Here is an outline of what was shared about the Building Fund after the service on 6/26/11.  If you would like more specific information, call Pastor Rick.

How many of you have huge sums of money lying around burning a hole in your pocket?  Some of us may not have enough set aside to meet the average needed per family to pay the building off in 5 years.  And that is just what we want to do in order to pay the building off with zero interest.  This giving is over and above our tithe!  It is a lot of money.

 I want to let you in on a little secret: God already owns this building!  We are down here working on who has the slip of paper and who owes who what, but it already belongs to God.  Perhaps we do not have the money as a congregation.  Well, we are going to have to rely on God to provide.  And that is just what He wants us to do, isn’t it.  We are going to need God’s grace here. 

 How do we rely on God’s provision?  It doesn’t mean wiping our hands clean of responsibility.  It doesn’t mean not thinking about it.  We have to believe that what God is going to do, He is going to do primarily through us.  That is what is so exciting about this!  We are going to be a part of this, even if it is a small part.  He is the one who multiplied the bread, rained down manna from heaven, and turned water into wine.

 So, where do we start!

1.      Give yourself to God – 2 Cor 8:1-5

a.      1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints– 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
b. When we as members voted to enter into this contract, we committed ourselves to the purchase of this facility and the responsibilities.
c.  But let’s agree together that all we have is God’s and that we want to use it according to His will and for His glory.  This what giving ourselves to God is about.
d.  We cannot be generous in giving, if we have not first been generous in giving ourselves to God.

2.      Pray often—Luke 18:1-7

a. And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
b.  Notice the emphasis is “that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”  So, let us pray persistently without losing heart!
c.  Pray for God to provide for His Church.
d.  Pray that He would receive all the glory.
e.  Pray for God to provide through you.f.  Pray that He would grant you wisdom in what to give from what He has allowed you to steward.

3.      Believe God will provide—Mark 11:20-24

a.      As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
b.  This doesn’t mean name it and claim it!
c.  The first requirement is that we are submitted to the Lord’s will… “Father, all things are possible for you…Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)
d.  This is about believing that all things really do belong to God.
e.  This is about believing that investing in God’s Kingdom generously and sacrificially is not a risky scheme, but a wise decision when made according to His will.  It is living by faith, not a word of faith.
f.  This about believing that stewardship is primarily about what God wants me to do with what already belongs to Him for His glory.

 How can we seek God’s provision in this way regarding the Building Fund?

1. Keeping it Before Us!a.  A reminder to give ourselves to Goda.  A reminder to pray
   b.  A reminder to trust in God
   c.  How?

1)  Bulletin updates on the Building Fund
2)  Periodic Testimonies and Updates at services
3)  “EVERYTHING IS HIS” Collection Jars: Fill them up and bring in what you have collected and start over again!  The idea is not simply to give our “spare change” to the Building Fund, it is to have a reminder on our kitchen tables to pray for the Lord’s provision, a reminder that “Everything is His,” and a reminder of how much we need Him. 

The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Psalm 24:1-2

 4)      Annual Special Offering—July 10th: Each year we will set aside one day for a special offering.  Not because one day is special above all others, but to bring focus, attention, and prayer to our goal of paying off the building in five years with zero interest.

2.  A Call to Prayer

a.  At our prayer meetings and on our prayer sheets
b.  Periodically at our services (Deacons—once per month give thanks for the Lord’s provision of a building and pray for continued provision)
c.  A Day of Prayer:  Sign-Up to pray around the clock for God’s provision for the Felton facility, and the ministries of GTCC.

1)  Wednesday, July 6^th from 12 Midnight to 11:59 P.M.
2)  Every half hour
3)  From 7:00 – 7:30 P.M. together at Prayer Meeting 

LET’S RELY ON GOD TOGETHER THROUGH PRAYER

I saw this post and thought it was a welcomed reminder for mothers.  You are on the front lines.  You are under-appreciated.  You can grow weary and discouraged by the battle.  The fruit can seem absent.  But you are an amazing gift of God’s grace.  You are strategically placed to impact the generations.  May God strengthen you and encourage you today in your mission as mothers.  Enjoy this article: Motherhood as a Mission Field

Recently we held a seminar on the topic of Biblical Courtship, for our church and those interested in the surrounding area.  I will be posting component parts of the seminar on this blog over the next few weeks.  If you would like to listen to the seminar online, just follow this courtship link. 

