Rejoice evermore

Rejoice evermore. – 1 Thessalonians 5.16

Two simple little words. Such an simple concept. Such a clear instruction.
How easy could it be?

Or, how had can it be?

Rejoice evermore? How do we do that when the world is a panic over a virus that no one knows anything about? How can we do that when government polices and a spirit of and anxiety have begun to create a world where nothing is getting done and we still can’t go to church and jobs are being lost and an economic crash loom and our futures, in so many ways, are so uncertain?

We can only really rejoice when we remember one thing – God is control. We also must remember that He is good and He loves us and that nothing takes Him by surprise. James says we can rejoice in trials because they grow and mature us and get rid of the impurities.

Rejoicing comes only with trusting God to work out His plan no matter what comes our way. Rejoicing comes when we see our God glorified.

Rejoicing is not about us – it is all about Him.

Follow good

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. – 1 Thessalonians 5.14-15

Follow that which is good, both and among yourselves and to all men.

The word of God is often profound in its simplicity. Sometimes the most important parts of godly living are such simple things.

Follow good is preceded by warn the unruly, comfort the feeble, support the weak, and be patient with all. Then ‘never return evil for evil.’

At the end of all that we see the summation of it all – follow the good among yourselves and to all men.

Basically, we are told to do what is good for each other because it is not all about us.

In our relationships it is clear that we are to act differently than the rest of the world. We can’t allow ourselves to get provoked and to treat others like they treat us. We think of doing good for any and everyone we encounter, no matter how they treat us.

My problem is that responding to evil with evil is my natural response.  I want to get pay back, just like anyone would.

And that’s the problem – God’s people are not to be like everyone else. We are to be different and make a difference by our goos behaviour. Our good behaviour contingent on two things, our love for God and our love for others. If we love `God we will do good for Him and we love others we will do good for them. Doing good is not conditional based on our circumstances. We just do good and and leave it in God’s hand.

Spiritual leaders

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. – 1 Thessalonians 5.12-13

One of the blessings of the Christian life is that God always sends people on our way to teach us and help us grow in Christ.

As I look back over my life I think of many people that God brought into my life to teach and train and admonish me.

I guess the first of these were Preacher and Granny Watson. He pastored a church in Tennessee where Mary and I first got our feet wet in the realities of local church ministry. These two dear folks helped us get started in the ministry in very practical, day to day ways. They we like parents to us and grandparents to our kids. We got to see the goods and bands and blessings and trial of the ministry.

Our longest term pastor was Greg McLaughlin. We are still members of Calvary Baptist after about 36 years. He and his wife Shari were a blessing as we were allowed to serve side by side with them and to take part in virtually every aspect of church work.

I think of others examples too numerous to name.

None of these leaders were perfect, and I am glad for all that. All knew they were flawed men used by God to do his work. And yet all of them helped make me the man that I am.

These folks deserve our esteem and our honour. They teach and love and care for us. They strive to shepherd us and guide us.

It’s a tough job. Let’s make sure we honour them and support them and stand with them. Thank God for our spiritual leaders.

Let’s esteem them – in love.

Comfort and build up

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5.11

Two simple little words – comfort and edify – but they are special little words among Christians.

This crisis, keeping many of us from church, has the possibility of making it all even worse as we can’t even meet to meet and build each other up.

That though can’t stop us from giving each other comfort and from each of us building each other up. It can be harder than it sounds. Times like this cause stress and stress on our spirits and our tempers and when that happens conflict and tearing down can be the result.

We though, controlled by the Spirit, need to avoid that pitfall. When we get to feeling that way we need to focus on comfort and edifying each other. That’s hard sometimes – because our flesh gets in the way because we want to focus on us.

Personal differences and priorities can get in the way. We can sometimes allow those things to divide us, but we can’t afford to do that.

We must be known as comforters and edifiers. True love never allows for tearing down and division.

It seems like Paul talks a lot about these things. It’s possible to focus and being though and being harsh. Far too often I have seen that amongst Christians and even in my when I was younger. Hopefully the Lord has moved me on from that.

Sure, we need to stand for righteousness and holiness. We can’t compromise on truth. But even there we must remember to build up. “Ripping into’ somebody is not going to do us any good. We loving correct without pride and arrogance, then we comfort with God’s word and build up.

