Psalm 81

We are in the midst of several Psalms that seem to come from a son of Asaph (Asaph was one of the worship leaders established from among the Levites by King David whose descendants seemed to use their father’s name for their writings) who wrote hymns from the context of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (indicated by the reference to Joseph, father of Ephraim and Manasseh who are the major tribes in the north).  He was either a resident there or wrote from the experience of residents there, which is an amazing thing to think about.  It means God was faithful even in maintaining a remnant of believers in that rebellious nation that had left the worship of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and replaced it with worship before two gold calves at Bethel and Dan.  


In Psalm 80 the Song asked how long and why; it asked God for restoration.  In Psalm 81 we have a Song that warns of the danger of ignoring God’s voice.  In v8 the writer says his purpose is to admonish.  Here are the various stanzas.

·        81:1-2 calls the people to make a joyful and very musical shout.

·        81:3-5 calls for the trumpet to be blown, calling the people to worship, at the next New Moon celebration.  God’s faithfulness to Joseph while he was in Egypt is brought to the forefront to remind people of a man and a time when things were right.

·        81:6-7 then reminds the people how God, when He brought them out of Egypt, tested them at the waters of Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7).  It is interesting that in the story twice it says the people tested or tempted God (v2,7).  And yet it was actually a test by God to see if they would trust and obey!

·        81:8-10 begins the warning.  At stake is the same issue as in Ecodus: will they listen to God and trust Him?  Or will they trust a foreign god?  There is only one way and it is the way of faithfulness to God.  If they do this God will satisfy them.  He says, “Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

·        81:11-12 reminds them of how the people in the wilderness would NOT heed His voice.  They walked in their own counsels.

·        81:13-16 concludes with a plea to listen and obey.  If they will God will subdue their enemies and satisfy them body and soul.

Let us consider two things.  First, the Bible makes it clear that the people of the Northern Kingdom did NOT learn the lesson.  They did not accept the rebuke.  They continued their idolatry and were judged severely in the time of the Assyrians who dispersed the ten tribes among many nations.  Second, let us understand that this speaks to us today.  God calls us to listen to Him, to walk in His ways.  That is the ONLY means of satisfaction for our souls.  Are you going through a trial, a test, such as Israel did at Meribah?  One thing that is happening is that God is seeking to reveal the true nature of your heart.  Your response will tell whether or not you are listening to God!

Psalm 80

(We are stepping out of 1 Thessalonians until June 18.  June 1-16 we will be in Israel and will be posting an account of the previous day's travels and significant scripture related to it.  So we will not have our usual Sunday 'Psalms' posts and are going to place them here for three days.)

Here we find another amazing prayer in time of difficulty.  It comes from citizen of the Northern Kingdom, Israel, and specifically one who pleads for the leading tribes of the NK: Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh (v1-2).  These tribes had left the kingdom after the reign of Solomon and established their own idolatrous religion.  Their idolatry eventually lead to their removal from the land by the Lord in the time of the Assyrian ascendency.  


So here is a man, part of a nation in despair, who nevertheless …

·        Pleads to the God who dwells between the cherubim (v1).  This is the language of true worship for Israel.  He refers to the holy of holies in the temple where sat the Ark of the Covenant, site of the mercy seat between the two golden cherubim.  There were not many in that kingdom that sought the true God but here was one.  This man was faithful to God in a deviant society.

·        Pleads to God as a part of His vine and vineyard (v8-11).  Again, this is truly remarkable.  Again, the northern Ten Tribes had been taken captive and dispersed among many nations.  To this day they are simply known as the diaspora, seemingly lost tribes of Israel.  And yet this godly man knows different.  He pleads with God to restore the vineyard, Israel, the vine He brought from Egypt.  This man believed in a faithful God!

·       Pleads the glory of the Messiah (v17-18).  Some would suggest that these words apply to the desperate nation, that “Israel” is “the man of Your right hand.”  That may be initially the primary meaning.  But as in the Servant Songs of Isaiah, the only true fulfillment for Israel is bound up in the exaltation of the Messiah.  Israel is nothing apart from Messiah.  She will only be truly saved in the context of the reign of Christ.  Think about this.  God told His Son to sit at His right hand while He made His enemies a footstool for His feet (Psalm 110:1).  Indeed, the Lord (Messiah) at God’s right hand will execute kings in the day of His wrath (Ps. 110:5), the answer to the very prayer of the Psalmist in Psalm 80.  The prayer in Ps. 80:14, visit this vine, is answered in the incarnation of Messiah, when God became Man!  When the Messiah is glorified then Israel will be glorified.  And we in the Church think the same way.  We share today in His glory (John 17:22) but this cannot be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18) when He is revealed in glory!  All we are is bound up in Him, in Christ Jesus our Lord!  He alone became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

How could this man, from the dispersed nation, have such faith, such insight?  You might want to read the backdrop, 2 Chron. 30, when Judah held a great Passover in the time of Hezekiah.  They made a special point to invite what was left of the Northern Kingdom to come and share in the feast.  The essence of the invitation was, “Return to God and He will return to you” (2 Chron. 30:6).  Psalm 80 contains a chorus, given three times (v3,7,19) that pleads with God to RESTORE US.  The Hebrew word for “return” in 2 Chron. 30 and “restore” in Psalm 80 is the same.  The text tells us that most people scoffed at the invitation from Hezekiah, but a few responded (2 Chron. 30:10-11).  This man was one of those few.  He did not need to be part of the populist majority to worship truly.  So do not pray “restore me O Lord” is you are not willing to return to Him!

