that when the Bible says 1000 years, it must mean exactly that, 1000 literal years. They argue that it can’t simply be a way of saying a very long time. But if I press them, they don’t read anything else in the text as literally as they do the 1000 years. Just in the first two verses, we have an angel holding a key and a great chain for binding a dragon. But we don’t actually read any of that in the most literal sense.
Do we really picture Satan as a literal dragon? I thought he was a fallen angel. Do we picture a physical key like what I use to lock my door. No, the key represents authority. Do we picture a literal chain with however many metal links it takes to bind this dragon. You can’t bind a spirit with a physical chain.
COMPREHENDING THE SPIRITUAL
Here’s my point. We are physical finite beings. We can’t comprehend the spiritual unless it’s given to us in physical terms. We read according to the author’s intent. That’s the first hermeneutic. You get that wrong, you get everything else wrong. So, when we talk about the literal interpretation of the Bible, (and I’m with R. C. Sproul on this one), we want to interpret the text according to its literature. Unfortunately, most people’s idea of literal is a far cry from the author’s intent, and not at all in line with its literature.
DON’T GO TO BED?
So, when Paul says, let us not sleep. He’s not saying, don’t go to bed tonight. Charlotte. I want you to sleep tonight. Don’t keep mommy and daddy up. Mallory, same thing. Your mommy and daddy want you to sleep, so that they can sleep too. And in sleeping, they aren’t neglecting Paul’s words. Don’t stay awake all night, because that’s not at all what Paul intends.
What does Paul intend by don’t sleep and keep awake?. He means stay alert. Stay ready for the Day. Don’t get caught with your guard down.
WINE?
What about getting drunk and being sober? Is Paul referring to alcohol? Because these two words, in their literal sense, have to do with wine. Paul is referring to spiritual drunkenness and that of being self-controlled.
What about day and night? Let me ask, if you were to go out those doors after service and head over to Walmart. Do you think you’ll find any unbelievers out and about? Paul’s certainly not implying that only Christians are out and about when the sun’s up, and that if by chance you happen to run across an unbeliever, they’ll be intoxicated.
READING OUR BIBLES WELL
We’ve got to read our Bibles better than that. We have normal conversations every day. And the Bible, for the most part, is written, not only in the common vernacular, but written for common people to understand, without any special hermeneutical training.
You don’t need special interpretational rules to understand this book. If anything, we’ve made it difficult to understand this book by failing to read it like we read other books… but with one exception. This book is God-breathed, meaning it has divine authority in all it says, and is perfect in its entire composition. Which still takes us back to reading it as we’d read any other book, meaning that we are to read it on its own terms.
DAY AND NIGHT
Those of the night, are those who live under a cloak of deception, those who do not know God, at least not in any intimate sense, those who cannot discern God’s revelation, not because it’s difficult to read and understand, but because they lack the moral ability to do so. They are spiritually blinded by their own pride and their sinful desires and so they suppress the plain truth given in both general and special revelation.
Those of the Day have been set free from that cloak of deception. We now know God, and we know Him intimately. We can now discern God’s revelation because we walk in the light of God’s truth.
DRESS FOR THE DAY
And since you are no longer of the night, but have experienced new creation life, live as you truly are in Christ. Dress for the DAY. Which means, wear your Christian get-up.
Verse 8. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
Now, in Christ, we have been dressed. This is not an imperative, saying, Get dressed! He’s saying, you’ve been clothed in Christ. You’ve been clothed with Faith, Love, and hope. Now keep your clothes on.
And if you recall, this is the second time Paul is explicitly reminding the believers of what he says they already know. Why? It’s a way of helping us to keep our clothes on.
KEEP YOUR CLOTHES ON
Around my house, we have a little one who sometimes struggles to keep her clothes on. Which reminds me of Chases’ first Christmas play, if we can even call it that. I think he was 3, maybe 4. And the kids were dressed in their pajamas. singing their Christmas songs. And I was sure he wasn’t going to be wearing anything by the time they were done if they sang another song. Why? Because he was itching and hot, and they felt restraining, and he was completely uncomfortable wearing his pajamas with everyone watching him. Or maybe he was oblivious that everyone was watching him. One or the other.
We are a lot like that 3-year-old boy. We struggle to keep our clothes on. They’re not always comfortable as we walk through this sin-stricken world. Sometimes they’re itching and warm. Sometimes they feel restraining. Sometimes we’re concerned about what those watching us are thinking. Sometimes we’re completely oblivious to the fact that others are watching. Either way, we forget about the importance of staying dressed.
YOUR ARMOR
This armor—faith, love, and hope—it protects you, believer, from spiritual harm as you march toward the victory that is yours in Christ.
Why these 3—faith, love, and hope? They guard us for the Day. What Day? For the Day of the Lord. Not that they are to be worn only on that day, but as a way of making sure we ready for the Day. Because if you wait to wear your armor, if you wait to become comfortable in your armor when the day comes, you won’t be ready. You won’t even know how to wear it. It will be completely foreign to you because faith, love, and hope—in their salvific sense—will be foreign to you.
BREASTPLATE
So, what of this breastplate of faith and love? What does that cover? Well, it covers some pretty vital organs, not the least of which is the heart. What aspects of our Christian walk belong to the heart? Faith has to do with the heart. Romans 10:10. For with the heart one believes and is justified. Belief flows from the heart. Faith, belief, trust—they are all from the same word family.
This reminds us that faith is not an intellectual issue but a moral issue. No amount of evidence will convince someone to accept what they have no delight in. Our suppression of truth begins at the heart level—what we want and don’t want to believe.
The breastplate of faith is to protect you from being deceived into not trusting that God is for you, He is for your good, and He is the best good for you. But if you fail to keep your armor on, you will fall prey to the deceitful schemes of the evil one, just as the snake deceived Eve into not trusting the Lord.
Not only is this the breastplate of faith; it is also the breastplate of love. That is, this breastplate is intended to help guard our affections. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flows the springs of life.
Sin begins in the heart. We are led astray by our hearts, by our affections. If you fail to keep your breastplate on, you will suffer harm. Why? Because your affections will lead you away from Christ. And if you continue in negligence, failing to keep your armor fitted properly so that it guards your affections, those affections will eventually lead you straight to hell. Remember, Jeremiah 17:17. The human heart is deceitful! But in Christ, you’ve been born again with a new heart—new affections. Now live like it.
HELMET
If the breastplate has primarily to do with the heart, then the helmet has to do with our…? Heads. Or better, our minds. This helmet is the hope of salvation. Just as the devil seeks to deceive us into not trusting God, he also seeks to make us doubt the salvation we have in Christ. But our salvation is guaranteed. Our hope is guaranteed. In fact, that’s the point of the very next verse. Verses 9. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
That’s also why Paul felt the need to make clear in chapter 4 that those who fall asleep in the Lord are not lost! They’ve finished the race! So don’t be concerned with whether you’re among the asleep in chapter 4 or the awake in chapter 5. If you’re in Christ, live in Him.
Verse 11. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
This is why we gather Sunday-by-Sunday and mid-week, and surround ourselves with fellow believers. It helps us to keep our clothes on—to keep our armor on.
GUARDING YOUR SOUL
This is the armor that guards you for the Day. Not so that you might be removed sometime before the Day comes. But so that you’re ready for when it does come. So that you might be able to STAND!
Govern your heart with Faith and Love. Rule over your mind with Hope. This is not the time for lounge wear, kicking back and living an entertainment lifestyle where you just sort of veg out paying no mind to the approaching Day. Nor is the a time for you to suit up in your Carhartts so you can hammer together bigger barns for all the earthly treasures you’d like to store up. Nor is it a time to don your 3-piece business suit so that you might wheel and deal, seeking to compromise other’s faith, love, and hope with whatever it is you’re selling for your own personal temporary gain.
The Christian is to be dressed as a soldier of Christ’s army, not occasionally, not when it’s convenient, not when threat of harm seems imminent. We are to be dressed and ready at every occasion because the Day is imminent, and we know not when it will come.
NOAH
This word is to encourage you. And it’s to warn you so that you’re not caught off guard like those in the days of Noah.
It’s not like those in Noah’s day had no warning. 2 Peter makes clear that Noah was a herald—a proclaimer—a preacher of righteousness. But not only did Noah preach concerning the coming judgment, Noah’s life also bore witness to the fact that judgment was coming. With each pounding of a nail as Noah built that ark, he was proclaiming, judgment is coming.
CHRIST
While the cross announces the hope of salvation. Don’t be fooled. It also proclaims a very clear word of warning. With each pounding of the nail, as Jesus was nailed to that cross for our sins, those hammer blows proclaimed, judgment is coming. But that God’s judgment doesn’t have to come for you. I’m taking these nails for you, so that you don’t have to.
Take up my armor, Jesus says. The same armor I took up in order to conquer all your enemies.
That’s why Eli read Isaiah 59 for us at the beginning of service. The Lord looked around and saw all the evil, all the oppression, all the injustice that filled the earth…
The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and he wondered that there was no one to intercede…
Then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld hem. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. … And so he will repay wrath to his adversaries, and repayment to his enemies. … And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.
Once again, we see final judgment and salvation placed together. Will you find yourself clothed in Christ, ready for the Day. I hope so. Because the Day is hastening fast. Let Jesus be your salvation. Make Him your armor for the coming Day of the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Living between the Advents: Concerning Those Fallen Asleep
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Living between the Advents: Concerning Those Fallen Asleep
Historically, the church used the season we’re in right now, called advent, to focus, not solely on the incarnation of our Lord Jesus as paramount and glorious as such is. The church used the advent season also as a time to deliberately reflect that this Jesus who came as a little babe and who later was taken up into heaven will come again.
While, the church has been divided over exactly what Jesus’ second coming may or may not look like, especially over the past two centuries, it’s important we not that we agree on those things which are most fundamental. In fact, I’m happy to say, we were able to amend our Statement of Faith to include The Doctrine of Last Things. Because I feel it’s important for our message today, let me highlight two of these areas in which we are in complete harmony with one another.
The Doctrine of Last Things:
We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, who now sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty, will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth according to His promise to judge the living and the dead.
We believe that there will be a bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life, and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment.
So, as we work our way through our passage this morning, I’m not going to nuance or word every detail in quite the same way your favorite preacher may. As Paul mentions at the end of this letter we’re in to the Thessalonians, test everything, hold fast to what is good. You can lodge your disagreements over our fellowship lunch after service… with Sherif!
READ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11)
ILLUSTRATION
Now, I know we talked about Christmas gifts last week, but I think it might serve as a helpful illustration for us thinking through the time we are in. Charlotte, everyday, keeps checking under the tree to look at the gifts that are there. And right now, there’s just a couple.
Charlotte’s just learning how to read. So, she tries reading the tags on the gifts. And there’s one from Chloe with Charlotte’s name on it. And she wants to remind everyone that there is a gift under the tree for her.
Now, the gift has arrived. It is as good as hers. And in its initial wrapping it’s beautiful. And it brings her joy. I’m mean, you should see her smile and giggle over it. But she has yet to enjoy the fullness of the gift. There is a delay in the inauguration of the gift, the gift being purchased and even presented, and that of the consummation when the gift will be viewed and enjoyed in all its fullness.
We are in that season between the gift’s purchase and initial presentation, and our actually being able to enjoy the gift to its utmost fullness.
Now, could you imagine Charlotte having no interest in opening the gift, as if she might be satisfied with it simply remaining in its packaging, as beautiful as the packaging may be? You’d think there was something seriously deficient in her understanding of the gift.
She doesn’t want that package to remain under the tree at a distance. She wants that package unwrapped, and she wants to hold it close, and to know it far more intimately and personally than she can with it still in the wrapping paper.
And yet, how many believers are content with the Christmas story, Jesus’ initial coming, being the extent of our knowledge of Him? How many would be content if the package just remained at a distance, rather than under the tree, hanging on a tree? How many would be content to leave Jesus up there on the cross? I mean, that is the greatest act and greatest portrait of love. And o that we’d be enthralled that our heavenly Father would give us such a gift!
But that’s not the extent of which we are to enjoy the gift, as glorious as it is in all its trappings and what they mean. Christmas doesn’t end with the package under the tree, or hanging on the tree.
God intends for us to see this gift unwrapped that we might gaze upon the fullness of its beauty, to be able to touch and hold this gift with physical hands, and to know this gift far more intimately and personally than we could should the gift have simply been left hanging on that cursed tree.
As such, as much as we delight in the first advent, our hope, the believers hope is not in the first, but in the second. Certainly, with the birth of Jesus, hope had arrived. And yet the first advent was the purchase, the guarantee, of why we can bank on the second.
Our hope isn’t crucifixion life; it’s resurrection life!
And that’s exactly the hope Paul wants to encourage the Thessalonian believers with. Verse 13. We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as the rest who have no hope.
Now, I want to be careful and not read too much into an omission, but in 3:6, Timothy returned bringing good news of the Thessalonian believers’ faith and love. Notice something missing? Hope! It’s not that the Thessalonians had no hope. In fact, in chapter 1, Paul mentions not only their work of faith and labor of love, but also their steadfastness of hope.
And yet, Paul desperately wants to visit them again face to face to supply what is lacking in their faith. So, I don’t think it’s a stretch to suggest that Paul recognized that there just might be a deficiency in their hope. Which is certainly understandable when we recall that Paul was torn away from them after a mere three weeks of ministry.
I think of how much I still have to learn after 13 years of knowing Christ, and these guys had but 3 weeks of training them up. So, Paul takes a large section of this rather brief letter to provide a proper foundation of hope.
And when we consider their present circumstances, that of persecution, we can understand Paul emphasis, so that you may not grieve as the rest of the world that does not have hope.
Why would the believers be tempted to grieve as those without hope? A majority of scholars suggest that the issue at hand, the confusion on the Thessalonians end, was merely the concern that those fallen asleep—a euphemism for those who have died—that they would miss out on the glorious joyful fanfare of the Lord’s return.
They draw this conclusion based on two assumptions. 1) That even though Paul was torn away after such a short time, he certainly would have taught on the resurrection. 2) That Paul’s emphasis is not on whether those fallen asleep would be resurrected as well, but on when. Verse 15, that we who are left until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
But let me ask, could the timing truly be the extent of the concern? Is Paul really just saying, I don’t want you to grieve as the rest of the world does over the thought that some might miss the parade, Jesus’ glorious triumphal procession when he returns.
I find that doubtful. Why? Because the world doesn’t grieve over the prospect of missing Christ’s return. The world grieves as it does because it doesn’t have any confident hope of resurrection. O perhaps there’s something else beyond the grave. I mean, it’s an empty hope with no basis. That was me as an unbeliever. I can’t imagine this is all there is. I mean, I rejected God, and any claim He may have had on my life. And yet, God has designed each one of us with eternity written upon our hearts. (Ecclesiastes 3).
Death is not the natural order of things; it’s the fallen order of things. Death is a testimony that something has gone seriously wrong. The problem is that we look for what went wrong everywhere but ourselves.
What’s wrong with creation? We’re what’s gone wrong. We have lived in rebellion against God and His good design. And as such, the world is under a curse. So, now there’s a disconnect between our being made for eternity and the current fallen reality we experience.
