Peace in every way (Ministry in Thessalonians #30)

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 

- 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

And so it ends.

The journey Paul started with the Thessalonians ended, as far as we know, with these words. We have no recorded evidence of his return. Since Paul himself said that he constantly went to regions where the Gospel was not preached, we can presume that once he taught them the things in these letters he left them in God's hands.

As always, it was enough:

• Peace at all times and in every way from the hand of the God of peace. 
• Assurance of the authenticity of the message. 
• The grace of Christ. 

Paul, never one to simply spiritualize a message, ends with some deeply practical realities. We so often think of peace as something intangible, something deep within while chaos surrounds us. And it is definitely that. But it's also so much more. Steeped in the understanding of the Hebrew shalom (the Greek eirene used here reflects the same concepts) Paul writes of peace that comes at ALL times and in EVERY way.
- Peace in relationships
- Peace at work
- Peace in finances
- Peace between ethnic or cultural groups

The list goes on. "All times" and "every way" includes all this and more. Shalom means not just the absence of conflict, but wholeness. Something tangibly different because of the source of the peace. When the God of peace steps in, everything changes.

Paul has made his love for them evident through these two books. We know he longed to be with them. But the calling kept him moving forward, so he gave them something more than a visit. The blessings of peace and grace. And sandwiched between the blessings, another assurance that they can depend on the Word of God - very important as he pens some of the earliest writings that extended what they knew in the Old Testament into what would become the new. He gave them something to hold on to that would last far after he was with the Lord.

I have the tiniest glimpse of how Paul must have felt writing this benediction. I don't want to let this series go. I love what God taught me through these eight chapters. This study came to me during a season where God unfolded a profound ministry, a long-time dream come true. I pray that I never forget what I've learned.

Any writer becomes intimately connected with his or her work. Coming to the end and hitting the final submit button is a leap of faith. It's no different for me at the end of this series of blogs. For 9 months now I've journeyed through these books, studying them, memorizing them, processing them through miles and miles of walks with our dog, and writing about them. Some of you I know, some of you I won't meet until heaven, but I feel that you've been on this journey with me - even as I realize that most of the reason I write is for my own benefit, because I have so much to learn and this is one way God teaches me.

And yet He calls me forward, already planting in my heart the seeds of my next writing assignment. I hope to see some of you along that journey, but if not I know that I'll see you in heaven. Let's plan a long chat with the Apostle himself and find out what happened to this church long after the ink dried on Paul's quill. Let's get a glimpse of the text and see what his distinguishing mark looked like. More than anything, let's plant our feet in the river flowing from the throne and worship the One who overthrows evil incarnate by the very breath of his mouth and whose coming with be so resplendent that evil is destroyed.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. May you experience peace at all times and in every way, and a life marked by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Persevering or idle? (Ministry in Thessalonians #29)

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. For even when we were with you we gave this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." We have heard that some among you are idle. They are not busy, they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.

 

And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right. if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

- 2 Thessalonians 3:7-15

My mom is a wonderful, sensitive person with a tender heart. It is very easy to hurt her feelings, but as her daughter I found that she rarely got mad at me. Disappointed, yes, Hurt, yes. Angry - so rarely that every time stands out in vivid detail.

One of those few times was during high school. With my newfound freedom of "open lunch period" I enjoyed going off campus with my friends for an hour. In our small town every eating place was within driving or walking distance so we had a variety of options (okay ... 4). One day my mom, hoping to get to know my new high school friends and be part of my world, surprised me at lunch. After we ate she drove us back to school and that's when it happened. In the parking lot of the drive-in, my friends and I made fun of another student.

My mom did not for one second wait until I got home to deal with that. She slammed on the brakes, turned around in her driver's seat, and gave me "what-for" -- something every Southern girl does not want to get! She made clear what she was most angry about: "You know I raised you better than that."

And she had. Every bit of tolerance and respect for humanity that I have I first learned from my parents, whose disabilities had made them sensitive to other differences in a way that many of their generation learned much later. Behind her anger was disappointment and a great deal of love for the person she hoped I would become. I resolved that day to live up to her example.

Paul's words in this passage remind me of my mom. Not that he is angry - but he is very direct in dealing with idleness. He essentially tells the Thessalonians, "You know we raised you better than that." Paul and his team had set a model of hard work and perseverance. His example gave him the authority to give them "what-for" over being idle.

Paul's prayer immediately before this passage included asking God to fill their hearts with "Christ's perseverance". This extended section on idleness is a contrast to what Christ's perseverance looks like. His admonition to them to "never tire of doing what is right" underscores the contrast.

We tend to think of perseverance in primarily spiritual terms, and it is definitely a spiritual act. But it plays out in lots of practical ways as well. Think of everything you know about the character of Christ. Do you think His perseverance only applied to the cross or to his ministry? Didn't it take perseverance to keep walking in the dust around Israel? What about perseverance to get up early after a late night of ministry? And what about all those years as a carpenter - don't you think he was a hard and diligent worker? We all know from experience that it takes perseverance to give a full, hard day's work.

Just as Christ's perseverance should play out in our lives in both spiritual and practical ways, idleness cuts both ways as well. Someone who is lazy tends to be lazy in more than one area. Physical laziness breeds intellectual laziness - hence the term "couch potato" for those who sit, eat, and watch TV. Emotional laziness is a temptation for anyone in any kind of relationship. It's easy for spiritual laziness to follow any of these types of laziness.

The great and beautiful news of grace is that we never stop having chances to turn things around. Filled with God's love and Christ's perseverance (v. 5), we are empowered to "never tire of doing what is right" (v. 13). As we start in one area, we will see benefits spread to other areas. Personally I know that when I am faithful in my quiet time and Bible study, it becomes easier for me to eat right. When I eat right, I am more consistent in exercise. When I exercise, I have more energy to take care of my home and do a good job at work. The perseverance of Christ works it way into every aspect of my life, pushing out idleness.

Certainly there is a need to balance our lives, which is why God gives us the principle of Sabbath and blesses our times of rest. But Paul rightly identifies a temptation that often can come as we embrace the hope of heaven which filled 1 Thessalonians. He admonishes them that being heavenly minded should result in earthly good. We should fill our days and hours with things that matter, that are eternally good and practically important. Then when the times of rest come, we can enter in fully, knowing that we followed the good example of those who went before us. Rather than getting "what-for" we will hear, "well done".

Strengthened and protected by the word of God (Ministry in Thessalonians #28)

Finally brothers, pray for us, that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

- 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 

Over the years I have learned so much from Paul's prayers. I love the theology tucked into these passages, often overlooked at the beginning and end of his books. I also love the permission some of these prayers give to ask God for big things! This passage is one of the most specific prayers, and it is rich with meaning.

The humility of Paul and his team is such a lesson for all of us. Despite being the "apostle to the Gentiles", who planted this church and left after only 3 weeks, Paul asks THEM for prayer. Think back to the early years of your walk with the Lord. Imagine one or two years in getting a letter from someone who was instrumental in leading you to the Lord - asking you to pray for him or her! What an encouragement that would be to your faith, to be entrusted to pray for someone you loved and respected so much.

But what is truly amazing is what he asks them to pray.
   - That the message they proclaim would spread rapidly and be honored
   - That they would be delivered from wicked and evil men

This is a Gospel-centered prayer request! Paul wants others to receive the message of the Lord as the word of God, not the word of man - just as the Thessalonians did (1 Thess. 2:13). As the team moves forward in proclaiming that message, Paul asks prayer for deliverance from "wicked and evil men". There are those who intentionally oppose the Gospel's advance, and Paul wanted to be delivered from them -- not for his own comfort, but so the message could continue. This prayer provides biblical permission to pray for deliverance of those who are imprisoned or otherwise persecuted for their faith!

