The ministry of the gospel, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20

In the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we saw in his introductory remarks many characterizations of a godly church, as exemplified by the church of Thessalonica. Paul expressed his gratitude for their response to the gospel that he and his missionary team had delivered to them.

Now as we come to the second chapter, Paul gives a defense of his ministry of the gospel to this church.  We can surmise by the tone and content of this letter that some people were critical of Paul and Silas and Timothy’s ministry and sought to undermine the work that they had founded in Thessalonica.  And so in the context of this defense of his ministry, we will see the hallmarks of a godly ministry of the gospel, as exemplified by Paul and his companions.

These hallmarks of his ministry should be a template for effective pastoral ministry in the church today as well.  There are a lot of possible ways in which a pastor can minister to the church.  But it’s much  too common today in the church, to see pastors a variety of methods of ministering, which seem to produce various results, but which have no precedent in the Biblical mandate to preach the gospel and make disciples.  And I would add to that - the test of a minister’s effectiveness, of his adherence to the Biblical standard, should not be judged by the size of the congregation.  You can draw quite a crowd with bread and circuses, but the spiritual growth of the church is not something that is always synonymous with the size of the church.

So I think it would be helpful for us to consider this defense of Paul’s ministry as a template for a godly ministry of the gospel, and hope that we will tailor our ministry according to Paul’s example.  Now there are 20 verses in this chapter, and about half that many characteristics, so I am going to have to move quickly through the text to cover them all.  But the first characteristic we see is that Paul’s ministry was his purpose was to give to the church, and not to take from the church.

Paul says in vs 1, “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.” A lot of translations interpret this word as “vain,” which means, as not without purpose.  The superficial interpretation then is saying that his ministry was not without fruit.  But there is another possible meaning which I think fits in the context better.  This word translated “vain” may also be translated as “empty handed.” So what Paul might be saying in that case is “far from coming to take something from you, we came to bring you something - our hands were not empty.”  And I think that fits more in keeping with the context of the chapter, as you will see going forward.  The treasure Paul brought to these people was much greater than anything he might have taken from them. And his desire all along was to give them this great gift of salvation.  That’s why he came to Thessalonica.  Not as a predator, as perhaps some of Paul’s critics had asserted, to see what he could take, but to give them the invaluable gift of the gospel.

And that is, in effect, what he says in vs 2, “but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.”  Another translation reads like this, “On the contrary, though we had previously suffered and had been shamefully treated at Philippi as you know, still by the help of God we summoned courage to tell you the good news of God with profound solicitude.”  Now I like how that translation answers the previous assertion that they had not come empty handed, but on the contrary, they delivered to them the good news of God. What they brought was the gospel and they ministered it to them.  Their intention was not to take, but to give.  

In that statement, you should also notice a mention of the beating and imprisonment that Paul and Silas had endured at Philippi.  So even though they had just recently suffered a great ordeal for the sake of the gospel, they wanted to come to share the gospel in Thessalonica as well.  They had a deep concern for the spiritual well being of the Thessalonians, which was the reason for their coming.

That concern for the souls to whom you minister is yet another characteristic of a godly ministry.  A desire to see people come to a saving knowledge of the Lord, and to grow in their faith, and to equip them to walk in the truth, these things are a hallmark of a godly ministry.  Not simply to grow in size, to raise up a great building, a big organization that only profits the ego of the minister, but doesn’t give the people what they really need.

The next characteristic of Paul’s ministry was that the gospel which he preached was not designed to appeal to men, but to please God.  He says in vs 3 and 4, “For our exhortation didn't come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive.  Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.”

A number of years ago, a well known pastor had a desire to build a great church, and so they came upon a plan to send a questionnaire out to the community asking them what they would like to see in a church.  The answers to the survey provided a template for their church, and started a movement in evangelical circles called the seeker friendly church. They tailored their ministry to appeal to the unsaved. And the result was that they did in fact build an enormous church which became a prototype for 1000’s of other churches who also wanted to build a bigger church.  The question remains though if many of the people drawn to such churches are truly saved.  And for those that are saved, how many grow spiritually mature in such an environment.

That’s not what Paul and Silas and Timothy did when they came to the Thessalonians.  Rather than rely on questionnaires and market surveys to see what they should preach, they looked to God to see what He would have them preach.  Rather than trying to appeal to men, they wanted to be faithful to what God wanted them to present as their message.

In some respects, the early church wasn’t much different from the church landscape today.  There are still imposters and fraudsters and tricksters plying the church for money, for the sake of ego, for the sake of building a monument to their own charisma.  Paul warned Timothy in another letter that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Tim. 4:3)

Let me assure you that if you are really preaching the word of God, then you aren’t tickling anyone’s ears.  And you’re probably not going to win a popularity contest either. Because the gospel is offensive. It’s convicting.  It’s cleansing. It’s sanctifying.  Ephesians 5:25 says, “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church ]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”  The gospel will either cause you to be cleansed, sanctified and holy, or it will cause you to turn away.  It will not tickle your ears.

And Paul says that their gospel was not intended to be flattering, nor as a means to gain honor or riches.  Notice vs 5, “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness--  nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.”

Paul appeals to the Thessalonians by saying, “you know that what I am saying is true.” They had been witnesses of the purity of his motives. They knew that Paul and his companions had not come under false pretenses, nor to try to take advantage.  Paul and Silas and Timothy were the spiritual fathers of this church.  So these people certainly would have remembered the way in which they came, and the reason why they came.

