Sermon Tone Analysis

Bonhoeffer

Many of you will know something of the German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, famously killed by the Nazi’s after trying unsuccesfully to assasinate Hitler!

Bonhoeffer was a wonderful ambassador for the gospel, at a time when many in the church were putting loyalty to the state, to Hitler, before God.

Things got so bad, that eventually Bonhoeffer found himself principal of an underground theolgical college in Germenay where he trained faithful Christian pastors to be loyal to Jesus first, not the state.

Eventually the college was disbanded due to pressure from the Government, but Bonhoeffer continued to write letters to his pastors.

Encouraging them in their faith.

Bonhoffer found himself studying in the USA hwne he wrote these words to a friend:

“I have come to the conclusion that I made a mistake in coming to America.

I must live through this difficult period in our national history with the people of Germany.

I will have no right to participate in the reconstruction of Christian life in Germany after the war if I do not share the trials of this time with my people ... Christians in Germany will have to face the terrible alternative of either willing the defeat of their nation in order that Christian civilization may survive or willing the victory of their nation and thereby destroying civilization.

I know which of these alternatives I must choose but I cannot make that choice from security.”

He was a pastor who deeply loved the people God had called him to serve.

And was willing to endure great hardship for the sake of the gospel, and the sake of the Christians he led.

Bonhoeffer was a pastor not unlike Paul as we’ll see in our reading today:

Paul has written to the church he planted in Thessalonica, but had to escape from due to persecution to encourage their faith.

We know that Timothy has brought a report to Paul telling him thigns are going well but there are some issues.

And one of the issues is that not only are people persecuting the Christians, but they are also challenging and questioning Paul’s motivations for coming to Thessonlica and preaching to them.

Paul confronts these misconceptions and in doing shows us his love for the people God had called him to serve, and gives us a model for serving the people God is calling us to.

Why Paul went to Thessalonica (1 Thes 2:1-4)

Our visit to you was not ‘kenos’ lit.

empty.

I’m convinced a better reading of this would be something like empty of purpose (John Stott).

That is the Thessalonians know that Paul and his companions came to town with a purpose.

To preach the gospel without fear or favour.

And so inspite of fiece opposition that Paul talks about in v2, Paul came and achieved his purpose of preaching the gospel to them.

But why go somewhere you’re not from and preach the gospel to a city that really in the main doesn’t want to hear about it?

They go because they have been sent by God with his message of good news.

And they go because they want people to respond to God.

Nothing else motivates them.

Their motives are pure.

This is clearly Paul’s response to the “strong oppostion” (v2) he has faced in Thessalonica.

They are attacking his reasons for preaching, his motivations.

He is saying not so.

He is God’s man with God’s message.

He’s so certain of his motivations he’s even happy to invite God to test his heart over this matter.

What he did in Thessalonica (1 Thes 2:5-12)

Paul has gone to Thessalonica to preach the gospel.

To tell people about Jesus.

And disciple those who respond.

There are a million ways to go about that.

You can be a street preacher on a milk creat in Elizabeth St mall, or a social media advocate, or lover of your friends.

So how did Paul go about his ministry of proclaiming Jesus, whilst he was there in Thessalonica?

They were honest.

They were humble

In fact though they could’ve chosen to stand on their positional authority, they chose to be humble like children

(only read first half of v7.)

Honest, Humble, But also full of love.

(only read second 7b-8)

They met the needs of the Thessalonains

They were open with the Thessalonians

The sharing of the gospel was a whole of life thing for Paul.

Honest, humble, love filled, and next we see full of hard work!

When they sought to share the gospel with people they didn’t burden those whom they were sharing with.

It’s like how when we as a church seek to share the gospel explicitly at something like Alpha.

The whole thing is free, dinner and all.

We fund that as a church so that those who are hearing the gospel are not burdened by us.

And for Paul, it wasn’t just their attitude that mattered as they sought to share the gospel.

They lived out the gospel by being holy.

Their whole life mattered.

Their lives spoke to the power and truth of the gospel to transform.

They were like spiritual parents

(already had the mother refernece back in v7.

Now)

The loved the people they shared with.

And, i think in these vereses we see their attititude to disciple making.

As the Thessalonians responded with fatih Paul both encouraged and urged them to live their lives in line with God’s way of living.

How the Thessalonians responded to Paul (1 Thes 2:13-16)

What was their response to this honest, humble, loving, caring, open, holy, parental care and concern by Paul?

Two reponses weren’t there?

Acceptance

stop at “which are in Christ Jesus”.

As the word of God came with power

As the responded to Paul and his God ordained message, the Thessalonians realised.

No this news about Jesus loving them, dieing for them, rising from the dead.

This is not just some story Paul is spinning for his own benefit and personal gain.

This is not some story he’s spinning because he needs a crutch to make his life meaningful.

This is the truth of God which has changed Paul and now has changed them.

Rejection

But it wasn’t all good.

For a whole bunch of people rejected the message and activitely persecuted Paul and the church

start with last part of v14 above.

As we heard last week, and if you read the book of Acts (particularly around Ch 17 where Paul’s trip to Thessalonica is recorded) you see how many in the Jewish people make life hard for Paul to preach the gospel.

They ran him out of Thessalonica nad persecuted the new Christian converts.

In doing so they are carrying on a long traddition.

Tied up in their own works based religiosity, they’ve missed the grace of God and don’t want anyone else to get it either.

This is a terrible thing indeed.

To actively work against the proclamation of the gospel to as many people as possible.

People do this today.

So what are we to make of Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica today?

Well we too have a purposeful reason for being here in Lindisfarne.

Not to enjoy the view.

But to share the gospel without fear or favour with those in our suburbs.

And if Jesus has called us to do that.

To make disicples by sharing the gospel then Paul provides a good model for how to go about it doesn’t he?

Honest, Humble, love filled, burdenless and holy in the way we go about our lives in our community.

And when people accept our message we love them like a parent.

Helping them to live lives worthy of the calling they have recieved.

In fact I think this kind of devotion to the people you’re seeking to share the gospel with is what we’re on about as a church isn’t it?

A church for Lindisfarne...

A church that is honest, humble, love filled, brings blessing not burdens and refelcts the values of Jesus in our ethical living.