Now, when a loved one dies, we grieve. And apart from Christ, we grieve without any confident hope, but only wishful thinking. And as hard as we try to fool ourselves… we’re not fooled. We know that we’re merely suppressing the truth. And we suppress the truth of that as well.
Outside of Christ, we have no genuine expectation of reunion. But what’s more. Not only do we have no confident expectation of reunion, we know that death is coming for us too.
The Thessalonians weren’t merely concerned that those who didn’t survive until Christ’s return would miss this great event; they feared that they’d miss the kingdom altogether. And when you’re facing affliction and suffering, the fear is, that unless Jesus hurries, you might miss the kingdom too. Paul’s aim is to put such a notion to death, so that the prospect of death wouldn’t cause despair.
The point is not that we shouldn’t grieve at all. Death is still an enemy. But death is a conquered enemy!
Verse 14. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
What’s the basis for our hope of resurrection? Jesus’ own. Jesus has conquered death. He died and rose again. And just as Jesus was raised from the dead, so will those who fall asleep in the Lord. Those who die in the Lord aren’t ultimately lost. They will rise. We can be as confident in their return as we can in Jesus’.
How can Paul be so confident in such an assertion? Verse 15. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
Paul’s confidence stems from the Lord Jesus’ own words. This is exactly what the Lord said for His disciples to expect. Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5 parallel that of Matthew 24.
Now, some have suggested that Paul’s words, we who are alive, both in verse 15 and 17, implies that Paul was confident that he would still be around when Jesus returned. So, most liberal scholars will simply say Paul was mistaken. Now, they say the same thing of Jesus, that they believe Jesus was mistaken. So we really shouldn’t be surprised that they’d say the same thing of Paul.
But Paul uses “we” as a participant in solidarity with his readers. You’ve likely noticed that I often use “we” in the same sense. Why? Because as as a body of believers, we are both one and many.
Also in chapter 5, it becomes obvious that Paul was not suggesting any such certainty that he would remain until the Lord’s coming. He had no idea when to expect the Lord. But he was confident of this. 5:9-10. That God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or we are asleep, we might live with Him. Both are first-person plural verbs. Paul includes himself in both possibilities.
Why do I even bring this up? Well, for one, when we run into a so-called difficult text, or a doctrine that’s been challenged, I want to make sure we (see, I’m including myself here), that we are equipped to handle attacks, both from outside the church and from within. I want to make sure our youth are equipped. I want to make sure us adults are equipped. This becomes an issue of apologetics, our being prepared to make a defense for the reason for the hope that is in us.
Second, the enemy uses a variety of different darts and arrows to attack our faith with, and part of our armor in Christ includes the shield of faith with which to extinguish his darts of deception. (We’ll be looking at that armor next week.) So, this idea that Paul might have been mistaken… and when we look at just how long the church has been awaiting Jesus’ return, much of the church has bought into a distorted, and I would suggest, a false gospel—false, because it castrates our hope of a genuine physical resurrection life.
Liberal theologians such as Albert Schweitzer have promoted the idea that the Second Coming is not integral to the Christian faith.
In other words, it’s not a problem that Jesus and Paul were wrong, our Christianity doesn’t need the resurrection. We can still glean from Jesus’ ethical example. It is our job now to bring the kingdom by living our the loving example of Christ, with one exception, none of that occasioning one’s death in order to bring about a kingdom that God obviously had no intention in bringing about.
In other words, Jesus laying down his life for sinners was a complete waste. And get this. If those like Schweitzer are right, that the resurrection isn’t integral to our faith, then Jesus’ death on the cross was a waste, it was an unfortunate and unnecessary tragedy.
I raise this issue, because Jenny and I attended a church—as newer believers—where the pastor said, even if there is no resurrection, he’d still be a Christian. Why? Because to him, Christianity is nothing more than a code of ethics for doing good to others.
This, loved ones, this distortion of the gospel is here, and it’s prevalent. The Bible is nothing more than Aesop’s Fables. What’s the moral of the story?
Well, I’ll tell you what the moral of the story is. One of the greatest dangers the church faces is the compromise of the church’s hope in Jesus’ return and all that it entails. If our Christian hope is in this life only we are most to be pitied. So, Paul underscores the importance of the resurrection, because the resurrection is the hope of the believer.
So while, for much of the so-called church, the resurrection is merely a spiritual resurrection, here Paul is taking pains to assure them that such was not the case. As mentioned in our Statement of Faith, we believe in a personal and visible return of Christ. And we believe in a physical bodily resurrection.
Verse 16. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then, we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
First, let’s get to what the main point of these two verses are. The dead in Christ, that is those who have fallen asleep, along with those who are left—those alive at Christ’s coming—will be gathered together to meet the Lord. And here, I believe is the emphasis. End of verse 17. So that we will always be with the Lord. And just to hammer that home as the main point, Paul follows it up with verse 18.
Therefore encourage one another with these words. Encourage one another with what words? That when our Lord comes, we will then always be with Him.
It's not encouraging to suggest that we meet the Lord on his descent, and then the Lord leaves us behind so that He can go reign physically on earth while we wait another millennia away from the presence of the Lord. He’s the One we were created to be with. He’s the One for whom every believer’s heart yearns. If the Lord isn’t in heaven with us, then heaven won’t be heaven.
The text says that when this event takes place—not quietly or secretly but loudly, with the cry of an archangel and the sound of the trumpet—from then on we will forever be with the Lord. Encourage one another with this! Because what we long for is the Lord! Not heaven without Him.
In fact, I’d argue that if you’re okay with heaven without the Lord, you likely won’t find yourself there. Heaven is for those who desire to be with the Lord, and only for those who desire to be with the Lord.
So, keeping the main point in view. Let’s get a bit technical and see if we can understand, at least to the degree our finite minds can, what’s going on in these verses.
Verse 16. The Lord himself will descend. That’s simple enough. So, the Lord is coming down from heaven. And then, the dead in Christ will rise. That word “rise,” is nothing more than the verb form of the word from which we get resurrection. [ἀνίστημι / ἀνάστασις]
So, the picture here of Christ’s coming is that of the bodily resurrection of the dead, to meet our personal and visible Lord.
What about those alive at the Lord’s coming? They are caught up. This word, ἁρπάζω, means a sudden decisive seizing or grasping. It’s used in John 10 of a wolf coming and snatching the sheep of a hired hand.
And it’s also used in the very same chapter regarding Jesus’ and the Father’s firm grasp on those who belong to Jesus. No one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is powerful to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
So, here, the saints who are alive, are snatched up with those resurrected in order to meet the Lord.
Now this word “to meet” (ἀπάντησις) is used a total of 3 times in the New Testament. And each of the 3 times it is used is consistent with its historical and cultural use.
It’s used to describe the custom of citizens going out to meet a visiting dignitary or important person as a sign of respect and honor, which was common in both civic and religious contexts, where the act of meeting was not just a physical encounter but also a ceremonial gesture of welcome and recognition, in which those going out to meet the dignitary would then honor him by accompany him the rest of the way.
One use of this word “to meet” is found in Acts 28:15, concerning the Apostle Paul and those with him. When the brothers there heard of our coming to Rome, they came as far as Forum of Appius and Three Taverns to meet us. That’s our word. They came out to meet us.
Commentators suggest that these cities were as far as 50 and 60 miles from Rome. The fellow believers in Rome went out that far to greet Paul and accompany him back to Rome.
The other use is what Steve read for us at the beginning of service concerning Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:6. As the Bridegroom was delayed, they all become drowsy and slept. But at midnight, there was a cry, “Here is the Bridegroom! Come out to meet him.
Now let me ask. What do you think transpired after the wise virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom? Do you think they then kept going in the same direction? Or do you think they met the Bridegroom and turned and accompanied him to the marriage feast? Well, the text is pretty clear. It says, they went in with him to the marriage feast.
Well that’s exactly the picture of what’s taking place here. The church has been eagerly awaiting her Bridegroom’s return. At the sound of the trumpet, at the sound of the loud announcement that He’s coming, she will not wait until He sets foot on the earth. She’s going out to meet Him!
O don’t make me wait a moment longer. This is the event we’ve been waiting for! And upon meeting our Bridegroom, we will accompany Him on the rest of the way down, to a New Earth.
The picture is that of the King coming and His faithful subjects coming out to greet Him!
[In fact, we’ll have to meet the Lord in the air, for at His coming everything will be dissolved, rolled up like a scroll. And He Himself will unroll the New Creation in which we will forever dwell with Him.]
This is the ultimate goal of the resurrection—that we will be with the Lord forever. This is the reason we need not grieve over death as others do. Jesus’ resurrection leads to our resurrection with the result that we will forever be in the immediate presence of the Lord.
This is the hope with which we are to encourage one another…
2 Kings 8
Let me end with reference to the passage Silas read for us earlier from 2 Kings chapter 8.
Now Elisha had said to the woman WHOSE SON he had RESTORED TO LIFE, "Arise, and depart with your household, and sojourn wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come upon the land for SEVEN YEARS." ... And at the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to appeal to the king for her house and her land.
Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, "Tell me ALL THE GREAT THINGS that Elisha has done." And while he was telling the king how Elisha had RESTORED THE DEAD TO LIFE, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. And Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, HERE IS THE WOMAN, and HERE IS HER SON whom Elisha restored to life." ...
So the king appointed a eunuch for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now."
This passage bears striking resemblance to a passage found at the end of the New Testament. Revelation 12 also tells the account of a woman whose Son was restored to life, a Son whom the dragon sought to devour. But her Son was caught up to God. Caught Up. That’s the same word, ἁρπάζω, as in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
After the child was caught up, this woman was also forced to sojourn for a season of famine in the wilderness, just as the woman from 2 Kings went to sojourn… with her whole household… for 7 years. The number 7 often representing fullness… the fullness of time.
Who is the woman in Revelation 12? Well that should be fairly easy to discern since the male child is obviously Jesus. The Woman is the True people of God, the True Israel, the church.
For a season, a long season to be sure, we sojourn, harassed by the dragon. But we’re not without help. And at the end of this sojourn, just as the woman had everything restored to her—not just her land but even the produce of the land from the beginning of her sojourn until even now—all was restored to this woman as if she never suffered any loss.
And it was restored to her, not on account of who she was but on account of the great acts of Elisha who restored her son to life. (Elisha’s name means: God is Salvation.)
The same is true for us the church— the entire household of the people of God. During this age, it will seem as if we have suffered significant loss and harm. And there will be many things to grieve over, just as the Thessalonian believers suffered grief, not only over those who had fallen asleep, but also in regards to the great afflictions they were experiencing.
We grieve. And we rightly grieve. But not as the rest of the world that has no hope.
We can sojourn in this famished foreign land, without fear of loss or harm knowing that all… and then some… will be restored to us, not on account of us, but on account of the great acts of God’s salvation who restored the woman’s Son, indeed, God’s very own Son to life.
For now, we expectantly await the hour when, just as Jesus was caught up to His Father, we will be caught up to Him.
Are you eagerly waiting for Him? Is this your hope? If you believe that Jesus died and rose again, you can bank on the fact that He’s coming again for you.
We love Christmas. But Christmas is not the end. It’s the beginning. Christmas is the means to something far greater, where Immanuel, God with us, is consummated in all its fullness, where we will forever be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 A Life Pleasing to God: Sexual Ethics
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Give Thanks: A Life Pleasing to God
Illustration: (coasting – cruise control)
There’s a genuine danger in thinking we’ve arrived before we’ve actually arrived.
While there’s no explicit thanksgiving in chapter 4 as there is in the other four chapters, what we’re going to cover this morning has everything to do with thanksgiving, as we seek to bridge thanksgiving and advent over the next few weeks.
READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
PRAY: Father, what we know not, teach us; what we have not, give us; what we are not, make us. Create in us a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us, Your children. We ask this for the sake of Your Son’s great name. Amen.
MICAH 6 and JOHN 13
As we consider our passage this morning, I want to keep before us, the Old and New Testament readings from Micah 6 and John 13 which Samuel and Caleb so beautifully read for us earlier. Specifically, Micah 6:8. He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? And from John 13:34, Jesus speaking to his disciples on the eve of his betrayal. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
One of the reasons for considering Micah and John is because we can easily err in our thinking through this passage in 1 Thessalonians 4. 1) Some of us may have a tendency to think that a passage like this doesn’t overly concern me. You know, I’ve pretty much got this thing down. So, maybe I’ll just tune out for a bit. I’ve got more important things to concern myself with. 2) On the other end of the spectrum, some of us may feel that we’ve struggled so much in one of these areas, to the point we wonder if there’s truly any hope for me.
JESUS IS THE STANDARD
For those who think they’ve attained it, recall Jesus’ warning in his sermon on the mount from Matthew 5. Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
In verse 1, Paul uses the same word Jesus’ does: the word “exceed.” You may think you’ve attained it; you may feel you’ve been running well up until now. Well, the word for you then is to do so more and more. Because the standard isn’t the scribes and Pharisees. The standard is the righteousness of Christ.
You see, it’s always been well known how it is we should walk before God… what it is God requires. Hence Micah 6, do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God, which is certainly an outworking of love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself—commands which our Lord exalts as the two greatest.
And yet, in John 13, Jesus says he’s giving the disciples a new command to love one another. What’s new about that? Love one another, Jesus says, as I have loved you. The standard is nothing less than the love of Jesus. So, is there truly a single one of us here today, who feels we’ve attained to that?
ALIEN RIGHTEOUSNESS
But for those who feel they may be a hopeless case… that may place you in a better position to receive God’s grace. Because unlike the crowd that no longer recognizes their need for grace, you know, that apart from God’s continued grace, there’s no way you’ll finish this race. And as a personal confession, let me just say, I need God’s grace every bit as much today as I did when I first began this journey 13 years ago. And you do too.
So, if you sometimes feel hopeless in your battle against sin, and the expectation to live up to the standard of Jesus’ righteousness, I want to remind you that you’re not save by your own righteousness, but only by the righteousness of Christ. Jesus’ righteousness, and Jesus’ righteousness alone is the righteousness by which we enter the kingdom of God. Not our own.
God has granted us an alien righteousness in our union with Christ, a righteousness that is not our own. But that righteousness should not remain entirely alien. We should find ourselves more and more conformed to the image of Christ.
FREED TO UPHOLD
Which takes us to a 3rd error we need to avoid as we consider our text, and that is in thinking that Jesus has freed us from the penalty of sin so that we can now live however we want without any concern for consequence. (We call that licentiousness. And that was an error running rampant through many churches. And it is an error that comes with what may called easy believism, that if you said a prayer, made a verbal confession, and got baptized, then there’s really nothing more for you to concern yourself with. Wrong!
Jesus hasn’t abolished the law. He fulfilled it. And it is expected that in our union with Christ, we will too! Listen to this from the end of Romans 3. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? Paul is referring to the saving faith we have in the person and work of Christ. By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
IT IS NECESSARY
In fact, even while Jesus summed up the totality of the law with a mere two commands—love God and love neighbor—Jesus, himself gave numerous explicit commands throughout his ministry—more than two dozen in the Sermon on the Mount alone. Jesus’ paying the penalty for our rebellion doesn’t free us to live however we want. Rather, Jesus frees us to want to live as we ought. The word “ought” in verse 1, means necessary or must. This is how it is necessary for us to walk, how we must walk if we are to truly live a life pleasing to God.
