Lessons for September 30
EXPLORE THE BIBLE:
Believers should be about business of blessing
___ 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13
___By Pete Freeman
___First Baptist Church,
___The Woodlands
___I spent many summers with my grandparents on a farm outside of Lufkin. At that time, very few people had phones. The primary means for getting news was either a day-old newspaper or a letter. In rural East Texas, both came through the mail. I can remember waiting at the mailbox for a letter from home. Sometimes the mailman came on time, and
sometimes he didn't. I would be so excited about getting a letter I'd read it standing right there beside the mail box.
___I can imagine Paul catching sight of Timothy and hurrying to him. He wanted to hear all the believers in Thessalonica had to say.
___Beginning in verse 6, a new tense in time is obvious. He has been talking about what took place in the past, but he is speaking now about the present. Paul could have been depressed over his abrupt exit from Thessalonica. But things changed. Timothy has "just come" with good news. Usually the verb used here refers to "preach the gospel." Yet here, it is used in reference to good news about the growing faith of his friends.
___Leon Morris said, "It is the only place in the whole of Paul's writings where it is used in any other sense than that." This speaks of the joy that filled Paul's heart when he heard what God was doing in the lives at that very moment.
___It didn't take me very long after I became a Christian to become acquainted with what was called a "testimonial service." It usually meant the preacher didn't have a sermon prepared so he resorted to asking anyone if they had a "testimony." He secretly hoped it would take the whole hour. We always had this one fellow who rambled about how God spared him in the big war in Germany. I had his fox hole testimony memorized. One night, to the delight of all, someone asked him if God had done anything in his life since. The point is that good news about what God is doing in our present life is much more effective than what he did years ago.
___Paul comments on three things that inspired him. The first has to do with their "faith." Their belief in Jesus Christ was as strong as it was before. They did not waver at all. Secondly, their "love" also has continued. Agape love is commitment love! They did not possess a "feel-good kind of love" for Jesus, but a love that expressed itself in faithfulness and servitude toward others. Morris says, "Just as faith is the characteristic attitude of the Christian toward God, so is love his characteristic attitude toward man."
___Unfortunately, the non-believing world cannot judge our love for God based on the correctness of our doctrine but only on how they observe our love for each other. I challenge you to do your own survey among non-believers about Baptists. Ask them which word, "love" or "fight," best describes us. I'll guarantee you that at least 80 percent of them will choose the word "fight."
___The third thing that inspired Paul was their attitude toward him. I am sure he had wondered about how far the "spin doctoring" of his enemies had affected his credibility. There is a stewardship of trust that believers have in relationship to our friends in the Lord. We are cautioned in Scripture not to "jump to conclusions" or to "believe a report" without testing its validity.
___My father wasn't much of a church-going man, but he did possess a certain kind of wisdom. On one occasion, he advised me not to be discouraged by what "they say." He reminded "'They' is the biggest liar in the world."
___Paul finished out this chapter by reminding believers of the most important responsibility they have toward each other. Believers should pray for each other! The idea of "night and day" is not in reference to two distinct times for praying. It refers to the idea of continued prayer. Those prayers should not be haphazard but intelligent. They should ask God for more opportunities for Christian fellowship together.
___As well, they should ask for continued growth in the faith of others. The truth is all of us are "lacking" in particulars of our faith. It may be the need of a greater understanding of our faith or just the faith to step out into the deeper waters in our spiritual life.
___He goes on in verses 12-13 to expand his prayer list! It includes this matter called "love." Love is never complete, so every believer must always ask for a greater love for others. Paul notes that if a person has a problem with knowing whom to love, then just love everyone. He then caps off our prayer responsibility by reminding us to ask God to "strengthen our hearts." The root word means "established or unmovable." The heart is in reference to the whole of who we are. We are to remember that the Bible reminds us also to "guard our hearts." The end result of an established heart is that we will become someone whom God judges as fully acceptable and someone who lives by the highest ethical standards.
The Baptist Standard
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
|