My last weeks at SBD

my 2 favourite chapters in the bible 1 Thess 2 and 3

On this armisitice day we’re reminded that life is war. The christian life. Life in Christ. The life we are all made to live. Is a war. It’s a fight to overcome. To mature, to grow to remain

It’s a war and it’s a race

Like a marathon. They say that somewhere after the 12th mile into the 26 and a bit miles of the Marathon. Most runners hit ‘the wall’

Pain starts - Brain starts to tell you to stop running. ‘This is no fun, give up, this isn’t what you were led to expect. You begin to get angry with the people who encouraged you to run the race – they conned you, they just wanted your charity money. They’re using you. Give up – you’ve run far enough, you’ve done really well. Have a rest now..

Of course the thing is, if you drop out you cannot say ‘I have run the London Marathon…’ You haven’t – you may have been selected to run the Marathon, you may have stood around at the start and crossed the start line with thousands of others, you may have got your face on TV running the Marathon, but it’s all irrelevant, it doesn’t matter whether you ran 5 miles or 25 miles – if you didn’t finish the race…. It means nothing unless you finish.

And Marathon runners who know that, train their brains to fight the attacks so that they will endure to the finish line.

The Christian Life is a race. Christian faith is not like taking out a life insurance policy – you know, put it in a drawer, forget about it until you need it. No, it is life long, day by day, hour by hour faithfulness to Jesus and his words. It’s a marathon to be run right up to the finishing tape of our lives, never giving up, never denying Jesus..

If you drop out you cannot say, I have run the race of the Christian life. You haven’t - you may have started, you may have been baptised, you may have led a homegroup, you might have led a church – but if you don’t finish the race – it means nothing. It’s Life long.

Of course people do drop out of the Christian race – because any race of endurance is painful. The Christian way is a narrow path of Suffering. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Trouble and Persecution says Jesus. Christianity mocked ridiculed, discriminated against, physical suffering – prison. You will be distracted, Jesus says, the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth – and when the pain starts the brain starts to tell you to stop running – this is no fun, this isn’t what you were led to expect. You begin to get angry with the people who encouraged you to run the race – they conned you. They’re using you. Give up – you’ve run far enough, you’ve done really well. Have a rest now..

These temptations to give up on the Christians life are orchestrated says Paul in chapter 3v5 by the devil himself. He is behind all the opposition, all the lies and deceptions. Hating Christians – he wants us to disown Christ. Give up…Go on. You’ve done enough.

But No. The race is only run when it is finished.

Christian Marathon runners must train their brains to withstand pain to fight the attacks so they will endure to the finish line.

This is what Paul, i believe, is doing with the young Thessalonian Christians here in chapter 2 of his letter to them. Keep On he says to this fledgling church plant who are in the furnace of a culture hostile to the Christian gospel – just as ours is increasingly. He gives to the Thessalonians 3 points of reference to look back to that will help them to fight the lies that are assaulting them and look forward and endure:

1. Remember God’s Gospel

2. Remember Deep relationships

3. Remember changed lives

These are crucial pointers for endurance for the Thessalonians may they be so to us.

1. Remember. God’s Gospel. v1-6a

The first wave of attack, and this is always the case is an attack against the gospel the message of Christianity that the apostle Paul preached. Paul’s answer is: Remember it’s God’s gospel. What you’ve heard, it’s from God – don’t give up on it.

Have a look at v1 You know brothers that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.

Remember – it’s God’s gospel.

Acts 17 tells us that in Thessalonica Paul had preached Jesus, in the Jewish synagogue – appealing from the scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah – Saviour and Lord. Some Jews became Christians, some prominent women and loads of God fearing Greeks. All left the synagogue to start a church. And Luke tells us the Jews were jealous – they started a riot and Paul and Silas had to be smuggled away out of the city. Leaving this church of baby Christians behind!

And now it’s obvious that these Jealous Jews – fuelled remember by God’s enemy the devil – are attacking the young church. Firstly by attacking the message of Christianity that Paul had taught.

Look at V3 the appeal we make, writes Paul does not spring from error or impure motives nor are we trying to trick you.

3 attacks it seems were being made on Paul’s teaching. Error, impure motives, deception

It’s error! Who is this Paul and his teaching - he’s just made this stuff up out of his head. He’s just an ordinary bloke!

It’s an attack still being made today. Theologians rubbishing Paul seeps into our churches and Christians say ‘I’ll listen to Jesus but why should I listen to Paul?’

The other 2 accusation are attacks on Paul himself – impure motives, and deception – ‘He’s tricked you, and now he’s disappeared – you’ve been conned. Brainwashed. Face it and give up.’

And again, The devil still uses this trick today, when the Christian life is hurting we start thinking, ‘what am I doing in this? How did I just become a Christian so fast? Did they just tell me what I needed to hear? Have I been conned?’

Well what answer does Paul give to these confusing attacks?

He says to the Thessalonians, he says to us.

Remember. It’s God’s Gospel.

