I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. (Psalm 32:8)
Beloved,
Frederick Douglas said, “If there is no struggle, then there is no progress.” Most people love progress, but few people like the struggle it takes to get that progress. Change is difficult and can be very hard to accept. And yet regardless how we feel about change, we all know that change is inevitable. How can we handle the struggle that leads to progress? Where do we turn to process the change?
The Lord spoke through King David in Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Regardless of the changes we will face, we know that the Lord will be there to guide us and instruct through His Word. What a sweet and precious promise to know that our great God will always be there to guide us!! Even though our world is constantly changing, we must always remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Beloved, I strongly believe that we are at a critical moment for our church. Our nation is changing, but I am not afraid. I am excited how God is going to use these changes to draw us together as a church. I am excited that we get to serve together with the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever.” I am excited to see God bring glory to His name through Park Baptist Church. I want us to be an exemplary church; a church that displays the manifold wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in heavenly places.
Douglas Maurer was 15 years old
was he was diagnosed with Leukemia. The doctors told him that his chances of
survival were slim and that he would have to endure three years of
chemotherapy. The side effects would be severe. He would go bald and his body
would bloat. It was a lot for a 15 year old to take in and the diagnosis sent
Douglas into a deep depression. His aunt tried to encourage him by sending
flowers to his hospital room. She told the clerk at the flower shop that the
flowers were for her nephew who was battling leukemia.
When the
flowers arrived at the hospital there was an additional note from the clerk at
the flower shop. It said, “Douglas—I
took your order. I work at Brix florist. I had leukemia when I was 7 years old.
I’m 22 years old now. Good luck. My heart goes out to you. Sincerely, Laura
Bradley.” Douglas was surrounded by millions of dollars of hospital equipment
and the best doctors in the country, but it was the note of a 22-year-old clerk
making $160 a week that gave him comfort and the will to carry on in midst of
his trials[1].
What brings
you comfort during trials? The Bible promises that we will face trials and
persecutions. “Indeed, all who desire to
live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:13). Acts
14:22 says that Paul and his travel companions went about “strengthening the
souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying
that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” Peter writes,
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test
you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12) We know
that trials are promised to us, but when trials come where will we look for
comfort? Will we find comfort in our bank accounts or health? Will we find
comfort in our possessions or accomplishments? There may be more than one place
to draw comfort, but God’s Word shows us where we can find comfort. I pray that
from this text you will find comfort and the will to carry on in the hope of
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Comforted by the Faith
of God’s People
Acts 17 shares how Paul and his
companions came to Thessalonica preaching the gospel, causing an uproar and forcing
them to quickly leave the city. Paul had been concerned for the faith of the
Thessalonians, fearing that they had walked away from Jesus because of their
persecution. When his grief and worry had reached an all-time high, he sent
Timothy to find out how they were doing. Timothy came back with a good report.
1 Thessalonians 3:6-7,
But now that Timothy has come to
us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and
reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to
see you, for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have
been comforted about you through your faith.
Paul and his companions were suffering emotional distress
because they were worried about the church. They were worried that the
afflictions they were facing had caused them to abandon the faith and they were
worried that their afflictions would cause a break in their relationship. Paul
is overwhelmed with joy when he learns that the Thessalonians are standing
strong in their faith and that their love for them had not changed.
Why was
Paul so comforted by the faith of others? He was under his own distress and
facing his own affliction. Paul had his own pressing concerns, except that the
pressing concerns of his life was the faith of others. Paul lived for others.
He did not count his life as anything, but was glad to lay it down so that
others would have faith in Christ. This concern was not unique to the
Thessalonians, but was the pattern of Paul’s entire ministry.