 In today’s culture the word courtship has very little meaning and if anything it conveys a prudish, stodgy, and anachronistic alternative to the normal accepted practice of dating.  But the issue that we are dealing with as a culture is not primarily about dating versus courtship, but rather preparing for God glorifying marriages built on Christ and biblical wisdom versus following the normal worldly system of marital preparation, which has led to destruction of marriages and families in the past few generations.

 CONSIDER THE STATE OF OUR CULTURE

Statistics are not everything, but they can give us a glimpse of the health of a society.  Approximately 40% of our children are born out of wedlock in the United States today.  The divorce rate for professing Christians is almost the same as the divorce rate of the rest of the culture.  In a Barna study in 2008, out of 4,000 interviews:

• 33% of those who have been married responded that they have been divorced.
• 32% of all born again Christians responded that they have been divorced.
• 28% of Catholics responded that they have been divorced.
• 26% of Evangelical born again Christians responded that they have been divorced.[1]

Notice that there is only a 1% difference between all respondents (33%) and born again respondents (32%).  One-third of the people who were married also experienced divorce.  It is slightly encouraging to see that the percentage of professing “Evangelical born again Christians” is lower.  But still, the numbers are quite alarming.  The Americans For Divorce Reform have stated, “Probably, 40 or possibly up to 50 percent of marriages will end in divorce if current trends continue.”[2]  This means that approximately half our children live in single parent or blended families.

The United States Welfare System and Tax Code seems to reward out of wedlock births, rather than discourage them.  It appears that our government is trying to take over for Dads.  Women can get welfare help, such as Government Housing, Food Stamps, etc…as long as there is no responsible male figure in the household.  This has created an endemic of fatherlessness in our culture.

Broken families have consequential effects on the children.  Studies in the early 1980’s indicated that children in repeat divorces earned lower grades and their peers rated them as less pleasant to be around.   Teenagers in single-parent families and blended families are three times more likely to need psychological help within a given year.  Compared to children from homes disrupted by death, children from divorced homes have more psychological problems.  Did you catch that?  Children have adjusted better to the loss of a parent in death than they have to divorce.  A study of children six years after a parental marriage breakup revealed that even after all that time, these children tended to be “lonely, unhappy, anxious, and insecure.”  Seventy percent of long-term prison inmates grew up in broken homes.[3]  In short, marriage and family are in a free-fall in our culture.  The bedrock of a thriving civilization is cracked and failing.  Something needs to be done.  We have to ask ourselves why?  We have to reestablish what the goal is in raising children and preparing for marriage.

OUR GOAL

Part of the problem in the debate over courtship and dating is that the wrong goal has been in view.  All of our effort has been in abstinence education, maintaining purity, and the need to protect our children from Cassanova.  Well, purity is vital, as we will see later.  Abstinence is essential.  But our goals are more far-reaching than that.  Our goal should be: Marriages that glorify God and yield a righteous generation! This should be the goal of parents for their children and young men and women for themselves.

For parents, your responsibility is not just to get them married and out of the house!  We laugh, but this appears to be the attitude of far too many parents.  Some believe that there is something magical about the age of 18, which releases parents from any further responsibility in the direction their children head.  That may be true legally, but as we will see, it is not true biblically. Parents need to have a vision that extends beyond being comfortable in our empty nest years, seeking fruit that abounds long after we leave this earth.  It is the fertile environment of God glorifying marriages that will produce such rich and enduring fruit in the generations to come.

For young men and women, your responsibility is not merely to find someone attractive that is fun to be around and makes your heart go pitter patter.  It is not merely to find a professing Christian.  It is to prepare for a God glorifying marriage that will yield a righteous generation.