Ever the pastor, Paul then reassures them -- God is faithful and will strengthen and protect YOU. He draws an important distinction - while they pray that they "may" be delivered from evil men ... he is certain of God's protection from "the evil one". What a beautiful reminder tucked into this prayer that even when men on the earthly level "succeed", God still ultimately protects from the evil one. Satan wants to steal our faith. God promises to protect us from his ultimate goal.

How does that strengthening and protection work? I see a key in the very next verse. While it seems to break the flow of the prayer, it is really an important part of it. Paul is certain that the Thessalonians are doing "the things we command" -- standing firm on their teachings which were the very words of God. As we hold on to the word of God and doing what it says, our faith grows - because "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God" (Romans 10:17). As our faith grows, we are strengthened and protected from Satan's schemes. It's a beautiful way that we can be part of what God is doing in our own hearts!

And our hearts - that's the focus on the end of Paul's prayer. He prays for their hearts to be directed - the word refers to all hindrances being removed - into two things: God's love and Christ's perseverance. Knowing God's love assures us that everything in His Word is for our GOOD. And while scholars debate whether the final phrase should read "Christ's perseverance" or "the perseverance of Christ" the point is clear: Jesus fully obeyed God, and by His empowerment we can do so as well. Continue to obey the clear commands of Scripture is only possible with His perseverance.

As we look at this passage and the previous one from a ministry perspective, one thing stands out clearly to me: The word of God must be central in our lives and worship. We must know it, read it, study it, meditate on it, memorize it, teach it, proclaim it, hear it read ... in every way, the strength of the church and individual believers depends on the place we give the word of God. If those we minister to lack assurance of its accuracy, inerrancy, and authority, some apologetic teaching might be in order, because the minimization of God's word has led to errors more numerous to count. Once we establish the Bible as the word of God, then we should proclaim it fully in every way we can. It will make every difference in the world!

Stand firm! (Ministry in Thessalonians, #27)

But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our Gospel, so that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 1:13-18) 

One of the beautiful things about Scripture is that the Author doesn't leave us hopeless. He balances hard truths such as those in the previous verses with passages filled with encouragement and purpose.

In this passage, Paul highlights the "how" of the Thessalonians' salvation:
- The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit
- Belief in the truth
- through the proclamation of the Gospel

They were saved not by a mere set of facts, nor by any works of their own. Instead, God's men shared God's message, and the Thessalonians believed it. The Holy Spirit came into their hearts and began a transforming, sanctifying work. And that sanctifying work occurred as the believers held on to the word of God - the teachings passed on by the very apostles who brought the message to them. He charges them - and by extension, us - to stand firm - in contrast to those just mentioned in the previous verses who refused to love and believe the truth, delighted in wickedness, believed a lie, and were deceived by evil.

How do we stand firm? By holding to the teachings passed on by the apostles! Remember that Paul was writing this as one of the earliest books of the New Testament to be penned. The early church had the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), stories passed on by those who knew Jesus, and the few books that were written to this point. The "teachings passed on whether by word of mouth or by letter" incorporates all that was taught under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. In John 17:20, Jesus extends His beautiful prayer beyond His immediate apostles to all those who would believe because of their words:

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message

In replacing Judas with Matthias in Acts 1, we learn that the criteria for apostleship was witnessing the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:21-22). Here is the apostolic authority laid out in Scripture: Those who were direct witnesses of the resurrected Christ recorded what He taught them, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and those writings became the New Testament. They became the "teachings passed on". They became the truths we are commanded to hold on to (and they point back to the Old Testament, reaffirming its role as authoritative in the church as well).

So Paul is telling the church in Thessalonica: "God called you through our words, saved you through your belief in the truth and through the indwelling Holy Spirit, and now teaches you through our words - so hold on to them. He's given you encouragement and hope that is eternal - beyond your circumstances. So just do and say what is right."

That's where the hope comes in! God gave us encouragement and hope, so that we can be encouraged and strengthened for doing and speaking what is right. But that hope isn't just a good feeling. It's not positive thinking. It's firmly rooted and grounded in the word of God. It looks a lot like this:

"I'm facing the temptation to compromise at work right now, by inflating my numbers. But God's Word tells me that God hates dishonest weights and measures, and tells me to be honest in all things. He tells me that He establishes the work of my hands. So I am going to trust Him and do what is right."

"Our finances are really tight, so we don't have extra money right now for anything. But that single mom in our church doesn't have enough money to buy food. Scripture tells us to always be ready to meet immediate needs and that we should always be ready to do good especially within the church. He also promises to provide for our needs. So we are going to trust Him and open our hands to her, by having a meatless week and giving the difference to help her with her financial needs."

The examples are endless but the principle is the same -- when faced with a specific situation, we find something in God's Word that speaks to that situation, and we believe what God says and act or speak accordingly.

We are given hope and eternal encouragement. But we won't find any of it apart from the Word of God. As Christians who want to stand firm, we must make Scripture central to our daily lives and to our churches. We must be sure that our belief in its accuracy and inerrancy is firmly grounded, then hold on to it (all of it) with all we have. It's the only way to stand firm.

Loving the Truth (Ministry in Thessalonians, #26)

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him, we ask you brothers not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report, or letter supposed to have come from us saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man who is doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself above everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming Himself to be God.

Don't  you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back so that he can be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming. 

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan, displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

I've decided that 2 Thessalonians puts to rest any idea of agnosticism. In Paul's theology, there is simply no room for the malaise of apathy. We either love the truth, or we refuse to do so. We either believe the truth or we delight in wickedness. 

Like many of you these words grate against my desire and even, in some ways, my experience. I want to believe that there was a time when I hadn't yet embraced truth, but I didn't really delight in wickedness. I wasn't really all that bad, right? 

Yet apart from the redemptive, transforming power of Christ, the human heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked" (Jeremiah 17:9). And I know I was guilty of things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19), things like pride, deception, causing division. And those are just the things I'm willing to post publicly! 

Through the pen of Paul, the Holy Spirit doesn't allow me the easy way out that universalism offers. Instead, I am pressed to ask the hard question: How much do I love the truth? Because what this passage teaches is not easy, but it is simple: If anyone wants to believe a lie, God lets them. 

To Paul, salvation is more than praying a prayer or checking off doctrinal beliefs. It's a direction of the heart characterized by LOVING and BELIEVING the truth. The opposite of this is not merely believing a lie, being shrouded in a false belief system against your will. No, the opposite of this is REFUSING to love the truth and DELIGHTING in wickedness. 

Wickedness isn't necessarily blatant, dark evil. The word simply means injustice, unrighteousness, whatever is morally wrong as defined by God's law. Certainly we all fall short - that's what the word "sin" means - but Paul tells us that those who are condemned actually delight in wickedness. They take joy in it. Like the Israelites in the time of the Judges, they call what is evil, good. And by taking truth and refusing to love it, they essentially say that what is good, is evil. 

There is no question this is a hard word from Paul - and yet we must remember, looking at this from a ministry perspective, that he wrote this to ENCOURAGE the church. In the next section he will turn his attention toward encouraging them to hold on to the word of God. But first, he lays groundwork of how important it is for them to not take that word lightly. They are to LOVE it. And when they do, they can have assurance of their salvation.