1 Thess. 3:9-13, A Prayer to Pray

This chapter concludes with an emphasis on prayer.  First Paul talks about his praying for the Thessalonians (v9-10); then he records his prayer (v11-13).  


We need to understand why he is moved to such constant prayer.  It is not simply that he wants to see them face to face.  It is the reason he wants to see them: to perfect what is lacking in your faith.  This is a truly young church, a new fellowship of believers.  Paul had not been there long enough, perhaps even to appoint elders and give the instruction he would have desired to give.  And remember how Jesus said about the seed that falls on rocky or weedy soil.  The attack can be strong and with disastrous effects.  


Does that mean it is doomed to failure?  No!  The work is always the work of the Spirit of God as the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church, told us would be the case.  Paul was concerned about their faith (v5).  Thus he was in constant prayer that God would strengthen their faith (v10).  God led him to send Timothy to establish and encourage them in their faith (v2) and has now received good news concerning their faith (v6-7).  Now he is writing them a follow-up letter.  Paul was not able to be there; but the Holy Spirit was there and was using the word of God that Paul had preached.  It is as Paul said from prison: I suffer trouble … to the point of chains, but the word of God is not chained (2 Tim. 2:9).


Paul continues to ask the Lord to make it possible for him to make a return visit to Thessalonica.  But in the meantime he continues to pray for them.  And his prayer is a powerful illustration of how to pray for fellow-believers in Christ.  


The request is that the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all.  This is the command of Jesus (Jn. 13:34-35).  But in addition it is the context in which we become mature.  This 2-verse prayer in 1 Thess. 2 is similar to the longer versions in Eph. 3:14-21 (where maturity is being filled with the fullness of God) and Phil. 1:3-11 (where maturity is being filled with the fruits of righteousness).  In our passage maturity is defined as having hearts established blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.  In other words it is the culminating picture of the believers when Christ returns to take them to be with Him.  


One of the great studies in the Bible has to do with the prayers of Paul.  We can learn a lot about how to pray the will of God for our loved ones, both our earthly kin and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  I would encourage you to pray this exact prayer for your church and for those on your prayer list.  We spend a lot of time explaining to God what we want Him to do in given situations.  But prayer is about us asking God to do what HE desires to do.  The best way to get it right is to pray Scripture and this is a great one.


To God be the glory!

1 Thess. 3:1-8, Discipleship in Action

So Paul said he was hindered by Satan so that he stayed alone in Athens while Timothy returned to Thessalonica.  We should acknowledge God’s great work through Satan’s hindrance.  


For one thing, there is His work in Timothy.  He was a new part of the team, having joined them at Philippi which was the ministry stop immediately before Thessalonica (Acts 16-17).  You will remember that on the first missionary trip John Mark had left the team after the first recorded stop at Cyprus (Ac. 13:4-13).  Timothy, on the second trip, had already been with them to Troas (where the Holy Spirit led them in a direction none of them had anticipated), Philippi (Paul and Silas were put in jail), Thessalonica and Berea (they were run out of town by the Jews).  


Paul’s description of Timothy is amazing given his youth and short time on “the team”: our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ (2:3).  Timothy’s task was significant: to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith.  This is a good example of discipleship, of Paul’s mission of committing the word of God to faithful men who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2).


The other thing God did during Satan’s hindrance was to give Paul the opportunity to preach the gospel and reap a harvest at Athens (Ac. 17:16-34).  Satan is a defeated enemy so that even his best plans will not stand up against the will and work of God.  Satan’s only open door is with believers who are not walking in the Spirit.  

Speaking of Satan’s active involvement in what Christ is doing (edification; He is building His Church, Mt. 16:18), did you notice how Paul had prepared the believers for the inevitable persecution?  Paul did not have to be a prophet to know this; it is clearly taught in Scripture.

·        Mt. 7:14: we are on a “narrow road”, a “pressed” road.

·        Jn. 16:33: Jesus told His disciples: in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  Persecution is the result of the world system that is ruled by Satan.  But by the death and resurrection of Christ the one with the power of death (Satan) had been rendered powerless (Heb. 2:14).

·        Ac. 14:22: Thus Paul warned believer that with much affliction we must enter the kingdom of God.

But not to worry!  Tribulation cannot separate us from the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35).  God will comfort us in tribulation (2 Cor. 1:4).  And the comparatively light weight of tribulation will bring an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4:17).