Even though they had the authority of the apostolic office, they had not asserted their authority as such, but instead they were gentle towards them. He says in vs 7, “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing [mother] tenderly cares for her own children.”

You know, the apostles had an authority that was given to them by God.  An apostle was a one time position given for the founding of the church.  They were the foundation of the church.  Eph 2:19-20 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner [stone,]”  

This authority of the apostles was something that could be quite formidable.  You remember that at the beginning of the church in Jerusalem, Peter had two people in his church, Ananias and Sapphira, who had lied to the church in regards to the money they had received from the sale of some land.  And Peter called them out on it, saying that they had in effect lied to the Holy Spirit.  And as a result of their sin, at Peter’s word, God struck them dead right in the middle of the church.  Paul as well said on one occasion that he delivered a certain person to Satan, for the destruction of his flesh because he had refused to repent of his sin and put a stumbling block in front of the church.

So this authority they had as apostles was formidable, and yet Paul did not wield his authority like a club, but instead was gentle towards them, even as a mother tenderly cares for her children. You should remember that gentleness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  Gentleness is power under control.  It was used to speak of a horse that was trained.  And this gentleness came from a love which they had for the church.

We see that love stated in vs 8, “Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”  As I’ve often said before,  the greatest expression of love is to share the gospel with someone.  If you only share in superficial, physical things, then it’s not the fullest expression of love.  To share the gospel is to show love for another.  And Paul says they not only were desiring to share the gospel with them, but also their own lives.  That is, they were wiling to share their lives, or even to sacrifice their lives for their sake.  They risked their lives for the sake of sharing the gospel with them.

What a convicting statement, when we think of how typically the modern church or it’s ministers are willing to sacrifice very little for the sake of the gospel.  Any inconvenience, any degree of difficulty or discomfort or danger, is an excuse to not go to church, or an excuse to avoid evangelizing the lost.  But love is sacrificial, and willing to do whatever it takes, even risking one’s health and safety for the sake of the gospel.

Another hallmark of a godly ministry of the gospel is that the apostles avoided being a burden to the church.  Vs 9, “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, [how] working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”  Once again, it was Paul’s right as an apostle to receive financial support from the church for his ministry.  Paul speaks in other places in regards to pastoral duties that “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”  He said that those who do the work of preaching should be worthy of double honor.  But in the case of this church, as Paul was desirous of establishing it, he provided for his own financial needs by working in order to not be a burden upon the church.

I think there is an idea in this, of a farmer who plants a fruit tree, and adds supports to hold it up, and fertilizes it, and carefully tends to it until it reaches a stage of maturity by which it is able to support itself and bear fruit. Or as a father or mother who raises a child, provides for the child in every way, until the child reaches maturity where they can stand on their own.  I think that is what Paul and Silas and Timothy had in mind here.  There may be a time - especially in the founding of a church,  when a pastor may want to hold off in receiving the financial support that he rightfully should expect, until such a time when the church becomes established.  But in a broader aspect, I think the principle of not being a burden to the church is the guiding principle here.  Not having your own interests at heart, but the church’s interest as paramount.

And to that point of a parental perspective on their ministry, Paul says that they acted as fathers to the church, so that they might see spiritual growth in the church.  Vs10  “You are witnesses, and [so is] God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;  just as you know how we [were] exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father [would] his own children,  so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

It’s interesting to notice that Paul had said they were like a mother to the church back in vs 7, and now he says they were like fathers to them.  And even as they preached in order to please God and not men, so now they call upon God and them as witnesses that they had indeed acted uprightly towards the church.  Like spiritual fathers, they had implored and encouraged, and exhorted the church to walk in a way as to please the Lord, who is their heavenly father.  Their ministry was paternal.  It was loving, gentle, and yet firm and encouraging as a good father would encourage their own children.  Their interest was not just in counting decisions, or claiming how many had joined the church, but in discipling the church to walk after the Lord day by day.

Now to that point that the apostles had acted towards them as fathers, on behalf of their heavenly Father, Paul says that they received the word of the apostles as the word of God. Vs 13, “For this reason we also constantly 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 [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

Not only does that give credit to the church, that it had the spiritual discernment to realize that they spoke the word of God, but it also credits the apostles, who spoke the word of God and not the wisdom of man.  A lot of pastor’s think that they are full of wisdom and insight and can address many of the social ills and problems of people today without reliance upon the word of God.  But Paul and Silas and Timothy were wise enough to realize that the wisdom of God was greater than any wisdom they could muster up.  So they preached the word.  

Paul said in 1Co 1:18,  “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ... 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not [come to] know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ... 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, ... 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Listen, one of the most important hallmarks of a godly ministry is to preach the word of God, and then for the church to receive it as the word of God. A lot of churches today excel in music, they excel in ceremony, they may excel in programs, they may excel in all kinds of classes to cover every contingency in human society, but they are delinquent in preaching the word of God.  But the word of God is powerful, sharper than a two edged sword, and able to divide between soul and spirit, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Man’s wisdom is not able to do that.  Paul says the word of God performs it’s work in you who believe.  The power is in the word, not in man’s wisdom.