I see something else encouraging tucked into these words. I see a hint that God looks at the heart of those who might not know the full truth, to see if they are loving the truth they do have. Do they love the truth of God revealed in nature? Do they love the truth they've picked up along the way? Are they prepared to love the full revelation of all God is for us in Christ when they are told of the Gospel message? For those individuals who reject wickedness and love truth, I see a hint of God's words to Ezekiel concerned the shepherds who were leading Israel astray with false teachings:

Ezekiel 34:10 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.

I've read plenty of miraculous stories of people seeing crosses, hearing words, having visions of Jesus, being told to go some place where a missionary had also been told to go, neither knowing who they would be meeting. We know Jesus said no one can come unless God's Spirit draws him. He draws with the truth. As people see and respond positively to the truth, He gives them more truth ... and more truth ... and more truth ... because they love it. Because they believe it. Because he wants no one to perish. 

And how does He do that? Through His church. Through each and every believer and community of believers. 

Does this passage trouble you? Do you hate to think of anyone perishing? Rejoice, dear friend.  You share the heart of God, who doesn't want anyone to perish. He won't force the affections of the heart. He'll take every inkling that someone loves truth and nourish it with more. And He wants to use you in the process.

Don't let Paul's words confuse you. Let them energize you to find those He wants you to share with, so you can love the truth together.  

While you're waiting (Ministry in Thessalonians #25)

All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

A theme throughout 1 & 2 Thessalonians is the second coming of Christ. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul teaches about the second coming and ends each chapter with an encouragement based on our hope in Christ's certain return. In 2 Thessalonians the emphasis shifts somewhat. Paul enhances the teaching on the second coming with details about what will happen and how not to be deceived by false claims of a secret return. However, he also addresses something very significant: What to do while you're waiting.

We all hate to wait. I personally rarely go anywhere that might result in a wait without a good magazine or book. Anyone who's walked with the Lord very long knows that the times He asks us to wait on an answer to prayer are much harder than hearing "no" when we longed for "yes". Our human brain tends to only focus well on one thing, and so when something is heavily on our mind, we can neglect other things that are equally true and important. Anyone who has nursed a loved one through an extended hospital stay knows the truth of that principle.

Paul doesn't shy away from the hard truth about the judgment associated with Christ's return. While it will be a happy "meeting in the air" for those in Christ (see 1 Thessalonians 4), it will be a time of punishment for those who don't know God or obey the gospel of Christ. This judgment is also associated with validation of the faith of those who had been persecuted throughout the centuries. God is just, even if that justice did not play out in their lifetimes.

Yet Paul doesn't just use this reminder of Christ's return and teaching on the coming judgment of their persecutors to turn the Thessalonians attention heavenward. Throughout the book of 2 Thessalonians we have every reason to believe that they didn't have any trouble at all focusing on the Second Coming. In fact, many scholars believe they focused on it a bit too much - being anxious about whether they had missed it (chapter 2) and not working in order to wait for His return (chapter 3). Paul's prayer for them here sets a tone for the book: Here's how to live while you're waiting on Christ's return. What can we learn from this prayer?

• Christ's return should motivate us. Paul prays "with all this in mind". What is "all this"? The coming judgment upon Christ's return and the result of the day He comes: He will be glorified in His holy people, and marveled at among all those who have believed. He will be glorified in our lives, made holy by His grace, and we will be marveling at Him. At His beauty, at His perfection, at His power, at Him in every way. 
• The One who calls us is the One who counts us worthy of the call. Let's be honest. NONE of us are worthy of our calling. However, through prayer He causes us to become who He calls us to be. The beautiful thing about it is that the new heart He puts within us makes us want to cooperate with the lessons along the way. I call this my "Princess Diaries" analogy. Have you seen it? In the movie, Mia is a homely, awkward teenager who suddenly discovers that she is really a princess - her grandmother is the queen of Genovia (played perfectly by Julie Andrews). Grandma wants to give Mia the chance to decide whether to pursue her heritage as princess and future queen, or to reject the opportunity. Much of the movie consists of Mia's efforts to be transformed from a nerdy young woman into a princess. Sometimes the efforts are humorous, as when Mia trips and falters in her evening attire. Other times they are sad, as when she embarrasses herself at a dinner party by setting the ambassador's sleeve on fire. And occasionally they are dramatic - when Mia's classmates see her new hair for the first time, they are truly amazed at the transformation. Through it all, Grandma encourages Mia that the Princess Lessons are really all about helping her "become who you are" -- and she reminds her that even if she rejects the heritage of becoming Queen, "you cannot reject who you are". That's true of our calling. Romans 11:29 says "The gifts and callings of God are irrevocable." We are made worthy of the calling one painstaking lesson at a time. Like Mia, we sometimes have humorous results, other times sad and embarassing -- and occasionally dramatic. Always we can see the results more clearly from a long, reflective view than we can in the midst of the day-to-day struggles. And if we throw in the towel for a while, we can never reject who we are -- the Holy Spirit won't let us be happy until we take up the lessons once again.
• He fulfills our good purposes and faith-prompted actions by His power. This verse has been so liberating to me! Have you ever felt the paralysis of analysis when it comes to ministry? You sense a call to ministry, a call to look outside yourself in some way. But there are SO many things you could do ... so many things you should do ... so many things that need to be done ... where do you begin? One of the things I've learned over the years and through the Word of God is that we so often underestimate how thoroughly He has redeemed us. He has given us a NEW HEART. He has transformed us! But just as with Peter and Paul, He left our personalities and strengths and interests intact. Paul didn't quit being an intellectual the day he encountered Christ. Peter didn't stop being bold and daring. But they both walked out their ministry filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, with the very personalities and gifts God had put within them. Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying we shouldn't pray and seek God for specific guidance, and I'm certainly not advocating an emotion-led life. But what I am saying is that when we sense His call, it's ok to consider what we really have a passion to do and examine it against the word of God. Do you love to cook, and get great joy out of making economical meals? Maybe God would use you in a soup kitchen! Has writing always been part of your life? Consider whether God wants you to encourage others with your words! The possibilities are endless. Rather than do nothing out of fearing a wrong move, see in this passage the freedom that when we move forward in our purposes and faith-filled actions, they are completed not in our strength but by God's power. When you start something that you just can't seem to help getting involved in, and it bears fruit, that's a fulfillment of 2 Thessalonians 1:11!!  Watch for the fruit of the Spirit in the things you are passionate to do - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. "Against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:23). 
• The purpose is always God's glory. He is glorified in us by grace alone. Don't be confused by Paul's phrase "and you in Him." To be "glorified" means to be given an accurate weight or measure, to be shown truly for what a thing is. Through our actions God is revealed to the world as who He truly is. And through Him, we come to see who we truly are. Biblically, one reason for the delayed return of Christ is that all the world has not yet seen His glory through His people - they haven't heard the message preached and seen it lived out. The longed-for return can only be hastened in one way: As we move toward the fulfillment of the prophecy that every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented around the throne (Rev. 7:9). 

Biblical waiting is never passive. He is always working in us, whether we are waiting on answered prayers or on the return of Christ. Meanwhile, He has a ministry for us to be involved in ... while we're waiting.

"Therefore ... we boast" (Ministry in Thessalonians, #24)

Paul, Silas, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 

Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 

- 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 

As we turn the page to Second Thessalonians, we don't find a radically different church. Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians starts much as the first one did, and continues the attitude of thanksgiving for their faith and love. Not only did the enemy not steal their faith and make the efforts meaningless - he completely lost the battle as well as the war. The church became deeply rooted.