The Thessalonians were already well on their way, but they hadn’t arrived. Just as many of you are well on your way. For 3 straight chapters, Paul had nothing but thanksgiving to offer for this promising young church in Thessalonica. They’ve even been found steadfast through persecution and tribulation, as we looked at last week. But as promising of a start as you’ve had brothers and sisters, you need to continue to excel. Now is not the time to coast. So, Paul exhorts them to do what they’ve already been doing even more so.
And just to make sure you understand, Paul continues, our instructions to you, literally the word for commandments, just so you know, our commands come to you with the authority of Christ Jesus himself. Which we’ll see a parallel to this in verse 8. So, don’t take Paul’s command, this is how you ought to walk, as being a sort of suggestion. If you’re in Christ, you must walk accordingly.
For Paul, sharing the gospel wasn’t about how many professions of faith or how many prayers to receive Jesus or how many baptisms or how many were showing up to service. I mean, think of how many Jews must have shown up for Passover the same week Jesus rode into Jerusalem. How many countless Jews professed to believe, professed to be awaiting their Messiah, had been circumcised since they were eight days old. And how many of those same Jews were in the crowds shouting, “Crucify him!”
Recall what Paul said about these Jews at the end of chapter 2. Paul says that they killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and even drove us out…. and that they displease God and oppose all mankind. What you confess makes no difference if it hasn’t transformed you to walk in a way that is pleasing to God.
SANCTIFICATION
So, what is a life pleasing to God. Verse 3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification.
First, our English language doesn’t have the words holify or holification. Holy has German roots. Sanctify comes from the Latin. And English just happens to be a hodgepodge of many different languages. Sorry Carmen. English is hard. So, sanctification simply means “set apart”—set apart from the world and set apart to God.
Second, sanctification is nothing less than God’s will for His people. It’s not just God’s prescriptive will for His people. It’s His decretive will. All who truly belong to Jesus will be sanctified. Which is why walking in a manner that is pleasing to God—walking in a manner that is set apart from the world, is not optional. Because sanctification is not optional. Without sanctification, without holiness, no one will see the Lord.
ABSTAIN
So, what’s at the top of Paul’s list for matters of holiness? Verse 3. 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—or vessel—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.
How is sexual purity a matter of holiness? Look at verse 5. The rest of the world engages in the passions of lust. Why? Because they don’t know God. Paul highlights sexual immorality as one of the greatest distortions of God’s good design that goes all the way back to the Garden. Sexual fidelity, however, is a matter of holiness because in part, it demonstrates a knowledge of God, or at the very least, it acknowledges God’s design.
LEVITICUS
But you, Thessalonian believers, you now know God. In fact, verse 8, He has given you His Holy Spirit. Here, Paul is seeking to instill within converted pagans the basic priorities of the kingdom of heaven. Priorities? How is sexual purity a basic priority? For one, these are values found throughout the Old Covenant. Indeed, we find them in the highly neglected book of Leviticus. You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Do you recall what bookends Leviticus 19 and God’s command for His people to be holy and to love your neighbor as yourself? Leviticus 18 and 20, two chapters devoted to sexual ethics.
I’m not going to rehash Leviticus 18 and 20 where we covered sexual ethics as a form of worship. You can look it up on YouTube. But there are at least a few ways in which sexual fidelity has everything to do with our sanctification. And before we jump into them, let me be clear, sexual immorality isn’t limited to this form or that form but the entire gamut of distortions of God’s good design, regardless of how false teachers seek to revise God’s clear sexual ethic as found in Scripture.
First. Sexual purity reveals a true knowledge of God. And by “knowledge” I’m not referring to knowing things about God, but an intimacy with God, which necessarily engenders a satisfaction in God and in His ways.
SEXUAL STUMBLING BLOCKS
If the first point has to do with love of God, the second has to do with love of neighbor. Sexual purity is a matter of genuine brotherly love—not in the way the world loves, or in the way the world defines love, such as mutual consent and affirmation, but according to God’s good design and kingdom. And just to be clear, sexual immorality has proven itself to be one of the greatest stumbling blocks in this fallen world, not just in our day, but we see it also in Paul’s.
Sexual immorality transcends time and culture, because it’s an immorality that dwells within the fallen human heart, regardless of whether it’s ever finally physically acted upon. Just as our Lord Jesus makes clear, adultery happens in the heart before it happens with the members of the body. And so, loving your brother and sister well means you should be diligent to make sure that you yourself are not an unnecessary stumbling block for others.
THE AVENGING LORD
Verse 6. See to it that no one transgress and wrong his brother or sister in this matter.Why? Because the Lord is an avenger in all these things. God will not overlook the wrong we do to our neighbors. Sexual immorality defaces the glorious image of God and it harms your neighbor. Tremble at the idea that you’d be okay with flirting with this grievous sin, for we shall all stand before the judgement seat of God and give an account.
WORSHIP AND THANKSGIVING
Third, and this corresponds with the previous two, but also ties into the rest of our series, how we control our members, our vessels, our own bodies has everything to do with worship and thanksgiving—the two of which go hand in hand. You see, like every other form of idolatry, sexual immorality exposes what it truly is we worship. And every idolatry exposes a lack of genuine thanksgiving. It’s important that we see how these are inherently related.
Give thanks in all circumstances, which comes from 5:18, which is where we began this series, includes giving thanks for where God has placed you in this area of your life. How you and I right now, where we are, live out sexual purity in our current context will be evidence of whether we are genuinely thankful for God’s sovereignty over our circumstances. Are you single? Are you married? Are you courting? How do you live out thanksgiving in your current context with regard to sexual purity?
RUTHLESS ENEMIES
Not to discourage you. But it’s not easy. We have 3 ruthless enemies—the world, our own flesh, and the devil—that want nothing less than to sabotage any chance at sexual purity. How? Via a lack of contentment and satisfaction in God and His good design. Rather than propelling us to pursue holiness, desiring more and more to live a life pleasing to God, these 3 enemies seek to deceive us into thinking we need more and more of something other than God. The biblical word is covetousness.
CREATION CANNOT SATISFY
But here’s the thing. No human being, no creature, none of God’s good creation can ever satisfy your appetite for more, staying your desire for more. Only God Himself can. And it’s not that God satisfies our desires to where we have no desire for more. Rather, the more we enjoy God, the more we want of Him.
But where everything else eventually leaves you empty, God never does. Creation always falls short, leaving you longing for more of something that won’t truly and finally satisfy. Which is why we’ll run to and fro from one idol to the next. Because no single idol will ever satisfy our greatest longings.
GOD’S GOOD GIFT
So, when it comes to sexual purity, only when our sexual ethic is grounded in thanksgiving to God for His good gift, can we rightly enjoy sexuality in a way that won’t leave us empty or in remorse. Because, when we’re giving thanks to God for His good gifts, we in turn enjoy His good gifts in the way He’s given them. Which also means, we can practice delayed gratification until He determines to give us these gifts. Why? Because He’s a good Father, and He always and only gives good things to His children. And He gives His gifts at the most appropriate time which He determines according to His own all-wise counsel. So, we can wait for whenever that time may be.
UNWRAPPING ONLY WHEN IT’S TIME
Christmas is coming. And of course, Christmas is a time where we do a lot of gift giving. And our kids, and even some of us adults if we’re honest, they are anticipating the day. Oh I just can’t wait. I just can’t wait.
At the same time, while there’s a part of them that wants the gift now, and I’m not sure how Christmas goes at your house, but I’m thinking specifically of my kids, there’s also that part of them that doesn’t want to spoil the day. And that goes both ways, not only for the gifts they anticipate receiving but also the gifts they got for their siblings. They want to wait. They don’t want to open gifts before its time—I have no idea where they got that from, because it sure wasn’t me an my family—but they want to wait because they don’t want to spoil the day.
There’s something about it that they want to honor that day of excitement, of unwrapping and unpacking that thoughtfully chosen perfect beautiful gift picked out especially for them. The wait increases the celebration.
Well the same thing is true of a biblical sexual ethic. For some of you, that gift is in the future, and it’s a day that seems like it’s a long way off. Christmas Day seems like forever away. Instead of 25 days until Christmas, It’s more like December 26th and the gift didn’t come this year. And who knows if it will be under the tree the next. And you’re thinking, how can I put this off? How can I wait until the day the Lord has planned for me?
THE GIFT YOU’RE WANTING MAY NOT COME
For others of you, it’s not going to be a gift God ever plans for you to unwrap. It’s possible, some of you in this room, God’s plan for you is the gift of singleness. And that’s a good gift too. Paul saw it as a beautiful gift that freed him to give undivided attention to the Lord and the mission the Lord gave him to take the gospel to the nations.
SAME AND VARIED GIFTS
So don’t mistake that the gift is the same for every single person. My kids they aren’t all getting the same gift! Well, sometimes they each receive an identical gift. But for the most part, the gifts vary. Well, the same is true of the believer. Every believer receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. We see that in verse 8. But then there are gifts that vary from person to person according to the measure of grace God assigns—according to God’s wise and good decisions as a Father. And every gift is intended as a means for you and I to glorify Him. And one of the ways we glorify Him is in our thanksgiving for the gifts according to His timing. And one of the ways we dishonor God is in our lack of thanksgiving. And our lack of thanksgiving shows itself in seeking another gift different from the one He has so thoughtfully provided.
DISSATISFIED WITH THE GIFT
Which is exactly what sexual immorality is. It is being dissatisfied with the gift God has given and saying, you know what? I don’t want that one. You can put that one back under the tree. You can take that one back to the store. What I really wanted was this!
And you know, the thing is, if you got that. The same heart that lacked gratitude for the gift God so thoughtfully picked out for you, would eventually grow tired and cold toward any gift—even that specific gift you so desperately wanted. And when that initial excitement wears off, you’ll find yourself wanting to send that gift back to the store too, so that perhaps you might exchange it for a newer, fresher, younger, more up-to-date model.
WE DON’T OUTGROW COVETOUSNESS WITH AGE
That my friend is the ugliness of covetousness—the ingratitude that underlies all sexual immorality. And none of us are immune. Do not think I am up here preaching to you on something I have conquered. Not even close. All of us—I don’t care if you’re in your mid-70s, must guard against this temptation. For this sin wants desperately to take you out of the race. I mean, just this year, a prominent pastor in his mid-70s tarnished his entire ministry due to sexual immorality. Don’t think it can’t happen to you or me. But for the grace of God go I. He who thinks he stands, take heed lest you fall.
Don’t think that just because you’ve reached a certain mile marker in your life that you’ve finished the race. As I mentioned last week, you don’t finish the race until you actually finish the race. You don’t attain sanctification until you’ve actually attained it, by finally gazing upon the face of Jesus, no longer through a glass darkly, but face-to-face when we gaze upon Him in all His glory, like seeing the most perfect beautiful gift of all finally unwrapped before our eyes to where we get to enjoy Him forever. Which is what’s coming up in chapter 4—so we will always be with the Lord.
DON’T SPOIL THE GIFT
So, loved ones, don’t spoil the gift God has for you by refusing to wait, by deciding, you know, I’m just going to tear back a little of the packaging now and just take a peek. And don’t spoil someone else’s gift in thinking, you know, I wonder what their gift is like. I mean the packaging is nice. It could be more in line with what I think I might like. Maybe I’ll unwrap that one!
Because if you do, you will bring harmful baggage into the whole celebration for both you and your neighbor. You will taint your appreciation of the gift. While the gift itself won’t necessarily be tainted, although that’s possible too, you will taint your appreciation for the gift. And you can’t undo that. Yes, God’s grace is greater. Don’t misunderstand me. God’s grace can cover our multitude of sins. But don’t approach things as, well, God’s grace can cover it, so I’ll just go ahead and taint everything in my life by giving into my carnal desires now. Because that’s not the heart of one who’s been saved, one who appreciates the good gift God has prepared for them. And such a heart is in danger of not finishing the race, such a heart is in danger of having no true affection or gratitude for the gift, or the Giver.
DISREGARDING GOD
To disregard this, Paul warns, is not to disregard Paul, but to disregard God Himself. This goes back to how we view God’s Word. We will never walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord if we view this Word as anything less than the inerrant authoritative Word of God, which speaks to every area of life without exception, whether that be political issues, social issues, family issues, personal issues, and yes, sexual issues. In fact, the Bible speaks very plainly about all sorts of sexual immorality. To twist the clear meaning of Scripture—whether that be redefining the terms or suggesting that the commands of God vary with the culture is to forget that God Himself is unchanging. The core principles behind the commands always remain the same.
STRANGE LAWS DO APPLY
Now, hold on Josh. You brought up Leviticus earlier. Are you telling me that some of those strange laws still apply today? What I’m saying is that the principle the lies behind those laws, yes, they very much apply today. Take Leviticus 19:19, the very next command after love your neighbor as yourself. It reads. You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind. You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor shall you wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of materials. At the very least, these commands have to do with holiness, in that Israel was to be a people set apart from the peoples of the world.
DON’T MUZZLE AN OX?
But there’s more going on behind the commands than the simple prescription. And Paul’s helpful here. In 1 Corinthians 9 he points out that the command, you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain, is not ultimately about the ox. Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher in hope of sharing in the harvest.
In other words, the principle has to do with God’s people. When you learn how to treat the ox well, then hopefully you’ll understand even more so how to treat those who labor among you.
BREEDING CATTLE
The same is true of Leviticus 19:19. Do not let your cattle breed with a different kind. Believer, you have been set apart for Christ. Your bodies, your vessels, are members of Christ. Shall we take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? By no means. But also, if you aren’t already married, neither should you join your vessel to that of an unbeliever. Your prospects for marriage are to be only those who are in the Lord—not those who might one day be, not those you think you might change. Learn this from what I’m teaching you about cattle. Raise up pure offspring in Christ. It’s hard enough when both spouses are following the Lord, and you think you’re going to attempt it with half the team in rebellion against God? You’re fooling yourself.
SOWING SEEDS
Do not sow your field with two kinds of seed. Listen. You’ve been born again, not of perishable seed but of the pure imperishable seed of the living and abiding word of God. Do you really think you’ll walk in purity or continue to walk in purity if you’re sowing impure unwholesome seed in your life.
What are you putting before your eyes? What lyrics are you putting in your ears? Don’t you dare tell me, well that doesn’t really affect me. I’m not influenced by watching racy scenes, or singing songs filled with sexual innuendos and undertones. I have heard that from so many people. And you know what. I don’t know a single one of them who would be even close to a good role model for what it’s like to follow Jesus. In fact, I’d be hard pressed to suggest that they are even following Jesus. Sexual immorality isn’t something you can safely play with. Learn this from what I’m teaching you about sowing seed. Don’t have your field turn into a mess where you’re no longer sure what’s growing in it.
PATCHING GARMENTS
You shall not wear a garment of cloth made of two kinds of materials. Loved ones. You have been clothed with the righteousness of Christ. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Jesus has provided you with clean spotless unblemished undefiled garments, clothing us with himself. And that righteousness covers you completely. And only his perfect righteousness can grant you entrance into the kingdom.