Upon Timothy’s return Paul was blessed to hear of the growing maturity of the church.  Paul’s great concern for the church resulted in his comfort as he heard of God’s work being done.  He was told of their faith and love and was not hopeful of their hope: For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord!  What a great perspective Paul has about what is truly important in life.

1 Thess. 2:17-19; 2 Cor. 11:22-27, A Heart for the Church

Craftsmen love to show off their creations.  The watchmaker delights in his watches, the artist his painting, the mechanic his fine-tuned engine, and the plumber his unclogged drain.  I have wood-working friends whose creations are always out to see in the home and they will gladly get the latest and show it to you.  It makes sense.


Likewise, servants of Christ who invest in the local church ought to find joy in a fellowship that is maturing into the likeness of Christ (Eph. 4:16).  The Apostle John was like that: I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in the truth (3 Jn. 4).  Paul told the Philippians to fulfill my joy by being like-minded (Phil. 2:2).  When Paul spoke of all his afflictions (2 Cor. 11:16-27) he showed his deep love for the church by including this at the end of the list: besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches (v28).  Indeed, Paul saw himself, by God’s grace, as a “master craftsman” when it came to ministry (1 Cor. 3:10).

This perspective of Paul was not simply the result of his calling.  His concern for the churches ran deep.

·        It was a family concern, v17a.  The phrase taken away from you is the Greek “apo-orphanos.”  He was taken away from them as a parent is taken away from his child.

·        It was a heart concern, v17b.  His heart was still there, in Thessalonica, even though his body was in Corinth.  Remember how he told the Colossian church: though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ (Col. 2:5; cf. 1 Cor. 5:3).

·        It was an urgent concern, v17c.  Paul endeavored (took great pains) eagerly (a great degree, more than normal) to see your face with great desire (passionate desire). 

·        It was an active concern, v18.  Paul’s attempt to return to Thessalonica was not just words; he actually tried but Satan kept him from it.  Paul had been thrust out of Thessalonica by the trouble that had arisen.  He went on to Berea where the same Thessalonian Jews stirred up trouble again.  He then went to Athens where they got word from Thessalonica.  Somehow Satan kept him from going back, a statement that recognizes the way God uses even the work of Satan to perform His will.  

·        It was a rewarding concern, v19-20.  All Christians will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10).  It is not an issue of “are we really saved” but is an issue of reward, to receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Again, it’s the Master Builder, Christ, working through us, who will give rewards to His servants.  Paul is completely accurate in using such terms as hope, joy, crown of rejoicing and glory when he thinks of that day.  The Thessalonians will receive reward for their faithfulness; Paul will receive reward for his faithfulness and it will include his service in Thessalonica.  

Does this resonate with you?  Do you have such a love for your local church?  It will show when you stand before Christ.  Church problems often cause us to walk away from the local church but that does not reflect the mind of Christ.

Psalm 79

We find the Psalmist in the most difficult of positions.  What is described is most certainly the time of the Babylonian captivity.  The people of Israel are in shame.  Not only have the Babylonians treated them terribly; other nations, particularly Edom, took advantage of the situation to try to take Israel’s land for themselves.  The once proud nation is now a nation in exile.

But this is not actually what you hear the Psalmist saying.  What he says is …

§  The nations have come into YOUR inheritance … YOUR holy temple.

§  The dead bodies of YOUR servants …the flesh of YOUR saints.

§  For the glory of YOUR name … for YOUR name’s sake.

§  YOUR people, the sheep of YOUR pasture will give YOU thanks and show forth YOUR praise!

Furthermore, we also see that the Psalmist is not blind to the fact that the terrible situation in which they find themselves is of their own making.  He acknowledges former iniquities (v8) and sins (v9), pleading for God to make atonement so that He can forget them and turn from His anger.


The point is that we are seeing what we always see in the prayers of this great Hymnbook: the cry and concern of the saint is focused on His God!  Understand what we are saying: his life is consumed with difficulty and it drives him to His God.  But the one thing he desires is that His God be exalted.  He recognizes that he and his people would be nothing apart from God.  They are, in fact, His sheep living in His pasture.  The real problem is not that Israel is shamed; it is that Israel’s Shepherd is shamed (v10).


Let us, the people of God living in the AD era of history, see that nothing has changed in this regard.  God invites us to come into His very throne room with our sorrows (Heb. 4:16).  He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).  He longs to hear your supplications (Phil. 4:6-7).


But when you enter His presence do you not come to a place of great glory, where He is high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple (Isa. 6:1).  You are in the place where all cry out glory, where the musical theme is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8).  The One on the throne is alone worthy to receive glory and honor and power for He created all things and by (His) will they exist and were created (Rev. 4:11).


So when we come, as He bids us do, with our pain and shame, let us humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:6).  Let us come in Jesus’ name.  Let us speak of ourselves in truth, as HIS purchased possession (Eph. 1:14), HIS own special people (Titus 2:14).  May our prayer be to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:6,12,14).