And Paul was like any proud parent -- he told others about his beloved child, in this case, an amazing young church.

As Christians, we know that "pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). We understand that we are not to boast in our own works (1 Corinthians 1:29) and that all boasting is to be in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31). And yet, seemingly paradoxically we are told that we should "outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10) and we see examples throughout the epistles of Paul showing honor to a Christian or church, often as an example or encouragement for others.

So how do the two connect? What can we glean from Paul boasting about this church?

• It's ok to say positive things about others - and let them know it. Paul didn't seem to spend any energy worrying that if the church knew he was talking about them they would get, in my best Texas parlance, "the big head". Have you ever had a relationship where you felt unappreciated or constantly criticized, and yet others said "She always speaks so highly of you"? What is your thought? If you're like me, it's probably along the lines of, "Well I sure wish she'd tell me so." People need to know when they are getting it right, when they are being a blessing, when they are valued and appreciated. The more the relationship is one of authority (such as parent-child, teacher-student, pastor-congregation), the more important it is that the person in authority take the time to reinforce positive lessons with specific, verbal appreciation. This isn't just basic human nature; we see this in Paul's example throughout Scripture. We don't have to be scared to honor people who are living out Biblical truths in the real world. 
• Context matters. Paul shares that he boasts "among God's churches." He doesn't try to convince the world or the Roman government of this awesome church. He boasts to those who will understand the context and be encouraged by the example. This doesn't mean that it is wrong to speak of the good a church is doing when talking to a city council considering a restrictive sign ordinance, for example -- but it does mean that we have to realize the audience and that the boasting will be most effective when the context is grasped by fellow believers. 
• Biblical boasting is specific enough to take away encouragement and examples. Paul specifically boasts about their perseverance and faith in the midst of persecution. The likely result of this, on the part of the listeners, is a realization that they too could endure trials, in the same way the church at Thessalonica did. Decades after this book, Peter would write, encouraging believers to resist Satan and stand firm "because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (1 Peter 5:9).
• Biblical boasting doesn't take from God's glory, it elevates it. Paul would later write to Ephesians that God reveals His wisdom in the heavenly realm through the church. That's us, with all our faults. God is glorified in our weaknesses and frailties. He is also glorified in our progress. When read in context, we see Paul's constant connection back to God: 
• The church is "in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v 1)
• They receive grace and peace "from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v 2)
• Paul's prayers "thank God for you...because your faith is growing" (v 3)
• The boasting occurs "among God's churches" (v 4)
• As we will see in the next segment (v 5), their perseverance is "evidence that God's judgment is right."
• We are part of a larger story. "God's churches" that heard of Thessalonica were part of what God was doing as well. Thessalonica, a relatively new, small, early church, needed to know they also weren't alone. By sharing the stories, each of the churches make a connection that brought them into the bigger picture of what God was doing. 

When blood-bought, Spirit-filled, Word-bathed Christians are growing, others have much to learn and be encouraged by. Paul's example tells us that we don't have to be afraid to tell their stories - and we have much to learn from listening to others' stories as well. Most of us aren't church planters, going around with easy access from church to church to tell others' stories. So what are some ways we can connect to the bigger story?

• Read Christian biographies. There is something profoundly moving about reading stories of Christians gone before. I always feel like I'm extending the list of Hebrews 11. We have much to learn from people who lived in different times and places. While they certainly have their biases, as we do, and while we do not elevate their lifestyles to the commands to Scripture - we can be deeply impacted by seeing how the scarlet thread of faith extends through the centuries and across the miles. Not sure where to start? Check out Goodreads' list of Christian biographies and pick one that sounds good to you!
• Read missionary stories. Certainly missionary biographies are a great place to start, but sign up for missionary newsletters or read those your church provides. Find out what God is doing TODAY in places you've never heard of. 
• Learn about the persecuted church. Sign up for newsletters from www.opendoorsusa.org and start reading. You'll be blown away by the faithfulness and endurance of believers around the world.
• Learn about the churches in your city. Pray for other churches and pay attention to what God is doing in them. When you see a Vacation Bible School sign, pray for that church. When you meet a believer who attends another church, ask what God is doing there. See yourself not just as "a member of X church" but as "part of the church in (my city)".
• Don't be afraid to talk about what you see in others. Do some Biblical boasting, especially if you are in ministry! Share what God is doing in your group, and tell them about it. Even if you're not in ministry, talk about the amazing testimony of your worship leader, or the way God uses your pastor's words in your life. Then tell that person directly. Encouragement works both ways!
  

God is doing some amazing things throughout the world through the most unlikely vessels -- US. Let's bring Him glory by sharing those stories. He is worthy ... therefore, we boast.

The Hard Simplicity of Sanctification (Ministry in Thessalonians #22)

And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24

It's easy to see Paul's pastoral heart throughout his writings. 1 Thessalonians is filled with declarations of love, desire to see them, and reminders of their time together. Now, as Paul and his team wrap up this letter to a much-loved church, they leave parting words that are not difficult to understand. Paul's letters consistently move from doctrinal theology to practical theology, and this earliest one is no different.

Paul packs a lot of information into a few short verses. Like most pastors, he sees the time drawing to an end and wants to make sure every Spirit-breathed word makes it onto the page before the messenger takes the scroll on its journey to the recipients. His parental heart comes through as well; who among us hasn't had a parent shouting out last-minute reminders as we drive off to a new experience without their daily presence? Rather than see these sentences as a list of commands, we should view them as a reflection of love: The love of a parent, the love of a pastor, and most of all, the love of the God who inspired them onto the page.

Let's be honest: We don't need Greek word studies or even comparisons to other scriptures to understand how Paul is exhorting the Thessalonians - and us - to live. It's straightforward and simple. But oh, don't for a minute think I'm saying it is easy. I am absolutely certain that we don't get beyond the first verse before we are filled with questions about how to "warn the idle" and conviction about times when we've been "the idle"! We can spend a lifetime learning to live out "always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." It's simple - but not easy!

I'm convinced that this hard simplicity of sanctification is why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to wrap up this section with a solid doctrinal reminder of how we walk out our practical theology. In a few words, he fills us with hope that the previous verses can be lived out in our lives -- not by our power, but by His alone:

• "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through." What a perfectly beautiful reminder that our sanctification comes from God, not from our own efforts. Don't be thrown off by the word "sanctify". It simply means "separate", specifically to be separated from ungodly things to be dedicated to God Himself. It also means "to purify" and is used in the New Testament to refer to being purified by the blood of Christ and cleansed from within. It is an internal work with external effects. It's just a big word for being "in the world, but not of the world". And praise God, He reminds us that it is a work of God Himself. The God of Peace. The One with whom we have peace because of the blood of Jesus. 
• "May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Sanctification affects us through and through. It's not something that we can keep to ourselves. Although our faith must be very personal, it isn't private. When God's sanctifying work is in us we will be different in every aspect of our being. Have you ever felt convicted to apologize to someone who had no idea that you had wronged her - but you knew, because the internal attitude was off and God wouldn't let you rest until you confessed? That's an example of the way sanctification works. As we learn to walk closely with God as He works in us, we will sense times when something is affecting our spirit, soul, or body in ways that keep us from being blameless. The quicker we act to separate ourselves from that, the sooner we find a deepening of our intimacy with God as He walks with us through the hard simplicity of sanctification. 
• "The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it." This unequivocal statement keeps our focus on God's faithfulness. Have you ever had an experience where you felt you kept reliving the same mistake? Did you get to the point of recognizing that God was going to let you keep going around that mountain until you got it right? Then you have experienced the persistent, stubborn faithfulness of God. When we are His children, He is far too faithful to us to allow us to persist in something that damages our spirit, soul, and body rather than keeps it blameless. It may take a while for us to get the message, but He will keep after us, because as this verse tells us "He WILL do it". We get the joy of deciding to cooperate with Him in that work, and to decrease the consequences of ignoring His voice by responding quickly. When I was a child I was pretty stubborn. (Some would argue I haven't outgrown it, but that's a topic for another day.) Many things that my mom tried to teach me I resisted. On more than one occasion I recall her saying to me, "You can be stubborn, but I can be more stubborn than you." She knew what every parent knows: At some point she would win, because she was the mom. She saw the bigger picture and there was only so much I could do without her. She was stubbornly faithful to not let me go outside and play until the chores were done, or I brushed my teeth, or whatever thing I was rebelling against that day. And in the end, all the important lessons she taught me took. She did it. She loved me enough that her faithfulness exceeded my slowness to respond. And our God is the same way. I just want to cooperate and be used by Him, rather than keep repeating the same lessons. 

Paul never promised the Thessalonians a rose garden. He told them from the beginning this wouldn't be easy, and they experienced persecution early on. Now, listing a number of simple but difficult aspects of this different life they were called to live, he still doesn't mince words. It's obviously not going to be easy. But he is leaving them in the hands of the One whose work would transform their lives. 

Those who work hard among you (Ministry in Thessalonians, #21)

Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord, and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 

- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

After an extensive discourse on the hope that believers have in the return of Christ and our eventual reunion with Him and other believers, Paul turns to a more earth-bound topic: The healthy functioning of His body, the church.

Don't think for a minute that these practical instructions are of lesser significance than the future promises we have just read. Since Jesus established it, the church has been God's appointed means for spreading the good news of salvation through Jesus, teaching and bringing others into the family so that one day, people will worship around the throne from "every tribe and tongue and nation and people group" (Revelation 7:9). He wants to multiply exponentially the number of people who will "live together with Him" (verse 10) and that requires a healthy, growing, global church.

No one believer, or one body of believers, or even one massive people movement of believers, can ever fully reflect the character of Jesus to the world or live out the Great Commandments in all the ways God loves. No single body can fulfill the Great Commission. It takes all of us - yet as real as the overall body of Christ is, the fact remains that it is revealed to the world in local bodies of believers. God didn't stay on an abstract plane, but came down to earth in the form of a baby who grew to be a man who revealed God's true nature to us. In that same sense, the "body of Christ" is incarnated in hundreds of thousands of local bodies - the local church. And for each local church to fulfill its God-given purpose in God's global plan, each person has a part to play. As Paul turns to address some of these aspects of healthy church life, let us recall that this is one of the earliest books of the Bible, written to one of the first churches Paul planted. Without the full counsel of the word of God to inform their faith and practice, this church was very dependent on Paul's guidance. What did he consider significant enough to write down and send to them?

Respect. Your. Leaders.

A close examination of verses 12-14 makes it clear that Paul is talking about two different groups: "brothers" and another group described in three ways:

• They work hard among you
• They are over you in the Lord
• They admonish you

These aren't people from outside the church (like Paul & his team) but people who are integrally involved in the daily life of the church. Putting together all the puzzle pieces, and comparing to other Scriptures, we can deduce that this three-fold description can only be referring to church leaders. These verses give insight both into how church leaders should do their job, and how church members - referred to here as "brothers" - can fulfill Paul's request to respect leaders.

1. Leaders work hard. Strong's dictionary defines the Greek word translated as "work hard" with this descriptive explanation: "1. to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief)  2. to labour with wearisome effort, to toil a.of bodily labour". Simply put: Ministry is hard. Sometimes it's hard mentally, sometimes it's hard spiritually ... and sometimes it is physically demanding.

If you are in any kind of ministry, please don't get confused by the common but misguided notion that attempts to assure you that anything done for God will give energy. Yes, it is true that works empowered by the Holy Spirit and fueled by faith do feel different than works done in the flesh. We can feel spiritually renewed in the midst of ministry. But we can also know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that we are walking in our calling and still get really, really tired. 

If you are not in church leadership, please remember this aspect of ministry. Respect your leaders by being aware of their fatigue and the burdens of ministry. Realize that your pastor, or his wife, or elders, or nursery coordinator, are carrying loads that you don't have to carry. Sometimes they may seem to be distracted when you're talking to them simply because they haven't slept in two nights. Maybe your pastor fumbled over a few words in the sermon because he was up all night preparing it. Demonstrate the respect that Paul asks of us by extending the same grace you want after a hard day's work and little sleep. If your pastor has a scheduled day off, respect his time and pray for his rest. In fact, keep your pastor, his family, and all your church leaders at the top of your prayer list every day. You can be sure that part of the "hard work" they do is praying for you, so respect them by returning the favor.

2. Leaders have spiritual authority. I know that word grates at the nerves of a lot of us, especially those of us in more egalitarian cultures. Please know that I am well aware of the abuses of authority that many of us have seen, both outside and sadly, inside, the church. However, hear this well: abusive authority is not spiritual authority. Consider the range of meanings wrapped up in the word translated "over you": "to set over; to superintend; to preside over; to be a protector or guardian; to give aid; to care for or give attention to." Spiritual authority boils down to this: Someone has to be responsible. Part of being responsible is protecting, guarding, helping, paying attention to details.

If you are in church leadership, first of all thank you for taking on this responsibility. See in this Scripture the Biblical authority God has given you over the church extends far beyond giving a message or arranging the Sunday service. Good leaders are the shepherds who guard the sheep; John 10 tells us that a good shepherd won't let any interlopers into the sheep pen. Pray for discernment, to be sensitive to every detail that God wants you to pay attention to for the care and protection of the people God has given you.

If you are a church member, you may read this verse and envy your leaders for their "higher calling." Scripture never makes the distinction that it's higher; only that it carries a heavier weight. Consider  Hebrews 13:17: "Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you." This verse gives very specific instructions on how we can respect our leaders in this area: Have confidence in them, and submit to their authority. If you chafe at the word "submit", remember the description of what spiritual authority means: They protect us, they care for us, they help us and pay attention to things on our behalf. When you submit to your church leaders' authority, you are not checking your brain at the door. You are simply allowing them to fulfill their God-given role of protecting you, caring for you, helping you, paying attention to things.

3. Leaders speak hard truths. "Admonish" is a word related to teaching and simply means warning or exhorting. When Scripture speaks of exhorting it is always in the context of the word of God, so this is essentially another way of saying that leaders tell us hard truths from the Bible. They highlight things we might want to skip over. They remind us of truths that we have forgotten. If they are walking in the spiritual authority God gave them as we just noted, they will be paying attention to things we might miss - so they will occasionally giving us Biblical warnings that we might otherwise miss. Of course, as Christ's under-shepherds (1 Peter 5:1-4) they will speak in love and with compassion. But they will speak it.

Leaders, always remember that God doesn't simply give you permission to speak hard truths - He assumes that you will do so. He will always be with you and empower you in anything He calls you to share.

Members, the next time you sense a difficult word coming from your pastor or another leader, pray for him and ask God to help you receive the message. Good leaders are prescient and will always be ahead of the people, so consider that he might be seeing something you just cannot yet see. Study the Scriptures he references and ask God to help you apply them to your own life. 