Paul, a servant of God and an
apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their
knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, Savior;
(Titus 1:1-2)
Not that we lord it over your
faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. (2
Corinthians 1:24)
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus,
called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…to bring about the
obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including
you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, (Romans 1:1, 6)
And I was with you in weakness and
in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible
words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your
faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1
Corinthians 2:3-5)
Our hope is that as your faith
increases, (2 Corinthians 10:15b)
Even if I am to be poured out as a
drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and
rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
(Philippians 2:17-18)
Paul lived his life for the faith of others, so it was only
natural for him to find comfort in the faith of others during his affliction.
His trials were worth it if others had faith. He said, “Even if I am to be a
sacrifice for your faith, I am glad and rejoice!!” Think about that!! He was
comforted by their faith because he was consumed by it. The faith of the saints
was Paul’s driving passion. Is it yours?
My heart
has been comforted by the faith of the saints of Park Baptist Church: the faith
of those who believe in Jesus despite their bodies being ravaged by cancer, the
faith of those who believe in Jesus despite an absent spouse, the faith of
those that leads them to sacrifice time in our gatherings to serve our kids in
the nursery or children’s church, the faith of those which leads them to labor
for hours in preparing Sunday School lessons, and the faith of those which
leads them to give sacrificially. I have been comforted by the faith of those
who stand up to unethical practices at work and the faith of those who open
their lives to the hurting and those who visit the sick. One of the greatest
joys of my life is to see the faith of the people of Park Baptist Church. You
exemplify a pure and sincere faith in Jesus Christ. Your faith in Jesus has
comforted my soul so many times and in so many ways.
I have been so comforted by your
faith, but have you been comforted by the faith of these fellow saints? Have
you noticed how much our young people are growing in their knowledge of the
Word? Have you noticed how much compassion and tenderness our seniors have for
one another? Have you noticed the boldness growing in our ladies? Have you seen
the steadfastness of our men? Have you noticed how people have started to
gather more frequently? When you see the faith of the saints, are you
comforted? One of the reasons we are not comforted by the faith of others is
that we are not looking to be comforted by their faith. It may be because we
haven’t been trained to look, or that we are too consumed with ourselves.
Do not miss
that Paul and his companions were also comforted because of how their faith in
God was expressed in love towards them. They were comforted in how people they
loved also loved them. Timothy reported that the church always remembered them
kindly and longed to see them. (1 Thess. 3:6) Their comfort was connected with
their relational unity with God’s people. Their lives were intertwined. This is
what I pray for our church. I pray that our lives would be so interconnected
that we would experience comfort and joy when we see the faith of others even
if our lives are filled with distress and affliction. And I also pray the
opposite would be true. I pray that when we see a lack of faith in our brothers
and sisters lives, that our hearts would grieve. Does your heart hurt when you
see others walking away from the faith? Or withholding love from the body? Or
absent from our gatherings? Would your desire for their faith in Christ be so
great that you would have the courage to admonish or rebuke them? Would you
love them enough to discipline so their soul could be saved on the last day?
The
Christian life is others-focused. If we do not find comfort in the faith of
others, it may say more about our own faith than we would care to admit. Be
comforted by the faith of God’s people.
Comforted to Persevere
for God’s People
If our eyes are looking and
longing for the faith of others, then it will be natural for to find courage to
press on in living for the glory of God. 1 Thessalonians 3:8-10,
For now we live, if you are standing
fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all
the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly
night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in
your faith?
I can imagine Paul, Silas and Timothy sitting around a room
thinking and reflecting about the Thessalonians faith finding the resolve to
continue to press on for the faith of saints.
Paul and
his companions are looking and longing for the faith of others, but it is the
faith of the Thessalonians that to pushing them on to persevere. Eunice Smith
has been a great encouragement to our church family. She has demonstrated a
lifetime of service to the church and a sincere faith in Christ. Over the last
several years, her hearing has gotten so bad that she barely could hear what
was happening in the service. At 95, she would get in her car and drive to
church. She barely heard anything that went on in the service, but that doesn’t
mean that she got nothing from the gathering. Her presence and her faith
spurred others on to persevere. Her example and presence, and others like her,
is a constant source of perseverance for the saints.