Not apponited to wrath

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. – 1 Thessalonians 5.9-10

The whole world has a problem. No, not this Covid thing, but a real deep problem that it has had since Adam and Eve. Now that I think about it is not unrelated to Covid.

The problem is sin. Sin is the root of all that it wrong. Sin broke the world and it broke mankind. Death and disease and sadness and woe are all a result of man breaking his relationship with God.

Sin is a big problem. Because God is a righteous and pure and holy God He can’t tolerate sin. He hates it because it violates His holiness. Those who violate God’s law deserve His wrath because they dwell in their sin.

Jesus’ return is a blessing and a comfort to those who trust Him. For those who persist in their sin and refuse repentance and refuse God’s gift will tragically face God’s wrath.

We need not fear the coming of Christ. We are not children of God’s wrath.

But there is a world around us lost in sin who will face the wrath os God. We have the answer. How can we keep it to ourselves? Could there be a more selfish thing than not sharing that gift?

Don't fall asleep

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. – 1 Thessalonians 5.6-8

Times like this, when our actions and activities can be limited, are dangerous times. We can be lulled into lethargy. It can be easy to doze off and we wait and wait and wait and wait.

It makes me think about the disciples who Jesus asked to ‘watch’ while He prayed in the garden. They couldn’t do it despite His personal request. The just couldn’t stay awake.

The church is prone to do the same today. Before this current crisis much of the church had grown complacent. We were being lulled into a false sense of security because we coasting along pretty well.

But there is nothing like a crisis to wake us up. Sometimes we need a wake up call that things are not as simple as they seem.

There is a lot of confusion in this world today. The difference for us is that we we have an answer for the world around us. There is cause to hope.

Its time for us all to wake up, get up, gird up, armour up, and get to the task before us. There is a whole world that needs to hear about Jesus before it is too late. It is high time for us to wake up out of sleep.

Children of Light

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. -  1 Thessalonians 5.4-5

This old world is still locked in its darkness. When Jesus came He came into a world of darkness. The darkness rejected Him. When He comes again He will come into a world of darkness.

The difference now is that He has left us here to walk as children of light. We keep His light burning in preparation for Him to come again.

We are children of light. We are children of the day. We live our lives to shine as lights to all who know us.

As we move along we need to be like beacons in the darkness. The world stumbles in darkness. It doesn’t even know what causes it to stumble.

The blessing though is that the darker the night the brighter our light and the more needed our light is. Every place we go, every walk we take, every shop we go into, every time we go to work, every time we are in a Zoom meeting, every time we do or go anywhere we must walk like children of light reflecting the light of the gospel to every person we meet.

The darkness of this world is not our darkness. There is no darkness so dark that it swallows light.

Once again, this little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine.

Get busy, Jesus is coming

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. – 1 Thessalonians 5.1-3

Paul dispels the need to know the ‘when’ of Jesus’ return. It is going to come as a thief in the night. No one knows when so Paul did not see a need to talk about the times and the seasons of the Second Coming.

Sure, we are told to be looking for the Lord’s return. Sure we are to expect it at anytime, but we can’t focus on the day or the hour.

Instead we need to be busy. Just by virtue of the fact that He is coming there is a work to be done. We can’t afford to sit back and wait. One of the criticism of the rapture theology is that people would do nothing because Jesus was coming. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact that He is coming should spur us on.

I remember many years ago, back in 1968 or 1969, my dad was in Vietnam. Our of the clear blue sky we got word that he was in Nashville and on his way home. The whole family worked like mad to get everything ready for him.

That’s the kind of spirit we must have today. Jesus is coming, it may be today. Let’s be busy working while it is day. The night is coming when no man can work.

Let’s keep an eye on the heavens, but let our hands be at work serving Him while we wait using the talents He has entrusted us with.

Comfort each other

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. – 1 Thessalonians 4.16-18

When I was young, oh so young, and in Bible College I knew a lot more. I knew, for example, exactly how all of eschatology was going to play out. I had it nailed down, kind of like how I had predestination figured out.

I still believe what I have always believed. I still think it best fulfils a literal interpretation of the scriptures. I believe that the next thing to happen is the rapture of the church followed by seven years of tribulation then the return of Christ to set up His 1000 year reign on earth.

Eschatology can be one of the most divisive issues of theology. It can be he source of more contention than comfort. We comfort each other with the knowledge that Jesus is coming again.