Paul wraps up this by telling the brothers not only to respect their leaders, but to hold them in high regard in love because of what they do. In a culture based on honor and shame, Paul is telling these church brothers to hold their leaders in a place of honor - not because the leaders demand it or expect it, but because they work hard. We are to do this in love - it's not a burden to show honor to someone who is protecting and caring for you and not seeking honor for themselves.

Finally, Paul wraps up this section by telling the believers to live in peace with each other. Leaders with non-leaders. All the brothers and sisters of the body with each other. Nothing shows respect and honor like peace!

In these two verses, Paul lays the groundwork for a healthy church: Leaders who watch out for the body, and members who let them do so. When the foundation is solid, then the church is able to fulfill God's purpose - reaching out beyond itself to a world that needs to know the love of God and the message of salvation through Christ. 

The basis for encouragement (Ministry in Thessalonians, #20)

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

- 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

A principle of interpretation is to always look to see what the "therefore" is there for. Here, Paul urges the believers to encourage and edify (build up) each other as a result of specific truths. Just as chapter 4's teaching on Christ's return ends with the exhortation to encourage each other with the words that promise reunification with our loved ones who are in Christ, the section on the "day of the Lord" ends with the exhortation to encourage each other. What is our source of encouragement in the context of a certain coming judgment? 

• We belong to the day. As the previous section noted, we are children of light and of the day. We are not asleep; we've been awakened by the beauty of Christ.
• We are spiritually protected. Faith and love become our breastplate, shielding our hearts from attacks of unbelief and hatred. The hope of salvation becomes our helmet, protecting us from mortal wounds of the enemy.
• We are not appointed to suffer wrath. Salvation is the end result of our faith, because Jesus bore the wrath of God on our behalf. 
• Jesus died so I can live with Him. Whether dead or alive when He returns, I am assured of life forever with Him. 

The  ministry lesson tucked in to this passage is that Biblical encouragement is always built on truth. Understanding this one principle can help us greatly in discerning true encouragement from well-meaning, but empty, words. It marks the difference between encouragement and mere affirmation. Biblical encouragement can be challenging ("let us be self-controlled"). It can remind us of basic truths ("He died for us") and take us deeper into the cross ("God did not appoint us to suffer wrath"). As we seek to be encouragers and teach others to do the same, let's always ground that encouragement in Scriptural truths. 

About those who fall asleep, and those who sleep (Ministry in Thessalonians, #19)

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. 

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:7

One of the things that makes the Bible ring true to me is the openness of its teachings. Unlike the gnosticism that was increasingly taking root in the first century, there are no secret teachings or higher levels of knowledge in Christianity. Earlier, we saw how intentional Paul was to highlight truths that he had taught them, things they "knew" because he was transparent in his ministry. Here, we see that same level of intentionality applied to teaching about death, the return of Christ, and the day of the Lord.

Jesus talked at length about the end of the world and told the apostles what believers living at that time could expect to see. So it's only natural that as new followers came into the fold, they would hear of Jesus' words (remember, the gospels hadn't yet been written down) and wonder about other believers who had died, who wouldn't be here to see Christ's return. Paul didn't leave them hanging - he didn't want them to be ignorant about it. This tells me that at the heart of true ministry is a desire for people to know. To have specific truths to hold on to. This is another of those areas where Paul didn't leave room for discussion, for a soft theology of discovery and raising questions; instead, he lays out "hard theology," a sound doctrine of clear truths with a specific timeline (though not specific dates and times).

1. Jesus will come down from heaven with a loud command, an archangel's voice, and a trumpet call of God. 
2. The dead in Christ will rise first. 
3. Believers who are still alive and left on the earth will be caught up in the clouds. 
4. Everyone - the resurrected dead and the caught up living - will meet the Lord in the air. 
5. We will all be with the Lord forever.

Paul also didn't want them to grieve hopelessly. Have you ever witnessed truly hopeless grieving? I have, and it's one of the saddest things I've ever seen. "Grieve" means to be sorrowful or sad. We are not told not to grieve - we will still experience sadness when those we love die, because death is not normal. It's not the way it was meant to be. Instead, when we lose a loved one in Christ we grieve differently because of the hope that we will see him or her again - we don't even have to wait for heaven. We'll be reunited in the sky, either both being resurrected (if we die before Christ's return) or being caught up after their resurrection (if we're still alive). Paul's specific theology here becomes a source of encouragement - we are told to "encourage each other with these words". The bodies of those who are gone are just "asleep" - waiting for the trumpet. (As Paul notes elsewhere, their souls are with the Lord immediately at death; absent from the body but present with God.)

Paul then moves into a related, but distinct topic: The "day of the Lord." Not the day of joyous resurrection, but the day of judgment. He doesn't give specific information, because that day will come suddenly, like a thief. The entire emphasis here is on the impact of this day on those who are being destroyed. These individuals are also said to be asleep, but not in the sleep of death. These are asleep in the darkness of unbelief. Asleep when they could be awake.

Believers are in direct contrast. In Christ, we are all children of the light, children of the day. We are alert, self-controlled. We are not in the dark of night, where sleep and drunkenness reign. We are in the light of day, where truth and love reign. We have been called from darkness into His marvelous light, called to declare His praises with every breath He gives us until our last breath - or until we meet Him in the air.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Now, about Brotherly Love, Part 2 (Ministry in Thessalonians #18)

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. 

- 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Ever since I wrote the last post on Ministry in Thessalonians, I've reflected on these next two verses and came to realize that I really should have included them in that post on brotherly love. The thoughts are so closely connected that some versions don't start a new sentence at verse 11.

The Thessalonians were taught by God to love, and were successfully loving other believers. As part of his challenge to them to "do so more and more", Paul lays out three specific actions that facilitate love within the body of Christ:

• Be ambitious about the right things. The New Testament consistently warns against "selfish ambition" and cautions believers about elevating themselves above others. Jesus taught that greatness is measured by the degree of servanthood, so pursuing what looks like worldly success actually moves us away from heavenly greatness. Here, Paul gives a specific "goal" for appropriate ambition: Lead a quiet life. The phrase is used elsewhere in the New Testament to mean "remain quiet" and "rest"; its root means "tranquil". It's a phrase used in contrast to "running hither and thither" (honestly, that's part of the definition). The quiet life is marked by a trust in God (that keeps us from taking on too much), relationship with Him and others, Biblical rest. It's a quietness of soul. Goal-oriented, ambitious people in the body of Christ can love well by focusing their ambition on rest and relationship. 
• Mind your own business. We chuckle at this, knowing almost immediately what it means (or at least what we think it means). Certainly there is the element of avoiding gossip, as Paul clearly spells out elsewhere. But Young's Literal Translation captures the nuances of the Greek a little better: "Do your own business". Another translation reads, "Attend to your own affairs." In any case, the idea in mind is that we don't let our responsibilities slide ... an apt command given that the previous one focuses on quietness and rest. We are so prone to extremes: "Rest? OK. Great command. I can get into this quietness and rest thing. Can't do the dishes, gotta rest. Can't help out my neighbor, gotta rest." But when we truly grasp all that God is for us in Christ, we not only have quietness of soul, we also have fullness of purpose in the life He gives us. We can contentedly and peacefully take care of our own business - those things we are personally responsible for - without anxiety or stress. 
• Work. Paul instructs them to work with their hands. The context clearly refers to work that earns a living. We often forget that work preceded the fall. The result of the fall was sweat and toil, thorns and thistles - the difficulties of work. But work itself is God-ordained. 

