The Hope of Salvation: R. E. S. T. under Distress

hope vast as the ocean! Our hope in Christ is endless, like standing on the shore of the pacific trying to see the banks of the Philippines. Faithway, this afternoon, I hope you’re ready to praise the Lord.

I hope you know that this is the best place to be tonight.

Our shared hope is in none other than Jesus!

1 Thessalonians 3:6–10 KJV 1900

But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Everyone deals with anxiety! How you choose to handle the stress will determine wether you fall fast or stand fast.

In this episode of we jump into the conversation as Paul is being very vulnerable with the church of Thessalonica.

This is very early in Paul’s missionary work and there have been some upsetting developments in different churches that have been started. Individuals from Jerusalem have moved to areas that have had a church start. The problem is that they brought a complicated philosophy with them. They believed that the Gentile believers had to follow the law to be able to finish their salvation work. Have you ever misplaced your keys and didn’t know it until you’re five minutes late for something. That is anxiety.

The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.

George Muller.

Do you obsess about the stresses in your life? Did you know that stress can be a catalyst for spiritual growth?

How Anxiety Became Popular

In an article in The Atlantic, Derek Thompson explores “How Anxiety Became Content.” He reveals that this new “genre” on social media is surging. The TikTok hashtag #Trauma has more than six billion views and over 5,500 podcasts have the word “trauma” in their title. Thompson suggests that our consumption of such material may be backfiring. He writes: Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California, said that for many young people, claiming an anxiety crisis or post-traumatic stress disorder has become like a status symbol. Saxbe said, “I worry that for some people, it’s become an identity marker that makes people feel special and unique. That’s a big problem because this modern idea that anxiety is an identity gives people a fixed mindset, telling them this is who they are and will be in the future.” On the contrary, she said, therapy works best when patients come into sessions believing that they can get better. That means believing that anxiety is treatable, modifiable, and malleable—all the things a fixed identity is not. She went on to say, “I’m very pro-therapy. ... But we may have overcorrected from an era when mental health was shameful to talk about to an era when some vulnerable people surround themselves with conversations and media about anxiety and depression. This makes them more vigilant about symptoms and problems, which makes them more likely to problematize normal daily stress. In turn this makes them move toward a (mindset) where they think there is always something wrong with them that needs their attention, which causes them to pull back from social engagement, which causes even more distress and anxiety.”

Source:

David Zahl, “Anxiety Content,” Mockingbird Week in Review (12-15-23); Derek Thompson, “How Anxiety Became Content,” the Atlantic (12-13-23)

For the sake of spiritual growth, we need to understand that there is a point where stress becomes our obsession. This is a form of Idolatry!

Paul says that you are not really alive unless you have some affliction and distress!

Faithway this afternoon we are going to learn how to R.E.S.T. when distressed.

Remember

Remembering the Gift of Life

In an interview on NPR’S Fresh Air, Joshua Mezrich, an associate professor in the division of multiorgan transplantation at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, reflected on saying a few words about the donor before the operation begins: I want to reiterate as many times as possible how important the donors are. How much they are heroes to us and we always want to remember their stories and this gift that they're giving. It's very emotional when … we're in the operating room, we always take a pause. Our people from our organ procurement team, after a moment of silence, will read something. Often it's a poem or something that one of the loved ones asked us to say about the person. Maybe a little bit about who they were and what was important to them. Sometimes it has a religious base, sometimes it doesn't. And we all think about it, and it is very special. It's emotional. And then the second that's over, we move on and really go after the task at hand. So it's interesting. You have this emotional experience. Then you have to very quickly kind of push it out of the way and move on to the operation. But it's always very special. How much more should we as Christians seek to remember the gospel story and what we have been given? Dave Davies; “A Surgeon Reflects On Death, Life And The 'Incredible Gift' Of Organ Transplant,” NPR (1-14-19)

1 Corinthians 11:2 KJV 1900

Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

Hebrews 3:1–6 KJV 1900

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Paul was overjoyed that the church of Thessalonica remembered them with kindness.

Paul again reminds us to think as Jesus would think.

Philippians 2:5–8 KJV 1900

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

In the distress of life the first step to a victorious growth in your faith is to remember!

Exercise

Paul states that part of the Gospel is living out your faith in a way that glorifies God.

Get Back in the Spiritual Gym

A recent study examined the effects that allowing a person's physical fitness to deteriorate have on their overall health. The study was conducted with identical twins—one lived a more active lifestyle, the other a more sedentary life. The results revealed a few obvious results, such as body fat comparison, but the shocker was the effect that a sedentary lifestyle had on the brain. "The athletic twins had more gray matter (the information processing part of the brain), particularly in areas that controlled balance and motor function." The study was small, but the takeaway is clear: "Quitting your fitness routine can trigger body and brain changes that mess with your cardio fitness and strength and set you up for chronic conditions such as diabetes. A sports medicine physician concluded, "Muscles begin to atrophy after just a few days of being sedentary." Staff, “This is What Happens When You Stop Exercising,” Yahoo Life (3-17-15)

Faith and Charity (love).

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Peter states

1 Peter 2:12 KJV 1900

Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Philippians 2:12 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Paul was comforted by the news that these believers had learned how to handle their afflictions and distresses through their faith and not through human means.

Standing

The term steadfast in the Bible is often translated from the Greek word stand fast

Stekete: stand firm; stand

Sense: to stand (maintain) - to hold one’s ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright.

This is an old military term that speaks to the ability to take ground intermittently.

It also applies to every area of your life.

Physically, in order to loose weight you will have to start a caloric deficit in your diet. But if you keep the deficit for more than 5 months you will find that your body will no longer respond to diet in the way you desire. You will become fatigued in body and mind. What is needed is a reset and recalculation of your bodies caloric intake and energy output.

You will need to eat more!!!! This allows you to maintain your body weight while adding muscle. Then after a few weeks you can go back on a caloric deficit to burn off some more body fat.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 KJV 1900

Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV 1900

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

You may find that standing is harder when you are trying to take on too much. But when you come remember the Gospel power, exercise faith in distress, and then stand firm on what you know to be true you can withstand the afflictions and distresses in the power of Christ. This brings you to:

Thanksgiving

eucharistian: thanksgiving; thankfulness

Sense: thanksgiving (act) - the act of expressing gratitude or showing appreciation to someone.

1 Thessalonians 3:9 KJV 1900

For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

chara: joy

Sense: joy (emotion) - the emotion of great happiness and pleasure.

Colossians 2:7 KJV 1900

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

Revelation 7:12 KJV 1900

Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

Conclusion:

This attitude of R. E. S. T. will allow for humility and drive you to beg for fellowship with God through prayer. It will also give you the desire to learn more so you can be “perfect” in what you know is lacking in your faith.

“Perfect” katartisai: prepare; complete, restore. Sense: to correct <=> repair - to correct, conceived as restoring someone by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken.

Paul was showing that everyone, even apostles, need to be vulnerable. Because we will never reach the status of perfection.

Are you ready to be vulnerable with God? How about with other believers?