The very end of the New Testament said ‘even so come Lord Jesus.’ Ireland’s own St Patrick said he was looking for the ‘soon coming of our Lord and Saviour.’ It has been our hope for 2000 years.

No matter how bad it gets we have the comfort that Jesus is coming again! Things aren’t going to get any better. In fact Jesus said that evil is only going to get worse.

David wrote in Psalm 94 that we can dance in delight at God’s comfort. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit as our Comforter in this troubled world. God wants us to give each other comfort.

Jesus is coming. There can be great comfort in those words. We all need a bit of comfort at the moment.

A quiet life

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. – 1 Thessalonians 4.9-12

Lead a quiet life
Mind your own business
Work with your own hands
Walk properly to those on the outside

I think I want to adopt this as my new motto. It is so basic and so practical and so simple.

I read words like a quiet life, minding my own business, doing my own work, and have a proper walk before the world and I have to wonder if we have not got something wrong in the way we behave today. It seems that a lot of us think that being loud and vocal and confrontational and such is the way we can best please God.

Peter said that we pray for leaders that we might lead a ‘quiet and peaceable lives.’

I read an article by John MacArthur about church closings and how we respond. He said things like God’s people do not march in protests. We don’t rebel. We don’t harass and harangue. We don’t picket. We don’t demonstrate. We live quiet and peaceable lives where we mind our own business and while we get our work done and we live exemplary lives before our neighbours. We aren’t troublemakers. We don’t stir the pot. We are quiet and we mind our own business and we do our jobs and we have a good testimony toward those those on the outside.

May God give us the grace to live quiet lives. That’s what the church in Paul’s day – and look at the impact it had.

Concerning brotherly love

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more; that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. – 1 Thessalonians 4.9-12

These Thessalonians must have been some kind of church. Paul writes that their brotherly love was so great that everybody knew about it. They were not just known as a loving church in Thessalonica but in all of Macedonia.

These believers knew how to love each other. We are told to ‘let brotherly love continue.’ We are told to love in deed and in truth. We are told that others are going to know that we are believers by the way we love each other.

I think in our efforts to stand and to not compromise and to separate from the ungodly that perhaps we have forgotten this concept of brotherly love. Part of my Christian life thinking that being a fighter for Christ was more important than love and that love led to compromise and softening.

Love for the brethren means that I treat my brother with love even when we disagree. It means that I need to love the brother who may not treat me with love. It means I choose to love those who seem unlovely to me.

One of the ways the world judges us and our faith is the love we show each other. Jesus said folks would know us by the love we show each other. If the only way people knew I was saved by the love I showed my brethren what kind of testimony would I be?

Called to holiness

For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. – 1 Thessalonians 4.7-8

There is no doubt that our lives must be different. While we live in a world of uncleanness that is not what we are called to do or how we are supposed to live. Holiness is not the standard in the world.

In addition the standard is high. Jesus said ‘you be holy as I am holy.’

Of course holiness on our own is impossible. We are sinners and sin and holiness are incompatible. They are mutually exclusive. You can’t have one and the others.

The only solution here is salvation. When we are saved we are declared covered by the holiness of Christ. It is not of our own. One day we can see God’s perfect holiness us when we get to heaven.

It’s the ‘in the meantime’ that we must deal with.

In the meantime we are to strive for practical holiness. That means that means that we must choose to avoid uncleanness and replace it with holy living. `I have to make holy choices in my everyday life.

These don’t have to be big choices. Will I read this book or watch this film or will I let my anger control me or allow myself to dwell on evil thought or will I wallow in doubt and fear. By the grace of God I can make the holy choice and depend on the power of Christ in me to allow me to follow through.

We must pursue holiness today in all we do, all of our choices and actions and attitudes and how we treat others and how we deal with our fears and our temptations. Follow holiness.

To walk and to please God

Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; - 1 Thessalonians 4.1

What does it mean to walk a walk that pleases God? Paul writes a lot about our walk. He says to walk in love and in the light and by faith and not like the world and as children of light and circumspectly and that is just what is on the top of my head.

I like the summary Paul uses here. He says we are to ‘walk and to please God.’

I think its simple enough to base our daily walk on this question. Have I pleased God in my life today?

This isn’t to be taken lightly even though it sounds so simple. We have the guidelines in the word of God. We are all mature enough to honestly look at our lives day by day and see how the two line up.

