2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12 Encouragement in the Face of Problems

Have you ever wished that someone had given you encouragement when you really needed it? A few words of encouragement can really make our day brighter. We see an example of this in the reading we heard from 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12.

 

Knowing that his words would fill the Thessalonian believers with the humble desire to do better, Paul praised them for their growing faith despite tremendous persecution. Earthly troubles can be great soil for the growth of faith. Paul reassures the Thessalonians that his giving thanks to them is both legitimate and necessary because of their misunderstanding of the Lord’s return. He gave thanks for their increasing faith and love in difficult circumstances. The Thessalonians have set an example for us as Christians to follow. Difficult circumstances are not excuses for us to lose faith. On the contrary, they are opportunities for our faith to grow.

The Thessalonians demonstrated patience. They endured in spite of hardships. They took their suffering and used it in positive, creative ways. In doing so, they showed love to each other. Paul also praised the Thessalonians for their abounding love toward each other. Rather than living according to their own self-interest, as suffering people often do, the Thessalonian believers had reached out to one another.

When Paul adds the word “tribulation” to the word “persecution,” he expands the meaning to include not only what people did to the Thessalonians but their everyday difficulties. Yet their persevering patience testified to God’s power and the reality of their faith---things that Paul could boast about to other churches. The word “boast” simply means that Paul could hold up the Thessalonian believers as good examples.  

Trials do not make us what we are: they reveal what we are. Some of the most compelling evidence of God at work in the Christian life comes when a person is overwhelmed by troubles and yet still serves Him, fulfilling the work of faith with power. God will deal with those who hurt us in his own time and in his own way. We have a spiritual obligation to thank God in prayer when He accomplishes great things through us.

In our spiritual walk we will face many challenges to our faith. We can prepare ourselves to face these challenges by studying the experiences of faith of those who have gone before us. That includes studying the Bible. Our calling from God on our lives won’t be easy. When God asks us to do something, he will give us the grace and strength we need to do his work and make it through any difficulties we face.

When we walk with God, we are united with fellow Christians. When we walk with God, we become worthy of the calling Jesus has given us. More important, however, is the fact that we will be worthy to enter the Kingdom.

We need both grace and peace to get to our God-given destinations. We are saved by God’s grace through faith. We don’t deserve God’s grace, but he still gives it do us. Grace opens the door to salvation, but it also gives us the strength we need to live the lives God has called us to live here on earth. Peace is just as powerful as grace. Peace means that we are one with God in thought, word and deed. We are settled relationally with God and with each other, and nothing can change that. God’s grace and peace allow us to grow n every area of our lives, including our love for others. Love is the greatest thing, and that’s all that matters in eternity.  

For the people to be worthy of God’s calling in their lives means they should live in harmony with their ultimate destiny. In other words, because they belong in Christ and are bound for heaven, they should act like it. That includes growing spiritually wherever we are in life. If we don’t grow spiritually, we will stagnate.

Jesus is glorified through His people’s response to adversity. As believers represent the Lord amid times of trouble, they will find their faith strengthened, their hope sharpened, and their love stimulated. We can glorify God when we live our lives to our very best. When we do the biggest thing even when the wrong things are happening all around us, that brings honour to God. He is glorified when we put him first in everything we do.

When we strive to please God and do His will by tapping into the Spirit’s power, we show that Jesus is Lord and infinitely worthy of our service. Those who have never heard or accepted the Gospel will suffer eternal separation from God. When Christ comes again, he will raise the faithful to be with Him. Christ’s goodness will be seen in them and their goodness will be seen in Him. This will be achieved through God’s grace-the same grace he offers to all of us today. All we have to do is reach out in faith and take it.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1693)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Joel Osteen, “Grace and Peace to You.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

4.      Joel Osteen, “Let Your Love Show.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

5.      Steve Arterburn, “Calling.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

6.      Joel Osteen, “Glorified in You.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com

7.      Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984, pp. 108-111)

8.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006)

9.      Stanley, C.F.; The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)

10.  Dr. David Jeremiah, “Keep Growing!” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

 

2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 Final Thoughts

What would you say to someone if you knew you were speaking to them for the last time? What advice would you give?

These same questions were likely on Paul’s mind when he wrote his second letter to Timothy. Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, and he knew that he would soon be put to death by Emperor Nero. The letter to Timothy, which we heard a part of earlier in this morning’s service, was a “passing of the torch.” In this letter Paul gave final instruction to his star pupil Timothy much like a school teacher gives final instructions to his or her students before they write a final exam.

It’s a good idea for us to reflect back on our spiritual lives once in awhile. It helps us live even better as we move forward. Our spiritual lives will face setbacks, hardships and difficulties. We can’t change something that happened in the past, but we can change how we do things form this moment forward.

The term, “At my first defense” speaks of Paul’s first imprisonment. This, his final imprisonment, was Paul’s Gethsemane. It was the end of his earthly journey and the beginning of his journey into eternal glory. He was delivered from danger.