Another hallmark of a godly ministry is that they endured persecution for the sake of the gospel. He says in vs14 “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they [did] from the Jews,  who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,  hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”  Willingness to suffer for the sake of Christ is evidence of a godly ministry. Not only had Paul and his companions suffered for the gospel, but the church at Thessalonica had suffered persecution as well.

Paul says that in persecution, they had imitated the church in Jerusalem.  In both Jerusalem and in Thessalonica they had suffered persecution at the hands of their own countrymen.  And Paul goes on to speak of the Jews who had persecuted the church in Judea, he says that the wrath of God had come upon them as a result of their persecution of the church.

But whether the persecution comes from Jews or Gentiles, it is the same thing, because it stems from the age old warfare of the devil against Christ, the woman and the rest of her seed, according to what we have been studying in Revelation.  But willingness to suffer persecution for the sake of the gospel is yet another characteristic of a godly minister, who considers persecution with Christ to be much more desirable than accommodation by the world.

The last hallmark of a godly ministry of the gospel is a desire for fellowship.  Fellowship is able to be accomplished in the spirit in some measure, but it is best done in person.  Paul and Silas and Timothy desired to see these people face to face that they had given birth to in the spirit, that they considered their children in the faith.

So Paul writes, in vs17 "But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while--in person, not in spirit--were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.  For we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, more than once--and [yet] Satan hindered us.  For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy.”

In light of what we learned last week from Revelation 20, that Satan has been bound during the church age so that he might not deceive the nations, it raises the question concerning Paul’s statement that Satan had hindered them from coming to see the church in person. Obviously, Satan being bound does not mean that Satan is powerless.  He does still exert a powerful influence in the affairs of men, especially if they are endeavoring to work for the kingdom of God.  He is still our arch enemy, and we that are ministers and servants of God are especially targets of his hate.

But the fact is, though he may hinder us,  he cannot defeat us.  He may impede the progress of the gospel, but he cannot stop it.  He is limited, hobbled, even bound by the surpassing power of God towards us.  Though he may have hindered Paul and his friends from coming at that time, yet he was not able to stop this letter from being written, which undoubtedly benefited that church much more than even Paul himself visiting in person could have done.  And we cannot even comprehend the benefit to the spread of the gospel that this letter has accomplished for thousands of churches in the ages since.  Satan may have won that skirmish, but the kingdom of God has won the war.  

One last point I want to make in closing.  In every chapter, usually at the end of the chapter, Paul speaks about the second coming of the Lord.  In chapter four Paul will go to great lengths to speak about the second coming of Christ, and how that assurance should give the church great comfort.  I really think that is the main point of this letter, to give hope and encouragement to the church concerning the second coming of Christ.  And so he mentions it again and again at the end of each chapter before devoting one whole passage to it’s details. 

But it’s interesting that Paul considers the church of Thessalonica as his hope and joy and glory at the coming of Christ.  And that is because as John said there can be no greater joy than to see one’s children walking in the truth.  When Jesus comes again, Paul will realize such great joy to see that the church that he planted in Thessalonica as they are raised to meet the Lord in the air.  And these saints of God that he helped to bring to the Lord, will be his glory, his crown of his achievement on earth.  

That should be our hope and joy and glory as well. That at the second coming, we might see those whom we brought to Christ.  There can be no greater reward than to know that you played a part in the salvation of some soul that now is enjoying eternal life with God. In that respect, we should all be ministers of the gospel.  Let us be effective ministers, by employing these characteristics in our ministry to one another and to those that are lost. Let us be faithful stewards of the gospel, ministering to those who are in need of salvation, and discipling those who are fellow saints.

Characterizations of a godly church, 1Thessalonians 1:1-10

After finishing up our study of the book of James last week, we are beginning a new study in the first letter to the church at Thessalonica.  I felt led to look at this book primarily because of it’s heavy emphasis on eschatology.  As we are finishing up our study of Revelation in our bonfire Bible studies on Wednesday nights, I have referred to 1 Thessalonians a number of times. And so I wanted to study this book to get a more in depth look at Paul’s perspective on the second coming of Christ as a parallel to the emphasis that John gave us in Revelation.

But since we don’t do topical preaching here at the Beach Fellowship, we are going to look at the whole letter by way of exposition, and not just the eschatological part.  Because it’s important to look at scripture in context, and not just cherry pick texts that would seem to support a particular topic that a pastor might want to deal with.

That being said, let’s first consider the deeper background of this book as a means of putting this letter in it’s rightful context before we get into some of the opening remarks Paul makes. The historical background of this church in Thessalonica is found in Acts 17.  In that account, Luke gives the details of how Paul and Silas and Timothy came to the city on Paul’s second missionary journey.

Thessalonica was a large, major city in Greece that had a large port on the Aegean sea. At that time it had a Jewish community which had a synagogue there.  As was customary with the apostles, they began their missionary work at the synagogue.  Some of the Jews were converted as a result of Paul’s preaching for three consecutive weeks, as well as a larger number of prominent Greeks who had been regular attendees at the synagogue.

The Jews weren’t happy over the fact that Paul and his fellow workers had converted many of the people there, and so they started a riot, and arrested one of the converts, and basically were trying to shut down the spread of Christianity in that city.  And so it seemed best for Paul and his fellow workers to leave town.  Paul ended up eventually in Corinth which is where he wrote this letter from.  