Have my attitudes pleased God today? Have my words pleased God today? How about my thoughts? Have I pleased God in the way I have dealt with family and friends? Have I pleased God in my attempts to share Christ?  

As we head into a new way in the strange new world I can’t let the strangeness change me. I need to base every choice I make today in this question – ‘will this choice please God?’

Abound in love

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. - 1 Thessalonians 3.12.13

It seems like we can’t get away from the importance of love in our lives. I guess part of the reason is that when Jesus was asked the most important law of all He said, to put it briefly, love God and love others.

I think we all have a general sense of love. That’s good, we need to have a general love. I think we all want to love. But here Paul says he desires that the Thessalonians increase and abound in love toward each and to all. He then ties to holiness, which we will consider in a couple of days.

The longer we live the more our love ought to increase and abound.

I know as I have aged I have not always shown an increasing love, but I certainly have become more and more aware of the need to love. We can never stop loving more. There is always room for improvement. When we think we have learned how to love more that only means that we need to love more.

What gets in the way of loving others is my love of self and my focus on me. I don’t have to love myself any less because I love others – I am just told to love others like I love me. While I must remember my value to God if I put me first though I can’t put others first.

Keep growing in love. Look for new ways to love more every day. Then show that love in actions.

Stand

But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. – 1 Thessalonians 3.6-8

Stand fast is where we left off yesterday.

The opposite of being shaken is to stand fast.

Standing fast is important to Paul. He told the believers here that he lives if they would just stand fast. He wrote to the Ephesians that above all they should stand, and he said it twice in his teaching on the armour of God.

Our goal should always be to advance the gospel – but sometimes the best we can do is to just not go backwards. Sometimes standing fast is all God expects from us.

There are times when we are really buffeted about by the storms of life. Tragedy comes and the enemy attacks and things just seem to go bottom up. We have things that totally surprise and astound and confuse us like this Covid business.

By the grace of God and in the power of His might we can stand even in the toughest times and not matter how bad the storm. It feels like we are in one of those times. So above all we must stand.

Don't be shaken

Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. – 1 Thessalonians 3.1-5

Afflictions can surely be faith shakers. Our present affliction is no exception. The Covid virus and the resulting actions are a continuing hardship. Separation from family, churches closed, job losses, in addition to the obvious deaths due to illness are going to change live forever.

That points out to me just how easy it is to be shaken from what we believe. A lot of folks can be shaken to the core and begin to doubt things they have always known. James calls this being ‘double minded.’ Double-mindedness causes instability and that causes us to tossed about by everything that comes our way.

We can’t let things like this silly virus shake our faith. This is a big deal, but our lives are full of are things that catch us off guard. Sudden illness, deaths of loved one, job losses, natural disasters – all of this can cause us to be temporally knocked down. It is vital though that we don’t get knocked out when this happens. What matters is what we do. Do we stay shaken or do we choose to rely on Christ as our stability and solid foundation – and stand fast?

Don’t be shaken by the storms that assail us. We’ve all seen them. We are seeing them now. We will see them in the future.

What is our stronger, our faith or the battles of the world.

Longing

But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. – 1 Thessalonians 2.17-20

Hopefully we are beginning to come to the end of all of this separation and isolation. It seems like it has been forever doesn’t it – and it has been a full two months. As a pastor and friend and dad and grampy there is a lot of ‘longing to see them’ and we still have a while yet to go. We still won’t be together in church for a while.

Paul says ‘Satan hindered us.’ I don’t know about that here, but we are surely being hindered from fellowship be it by disease of edict, we are still hindered and our hearts do yearn with Paul. There are a few families close enough to call by and step back and stay hello and last week we drove to Sallins and knocked on a couple of doors and this week we should be allowed to meet in very tiny groups of four if we stay outside.

It’s still going to be a while before we are able to assemble together.

That’s causing a terrible longing.

At times like this it is vital that we all are not wavering in our faith. It is vital that families and couples and individuals are spending time in God’s word and in praying for each other.

Don’t let your faith be shaken. This longing will be fulfilled one day. Stay true to God and His word and to each other even though we aren’t together in body we can be in spirit.

On a personal from Mary to our own church folks - you are indeed our glory and our joy.

The word works

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. – 1 Thessalonians 2.14

Paul rejoiced for the lives of the Thessalonians. When they received the word of God they

Welcomed it as truth
Welcomed it as the word of God
Let it work in their lives

I love this. I may have to get a message together for it.