1 Thess. 2:13-16, The Bible is God’s Word!

Paul has said some important things about ministry and those who serve.  But lest we think that fruit-bearing is dependent solely on how well we serve we are now brought to remember that the work is always God’s and that those who are served must properly receive what God is doing.  The Thessalonians had received it well!


When we say they “received” Paul’s ministry we mean they received the word of God that was the essence of his ministry.  There are “wrong” ways to receive the word.  We can receive it without letting it take root deep in our lives (Lk. 8:13).  We can receive it without giving God the glory for it (Jn. 4:45).  We can receive it as simply the words of men (1 Th. 2:13).  But there is a “right” way to receive God’s word.  We must receive it with the faith of a child (Mk. 10:15), with eagerness to search the Scriptures to verify it (Ac. 17:11).  We must receive it with joy (1 Th. 1:6) and humility (Jas. 1:21), receiving it as the very word of God (1 Th. 2:13).

Here are several reasons for believing the Bible to be the word of God.

1.     The Bible claims to be the Word of God (v13).  This is essential.  Repeatedly we read in the Bible, Thus saith the Lord and and God said. 

2.     The Bible possess transforming power (v13-16).  We noted yesterday the powerful change in Paul’s life.  The quick change in the Thessalonians also testifies to this.

3.     The Bible was attested by Jesus (John 10:35).  Almost every at least recognizes Jesus as a good man.

4.     The Bible exhibits amazing unity.  In the diversity of hundreds of themes, several languages, forty human writers of varying backgrounds and occupations, and over 1500 years, there is a sustained unity of the exaltation of God’s Son who makes provision for sinful humanity.  Always there is one cause for man’s woe (sin); always there is one cure (Christ).

5.     The Bible contains numerous specifically fulfilled prophecies.

6.     The Bible maintains a superior morality. 

7.     The Bible displays universal effectiveness.  No book ever has been translated into so many languages and had such wide distribution.

8.     The Bible demonstrates historical confirmation.  Archaeology continues to illustrate the Bible’s accuracy, unlike other supposed “holy books”.

9.     The Bible holds a record of proven indestructibility.  Time and again philosophers, scientists and tyrants have tried to rid the world of Bibles, only to fail.

10.            Lastly, there simply is no sensible alternative.

The problem people have with the Bible is not that it fails the tests applied to any writing for accuracy and usefulness.  The problem is it calls men to submit to God.  It declares only one way to be right with God.  So we consider it just another book written by fallible men and persecute those who preach and live by it (2:14-16).  But those who receive it as the Word of the living God receive life through the Lord Jesus Christ.  They are saved from sin.  The Thessalonians had done this.  Have you?

1 Thess. 2:10-12; Acts 9:8-16, Quality Check for Ministry (6)

We are considering Paul’s ministry, and especially the character of his ministry, to the believers of Thessalonica.  We should be reminded of how quickly God worked in Paul’s life beginning with his experience on the road to Damascus (and yes, it is clear the Spirit was at work in Paul even before that moment).  Within a minute he was calling on the Lord he had been blaspheming.  Within a week he was preaching the gospel he had been resisting.  Within a year he was in intensive training in Arabia.  Within three years he was teaching others consistently.  Within five years he was spreading the gospel to places where there was no witness (like Thessalonica).

v The nature of edification ministry, v11.  We have noted the personal character exhibited by Paul: holiness, righteousness and blamelessness.  We also note the character of his ministry, serving gently as a nursing mother (2:7) and then serving as a father does his own children (2:11).  Therefore consider these things both as a servant in the body of Christ and as a father in the home.

Ø Exhorting.  This is the oft-used come alongside term.  Paul’s ministry was relational.  It was not just a ministry of speaking to the group although that was vital.  He was also willing to give personal help in applying what was taught.

Ø Comforting.  This term is similar to the preceding term but seems to stress more the speaking aspect of ministry.  Paul uses it in 1 Th. 5:14 in the warning to those who are lazy.  It reminds us that a key part of shepherding the flock is to teach them (Mark 6:34; 1 Tim. 4:6).

Ø Charging.  This is the word for testimony and indicates Paul ministry made the connection between principles in Scripture and the lifestyle of believers.  He used testimonies to show how truth was to be lived out.

v The goal of edification ministry, v11.  Paul engaged in this ministry so that the believers would walk worthy of God (Col. 1:10).  This word walk is all over the epistles of Paul.  It has to do with lifestyle.  Ministry is never, never simply for theology or for filling the mind.  The renewal of the mind is necessary to the changing of the heart which must and will show up in the daily manner of life for believers.  Repentance is a change of mind about real sins that we commit, things that are not worthy of those who have put their faith in Christ.