In the time between his visit and his letter, Paul had sent Timothy back to the church, to see how they were doing and to encourage them and strengthen them.  Timothy returned to Paul and gave a good report about the church, and perhaps conveyed some concerns and questions that they had, and thus we have the basis for this letter.  And by the way, this letter is thought by many scholars to be the first of the Pauline epistles.  Though it’s possible that Galatians may be.  But in any respect, it’s fairly certain that the date of the letter is around 51AD.  So a very early letter to a fledgling church in Greece.

Notice the authors of this letter.  Paul, Silvanus and Timothy.  Paul of course we know.  He is more than likely the actual author inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Silvanus or Timothy might have taken dictation from him and did the actual writing.  This missionary team was the result of a breakup that Paul had earlier with Barnabas and John Mark.  Barnabas went his way with John Mark, and Paul took Silas, who is also known by  the Latin version of his name which is Silvanus.  And then somewhere along the way Paul took along Timothy, the young apprentice.  It’s also apparent from Acts that Luke the physician is part of the group as well.

So as is typical of such letters, it begins by stating who it’s from and then who it’s addressed to.  It says, to the church of the Thessalonians.  The word church there in the Greek is eklesia. It means a gathering of people called out from their homes to a public assembly. It’s clear from the account in Acts 17 that these are people that have been converted.  Paul is addressing the congregation of people who make up a church.  It’s not a reference to a building, nor an denomination, nor a particular race, but a people called out of the world by God to be the people of God.  Notice he says, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s a witness to their understanding of equal divinity of Christ to the Father.

I  believe in this first chapter, Paul reveals several godly characteristics of the church which I think should be an example for us today.  This church Paul says in vs 7 that they were an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.  They were an exemplary church.  We will find out as we go along that doesn’t mean that they were perfect.  There were some areas of sin in the lives of some of them that needed to be done away with.  But for the most part, I believe we can learn from these characteristics that Paul says they are exemplary in, as a template for what constitutes a godly, healthy church.

The first characteristic that is fundamental to a church is it’s made up of the saved, the converted.  These people are the church, a called out, converted assembly of believers.  Notice in vs 10 Paul says that they were “turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.” That’s a characteristic of a person who is saved.  They are converted, turned, changed.  It’s a change from idol worship to worshipping the true God.

Also notice that Paul says they were called, and chosen. Vs 4, “knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you.”  The scripture says that salvation is of the Lord.  And if that is true, and of course it is true, then it should not be a surprise that salvation is initiated by the Lord.  That is the doctrine of election.  God sovereignly chooses people to be saved.  That doesn’t mean that you don’t have a choice, that you don’t have to believe, to have faith in Christ, but it means that God has given spiritual sight to your eyes, God has convicted your heart of your need for salvation, and He has loved you with an effectual love, called you to Himself, and He has provided all the means by which you are saved.

Furthermore, a distinction of this church is that they were recipients of God’s grace and peace. In Paul’s greeting in vs 1 he says, “Grace to you and peace.”  Notice that peace comes after grace. God reaches out to us in grace, that we might have peace with God. We who were formerly enemies have been brought near to God, have been given peace with God, which results in the peace of God which guards our hearts and minds.  Many people seek the peace of God as a antidote for tribulation.  But you will never have the peace of God until you make peace with God, and you cannot have peace with God until you have known the grace of God which is the atonement provided through Jesus Christ on your behalf.

For those who are converted, who are the living church of God, Paul gives thanks in vs 2. “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention [of you] in our prayers.”  Notice Paul gives thanks for all of them.  That’s a pretty special pastor who is able to do that.  It’s easy to give thanks for those who are strong in the faith, who are pillars of the church, who are faithful and true.  It’s another thing to give thanks for everyone else.  But that is the ministry of the pastor, to pray constantly for the church.  Prayer must always be accompanied by thankfulness.  We can be thankful that they have believed unto salvation.  We can be thankful that they have been delivered from captivity to the dominion of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.  They may not be the most faithful of His servants, but they belong to Christ, and we should be thankful for that.

When the apostles sought to establish deacons in the first church in Jerusalem, they said as for themselves, they would devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.  If you take that literally, then half of the pastor’s job description is being devoted to prayer.  That’s a pretty convicting statement for me to consider.

Paul continues on that subject of praying for the church in vs 3, “constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.”  In this verse we find three other characteristics of a godly church. Faith, love and hope.  These attributes are common to all believers.  They should be common for all churches.

Paul gives thanks for their work of faith.  This reminds us of what we learned in our study of James.  Faith without works is dead. I don’t think that Paul is talking about their faith so much as he is the works that come as a result of faith.  Saving faith produces action.  It’s not just an intellectual assent to the truth, but deeds that are in keeping with a new nature, a new heart, a desire to serve the Lord. It’s a new way of living, working for the kingdom of God.

Paul said in Eph. 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” The faith of the church in Thessalonica produced good works, a work of faith.

Then he is thankful for their labor of love.  Once again, Paul takes a concept that implies on it’s own a feeling, an attraction, and puts work to it.  It’s a labor of love.  It doesn’t mean that you don’t have feelings about the church, about the Lord, but it means that you realize that you aren’t going to always feel like doing it.  I think of my mother who loved her family, and worked very hard to keep us fed and clothed and clean, day after day, year after year.  She didn’t always feel like it.  She might not have always acted all lovey dovey.  But she did what she did because she loved us.  And if the truth is known, particularly my brother and I made her life miserable more often than not. But she still did her best for us, whether we always deserved it or not.  That’s a labor of love.  When we love one another in the church, it’s not always going to be because we feel like it, or because they deserve it.  But because Christ loved us when we were sinners. So sacrificial love that worked was another characteristic of the church.