For God’s word to work there are a couple of things we have to do. They seem pretty simple, but it is too easy to ignore them.

I did a video devotion on this last week and I summarised it this way. For God’s word to work in our hearts we have to believe it, we have to receive it, and we have to obey it.

Apart from that it is just another book.

As fathers

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. – 1 Thessalonians 2.11-12

I love these thoughts about how God’s people are to be as gentle as a nursing mother and and instructive as a father. There are such beautiful images of how we get the gospel out.

While they comforted the people like a nursing mother they exhorted and comforted and instructed like a father.

Generally mothers and fathers parent differently. God designed it that way. At times both parents exercise all of these traits, but generally Mom is the one kids go to for comfort and dad is where you go when you have a problem.

Here all the words used are very positive images of fathering. Exhort, comfort, and instruct.

Fathering our children is tough work. Spiritual fathering takes work as well. It’s not only pastors who have this responsibility. As we grow in our faith we are the ones who need to be examples to the younger men, to come alongside to encourage and instruct, and yes, sometimes correct the younger men.

If those of us who are already Christians do not come along to help new believers who is going to help?

Compassion

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. – 1 Thessalonians 2.7-8

When I was younger back in the 70s and 80s and 90s after my salvation I heard an awful lot about the toughness of ‘hard’ preaching with a focus on God’s wrath and punishment. There seemed to be a lot of scaring people in order to show them the need of salvation or even to obey all the right rules.

There is truth to that. God is a righteous and holy God who judges sin and Who expects holiness and who does punish sin. As we work with people we can’t hide that.

But here Paul stresses the importance of be gentle in our approach, as gentle in fact as a nursing mother.

The whole image of a nursing mother and infant in the epitome of love and caring and security. As a mother cradles her child in her arms she nourishes and conforms the child she builds a bond of love.

Paul says that this is how they dealt with the people. It reminds me of the verse in Jude that says ‘on others have compassion, making a difference.’ Sure, there are situations when we must deal with sin and preach repentance clear and simple.

There are times though when the world needs love and compassion. There are times when believers need comfort and love and compassion.

Paul ends this note with the words 'because you were dear to us.'

Tha makes all the difference.

Entrusted with the gospel

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. – 1 Thessalonians 2.4

You know, God could have used any number of mean to present the gospel. He could have sent an angel to each of us when we were at an age to understand and had them preach to us. He could have written the gospel in the night sky so everyone could see it. He could have appointed and superintended a corps of proclaimer with supernatural powers to preach.

But He chose us. He entrusted you and me with the task.

Amazing truth that. I would think He could have chosen and much better vessel to do this most important of tasks.

But He didn’t do that. He took the most important work that needs to be done and the most important words that needed to be said and entrusted us as stewards of the gospel. I need to consider how I am doing with that stewardship.

It is a truly awesome thing to consider this stewardship. Jesus gave the Great Commission to ‘go into all the world and preach the gospel.’ Jesus said ‘you shall be witnesses’ as you take the gospel into the world. Paul write ‘how are they going to hear unless someone goes and shares the gospel?’

It is up to all of us to do our part. It is our trust. What are we doing?

Boldness

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. – 1 Thessalonians 2.1-3

Paul says here  ‘we were bold to speak the gospel of God in much conflict.’  What a challenge that is to me. That kind of holy boldness is something I rarely exercise. It is something I long for, but which is too often overridden with fear and timidity. I don’t want to be rejected. I want people to like me. Sometimes I let that override the truth of my love. My love ought to convict me to be faithful in preaching the gospel even if it does cause of offence. I don’t need to be offensive, but I do need to be bold.

For the last six months or so I’ve been praying for and working on this in my witness.
I’ve been asking God to open hearts and doors and for the boldness to at least talk about him and even to share the gospel.

But bold, really bold? I think not.

Boldness did not come easily to Paul either – he had to ask churches to pray for Him to be bold in sharing the gospel

The time is ripe. People are open. Oh Lord give me that holy boldness to share the most important news there is.

Turning and waiting

For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. – 1 Thessalonians 1.9-10

Salvation is explained here as Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers about how God had used them to turn from their idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for Him.