More specifically, our walk is to be worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.  Through the gospel those who are in Christ have been called out of the realm of death into the realm of grace and life (Rom. 5:20-21).  Each kingdom is noted by the lifestyle of its citizens.  The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God and by unrighteous we are talking about definite, identifiable sins (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21).  The kingdom of God is a glorious kingdom, filled with the glory of God and the perfections of His Son.  We have been elevated to a magnificent place in Christ, a place of great glory.  Thus today, now, we need the ministry of edification that we might be built up to be a glorious citizenry that honors our glorious King!

1 Thess. 2:10-12; Eph. 4:11-16, Quality Check for Ministry (5)

There are three thoughts we want to briefly share about this concept of edification. 

·        First, the principles about evangelism ministry, and especially those having to do with the preaching, apply to edification.  There is no place for error or deceit, etc. 

·        Second, edification is a prominent NT term describing the nature of ministry to the local church, the believers who meet together.  It means to build up and Paul used it often of ministry to believers (e.g. 1 Cor. 14:26; 2 Cor. 12:19). 

·        Third, the pattern for this ministry of edification is found in Eph. 4:11-16.  Jesus gave men to the Church (v11) to equip the saints (believers, v12).  The ministry of the saints is for edifying of the body of Christ (v12) which is then the conclusion of the pattern: for the edifying of itself in love (v16).  

The word edification doesn’t even appear in our passage.  Rather Paul is describing his ministry as one of those given by Christ to the Church, the way he carried himself among you who believe.  Perhaps you are involved in this ministry to the believers.  Maybe you are an elder or Sunday School teacher or on the Missions Committee.  Or perhaps you are involved in edifying the saints simply through personal relationships with fellow-believers.  This is a helpful passage for prayer and meditation.

v The accountability for edification ministry, v10a. It is the same as always: we are accountable to God but also to others, and especially those we serve.  It’s easy to pull the wool over people’s eyes and say simply “God is my witness.”  Paul said that.  But he also said, you are witnesses of how we behaved among you.  Having said this let me remind you of some things Paul never said.  Paul never said, “What people don’t know won’t hurt them.”  Nor, “what I do with my own time is nobody’s business but mine.”  Nor, “Hey, come on now, nobody’s perfect!”  Nor did he say, “Cut me some slack; remember, I was a persecutor of Christians before I got saved.”  These “excuses” are fully inappropriate in ministry.  Those we serve should be able to testify to the integrity of our lives.

v The character for edification ministry, v10b.  Paul speaks of three qualities in his life as he served them.  They are all major, broad qualities.  He served:

Ø Devoutly.  This refers to holiness with an emphasis on seriousness.  Jesus is referred to as the Holy One (Ac. 2:27).

Ø Righteously.  This is the term for right conduct that is used all over Scripture.  It is used often of the Lord, of course, as well as seen to be evident in the lives of His servants throughout Scripture.

Ø Blamelessly.  The idea is that there is no charge against Paul, nothing sinful that you think of when you hear his name.  

As we said, these are major statements involving the total life of Paul while in Thessalonica.  And yet he could say, with a straight face, you are witnesses of how we lived.  And note as well: these are qualities that describe our Lord.  Paul’s character was the character of Christ Who is our life!  Christ was truly alive in Paul.

1 Th. 2:3-9; Jn. 13:12-17, Quality Check for Ministry (4)

Ministry that has God’s approval is characterized by the presence of:

·        Affection, v8.  This is the only use of this particular Greek word in the New Testament.  It refers to a kind feeling.  Again, when you think of Paul whose would let nothing get in his way of finishing the race, you may think of someone who is driven, who might seem a little pushy and so forth.  We are not surprised that Paul stood his ground with Barnabas in the matter concerning John Mark (Ac. 15:36-41).  But perhaps we are surprised to learn that later in his life Paul greatly valued Mark (2 Tim. 4:11).  Paul’s ministry was controversial from the start.  It is quite likely that he saved Mark from great difficulty, perhaps more than he was ready for, by not having him along on the second journey.  Our point is that we should realize Paul was a man of affection and that other’s recognized it.  There is no more proof needed than the picture on the beach at Miletus when the Ephesian elders wept freely, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him as he prepared to board the ship for Jerusalem.  Even so the Thessalonians were dear to Paul!

·        Self-giving, v8-9.  Here is a powerful aspect of God-approved ministry.  It is not just about the task we have, which is to preach the gospel.  It is about the people.  Thus Paul shared not only the gospel but he shared his life (psuche, soul) with them.  As we work through these qualities I keep reflecting on some interviews I have been part of, interviewing people to serve in various positions of ministry in local churches.  So often one of the key themes of these interviews has to do with borders, limitations.  Men want to be sure they have the right to say no to ministry for the sake of family or personal needs.  Now this may be too complicated to consider fully here, and I want you to know that I am aware of 1 Cor. 7:25-35.  But I do want to say that God-approved ministry involves giving yourself for the sake of those to whom God has called you to serve.  Paul knew this and he gave himself, just like his Lord gave Himself, for those he came to serve!  Paul even took on a part-time job just so he would not be a burden to them.