So, why on earth would you choose to uncover an area of your life by defiling your garment, making a small hole here or there saying, you know Jesus, I don’t really want this area of my life covered by your righteousness… at least not yet. I want to have a little fun first, and then, well, I just patch up the whole with some other cloth. No other covering can even come close to sufficing. And yet you want to uncover the righteousness you have in Christ, and fool around a little bit by indulging in areas where Jesus’ righteousness forbids you to go? Learn from what I’m teaching you about garments. Don’t turn this perfect covering into nothing more than filthy rags.
WEDDING GARMENT
Jesus told a parable about a man who sought to get into the banquet hall without an appropriate wedding garment. He was bound hand and foot and cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why weeping and gnashing of teeth? Because part of you will be so bitterly sad, O you came so close, but a moment of temporary pleasure was worth more to you at the time. And the other part of you will be angry at God as if it was His fault you didn’t heed the warning.
BROTHERLY LOVE
Alright. We’ve got to move on so we can finish this up. By the way, just so everyone knows, Carmen gave me permission to give longer messages.
Verse 9. 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, brother, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to attend your own affairs, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
You have no need for anyone to write to you regarding this, Paul says. But just in case you missed it… he is. Like a father constantly reminding his children, even with the things they already know and are in the habit of practicing. Why? Because there’s a tendency in all of us to grow lax.
You don’t need me or anyone else up here preaching. Very seldom do I cover something you don’t already know. But I do so by way of reminder. And not just for you but for me. We’re still growing in Christ. We don’t arrive until we arrive.
GROWING FROM WHERE WE ARE
Which should also serve as a reminder for us to patient with one another, because they are growing too. And they can only begin from where they are.
Now, if I’m honest, this is particularly convicting to me, because I tend to be the least patient with those closest to me. How many of you can relate? Which is why we need reminded that any area of our life where we might have experienced just a little bit of success, we need to be encouraged, just as Paul encourages the Thessalonian believers. Yes, Paul warns. But he also encourages. And each of us need both.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF BROTHERLY LOVE
So quickly. Some aspects of brotherly love Paul feels he needs to remind this particular congregation are to aspire to live quietly, attending to one’s own, and working with one’s own hands. All three of these go together. First, one way you can be sure to fail in attending to the work God has assigned to you is to be caught up in the affairs of others. You end up making someone else’s affair about you, when they’re not.
The same is true with living loudly. Some of us constantly seek to have the spotlight on ourselves, making a big deal about everything. But that’s not a way to love your neighbor. That’s a way to make things about you! That’s seeking to love yourself at the expense of your neighbor.
WHO’S UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
And sometimes the church at large can be vocal in a way that is not loving to her neighbor. Why? Because rather than drawing attention to Christ, it draws attention to us. But we can’t make much of ourselves and of Christ at the same time. We can’t point the world to ourselves and to Christ at the same time.
There’s room for one under the spotlight. (We were at the Getty’s concert last night. And there’d be instrumental solos throughout where this or that instrument came into the spotlight.
But one thing I noticed was that the spotlight wasn’t on everyone. They’d need a couple dozen spotlights if that were the case, and if you’re going to have two dozen spotlights, why not just turn on the lights, because nothing’s going to stand out! But here’s the other thing, when the spotlight wasn’t on the other two dozen musicians, they were still playing, and harmonizing, and they added so much to the overall performance. But get this, they were in the background, not the foreground. They drew attention to the beauty and talent of the soloist.) We’re just the accompaniment. We are to draw people’s attention to Jesus.
PLAYING YOUR PART
But the other end of not drawing attention to yourself, is refusing to participate, refusing to play your part, refusing to work with the hands God gave you. Yeah, but I was given the triangle. It’s not very exciting. And I don’t really like my part. And besides, I tend to come in at the wrong place. So, I’ll just sit back and listen and let someone else go up and play the little ding when it’s time.
Well, which do you think sounds better, being off just a bit in your timing, or the bass player having to get up interrupting the bass line in order to run over and ding your triangle. Get over yourself!
THE WHOLE MUSIC SCORE
Every part… every part… in the music score is important, or the composer wouldn’t have written the score the way they did! God has written you into the score. Now play your part.
Why does any of this matter? Well, for one, we’re to live a life pleasing to God. God delights in hearing His composition with every instrument playing exactly as He has planned. It’s beautiful. But you know what else? God didn’t just write the score for His own pleasure. Nor did He write the score for just us. He wrote it also for those who aren’t apart of the band or the orchestra… at least not yet.
THE WATCHING WORLD IS LISTENING
You see, the world is watching. Don’t think the world isn’t paying attention, not so much to our stance on sexuality, as much as how we actually live it out. Do we truly believe what we promote? Are we truly a reflection of brotherly love? Because the church should be the most attractive entity on the planet, to where the watching world sees a portrait of the community for which that emptiness inside them so desperately longs, and more importantly, for the One for whom we live, our great Triune Conductor who orders our lives and whom we order our lives around as we worship Him! And O how beautiful such worship is!
But if we scrap this score, or neglect reading the score, or fail to practice the score, well, who would even listen, much less seek to join? But when we’re all playing the same score, the same piece of music, each of us our unique parts with the instrument God has gifted us, yet playing as one voice, then the world will take note, not so much of the individual musicians, but of this great Composer and Conductor. And that is a beautiful witness. That is a life truly pleasing to God.
CONCLUSION
Our sexual ethic, our sexual fidelity, and brotherly love are meant to point to something so much greater than ourselves. They are meant to point the world to Jesus Christ, who despite the unfaithfulness of the Bride, was faithful to His very last breath in which He laid down His life for His Bride in order to clothe her with His pure and perfect righteousness, washing her filthy polluted garments with His own precious blood. Don’t go about defiling this wedding garment. Live as one who has been washed, whose every stain has been removed, so that you might be presented as a pure virgin Bride for the most perfect Groom, our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 Give Thanks: For the Corporate Yearnings of the Gospel
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13 Give Thanks: For the Corporate Yearnings of the Gospel
INTRODUCTION:
I invite you to turn with me to Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. We’re continuing our series: Give Thanks. As you’ll notice in your bulletin, I had titled this message: Give Thanks for Persevering Joy in the Midst of Affliction. But if you look at the outline on back of your bulletin, perhaps a better title would be Give Thanks for the Corporate Yearnings of the Gospel. Hopefully, you’ll see why as we work our way through the text.
READ: (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13) We’re going to begin where we left off last week in chapter 2. And we’ll work our way through all of chapter 3. But for the sake of time, we’ll read each segment as we get to it.
THE CORPORATE CROWN OF THE GOSPEL
Before we hit our first main point: The Corporate Crown of the Gospel, let me give us a bit of context. Picking up from where we left off last week the Thessalonian believers were suffering the same persecutions from their own countrymen that the churches in Judea experienced from the Jews.
You can read about Paul’s visit to Thessalonica in Acts 17. When Paul arrived, as was his custom, he entered the synagogue on three Sabbath days and reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. And that this Jesus, whom Paul proclaims, is the Christ. Well, the Jews became jealous, we read, and stirred up such an uproar against Paul and Silas and the new converts who received them. Out of concern for their safety, these new believers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.
So, after a mere 3 weeks of ministry—back to our text in verse 17—Paul expresses how they were torn away from the Thessalonian believers—torn away physically, but not in heart. So we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face.
Let me ask. How long does it take for someone to become dear to you? Well, that probably depends on the basis of the relationship. When it comes to gospel ministry, I would argue, not very long at all.
ILLUSTRATION: HONDURAS
In my experience of gospel ministry in Honduras over the last few years, to a church that spoke a different language, one I’m not very fluent at, those people became dear to me very quickly. To give you an example. We were there for a short 5 days. During the afternoons we’d hold a VBS for the kids and youth, and in the evening, we’d gather together for worship. One little boy, Jayden, didn’t seem to want to participate in our activities. So, he’d sit off on the side and watch from a distance. Now I’m not outgoing by nature. Some of you may find that shocking, but I’m more prone to be shy. Ask my wife. I didn’t pursue her. She pursued me. I was always the kid, teenager, young adult, who like Jayden stood off to the side by myself, watching from afar. But the gospel changes us. And I’ve had to be intentional about reaching out to the Jaydens who were very much like I was—afraid to make friends, afraid of rejection, not knowing what to say or how to act. It’s far easier to remain on the sidelines.
But Jayden, who was probably around Chloe’s age, wasn’t getting off the hook so easy. So, I’d pester him about coming to join in the fun. At first he wouldn’t even speak to me. But his mom was there, and she’d tell him go. But Jayden’s reply was very simple. No quiero! translated as “I don’t want to.”
So, I began picking on Jayden, nick-naming him, Jayden, no quiero! Now, no quieroliterally means, “I don’t want.” But in the everyday vernacular, quierocan also refer to love and like. So, where I thought I was simply saying, Jayden, the boy who doesn’t want to, it likely came across as, Jayden, I don’t love.
Now, Jayden’s mom thought it was hilarious. But I’m not so sure Jayden thought so at first. But I was persistent in my pleas for Jayden to join us, and eventually, he realized, whether my words were precise or not, I wanted him. I wanted him to be part of what we were doing. And even more so, I wanted him to be my friend. At the end of 5 days, it was hard to say goodbye to Jayden. And that little boy hugged on me and didn’t want to let me go either. And that’s just one of many intimate ties the gospel brings about.
ORPHANED
Paul was knitted to these Thessalonian believers after a short 3 weeks, to the point that he refers to his abrupt departure as that of being torn from a family. The word he uses in verse 17 is “orphaned.” Since we were orphaned from you, brothers. Paul continues the familial relationship we looked at last week.
Believers… we’re family. Proclaiming the gospel is not simply a matter of making converts. It’s inviting others into a family. God designed us for intimate relationship. Which is why Paul longed to be reunited face to face.
Where the world may be content to enjoy virtually relationships online, the gospel restores our longing for intimacy with others. No technology can substitute God’s design for face to face interaction because every other interaction falls short of what we are ultimately designed for, whether that be text messaging with all its emojis, phone calls, or even in Paul’s experience, a handwritten personal letter. Paul longed to be with them!
But, verse 18, Satan hindered us. We’re not given specifics here. But it’s important to recognize that the Bible doesn’t ascribe just anything to the workings of Satan—but only those things which are oppositional in nature. So, Paul isn’t referring to just any life circumstance that kept him away, such as, well, I keep my schedule too full. I don’t allow any margin in my life for others.
There’s a difference between empty intentions that one never transacts upon due to negligence, which in truth is merely wishful thinking, versus being hindered in making good on a sincere intent. Paul eagerly endeavored to see them. But he was hindered from making good on that endeavor.
When we understand Paul’s emotional tie, that he sees himself as a father to these young believers, we can better understand verses 19 and 20. 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.
Think of the hope and joy of a parent to see their children’s success. For Paul, this is seeing them finish the race so that they might stand before Christ at the final judgment blameless. Is that not the hope and joy we long for as parents?
Now, these verse may seem to be at odds to what we often confess. Many will suggest, Paul was still developing core foundations of his theology. So is our justification by faith or by works? So there’s great debate whether this was Paul’s first letter, or whether Paul’s letter to the Galatians was first, where he articulates justification by faith alone. The issue, as it often is, is what we might call a reduction of the gospel. One of the ways the 20th century has reduced the gospel is to that of a personal relationship with Jesus. Now, is a personal relationship with Jesus important? Absolutely! But we have stressed such to the point where much of the church has lost sight of the corporate nature of the gospel, which is far more prevalent throughout Scripture than the personal is.
ETERNAL REWARDS
Someone asked me recently about our rewards in heaven. What are they? Well, the best place I know to answer this from is 1 Corinthians 3. Paul writes about building on the foundation of Christ. “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — each one’s work will be revealed by fire. If the work survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” Now, I have a tendency to be lazy, so I’ve often asked what difference does it make if your work burns up or not, if you’re saved anyhow. If you get to dwell with the Lord Jesus, what reward could possibly make that any better? I can think of only one thing adding to the joy of being with Jesus, and that is to bring others along too!
You see, you and I are in a very real sense building on the foundation of Christ – we are partners in the spread and witness of the gospel. Yes, God gives the growth, but that doesn’t discount the fact that he has graciously invited us in to participate. Paul says exactly that concerning Timothy, in the next verses. “We sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ.” The materials in 1 Corinthians 3 are symbolic of the purity of our gospel witness and most importantly, our faithful articulation of that gospel in truth. If we build with precious metals and stones, discipling others in the unadulterated gospel of Christ, not failing to teach the whole counsel of God, those disciples will be able to endure the test of fire because they will know the Lord in truth, and that truth will set them free from the deception of sin. The trace amounts of impurities, those peripheral issues we might have disagreed on or misunderstood will dissolve, while the living stones themselves will survive.
But if we simply seek to fill seats, preaching and teaching a gospel of straw, attracting people with entertainment, performances, and worldly gimmicks, sure, we could build quicker, but most of those efforts will be burned up with nothing to show.
What does this have to do with our text? For Paul, the Thessalonians were his crown of boasting before the Lord Jesus. Later in his letter to the Corinthians, chapter 9 to be exact, Paul writes. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain the prize.
So what’s the prize? Paul continues. Athletes run in order to receive a perishable wreath—literally, it’s the word “crown.” But we, Paul continues,we run to receive an imperishable crown.
Guess what the context is for Paul’s image of running the race to receive a crown. It’s sharing the gospel. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel—now listen—that I may share with them in its blessings. That I may share with them! Who? Those who are being saved!
PAUL'S CROWN
So what does this have to do with the Thessalonian believers and Paul’s crown of victory? They are his reward, his victory crown, provided he sees to it that they, along with him, make it across the finish line. But what of this crown of boasting? I thought the gospel removed all boasting except our boasting in the Lord. Well, first, Paul never suggests that he does any of this by his own strength but in utter reliance on Christ. Second, Paul’s not preaching himself; he’s preaching Christ.
Consider Jesus’ parables on the talents and the minas. The faithful servants returned to their Lord and said what? Lord, Your mina has produced ten minas more!Paul’s not at all boasting in himself. It’s the Lord’s mina. Not his. We often think of minas and talents as monetary units, which they are most often used in that sense. But they are actually nothing more than measures of weight. So, I’ll just ask, what’s weightier than the burden to share the gospel? If you truly know Jesus yourself, there is nothing weightier.
The only reason the burden to share the gospel might not be the weightiest thing in the world to you, is because you have more concern for the temporary things in your life than you do for the eternal state of others. Which I would suggest means there’s a disconnect between you and the ramifications of the gospel. That’s the corporate crown of the gospel. Paul wasn’t in a race by himself or for himself. This race involves the entire track team. Which is why, when it’s questioned how some of the team might be fairing we have a genuine gospel concern. Which takes us to our second main point: The Corporate Concern of the Gospel.
THE CORPORATE CONCERN OF THE GOSPEL
Chapter 3 verse 1. 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 you faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. Paul’s concern is that due to these tribulations—that’s the word in verse 3—same word we find in Revelation, same word Jesus uses when giving his end-times discourse in Matthew’s gospel—Paul’s concern is that these tribulations may have caused the Thessalonians to fall away, not finishing the race, meaning, no crown.