And then Paul is thankful for their steadfastness of hope.  The word hope on it’s own has a transitory sense to it, doesn’t it?  Hope rises and falls quickly sometimes.  But Paul is thankful for their steadfastness of hope.  That means that their hope doesn’t waver from day to day.  Their hope doesn’t wane when things don’t happen when they wanted it to happen.  

What is that hope, by the way?  What are they supposed to be hoping for?  I’ll tell you what it is in Paul’s own words found in Titus 2:13 “looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.”  Hope is speaking of the second coming of Jesus Christ.  And as we learned in Revelation, there are a number of corresponding elements that are tied to the second coming of Christ.  Not the least of which is the resurrection.  Paul is going to speak considerably about the resurrection  towards the end of this letter, but for now he is alluding to it, by the phrase steadfastness of hope.

Peter speaks of this hope in the resurrection as a living hope, in 1Peter 1:3-5 saying, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  to [obtain] an inheritance [which is] imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,  who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” So hope is not a nebulous, ethereal kind of wish, but a firm expectation of something that has not yet been realized, but which you firmly expect to happen.

Listen, our hope is rooted in the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Our hope is not found in the things of this world.  Our hope is not in politics, or in science, or in financial freedom, or in finding true love.  Our hope is in Christ and that hope will be fulfilled when He appears for the second time to claim His church, His bride.

Paul said in 1Cor. 15:19 “If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”  And then he goes on in that passage to talk about the resurrection and the promise of Christ’s return being a certain hope that gives us assurance and takes away fear of death.

The next important characteristic of this godly church is that they are a church that preached the gospel. There are a lot of churches today that have all the outward trappings of a church, they have a building that looks like a church, they have people who claim to belong to the church, but they don’t preach the gospel.  

But the church at Thessalonica was a true church because they preached the gospel. Notice three things about the gospel they preached.  First it is a gospel that is powerful. Secondly it is a gospel that was imitated by the church.  And thirdly it is a gospel that they have proclaimed throughout the region.

First a gospel that is powerful.  Paul says in vs 5, “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”  Paul would say later in Romans what that power of the gospel does.  He said, in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”  The gospel is powerful unto salvation.  It’s not a social gospel which we preach.  It’s not a feel good gospel that tells you what you want to hear.  It’s not a prosperity gospel that promises you heath, wealth and prosperity. It’s the good news that Jesus Christ the Son of God came to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sinners, as their substitute to satisfy the wrath of God, so that they might be saved from eternal death, and by His power be given new life, even everlasting life. That is the gospel.  Paul preached it, and the apostles lived it.He says you know what manner of men we proved to be.  That means they lived what they preached. 

And then notice Paul says the church imitated them.  “You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”  Listen, that’s discipleship.  It’s living in such a way that you can say, imitate me.  Because I am imitating the Lord Jesus. And so we imitate Jesus.  That is growing in faith.  That’s spiritual maturity.  LIke the child that walks in his father’s footsteps imitates his father and grows up to become like his father.  So we imitate Jesus Christ and we grow up to be like Jesus. Peter speaking  about imitation, 1Peter 2:21 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps.”  

And Paul says that this church in Thessalonica also suffered tribulation as a result of the gospel.  A hallmark of genuine Christianity is tribulation.  The world is not going to love you.  You will be persecuted for the sake of the gospel.  In the case of this church, persecution  more than likely came from the resident Jewish community who were angry that the church was making converts from among them.  If you never proclaim the gospel to anyone, then you probably won’t face persecution.  But the world finds the gospel offensive, and so if you proclaim it, then you should expect them to attack you and try to shut you down.

But the result of their imitation of Christ and their suffering was an example to other Christians throughout the region.  Paul says in vs  7 “so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”  Listen, the most effective sermon you will ever preach is not necessarily one that is heard, but that is seen.  How you live out the gospel, how your life reveals that it is different, it’s changed, is the best testimony to the power of the gospel.  A life that doesn’t look any different than what it was before salvation is likely not saved at all.

So the church was a living testimony to the power of the gospel. They lived what they believed. That’s the work of faith, to live in a manner in keeping with what you profess.  But not only did they imitate Jesus Christ, and live as an example of Christ followers, they also acted in love to bring the gospel to the world around them.  They were evangelistic.  Having been the beneficiary of missionaries, they became missionaries.   Notice Paul commends them in vs 8 “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.”

They took the great commission seriously.  But I also love the way Paul puts it.  He says the word of the Lord sounded forth from you.  They preached the word.  Not a social gospel.  They weren’t solely focused on doing good deeds for neighboring communities without presenting the gospel to them.  A lot of churches are all about having soup kitchens but delinquent in preaching the word of God.  They are professionals at producing Christian entertainment, but absent when it comes to presenting the cross of Christ.  Once again, as Paul said, we should not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and also the Greek.  The word of God which is able to save souls must be the priority of the church’s ministry.