Our goal will be dependent on our view of marriage.  Marriage is a sacred institution!   In Matthew 19:6, Jesus affirms the sanctity of marriage, “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”  So often the emphasis on this passage is placed on the so-called “exceptions,” when the overwhelming emphasis of Christ is on the sanctity and covenantal nature of the institution of marriage.

Marriage depicts the relationship of Christ and His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:22-33).  Marriage depicts the oneness of the Triune Godhead (Gen 1:26; 2:24; Deut 6:4; John 17:20-21).  Marriage even  depicts our future glorification (Rev 19:9).  Marriage is a picture of a future marriage, a future reality, and a future blessedness.  It demands our careful attention and preparation, so that the image is not so marred that it reflects nothing of the reality.

It is crucial that we do all in our power to get this right!  Our children’s future is at stake.  Our grandchildren, great grandchildren, and so on…will be affected.  The Church will be affected by it.  Society will be affected by it. 

We prepare for many things.  Above all, let us be prepared for this.  We prepare for tests, research papers, college and career.  How much more, for that which will have far reaching generational repercussions, either for God’s glory or for worldly ill. This is why we must evaluate the modern practices that lead to marriage.  In our day, it is called dating.  Is it biblical?  Is it helpful or harmful?  We’ll look into these as we study further.

[2] The Americans for Divorce Reform: http://www.divorcereform.org/results.html

[3] 18 Shocking Statistics About Children and Divorce: http://www.marriage-success-secrets.com/statistics-about-children-and-divorce.html

I just finished working through God’s Riches: A Work-Book on the Doctrines of Grace, by John Benton and John Peet.  I highly recommend this as a discipleship tool for one on one discipleship, small groups, and for older adolescents in the family.  It is a very good summary of the Doctrines of Grace.  It encourages self-discovery and much Scripture searching.  I love the various quotes from pastors and theologians that are peppered through the book to emphasize certain doctrinal points.  Consider purchasing a number of these and giving them as gifts to stir people to get into their Bibles and study the doctrines of the faith. 

“Redemption Accomplished”  John 19:30

 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

 It is finished may sound like a final consolation.  It may sound like a desperate resignation to the enemy of death.  But when Jesus cries out, “It is finished,” it is a shout of victory!”  It is a statement of triumph not tragedy.  For though this cry  does signal His imminent death; it communicates far more than that.  And the implications of this statement are profound for you and me. 

 Jesus speaks every word on the cross very meticulously and purposefully.  He speaks this way throughout His ministry on earth, but especially in these last hours and minutes before death.

 After Jesus fulfills the prophetic word regarding His thirst and takes a drink of sour wine, He makes one word supremely clear.  Jesus likely shouts one profound word:  Tetelestai (Greek)!  Mark 15:37 states,  And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.  One word that means so much and has such far reaching implications.

 Most translate this word, “It is finished!”  It means to accomplish, to finish, fulfill, bring to a close, or complete a process.  It can also mean to make a payment, as in paying taxes.  This is the exact same word that is used in verse 28, where we learn that “After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished (tetelestai), said, ‘I thirst.’”

 What does Jesus mean intend for us to understand from this one simple word?  Is it as we stated, purely a statement of his demise or death?  The answer is an emphatic no!  This is a statement of eternal significance, for in this simple word, Jesus is shouting that His work to redeem man has been “accomplished”.  In fact, “It is accomplished” might be a better translation than “It is finished.” 

 As opposed to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Mass, in which Jesus is essentially sacrificed endlessly…John Murray States, “Protestants rightly contend that the satisfaction of Christ is…so perfect and final that it leaves no penal liability for any sins of the believer.” Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, 51.

Calvin states, “this word, which Christ employs, well deserves our attention; for it shows that the whole accomplishment of our salvation, and all the parts of it, are contained in his death.”

 How can we be sure of this?

First, the word itself is in the perfect tense which signifies a full completion, with nothing further to be done. 

Second, The meaning of the word is often used to speak of the completion of or satisfaction of a requirement or task. 

Third, Christ’s nature assures the payment for sin is finished.  Because Christ is both sinless man and infinite God, His payment must be sufficient.  Otherwise, His nature is either less than perfect, or less than infinite.

