Getting a Grip

New Living Translation Chapter 2

13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

NLT

Prior to this passage was a warning to ignore those who have stated that the resurection has already happened… then they moved to reminding them how important it was to continue to grow in our understanding a practice of the faith we proclaim.

13 As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter

This is the word of God of the People of God....Thanks be to God

The Theme continues as Paul tells the Thessalonian Church how he just can’t help but thank God for them. He was thankful that they had been among the first in the region to accept the Love of Jesus and not only that but they were also growing in the Holiness of God.

I too am thankful that God has chosen to make himself known to you as the Body of Broken Arrow Church of the Nazarene. He has blessed you with His Love and the assurance of salvation and He is continuing to teach you and sanctify you daily as you spend time learning more and more about who God is and what His will is for your life. Both on an individual and small group basis…you need both...

Our house is a house of

People that pursue holiness through study of Scripture in the midst of fellowship not only grow in their personal faith but you strengthen the Church Universal.....

When I was in High School I had the opprotunity to pick either basic skills type classes my senior year or more intense classes…I chose basic skills…I had heard the the more intense or honors classes were obviously more complex, had more homework, And required more time in study if I were going to do well. So I chose the easy way out. I chose to take classes that I was already comfortable with the content. This seemed like a good thing to do. I would not have to worry about failing a class, I would have more time to do the things I wanted to do and I was pretty much guaranteed to graduate with a pretty healthy GPA.

The problem was that in choosing to do this I was not prepared for college. My first year in college taking basic courses was a nightmare…I did not know how to study, I had developed lazy habits and the result was that my first semester found me at a 1.9 GPA…I spent the rest of my college seminary career playing catch up.

It was not that I was dumb it was that I had not learned how to learn…or to think critically

When Paul is telling the Thessalonians stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

He is telling them in essence to continue learning how to be the people of God...by contemplating that truth that they preached to them and shared with them by letter.

When we continue to think on the things of God it provides us wisdom to deal with whatever our current circumstance throws at us.

When we stop focusing on these things we become confused, easily discouraged, agitated, and become disenchanted with the Church and God.

This is why so many people leave a church and some leave faith all together. This is also the reason whys so many people never progress past the idea that all it takes is saying a prayer to be christian. When I was really young I used to pray the prayer of salvation every night just in case I screwed up that day....thinking that is what made me a Christian…silly right???But unfortunately many people have this same view today.

Not because they are not being taught different…but they have chosen the path of least resistance, and made secular living more of a priority than sacred living. (Craig Rice on not reading the Bible…If I don’t know God will not hold me accountable…

There is a difference in not knowing and not choosing to know.

We need each other.

“In other words, we need each other.

Noting that brothers recurs so soon (, ), John Stott warns against “In other words, we need each other.

“In other words, we need each other.

1 & 2 Thessalonians: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition 2. Paul Exhorts Them 2:15

But this is not a project just for the individual Christian. Noting that brothers recurs so soon (2 Thess. 2:13, 15), John Stott warns against “lone ranger” Christianity and declares, “In other words, we need each other. The church is the fellowship of faith, the society for sacred study, the [interpretative] community. In it we receive teaching from pastors who are duly authorized to expound the tradition of the apostles, we wrestle together with contemporary application, and we teach and admonish each other out of the same Scriptures.… So we need the checks and balances of the Christian family, in order to help restrain our rampant individualism and establish us in the truth.”

In this Church we receive teaching from pastors, teachers and those who are going through life with us.

This is why relationships are a core value and small group participation is an expected core practice.

It is in relationships and conversations with other believers that we figure out how to walk in the way of Jesus in everyday life.

It is in these times of active learning or discipleship that we wrestle together with contemporary application of the sacred scriptures, and we teach and admonish each other out of the same .…

Our Faith is not about what is best for us…it is about what is best for the Kingdom of God. Much like veterans chose to make this country a priority by serving we are supposed to make the kingdom of God a priority by living in a constant state of learing.

We as a Church do a great job of meeting together in small groups…the majority of you are involved in them…

Paul is however reminding us that just meeting together is not enough…It is important that we do not take the easy approach to discipleship…if we truly want to get a grip on our faith we must commit to a lifelong pursuit of learning how God wants us to live in the now…not rely on what we learned for the past.

I stunted my academic growth by choosing the easy way out…We can also stunt our growth by taking the easy way out in our faith development…yes you may graduate to the resurrection but you will have missed out on the joy of living this current gift called life to the fullest.

As you and I choose honors Christianity the learning may be hard at times and require extra work and at times it may even be confusing…but if we will stay the course do our part by consecrating our mind and heart to God it will result in widsom and humility that will be used to help all those around you without depleting your spiritual growth.

Those we invite on November 24th will be more likely to stay with us if we ask them to join us on our journey instead of impress them with our holiness.

COMMUNION

BENIDICTION

1 Thessalonians 2:16–17 ESV

16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! 17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

Getting a Grip

It is through our pursuit of holiness that our salvation remains valuable.

The church is the fellowship of faith, a society for sacred study.

We need these checks and balances of the Christian family, in order to help restrain our rampant individualism and establish us in the truth.”

People are not drawn to those who know everything already they are drawn to people who know they are on a faith journey as well.