And the testimony of those people in foreign lands that had heard their gospel, who had received their message, got back to Paul and Silas and Timothy.  And that report was that those people in Thessalonica really been changed.  It was evident that they were truly saved, truly living out the gospel.  And the contrast between their old ways of worshipping idols, and the way that they now lived as ambassadors of the gospel was evidence of their conversion.  Once again, an essential characteristic of the church is that they are changed, converted.  They turned from idol worship to serving God.  A dramatic change that was evident to a watching world.  

Listen, your life should be a living billboard to the power of the gospel to convert, to change.  Unfortunately, the only thing a lot of neighbors see different about most people who claim to be Christians is that they go to church occasionally.  Their life isn’t much different otherwise.  I’m not suggesting that we be different just to be different.  To be weird, so that we cut our hair differently, or wear clothing that is different from the rest of the world.  Not those type of external things, but a change inwardly will be evident on the outside by what you do, what you say, and how you live.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, the last characteristic of a godly church is that they have a living hope, looking for and hastening the day of the Lord, when Christ will return for His bride.  Paul said about the Thessalonians in vs 10 that they were waiting  “for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, [that is] Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”  When we have an expectancy of Christ’s return, then we will live differently.  When we are looking forward to the life to come then we will not be enamored with the lusts of this world. When we are looking forward to Christ return, then we will be working that we might be found faithful when He comes.  

And also notice in the gospel that produces hope, there is a warning of judgment.  The gospel that is preached that does not include the wrath of God against sin is not the full gospel.  The gospel that doesn’t warn that when Christ returns He will come in judgment is not the full gospel.  The word of God that doesn’t preach about sin is not the full gospel.  But the good news is God has offered Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sin, that we might escape the wrath of God.  And that is our blessed hope by which we look forward to the day when Christ will come again to claim His church and to live with us forever.  

As the apostle John said, 1John 2:28 “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.” Let us be found faithful when He comes.  Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

Restoring the wanderer, James 5:19-20

As we learned from our study in Job last fall, not all suffering is the result of sin.  Job was called by God the most righteous man of his generation.  And yet, God allowed Satan to attack him and his family.  One of the great debates that Job engages in with his friends was over this seeming contradiction of faith and faithfulness, that God allows suffering on the righteous. 

However, that being established,  sometimes suffering is the result of sin. There are consequences to sin, and though we may be forgiven for the penalty of that sin, we may still have to endure suffering as a consequence of that sin. An example of that may be someone who sins by drunkenness, and while they were drunk got into a car and caused an accident.  As a result of the damages and injuries they caused, they ended up in jail.  They may be forgiven of that sin if they repent and confess it to the Lord, but God does not necessarily remove the consequences. 

Or another example is that of King David.  He not only cheated on his wives by having an affair with another woman, but he participated in killing the woman’s husband in order to cover up his sin.  David was certainly a believer at that point in his life.  And when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet about his sin, he confessed and repented of it before the Lord.  But the Lord brought about certain consequences as a result of his sin. Not the least of which was that the child born of that adulterous relationship died. So in that case we see that sometimes suffering is caused by sin.

Now I say all that because last week we looked at the spiritual restoration of a believer who had suffered in some way to the point of despair and despondency.  They were a believer, but they were at such a low point in their faith that they could hardly even pray any more.  They were at the end of their rope.  They were almost at a point of letting go, of going so deep into depression that they might not recover.  

Remember James said that such people should go to the elders of the church who would pray for them so that they might be restored, delivered from this spiritual weakness, restored to spiritual health.  But there was an interesting thing that James added to that.  He said in vs15 “and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”

Notice that, “if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”  He didn’t say because he has committed sins, but if.  That shows that this man’s condition is not necessarily the result of sin. But on the other hand, it shows it’s possible that sin had contributed to his suffering.  Not everyone who suffers is being punished for some sin.  But some who suffer are suffering the consequences of their sin.

Now in these last two verses of James, he addresses that believer who has gone astray, who has fallen into sin, who is suffering the consequences of that drift into sin, and who needs to be rescued and reconciled and restored.  So to that point he says in vs 19, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,  let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Some Bible teachers have used this verse as a proof text for evangelism, for the ministry we have been given to reach the lost with the gospel.  And while that is our mission, and some elements found in these verses can apply to carrying out that mission,  I don’t believe that is primarily what James is addressing here.

I think first of all, we need to remember the context of this letter.  James is writing to Christians who are scattered abroad, who are believers, and who are suffering persecution and physical attacks and alienation because of their faith. And the context of the entire book as well as the immediate context of the section starting in vs 13 support that.  So from the context we should assume that James is still addressing that situation in the church.

But even more to the point, notice James says this to believers in the church.  He starts out by addressing “my brethren.”  In every other case where we have found that address in this letter, it was evident that James was speaking to his fellow Christians.  Christians are the brethren.  The unsaved, the world is not your brethren. But it’s evident that he is speaking about Christians because he says, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back…”  These people are among the brethren, they are the church, the saved.

So these verses are not about evangelism. They are about spiritual restoration of the wayward prodigal. You remember the story of the prodigal son.  He was part of the family, but he went away from home and fell into sin, and experienced suffering as a result of that sin.  So James is acknowledging that there will be some from among them who will wander away from the truth, who will fall back into the path of sin. It may be a brief time, or even season in their life, when they abandon the path of righteousness and stray into sin. And James indicates that they need to be rescued.

Jesus told a parable about such a rescue operation. He said in Luke 15:4-7 "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'  I tell you that in the same way, there will be [more] joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”  The sheep was part of the fold, belonged to the Master, yet had gone astray and was in need of deliverance.

