Kingdom Adventure

Gospel Integrity

Does what we do matter? How would we know if it did? Let’s consider two experiences in life.

Who’s Line Is It Anyway? - Impromptu TV comedy. Actors would get a scene to act out, but there was no script. And they didn’t know what the other would do until they started doing it. Through the show, the host would give points based on som arbitrary and silly reason.

The tag-line of the show? "The show where everything's made up and the points don't matter"

Now compare that to a college class. There is a purpose for the class - it’s usually in the name of the class. Chemistry I is the first things you need to learn about chemistry. Background to Middle-Eastern Bronze-Age Architecture… Well, the titles can be rather self explanatory! — The purpose is clear.

And the expectations are clear. Each class will have a syllabus. That explains the educational goals, the metrics used to measure them, and the guidelines used for grading.

Which example do you think more closely resembles what we are called to as followers of Jesus?

Is the gospel “the morals are made us and your sins don’t matter.”?

Let me challenge you this morning that there is a purpose, a goal, and a standard for following Christ. And He asks us to follow them with integrity.

Pray

The Gospel Purpose - Accountable to Truth

- 1

Paul brought something of value. Not just his thoughts or ideas.

They were delivered through the work and love of the Holy Spirit, not his own clever intellect and rhetoric.

The word for vain (or failure, purposeless, without results) meaning empty or empty-handed. Paul wanted them to know, to remember, that what he was bringing wasn’t empty, but meaningful.

Have you ever been working outside and someone brings you a big glass of nothing? How refreshing! This is what we do when we report to bring the truth, but compromise on the gospel.

- 3-4

Paul drives the point here of the truth of the gospel. He can claim this because he has seen the risen Lord Jesus. He has heard many first hand accounts of those who had walked with Him. But if he left it there, we would have a reasonable excuse to say we don’t know for sure. WE haven’t walked personally with Jesus. Not like they did.

But he says they have been approved by God. That God has entrusted them with the gospel. Everywhere Paul went, he preached the gospel, trained others in the gospel, and entrusted them with the ministry of the gospel. The moral of the story: if you have recieved the gospel, you have received the purpose of the gospel. That purpose is to share Jesus with others.

Just like Paul, we are accountable to God for what we do with His message. See in 4 - they were approved by God, entrusted by God, they speak to please God.

God writes the syllabus. God test our hearts.

- 5-6

Here Paul references what would have been well known at the time. It was common for traveling speakers to charge a fee for people to come hear them speak. It was entertainment. The speakers only survived when the stories and teaching was flattering to the listeners. These were very likely more show that truth.

Paul knew these customs, and distance himself as far as possible from the “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” school of preaching. In order that the listeners would pay attention to Pauls words as the truth, he would not take money from them for his messages. In order to point to the truth rather than the delivery, he did not use words of flattery or diminish the reality of sin.

Paul demonstrated an integrity to the truth of the gospel in His motivation, his words, and his deeds.

God has given us a truth in the message of Jesus death and resurrection. Brothers and sisters, we are accountable to God for that truth.

The Gospel Standard - Endurance

- 2

Paul took his call to share the gospel to the nations seriously. He endured much: beatings, imprisonment, hate, lies. Some of those things we might encounter.

But when in comes to enduring for the gospel, let me ask this.

Are you willing to endure personal difficulties if it means holding God’s word higher? That is the standard of the gospel.

Are you willing to suffer for others to see the value and truth of God’s good purpose? That is the standard of the gospel.

Are you willing to stand calmly but surely in the face of this evil world and respond with “Jesus love you. Let me tell you how.”? That is the standard of the gospel.

When we are willing to do these things, we take the same stand as Paul. The same as Jesus.

James 1:12 ESV

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

- 4

Paul puts it plainly. God said go, so I go. I know it’s a struggle at times. I would not claim it’s easy. But it is the standard. If we are to remain strong in following God, the answer to God is always “yes”!

- 8

And as we finish looking at that standard of endurance, we see what they were willing to offer. What was the cost.

They weren’t just sharing the gospel, but shared “also our own selves/lives/souls”.

When it comes to the good news working in and through our lives; when that standard is enduring in it, we must come to realize there is no reserve. The very message of Jesus is that it took everything. How can we share the message of complete dedication unto death of Jesus, but we only half-heartedly share. “There’s this OKish news. I could tell you, but you might not care.”

If the Gospel is to work in us, it must be working through us!

The Gospel Goal - Value Others

We’ve been in these verses several times now.But I wan’t to take us back through them to see how our goal in the gospel is to share how GOD values others. But to do that, WE must value them too!

We see in verse 2 that they valued others more highly than themselves, enduring much that they might share with them the path to forgiveness.

In verse 7 they compared themselves and gentle as a nursing mother. Do we see those who are lost in there sins as weak and helpless as infants? Or do we see them as wicked and unpleasant?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve dealt with some wicked and unpleasant things coming out of an infant. But our response with the unsaved - no matter how unpleasant - should be the same as with the infant. They both need nourishment. Valuing others in the gospel means giving the nourishment of the truth of Jesus love and forgiveness.

And closing in verse 8, the value they had. As we’ve discussed, there was no reserve of self in the execution of their gospel duty. But it was not duty, it was love.

These Thessalonians who were as pagan as could be were dear to Paul.

These Thessalonians who were hearing the gospel for the first time were dear to Paul.

These Thessalonians who just believed, but didn’t know how to follow were dear to Paul

These Thessalonians who grew in the faith and began to share the gospel to their neighbors were dear to Paul.

Brothers and sisters - we must love those God puts in our lives! There is no other gospel value than sharing Jesus’ love for the lost not only with word but in deed.

In all these things: The gospel matters.

Pray