The Ministry of Togetherness

The more the return of Christ approaches and the more we as believers face opposition and difficulty in this country, the more intentional we will need to be about reaching out to encourage our fellow believers.

Before he deployed to Afghanistan, Army Staff Sgt. Philip Gray sat down and wrote 270 messages for his 7-year-old daughter—one for each day he would be away. He wanted to make sure his daughter knew that she was always on his mind. His notes for Rosie encouraged her to do her best at school and excel in her activities and hobbies. His wife, Kristen, said, “He was very big on feel-good words for her. He made sure to tell her how smart she was, and run fast in P.E., and things that would really make her happy." Philip Gray left their home on Oct. 7, 2019, and while he was gone, Kristen put his notes into Rosie's lunchbox. Some of them included doodles like snowmen or pumpkins to represent holidays missed. He returned on Aug. 8, three days before Rosie's birthday. "Now that I'm home ... she asks me, 'Dad are you going leave me and mom a note?'" Philip said. "I say 'Yes bug, I will leave you a note.'"

Source:

Nicole Pelletiere, “Dad writes 270 lunchbox notes to daughter for each day he’s deployed,” ABC News (11-17-20)

The apostle Paul is writing to a church in Thessalonica that was well acquainted with hardship. In his two letters to them, he brought up the idea of comforting each other on seven separate occasions. This comfort was to be absolutely intentional, in great part of the the difficulty of the age in which they were living.

There is clearly a link in Scripture between adversity towards Christians and the mandate for us to reach out to other Christians in order to encourage them.

I. Ignorance of these times: no excuse. v. 1-3

Information is not generally the need of the times in our churches, but application of truth is the need.

For sure, there are babes in Christ that must be instructed, young men in Christ that need to mature, and all believers need to grow in in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, but the unavailability of doctrine is not generally the pressing concern. Truth must be learned, but the truths of the Bible are readily available.

The Thessalonians were not lacking information. There was no knowledge that they were lacking in order live right and to be remain ready for the Lord’s return.

Paul writes to them, “concerning the times which we are living” (the times and the seasons) I have no need that I should write to you. You know. You have heard it prophesied and preached. You know. You are well informed and well aware of what God has said. You have no need in that department. You know very well that the day of the Lord is coming as a thief in the night, suddenly.

Illustration: Last Thursday night, Melissa and I made a visit to a lady in our church who works in the medical world. Her last day of work is going to be October 14, because on October 15 in Quebec, any un-vaccinated medical worker is being suspended without pay. She is not against the vaccine itself per se, but she refuses to let the government force her to do it against her will. As we were talking with her and encouraging her, this big smile came across her face. She said, “Oh pastor, you’ve preached many times that the world is going to wax worse and worse. What did we think that was going to look like? It just makes me get up every morning and think, “Jesus could come today!”

What blessed my heart is that even though this lady is losing her job in medical world and applying for a job in retail, she doesn’t let that rob her peace. She is satisfied with God’s promises and she is thrilled that she is seeing first-hand that the Word of God is true. She doesn’t need any more than what God said to live her life.

It’s been my experience in the last 18 months that the more people Google current events and their hidden explanations the less peace they have.

Those who always feel that they need to understand more than what God has said deprive themselves of the peace that God provides.

However, those who remain squarely focused on Christ have a peace that clashes with the uncertainty of their changing circumstances. If God’s prophecies and promises are not your guiding light through these times, you will have a hard time remaining encouraged in the work.

A lady kept contacting me with hidden info on covid because God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). She was passaionate about research on the deep web to find out “what is really going on”. Her motive was that she did not want to are for lack of knowledge. Unfortunately, that search for knowledge is endless and it takes you away from the revelation of God, which is sufficient for every era of human history.

The knowledge that we need to operate in this day and age is found in the canon of Scripture.

Reminder: Those who always feel that, before they obey, they need more than what God has said deprive themselves of the peace that God provides.

However, those who remain squarely focused on Christ have a peace that clashes with the uncertainty of their changing circumstances.

As these Thessalonian believers lived through times of distress and persecution, waiting for the return of Christ, their need was not one of information. They were not ignorant. The difficulties that they were experiencing were something of which they had known the certainty.

For the Thessalonians and for us, information is not the need of the hour. What measures will be next, what will it mean for churches, for Christians, etc.?

There is no verse in the Bible that tells us that more knowledge will enable us to escape persecution or hardship. Information is not the primary need of this hour.