Fourth, God’s nature assures this payment for sin is finished.  God put forward His Son to be a propitiation by His blood (Rom 3:24-25).  This means that God sent His own sacrifice to satisfy His own wrath and justice.  God’s justice and wrath demand a perfect and sufficient sacrifice.

Fifth, the Scriptures confirm that Christ’s sacrifice is finished.

1 Pet 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit”

Hebrews 10:11-12,  “One simple word means life for all who believe that Jesus is indeed the perfect and sufficient Lord and Savior, who has completed the work of satisfying the justice and wrath of God, in our place.” 

 This Jesus has done willingly, giving up his spirit, as He said He would in John 10:17-18.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

 So, “It is finished” is a cry of victory over the power of sin and darkness.  The work is complete, now all that remains is for those in darkness to respond by submitting in faith and relying upon what Christ has accomplished.

2011 Biblical Courtship Seminar

Saturday, May 21^st from 8:30 A.M. to 12 P.M.

 Apart from following Christ, marriage is the most important decision a person will likely make in their lives.  It will begin the second most important relationship that a person will have on this earth (next to Christ).  Considering the epidemic of disintegrating  marriages and families, both in our culture, and sadly, in the church, it is crucial that we prepare our children for that critically important day in their future.  Their preparation for marriage will pay dividends unto generations.

What duties do parents have in preparing sons and daughters?  What biblical examples do we see that can inform and guide us in this process?  How much involvement should parents have in the process?  How much freedom should young men and ladies have in the process of finding a marriage partner?  What should we think of the modern practice of dating?  How active should young men and young women, along with their parents, be in seeking potential suitors?  How should we evaluate potential suitors?

Come join us as we explore these questions and more!  Parents, be purposeful and diligent in investing in the legacy you will leave in the generations that come after you leave this earth.  Young men and ladies, be purposeful and biblical in preparing for your future marriage.

Here is my outline from last week’s study on Jeremiah 23:1-8:

I. God will judge the unfaithful shepherds.  It is at this point that we view the present situation of Jeremiah’s day.  There is rampant wickedness, idolatry, and carnality.  And though the people are responsible for their own sin, the shepherds bear an even greater weight of judgment (Jer 23:1-2).
         A.  The shepherds are held responsible for the judgment coming.
               1.  Shepherds probably includes Kings, Prophets, and Priests.
                        a.  Recall the unfaithfulness of Jehoiakim and Coniah in ch.22.
               2.  Leaders hold a greater responsibility than all others.
                        a.  The people are certainly responsible for their own sin.
                        b.  It is God who is sending Babylon to Judah, which will cause the scattering of the flock.
                        c.  Yet, it is the shepherds who are held responsible.
               3.  The indictment is simple:
                        a.  “You have scattered my flock”
                        b.  You…”have driven them away”
                        c.  “you have not attended to them”
                              1)  Attended means cared for in this context.
                              2)  You have not watched over the sheep.
      B.  Therefore, these unfaithful shepherds will be judged.
              1.  “Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord.”
                   a.  This is a very haunting statement.
                   b.  Reminds me of Luke 17:2: “It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he  
                        were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.”
              2.  This is a promise of punishment!
                   a.  The word “attend” here is the same as the previous statement, with a different emphasis.
                   b.  Here it means to “visit with hostile intent or to punish”. 
                   c.  It is a play on words: “you have not attended to them…so I will attend to you”.
      C.  Surely the punishment of the shepherds has implications for the sheep who follow them.
II.  God will provide faithful shepherds.  God will restore a remnant and provide good shepherds, honorable shepherds, shepherds who actually shepherd…who actually care for the flock (Jer 23:3-4).
      A.   This is a dramatic shift from judgment to restoration.  It is a welcome shift in the midst of this challenging set
             of oracles.
            1.  We have read previously that God wasn’t going to completely destroy Israel.
            2.  But here we see the positive promise of a return!
            3.  The promise is made to “the remnant”.  Who are these people?  
                  a.  The remnant means, “the rest, the residue, or what is remaining.
                  b.  There are a number of places where the remnant are referred to.

