What Your Pastor Expects from You (3)

Intro:

A father took his son to a large city museum, thinking that the visit would entertain the boy. But for two hours the boy did nothing but sigh and complain. Finally in desperation he said to his father, “Dad, let’s go someplace where things are real!”Some people feel that way when they read the Bible. They think they are in a religious museum, looking at ancient artifacts that have no meaning for life in today’s scientific world. But they are wrong. No book published has more meaning for our lives, and more relevance to our problems, than the Bible. No wonder William Lyon Phelps, for years called “Yale’s most inspiring professor,” said: “I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without a Bible.”

Two of Paul’s earliest letters are 1 and 2 Thessalonians. (It is possible that Galatians was written first.) These two letters were written to real people in a real place. In fact, you can still visit Thessalonica today, only it’s called Thessaloniki today. These were people who were experiencing real problems in a world that was not friendly to their Christian faith. You and I can easily identify with these people because we live in a similar world and face many of the same problems. If you were to look at Acts 17, you’ll find the back story to Paul’s first visit to Thessalonica. He only spent 3 weeks there, but the church he planted was a solid, thriving church. In fact, the church at Thessalonica was a model church for the 1st century and it’s a model church for us today. In reality, the church at Thessalonica is a picture of what every church should be. So, this morning, I want to share with you 5 expectations that I have for our church. But these expectations have really already been set forth by the Apostle Paul to the church at Thessaloniki and I want us to consider them, today…

1. Every church member should be a converted church member (1)

The fact is not every church member is a converted church member - that is not every church member is a Christian. Paul says in v. 1 - to the “church.” The ekklesia - the called out ones; called out from what? from the world. These people had been changed, their lives were changed. In v. 1 Paul brings a blessing, a commendation to the Thessalonians and he uses 2 words—grace and peace. A converted church is...

a. Changed by grace.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God on your life. The Thessalonians didn’t deserve God’s grace and neither do we. Listen, Paul never got over God’s grace. He never wanted the church to get over grace. Listen, we should never get over grace! 2 things about grace we need to remember - we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9); we are sustained by grace (2 Cor. 12:9).

b. Characterized by peace.

“Peace is the constant realization of God’s grace in our lives.” Jack GrahamIf there’s no peace in your life, you need to step back and ask if there’s been an encounter with grace in your life. Grace always proceeds peace! You can’t have peace without first having an encounter with grace. There’s nothing more important for you to know as a church member than to know you’re converted, to know you’re saved. So many people have walked an aisle prayed a prayer, even been baptized, but never been truly converted/changed. You say Pastor, do you believe every member of Temple Baptist Church is saved? No, I don’t. The Bible says the wheat and tares grow together. But one day, God is going sift the church and only what’s real, what’s true, will last.

2. Every church member should be a caring church member (2-3)

a. Have a work produced by faith.

Our faith is not a result of work, but our work should be a result of faith! The visible manifestation of inward transformation is our work of faith. Twice in this passage we see evidence of their faith working.... v. 8 says, “the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you,” later in v. 8 - “your faith toward God has gone out.” That’s a faith that works! In short, they had a faith that showed! Listen, our active faith is not necessary FOR salvation, but it most certainly is a testimony TO our salvation.

b. Have a labor prompted by love.

The Thessalonians were not just a church where 20% of the people did 80% of the work. No, they were a working church and a laboring church.The word “labor” that’s used is more intense than the word “work.” It’s a more strenuous work. They labored for the gospel and in the gospel. But they didn’t labor because they HAD to, they labored because they WANTED to! And they wanted to labor and work for the Lord because they loved the Lord. Their labor was prompted by love.

c. Have an endurance pushed by hope.

Endurance is a faith that persists even through trials. And what pushes that endurance is hope in the Lord. Hope for the present, but also hope for the future, an end-time hope. The reason we as believers can endure hardships in this life is because of the hope that we have in the Lord. Hope is not a baseless wish, it’s a confident expectation of the Lord’s future return.

3. Every church member should be a confident church member (4-5).

a. Chosen by God (4)

People get all antsy when you see that word chosen in the Bible. We don’t have time to get into the doctrine of election, but we have own up with intellectual humility and admit that the Bible teaches both the doctrines of election and free will. Paul told the Thessalonians they were chosen by God. “chosen”...

John 15:16 NASB9516 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Before you chose Him, He chose you. Before you loved Him, He loved you! I don’t have to understand it, but I’m thankful that He did. And if you’re in Christ, He’s chosen you, too.

b. Called by the Holy Spirit (5)

With the understanding of being chosen by God and called by the HS, comes a full conviction (assurance/confidence) of your salvation and who you are in Christ.

4. Every church member should be a committed church member (6-8)

a. Committed to living the gospel (6-7)

Sams - walk around get samples; taste of everything v. 7 - example = a pattern = sample=a taste to the world/ we are to be a taste of Christ to the world - that’s our commitment.

We are either a pleasant taste or a bitter taste of the gospel.

b. Committed to sharing the gospel (8).

“sound forth” = thunder forthIf the Thessalonians would have had a building, people driving by would not wonder what was happening on the inside, they would know. They could hear it for themselves. They were committed to preaching the gospel message. Listen folks, a lot of things can change in the church, but the gospel message must never church. We can change the methods of church, but we cannot change the message of the church.

5. Every church member should be a conquering church member (9-10)

a. Having victory over sin (9).

v. 19- “turned TO God FROM idols” - speaks to having victory in the Christian life! As followers of Christ we can have victory in our life.

Romans 8:37 NASB95

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

b. Having a vision of the coming Savior (10).

v. 10 - a church that believes Jesus is coming again lives with an urgency. “wait” means “to away someone with patience and confidence, expectantly.”

Conclusion:

The church at Thessalonica has provided a great example for us to follow. The greatest danger of any organization is to lose sight of its reason for existence. This is especially true for the local church. A number of years ago someone posted on the front door of a Washington, DC area church a sign that read, “going out of business.” Not long after the sign was posted someone added these words, “we never really knew what our business was.”

Did you know that by conservative estimates, some 3500 to 4000 churches will close their doors this year. This means that every week more than 70 churches will sing their final song, hear their final sermon, and hang a sign on their doors, “going out of business.” This is heartbreaking, but let me ask you this question, what’s to stop our church from being one of those churches? Heaven forbid that day ever come to First Baptist Church of Summerfield! We all share a responsibility to ensure that never happens. We must be a converted church. We must be a caring church. We must be a confident church. We must be a committed church. We must be a conquering church.

Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”