Tested and Standing Firm

TESTED AND STANDING FIRM Spring Valley Mennonite; March 6, 2022; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-8; James 1:2-4 One of the realities of life is that we are constantly tested. These tests may be formal, like an exam in math or chemistry class, or informal like someone asking if you know what time it is. Our competency is tested multiple times a day: are you able to set the time on your microwave after the power goes out? Can you remember the password to an online account, or the name of that person you run into at Walmart? Someone graduating from college rejoices that all tests are over-not so! Your new employer evaluates your ability to complete a task and puts you under a period of probation to see whether you are competent. Our knowledge is tested every day. Life itself also "tests" us daily: is our body able to withstand the rigors of physical labor? In the beautiful weather we had this last week I cleaned out several flower beds, hauling the leaves to the dump. For several days afterward the muscles in my legs were sore! I am being tested to see if I can complete tasks without injuring myself at my age. In my mind I'm still 30 years old! But such tests are minor compared to the trials of disease or aging. We live in a sin cursed world where we are subject to calamity like the Covid pandemic, or the unpredictability of weather. What is the purpose of testing? Testing always proves something. All this talk of testing is to introduce the idea that our faith is constantly being tested as Christians by the events in our daily lives. I have long felt that we should have a developed Theology of trials and suffering, for this is the "stuff of life." This "Theology" is knowing how God uses trials, and how we are to respond in a godly manner to adversity in our lives. Such a Theology will inform how such verses like Romans 8:28 "All things work together for good" relate to someone who has been diagnosed with cancer; what should the response be when Russian tanks invade your neighborhood in the Ukraine, destroying your home and killing a family member; how are we to deal with the tragedies and seemingly senseless violence of our society. The believers in this church faced severe opposition and persecution as they served the Lord. Yet they persevered and stood firm. As a result, the Gospel message spread widely, and their faith grew stronger. But they had undergone a measure of training in preparation for such opposition. The "Big Idea" of this passage is that testing strengthens faith, and that testing is part of God's program for Christian maturity. But such godly response to trials does not come naturally. Our text this morning is the first 8 verses of 1 Thessalonians 3 (Read vv. 1-8) I. WE NEED TRAINING IN HOW TO HANDLE ADVERSITY Both Paul and this church were undergoing trials. Paul's trials are mentioned in verse 8: "our distress and affliction." He was speaking of the team there in Corinth, as ministering the Gospel was always challenging. In 1 Corinthians 11, after listing the physical trials of beatings, imprisonments, and extreme hardship, he adds, "Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" In addition to the ever-present physical trials, he felt deeply concerned with how these new believers in this church were surviving. After several failed attempts to personally return to Thessalonica, he sent Timothy in his place. What was his purpose? Timothy's mission was to strengthen and encourage these new believers. I have no doubt that a great measure of Timothy's instruction was built upon Paul's past teaching which warned of the certainty of afflictions they could expect but also teaching them how they were to handle these trials. One thing included in such teaching is the fact that Satan has new believers and churches in his sights. One especially damaging schemes of the devil is aimed at diluting the Gospel message. His tactic is to entice those witnessing to "soft-pedal" the opposition new believers will experience. It comes across as some variation of "If you put your faith in Christ, all your problems will go away, and life will be rosy." After all, we don't want to scare a potential convert away! But when their friends begin to mock one's "getting religion" or those friends begin to leave them out of activities the new believer doesn't understand. Often a new believer's life seems to get harder rather than easier! The Gospel message needs to include information on how to handle the opposition they will encounter, because Satan works overtime to discourage new believers. Paul had given a complete picture of what was to come for these new believers, and it is a testimony to the power of the Gospel that, given the certainty of persecution, they still believed. One comment I read put it like this: "None but a religion from God would have held out such a trying prospect to those who should embrace it, and yet succeed in winning converts." Paul's message was to be "Forewarned is fore-armed." I believe this is the meaning of the phrase in verse 3 that "We are destined for this." Some believers may have more intense types of persecution than others; we are blessed to be living in a relatively safe environment for Christians-so far. A bit more on that in a moment. But first, let's take a step back to look at... II. GOD'S PURPOSE IN ALLOWING TRIALS FOR BELIEVERS Why does God allow trials in our lives? Consider this: all people have trials, believers and unbelievers alike. Our world is fallen and incredibly corrupted by sin. As we live our lives in this sin-cursed world, things go wrong. The depravity of humanity is a fact, and without the restraining influence of laws and courts which punish those who break such laws, man will be as sinful and evil as he is allowed to be. Man is incredibly selfish because of inbred sin, and greed and inhumane acts are a result. Remember the recent results in large cities when the police stood aside, and mobs looted and burned. Believers often are victims of such violence, as are our brothers and sisters in the Ukraine today. This is reality. We suffer, but we have a resource that non-believers lack: the Lord God is our refuge and shield, a very present help in times of trouble. We have the Holy Spirit Who writes the law of God on our hearts. We have an inner compulsion to do the right things, not because we must but because we want to! We are not constrained by