Mrs.
Eunice’s faithfulness to Jesus has given the saints of Park faith to press on toward
the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Her faith has spurred the saints of
Park to continue in the faith. Beloved, your faith does a lot more than you
realize. I hear stories upon stories of how you have been encouraged by others
in the church. You will never know how much your life and faith in Christ means
to others this side of heaven. We only see glimpses. My friend CAM Wagner died
a little over a year ago with leukemia. He had a lot of friends and family
visit him in his last months. He told one of his friends, “I am so blessed.”
His friend gave him a quizzical look thinking that a strange thing for a dying
man to say. He said, “Most people never get to see how much others love and
care about you. I get to sit in this hospital room and hear how my life has
impacted others. I am blessed.”
Friends, you are blessed. Your
life matters to the people of God. Your presence and faith in Christ is a
source of joy and perseverance for the saints. Do not let your eyes define the
impact for your faith. Things are happening through your faith that you may
never see, but one day all will be revealed. Until then, stand firm in your
faith for the faith of others. Give others the opportunity to say, “For now we
live, if you stand fast in the Lord.” And this perseverance is not mere
drudgery, but done in joy. Listen, “What thanksgiving can we return to God for
you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God.”
I have been accused of being too
church-centric in my teaching and preaching. Some have said that I focus too
much on church, but the Christian life cannot be lived faithfully outside the
fellowship of the church. Our lives are meant to be lived for the faith of
others. Hebrews says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love
and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but
encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews
10:24-25) There is an imperative that Christians should meet together in the
faith (i.e. go to church), but notice the why we should go. The text begins,
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,” which will
be encouraging one another to persevere as the Day of the Lord is drawing near.
Do you notice the reason why you are to go to church? You are to encourage
others to have faith until the Last Day. Beloved, you have the great privilege
to help others safely enter the Sabbath rest of the people of God, to see Jesus
face to face, to enter into the eternal joy of the kingdom of God, and to enjoy
the pleasures at His right hand for all time. What a privilege!! Why would you
forsake it?
The faith of the Thessalonians
comforted Paul and his companions to persevere in the faith and to continue to
serve the Lord in the midst of much affliction. Be comforted by encouraging
others to persevere in the faith.
Comforted by the Beauty
of God’s Plan
God’s plan
is so beautiful. There is nothing more precious and more glorious that God’s
plan to redeem the world through Jesus Christ creating a people for his own
possession who are zealous for good works. This is a great prayer to offer to
the Lord for the church. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13,
Now may our God and Father himself,
and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he
may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at
the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
We were filthy, unrighteous sinners. We were mockers and
rebels. We were haters of God and children of the Devil. We were…But now in
Christ, we have been justified through his blood, sanctified by His Spirit and
declared blameless before God, adopted as his children and co-heirs of the
world to come. Never stop marveling at the gospel. Never stop beholding the
glory of our Savior displayed in his death and resurrection.
Friend, if
you are not in Christ, the Bible says you are in sin. And to be in sin is to
one day stand before God alone and pay for that sin. The punishment for sin is
death in Hell for eternity. Our sin makes us unholy and therefore unfit for
heaven. And yet, God sent his Son, the Righteous One, to suffer for the
unrighteous to bring them to God. Jesus died for you. He died to bring you to
God. His resurrection is a promise of a future resurrection for all those who
turn from their sin and trust in Him. Friend, behold the beauty of the Savior
and be comforted in Him. Turn from your sins and trust in Christ. You can be
declared holy and blameless before God today in Christ.
One of the
greatest things of this letter is that it continues to lift our eyes to the Day
of the Lord. Christians live for two days: today and that Day. 1 Thessalonians
is a great help to lift our gaze to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want
you to notice how Paul connects our life together now with our holiness on the
last day. See how verse 12 and 13 are linked together,
May the Lord make you increase and
abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so
that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God
and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
There is a connection with the love we have for the saints
and our state on the last day. The Lord wants a supernatural love for one
another. A supernatural love has to come from Him. The Lord increases our love
for one another. The Lord creates love in our hearts for our brothers and
sisters. It is not natural. It is a work of God. And that love is a sign that
God is working in us to establish our hearts blameless in holiness before our
God and Father. Do you see how our love for each other and for all is a sign
that God has saved us?