John 16:33 KJV 1900

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Being encouraged in the work means to be of good cheer, but sometimes we lose sight of the fact that Christ has overcome the world and we operate out of a fear that the world may overcome Christ. They world will never overcome Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonians knew, and we also know, that as this world strives for a false, man-made state of safety and of what they believe peace to be, we know that our Saviour and Lord is at hand. We are listening for what Paul described a few verses earlier at the end of chapter 4: the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God.

As we focus on being encouraged in the work...it will be difficult to remain encouraged if the works leading to the rise of the Antichrist cause greater passion than our work as we await the return of Christ.

If we get more fired up over vaccine passports than we do over the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is going to be difficult to remain encouraged in the work.

I thank the Lord for the friends that he has given me in the ministry, several of whom are in the room this evening. With all of them, after some small updates on COVID restrictions, the subject quickly gets changed to “Hey man, this couple just got saved last Sunday” or “hey we baptized a new family a few weeks ago”. That gets you fired up.

Perhaps it is different where you live - I don’t know - but where I live so many people and so many Christians become very passionate about the fact that many current events could lead to the rise of the Antichrist. However, just as the 401 goes to Windsor (Borrmans) but goes through Toronto first, these things may well lead to the rise of the Antichrist, but they lead to the return of Christ first.

Of course, we remain informed on the special challenges of our day, but our great need is not more information, but rather greater transformation into the image and mind of Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:3 KJV 1900

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

If you know Christ, you know what you need to know to live and to live courageously in this day and hour.

But not only is ignorance of our times no excuse because God has revealed to us what we need to know...

II. Contrast in these times: the expectation. v. 4-10

“But ye.” A statement of contrast. But ye are not in darkness. We have all the knowledge necessary both to keep our eyes raised towards Christ and also to have the words and arguments to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to keep their eyes fixed on the Lord also.

Because utlimately, being an encouragement is not convincing someone that they will be all right; being an encouragement is convincing that person that Jesus Christ is all that they need.

Action point: Do you know a pastor, preacher, or missionary who has given up? Perhaps they have not resigned per se, but they have ceased to strive. Perhaps the Lord is asking you to meekly, lovingly, and humbly remind them of the fact that He is all-sufficient, that all power is still given unto Him in Heaven and in Earth, and that He is still building His church in spite of the enemy’s efforts to hinder that.

Acts 20:24 KJV 1900

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

These Thessalonian Christians lived through some difficult times that seemed to cause some of them be disheartened, and Paul encouraged them by reminding them of some facts: God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The unsaved world is asleep, oblivious to what is coming at them in the form of judgment and destruction. Paul compares their state to sleep. They are asleep and will be suprised when the wrath of God comes upon them as a thief in the night. But as for us, we DO know what is coming: and for us it is the return of Jesus Christ.

We are not suprised that the world is taking a stand against the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not suprised when rulings favour the wicked. We are not shocked when men speak vile things and seek to the silence the truth. We are not surprised when the country elects leaders who see Bible Christianity as a scourge.

We take comfort in the fact that even though destruction is coming to the wicked, God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of that expectation, our lives must be caracterized by faith and love, as well the hope of our salvation at the return of Jesus Christ.

III. Encouragement through these times: our exercise. v. 11

The Lord gives two commands to believers that are walking through times of distress and time of difficulty: comfort and edify.

Both of these commandements are collective commands: comfort yourselves TOGETHER and edify ONE ANOTHER. This is supposed to be a group effort.

I understand that we want to be tough, and that are ready to “endure hardship as a good solider of Jesus Christ”. But the fact is that many of our fellow soldiers are not doing so well. I don’t mean that they are not successful. I mean they are in a bad shape, spiritually, emotionally, mentally.

Now, some of the adversaries of independent Baptists like to caricature our movement as being uncaring, unloving, and uncompassionate. And sadly, they have no problem finding videos and recordings to back up what their opinion. To be quite honest, they are not always wrong. We need to be better; we need to be like Jesus Christ.

To fail to comfort our brothers and sisters in Christ in the midst of trouble is not being tough; it’s disobedience to Scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 KJV 1900

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 KJV 1900

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (KJV 1900)

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

7 times in his 2 epistles to Thessalonica, Paul is going to circle back to this concept of comfort. It was critical that these believers undergoing hardship take the time to comfort each other.

Comfort (parakale): to cause someone to be encouraged or consoled, either by verbal or non-verbal means—‘to encourage, to console, encouragement.’

