Chapter 3: 1-5

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, ² and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. ⁴ And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. ⁵ Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.”

Last week, we looked at Standing Fast in Hope. The hope that comes from the Lord is a supernatural gift through the Holy Spirit. Many people, even Christians, are living hopeless lives today, and many are suffering in a quiet ‘hell’ that often we can’t see to be able to help. Frankly, many of us do not know what to do to help. We can pray, and that is good, but how do we love our neighbors? How do we bridge that gap between hope and hopelessness that exists for so many? One way is to be a true friend.

We live in a super busy world. I pastor 2 churches, work a secular job, have a wife and family, and now you want me to be an engaged friend as well. Come on; there is only so much of me. Yes, we need to be true friends. Sometimes that is all it takes to make the difference between life and death for someone.

I recall reading an account from a girl who thought it weird that her boyfriend said ‘hi’ to as many people as he could when they walked by on the streets or the mall. She asked him why he did that? He replied that he had read that many people who thought about suicide were stopped by one person showing kindness, and so be kind, just in case. This may sound like a joke, and I am not even sure if this is a true story, but I have heard many testimonies of persons who were going to kill themselves and did not because someone, often someone they did not know, was kind. Maybe you and I can be more vigilant to be kind to people. We can offer someone a bit of Hope, and by God’s grace, we can offer them Hope, Jesus himself.

Today, we will look at a very important piece of the Christian walk, that of patience. This, too, is a supernatural gift that comes when one endures trouble. Many of us do not like patience; we do not like waiting. We would prefer that life was more like our favorite drive-thru; we just make an order, pay, and get the stuff at the window in 30 seconds or less. But real life is not like that; there is no real rushing. Often when we rush, things go bad; then we suffer setbacks, which makes it take longer.

There is no fast track to patience, or it would not be patience. Often, what happens to us is that we lose hope as we attain patience. And to be honest, the two are needed to make our lives work. If we have no hope that tomorrow can be better, there is no reason to wait for it. If we have no hope that Jesus is in charge and things will go as He wants them to go, there is no reason for us to wait on His timing. If we don’t have hope that His eternal plan is way greater than the temporary trials of life, we can become bitter and cynical and lose sight of His promises. Hope and patience are reciprocal gifts from God; one feeds the other, and I pray that we will come to appreciate and understand this.

• The Word of God be glorified, verse 1

As we have mentioned before, please recall that Paul was only here in Thessalonica for a very short time, some say a few weeks, others a few months. Nonetheless, when it comes to planting a church, he was there a very, very short time. But Paul tells us that the word of God ran swiftly in Thessalonica. They were able to see people saved and see a church built in a very short time, and Paul wished that for every location that they went to. In contrast, he was in Corinth for about 18 months.

I have known missionaries that have labored in one location for years, even decades, to see just a handful come to Christ. Not every church will be planted as fast as the one here, but Paul could hope as the missionary who was doing the vast majority of the planting, which we can see in the New Testament. Noah preached for over 100 years and had no converts. Jeremiah did not see any converts as he preached and saw Jerusalem fall. But Paul had great success in just about every place he had, and he wished that would happen everywhere as quickly as it did in Thessalonica.

Paul’s other hope was that the Word of God would be glorified. The word glorified in its basic meaning is ‘form the right opinion.’ We want people to see and understand that the Word of God is true, that it is good, trustable, accurate, and able to show us the truth of life and salvation. We want people to understand that the Bible is not only important but that it is essential to not only godly living but living in general.

Lately, I have been preaching from Psalm 119:160:

“The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

This verse is a life verse. Even before the New Testament was written, we are told that it is true – that ALL of God’s Word is true. The Bible is true.

We looked at science and the Bible in last Sunday’s sermon, and this week I am working on archaeology and the Bible. Not only is the Bible true about God’s words, but it is true about anything else that it talks about; science, archeology, and history bear that out. Sadly, too many Christians do not trust the Word of God for anything but Spiritual advice. The Word of God is powerful and true; it is the bastion of wisdom for every part of life and every endeavor that one would undertake. Oh, that we all had a proper view of the Word of God, that the gospel was swift like in Thessalonica, and churches popped up everywhere!

In verse 2, Paul prays that we will be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; wow, how did he know the future? Or maybe we should understand that unreasonable and wicked men have always existed. They have been in every decade, every century, and every civilization. We now see it more as they are on TV, and we can see their faces each and every day. We can see the global impact and that these kinds of men live in every country and place. They come in different sizes, different colors, and speak different languages, but they are the same fundamentally. This reminds us that the battle we face is a Spiritual one that plagues the whole world and not just our small space.