31 And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. 32 For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.  Isa 37:31-32

 18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. 19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. 20 You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.  Micah 7:18-20

                           c.  Notice that in Isaiah 37, it is “The Zeal of the Lord of hosts” who sets apart a remnant.
                           d.  Calvin interchanges the word “elect” with remnant, recognizing this group as a people divinely 
                                elected and set-apart.  What do you think?
                           e.  Clearly this is a special group that God has special plans for…who belong in His fold.
                   4.  Here we see the promise of restoration and physical/earthly blessing. 
                           a.  “I will bring them back to their fold”
                           b.  “they shall be fruitful and multiply”
                           c.  “I will set shepherds over them who will care for them”
                                 1)  This is an incredible promise, considering the influence of the ungodly shepherds.
                                 2)  God is not simply promising a return to the fold, but godly leaders, as well.
                                 3)  These shepherds will “care for them” or literally, “pasture them…shepherd them…or feed 
                                       them.”
                                                “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” Prov 10:21
                          d.  “they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed”
                                 1)  It is hard to imagine a time of no fear…is this just an extended time of peace?  Is this looking
                                       forward to the Millennial Kingdom?
                                 2)  Even the remnant under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah (Godly shepherds), faced opposition
                                       and fear.
                             e.  “neither shall any be missing”
                                    1)  Incredibly, the word “missing is the same as the word for “attend” in verse 2.
                                    2)  It is has a wide domain.
                                    3)  Here it is variously translated as “missing,” or “lacking”.
                                    4)  It makes me wonder if Jesus was alluding to this in John 6:37-40:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 

III.  God will send the Chief Shepherd.  It appears that the faithful shepherds that the Lord blesses His remnant with, are mere shadows of the Righteous Shepherd…the Chief Shepherd. (Jer 23:5-6).
      A.   True restoration requires the Righteous Shepherd!  All the other shepherds would finally be insufficient to
             feed us, protect us, and deliver us in the manner we truly require.
             1.  We must ask, How can the remnant be truly restored?
                   a.  After all, they are guilty like the rest of the people, aren’t they?
                   b.  They deserve judgment, just like everyone else.
                   c.  That is why they need more than a faithful earthly shepherd. 
             2.  Here we find both an earthly and divine Shepherd!
                   a.  He is the Son of David, the Son of Man!
                   b.  He is a human shepherd.
                         1)  He is “a righteous Branch” from David.
                         2)  He will be faithful!
                         3)  He will “deal wisely”
                         4)  He will “execute justice and righteousness”, which is exactly what the kings were condemned for 
                               forsaking in chapter 22.
                    c.  But he is also the Son of God, God Himself.
                          1)  Only the Lord is truly able to save Judah.
                          2)  Only the Lord is truly able to secure Israel finally.
                          3)  Only the Lord is able to protect His remnant forever.
                          4)  So, we discover that this is: “The Lord our righteousness”.
                                 a)  The Lord is the word Yahweh…God’s holy name.
                                 b)  This is God Himself.
              3.  Here we find the remedy for remnant—righteousness! 
                    a.  Notice that He is “The Lord OUR righteousness”.
                          1)  God is certainly righteous.
                          2)  But Messiah is “our righteousness”.
              4.  This Shepherd’s deliverance is not first bound up in His sword, chariots, or massive armies…but in the 
                    righteousness He is able to bestow upon His remnant through faith.
                    a.  This looks forward to the sacrifice of Christ and the provision of His work.
                    b.  How else could we be secure, in right relationship with the God of this universe, in our filthy rags? 
                    c.  Only through the gift of Christ’s perfect righteousness.
IV.  God’s future deliverance will overshadow all others! (Jer 23:7-8)
      A.   Deliverance from Egypt will no longer be the focus of God’s people (v.7).
              1.  This is huge…because this was their corporate identity.
              2.  The calendar was built around the Passover and this monumental defining moment in Israel’s history. 
              3.  To speak of God as their deliverer would be to speak of the Exodus.
      B.  But there will be other deliverances that will overshadow the Exodus (v.8). 
              1.  Here we have an earthly example of the remnant returning from many corners of the world.
              2.  Yet, the nature of the passage reminds us that this is just a shadow of a final deliverance…from the Lord
                   our righteousness, which overshadows all others! 
Conclusions
1.  So, we have the Gospel here in Jeremiah…the Gospel of hope!
2.  The people were under oppressive, unrighteous, ungodly shepherds.
3.  Sin, idolatry, sensuality, and every base practice surrounded them.
4.  Yet…there was hope!  A glimmer of hope…a peak forward at final salvation.  For God was promising that He would deliver His remnant, restore them…ultimately to final glory…how?
5.  Through “The Lord our Righteousness”!