As believers grow in love for each other, with lives that are consistently marked by quietness of soul, personal responsibility, and hard work, two things happen: Outsiders respect our daily lives, and we are not dependent on anyone. (Certainly, there are times when we step in and help each other, or even where disability or illness lead to dependence - that is not what this passage refers to.) Our love continues to grow as we each increasingly do our part, at home, within the body, at work, and generously share with each other our time, talents, and treasure, within a context of mutual love and submission.

Love at work. It's a beautiful thing.

Now, about brotherly love ... (Ministry in Thessalonians, #17)

Now, about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more. 

- 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

One of the earliest American history facts I remember learning is that Philadelphia is the "city of brotherly love". As we studied the history of the constitution and the infant republic, this town was featured prominently. It would be many years before I realized that the name of the city was lifted directly from the pages of Scripture.

Philadelphia, or "brotherly love" is the noun form of one of the three Greek words for love used in the New Testament (the verb form is phileo; the other verbs are agape and storges; a fourth word, eros, is not used in the New Testament.) While agape refers to divine love or to self-sacrificial love, and storges to natural love such as that a mother has for a child, philadelphia refers to love between individuals - specifically, the love that should exist between Christians. Interestingly, the root word, philos, simply means "friend" and was used to refer to "one of the bridegroom's friends who on his behalf asked the hand of the bride and rendered him various services in closing the marriage and celebrating the nuptials". We're talking about a love that involves a level of trust and deep relationship.

In his classic The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis explores each of these words. He writes of philos: “Friendship arises out of mere companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure or burden” (Strong's Concordance). In other words, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to choose not the self-sacrificing agape love, or the natural storge love, but the relational philos love to define the love that God taught these believers to have for each other. 

Love for one another is so important to the heart of God that when the founders of this fledgling church were torn away from them, God stepped in to teach love directly to the church. Certainly phileo love is tied to agape love; the word in the second part of verse 9 is agape. God taught them to love one another with His divine, self-sacrificing love - but it played out in ways that reflected the unique philos love. Why is that? I believe it's simply this: Believers always have Jesus in common.

When we encounter another follower of Christ, we have found something in common, as Lewis described. In a place like Thessalonica, where believers were in the minority and faced persecution, realizing that they had relationships based on the common bond of Christ was crucially important to the young church. Those social bonds would strengthen faith and help them grow to maturity. Furthermore, in the first century there were no denominations or multiple churches within a city. There was no place to go if you couldn't get along. True "brotherly love" was essential for the church to rise above the differences as God brought people from all walks of life - Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female - into the church to make them all equal before Christ. And that's a beautiful thing.

I've certainly experienced some of the beautiful diversity of the philadelphia love within the body of Christ. I think of one friend who is as different from me as I can imagine. I'm a southern girl; she doesn't quite get us. I don't have an artistic bone in my body; she is creative in every way imaginable. I dislike pink and girly frou-frous; she enjoys what is often called "the feminine touches". Yet because of Christ, I met her and gradually developed a relationship of mutual love and appreciation for our differences. She has been incredibly encouraging about my teaching; prays faithfully for my ministry requests; and demonstrates in every way that we have true phileo love for each other. I hope you can think of your own example.

We were created for relationship - with God and with others. Not everyone has a spouse; not everyone has children; but we all have the opportunity to have friends. We can enjoy things we have in common with our friends from all walks of life, but there is a special friendship among believers who have Jesus in common. Paul urges us, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to pursue this love, "more and more".

Let brotherly love continue... Hebrews 13:1

Giving instructions (Ministry in Thessalonians, #16)

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man, but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)

Throughout the New Testament we see a variety of approaches to ministry. We see the apostles encouraging churches, teaching them, pleading with them, challenging them to think differently. Sometimes we see calls to come up higher; other times guidelines on what to let go and what to take up. And sometimes, we see straightforward commands. This is one of those passages. 

From the standpoint of ministry, it's important that we see there is a place for giving instructions. Certainly there is value in training disciples to discover God's Word for themselves; it's important that the faith-walk of a church be authentic and not empty legalism. Some topics do lend themselves to dialogue and a questioning, socratic-type method. But it seems to me that our post-modern culture has infiltrated the church in a dangerous way when this becomes our default method, especially in areas where Scripture leaves no wiggle-room. The "soft theology" of discovery and raising questions can lead to relativism when it's not balanced by Scriptural "hard theology" of sound doctrine and clear-cut commands. Sexual morality is one area where "instructions" are called for.

The word translated "instruct" in its various forms literally means "commandment". These are not options! Paul and his team aren't presenting one option among many. Instead, they lay out specific rules - significantly, "by the authority of the Lord Jesus." What does Jesus say about sexual morality?

• We are to be set apart. "It is God's will that you should be sanctified." Sanctified means to be set apart. This world is broken in every way due to sin - including sexual brokenness. Christians are not to be like the world. Our approach to sexual morality should be one area where we are set apart. Other Biblical passages make clear what that should look like: Sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage between a husband and wife, and anything that defiles that should be rejected.
• We are to avoid sexual immorality. "Avoid" means to hold oneself back, to abstain. It means that we are not to go in the direction of immorality but instead in the direction of purity. It's not just about avoiding certain acts; we are to pursue a lifestyle of purity that holds us away from sexual immorality. 
• We are to control our body in a holy, honorable way. When we belong to the Lord, we don't get to "lose control". Our body is His temple and therefore, we are stewards of His temple. We must control ourselves in a holy, honorable way. We handle ourselves in a way that reflects His holiness and brings honor to His name which we bear. Paul contrasts this to "passionate lust" - a hedonistic, physically oriented lack of control which characterizes those who don't know God.
• We are never to wrong or take advantage of someone in the area of sexual morality. To the Thessalonians this most certainly meant not being involved sexually with another man's wife, as was common in that culture. In fact, Thessalonica was known for sexual immorality being practiced in the guise of the religions of that day. Paul makes it clear that the church should be distinguished by not sharing spouses, but also by not taking advantage of another person. We might not have Thessalonica's sexual mores, but examples abound of "taking advantage of" another person in this way. In Paul's teaching of Jesus' instructions, morality is not based on consent. It's based on marriage, self-control, and love for others that would never take advantage of a weakness for selfish passion.

Paul wraps up the section by stating that Jesus Himself will judge those who commit these sins, because God wants us to be holy, not impure. He boldly tells us that disobeying these commands is a rejection of God, who gave believers His Holy Spirit. We have to intentionally reject the Holy Spirit's promptings in order to commit sexual sin.

These are hard, direct words. Paul doesn't shy away from sharing them. That's the ministry lesson tucked into this teaching: Don't be scared to share truth under the authority of the Lord Jesus. 
Yes, we can trust the Holy Spirit in the lives of other believers, but we have to realize that He uses teachers, pastors, and other leaders (Eph 4) to mature the church. It's great when we get to have a good discussion. But sometimes, we all need some clear instructions.

Clear the way! (Ministry in Thessalonians, #15)

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now, may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May our Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May He strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones. 

- 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

The news of the Thessalonians' faith and love was encouraging to Paul and leads into this beautiful outpouring of prayer on their behalf. Paul longs to thank God for them and does so the only way he can - by praying for them. He prays that the team can see them again; that our Lord will increase their love; and that He will strengthen their hearts. Each of these prayers is a lesson in itself, but what strikes me the most about them is a key difference between the first prayer and the other two. 