EMOTIONAL CONCERN
Hear Paul’s emotional concern, how he bookends this paragraph with, when we could bear it no longer, in verse 1, and again in verse 5, when I could bear it no longer. Paul wasn’t some super apostle, with an unhuman faith that viewed God’s sovereignty through some kind of deterministic fatalistic lens. Paul’s understanding of God’s absolute sovereignty didn’t negate genuine emotional concern for the eternal state of others. Remember. Jesus wept! Jesus wept over the pain and suffering others endured in this fallen world. And he wept over the eternal doom that faced his own kinsmen according to the flesh. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stone those sent to it. How often would I have gathered your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. But you were not willing.
Paul couldn’t bear the thought that the enemy might have used these trials to tempt the Thessalonians from turning back from finishing the race.
Some of you are anxiously waiting to see how the faith of some of your loved ones will play out. They’ve made confessions. They began the race at one point. But now, you’re not so sure. It is right for you to be concerned. It’s right for you to be anxious over their eternal state. It shows you recognize the weight of the gospel. It shows, you recognize the corporate nature of the gospel.
NARROW AND WIDE LENS
The same Paul who writes, be anxious for nothing, had no problem expressing his daily anxiety for all the churches. There isn’t a disconnect. Paul, like every believer, operates through life out of a narrow lens and a wide lens—the narrow lens viewing the immediate circumstances taking place, while the wide lens looks through the eternal perspective. We see this even in the way God relates His emotions to us in Scripture, as well as Jesus.
Through the narrow lens, Jesus could weep over Lazarus’ death and the pain it caused Mary and Martha. But through the wide lens, Jesus can also say, I’m glad I was not there to prevent his death, so that you may believe. We grieve on this side of glory because that narrow lens is always in view. But we don’t grieve as the world does, because we have gospel eyes that view all of history and our present circumstances through the person and work of Jesus Christ who redeems all things and makes them new.
SUFFERING WITH CHRIST
Time doesn’t allow for a deep dive here. We could spend the whole time in verses 3 and 4 and how the afflictions and persecutions the Thessalonian believers were experiencing shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Like Josiah read earlier from 1 Peter. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
Our union with Christ, means we are to suffer with Christ. You don’t suffer with Christ, you won’t be glorified with him. That’s not Josh speaking. That’s Romans 8. So much for the prosperity gospel! As Paul spread the good news and visited the churches, he would encourage them to continue in the faith and prepare them for suffering by telling them that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
So, to the Thessalonian believers, Paul reminds them, we kept telling you beforehand that we were destined for this. If you’re in Christ, you’re not somehow excluded from this exhortation. You will endure tribulation. You must endure tribulation, if you are to truly identify with Christ.
THE CORPORATE COMFORT OF THE GOSPEL
But get this. In all our concern and suffering the Lord comforts us, and not just individually but corporately. Which brings us to The Corporate Comfort of the Gospel. Verse 6. 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.
GOOD NEWS!
Out of Paul’s concern for the church, he sent Timothy. Now, Timothy has returned bringing good news! The word Paul uses is εὐαγγελίζω, which is commonly used for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, the other 21 times Paul uses this word it refers to exactly that. But here it is used regarding the good news of the Thessalonian’s faith. Why? Because the gospel extends beyond that of a mere salvation experience—what we might refer to as conversion. The good news of the gospel extends beyond summarizing the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and its purpose. The gospel extends beyond my and your personal relationship with Jesus. The gospel is corporate long before it is merely personal. Jesus came to save a people.
CORPORATE FOCUS VS. INDIVIDUALISTIC
When you consider the many ways the church is described, a bride, a body, a building, a brotherhood, it’s hard to place the focus on the individuals. Take the temple imagery. We’re all living stones, meaning we are individuals. Now the One building His temple, He touches and handles each stone, chiseling away any imperfections at the rock quarry, maybe even polishing it off before it’s set in place. That’s the personal contact the gospel has on our lives—our personal relationship with Jesus. But he immediately sets us in place as part of a far larger, far more glorious structure than anything we are in and of ourselves.
The gospel places us in a body! Corporately! So, what better word for Paul to use when describing the good news Timothy brings back that part of the building hasn’t fallen in but is still standing. Yes, the race is still on. Yes, the crown is still in sight.
VITALITY
And notice verse 7. Thessalonians, you guys weren’t the only ones suffering distress and affliction, we are too. But the good news that you are persevering in the midst of your affliction comforts us in ours. So much so, that Paul says, For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
Now, that’s just utterly amazing. Wasn’t Paul alive in Christ? What does their standing fast have to do with his vitality?
Well, Paul’s idea of a fulfilling life is a far cry from the world’s “you be you,” or “whatever floats your boat” as if fulfillment in life can be found in oneself. Sorry Whitney Houston, the greatest love of all isn’t found inside of you. It’s our sin that has us so inwardly focused and obsessed with ourselves.
IDENTITY IN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH
Paul found life outside of himself. Yes, the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us, but Paul’s identity wasn’t in who he was in and of himself. His identity was in Christ. But get this. Paul’s identity didn’t stop there. You’ll hear many promote the idea that we should find our identity in Christ, and that’s true. But that isn’t the extent of our identity as believers. To suggest so, misses the corporate dimension of the church—that our union with Christ is not individualistic.
Our identity in Christ as individuals should be no more prominent than the individual stones of a great cathedral, or of individual body parts. You may look at someone and think, she has such pretty eyes. But remove those eyeballs and hold them in your hand and tell me how they look apart from the body. You may look at a guy and notice his strong hands. But disconnect those hands from the body, and then tell me how strong they are.
THANKSGIVING
Paul wasn’t living vicariously through the Thessalonian believers. Yet, there is an intimate connection between every believer in our union with Christ. So for Paul, a fulfilling life was knowing others he had ministered to were standing firm in the faith, that his efforts were not empty, that the crown of victory was still in sight. So he launches into his 3rd thanksgiving of this brief letter, as well as a benediction.
Verse 9. 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? 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.
The Thessalonian believers have thus far persevered in the midst of affliction, and Paul is overflowing with joy. And of course, this thanksgiving is directed to God. Paul thanks God, because God is the One who has seen to it that the Thessalonians have persevered in their afflictions. And God is the One who has preserved Paul’s joy in this good news of their perseverance.
Paul’s not experiencing some selfish joy or even some personal joy. Paul is joyous for their sake!
But there’s something else we need to notice in Paul’s outburst of thanksgiving and benediction, and that’s Paul’s continued commitment to the corporate commission of the gospel. Last point.
THE CORPORATE COMMISSION OF THE GOSPEL
The race isn’t finished until the race is finished. Deep, I know. But do we truly get that? Let me ask. What exactly is this race? We could define it in many ways. And one way we might define it is through the understanding of our commission in Christ: To make and be disciples.
Just as Paul’s love for the Thessalonians first fueled his concern for them finishing the race, and brought comfort to him when he heard they were still running strong, Paul’s love for them leads him to pray to the ends that the Lord will use him in whatever capacity needed to assist them to the end so that the crown is not ultimately lost.
So, Paul prays that he might be reunited to the believers in Thessalonica so that he might fill up what is lacking in their faith? What might that be? Well, remember; Paul was torn away from them early on. There’s still much discipling needed to ensure that they do indeed finish the race and together they receive the crown. So Paul prays to that end, that the Lord may direct his way to them.
JESUS’ CROWN
You know. Jesus came to run a race too. And it seemed that at the end of his race, he received nothing more than a perishable crown—a crown of thorns representative of the curse our sin had brought upon the earth. At the cross, Jesus was crowned like any other man—like any other king—kings who are crowned with perishable crowns that will one day perish along with their kingdoms. And just like every other king wearing their perishable crowns, Jesus died. But unlike any other king, Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose in victory, to retain, not some perishable crown, but an eternal crown of glory.
But realize. Jesus wasn’t seeking the crown for himself. Jesus didn’t seek his own glory except to the extent that such glory brought greater glory to his Father and greater joy to his people. Jesus finished the race, not for himself… but for you. And I think it’s theologically correct to say that the crown Jesus received for finishing the race is not some crown of gold with precious diadems—not literally anyway. Jesus’ crown of glory are his people.
Jesus’ crown is also a crown of authority. All authority, the risen Lord proclaims, has been given to me.
In Christ, that victory crown is ours too. And that victory crown is also a crown of authority. Jesus’ victory as the God man restores man’s dominion on the earth. But that crown is only ours collectively as a body, provided we finish the race. Finish the mission. See to it that no one on team Jesus fails to receive the crown.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 Give Thanks: For the Word of God at Work in You
1 Thessalonians 2:13 Give Thanks: For the Word of God at Work in You
INTRODUCTION:
I invite you to turn with me to Paul’s 1st letter to the Thessalonians.
We’re continuing our series Give Thanks. This week our theme is on giving thanks to God for the power and sufficiency of His Word and for how His Word is received. We’ll engage with most of chapter 2 this morning, but our focus will be on a single verse, verse 13. 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.
As we dig into this text, I want you to ask yourself, have you truly received this Word—the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Bible as a whole—as God’s Word and all that entails. Or is this Word to you simply one word among many, a book on the same level as the words of men? Because how you truly view this Word will necessarily be evidenced in your life. And it’s better—eternally better—for you to come to terms with this now, than waiting to come to terms with it when you stand before its Author.
As you are able, please stand in honor of God’s authoritative Word, as I read from 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2, beginning at verse 1.
READ (1 Thessalonians 2:1-16)
WHO WE THANK
Like last week, we need to locate who it is that Paul gives thanks to. Verse 13. We also thank God constantly for this. The Thessalonian believers are not the ones Paul thanks for their reception of God’s Word as the Word of God. Paul thanks God.
Now, you and I are completely responsible for how we receive this Word. Recall from chapter 1 last week, that upon receiving the gospel, the believers turned from serving their idols to serve the True and Living God. The only way you and I will turn from our idols to serve the Living God is if we’ve received this Word as the Word of the Living God.
We will all give an account for our response to God’s Word—whether our reception of it or our rejection of it. God’s sovereignty never negates our human responsibility. We aren’t puppets; we’re persons. We have a will—a corrupted will albeit, but a will nonetheless. We will give an account to God for every choice we make—particularly our choice to obey God’s voice as found in His Word or the voices of others.
But understand. If you have received this Word as that of God’s, it’s because God opened your eyes to see it as such. I thank God for that mercy. You should thank God for that incredible mercy. And I guarantee that if you’ve received this Word as God’s inerrant infallible authoritative Word, then your who life has been and is being utterly transformed. That is, if you have truly received this as God’s Word.
If, on the other hand, you have received this as merely the words of men, you’re likely experiencing little if any transformation. You’re likely still holding on to all your former worldviews and opinions. You exalt what you hear on CNN and Fox to be on par or even more authoritative than what you read in your Bible—that is, if you even read your Bible. Why? Because for you, if you view this merely as the words of men, this Word isn’t authoritative in the ultimate sense.
So my prayer for you, is that today, God, by His Spirit, would open your eyes so that you might see this Book, this Word, this gospel, for what it truly is, none other than the Word of God. And you know who I’m going to thank when that happens. I’m not going to thank you for finally wising up. You don’t get the glory. I’m also not going to pat myself on the back for saying just the right thing to jar you from your indifference. I don’t get the glory. No. I’m going to thank God, just as Paul did for the Thessalonians receiving God’s Word, not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the Word of God.
NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN
So, let’s contrast the difference between these two receptions of God’s Word. To do that, we also need to look at the delivery of God’s Word from His faithful apostles, because recognize that Paul too had to receive the Word as God’s Word if he was to share it as such.
So first, Paul thanks God that when they received the Word, they received it, not as the word of men. How is the word of men received?
Well, when we hear the words of man, we weigh them, deciding whether they’re worth heeding. Is there any value to what’s being shared, or is it simply empty rhetoric, like a politician running on all vibes no substance.
In verse 1, Paul writes, For you know brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.Theologians are divided as to what Paul means here. Most of our translations have gone with the idea that Paul’s ministry was not in vain, as in not without success. And that’s true. Paul’s ministry was a success. But in chapter 3, and in particularly verse 5, Paul will wonder as to whether his ministry truly was successful. For 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. So, I’m not so sure Paul is referring to the success of his ministry here in verse 1.
EMPTY
The word translated “in vain” is the word for “empty.” Most earlier commentators understood Paul to mean that our coming to you was not empty, as in empty of truth. Paul uses this word empty in that exact sense in Ephesians and Colossians. In Ephesians 5:6, he writes, Let know one deceive you with empty words. And in Colossians 2:8, he warns, see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy or empty deceit.
Now, if you jump back to our text in chapter 2, verse 3, we see the same idea here. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity, or any attempt to deceive.
In other words, the contrast between that of the word of man and the Word of God, is that man’s words are ultimately empty in comparison—empty rhetoric void of substance that springs from error, impurity, and an attempt to deceive.
So Josh. Are you saying every other word except for that of the Bible is filled with error, impure motives, and deception? Well, let me answer it like this. To be human is not to err. But to be fallen is to be prone to err. And we are fallen creatures. Our sinful flesh taints everything. God alone is pure. God alone is true. God alone pulls back the veil of our deception so that we can walk in light. But the writers of Scripture wrote, not from themselves, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Take me for instance. Sometimes I get it right; sometimes I get it wrong. I’m prone to err. I have a weather app on my phone. You know what it’s called? Accuweather. I’m just saying, it’s not a very accurate name. They get it wrong quite often. Paul’s appeal didn’t spring from error.
But we also have the issue of impurity. I wish I could say my motives were always pure. But I’m a sinner. If I’m honest, I have often painted myself in a better light. We have a tendency to portray ourselves a little different than that of reality. We’ll spin the truth just a little… or a lot! Just listen to the media. Neither side is unbiased. We just had an election. And both sides have been guilty of taking soundbites from the opposing side and using them completely out of context.
To give on example, the media pushed the false claim that one prominent politician threatened another with a firing squad of nine barrels. Many believed the words of the media. Now, the mainstream media, for the most part, eventually retracted their stories and admitted to taking it out of context. The point is, and the other side is guilty of this as well, the point is such distortions of the truth come from impure motives. Paul’s appeal didn’t spring from impure motives. Instead, verse 10, his conduct was holy, righteous, and blameless.
[You know, if we follow the media’s standard for truth, by taking soundbites out of context, then you could actually prove from the Bible that there is no God or that everybody is God. But only an impure heart comes to such a conclusion.]
What about deception? That goes in line with the other two, though more deliberate in nature. Paul wasn’t sharing the gospel as a peddler. He wasn’t like a salesman who exaggerates the truth or hides the truth to try and persuade you to buy what he’s selling. Paul’s appeal didn’t spring from deceit.
Whether due to error, impurity, or deceit, the words of men are not infallible, and they are prone to lead you astray. I thank God for those of you who have received this Word, not as the word of men.
WHO TO PLEASE
You want to know a quick way to help you discern whether you’re dealing with the word of men or the Word of God? Who is the preacher seeking to please? Verse 4. 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.
The word of man seeks to please others with what they say. Paul, however, was concerned with pleasing God. Paul was not at all like many of the preachers of our day. I don’t want to chance offending you because I want you to like me. I want to tickle your ears. And you know what? You kind of like your ears being tickled.
Just in a year and a half, I wonder how many I’ve offended from up here in this pulpit. I know there’s been more than a couple. I hope you know, I’m not up here trying to get you to like me. That’s not my job! It’s not that I want you not to like me, but I’ve been enlisted by One to whom I will give an account for every word I share from this pulpit. So, I’m not seeking to please you. I’m seeking to please God.