If you do not love the church, what
confidence should you have before God on the last day? The message of
Christianity has not changed since the beginning. 1 John 3:11-14,
For this is the message that you
have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not
be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he
murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not
be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed
out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love
abides in death. (1 John 3:11-14)
Love is the mark of a Christian. Therefore love should be
the mark of a Christian community.
The love we
have for one another is not only for us, but for those watching on the outside.
Francis Schaeffer writes,
One cannot explain the explosive
dynamite, the dunamis, of the early church apart from the fact that
they practiced two things simultaneously: orthodoxy of doctrine and orthodoxy
of community in the midst of the visible church, a community which the world
could see. By the grace of God, therefore, the church must be known
simultaneously for its purity of doctrine and the reality of its community. Our
churches have so often been only preaching points with very little emphasis on
community, but exhibition of the love of God in practice is beautiful and must
be there.[2]
As Christians behold the beauty of God’s plan, we will
become a beautiful people which will display God’s beauty to the world. Love
and doctrine must always be linked. Love without doctrine and doctrine without
love are false representations of church. We must be full of grace and truth.
One night
at an evangelistic meeting in Chicago, Booth Tucker preached on the sympathy
and comfort of Christ. Someone came up to him after the meeting and said, “If
your wife had just died, like mine has, and your babies were crying for their
mother, who would never come back, you wouldn’t be saying what you’re saying.”
The man was not comforted with Christ and did not believe Christ was sufficient
for his trials and distress. In our trials, will the comfort of Christ be
sufficient?
Sadly, Tucker’s wife was killed in
a train wreck a few days later. Her body was brought to the same building where
he gave his last sermon. After the service, a grieving Tucker looked down at
his wife and then turned to those in attendance and said,
The other day a man told me I
wouldn’t speak of the sympathy of Jesus if my wife had just died. If that man
is here, I want to tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is broken, but
it has a song put there by Jesus. I want that man to know that Jesus Christ
speaks comfort to me today.[3]
Our greatest comfort should always rest on the comfort given
to us by Jesus Christ. He is enough. Our greatest distress has already been
conquered in the cross. Jesus overcame the grave and promised us a glorious
resurrection.
We are
going to face distress and anguish in our souls, but God has provided comfort
in Christ. He has comforted us in the gospel and through his church. Therefore
let us press on in our faith in Christ, our love for the saints so that God
will establish our hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father on
the last Day.
“But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that
through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might
hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from
every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the
glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:17-18)
Beloved,
Have you
ever felt alone? Deserted? Abandoned? During Paul’s first trial he was deserted
by his closest friends and left alone. He was probably tempted to become bitter
and angry at his situation. He was probably tempted to resent his friends for
not being there for him when he needed them most. We all probably have been
tempted with similar thoughts when others have not cared for us well in the
midst of our trials.
Although it
would have been completely natural for Paul to feel bitter at his friend’s
desertion, Paul knew that he was never really alone. He writes, “The Lord stood
by me and strengthened me.” Beloved, the Lord will never leave us nor forsake
us. As the Lord stood by Paul and strengthen him, the Lord will also stand by
us and strengthen us during our season of desertion. Our Lord was forsaken on
the cross so that we would never be forsaken. We will be persecuted, but we
will never be forsaken (2 Cor. 4:9). The Lord’s presence should be a constant
reminder that He will sustain us to the end (1 Cor. 1:9). He who began a good
work in us will carry it to completion. We should take comfort that Lord will
always be with us.