The latter two prayers focus on asking Jesus to do something IN the Thessalonians - increase their love and strengthen their hearts for the holiness that should characterize children of God. This isn't surprising. When we walk with the Lord we learn that we cannot love without His love in us. We know that it truly does take a certain strength of heart to pursue blameless, holy living when everything around us fights against it. It's not surprising to hear Paul ask for a divine impartation of love and strength.

What surprised me is that Paul's team prays earnestly to "see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith." They even ask God to get personally involved in making that happen. As a former Pharisee, Paul knew the Scriptures. He was certainly familiar with passages like Daniel 10, which tells of spiritual battles going on in the heavenly places involving angels, and shows God dispatching an angel in response to Daniel's prayer. Paul doesn't ask for an angel to get involved here. He boldly asks God to personally step in. And lest we misunderstand his request he gets extremely specific: "Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus..." There's only one God. The "Himself" is only there for one reason: To make it clear that this request is for God's personal intervention. 

The nature of the request is equally specific; he asks that they "clear the way for us to come to you." The phrase "clear the way" refers to the removal of hindrances. What hindrances? Paul has only verses before explained why his team didn't make it back to Thessalonica: "Satan stopped us." (1 Thess. 2:18). Paul and his team recognized that Satan was personally involved in an effort to keep the leaders from getting back to that new church. Satan wanted to keep the ministry team away from the young church as part of his diabolical plan to steal their faith. So, Paul went straight to the top - and asked God Himself to get involved in the fight. 

What was this so important? Why couldn't Paul just ask God to impart what was lacking in their faith, just as he asked Jesus to give them love and strength of heart? Here is the beauty of God's plan for the church: There is something inherent in the nature of faith that makes it grow in ways when we are together that it does not grow when we are apart. 

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

The New Testament was still in its infancy, so the Thessalonians didn't have the words of the apostles written down like we do - but we still need more than a pen and our own Bible, as important as those personal quiet times are. Something that we lack in our faith is built up when we hear the word of God proclaimed. We are equipped by our pastors and teachers, prepared for service and built up to a more mature faith. Every time we hear a Biblical sermon or sit under a sound teacher, something is supplied for our faith that wasn't there before. Our part is to recognize that our faith needs this impartation of the word, and to regularly put ourselves in a place where it's taught, with a heart attitude to receive it.

Here's the ministry challenge for this passage: If you are not in one of the spiritual roles mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, then thank God for your church leaders who do bear this responsibility. Pray for them to impart the word of God accurately, and for them to have the time to prioritize prayer and Bible study. Recognize that as their primary job. Thank them for it. Pray every day this week that when you come to church next Sunday God will use your pastor's words to supply something lacking in your faith. Let God use him for the purpose He gave him to your church - to build you up and mature you.

If you are in one of these spiritual roles, I'm sure you recognize the profound responsibility that you have to the body of Christ and the vital importance of handling the word of God accurately. However, take some time to recognize the importance of having what is lacking in your own faith supplied as well. Who is your "pastor" or teacher? Take some time this week to receive a word from God that you don't have to research, write, or determine how to communicate to others. He has a word that is just for YOU. It will supply what is lacking in YOUR faith, and it will build you up for the work you are doing in His church this week. 

Jesus loves His church. This is one prayer we can be sure He answers - to clear the way for His people to hear His word.

Faith and love (Ministry in Thessalonians #14)

So when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us, and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, in all our distress and persecution we are encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 

- 1 Thessalonians 3:5-8

Paul's heart for the church in Thessalonica oozes from every chapter of these books, but this passage is especially touching. Paul has already explained how his ministry team decided together to stay in Athens and send Timothy to check on them. But Paul gets very personal in verse 5: HE could stand it no longer. He had to know how they were doing. Specifically, he was afraid of the type of spiritual warfare they might have been facing from the enemy of our souls, the tempter. Satan had already stopped them from coming to Thessalonica again so he knew that something evil was afoot. He didn't know the form it took with the church, but he was afraid some temptation had come to them. The previous verses seem to indicate that he was particularly concerned about temptations away from faith based on the persecution they were facing. Whatever his concern, he reached a point where he had to know something about their faith.

What's interesting to me is the report Paul details from Timothy doesn't talk about their faith at all! He says there is news about "your faith and love" but all the specifics relate to love; The church has pleasant memories of Paul & his team, and longs to see them. That's it. It seems so innocuous to our ears, almost a courtesy statement. Yet Paul saw in this report something much, much deeper. He saw evidence of faith, of standing firm in the Lord.

The epistles of John were still decades from being penned, but the eternal truth from God must have been ringing in Paul's heart:

1 John 3:11, 14 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. ... 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

1 John 4:6-12 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Paul knew that Timothy's report reflected two evidences of faith:

1. They loved other believers. Remember, Paul and his team had been run out of town by persecutors. If the church at Thessalonica was not holding firm to truth, they would want to distance themselves from people who were out of favor with persecutors. Instead, they not only embraced them, they longed to see them! And they even said they had "pleasant memories" of their time together - despite the riot and false accusations by their own countrymen!
2. They paid attention to the apostles' teaching (1 John 4:6). They weren't rejecting God's messengers, because they were embracing the message. Today we listen to the apostles' teaching through reading and obeying Scripture. The church in Thessalonica cared about God's word. 

Paul's team was greatly encouraged by this report, as simple as it was, because it told them everything they needed to know. When we truly are standing firm in our faith, we too will love other believers and pay attention to God's Word. It's a simple test, but the fruit is undeniable: Genuine faith and genuine love for God's people are inseparable.

God's fellow worker (Ministry in Thessalonians #13)

So, when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 

- 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4

At the end of chapter 2, we saw how Paul and his team prioritized presence in their ministry. It's no surprise when we find them sending one of their own, Timothy, to "strengthen and encourage" the believers in Thessalonica. Despite having the full authority and inspiration of the Holy Spirit behind his words, Paul knew that some lessons are not just taught, they are caught. Timothy's presence, and his steadfastness in the midst of trials, would strengthen and encourage the believers in ways Paul couldn't put into words.

What jumps out to me the most besides the continuation of this example of presence is Paul's description of Timothy: "Our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ." Paul could accurately have called Timothy "our fellow worker". In other passages, he referred to co-laborers in just that way. I find it significant that in a passage where he is trying to encourage them to not let trials unsettle them - the word literally means "move" - Paul highlights that Timothy labors not just alongside Paul, but alongside God Himself!

The implications for ministry are profound. To be God's fellow worker means we "work alongside" Him. It means we "cooperate" with Him in the task at hand. Most of all it means that spreading the gospel isn't our idea - it's God's. We're the ones coming alongside Him in His work.

As God's fellow worker, Timothy's assignment to Thessalonica is to strengthen and encourage them because of the certainty of trials. Trials are our destiny - they shouldn't unsettle us. Paul even goes on to say that his team had foretold their persecution. Whether they had divine insight or just read the signs of the times doesn't matter. Either way they knew what was coming, and they were right. It changed their location (they had to flee to Berea) but not their message. Not their purpose. Not their faith. They were God's fellow workers. Whatever happened, His work was going to be accomplished.

It is still so today. Trials, persecutions, difficulties - we face them all as God's fellow workers. But we face them with full assurance that He is with us in the midst of them, and that He is working it all together to accomplish His good purpose.

Don't be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. Be strengthened and encouraged as a fellow worker with God in the task set before you. He is faithful, and He will do it.