Satan has people everywhere, and they are all very similar; when it comes to the Word of God, they are unreasonable and wicked. They hate us and want us to shut up about the Bible and what it teaches. Sadly, some of these persons have crept into our churches and have corrupted us with the feelings and progressive ‘truths’ that are truly just lies. Lord help us be pure with your Word, and that we would show the world that it is true and trustable by our lives.

• The Lord is faithful, verse 3

This truth offers us more hope and develops our patience more than anything else. God is faithful; He cannot fail, cannot forget us, and He cannot change. No matter what the circumstances look like, no matter what our emotions are telling us, and no matter what others say, God is faithful and cannot be anything other than that. This foundational truth overrides all our fears and tramples our doubts. We often hear people say that ‘God has not failed me yet,’ implying that one day He will, BUT HE CANNOT. It is an impossibility.

Thus, if our hope is in the Lord, and we know that He cannot fail, He cannot make a mistake, and that He will always do what is right, our patience grows; we find ourselves less likely to live in doubts and fears, or the dependence on God’s faithfulness tempers those doubts and fears when they come.

In contrast to the Lord’s faithfulness, Jeremiah tells us that “cursed is the man who trusts in man,” but we tend to put our trust in what we can see versus what we cannot see. We put our trust even though they fail us and tend not to trust God, the one who has never failed us. The main reason is that we want instant gratification and tangible results.

God will do what He wants when He is ready, and He cannot be rushed nor bargained with. We have nothing to offer Him; He has everything. We cannot bargain with God and negotiate with Him, and this bugs us at times. We have to relinquish control. In Jeremiah 18, God compares us to pottery and Him to the potter. He says to us that He can do as He pleases with us because He is the one who made us. We do not like this kind of surrender; we kind of want to surrender; yet, we still want to have some control as to what happens in our lives.

In verse 4, Paul says that he has confidence in the people at Thessalonica that they will obey the Lord and His Word. This is a wonderful feeling for a Pastor when we see people actually obeying the Word of God. It thrills us, and you can only imagine the joy it brings to the Lord. But this is what happens when we have hope in the Lord and when we have patience; we depend on the Word of God, and we obey it. We trust that God will do what He says He will do in His time and for His glory. Sometimes, obeying the word of God can be costly, it can be painful, and it can seem like there is no benefit at times. But once again, God is faithful, and our obedience will work for our favor when He is ready.

• The Patience of Christ, verse 5

Jesus patiently endures that cross for us. He could have ended it at any time. Recall the night before when Peter tried to take out one of the people arresting Jesus all by himself. Jesus stopped him and said this in Matthew 26:53:

“Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

Jesus is telling us that if He wanted out of the journey to the cross, all He had to do was to say so. Then, God, the Father would have sent angels to deal with the people arresting Him. But Jesus knew the plan— this plan that was set up before creation; this plan that meant creating that man who would cause His death on the cross; this plan that took 4,000 years of planning and oversight by the LORD to make sure all the pieces were in place for the most important event in the history of man –the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.

Jesus patiently endured being arrested, endured being questioned by these powerless men, endured being spat upon, hit, whipped, ridiculed, and then crucified for you and me. He endured the ire of the Pharisees and the Scribes; He endured the scoffing of the unbelieving Jews that He came to and loved openly. He endured the hatred of mere men and women, and He endured the cross for us. He endured the tomb for us, and He endured the curse of being executed on a tree for us.

In turn, as His children, we need to learn to endure the trials and pains of life so that we can learn to be patient like Jesus. We can endure the unbelieving people around us and the ones who blaspheme Jesus; we can endure the ones that hate the truth, make fun of us for believing, and treat us like uneducated cavemen for trusting in Jesus. Only the idiots need the Gospel and Jesus, they say. Well, let us be idiots for Jesus and not succumb to the wiles of the world system.

Jesus is coming again. He will come when he is ready, and He will come at the right time. He will not be cajoled or negotiated into coming sooner, and so we must be patient. We must be faithful, and we must live in the Hope that He has promised us.

I know so many that have given up, given in, and are no longer looking for Jesus to return. Oh, what a sad life to live, one with no hope outside of the confines of the world! But those of us who are hoping in the Lord and looking for His return are encouraged by His faithfulness, and we are comforted by the truth and power of His Word.

Are you living in hope? Are you living in patience? How will I know? The same verse tells us that the Love of God will be in our lives.