whether officers of the Law are present or not; we have an inner resource which enables us to handle the challenges of life. God the Spirit, if allowed freedom in our life, takes the trials of life and transforms them into godly character. James 1:2-4: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." We can respond to trials one of two ways: we can respond or react. Responding is bringing it to the Lord, asking for wisdom in understanding and handling it in a God-honoring manner. A proper godly response to a trial is to consider first that God has allowed this to come, and to ask Him what He would like to accomplish because of it. Is it to teach me to trust Him for a favorable outcome? Is it to teach me patience and endurance, to "hang in there" and wait for God to work? I would add that God owes me no explanation for what He is doing. God never explained to Job what was going on behind the scenes, as far as we know. Trust is acknowledging that I belong to God and He is in control, and that He cares more deeply for me than I can imagine. The opposite response to trials is to react, to get angry or depressed, and ask "Why me, God?" Now, at the beginning of a crisis, such reactions are normal (although unproductive), and hopefully short-lived. Our initial reaction doesn't need to be the way we ultimately handle it. A major crisis is more likely to have such an initial response, for instance, hearing one has a terminal disease. We go through stages of grief, of denial and anger-but the final result will hopefully be acceptance and coping in a godly manner. Part of a wise response to a trial is to determine if this trial is because of a foolish choice I've made, or perhaps a consequence of a sin. God will help us through every trial, but there are always consequences to sin. However, many trials are just part of living. Many things come into our lives over which we have no control. A farmer may experience crop failure because of lack of rain. We've all had inconveniences which continue because of Covid. Regardless of the reason-if we know the reason-of a trial, God's purpose is to mold us and shape us into the image of Christ. Trials in the life of a Christian are like the hammer and chisel of an artist turning a hunk of marble into a beautiful sculpture. God is infinitely creative in how He can turn a trial, even a severe life-threatening trial into something good. III. HOW GOD USES THE PERSECUTION OF THE CHURCH FOR HIS GLORY I've been speaking of how trials serve to mature us in the faith as we trust God. But this church to which he was writing was being persecuted and oppressed simply because they were believers. I think this type of trial demands special consideration and attention. All trials which are responded to rightly are of value, but there is special reward and blessing when we stand firm in the face of persecution for our faith. It has been a long time since we here in the United States have seen religious persecution. We do remember such incidents during the First World War. But I would be negligent if I did not prepare all of us for possible coming opposition and persecution. Some in this country are seeing this already. A florist is being taken to court for refusing to provide flowers for a gay wedding. Another bakery owner faces court action because he believes providing a wedding cake for a gay couple violates his Christian beliefs. Routinely "progressive" teachers criticize and belittle students with Christian backgrounds. If parents object to what they believe is inappropriate teachings on sexuality, they are labeled as troublemakers and their children suffer. We are labeled as homophobic and intolerant and right-winged radicals because we believe that homosexuality is sin. If we are asked why we are taking this stand, and we state "Because the Bible tells me so," expect scorn and scoffing, and being labeled as "religious fanatics." I am saying these things because, honestly, I don't see things getting any better. 2 Timothy 3:1: "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come, for men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving irreconcilable (meaning they are not willing to consider other viewpoints) treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God." Now, is all lost? Should we circle the wagons and retreat into our faith community and give up? Timothy, after giving this warning, says this: "And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, but evil men and imposters will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of..." What are we to do knowing that persecution may come? This may surprise you, but the answer is, for the most part, we are to do nothing different. We certainly are not to stress and worry about it. God will give grace if and when the time comes. We are to pray for other Christians who are in such situations. I would recommend the Voice of the Martyrs organization to become informed about such things around the world. Know what is going on in the world like the present conflict in the Ukraine and pray for believers to have strength, protection, and for opportunities for showing mercy and compassion. It occurs that if all believers are one in the body of Christ, and when one part of the body suffers the rest of the body feels it-then as believers in China, or Ukraine, or Nigeria, or Niger, or anywhere in the world suffer, so should we. If we are so blessed to live in relative peace, we are to keep on, standing firm in the faith, expecting that the world and Satan will continue in their efforts to minimize our influence and scorn our lifestyle. We are not to be surprised by opposition and even persecution when it comes but know that God is our fortress and shield. We have the armor of God, the shield of faith which extinguishes all these attacks, and the sword of the Spirit, God's Word which defeats all ungodly ideas and concepts. If we are approaching the last days, as I believe we are, we are to be using our time, talents and treasure in Kingdom work, in works of evangelism and church planting, and in teaching young believers how to stand firm through testing. We are at war, and war is always stressful and unpleasant. But we know how the war ends, and we are on the winning side! The battles rage against us, and they will, in all likelihood, get more intense, but we know the Lord Jesus is coming soon and all the foes of God will be defeated. Even so, come Lord Jesus! 2