Thanksgiving for the acceptance of God’s Word

Introduction:

It is an undeniable fact that most churches today are suffering from biblical illiteracy, even with the availability of E-bible in gadgets, readily available for every Christian to read and study.

I read an article from Christianity Today talking about this very alarming issue plaguing our churches today:

 "In America, a recent LifeWay Research study found only 45 percent of those who regularly attend church read the Bible more than once a week. Over 40 percent of the people attending read their Bible occasionally, maybe once or twice a month. Almost 1 in 5 churchgoers say they never read the Bible—essentially the same number who read it every day. 

In Britain, around 30 percent of parents don't know Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, or the Good Samaritan are in the Bible. To make matters worse, 27 percent think Superman is or might be a biblical story. More than 1 in 3 believes the same about Harry Potter. And more than half (54 percent) believe The Hunger Games is or might be a story from the Bible."

(Source: https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/july/epidemic-of-bible-illiteracy-in-our-churches.html)

Another article from Inquirer.Net, on the Biblical literacy of churches in the Philippines, its headline says "More people surf Web, read horoscopes than Bible”. Adding, "PBS study in 2011 also showed that 55 percent of Filipinos did not have their own copy of the Bible”.

It’s a sad state for the churches today, but we loose not our hope, for God is at work, raising up people of His own.

A Pastor who loves God and His Word would always desire to make the local church a "biblically educated” church.

This is our desire for this church, to be Gospel-Centered at all times. To raise up Worshippers that loves God’s Word (not ignorant of it), that loves God’s people, and God’s creation - even unbelievers to proclaim the gospel to the lost.

Outline:

I.God’s Word is Proclaimed

II.God’s Word is Accepted

III.God’s Word is Effective

The Thessalonians were living in the midst of pagan and evil society. BY God’s grace and wisdom, He sent Paul their and so message of hope and salvation was preached to them and they accepted it and so a small godly church was born in Thessalonica.

The Thessalonian church, despite being newly established, is growing and has become known in their region. They continued standing firm in the faith despite of the persecution and troubles. Because of that, Paul is rejoicing and thankful to God for their life of obedience to God and has become an example to other Christians in Macedonia (1:7)

This is his 2nd thanksgiving - Paul said they “continually” thank God because they received and accepted the “word of God” (the gospel).

Any faithful pastors can relate with Paul, the pastors are also thankful to God when the church members are growing in the Lord and exhibiting changes lives. On the other hand, the pastors will also feel hurt when members are not growing, stagnant in their faith, and living in sin...

Outline:

God’s Word is proclaimed

God’s Word is accepted

God’s Word is effective

I. God’s Word is Proclaimed. The proclamation of the gospel is vital for the salvation of man.

Romans 10:17 (NIV)

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Romans 10:10 (NIV)

10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Without the Bible as the Word of God, we have no real message and we are left to the ever changing ideas of men and human reasoning. It’s just one man’s opinion against another or someone’s use of statistics that are often misrepresented and distorted in favor of his or her cause and selfish interests.

Faithful Preaching by Paul - Faithful preaching leads to, through the grace of God, the repentance of sinners, the birth of faith and the nourishment of believers. It can also evoke hostility from unbelievers.

Paul preached and lived out the Gospel - he proved the authenticity of his message through His action (2:7-11). He was gentle, kind, like a caring mother, like a loving father to them.

We see here the Need of the Pastor to faithfully preach God’s Word and live a life of example (dependent on the Scripture).

We also need the need for every believers to share the gospel - personal evangelism, evangelism in the homes.

The basis of effective preaching/proclamation of the gospel.

It depends upon the grace of God

1 Corinthians 15:10–11 (NIV)

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

It depends upon the power of the cross, not human wisdom

1 Corinthians 2:1–5 (NIV)

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

The gospel is not the gospel without the cross- payment for our sins!

Telling people God loves you and believe in Jesus, and not mentioning sin, repentance, and the need for the death of Jesus on the cross is an incomplete Gospel.

It depends upon the power of the Holy Spirit

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,  because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,  to proclaim freedom for the captives  and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Acts 10:44–46 (NIV)

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. 

1 Corinthians 2:4–5 (NIV)

4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

It requires effective, supporting prayer

Colossians 4:2–4 (NIV)

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

II. God’s Word is Accepted.

“You accepted” is dechomai, which means to receive in the sense of “welcome.” The first word, Paralambo, means the message was delivered to them. The second word, dechomai, means they welcomed it. The first refers to “the hearing of the ear” while the second refers to “the hearing of the heart.”

They did not reject it. In contrast to the Jews and gentiles who rejected the message gospel, offensive to the emperor.

They accepted the gospel not as word of men but word of God and that is it is Authoritative. The Bible is not just the word of men but God’s Divine Word.

Inspiration and authority of Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 1:1–2 (NIV)

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

What is the evidence that they have accepted it and that God’s word was effective? Answer is found in:

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 (NIV)

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (NIV)

9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

God’s Word is the truth. All truth is God’s truth!

It tells us of our standard of living.

When the Bible says it’s a sin, it’s a sin. Your opinion doesn’t matter!

God’s word is our guide.

III. God’s Word is Effective.

It effectively saves. The word of God “performs its work” (energeo) in them.

The word of God when proclaimed, heard, and accepted, it effectively produces the practical effects: changes in their lives, it produces perseverance, reverence for God, fear in God, obedience to God.

Ephesians 3:20–21 (NIV)

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

the one at work in you - God’s transforming presence empowers believers to live in faithful obedience to His will. Compare Phil 1:6.1

Philippians 1:5–6 (NIV)

5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Application

a. I thank God for the active members of this church. You are God’s blessing to the pastors and to the brethren! It encourages me/us.

b. Let God’s Word dwells in your heart and mind everyday.

Let it energize you, so you can exhibit the changed lives in Christ. Let God’s word energize you in sharing the gospel, in performing your work /job. Let God’s Word energize you in whatever role the Lord is giving you (nanay, tatay, lola, lolo, neighbor).

c. Let us allow ourselves to be God’s mouthpiece. Preach the gospel to yourself and to people that God will bring to your life. Share the gospel and allow God’s Word to do it’s work.

Illustration:

Faucet - an instrument / tool where the water passes, to supply the need of the household. Make’s life easy. No need to kabo sa tabay or sa tubod. Faucet is a great invention. Praise God for people who invented and manufactured the faucet. It’s a blessing to our generation. When one is doing dishes or laundry, and when you open the faucet and water flows, it helps make the dishes and your clothes clean. It becomes a blessing.or when you open the faucet to water your plants...with enough clean water, the plants grow and bloom. But When doing dishes or laundry or watering your plants.....when you open the faucet and still the water does not flow, it could be that the faucet is defective or it not connected to the source. It stops to be a blessing.

Think of yourself as a faucet and the water as God’s Word, When you are connected to God, God’s Word will flow. As long as the heavenly faucet is open, heavenly water can flow. it blesses you and the people around you, it makes the human mind and heart clean. it makes the people grow spiritually. But if the faucet is not connected to the source, it cannot do it’s purpose/ function. It must be connected and it must be open.