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

How to Connect with Us

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MississaugaMissionaryBaptistChurch
Online: https://www.mississaugamissionarybaptistchurch.com/ (under construction)
Email: missionarybaptistchurch76@yahoo.ca

 

Chapter 2: 13-17

“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴ to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵ Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. ¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”

Last week we talked about Lawlessness and the rise of evil. We can see all around us that evil is being promoted at even the government levels. I saw a video with a famous Hollywood actor in his hometown and saw people loot one of his local pharmacies, and no one did anything. The security guard just stood by and did nothing. This actor was astonished and was wondering why no one was stopping them, and then he had to learn that his prosecutors were no longer prosecuting theft under $1000. So, these crooks could take up to $950 in merchandise, and no one would do anything.

There are rumors that some of these pharmacy chains will be closing their doors in these neighborhoods. My brother works for a huge pharmacy chain here in Canada in their Loss Prevention Department, and he is always busy. Theft is rampant in just about every area of life and commerce. Stealing is just the tip of the iceberg, but it has become so open and so prevalent that it cannot be overlooked.

Today we will finish out this chapter and take a look at how we, as children of the Lord God, should conduct ourselves as we see the growth of evil and also the growth of apathy among our brothers and sisters in regard to Jesus’ soon return. There is a need for even more determined living and more commitment to holding the truth. We live in a time where the contrasts between the children of the Light and the children of Darkness are much clearer; we live in a time when there are some that have been in darkness for a long time but have begun to realize that the darkness is not good at all, and if we live like Jesus and stand for the truth, we may be able to win some into the Kingdom of Light. Sadly, these last days are also exposing the wolves that live among us.

I have seen a lot of ‘Christian’ singers suddenly denounce their beliefs in Jesus and even apologize for their beliefs. Many people have quit going to church as a result of the restrictions that we have lived under for 2 years almost, and they have no intention of returning. Sadly, we have even seen famous preachers and pastors fall. Now, not all of these are lost; some are just falling away and backsliding, but many are not just quitting; they are denying Jesus. As we approach the return of Jesus, more and more of this will happen, and it will shake some of us when we see who will turn on Jesus. But Paul, writing here to the young church, encourages them and us in how we should live expectant of Jesus’ soon return.

• The Blessed Salvation, verses 13-14

I do not think that I thank God enough for saving me. One of my dear friends, a pastor in Florida, wrote recently that if we truly understood the incarnation (Jesus taking on flesh, blood and bone), we would remove the word sacrifice, in regard to our own living, from our vocabulary. Most of us did not, and many still do not understand the depth of our sinful depravity. We still think we are okay. We have made a few mistakes, but all in all, we are not that bad. Let me give you an experiment. Try to count the times that you sin in a day. No, make it half a day. Honestly, make the effort. Remember that it was one sin that damned the whole human race.

Some will take this verse and try to promote Calvinism, but this verse clearly states that those that are saved need to believe the truth. There is clear action required on our part. Rather the choice is in the method of salvation, through Jesus, and since God knows all that ever has or will happen. He made sure that those of us that would receive it heard the Gospel. In John 4, Jesus deliberately went to the woman at the well in Samaria. He deliberately went to Zacchaeus’ home, and even on the very day of crucifixion, Jesus was there to redeem not just the whole world but that one thief on the cross. How many other men were to be executed, but God made sure that one guy was there on that day.

Jesus came looking for me one night in the spring of 1981 in little Barbados, and that night I put my trust in Jesus as my Savior. When did Jesus come looking for you?

• Stand Fast, verse 15

The phrase ‘stand fast’ is a military term meaning not to give up any ground. In the dictionary, it is defined as a ‘firm, fixed or settled position.’ Paul is telling us, yes us, notice that he specifies not only things taught in person but those taught in this epistle at the end of the verse, that we are to stand fast on these truths of the scriptures. In particular, but not only, the Gospel. If we waver on the purity and simplicity of the Gospel, then most other doctrines will suffer as well.

There is no greater viewing of the simplicity of the Gospel than the account of the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43. Here we see how pure the Gospel is and how accessible it is to all people everywhere. Take the time to read it for yourself if you have not read it in a while. But there are 4 elements: this thief acknowledges that Jesus is God, he acknowledges that he is a sinner and is deserving of death, he calls on Jesus to save him, and he expresses belief in the resurrection. He was never baptized, never joined a church, never did any ‘good works,’ never led another to Christ; no, he just believed that Jesus was who He said He was and would do what He said he would do.