AS such, I’ll sometimes say hard things. But I assure you, it’s out of love. Love for God. And love for you who are listening. But if I simply seek to please you with my words, none of us will ever grow. You won’t grow because you won’t be challenged and convicted by God’s Word. And I won’t grow for the same reason, because I’m too focused on gaining your favor. None of us need that.
But if truth be known, every now and then, I’ll have someone say, you shouldn’t talk about that. You shouldn’t say that, you’re going to offend people. And I have. But let me just say, my goal isn’t to be unoffensive; it’s to be faithful. Paul didn’t seek to please man but God. And that’s why his proclamation of the word was so effective among the Thessalonians. Verse 5. Because it wasn’t watered down with flattery or a pretext for greed. I thank God for those of you who have received this Word, not as the word of men.
SEEKING GLORY
Verse 6. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others. One of the hardest idols to crush is this one: the idol of praise from others. Man’s word seeks to rob the glory that belongs to God alone, to share the Word in such a way as to deflect glory from God to the eloquent speaker, the witty comedian, the charismatic personality. But Paul did not come to impress people with himself. But to impress upon them the Word of God that they might be saved.
Paul didn’t share it as the word of men, and the Thessalonians didn’t receive it as such. Rather…
BUT AS THE WORD OF GOD
Back to verse 13. We thank God 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.
So, how is the Word of God received? And likewise, how did Paul deliver it as such?
BOLDNESS
First, the Word of God, when truly accepted as such, is shared in boldness. Verse 2. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi… we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
When you understand this to be God’s Word, then you understand that it doesn’t depend on you. Paul’s confidence was not in Himself, but in God. For he knew the power of this Word, because he knew it to be none other than the Word of God.
Reformers like Luther were bold in the midst of hostile opponents. Why? Because they trusted in the Word of God—Sola Scriptura, according to Scripture Alone. Now, in saying they trusted in the Word, I’m not suggesting what some refer to as Bibliolatry—the worship of the Bible over God. First, I’m not convinced there can genuinely be such a thing.
Psalm 138. For you have exalted above all things Your name and Your Word. Why? Because it’s how we know God. We cannot know God apart from this Word. When we hold the Bible in our hands, we aren’t holding God in our hands. But we are holding the revelation of God, God’s intended means for us to know Him.
Those who water down God’s Word do so because they don’t have confidence in this Word for what it is. God’s Word, when received as such, engenders boldness. I thank God for those of you who have received this Word as that of God’s because if you have, you’ll find you are bold in proclaiming it as such.
MESSENGERS
What motivated Paul to proclaim this Word, and to proclaim it faithfully without pretext or trappings, without modifying or softening it that it might be more palatable? Verse 4. 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.
Paul’s aim was to please God, the Author of this Word, indeed the Author of his very salvation. Remember, Paul once sought to silence this Word from going forth. But when the Risen Christ appeared to him and opened his eyes, removing the scales and deception that kept him from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, Paul gave his life to proclaim this same Word—the only Word that can save.
Now, someone might say. Hold on Josh. Words don’t save. Jesus does. Well, that’s certainly the nuance of the liberal church that doesn’t hold this Word to be the inerrant infallible Word of God. But realize. We can’t know Jesus apart from this Word. Period. And we’re not saved by an idea of Jesus—who we want him to be, what we want him to be like.
We are saved by the Jesus of the Scriptures, both the Old and New. And before you ask. Yes, Jesus is all over the Old Testament. It’s all about him. Which is why I’m amazed at those who seek to be New Testament only Christians. There’s no such thing! Do you realize what the apostles who penned the New Testament were doing? They took the Old Testament Scriptures and showed how they pointed to Jesus.
In fact, immediately after seeing the risen Lord on the Road to Damascus, you know what Paul did? This is Acts 9. He confounded the Jews proving that Jesus was the Christ. What do you think Paul used to prove Jesus was the long awaited Messiah? The Old Testament Scriptures.
When Paul came to Thessalonica, this is Acts 17, it says as was his custom, Paul went into the synagogues on the Sabbath and reasoned with the Jews from the Scriptures. Now what Scriptures are those? The New Testament wasn’t written yet. He reasoned from the Word of God. He reasoned from the Old Testament Scriptures.
Paul recognized himself as an ambassador. He wasn’t proclaiming himself. He wasn’t putting his own ideas forward. He simply carried the message of the King. I thank God for those of you who have received this as God’s Word, because it’s the Word of the King who saves you.
GLORY
Paul, however, wasn’t just any ambassador. He was an apostle. Yet notice, verse 6, he didn’t abuse his apostleship in seeking glory for himself, even though, he writes, we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. Instead, he was like a gentle babe, a nursing mother, a concerned father.
Notice the familial language. The Word of God calls us into a family. The Thessalonians had become dear to him, verse 8, to where he was ready to share not only the gospel but himself, willing to labor and toil for them, so as not to burden them. His conduct among them was holy and righteous and blameless, setting an example for them.
Verse 12. So, Paul exhorts and encourages and charges them, as a loving father would, to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. Do you realize, that’s what the Word of God does. It calls you into a family. It calls you into God’s kingdom. It calls you to enjoy and experience God’s glory. All at the cost of the precious blood of the Son of God. I thank God for those of you who have received this Word as the Word of God, for you have been called into His family.
WHICH IS AT WORK IN YOU BELIEVERS
And this same Word that calls you into His family is at work in you, believers, just as it was at work in the Thessalonian believers. Back to verse 13. We 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.
The Word of God works in those who believe, those who receive the Word as the Word of God, not merely as the word of men. One of the ways the Word of God is evidenced in one’s life is their willingness to suffer for righteousness’ sake. We’ll look at this closer next week.
For now, notice verse 14. 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 form 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 to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last.
The JEWS
Notice, Paul makes a distinction between the Jewish believers, those of the churches of Judea who received the Word, and that of the Jews in general. Both are ethnically Jewish. But they aren’t the same. One is the true people of God who received God’s Word with thanksgiving. The other despise God and have consistently rejected His Word to the point of killing both the Lord Jesus and the prophets sent to warn them.
And, since I’m not up here trying to please men, I may offend some of you in here with what I’m about to say, but here almost 2000 years later, little has changed. Most Jews continue to reject their Messiah. Which means, they reject God’s Word, whether they admit to such or not.
Did the Jews of Jesus’ day hold this to be God’s Word? They claimed to. But more often than not, they referred to Moses rather than God. Now, Paul’s first stop when he visited a city would be to enter the synagogue. Why? Because, in a sense, the Jews held Scripture to be the authoritative Word of God.
But here’s my point. And the whole of Scripture, both Testaments, tease this out. Disobedience stems from unbelief. Their disobedience stemmed from them not truly believing God’s Word to be that. And I’m using believe in its biblical sense, that of being fully persuaded and convinced in the truth of something. Scripture is replete with instances of those who did not believe God, meaning they did not believe His revealed Word as the Word of the Almighty.
Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Jews demoted the Word of God and its authority to be on the same level as the traditions of men. Just so you know, that doesn’t exalt man’s traditions in the least. Rather, it degrades God’s Word—the very Word that God has exalted above all things. When tradition is given equal value and authority to that of Scripture, Scripture is demoted to the level of mere human authority.
Rather than pleasing God, the Jews displeased God and opposed all mankind. How? By seeking to hinder the going forth of God’s Word, the Word that offers salvation. But for those of you who have received God’s Word, His Word is at work in you to please Him. And I thank God for that.
HOW WILL YOU RECEIVE THIS WORD?
So, how do we wrap this up. Well, let me ask. How have you received this Word?There are a lot of people, indeed, the majority of people, who receive the Word of God as if it’s nothing more than the word of men. And when they receive it as such, they think they can dismiss it, dismiss it all or in part. I mean, if it’s really nothing more than man’s word, you don’t really have to do business with it. You can put if off and deal with it later. There’s really no urgency to respond.
If it’s simply man’s word, I can choose whether to let it disrupt my life, my plans, my desires. If it’s merely man’s word, my word and opinions have just as much authority. If it’s nothing more than man’s word, I can sit as judge over it. I can examine it, attack it, disregard it, be indifferent to it, mock it, ridicule it, misuse it, abuse it, make it mean whatever I want.
Of course, it’s intellectually dishonest to believe that the Bible doesn’t promote itself to be the perfect, inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God. Now, that in itself doesn’t mean that it is. But to suggest that the Bible doesn’t claim such for itself is to be dishonest.
PROBLEM
But here’s the problem. If the Bible isn’t what it claims to be, you and I and the whole world is in big trouble. Why? Because we’re still in our sins, and there’s truly no objective hope for us, because there’s no hope that our sins have been atoned for. Which means, there’s no hope of escape from the wrath to come.
Hey Josh. Aren’t you missing something. If the Bible isn’t God’s Word, then why worry about wrath. We only know about God’s wrath from the Bible. Don’t we? Bible or no Bible, we’re without excuse. That’s Paul’s argument from Romans 1. We don’t need Scripture to reveal to us that we’ve failed to give thanks to God, and that because of such we’re under God’s wrath. Just look around. It should be obvious. We’ve just gotten so proficient at suppressing the truth. But get this. Without God’s Word we’re still under judgment, but we’re also without Christ. Without the Word, there’s no gospel, no Savior, and no salvation. Meaning we are without hope and without God to deliver us.
What’s more, if the Bible isn’t God’s Word, Jesus’ isn’t a sufficient Savior. Do you get that? Because the man who claimed this to be God’s Word, has disqualified himself from being such, if this Book isn’t truly God’s Word.
CONCLUSION
But I’m convinced, this Word is indeed the Word of God. I give thanks to God that many of you in here today have received this Word as exactly that, the Word of the Living God, which is at work in you believers. You see, the Word of God is at work in you because Christ is at work in you. The Spirit of the Word of God made flesh dwells in every believer.
Jesus, the incarnate Word, is unlike fallen fallible man. He didn’t come with empty rhetoric. In fact, such confidence he had as the True and Living Word, that He emptied himself into the vessel of a servant.
He didn’t speak in error, or from impurity of heart, or in deceit like the serpent. He didn’t seek to please man, but only His Father. He never flattered nor sought worldly gain, but instead denied himself, having no place even to lay his head.
Jesus didn’t seek the glory that comes from man. I mean, how futile that would be. Though we are no doubt to glorify him, he needs none of it. He’s perfectly glorious already, and eternally so.
Jesus is the fulness of God’s Word in all its perfection. Bold in the face of affliction. He didn’t come to speak his own Word, but came as a messenger, seeking to please his Father in all things, to bring glory not to himself but to his Father.
Jesus is gentle like a babe, he nurtures his own like a nursing mother by feeding them not only with multiplied loaves and fishes and water made wine, but he feeds us with himself—true bread and true drink. That’s who the incarnate Word is.
And like a concerned and loving father, Jesus exhorts, encourages, and charges us to walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls us into his kingdom and glory, indeed, to walk after him.
If you’ve received this Word, not as the Word of man, but as it truly is, the Word of the Living God, I thank God, for His Word is at work in you. And that Word will continue to work in you until it perfects you in Christ’s likeness. For Jesus is the Word at work in you.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 Give Thanks: For the Witness of Others
INTRODUCTION:
Continuing our series: Give Thanks!
READ: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
Now, I’ve titled this message: Give Thanks: For the Witness of Others. But I don’t want us to miss that which is most significant, and that is TO WHOM Paul directs his thanksgiving. Verse 2. We give thanks to God. Don’t miss that. We’ll keep jumping back to this foundational point. But understand that Paul isn’t writing a thank you letter to the Thessalonians in the way the world would pen a thank you card. He’s letting them know that he thanks God for them.
EXAMPLE OF GIVING THANKS
In fact, I believe we can conclude at least a few things just from these first five words in verse 2. One, Paul is giving them an example to model. Paul is giving us an example to model.
Paul’s also not simply giving thanks. He’s doing something with his words. He’s encouraging the afflicted church in Thessalonica, and he’s modeling a life of thankfulness for them to imitate. Which is especially important if they are to endure the onslaught of afflictions they have. Because as we looked at last week, they need to be able to give thanks in all circumstances. So, Paul is modeling this on the front end of his letter, so that they too might be armed with thanksgiving as the world, the flesh, and the devil seek to make shipwreck of their faith.
ALL THANKS DIRECTED TOWARD GOD
Also, Paul is reminding them, who it is we are always to direct our thanks toward. For our Reformation Celebration a couple weeks ago, we made a lot of mention of Martin Luther. But get this. We weren’t praising Martin Luther. We were praising God. We thank God for the mighty works He did through individuals like Martin Luther to return a large portion of the church back to the faith once and all delivered to the saints.
Even when we share a simple thank you with another image-bearer—you’re in the drive thru at Chick-fil-a; they hand you your meal; you give the customary, “Thank you!” And you know they’re going to come right back with… (you all know it)… “My pleasure.” It’s a good and right to thank Caleb for his service… especially if he gets your order right! But our every thanksgiving should ultimately flow through Caleb toward God—the God who fashioned Caleb and granted Caleb those exceptional skills to perform his job well. (Picking a bit.) But I hope you get the point.
DAVID AND ABIGAIL
Just as Steve read from 1 Samuel concerning David and Abigail. David recognizes God’s sovereign grace in keeping him from blood guilt and working salvation by his own hand, and so David praises God. He gives thanks to God for Abigail and her discernment.
PRAYER NOT PRIMARILY REQUESTS
We give thanks to God always for all of you, Paul says. So much so that Paul mentions them constantly in his prayers. Notice, first, that prayer isn’t primarily about a list of requests. I know that’s how most view prayer. Many see prayer as nothing more than a laundry list of wants, needs, and requests. And you better be specific with those requests to make sure God gets it right!
Listen. God already knows. He knows what you need. And as a good Father, He answers prayer only with good gifts. He’s not going to give you a scorpion when you ask for a fish. He’s not going to give you a stone when you ask for bread. But neither is He going to give you the wrong thing because your prayer wasn’t perfectly precise. To believe such, is to make God’s working in your life primarily dependent on you.
And if that’s the case, maybe we need to divert some of that thanks away from God and direct it toward you for praying just right. How silly that is. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. Why? Because, Paul will write to the Romans, we do not know to pray for as we ought. The Spirit himself intercedes in our prayers. As such, we thank God even for the prayers of others.
Even in how Paul prays, he models for them that their prayers should be filled with thanksgiving. Our prayers should be filled with thanksgiving. So much so, that it would seem that we never cease to give thanks.
FOR YOU
And what does Paul give thanks to God for? For you. For all of you. He says.
Our leadership team met yesterday morning. And you know what we did for the first hour before moving on to anything else on our agenda? We prayed. But we didn’t pray concerning just anything. We prayed concerning you. Thanking God for you. Lifting up to God… you. That the Lord would continue to work through you. That He would encourage, strengthen, sustain, fill, and satisfy you. For an hour. And it is such a privilege for us to do so.
I can’t say it any more simply than this. God has place you… all of you… on our hearts. We love you. I love you. And I thank God for you. And I thank God for what the gospel is producing in you.
That’s what Paul is letting this church know.