I was struck once again by the importance of music and particularly singing in the Bible.  God appointed Levites to the religious vocation of “singing”.  A quick concordance search for “singers” finds 31 occurrences in the Bible, primarily in the Old Testament.  Read on your own, especially in 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah of the prominence and importance of singing in public worship settings.  I especially love the picture of the two choirs on the walls celebrating the completion of the walls around Jerusalem in Nehemiah. 

Songs are also commonly seen in the Bible in various forms, as expressions of worship in a variety of emotions, the majority of which is praise.  Again, a quick concordance search finds 81 occurrences of “song” in the Old and New Testaments.  As we consider our lives congregationally together, let us lean in to the songs that we sing…expressing truths from the depth of our souls.  Let us be deliberate and purposeful about the kinds of songs we sing at church, in our homes, and even on our IPODS and MP3 players.  Let God be praised in our songs, let His Church be taught be songs, and let the Chuch be encouraged and strengthened through the God ordained means of music.

As I was reading Ephesians 5 to my children the other night, during Family Worship, I was reminded of the importance of songs even in our day to day relationships.  The epitome of right relationships, spiritually strong relationships, are those in which song and poetic expression is a part.  Rich, full, meaningful joy in life is not found from substances, nor enthralling entertainment experiences, but our sweet communion together around the truth in creative and musical expressions:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
(Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV)

I recently taught from 1 Thess 3:1-5 and was moved by the Apostle Paul’s deep concern for the spiritual health of the Thessalonians.  This is a challenge to all of us to not take the spiritual health of one another for granted.  Below is the outline of the message. 

1 Thess 3:1-5
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Many of us have had loved ones that have had major health issues.  Health issues imply a sense of urgency and command action and response.  We all respond that way when someone’s health is at risk.  But how do we respond to the spiritual health of people that we know?   The Apostle Paul models again for us the heart of God in this matter.  He reveals to us that we are called to have a deep concern for the spiritual well-being of believers we know.  Our heart should ache to do everything we can to help fellow believers stay on course in their walk.  Maybe we don’t need life flight to tend to the spiritual slide of a follower of Jesus, but we should have a sense of urgency.  A strong burden to want to do what we can to lift our brothers and sisters up.  To see them plant firmly in good soil.  In our passage today (1 Thess 3:1-5), we will look at Paul’s model.  We’ll discover that a deep concern for the spiritual well-being of believers, first, compels one to action.  Second, a deep concern for the spiritual well-being of believers compels one to protect their faith.

 I.      A deep concern for the spiritual well-being compels one to action. (1 Thess 3:1-2)

A.  This deep concern causes a crisis in our hearts.  It should be consuming interest.

1. Paul and his team could no longer endure being uninformed about the spiritual health of the Thessalonians.
2. Most people have some kind of interest that they always look forward to practicing.  For some it is music, reading, woodworking, fishing, swimming, shopping, rebuilding engines, golf, you name it.  A deep concern for others should be an all consuming interest.  When we wake up we think about it.  When we go through our day we can’t stop thinking about it.  This is God’s heart. 
3. This tension should compel us to respond.
   1. Though physically separated, Paul’s team is compelled to respond.

a)    It appears that Paul and Silas stay in Athens (thought well to).

b)    Paul sends the highly qualified Timothy as his delegate.