·        Love.  If you are wondering which verse we are referring to you can look at 1 Th. 1:4 when Paul called them beloved brethren.  But if you want to see Paul’s love for them we just saw it in 2:3-9.  Love is what binds all this together.  Paul had engaged in a labor of love and they knew it because they saw his gentleness, cherishing, affection and self-giving.  We have been loosed from the bonds of slavery to sin and we are now bound by love, the bond of perfection (Col. 3;14).  Having been drawn by God with gentle cords, with bands of love (Hos. 11:4) we are now in the service of Christ, our Lord.  Let us remember that when He called us to love (Jn. 13:34-35) He first called us to humble ourselves.  What He said was, You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet (Jn. 13:13-14).  Paul followed Jesus.  May we do the same!

1 Th. 2:3-9; Phil. 4:10-20, Quality Check for Ministry (3)

Evangelistic ministry that is approved by God is characterized by the absence of:

·        Greed/covetousness, v5.  Paul was not focused on money; he was not in ministry for the money!  Furthermore there was no “give money to me so you will get more money,” a popular message of many preachers today.  The Pharisees were in it for the money (Mark 12:40), fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophesy about the shepherds who get fat off the sheep (Ezek. 34:1-10).  Again, from 2 Peter 2 where Peter was dealing with this issue of false prophets and teachers, they are those who exploit their hearers for the sake of covetousness (2:3).  Paul did receive money from people (Phil. 4:10-20).  But when he did he made it clear that he was thankful for them and then sought to bless them instead.  Paul’s attitude in Phil. 4:12, that money was not a big issue and that he knew how to get along fine with a lot or a little, that attitude seldom makes it into “missionary letters” or “fundraising appeals” today.

Let us now turn to the positive aspects of Paul’s evangelistic ministry.  Ministry that has God’s approval is characterized by the presence of:

·        Gentleness, v7.  One synonym for gentle is mild.  Think about this in terms of Jesus’ call to servanthood (Mk. 10:35-46).  He told the disciples (and us) not to be like worldly leaders who want to have the power and control: they lord it over them!  How different is Christian ministry, being first gentle or mild.  We are called to this even when dealing with people who oppose us (2 Tim. 2:24).  And it is the same attitude of the Good Shepherd with His lambs (Isa. 40:11).  Jesus (and Paul) could be strongly emotional at the proper time (e.g. Jn. 2:13-22, cleansing the temple).  But look at the gentle way Jesus dealt with the sin issue in the heart of the Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:16-18).  It is not the preacher who is the hammer that breaks the heart of the sinner; it is the word of God: Is not My word like a fire? Says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces (Jer. 23:29).

·        Cherishing, v7.  To cherish has the root idea of heating something up or softening the heart.  A husband is to cherish his wife (Eph. 5:29).  God Himself cherished His people and showed it in the way He cared for them in the wilderness (Dt. 1:31).  What a great illustration Paul uses: as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.  Until Acts 28 Paul had never been to Rome or visited the Church at Rome.  And yet we are told that the brethren of that church met Paul at the Appii Forum, a marketplace some 43 miles from Rome.  He may have known a few of these brethren, and certainly they all knew about Paul.  But still we ask what would have given them such a heart for Paul as to go 43 miles to welcome him to Rome?  Could it have been that he had already warmed them, cherished them, through the magnificent letter he wrote that we simply call Romans?  That letter is considered a theological masterpiece.  But when they read the introduction (1:8-15) and the conclusion (15:14-16:27) they saw a man who cherished them.  When they met him on the Appian Way they met a man they knew to be a true servant of Christ.

1 Thess. 2:3-9; 2 Cor. 4:1-6, Quality Check for Ministry (2)

Evangelistic ministry that is approved by God is characterized by the absence of:

·        Impurity/uncleanness, v3.  This term, which of course speaks of mixing in that which is evil with that which is good, is most often used in a “sexual” context.  The doctrine of Balaam (Rev. 2:14) introduced this mixing of evil into the lives of God’s people, and in that situation it was actually sexual immorality.  Consider this amazing description of certain false teachers by Peter: When they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error (2 Pt. 2:14).  He describes people who have seemingly escaped from the error-filled world and life into which we were born, escaped by responding to certain (false) teachers.  But actually they have been drawn by a message that is mixed with the lusts of the flesh, which is, of course, one of the errors of their former life.  Evangelistic ministry that is approved by God cannot pattern itself by the world’s lewd and lusty entertainment.

·        Deceit, v3.  Paul soundly renounced this.  Listen to the different kinds of lies he rejected: But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. 4:2).  There was no trickery in Paul’s dealing with people, none of what we refer to as “cute.”  We are talking about methodology.  It is a fact.  There are many times when those who preach the gospel will try to use music or lighting or other environmental issues so as to make people more open to a positive response to the preaching.  There are things we should do to encourage a positive response: pray, depend on the Holy Spirit, preach a clear and bold message, and set an example of love and integrity.  But it is vain to use hypocrisy (trying to be something we are not) or craftiness; the faith of those who respond will be in a lie.