FOR WHAT THE GOSPEL PRODUCES IN YOU
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers—verse 3—remembering before our God and Father, your work of faith, and labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, Paul thanks God for their faith that works, their love that labors, their hope that endures.
FAITH THAT WORKS
Many theologians, liberal theologians that is, like to pit Paul and James against each other. If you recall, Paul is the apostle who claims one is justified by faith apart from works. But as Caleb read, James makes it clear that faith without works is dead, that a person is justified by works and not faith alone. So who’s right? Paul or James.
For October, both in the gospel reflections found in our weekly newsletter, and for our Reformation Celebration, we focused on the Five Solas, one of which is By Faith Alone. Are we and the Reformers espousing heresy in saying that we’re saved by faith alone? The Roman Church of Luther’s day would suggest so. They’d say we’re saved by faith and works.
Well, I think it’s important that we remember that the epistles are occasional in nature, meaning that they were written to address specific situations. There was an occasion that led to the writing of these letters. So, we need to keep the context in mind. Now, I’m not going to hash out the whole idea of justification by faith alone this morning. But I think it’s quite obvious from our text here that Paul expects that faith, if it is genuine faith, works. Paul is not at all at odds with James.
OUR MICROWAVE
Our microwave went on the fritz recently, so Friday evening I found myself installing a new over-the-range microwave. What happened, is our microwave started working contrary to its design. Rather than coming on when the door is closed, it started coming on with the door open. But close the door, it would do nothing. Well, Chase went to zap a cup of water in the microwave, and it took a couple seconds for him to realize what happened. And o the exaggerated panic from that young man. “I’m going to die. I’m going to die. I have radiation poisoning, and I can feel it.”
Now, if I was Josiah, I would have looked up how to fix the thing. But I don’t have Josiah’s mechanical gifting. So, before we had Chase panic anymore, we ordered a new one.
Now, here’s the thing. The microwaved failed to work as designed. It was broken. But, as you probably have noticed, I’m still referring to it as a microwave. But left as is, that microwave is utterly useless. In fact, even worse, it’s dangerous. The same is true of a faith that doesn’t work. We may refer to it as faith. Others may refer to such as faith. But it’s a faith that is useless; indeed, dangerous. Such a faith cannot save, but rather offers a false sense of assurance which will prove futile… and eternally disappointing.
FAITH HOPE LOVE - EMPHASIS
In other words, the gospel produces something internal: Faith, Love, and Hope. But what is produced internally will naturally express itself externally. We’re all familiar with this triad: faith, hope, and love. But here, Paul has switched up the order from that of 1 Corinthians. Why? Well his focus is somewhat different. The occasion for writing to the Thessalonians is different.
The Corinthians were struggling to live out their salvation in love. They tended to see their gifting as making them superior over those who may have had less gifting. They needed to be reminded to walk in love in all that they do, whether that be the divisions within the church, the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, how to behave towards one’s spouse, what if such a spouse wasn’t a believer, how to partake of the Lord’s Supper, and even how to see and utilize their gifting. Love tended to be the missing ingredient.
But for the Thessalonian church, Paul will commend them for their brotherly affection, encouraging them, as you’re already doing, do so more and more. And I would commend this congregation for the same. Your love for one another is evident to all. As you are doing, do so more and more.
Paul commends them for their love. Yet, they were suffering great affliction. Even though they’ve persevered up to now, and Paul thanks God for their perseverance in hope, the final word to them here is that of hope, for the sake of their perseverance.
FROM INTERNAL TO EXTERNAL: LIVED OUT
But these inner qualities needed to be lived out, or they’d pretty much be useless. Not only is a faith without works a dead faith. A faith that doesn’t work isn’t gospel faith. A love that doesn’t labor, isn’t gospel love. A hope that doesn’t endure isn’t gospel hope. But theirs is. The gospel had produced in them a faith that works, a love that labors, and a hope that has remained steadfast. And Paul thanks God for that. Why? Because faith, love, and hope are gifts from God. They didn’t muster up these out of nowhere.
THANK GOD WHEN YOU SEE THESE QUALITIES AT WORK IN SOMEONE
So, when you see someone working out their faith, give thanks to God for them. When you see someone’s love for Jesus overflow in acts of love to others, thank God for them. When you see someone endure a difficult situation because of their hope in the Lord, thank God for them.
We had a young lady in this congregation who stepped out of her comfort zone to sit at a downtown hospital all day—a good 12 hours—in order to be there for a friend who is enduring a serious trial and a very painful medical procedure.
I thank God for you Haley. I know it wasn’t easy. I know some don’t realize what a huge step that was for you. But some of us do. And we thank God for your witness.
FOR THE EVIDENCE OF YOUR ELECTION
Moving on. Verse 4. For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you.
Now, most of our translations place a couple of periods in our text where there are none, such as the end of verse 3 and again halfway through verse 4.
Translators add the additional sentence breaks as an attempt to make Paul easier to read. We just want to make sure that we don’t interrupt Paul’s flow of thought. Verses 2-5 is a single sentence in the Greek, all of it one string of thanksgiving to God—an 80-word sentence—which is by no means Paul’s longest.
I’ve had some Sunday school teachers mention how Paul tends to ramble. Well, if that’s the case, he’s doing so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Now, some of your are thinking, we’re good with Paul’s inspired ramblings. But we’re not so sure about your rambling Sunday after Sunday. Fair enough. I’m certainly not inspired in the way Paul was. Next Sunday, I’ll invite you up here to ramble for us.
So, Paul’s rambling prayer continues. He’s not only thankful to God for their faith, love, and hope, but also in knowing that they have been chosen by God. This is where we get our word election from. It’s a major biblical doctrine that’s important to understand and affirm.
If you’re here today, and you are trusting Jesus alone for your salvation, know that it wasn’t first and foremost that you chose Him. He chose you. As Jesus himself says in John 6:44, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.
Now, many want to argue that such drawing by the Father isn’t an effectual drawing but rather a wooing. The Father woos and pleads, but ultimately you and I are the decisive agents who choose to answer that call or not. Kind of like calling a puppy. I can picture Carmen wooing their not so little puppy to come inside. Here Mish-Mish. Time to come inside. And I bet Mish-Mish listens to her.
But that’s not at all what the word in John means. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them. The word draw is the same word used for drawing water out of a well. You don’t stand at the top of the well wooing the water to come up to you like a puppy. No. You drag that water out of the well effectually.
It’s also used of fishing. You cast out your dragnet, and you draw it back in. Now, it’s appropriate for Silas to say, when he catches a fish, that he drew it out of the water. But I assure you, Silas wasn’t wooing that fish out of the water. He might have lured it onto the hook with some bait. But when it came to drawing that fish out of the water, that fish was fighting! Silas had to effectually drag the fish out of the water.
And that word draw is also used of oxen drawing a plow. I can hear the oxen just wooing that thing along, and the plow responding to their lowing by willingly following behind.
THANKS TO GOD ALONE
Notice, Paul isn’t thanking the Thessalonians for their being chosen. I’m so proud of you for mustering up the faith to answer God’s wooing. NO! Paul thanks God for their salvation, for His choosing them. That Paul thanks God and not the Thessalonians for their election shows that they contributed nothing to their salvation, but that it was all from God. Paul’s not dividing up his thanksgiving between them and God. It all goes to God.
But the world is offended by such a gospel in which God Himself would choose to do as He pleases with that which is His—a gospel in which 100% of the credit goes to God alone. To the glory of God alone. We give thanks and praise to God alone—for our salvation, for the salvation of our kids, our parents, our friends, our neighbors, those individuals who fill churches around the world. We don’t thank them for being dragged out of the water and saved from drowning. We give thanks to the One who rescued them from certain death.
O but I’ll tell you the kind of gospel the world is okay with. The world will gladly accept a gospel in which we choose God and it’s ultimately up to us, where we’re the ones in the driver’s seat of this whole thing. And since, we’re in the driver’s seat, will determine what’s necessary for this salvation, and what it should look like in our lives. Perhaps I’ll gather with the church. Perhaps I’ll keep my faith private. But I assure you, whatever you want to call it, it won’t be transformative in nature.
Why? Because that’s what we call man-centered religion. It’s a false gospel. It has no power. It’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather, it’s a gospel where you’re lord. It’s a gospel where I’m lord. And you know what? On the surface, that might seem like good news. Eve sure thought it was. That’s why she reached out her hand, took the fruit, and ate.
But I’ll just tell you, me being lord, may sound good until the weight of the world—even my own puny world that in my flesh revolves around me—when the weight of the world bears down, when the weight of the world presses upon you. And you realize very quickly that a me-centered man-centered gospel is the furthest thing from good news. None of us truly want that, not when we follow it to its ultimate conclusion.
PAUL’S ASSURANCE
Paul thanks God for choosing to set His special affection upon them. For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you. Notice the word “know.” For we know. Paul’s not thanking God because these Thessalonians might be saved, and time will eventually tell if they fall away from the faith. Paul’s thanking God for the assurance of THEIR salvation.
We’re not supposed to live in doubt of our salvation. The entire epistle of 1 John is written so that one may KNOW that they have eternal life. And John offers a series of tests so that you might know and be assured whether you’re walking in the faith or not.
Well, in the same way, we shouldn’t live in doubt over other people’s salvation! There should be evidence! There should be fruit! Is their faith, love, and hope evident? Is it materialized in their lives?
Paul says he knows God has chosen them, that he is confident in their election. Why? Verse 5. Because our gospel came to you, not only in word, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.
God’s Word didn’t return void. Paul witnessed the power of the gospel among the Thessalonians, that the Holy Spirit regenerated hearts, bringing them under conviction to where there was total life transformation. This is nothing short of the new birth our Lord speaks of—unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven. And to whom does Paul give thanks? You don’t give thanks to the baby for crawling out of the birth canal. You thank God for the delivery!
FOR THE MATERIALIZATION OF YOUR SALVATION
The gospel materialized in the lives of the Thessalonian believers. We don’t have time to go into the details, but verses 6 through 10 express just how the gospel materialized among the Thessalonians. Verse 6. They received the word in much affliction and with the joy of the Holy Spirit. So much so that they became an example to believers in Macedonian and in Achaia.
Verse 8, the gospel sounded forth from these Thessalonian believers both in word and in deed. In other words, their lives aligned with the gospel they proclaimed. Get this. Part of the evidence that they had been chosen by God, that they had been saved, is they became evangelists. They proclaimed the gospel that saved them!
If you know this grace of our Lord, who saved us out of darkness, how could you not proclaim it to others! But proclamation isn’t enough. Our lives, our faith, needs to match the gospel we proclaim. And theirs did. And Paul thanks God for that.
And verse 9 and 10. You can be sure of one’s being chosen by God when they turn away from the idols of this world and turn to serve the true and living God, showing that their hope is in nothing this world has to offer. It isn’t in any election other than the election of God—God’s electing them. If you find someone’s hope fixed on Jesus’ return, this Jesus who delivers from the wrath to come, you can be assured of their salvation. Give thanks to God for such a witness.
But for those whose hope is elsewhere, in the things of this world, there’s no assurance.
HOW TO MEASURE
Sometimes the steps are small. Sometimes one’s faith may be more or less conspicuous. But o how we thank God when one’s faith is evident. We thank God for that assurance.
We live in a culture that likes to measure results. And the church can easily fall prey to such a mindset, to where we give thanks to God primarily for those things we can quantify, such as how many people attended service, how many baptisms, is the giving up or down? And while none of those things are unimportant per se, Paul is far more concerned with those things that can’t be measured quantifiably. Instead, Paul give thanks to God for those realities are not so easy to measure but should no doubt be evident: FAITH, LOVE, and HOPE.
Has the gospel come to you not merely in word but in power, in Spirit, and with full conviction? For many of you it has. And it is evident to many. And I thank God for the work of the gospel in your lives. For others, if I’m honest, I don’t have that same assurance. O I wish I did.
So, I’ll end with this. The gospel of our Lord Jesus—the only gospel that can save you from the wrath to come.
CHRIST OUR SAVIOR AND EXAMPLE
Paul thanks God for the Thessalonian church’s witness that included their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. But as we consider the Thessalonian’s witness, indeed the church’s witness throughout the ages, it’s important to recognize that we have not been left without an example to follow. In fact, Paul will go on to commend the Thessalonian church for following the example, not only of those who brought the gospel to them, but for being imitators of the Lord Jesus himself (verse 6).
While Jesus is much more than our example to follow; he’s never less. We must never lose sight of the fact that our Savior was both truly God and truly man. Jesus is the exact image of the God whom we are to reflect. There has never been a truer more perfect reflection of God than in the Son of God incarnate. Therefore, when we consider what our work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope should look like, we should first look to Jesus.
WORK OF FAITH: The work of Christ was carried out in perfection by nothing less than faith. Jesus entrusted himself completely to his Father’s care, fully obedient to his Father’s will because he trusted his Father perfectly. That’s what faith ultimately is—the confident persuasion to trust a person—which in turn demonstrates itself in action, that of works. Give thanks to God for Jesus’ work of faith, for it is that work of faith that accomplishes our salvation.
LABOR OF LOVE: Jesus didn’t just work our salvation out of faith; he labored for our salvation out of an overflow of love—love first for his Father and then for his own. What compelled the Son’s obedience, even though such would be excruciatingly painful, both physically and emotionally? The first answer is his love for his Father. When the time had come for Jesus to go to the cross, he tells his disciples, “I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father.” But while Jesus’ first love is certainly toward his Father, he also went to the cross for his own whom he loved. “When Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). Jesus agonized on the cross as a labor of love for his Father and for his own. Give thanks to God for Jesus’ labor of love for it is Christ’s love that purchases our salvation.
ENDURANCE OF HOPE: Hope may seem like a strange thing to ascribe to the Son of God, but such is to confuse the wishful hope of the world with that of biblical hope, which is grounded in confidence and certainty because it is grounded in nothing less than the character of God. Jesus set his face like flint to go to Jerusalem, not because he didn’t know what would take place but because he knew it led to the cross. The end was not hidden from him. Three times he told his disciples of his impending death. But Jesus knew that death was not the end. The true Son of David knew that his Father would not abandon his soul to Sheol or let His holy one see corruption (Psalm 16:10). And because of Jesus’ confident hope in his Father’s deliverance of his soul, Jesus remained steadfastly obedient, obedient even to death on a cross. Give thanks to God for Jesus steadfast hope, for it is the hope of Jesus that guarantees our salvation.
May we be like the Thessalonian church who became imitators of Christ’s work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.
May this gospel come upon you in power, in Spirit, and with full conviction, moving you to faith, love, and hope.
Thank you, God, for Your gospel, and for what it produces in Your people. To God alone be the glory.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give Thanks in All Circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give Thanks in All Circumstances
INTRODUCTION
We’re beginning a series on Thanksgiving. And we’ll be hanging out in Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica for the next few weeks. While we’ll likely be in chapter 1 next week, I decided it would be best to begin in chapter 5 and hopefully set forth, at least in part, a theology of thanksgiving. The plan is not to tackle the whole of Paul’s letters to the church, but rather look at Paul’s theme of thanksgiving in these 2 letters. Today, we’ll focus on a single verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:18. And I what I’d like us to consider this morning is how thanksgiving is a response, a commanded response, a response of worship to God, and that such a response must be distinctly Christian if it is to be biblical thanksgiving.