The Thessalonians would have been the kind of society where false gods dominated the religious scene. Homes had god shelves and family gods and all kinds of gods for all kinds of situations. Today we turn from different gods of materialism and popularity and selfishness and such. Salvation means we turn from them and we turn to serve the living and true God.

And then we are called to ‘wait for His Son.’

This waiting is nothing like just sitting in an airport placidly watching the flight schedules. This waiting is an eager anticipation at what God is going to do. It is a waiting that is not idle, but at work. While we are waiting we are to be loving and serving and going and helping and sharing because we don’t know how much time we have. We wait with eager anticipation because we know He is coming.

Believers have repented from our old priorities. Now we are waiting to see Him again. Let us work while we have the chance.

Your faith has gone out

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 1:8

Paul did not need to say a lot to the Thessalonians. They had been preached to, had been saved in affliction, had the joy of the Holy Spirit, and their faith had gone out all over the plead.

This Thessalonian church must have been something else. From them, Paul said, the word of God ‘sounded out…in every place.’ These folks could not be shut up. The gospel had such an impact on them that their ‘faith toward God had gone out’ to the point that Paul did not need to say anything more.

The church’s faith did what faith is supposed to from the very start. Jesus said to go into the world to preach the gospel. Our faith has always had an outward objective. It started in Jerusalem and went from there to Judea and Samaria and the uttermost parts of the earth.

The Thessalonians had it right – there faith hd sounded out to their region and to the surrounding regions and in every place. It was so obvious that Paul said that he did not need to say anything.

How am I doing at ‘getting my faith out’ where others can see it?

Exampleship

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. – 1 Thessalonians 1.6-7

The believers Thessolonica got a ‘good dose of salvation’ when they got saved. It wasn’t a quiet affair. When they heard the testimony of Paul and His team they received the word of God in the middle of affliction. Hey had the joy of the Holy Spirit and then they became examples to everyone else.

That challenges me. What kind of example am I today? This task of exampleship has carried on since Day One. People see examples of Christians, some get saved and their lives as examples, and so on and so on down to today.

But back to my question. How is my example? Am I an example to the lost as I try to live for Christ? Am I am proper example to my fellow believers. Do people see Jesus in me and my words and actions and attitudes and responses?

What can of example am I?

Words are not enough

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. – 1 Thessalonians 1.5

Words are great. We need words to spread the gospel. It is nonsense to think that we can preach the gospel – and use words when necessary. The words have to be spoken, but they are not enough.

I think of Hamlet musing over the thought ‘words, words, words’ and considering their import and their impact.

Words are indeed powerful things. Words can build or destroy. Words can bless or curse. Words can make or break.

But when it comes to salvation words are not enough. The gospel only works as blessed by the Holy Spirit and the the assurance that they are true. As we witness for Christ we must not just prepare a plan of what we are going to say – we also need a firm and absolute reliance on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a reliance on Him to work in their hearts.

Praise God for words. May we think before we speak, watch our words, choose words full of grace seasoned with salt, words that build up and not tear down, and our pure. But as we speak those words may we do so with a firm reliance on the Holy Spirit to take those words and use them to draw men and women to the gospel.

Remembering you

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, - 1 Thessalonians 1.2-3

Paul was so kind in the introductions of his letters. Here he tells the Thessalonian  believers about how he gave thanks for them, mentioned them by name in his prayers, and remembered without ceasing certain aspects of the church.

He remembered their work of faith
He remembered labour of love
He remembered their patience of hope.

Faith, love, and hope are another one of the great triumvirates of godly living.

First of all we note their work of faith. That’s important because true faith produces work just like James told us and just like Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians that when we are saved by faith we are also ordained to do good work. Faith and works go hand in hand.

Then they had a labour of love. Love is not in words alone but it is seen in deeds and in truth.

The they had a patience based on hope, or confidence that God is working and that He is control and He will bring His word to pass.

The word of God is jam-packed with Bible truths about what our daily lives reflect. Do we, you and me, live lives that reflect work that proves our faith. Is our love more than just an occasional ‘I love you?’ Are we waiting patiently on God because of the hope that we have in Him.

Are we the examples Paul talks about just a couple of verss later?  Are these the kind of things that peopel remember about us?

Fulfil it

And say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.” – Colossians 4.17

I well remember this verse from about 30 years ago and I first noticed it. We were teaching school and the school was struggling to survive. We just couldn’t pay our bills and. They couldn’t afford teacher’s salaries. It was tough to stay motivated while salaries were being cut, or even in some cases salaries ceased.