·        Flattery, v5.  My dad, who was a good and godly pastor, referred to flattery as “an effort to compensate for lack of value.”  Think about that in the context of preaching the gospel.  Flattery says nice things, things that are not true, to and about someone who is a sinner in need of God’s grace.  We certainly must respect people.  But we must not lie.  What we are offering in the gospel is of immense value.  It stands on its own.  It is Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead.  If you want an illustration of preaching without flattery just read Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler (Mt. 19:16-30) or with Nicodemus (John 3:1-21).  Jesus never buttered people up so as to get them to listen to Him.  Neither should we!

Paul’s ministry did not spring from error; he did not motivate people by mixing in evil with the truth (impurity); he did not use deceitful methodology; and he didn’t try to get a hearing by flattery.  In tomorrow’s post we will look at one more negative before we move to the positive characteristics of his ministry.

Psalm 78

I hope you have not decided to skip this Psalm because it is so long.  Unlike the longest Psalm (119) which is already divided into stanzas, this second longest of the Psalms cannot be divided.  It is a complete story, one that needs to be heard by the saints.  Please take the time to find a quiet place and read it thoughtfully.  


Let’s begin with some background.  When the Children of Israel were ready to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land God had told them He would choose a place of worship, a place where He would put His name, and place where He would dwell with them (Deut. 12:5).  Did you ever wonder how Jerusalem became that place?  When Israel first entered Canaan the capitol city, and site of the tabernacle, was Shiloh, a city of Ephraim (Josh. 18:1; 1 Sam. 1:3).  Now that you know or are reminded of that, do you wonder why the tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant did not remain in Shiloh?  That is the subject of Psa. 78.  We need to hear the reasons God rejected Shiloh and chose Jerusalem.


1 Samuel 4-6 tell the story of Israel’s attempt to gain a victory over the Philistines by taking the Ark into the battle, thinking it’s presence would give them a decisive edge.  Instead the Ark was captured by the Philistines.  But they could not keep it; having it resulted in being under constant plagues.  So they returned the Ark to Israel who did not return it to Shiloh but to the house of Abinidab in Kirjath Jearim.  The answer to the question as to why it was not returned to Shiloh but eventually ended up in Jerusalem in the time of King David is in Psalm 78.  The reason involves a history lesson and it’s in Psalm 78.


We are called to listen to a parable (v1-4).  God established His law in Israel (v5-8).  But Ephraim did not keep the covenant (v9-11).  God had done great and marvelous things in Egypt (v12-16) but the people sinned even more, grumbling again and again against God (v17-29) so that His wrath was stirred up against them (v30-31).  Yet they continued to sin (v32) so that they were forced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years (v33).  When they entered in the land this continued, rebellion against God followed by God’s punishment followed by a show of repentance followed by God’s mercy (v34-39).  They tempted God and limited God (v41), doubting Him just as the Egyptians had done previously (v40-53).  God eventually brought Israel into the land (v54-55) where they continued to test and provoke the Most High God (v56-58).  Finally God’s anger was stirred up so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh (v59-64) when He allowed the Philistines to make Israel miserable in defeat and to capture the Ark, the symbol of their special relationship with God.  But then God’s grace and mercy came to the front.  He beat back Israel’s enemies (v65-66) and chose the city he loved, Mount Zion in the tribe of Judah.  And He chose David His servant to become Israel’s shepherd-King (v67-72).


The turning point for Shiloh was when the priesthood had become corrupt, in the time of Eli.  Israel came to put their trust in the Ark rather than in the God of the Ark.  They believed that having the Ark in battle would guarantee a victory.  Instead the result was that the Ark was removed from Shiloh and never returned.


God had predicted this clear back in Genesis 49:8-12 in the prophecy of Jacob concerning Judah.  While Joseph received the double-portion of the inheritance given to the oldest son (Gen. 48) the leadership role of the first-born was given to Judah.  The scepter would not depart from Judah, a promise fulfilled in the Davidic Covenant wherein God promises a Son on David’s throne forever.

The story teaches an important lesson of consequences.  Israel’s unbelief when the tabernacle was in Shiloh resulted in its removal from Shiloh.  God kept His promise to make His dwelling with Israel but it would be in Jerusalem, the place established by David, the man after God’s heart.  It would be in the city of Melchizedek, the first godly King and Priest in (Jeru)Salem (Gen. 14:18-24).


God kept His promises to choose a place to dwell; but at the same time, sin brought consequences.  This is the story of Shiloh and Jerusalem.  God’s work is the same today.  Our wickedness will bring harmful consequences and lost opportunities. 

1 Thess. 2:3-9, Quality Check for Ministry

In 1 Th. 2 Paul is speaking about his in Thessalonica.  He could say that his desire was met, that his ministry was not empty (v1).  The nature of his ministry was vocal: he spoke the gospel, persuading, sharing and preaching the gospel (v2f, 8f).  His ministry was carried out in the context of trials which gave Paul much integrity (v2).  Paul’s ministry had a depth of quality (v3-9).  It was an approved ministry.