It’s God’s Gospel. I didn’t make it up.

It’s God’s Gospel. I didn’t flatter you or wear a mask or try to please you. The reason you became a Christian so fast is because this is God’s gospel. God speaking - it’s powerful.

Have a look at Paul saying these things. V3-6a

The Apostles who wrote the NT are so important - men approved by God to be entrusted with the teaching of God’s gospel. The NT affirms their credentials again and again – particularly those of Paul. Paul speaks here of the weightiness of his task before God, who tests our hearts.

Notice that preaching God’s gospel and pleasing or flattering people are completely opposed. Sometimes preachers avoid the true Christian message because it is not that pleasant and flattering rather it challenges human pride. They think if I preach that no-one will want to become a Christian. But the evidence that Paul’s message is God’s gospel is that with no frills, no special offers it brings people to radical life changing relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ.

Remember the Christian message you’ve heard. It’s God’s Gospel. Next time NT Christianity is getting bad mouthed. And you’re under attack thinking perhaps they’re right why do I believe this outdated stuff and maybe I would be better off without the burden of…

STOP – are you about to drop out of the race? Never drop out of the race. Remember. It’s God’s gospel.

2. Remember Deep Relationships

The second wave of attack. And it’s a familiar ploy of the evil one. Is an attack on Christian relationships. Our relationships, particularly those between a church leader and their church are crucial and are often attacked to make churches give up. So Paul says Remember. Deep relationships. Remember.

The Jews had attacked Paul’s teaching as human lies. Now it seems they were saying he didn’t care for the Thessalonian Christians.

Paul begins the chapter with the words you know brothers that our visit to you was not a failure.

Look at v6b As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

Paul and Silas had been in Thessalonica only a matter of weeks before opposition meant they had to leave in a hurry and they hadn’t been back. It seems that the Jealous Jews are using Paul’s sharp exit and continued absence as evidence that Paul just doesn’t care about his so called Christian brothers and sisters. He was just here for what he could get out of you. Now he’s abandoned you. It’s all Bible bash and bye bye. Give up this Christian rubbish!

Again I wonder if you recognise this attack? Why you getting involved in that Church? They’re just after your money. They’re weird. Normally easy to ignore but when the Christian life starts hurting, you find yourself asking – yeah, what am I doing here?? They’re making all these demands on me, I just want to be my own person.

If Satan can sow distrust, can prise Christians away from each other, and from church leaders, then he can get Christians to give up – drop out of the race.

Well what’s Paul’s answer to this attack?

He says to Thessalonians Remember Deep relationships.

You get the impression that Paul is kind of beside himself here with this accusation that he doesn’t care. Nothing hurts a church leader more than that accusation. Later in v17 he says don’t ever think we just walked away. We were torn away from you he says and ever since we have wanted to get back to you.

Surely you remember brothers our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses and so is God of how holy righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with you as a Father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into his Kingdom.

How does a new mother care for her new born child? With gentleness – with real care. How is a Father with his children? – brimming with pride – encouraging and urging. How is a friend with her closest companions - it’s just a delight to share her life with them.

This is the depth of relationship. These are the bonds of love that God puts in his church. Aren’t they? Don’t you know this?

No matter how imperfectly I have managed to express it. I have felt this maternal and paternal care for you Saint Barnabas Dalston. I care for you.

When you do things, sometimes just being who you are – my heart bursts. I’m so proud of you. I want to see you grow. This has never been a job to me. It’s been hard but it’s been a delight to share my life with you – because you are such a wonderful church – so dear to me.

Many of you will understand this. Because you receive this love and you give it within the church family. This is what church is. Deep relationships. Of course those relationships make us vulnerable to pain, when we are torn away from one another, but God will have it no other way.

And here’s the point Remember - Deep relationships assure us of the truth of the gospel.

You know says Paul..

Next time Christianity is being discredited because the church is full of hypocrites and Bible bashers and weirdos, and you’re under attack thinking yeah I’d be better off without the burden of…

STOP – are you about to drop out of the race? Never drop out of the race. Remember. Deep relationships..

Finally

Remember Changed lives..verses 13-16

The final attack is an attack on the Thessalonians themselves. Call yourselves Christians – you’re no different. Nothings changed!

Recognise this one – ever have this lie buzzing round your head?

You’re not a Christian anyway, nothings happened. Give up. Give up.

Paul says – rubbish Remember changed lives.

V13 we also thank God continually because when you received the word of God, which you heard from us you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is the word of God which is at work in you who believe. For you brothers became imitators of the churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews.

Paul says You are different people. You may not always feel it. But you are. You definitely received the gospel and that word of God is at work in you. And do you know what the evidence is that you are going on as Christians? The evidence is that you are enduring in the face of suffering. You’re still here in church – even though you’re suffering. That’s evidence enough that you’re running the race. Enduring. Your life has changed. You are running the race Well keep going.

My sister Helen running the Marathon> her husband Dave ran the last 15 miles with her.

5v23-24