We should
also take comfort to know that God will be using our trials for his own
purposes. Notice that Paul gave the reason for why he was deserted when he
says, “so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the
Gentiles might hear it.” God was using his trials for the advancement of the
gospel. God will use your trials to
bring glory to His name. We do not have to understand howGod is moving to know
that
God is moving.
Beloved,
hold on to those great twin truths: God will always stand by you and God always
has a purpose in our trials. Whatever you are facing today know that God will
bring you safely into his heavenly kingdom. He will stand with and work for
you!! He who called you is faithful; he will surely do it (1 Thess. 5:24).
How do you view the Bible? What place does the Bible hold in
your life? It may be easy rattle off how important the Bible is, but what do
your actual day to day activities reveal about your view of the Bible? Stop and
really think about that question. A recent study commissioned by the American
Bible Society reveals some interesting facts regarding how our society views
the Bible[1]. The percentage of people
who are skeptical of the Bible has doubled in the last three years. And of
those who are skeptical of the Bible, 2/3 of them are under the age of 48. Of
the Millennials, ages 18-29, surveyed nearly 40 % say they have never read the
Bible. And even though skepticism of the Scriptures is on the rise, almost 80%
still hold a favorable view of the Bible with almost 90% of homes owning a
Bible. The average household owns more than 4 Bibles, but only 37% of Americans
read the Bible more than once a week.
An
interesting fact revealed in the survey that 62% of people surveyed want to
read the Bible more, but admit that busyness with job, family, and activities
continue to squeeze out their Bible reading. People are also finding communion
with God outside of the Bible. Only 56% of those surveyed say that reading the
Bible draws them closer to God. And only 30% of Millennials believe the Bible
has too little influence in society. If you were surveyed and were honest, what
would your answers reveal about your view of the Bible?
One of the
most important marks of an exemplary church is how people receive the Bible.
And I am not only considering what a church says they believe about the Bible,
but what they actually believe about the Bible. There are many churches that
would attest to a high view of Scripture, but in analyzing their practices the
Bible may actually play a small part of their congregational life. As a pastor,
I am constantly praying that the Word of God is more cherished and more loved by
our congregation. All Christians should cherish and delight in God’s Word. If
we are going to grow as an exemplary church, then we must grow in our knowledge
and love of God’s Word.
The
Thessalonians were praised because of how they received the Word. 1
Thessalonians 2:13, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you
received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the
word of men, but as what it really is, the Word of God, which is at work in you
believers.” The Thessalonians were defined in how they received the Word of
God. Beloved, we will be defined in how we receive the Word so I pray that we
will receive the Word as what it really is, the Word of God.
Receive the
Word as the Word of God
It would be
beneficial for us to establish what we mean by the Word of God. There may be
those who say they believe the Word of God, but may not believe the Word like
the Thessalonians believed and like we are called to believe the Word.
We are to receive the Word of God as True
In developing our doctrine of
Scripture, we begin with 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work.” There is much that can be cleaned from
this verse, but I only want to establish that Scripture comes from God. If
Scripture comes from God then it must be true.
Romans 3:4b, “Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”
Paul begins his letter Titus affirming the truthfulness of God’s Word by
connecting it to God’s Character. “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of
Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope
of eternal life, which God, who never
lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in
his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command
of God our Savior; (Titus 1:1-3). If God is true then God’s Word is true and
therefore it is trustworthy.
We are to receive the Word of God as Perfect
Psalm
19:7-9, “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of
the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the
eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD
are true, and righteous altogether.” We can trust the Bible because it is true
and it is perfect. The first article of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000
begins this way, “The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is
God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine
instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth,
without any mixture of error, for its matter.” We cannot waver on the
perfection of the Bible. This does not mean that every translation is perfect.
The Bible was written in Hebrew,
Greek and Aramaic. Our English Bibles are mere translations. The Autograph, or
the Original Manuscript, does not exist, but that does not mean we cannot trust
the Bibles we hold in our hands. We can and we should. We should believe that
even when we encounter things that are difficult and/or apparent contradictions
that after all the facts are on the table the Bible will be perfect. J.I.