So on a similar note James ends this letter by encouraging the church to go after those that have strayed. He first describes the runaway and then he describes the rescue operation.  And we will see two primary characters in this scene - the prodigal and the pursuer … and then there’s the prize.

First let’s take a closer look at the prodigal. So James says, “My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth…”  He’s talking about a believer from among the church straying from the truth.  An unbeliever doesn’t stray from the truth.  He can’t stray from it because he has never known the truth.  

2 Cor. 4:4 says the unbeliever is blinded to the truth. 1 Peter 2:8 says the unbeliever is offended by the truth. Romans 1:18 says he suppresses the truth.  Rom. 1:25 says he would rather believe a lie than the truth.  And 2 Thess. 2:10 says he did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.  So a believer is the only one who can wander away from the truth, because the unsaved never had the truth.  A prodigal then is someone who belongs to the family from which he’s wandered away.

Though he may wander away for a time or even a season, the indication is from the original text that he does not habitually live apart from the truth, but it is speaking of occasionally drifting away.  So the prodigal is what we used to call a backslider.  That term isn’t used so much today.  I used to think as I was growing up in the church that it referred to someone who sat in the back of the church. But it actually means someone who was on the uphill path of following the truth, but who began to slide back down into sin.

The term that James uses for wander is from the Greek word planeo, which is where we get our word planet.  These bodies around sun were called planets because they seemed to wander in the sky.  

The fact is, you don’t have to do much to become backslidden.  In fact, doing nothing is what causes your spiritual house to become disordered.  Just like with your physical house, when you stop cutting the grass, stop fixing things that break, stop vacuuming, stop painting,  and before you know it, your house is a mess.  Those little things start to mount up.

Notice the thing which the prodigal drifts away from - the truth. The truth is the way of truth. It is doctrine of truth.  It’s the gospel of truth. Heb 2:1 say, “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away [from it.]”  

The tempter is always going to try to seduce us away from the truth.  To compromise the truth. To try to change the truth to something more palatable, something less offensive, something that is more accommodating to the ways of the world.  Drifting from the truth is always connected at some point to a decision  where you think “you don’t need to interpret that scripture so legalistically. You don’t need to be so rigid, so dogmatic. You don’t need to be fanatical.  After all, you’re human.  This is how God made you.  There’s no harm in it. It’s not really a sin.” And so you begin to coast, until you realize after a time that you have actually drifted far away from where you started. If you are not moving forward, you are automatically drifting backward.  The Christian life is either swimming against the current or being swept away by the current.  You can’t tread water as a Christian.

I read a quote by D. A. Carson, a well known pastor and commentator who wrote, “We do not drift toward holiness. We do not drift toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith; we drift toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we drift toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

So as he comes to the conclusion of his letter, James gives us a warning that there will be some who will drift away, who will wander away from the truth, and give heed to seducing spirits who will try to convince them that you can still be ok if you don’t take it all so seriously. James warns that drifting is an ever present danger in the life of the disciple.  So in response to that danger, he speaks to those who would rescue the drifter from that danger.  He speaks to the pursuer.

Notice next in verse 19 the description of the pursuer is one who turns him back.  Then notice verse. 20,  he turns a sinner from the error of his way.  In other words, they’re heading in the wrong direction and you turn them around. The word for turn can refer to the conversion of an unbeliever who turns to God for salvation.  But it can also be used of restoration and fellowship which fits the context here since James is clearly writing to Christians about wayward believers from among them.

For example, the Lord Jesus used this word in Luke 22:32 when He told Peter that Peter would deny Him, “but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."  Jesus used the same word for Peter returning to his walk of obedience that James uses here for the prodigal who is turned back to the path.

So the pursuer in effect, performs an act of intervention, confronting him with the truth, confronting him with his sin, so that he turns around and heads once again in the right direction.  That’s what Nathan the prophet did for David.  It’s what Jesus did for Peter when He pursued him after His resurrection and gave Peter the opportunity for reconciliation.

I think to confront a prodigal and turn him back is an act of love.  We often wonder how are we supposed to love one another.  This is one way.  You turn back someone who is drifting from the error of his ways.  It’s like the love of a parent that reproves a child who misbehaves.  Because the parent loves the child he disciplines them.  Not because he hates the child, but because he knows this way is best for them and he loves them and wants what’s best for them. Proverbs 13:24 says “He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”

And likewise, God our Father disciplines us when we need it, because He loves us.  Heb 12:6 says, “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”  That discipline may result in the prodigal suffering as a result of their sin.  That may be the way God uses to turn them.  To get them to see the error of their ways.  And in like manner, God uses other believers to be the instrument by which the sinner is turned back.  A Christian brother or sister  is often  the agent of restoration that God choses to use.

That means that we need to speak the truth in love to the one who is backsliding. Eph 4:14-16 says, “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;  but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all [aspects] into Him who is the head, [even] Christ,  from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”   Speaking the truth in love to the one who has been deceived, who has be tricked into believing the devil’s lies, who has drifted away from the truth, is the means that God uses to accomplish reconciliation and restoration.

Listen, we don’t turn back the prodigal by ignoring their sin.  Or by accommodating their false doctrine. Or by trying not to offend them or say something awkward.  No, we have to point out their error, point out their sin, and tell them that the way they are going leads to destruction.  That’s the ministry of the pursuer. To say this is the wrong way, come and go this way.