(1) Timothy’s credentials are solid.

C.  Do you have anybody on your heart that you feel compelled to respond to? 

I.  A deep concern for the spiritual well-being of believers seeks to protect their faith. (1 Thess 3:2-4)

A.  Protecting a believer’s faith involves shoring up their foundation to withstand trials.

1. Timothy is sent to shore up the Thessalonians’ foundation of faith. 

a)    Strengthening involves finishing the foundation begun by the Apostles.  The focus is more on the instruction.

b)    Encouraging involves strengthening through relationships and coming along side.  It’s what Paul has done throughout this letter.

c)     The focus of the encouragement is for the benefit of the faith of the Thessalonians.

2.  The purpose of this foundation is to prevent a fall amidst trials.

a)    Paul is concerned because of the affliction the Thessalonians face.

b)    Where do falls come?  A poor foundation in both the Word and in meaningful relationships.  There is no substitute for biblical instruction, mentoring, and friendships in the Church.  The number one reason people return to Church…relationships (vital relationships).

B.  Protecting a believer’s faith involves helping others to understand right doctrine.  This is actually an example of strengthening their faith.

1. Persecution is a normal part of the Christian life.

a)    “You, yourself know” is an emphatic statement meaning “you know better”.

b)    “We are appointed” ties affliction to our Christian walk.

c)     The implication: Experience of persecution and suffering should strengthen, not weaken one’s commitment to Jesus.

      2.  We could all think of some other doctrines that could help to protect a believer’s faith.  Here the emphasis is on the doctrine of the place of       
              suffering in the Christian’s life.

C.  Protecting a believer’s faith requires knowing their spiritual health (1 Thess 3:4-5).

1. Paul was the primary source of impatience in his desire to minister to the Thessalonians.
2. Paul sent to “know of their faith” or faithfulness.
3. Paul’s deepest concern was the spiritual warfare being waged against them.

a)    Paul’s concern is that his “labor” or “toil” would be in vain.

b)   We see the same anxiety in 2 Cor 11:28-29:
 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

 Conclusion:
1.  Paul models once again the heart of God. 

2.  Paul isn’t just a model…he instructs us as he does the Thessalonians.  His anxiety over the potential failure of this Church should cause us to heed very closely.  Do not take your faith for granted.

3.  Think of one person that you can help in protecting their faith.  Then, think of what you can do yourself to protect your own faith. 

In the midst of the unrest in Egypt and the Middle East, we ought to be praying for the Christian church in these areas.  God uses many different means, circumstances, and unexpected instruments to communicate His Gospel and bring reform to the hearts of people.  I was reading of the exile of Israel this morning in 2 Kings, and I was reminded that in apparent chaos God is still sovereign and doing His Kingdom work. 

“And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel.  And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.  And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord.  THerefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.  So the king of Assyria was told, ‘The nations that you ahve carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land.  Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.’  Then the king of Assyria commanded, ‘Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.’  So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord.”  2 Kings 17:24-28

Can you imagine this pagan king calling upon a priest of the Lord to teach the people how to fear the Lord?  This should be a great encouragement to us, that in the midst of chaos and mayhem, judgment and strife, God is not lacking the power nor desire to get His Word out and to make His Name known.  Let’s pray for the church in Egypt and the Middle East, that the Lord would use these brothers and sisters to wisely and boldly proclaiim the Gospel with grace and winsomeness.

The people that the king of Assyria moved into the land of Israel ultimately followed a syncretistic worldview, in which they “feared the Lord and also served their carved images.” (2 Kings 17:41a)  It is true today, that proclaiming the message does not necessarily result in revival and reform.  Yet, we ought not be deterred from the task, knowing that God Himself initiates the preaching of His Gospel, even when the results are not what we expect.  Perhaps this is what Paul was getting at when he exhorted Timothy:

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Tim 4:2-3) 

Therefore, whatever the results…preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ is a noble and vital task for all Christians.  We will have to wait to see what the Lord does through His church in Egypt.  But as we wait, let’s support them in prayer and in any other manner the Lord might lead you.