Packer notes, ““One cannot doubt the Bible far-reaching loss, both of fullness
of truth and of fullness of life. If therefore we have at heart spiritual
renewal for society, for churches and for our own lives, we shall make much of
the entire trustworthiness—that is, the inerrancy—of Holy Scripture as the
inspired and liberating Word of God.[2]
We are to receive the Word of God as Authoritative
We receive the
Word of God as true and perfect and therefore we receive the Word as the
supreme authority in our lives. The Bible is the final standard on which all
opinions and behavior should be tried. Different churches place the final
authority in different places. The Catholic Church places Scripture and Church
Tradition at the same level. Liberal Protestant churches place Scripture and
Human Reason at the same level. Conservative and Historic Christian churches
place Scripture above all other authorities. Much of the division in the church
is the result of how each church or denomination handles the Word of God.
Conservative churches may disagree on interpretations, but we are all working
off the same standard.
God speaks,
we listen. God speaks, we obey. Sadly, many churches claim that Bible is the
main authority in their church life, but their practical decisions are governed
by pragmatic concerns. The question we should be constantly asking is, “What
does the Bible say?” I know many bible-believing Baptist Churches that place
tradition over Scripture. Remember the Bible is God’s Word. To ask, “What does
the Bible say?” is to ask, “What does our Lord and Savior say?”
Pastors
have been commissioned by God to declare His Word to His people. Titus 2:15, “Declare
these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.”
Beloved, do you delight in God’s authority? The fall of humanity began with
four little words, “Did God actually say…?” Rejecting God’s authoritative Word
will bring nothing but pain and destruction in your life and the lives of those
you love.
We are to receive the Word of God as Sufficient
We all may
want to say that the Bible is sufficient, but there have probably been times
when we wanted a little more revelation from God. Listen to how Pastor Kevin
DeYoung helps us diagnose our view of sufficiency,
Have you ever wondered if the Bible
is really able to help you with your deepest problems? Have you struggled to
know what to do with your life, and wished you had some special word from the
Lord? Have you ever thought to yourself that the biblical teaching on sexuality
needs updating? Have you ever wished for a more direct, more personal
revelation than what you get from slowly reading through the Bible? Have you
ever secretly wanted to add something to the word of God—you know, just to make
things safer? Have you ever wanted to take something away to make the Bible
more palatable? Have you ever assumed that the Bible doesn’t say anything about
how to worship God or how to order his church? Have you ever felt like the
Bible just wasn’t enough for living a faithful life in today’s world? If you
can answer yes to any of these questions—and we all will at times—then you are
struggling with the sufficiency of Scripture.
The Bible is sufficient as it is for all of life. Even the
verse I quoted above, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The Bible is relevant and contains
all that we need for life and godliness.
There is a
growing movement of people desiring to hear a special revelation from God. Many Christians put more stock in movies like
Heaven is for Real and 90 minutes in Heaven than the book of
Revelation. If you want a special word from God, read your Bible. I mean that with
all seriousness. God’s word is sufficient for all. Do not look for a “special” word from God, but
rather look to the “special” Word
from God.
We are to receive the Word of God as Good
A regular
argument put forth in our culture is that the Bible is outdated. The common
refrain repeated again and again is, “We are modern people and need to adopt
modern views on life and sexuality.” It may sound sophisticated, but it is
masking an attack on the goodness of God’s Word and the goodness of the God who
gave the Word. People have denied sin and believe that God is withholding
something good from them in telling them no. The argument is not new, for the
same tactic was used in the Garden of Eden when, “the serpent said to the
woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your
eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ (Genesis
3:4-5) Satan wanted Eve to believe that God was withholding something good from
her, attacking the goodness of God’s Word. We are so easily tempted to doubt
God’s goodness.