In ministry there is no question that those whose lives are devoted to the ministry of Christ must be accountable to men.  We submit to those who have God-given authority (e.g. Heb. 13:7).  We see this in Paul’s relationship to Peter (Gal. 2) and to Timothy and Titus.  You also see it in the way Paul maintained regular connections with what we would call his “sending church,” the Church at Antioch (Ac. 13:1-3; 14:26-28; 18:22).  We must be open to the reproof and support of others in the Body of Christ.  But we are not to set out in ministry to please men (2:4) or to gain glory from men (2:6).  We must be careful about this because men’s applause can feel pretty good and make us think it is part of God’s encouragement to us.


Instead, we must be approved by God (v4, 6).  God’s approval is especially critical in evangelism where we are preaching to unbelievers.  They may evaluate us in the way of the world.  Jesus touched on this when reproving His disciples about their concern with personal greatness (Mk. 10:35-46).  Remember how He contrasted servanthood with the world’s way of lording it over people.  Those who need Christ might be drawn to us if we excel in the world’s form of leadership, but they will not be drawn to Christ.  

Our ministry must have God’s approval.  Paul sought this for various reasons.

ü God had chosen Paul to ministry to begin with (Gal. 1:15; Ac. 9).

ü God had entrusted Paul with the gospel (1 Cor. 4:1; Eph. 3:1-7). 

ü God could see the heart of Paul!  We can fool men but we cannot fool God.

Thus we conclude that “quality” is defined by God.  How does God define a good ministry of evangelism?  Let us begin with the negative.  Evangelistic ministry that is approved by God is characterized by the absence of:

·        Error, v3: This has to do with the source of our message.  John spoke of this when he referred to the Spirit of truth versus the spirit of error (1 Jn. 4:6).  What we call a cult is the result of deceitful spirits (1 Tim. 4:1).  Error has in it the sense of wandering.  As Paul put it, it is the tendency to be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:14).  When we are seeking to give the gospel to those who are unbelievers we cannot try to build a bridge to them by sourcing our message in their world.  A message with errors is eternally dangerous.  We must be careful in using illustrations and quotes from the current culture.  We must not fear offending people by quoting the Bible, the absolute source of truth.

We are just beginning this theme.  Let us seek to be approved by God (2 Ti. 2:15).

1 Thess. 2:1-12, The Best Preaching

Paul’s desire is that his ministry not be vain.  Paul wanted the good things God did in his short time with the Thessalonians to continue on into the future.  So what kind of ministry did Paul undertake to bring this about?


When Paul came to them he preached with boldness (v2).  Even though they had been mistreated in Philippi they did not ease up at the next stop.  They had courage.  They were not brash or abrasive.  Rather they spoke with freedom and clarity.  His ministry was also characterized by exhortation or persuasiveness (v3).  They were not deceitful but they did preach with emotion, with a strong appeal.

Another word to describe his ministry is “impart” (v8).  He was sharing the gospel, giving what he had to those who had nothing.  And he “proclaimed”, meaning he preached or announced the gospel.  

As important as it is that we “live” the gospel we see here that the gospel must be spoken.  Thus the best sermons:

·        Are spoken.  The lifestyle of the Christian is the platform for his preaching.

·        Are clearly spoken. 

·        Are courageously spoken.  Courage comes from one significant truth from God when He says, I am with you (Ac. 18:9-11; Mt. 28:19-20).

·        Are persuasively spoken.  A key to this is the use of Scripture in preaching the gospel.  Remember: the gospel itself is God’s power to salvation (Rom. 1:16f).

·        Are sincerely spoken.  This is the “life” issue.

·        Are preached!

A good preaching of the gospel is important.  But notice also the life-context out of which Paul spoke.  He uses three words in v2 to describe this: suffered, spitefully treated and conflict.  Paul fought the good fight (1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7) and ran the race with patience (Hb. 12:1).  He had suffered in Philippi and yet continued to preach in the next city, Thessalonica.


We need to understand this, even in the USA where there is little physical abuse.  Still, the gospel carries a much stronger punch when our unsaved friends and relatives see its power in the afflictions of life rather than the successes of life.  Go back and read Acts 16:19-34 to see what Paul experienced at Philippi.  


Revolutionary ideas are often born in the academic environment, but Christianity grows in the fertile soil of the blood of its martyrs.  There is a great illustration of this in the birth of the English reformation in the 16^th century.  There was a group of men in 1521 who gathered at the White Horse Inn at Cambridge University, frequently discussing the reformation and teachings of Luther, Calvin and Zwingli.  What men are we speaking about?  Thomas Bilney, Robert Barnes, Thomas Cranmer, Hugh Latimer, William Tyndale, John Rogers, and Nicholas Ridley.


Those who need to know Christ will best hear of Him from His people whose afflictions bear testimony to the great hope we have in Him.