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 305.

We need to make it a priority to encourage those who are deflated. By verbal or non-verbal means, we need to reach out to those who are struggling, who have quit, either literally or inwardly. Every single one of us can do that, and every one of us can do that starting this very evening. Each one of of us know someone who is not doing so well. Maybe the reason that they did not come to this meeting is because of that discouragement.

Times of hardship are also a time to invest in each other. Paul tells the Thessalonians to edify each other. I am thankful that many pastors in the room (and others also) have invested in my life! But I must also invest in others.

Edify: to increase the potential of someone or something, with focus upon the process involved—‘to strengthen, to make more able, to build up.’

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 675.

I have spent a good amount of time on the phone in last few months trying to encourage some men. And I am grateful that some men have taken the initiative to reach out and encourage me.

I am not sure who said this first, but it’s a great quote: “Be kind to everybody because everybody is having a hard time.”

If you look down at verse 14, it tells us to comfort the feebleminded and support the weak. We might be good at the first part (warning them that are unruly), but the Spirit of God, who is the called the Comforter, keeps circling back to this theme: comfort one another, comfort yourselves together, and now comfort the feebelminded.

Feebleminded: those whose mind has been weakened to the point of not functioning properly to face the current challenges and adversities.

Illustration: A few years ago, I received an unexpected phone call from another pastor in our province. I was suprised when I heard his voice on the phone, because it was my understanding that he would not be very interested in fellowshipping with me. He’s a good man, but we had had little interaction over the years. We didn’t go to the same meetings, “run in the same circles”, plus some differences in non-essential matters. I was surprised at his call. The reason for his call was very simple: “Hey, could we get together and pray?” As we met to pray, I discovered that he was going through a very tough time, and that he had reached out to 2-3 men to meet and pray. He needed comfort. He needed to be edified. He was feebleminded at that moment, almost ready to quit. Praise the Lord, he allowed some men to encourage him in spite of minor differences, and he is still serving the Lord today.

Sometime we see someone weakened and rather than reach out we puff up. “I am not surprised that he is quitting; he doesn’t have a backbone.” “He’s not the toughest guy.” “Well, if he’d listened to my advice, he wouldn’t have landed in this situation. Too bad for him.” Etc.

No no no… “comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”

I doubt that the world will become more friendly towards the truth in the time that we have remaining before the trumpet sounds. I doubt that believers will have an easier time in the future than they have had in the past.

The ministry of togetherness is going to be more imprortant than ever before.

Conclusion

During the mandatory fifteen-minute observation period following their vaccine shots for COVID-19, a room full of people were treated to something else rare and costly; an impromptu concert from an 18-time Grammy-award-winner.

World famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma has a residence in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. So, having traveled to the local community college campus to receive his vaccination shots, the celebrated musician made a request to give a little something back.

Professor Jonah Sykes said, “He asked one of our clinic managers if he could perform a few songs for folks in the observation area.” While wearing his mask, Ma set up along the back wall--socially distant from the rest of the room--and began playing his instrument. Sykes said, “Many people were moved to tears. It was an exceptional moment at the end of a long day of giving shots.”

This kind of philanthropy has become a part of Ma’s public persona. Back in March of 2020, when plenty of Americans were trying to adjust to having to stay at home, he repeatedly played his cello in a series of Twitter live streams called “Songs of Comfort.” Similarly, in August 2020 he teamed up with pianist Emmanuel Ax to play a series of pop-up concerts for frontline workers in the Pittsfield area.

If his chosen name was any indication, this is the life intended for Yo-Yo Ma. Named after the Chinese word for “friendship,” his prodigious gifting also resembles the namesake American toy. Whenever and wherever people are down, he has a knack for bringing them back up again.

Possible Preaching Angle:

When we use our God-given talents to bless the community, we honor God as the source of those talents.

Source:

Vritti Rashi Goel, “Yo-Yo Ma brought his cello with him to get his COVID-19 shot — and then played a surprise concert,” CBS News (3-15-21)

The ministry of togetherness is going to be more important than ever before. Maybe not than every before in history, but more crucial than at any point in our lifetimes.

You know someone who is discouraged you do. And you have the understanding of the times, you know where this is going. You have the opportunity and even the mandate of comforting and edifying your fellow believers and your fellow pastors. If they are feebleminded, with their thinking weakened and out of focus with God’s truth, you have a double mandate: comfort.

May we be invested fully into the ministry of togetherness!