Paul wanted to continue doing God’s work until the last possible moment, and he wanted to study God’s work until the last minute. In other words, he stayed focused on God until the last minute. He set a good example for us as Christians to follow. When we stay focused on Christ and study His word, we can withstand all of life’s challenges. Success eventually follows when we refuse to quit.  

Paul has completed the work God assigned him to do. God has given the same assignment to both Timothy and us. It was up to Timothy to continue this work, and it’s up to us to continue it as well. Paul is now prepared to receive the crown of righteousness that God gives to all believers. This is possible because of God’s grace. All true believers who hope for Christ’s return and persevere in doing His work will receive this crown. When we devote our lives to doing God’s work, we might not receive earthly rewards. The results of our work will last for eternity as long as we keep getting up and going when we fall.

Paul’s life has been a sacrificial offering. The word “departure” suggest the untying of a boat from its moorings. Paul’s exit from this life will mean a new life ahead in eternity. Paul, like most people who know that their life is coming to an end, looked backward before passing into his eternal reward. Staring death in the face can bring out the best in people. The real prospect of death forces us to focus on what is significant in our lives.

Paul had every reason to be resentful. He had no money, clothes or food. He was in prison. His morale was dwindling. The only familiar person who was there to encourage him was the apostle Luke. All of his other friends deserted him because in Rome at that time supporting a Christian at his/her trial would have led to a death sentence. Paul’s last words had no hint of bitterness, resentment or regret. His unbreakable spirit emerged. He was more concerned about others than he was about himself. He extended forgiveness to those who abandoned him, thereby following the examples of Jesus when he was on the cross and Stephen when he was stoned to death.

God also stood by Paul, and God will also stand by us. When we are tired, he will give us strength. When failure is inevitable, he steps in and helps us find the strength to finish the work he gave us to do. We need his strength because we are in a spiritual war. We are fighting against evil in this world, flesh that is corrupt and a devil that is busy. Like soldiers on the front line of a battle we are in a battle that is demanding and risky, but the prize is worth fighting for. Jesus will not be ashamed of His soldiers. In fact, he will be in the trenches leading us and fighting alongside us. When we win the fight, we will get a foretaste of the reward we will receive in heaven.

Paul has no regrets about his past. All three images-fight the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith-have involved sacrifice, labour and danger. Now they represent the successful completion of Paul’s earthly ministry. Paul accepted the reality of his situation. God gave Paul the strength he needed to spread the Gospel, and God also gave Paul the strength to face his upcoming death. God rescued Paul from his fate not by preventing his death but by taking him to heaven. Christian life and ministry is a commitment to run all the way to the finish line. 

Paul’s acceptance of his situation is a good example for us as Christians to follow. Things could be better, but they could also be worse. Our place in life can only be experienced by us. If we can change anything for the better, we must do so. If we are being blessed, we must share our blessings with gratitude with others. If we have any regrets, we need to address them now before they poison our spirit or ruin the rest of our lives. If we long for payback, we long for justice to show itself. When we fear payback, we become afraid that justice will show itself. We want our own efforts to matter. Complete justice rarely comes, and when it does come it rarely comes at the speed we want it to arrive at.

Those who are eager for Christ’s appearing are usually eager to fulfill His calling before He returns. They persevere because they know that their final salvation and righteousness are sure. Paul saw his upcoming death as a release from the toils of responsibility. He saw the hand of God moving to give him mercy and to spread the gospel among the people who were persecuting him. He saw his upcoming trial as another opportunity to spread the good news.

It’s important for us to look above what’s here on earth and to know where our treasures are. It’s also important for us to be true witnesses for God by showing others that we serve someone greater than us. When it comes to committing our resources in service to Jesus, we can only do what we can.  If we want to do well, we need to live well. If we want to live well, we need to figure out what our God-given purpose in life is and give it our best shot with God’s help.

Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1723-1724)

2.      Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights on 1&2 Timothy/Titus (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2016, pp. 232-239,247-249)

3.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

4.      Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984)

5.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 1986)

6.      Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

7.      Richard Inness, “Keeping the Faith.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

8.      Dr. David Jeremiah, “Famous Last Words.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

9.      Dr. Harold Sala, “Quitting.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org

10.  Ed Young, “Invest in Your Future.” Retrieved from www.edyoung.com

11.  Richard Inness, “What’s Your Purpose in Life?” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

12.  Joni Eareckson Tada, “The Good Fight.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org

13.  Alistair Begg, “His Kingdom.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

14.  Matt Skinner, “Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1837

 

 

Luke 17:5-10 Big Things Come in Small Packages

A wealthy man died and went to heaven. He was met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter who led him down the streets of gold. They passed mansion after mansion until they came to the very end of the street. Saint Peter stopped the rich man in front of a little shack. “This belongs to you,” said Saint Peter. “Why do I get this ugly thing when there are so many mansions I could live in?” the man demanded. “We did the best we could with the money you sent us!” Saint Peter replied.

Have you ever noticed that some of the greatest or most beautiful things in life come from things  that are very small?