How do you keep going in times like that?

I used to do devotions at staff meetings. One day I came across this marvellous passage. When Paul is wrapping up His letter to the Colossians. Like he did so often here he sends greeting to individuals in the church.

One of these was a guy named Archippus. Paul says to remind Archippus of the ministry that God had given him and that he fulfil that ministry.

Its really pretty simple. God gives us a ministry. We do that ministry until God moves us.

Many years ago I was really, really discourage in the ministry. We had had a series of setbacks. I had enough. I went for a walk on a Sunday morning and sat on a bench and ‘gave out’ to God. I wanted to leave.

Now, I am not sure about hearing God’s voice, but if it is possible I certainly heard God tell me ‘I’ll let you know when I am done with you here.’ That woke me up. I got up and came home and the situation hadn’t changed, but my heart had. God confirmed that in the coming days through Bible readings and devotions and such.

God wants us to be faithful – that’s what He requires. What need to fulfil our ministries and move on only when God directs us.

My only fellow workers

Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. – Colossians 4.10-11

Poor Paul. Over and over again he had coworkers abandon him in the ministry. We see it in several letters and even in the historical record of the book of Acts.

Here he speaks of the only three Jewish believers who were still sticking with him. Aristarchus, who was in jail with him, John Mark, and Justus stood by his side. In other letters it is a different list.

It is easy to be critical, but if we stop and think about practicality it is also easy to understand what they were going through. If we get all high and mighty we can talk about them being a bunch of quitters and their lack of faith and how they weren’t made enough to stick it out. We can say ‘all you had to be was to be faithful.’

But sometimes we have to recognise that the ministry is tough. It is hard to be critical. Sadly we have seen a lot of people come to Ireland with the conviction that this was where God wanted them.

But this can be a hard place to serve the Lord. We don’t see a lot of ‘results.’ People make decisions and then fade away. We have the lowest percentage of Evangelical Christians of any English speaking country in the world.

Lets not forget that there are very real factors that God uses to direct us out of a ministry. Let’s pray for those who struggle to ‘not lose heart.’

However, those who do stay and keep plugging away, are a source of great comfort.

Seasoned speech

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:5-6

I had to break this into two sections. The first dealt with wisdom, the second deals with our speech. Most of us are more known for our speech, good or bad, than we are for our wisdom (or lack of it).

There are a couple of things we could talk about here. One is the importance of just making sure that we are always gracious in our speech and to shake the salt in our conversations.

The context here makes me think that there is a lot more to it. The context is using wisdom toward those on the outside and using the time given us. I think in that context what we are seeing here’s simple.

Our speech must always be full of the grace of God
Our speech must always be seasoned the preserving power of the salt of the gospel

Sure, we have to make small talk and conversation and get to know people a bit and develop friendships when we can. There is not doubt about that.

But at the same time we need to remember that we don’t know how long we have and we need to redeem the time we do have. Therefore we must seek chances to impart grace to those we know. They must see and hear of the grace of God in our lives. We must look for chances to season our conversation with the preserving power of salt. The gospel ought to spice up our lives and our conversation.

May my speech show God’s grace and be seasoned with the salt of the gospel.

Using our time wisely

Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:5-6

Walk in wisdom toward those on the outside. Redeem the time.

I love when we just get simple practical advice from God’s word. Those of who are believers are living in a world mostly filled with those who have never trusted Christ. We see people like that every day. They are our friends and families and coworkers and associates and shopkeepers and people we see on our walks and officials we deal with and everyone we see everyday.

It is important that we don’t just take them for granted. Our time may be short. We need to redeem the time we have.

We all need wisdom in dealing with others. I need wisdom every day as I seek to interact with people I see on my canal walks. Some of these chats may be the only time I ever get to engage with them. It may be my one and only opportunity to help them come to Christ.

It is vital that I redeem the time. The pandemic is making people aware of their eternity and mortality. When this is all over people’s minds will go back to the way they were. We must redeem this opportunity while we have it. This is our moment to shine. Daniel Defoe wrote a novelised history of the Great Plague on London in the early 17th century. In it he wrote of the people being open to the gospel during the plague but going right back to their ways when it was over. I think we are seeing the same thing today.

God give me wisdom in every conversation I have. Help me to use this time wisely.