The God’s
Word is not withholding anything from us, but protecting us for God knows what
is best for us. Listen to the voices of those who speak against God’s Word and
notice the undercurrent of pride. They doubt the goodness of the Word, because
they believe they know better way. We must hold fast to the goodness of God’s
Word.
We are to receive the Word of God as Active
The Word of
God is powerful. It is powerful to save and it is powerful to sanctify. At the
end of 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Paul adds a profound encouragement, “which is at
work in you believers.” For the word of God is living and active, sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints
and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12) God’s Word changes us. God is actively working on us through His
Word by His Spirit.
Do you ever
feel stagnate in your Christian walk? Or maybe you have felt discouraged with
particular sin struggle? Beloved, know that God’s Word is actively working in
your life. There is a real, profound affect that happens to us when we read and
meditate on the Word of God. We cannot comprehend the immediate and long term
benefits that come from the Word. Psalm 1:1-3, “Blessed is the man who walks
not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in
the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law
he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that
yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he
does, he prospers.” The delight and meditation on God’s Word leads to
prosperity and fruitful labor.
We do not
fully understand or appreciate the importance of the Word of God for if we did
we would make every effort to hear, read and meditate on it. The number one
stated reason people don’t read the Bible is busyness.[3] The unstated reason is
that we do not believe in its power in our lives. When you commit to a new
activity how often do you ask the question, “How will this affect my or our
family’s Bible intake?” God’s Word is life-changing and powerful. It actively
changes us. It takes our eyes off of ourselves and fixes them on God’s glory.
What in your life hinders you from reading the Word?
We are to receive the Word as Christ-Exalting
Under-girding
our entire doctrine of Scripture is the motivation to exalt the living Christ.
We live to make much of Jesus Christ. We proclaim Him. We desire to grow up
into full maturity to be like Christ. When we receive and obey the Word, we
make much of Jesus who has given us His Word. Jesus said,
If you abide in me, and
my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for
you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to
be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my
love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as
I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have
spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John
15:7-11)
When we receive the Word of God, we receive Jesus. To deny
the Word is to deny the Savior.
We must
receive the Word of God as what it really is: the Word of God. For if we do not
receive the Word as the very living words of Almighty God we will not be ready
for the trials that may be coming.
Receive the
Word as Worthy of Trials
Persecution
comes in many ways. It may come with a raise of an eyebrow from your college
professor, whispers from colleagues, denial of promotion at work, outright
scorn and ridicule by a family member, jail time, or even death. Are you ready
to receive the Word as worthy enough to hold on to regardless of what comes?
The Thessalonians were. 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16,
For you, brothers, became imitators
of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the
same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both
the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose
all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be
saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come
upon them at last!
The Thessalonians faced physical persecution from their own
countrymen. Those who were once their friends and family became their
persecutors. And in the face of persecution, they remained steadfast because
they had received the Word of God as the Word of God which was worthy of
trials.
If the
Bible is God’s Word then we must stand on it. And the best way we stand is to
trust and obey God’s Word. We make reading God’s Word primary in our lives. We
make the hearing of God’s Word primary in our lives. We make obeying God’s Word
primary in our lives. An exemplary church delights in the Word and will stand
in the face of persecution. Jesus shows us how of the word is sown on the soils
of different hearts,
And these are the ones sown on
rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it
with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when
tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately
they fall away.
Beloved, persecution and tribulation will come more and more
to Christians in America. The question is, “Will you endure?” The only way you
will endure is if you count the Word of God as worthy of the trials they bring.
Receive the
Word as a Witness of War
We are in a
war. We battle with the spiritual forces of darkness every day. And the battle
is from without and within. First, it is clear from the text that there is a
battle from outside the faith for those who oppose the message of the gospel.
People want to silence Christians because the message of the gospel is the power
of God for salvation. There is an active opposition to the gospel by real
people, but our battle is not against them. Ephesians 6:10-12,
Finally, be strong in the Lord and
in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be
able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil
in the heavenly places.