READ: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
So, just how do you prepare for a message on thanksgiving? Well, like I do for every message, I tend to read a lot. One book I read in preparation was a small little 30-page book by Judith Viorst. Now, Viorst doesn’t claim to be a theologian. Her books are more in the children’s genre. You may have heard of the book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.It’s a children’s book that took all of 5 minutes to read. It’s not overly theological, but it captures the way kids outwardly respond to things seeming to go awry. And … it also captures how some of us adults tend to respond, even if perhaps a bit more subtly. Well, thanksgiving, at the very least, is a response.
A RESPONSE:
I want us to notice something in verses 16, 17, and 18. Paul is giving 3 imperatives. In other words, these are commands. Paul’s not merely expressing these as options for the Thessalonian believers, nor is he expressing these as the best options in how to live your best life now. Rather, in light of all that Paul has shared previously, he is writing to the church, not merely that they should rejoice always, and pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances, but that they must do these things We’ll look at the background of this letter more in the coming weeks, but it may be helpful to point out that this command is not unique to the church in Thessalonica. To the church in Ephesus, Paul reminds them how they ought to walk—giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. To the saints at Colossae, he writes: Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Thanksgiving is a response. And it is the response we are commanded to give in every circumstance, even if those circumstances fall into the category of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Now, I’m the one up here giving the message on thanksgiving today. And that may lead some to think, well, if he’s giving a message on thanksgiving, he must have this thing down to some degree. Let me just say, that’s not how this preaching thing works. I’m preaching on thanksgiving because it’s in the Bible, and it’s essential to the Christian life. We’re doing a series on thanksgiving because we desperately need to be reminded of these things that we likely already know, but don’t practice all that well. I’m giving this message because I need it. And if I need it, it’s possible some of you might too.
MY BAD DAY:
Like Alexander, I had my own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day last week. So, it’s Tuesday. Sherif is giving the message! Bill’s putting together the Hymn Sing! So, I have no pressing deadlines, And I’m pondering this series on thanksgiving, working my regular day job, driving my truck down I-40. And suddenly I hear a ding, and my fuel light comes on. Well, if it was the minivan, no problem, I can get another 40 miles and pull off when it’s convenient. But hauling a 7000-pound trailer, I’d be lucky to get 10 miles. So, I do what I do best. I grumble.
I pull off the next exit, Briley Parkway. They have a small Philips 66 station just off the ramp. I know it will be tight with my 16-foot trailer, but I’m kind of hoping it won’t be busy, and I can pull in. Well, that’s not the case. Grumble. I have no idea how I’m going to back out of this thing, but I go ahead and pull in and fill up. I’m hopeful, that I’ll be able to back out without any issues. So, backing up just enough, and trying to make the ridiculously tight turn to get out of there and back onto Briley, my trailer tire catches the curb. Grumble. No big deal. It wouldn’t be the first tight turn where my tire caught a curb. It’s more embarrassing than anything. (PRIDE.) Well, this wasn’t just any curb. It was a curb that had seen a lot of erosion from vehicles cutting the turn just like I did. In other words, inside the curb was a big empty whole. So when my tire went over the curb, it came down hard on the inside. Grumble. So, I’m back on Briley, checking my sideview mirror to see if my tire’s okay. It looks fine. I think. Nope. Grumble. Grumble. So, I pull immediately back off the road into a small retail parking lot with a Subway. And I’m certain, whoever designed this parking lot never intended anyone to drive a truck and trailer into it. Grumble. Not a problem. I can change a tire pretty quickly. All I need is a tire. But you know where my spare is? It’s at my house under the deck. So, I call Jenny. And my incredible wife, who is terrified of dark scary places where there’s even a slight chance of anything creepy crawly, braves going under the deck to bring me a spare.
Now, I have a good 30-minutes to wait on Jenny. So, I’m lightening the trailer, emptying 300-gallons of water, taking off over a dozen 5-gallon cans of driveway sealant, loosening the lug-nuts. … I’m also thinking. I’m pondering the events that just took place, and I’m considering my wife’s gracious and loving response, seeking to do whatever she can to ease my burden, and I’m sifting all of this life data through the counsel of God’s Word.
GRUMBLING:
You know what the opposite of thanksgiving is? Grumbling. As Eli read for us earlier out of Numbers: And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes. (Numbers 11:1) No sooner did Israel set out from Sinai, on their way to the promised land, they grumbled. You know what they grumbled over? They grumbled over God’s provision for them. Oh, that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.
How quickly we tend to grumble over God’s good provision for us. How quickly I tend to grumble over God’s good provision for me. We’re commanded to give thanks in all circumstances. But instead, I find myself more prone to grumble than to give thanks. Rather than giving thanks that I even have a fuel light that comes on as a warning, I grumble about the fuel light coming on. Rather than giving thanks that there’s a nearby gas station, I grumble over the parking lot. Rather than being thankful that I have a spare tire less than 30-minutes away, one that’s already paid for, and being brought to me by my loving wife, my heart is prone to grumble about the wait. I need this message as much as anyone here. And a few of you are chuckling. Oh yeah, he does!
A RESPONSE OF WORSHIP:
But thanksgiving isn’t a response to just anyone or anything, it’s to be our proper response toward God, and specifically for His goodness. I would even argue that thanksgiving is central, if not the foundation of our worship. In fact, it’s the lack of thankfulness towards God that leads to idolatry. It was the lack of gratitude in the Garden that led to Adam and Eve’s eating from the tree they were told not to eat from. Rather than giving thanks to God for giving them absolutely everything else, they were displeased that being God was off limits to them—because in essence that’s what the tree represented.
I’ve given you everything, God says, but as for My throne, My sovereign rule over what is good and what is evil, I can’t give you that. And so they ate from the tree, displaying their ingratitude.
Well, maybe I’m reading too much into the Genesis account. What does Paul say. For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God — and here it is — or give thanks to Him. Instead, they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.
WHAT GOD WANTS
Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God… meaning this is what God desires from us. Thanksgiving isn’t just foundational to our worship; it is our worship. It is the worship God desires. Now, it expresses itself in different ways, such as joy and exultation, praise and singing, prayer and confession. I would suggest even our contrition is grounded in thanksgiving, because we’re only moved to contrition as a response to God’s mercy, thus out of a response of thankfulness. Thanksgiving is how we are to glorify God. This shows up clearly in the Psalms. Psalm 50: The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me. (Psalm 50:23). But the opposite of giving thanks is indifference or ingratitude. Verse 22: Mark this then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver. We can’t glorify God by giving Him anything other than thanksgiving. What could we possibly give Him? It’s all His. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls and goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
RECOGNIZES GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY:
In addition to thanksgiving being the proper response to God’s goodness, it also recognizes God’s sovereignty over all things. Which is why Paul can say, In Everything, or In All Circumstances, give thanks. It recognizes, as Josiah read, that every good and perfect gift is from above. And that would include our sanctification and how God works all things to that end for our good in order to conform us to the image of His Son. So, when you have your own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, you can still give thanks to God in those moments, knowing that He is working these things for your good. In fact, I would challenge you to refrain from weighing your days as good and bad based on your experience and the degree to which things turned out favorable in your eyes.
Why do I say that? Because it just may be that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day that drives you to your knees and closer to Christ. It may be that kind of day that drives one of your kids, or relatives, or neighbors to their knees because they have finally reached the end of themselves. And they cry out for mercy and give themselves to the Lord Jesus.
SOVEREIGN GRACE
Now my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day didn’t end with a tire change. The Lord graciously gave me several hours to let His Word percolate in this stubborn heart of mine. So, I finish my last job in Brentwood about an hour after dark. And I’m thinking of all the ways things could have gone worse, and how thankful I was that everything seemed to turn out just fine. Notice, I’m feeling good about myself, like maybe I’m getting this thankfulness thing down. Do you ever get like that? The Spirit convicts you of your sin and where you need to grow, and just like that, you master it in a day… or a half a day even!
So, I get home late, sometime after 8pm, eat a quick dinner, we have our family worship time. And as the kids are getting ready for bed, I fire up my laptop to do some work. … No fire. Well, maybe the battery is drained. So, I’m messing with the plug. And I’m looking at it, and I can tell the usb is bent. And I know what happened. Someone accidentally caught hold of the cord and pulled my laptop off the desk. Now, Jenny, she’s much slower to jump to such conclusions. But I’m insisting that’s what happened. And she’s like, no. The girls know not to play around your desk. I was home most of the day… except for… when I brought you… the tire. So, I call the three of them out. And I ask, “Who wants to tell Daddy what happened while Mommy was gone?” And Christa breaks down, “We were just making a tent!” Don’t you just love honesty. And she recounts how the laptop met its end. And Friday, Jenny took it to the mortician, and Best Buy confirmed that not only is the laptop dead, but it can’t even salvage the memory.
It’s funny when you trace the long series of events that began with my failure to check my fuel gauge before hopping on the interstate. Thanks to Sherif preaching, I didn’t have any urgent writing projects. So that took some stress off. And as I look back over the events, I can’t help but see God’s sovereign grace in the details and the timing. But how slow I am to recognize it! How slow I am to remind myself that the God who calls out all the starry host by name, who watches over even the smallest of birds in the deepest of jungles, and who numbers every hair on every head, is working all those details for good.
WORLDLY OPTIMISM IS NOT CHRISTIAN THANKSGIVING:
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God IN CHRIST JESUS for you.
Now, there’s nothing distinctly Christian about having an attitude of gratitude. The world promotes looking on the bright side of things, that being thankful leads to a happier healthier more fulfilling life than the unthankful alternative. The problem is that thanksgiving—giving thanks—is necessarily directed towards a person. Giving thanks is a response toward someone’s grace toward you—their good favor toward you. That’s what the Greek word means. [Euchoristeo’]. In other words, you can’t thank inanimate objects. You can’t go outside and thank the sun for the beautiful day. But you also can’t thank animate objects such as your dog. Why? Because there is no volition of good intent taking place in your dog. Persons alone can offer grace, and so thanksgiving must be directed towards a person if it is to be thanksgiving in the truest sense. So when the world removes the Creator from its thanksgiving, they gut thanksgiving from much of its meaning.
DISTINCTLY CHRISTIAN:
Now there’s a danger in doing a series like this, to where this message, this series, could easily turn into one that the world would gladly affirm. There’s nothing distinctly Christian about being thankful in and of itself. But get this. Worldly optimism dressed up in a cloak of thankfulness is not Christian thanksgiving. The optimistic attitude of gratitude the world promotes will prove futile in the end. You see, a positive attitude can lead you straight to hell just as readily as a negative attitude can. You want a portrait of worldly optimism’s end. Perhaps you’ve heard the short poem, The Optimist. The OPTIMIST fell ten stories. At each window bar. He shouted to his friends: "All right so far."
Proverbs 14 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Oh, the world’s advice, the world’s hope, the world’s idea of thanksgiving sounds promising enough. But ask the souls in hell who were thankful for everything and to everyone except to God! The Christian’s thanksgiving isn’t grounded in being optimistic for the sake of having a positive attitude and feeling somewhat happier than the pessimist. We aren’t thankful simply because it’s a better alternative to being a sour puss. If our thankfulness is rooted in this life only, we of all people are most to be pitied. But our thanksgiving isn’t grounded in this life only. It’s grounded in something infinitely more promising than anything this world has to offer with all its vain hopes.
The Thessalonian church was a young fledgling church that was suffering much affliction. After as little as 3 short weeks of sharing the gospel message, Paul was torn away from this new church plant due to the jealous uproar of the Jews. We’ll look closer at this background next week. But for now, Paul is exhorting them to give thanks, because it is God’s will for them in Christ Jesus. Why? Because God had chosen them for salvation. (Chapter 1, verse 4.) For we know, brothers, loved by God, that He has chosen you.
HEADING TO OUR PROMISED INHERITANCE
Like Israel of the past, the Thessalonians were headed to the promised land—the true promised land! Now is not the time to grumble over the provisions along the way. That would be like heading downtown to receive a multi-million-dollar inheritance and grumbling over your old beat-up car breaking down a few blocks away. So what! You can get a new car! But if in your frustration, you fail to get to the bank because you somehow feel you’re too entitled to walk the last few blocks, you won’t see the inheritance.
Beloved, some of your vehicles are wearing down. They’ve got decades of miles on them. But you’re almost there! Finish the race. Finish the race with thanksgiving. God has supplied everything we need in Christ Jesus. Let our outer selves waste away. We have new vehicles coming—new glorified vehicles. And we’re going to need them if we are to gaze upon and stand in Christ’s glorious presence. Now is the time to rejoice and give thanks for the assurance of what’s to come! In fact, that’s one of the main themes of Paul’s letters. And such is no less the case here in his letters to the Thessalonians. Jesus’ return is imminent! And we’ll soon be caught up into his glorious presence.
Now, I’m not about to get into the details of Christ’s return. I know, even in a Bible-believing church like ours, we’re all over the map in our understanding of just how this will play out. But Paul’s point to the Thessalonian believers was not in seeking to give them a detailed play-by-play of Christ’s return! Paul’s point was to assure the church that He's coming! Jesus is coming back! There was concern over those who had fallen asleep, those believers who had died before the Lord’s return, perhaps as part of their current affliction. Does this mean that they missed the promised hope? Not at all! There’s a great reunion coming, in which, when Christ returns, we’ll all be reunited. But not just that. We’ll be with the Lord Jesus himself, never to separate again.
So the coming of the Lord, the coming Day of the Lord, is given as grounds for their hope, and thus, whatever circumstances may come, they can give thanks. If you’re in Christ, that is your hope. So whether you’re having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day like Alexander, or things seem to be going well, we can give thanks in every circumstance because our promised hope is not in our present circumstances, but in Christ: His finished work of salvation in justifying us sinners before God, the current work of sanctification He is working in us through His Word and Spirit, and the promised hope of His imminent return and all the glories that come with it.
Our thanksgiving is distinctly Christian, because our hope is in Christ. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God IN CHRIST JESUSfor you.
So, our thanksgiving is a response, a response of worship to God for all things, most especially for the favor He has shown us in giving us the most precious gift of all—His Son.
EUCHARIST
I posited a trivia question to go along with our bulletin as to what thanksgiving and the Lord’s Supper have in common. Other than Sherif, does anyone want to take a stab at an answer? It’s the name. The Greek word for thanksgiving is εὐχαριστία. You’re likely familiar with the early church’s term for the Lord’s Supper. εὐχαριστία. Or we might pronounce it as the Eucharist. In other words, the early church called the Lord’s Supper, The Thanksgiving.
Regardless of how your week has been, it may have been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week in the world’s eyes. But in Christ Jesus, because of His finished work on the cross, it is a day of thanksgiving. As we partake of this Supper, we come to the table, not an altar, because the work is complete. We come to the table, where we give thanks to God for the indescribable gift of His Son, who through His broken body and poured out blood, He has made a way for us to enjoy true communion with Him.
Our thanksgiving is a response. It is our expected response of worship toward God for His goodness. Our thanksgiving is distinctly Christian because it is grounded in Christ’s glorious work on the cross. And our thanksgiving is a meal, where we feast on Christ, who became true bread and true drink for us.
And, Jesus says, whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me… Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
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