We must do all in our power to keep the purity and simplicity of the Gospel. It is in our sinful and prideful nature to add man’s goodness to Jesus’ Gospel, and that is heresy. We cannot be good in the same way that Jesus cannot be bad, ever. If and when we keep the Gospel simple and pure, when we stand on this and refuse to move, this will go a long way to keeping the purity of other doctrines as well.

The Gospel does not change with time; it is not fluid. There is no need to tweak it or modify it. The same Gospel that saved the people in Thessalonica is that very same Gospel we offer now. The same Jesus that died on the cross 2,000 years ago for the sins of the world is the same Jesus we share today when sharing the Gospel. The method of salvation: belief that Jesus is God, that you and I are sinners, that Jesus paid for our sins in full on the cross, and that He rose from the dead is still the only Gospel we have to offer.

Paul once told us that if even an angel were to give us another Gospel, let him be accursed (Galatian 1:8). Yet we all know of at least one huge ‘Christian’ religion that claims that an angel gave them another gospel. They did not get this ‘new gospel’ from an angel of God; there is only one other option. Yet millions upon millions have followed this heresy.

In our world of ever-changing metrics, new words, new meaning to old words, and all-around confusion, it is important that the Lord’s churches be settled and stand fast on the Gospel. Why, Pastor Sean, do you harp on this? Because Paul did and Jesus harped on the simplicity of the Gospel (Read John 3:16-18). Every book, every epistle to the churches or young preachers harp on the Gospel. Jude tells us that he intended to write something else, but the Holy Spirit led him to write about contending for the faith. The Gospel both binds us and separates us. If you meet someone anywhere in the world and get the chance to ask them what they believe about Jesus, the answer will either bind you together as a family forever or separate you as children of God and them, the unbelievers.

No matter what culture, what language, what color, what education level, the Gospel unites us across all boundaries and barriers. You can meet another believer for the first time, and in the Gospel, there is instant familiarity and camaraderie.

We have this husband-and-wife couple in Pakistan; they found us online, and they believe in Jesus for salvation, and he preaches the Gospel to many people. This dear couple and their children are precious to us as a church. We have sent them help and never go a Sunday without praying for them. They know my kids’ names and we theirs, we pray for the small and big issues, and hardly a day goes by that we do not talk online. Yet, we have never met them. But we are an eternal family in Jesus, and this transcends time, language, culture, and even distance. This is what the Gospel does, and we should do all in our power to keep it simple and pure as Jesus and the apostles taught it.

• Be Established in the Hope we have, verse 16-17

Hope. We don’t often talk about hope much in our lives. We love to mention faith and love from 1 Corinthians 13:13. But hope is just as much a supernatural spiritual gift as faith and love. Hope keeps us sane in this crazy world. Hope keeps us alive when death would seem to be easier. Hope keeps us in the fight when we know that the enemy will be defeated, maybe not today, but for sure. Hope helps us to see the future when the present is painful. Hope gives us something to hold onto when it seems that the ground around us is crumbling. Hope keeps us trusting Jesus even when our own turn against us like it did with Job and his wife. Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Hope transcends the now and transports us into then. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hope helps us to write ‘It is Well with my Soul’ over the dead bodies of loved ones. Hope helps us to sing ‘I’ll Fly Away’ at the graveside. Hope gives a temper to our grief here, and we look forward to seeing our loved ones again. We rejoice that they are not suffering any longer even though we miss them. Verses like Psalm 37:25, “I once was young and now I am old, yet have I never seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread.” This is a verse of hope that, no matter how bad it gets, God has us in His hand, and we are taken care of. Luke gives us hope in 21:28, “When you see these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

It is easy for us to feel defeated and disheartened in these troubling times, but Luke tells us that these troubling times should instill hope in us. Why? Because we see that God’s prophecies are true; what He said would happen is happening. This should bolster our faith and give us hope that He will come back as He said and that one day, all this evil, all this hurt, all this mess will be over and done. Hope establishes us and gives us a firm foundation to stand on. Hope gives us the power to trust God in the darkest times, and hope gives us a firm rock to stand on when the ground around us feels very shaky.

Imagine the hope that Jesus gave to the thief on the cross when he said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” This is the kind of hope that transcends a crucifixion, and it is that same kind of hope that we have in Jesus today. Stand fast, stand up, stand out in it, and while we are doing that, keep an eye out for our brothers and sisters that are hurting and maybe have not grown into the hope just yet. Comfort them and help them find their hope in Jesus.

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding

Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

How to Connect with Us

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MississaugaMissionaryBaptistChurch

Online: https://www.mississaugamissionarybaptistchurch.com/ (under construction)

Email: missionarybaptistchurch76@yahoo.ca