When people oppose the gospel, they are under the influence
of the evil one captured to do his will. Satan is a deceiver. He opposes all
mankind by hindering people from hearing the truth of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. He may do it through national laws and company policies, but his aim is
to hide the gospel remedy for the cancer of sin.
The gospel
of Jesus Christ is the only hope for our world. We all have sin and need a
Savior. Jesus Christ lived and died to destroy the works of the devil. The Word
became flesh and dwelt among us to reverse the curse of sin and give us hope
for eternal life. Faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead is man’s only hope before God. Therefore to oppose the gospel is to oppose
all mankind for it is our only hope. Do you know this hope? Do you believe in
this hope with all your heart?
Those who
oppose the gospel will one day bow. The text seems to imply that the Jews were
facing some real life trouble. We do not know exactly what their trouble was,
but Paul knew their trouble came from their opposition to the truth. The Word
is a witness to the war of this world.
There are those who work for the
gospel and those who work against the gospel. The challenge is that there are
things in our own heart that wage war against our soul. Peter writes, “Beloved,
I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh,
which wage war against your soul.” (1 Peter 2:11) One of the passions of the
flesh that wage war against our soul is the desire for the acceptance of the
world. The battle rages every time you have the opportunity to share the
gospel. How many times have we had the opportunity to share our faith only to
let fear of judgment or awkwardness allow the opportunity to pass? Do not let
the love of the world and the acceptance of those who stand opposed to God
hinder you from sharing the gospel that others may be saved. Let us speak not
to please man but to please God who tests our hearts.
Last year a
missionary captured a video of Chinese believers receiving the Bible for the
first time. As they were handed the Bible, they brought the bibles to their
faces and wept. One of the Chinese believers said, “Thanks be to God, we need
this book so much. When I see this book, I think of the brothers and sisters
who have helped us and brought this to us with their blood and spirit. This is
what our church needs so much right now.” Beloved, this book is what our church
needs so much right now. Will we receive this Word as it really is, the Word of
God?
Finally,
all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a
humble mind. (1 Peter 3:8)
Beloved,
What
does the world want to see in the
church? What does the world need to see
of God’s gathered people? In his book, The
Church before the Watching World, Francis Shaeffer wrote,
One cannot explain the explosive dynamite, the dunamis, of the
early church apart from the fact that they practiced two things simultaneously:
orthodoxy of doctrine and orthodoxy of community in the midst of the visible church,
a community the world could see. By the grace of God, therefore, the church
must be known simultaneously for its purity of doctrine and the reality of its
community. Our churches have so often been only preaching points with very
little emphasis on community, but exhibition of the love of God in practice is
beautiful and must be there.[1]
We must display the
beautiful interconnectedness of the purity of doctrine in our lives lived out
among one another.
Peter challenges the churches of his
day to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a
humble mind. These traits should epitomize all individual Christians and thus,
should epitomize the gathering of Christians in the local church. Peter
arranges these concepts in a chiastic structure showing the middle trait to be
the most important aspect of a Christian Community. The family love among God’s
people is one of the greatest testimony for the validity of the gospel. One
scholar notes,
Harmony and humility belong together, for the primary means by
which harmony is disrupted is pride and self-assertion. Sympathy and compassion
are closely related and even hard to distinguish from each other. Brotherly
love is the middle term, showing that it is the most important of all the
virtues and that the other virtues are embraced in the call to love one another
as a family.[2]
We are called to love
one another as a family. We belong to one another.
Do you view the church as your
family? Are you willing sacrifice for the members of the church as if they were
your own flesh and blood? Are you willing to share your own lives with each
other? Beloved, we are far more than just a weekly gathering on Sunday morning.
We are a family. Let us live like one so that the world can see the beautiful
display of the love of God in practice.
[1]
Schaeffer, Francis, The Church Before the Watchign World. (Downers Grove, IL:
Intervaristy, 1971, 62.
[2]
Schreiner, T. R. (2003). 1, 2 Peter, Jude
(Vol. 37, p. 164). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