Let me give you an example. How many of you plant vegetables or flowers? Plants and flowers start as seeds. Once these seeds are planted, they slowly grow into plants and vegetables of different sizes. All you have to do is look at pumpkins that are entered into various weigh-ins at this time of year. Some of them weigh hundreds of pounds, but they all started from a small seed.

Faith is like a seed. It starts as something small and over time grows into something larger that allows us to do great things in Christ’s name. Many people believe they would be better equipped to live the Christian life if God wold only grant them more faith. Jesus focused not on the quantity of faith but its character. More faith does not equal greater ability to accomplish things, since God is the One who does the work. The Lord is able to accomplish great things with only a grain of genuine faith. Even an small amount of faith can lead to remarkable results if it is the result of a genuine trust in God.

When we ask for more faith like the disciples did in the reading we heard from Luke 17:5-10 earlier in this morning’s service, it’s often because we are facing difficulties in life and we fear that our faith will weaken or that it won’t match the trials we are facing.  Jesus tells both the disciples and us that the quantity of faith we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our faith. A small amount of faith will enable us to do great things for God. Having faith does not mean that we will have the power to perform crowd-pleasing miracles. Sometimes the simplest things done in faith can have huge impacts. Our response to the gift of faith is the desire and ability to do what Jesus asks us to do, including great things.

Jesus illustrated His teaching on faith by pointing to a nearby mulberry tree-a large, stout tree know for its longevity and deep root system. Our faith is to be like the mulberry tree-large, strong, long-lasting and deeply rooted in the love we have for God.

When we struggle against life’s injustices and wrongs, we are reminded that the good work we do is a gift from God. That gift is sufficient to enable us to do what needs to be done to further God’s dominion on earth. Faith is putting one foot in front of the other and walking toward a future we do not see but trust that God is working. Faith is heading out the door every day looking for opportunities to do God’s work in the world. 

Christ’s standards might seem to be too high, but they represent the minimum duties for a servant of Christ. When we obey Christ, we are not to think that our obedience is meritorious.  Servants are expected to do the will of their masters or employers; their work is not a favour but a required service. A servant of God seeks to obey God’s commands without question and without bargaining for a reward. When we follow Jesus’ teachings, we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. God owes us nothing, and we owe him everything, even our lives. We are not owed any special favours or rewards for our good works. We will be rewarded in heaven.

When it comes to obeying Jesus, full faith is needed. If we want to increase our faith, we must understand what faith is, and we must be rightly motivated in wanting to see our faith increase. These motives are:

1.      Wanting to please God.

2.      Wanting to do good works of love, which is a mark of a true Christian.

3.      An effective prayer life.

4.      Wanting to live by faith.

God wants to strengthen our faith through the hardships He allows into our lives. God works in all kinds of circumstances, among all types of people, in all kinds of situations. He is with us wherever there is even faith as small as a mustard seed. He is alive wherever we practice the faith we already have.

There are two ways to build our faith-repetition and impartation from God. Our faith builds as we see God working in our lives and we come to trust Him more and more because we see that He is faithful to us. When God imparts faith to us, it is for a specific purpose or task. This is the type of faith we received when we trusted God to save us. When we act in faith, we will grow in faith. Faith is like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it gets.

Faith isn’t a game plan for solving our problems. Faith does not mean understanding why things are the way they are. Faith isn’t about answers. It’s about the love of God through Jesus. It’s about being grasped by Jesus so that we know in our hearts and bones that our lives, his life and the world are mixed together. It’s about God working through us.

If we live our lives according to the pattern Jesus laid out for us, we should not expect any special commendations or rewards. Following His pattern is simply the way to live life. We are only doing what He expects us to do. It is the life we are expected to live by serving God. Faith is found in the ordinary, daily acts of doing what needs to be done, responding to the needs around us and caring for others.

Sometimes having faith means having our thoughts, feelings and actions transformed by God. It means being a “slave” to God and being wholly devoted to God’s purposes in the world. Faith is just doing our job, or our duty, not because of any sense of reward but simply because it needs doing.

God is gracious to us. Each day He gives us the faith we need to face whatever the day brings. We can grow weary, and we need to be waited on. That’s what God does for us. He has us sit around His banquet table. He serves us with a special chosen Word to encourage us. He gives us bread and wine to renew us with Jesus’ life. We are renewed and we can go back to everyday life.

 Bibliography

1.      Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1419-1420)

2.      ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

3.      Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

4.      Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pp.248-249)

5.      MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

6.      T.M. Moore, “Why More Faith?” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org

 

7.      Lois Malcolm, “Commentary on Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1785

8.      David Lose, “Everyday Faith.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=2773

9.      Bishop Kenneth Carter, “increase Our Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

10.  The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor, “Opening Up to Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

11.  Preaching Magazine, Fall 2016 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing, pp. 67-68)

12.  Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-, October 2, 2016.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

13.  Richard Inness, “Exegesis for Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

14.  Evangelectionary for Oct. 2, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnections.org/evangelectionary-for-october-2-2-16-worldwide-communion-sunday

15.  “Pentecost 20 C: Every Day Acts of Faith.” Retrieved from noreply+feedproxy@google.com