James is not talking about a Christian losing their salvation and needs to be saved all over again as if someone who is born again can become unborn. But he is talking about the very real possibility of a Christian brother wandering away in disobedience that must be warned of wasting their lives. And that’s the loving thing to do.  Actually, it’s unloving to allow your Christian friend to get off the track without a warning,  without any rebuke,  without you telling them you’re praying for them to return.

The church’s  problem is not just that we have delinquent prodigals. The church’s problem is we have delinquent Christians. According to the scriptures, this is the ministry of the believers in the church. It isn’t just the job for the minister. It’s a ministry that you have been given, to love one another.  And you need to understand that the stakes are high. So let’s look at the prize involved as the pursuer chases down the prodigal. 

The prize is mentioned in vs 20, Let him know that “he who turns a sinner from the error of his way”, will accomplish two things: First, he will save the prodigal’s soul from death.  The pursuer will save the prodigal’s soul from death. James could mean that literally—the sinning, unrepentant believer is brought to an early death.  Remember, James has been speaking in the context of suffering.  And sometimes the wanderer experiences the consequences of suffering because of his sin.  I can’t help but think of someone who I have reached out to repeatedly and tried to help for almost 10 years now.  This person I believe is a Christian.  But they are a Christian that has wandered away from the truth and he cannot seem to turn around.  He is unable to stay away from alcohol. And I am almost constantly expecting to one day find out this man has died in some way or another as a result of his drinking. I pray not, but I fully expect it to happen one day.

Such a man like that may be who James is referring to when he says he will save his soul from death.  I think it’s possible that such a person, if they are really saved, will be disciplined by the Lord in a progressive way to the point that it could even lead to their physical death.  Paul spoke of that in relation to a person living in sin in 1Cor. 5:5 saying, “ [I have decided] to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”  Did you get that?  God will allow Satan to destroy this person in the flesh, that his spirit will be saved.  He is a Christian, that is living in sin, unrepentant, unwilling to listen, and as such God will allow him to be killed by Satan so that he would not continue to put a stumbling block in front of the church.  But he will be saved in the day of judgment.

Paul also spoke in that regard concerning those who came to the Lord’s table, that is the Communion Table, unworthily.  They had unrepentant sin in their lives.  And Paul said that for that reason, some of them had become sick and even fallen asleep.  Paul wasn’t referring to the common practice of Christians to fall asleep in church.  But that refers to dying as a Christian.  To die as a Christian is referred to as falling asleep.

So there is no question that God might bring about the death of an unrepentant believer.  I am thankful though that it says in 2Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”  I am thankful that Psalm 130:3 “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”  I am thankful that James said in chapter 2:13 that mercy triumphs over judgment. Because otherwise, I would be dead long ago.  But we should not presume upon the mercy of God.  We should not presume that because God didn’t strike us dead yesterday when we sinned, that if we continue to sin today that God will not strike us dead.  God is patient, but when His patience runs out, or when our sinfulness becomes a stumbling block to others and drags them into sin, then we should not expect anything less than a sudden harsh judgment.

John could also be using the word for death as a metaphor for a deathlike existence.

In other words, even though the believer is saved, he lives in guilt and futility and purposelessness and bitterness.  But when they are turned back by another brother or sister, their spirit is renewed, their life finds spiritual vitality, and they are rescued from the way of death. 

Not only is there a rescue back from spiritual calamity, but secondly, there is a reconciliation back to spiritual communion.  Notice again, He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.  The pursuer doesn’t help the prodigal sweep his sins under the rug and act like nothing has happened.  It’s not hiding sin, it’s confessing it as sin.  It’s repenting of your sin.  And that results in being forgiven of your sins.  

And when you confess your sins, and repent of your sins, and are forgiven of your sins, then your fellowship with the Lord is restored.  Living in sin as a Christian doesn’t take away your salvation, but it takes away the joy of your salvation.  It takes away your felllowship with the Lord and with other believers.  Unrepentant sin quenches the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.  But being cleansed  of sin, produces power over sin through the Holy Spirit living in you.  So that you might be free from sin.   So that as Jesus said, “the truth shall make you free.”

The prize then is reconciliation with God, restoration of fellowship with God and with other believers, and the power to live in the Spirit and not give in to the flesh.

Perhaps someone here today is a prodigal son or daughter. You’ve drifted for days, weeks, months, maybe even years and maybe you’re wondering if it’s too late to return home. Maybe you think you’ve drifted too far away. The sins have now mounted up and the way back seems no longer possible.  I have good news for you, that for those who repent of their  sins, God will gladly forgive them. In the story of the prodigal son, while he was still a long ways off, the father saw his son returning, and ran to him, rejoicing.  God will forgive, God will restore you.

I urge you to turn around . . . turn around like the prodigal son and come home and be restored to your Heavenly Father.  1 John 1:9 says, “If you will confess your sins, He will be faithful and just to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

And for those who are walking in the truth, I hope you will remember that you have a ministry, a rescue ministry to those who have wandered from the fold, who are out there suffering, hurting, as a result of their sin.  I hope that you will speak the truth in love, and confront them and show them that they are on a path to destruction and lead them back to fellowship with the Lord.  You have a ministry.  I pray that you fulfill it.