Sermon Tone Analysis

Why Zoom is ok but Satan doesn’t want us face to face

1 Thessalonians 2:17–20

ICC’s PM Service (5/14/22)

I. Introduction

1. Prayers

2. Catch- How many of us head of the company Zoom in Janurary 2020?

i. n April 2011, Zoom began its journey.

By September 2012, its first iteration beta was released

How many of us head of the company Zoom in Janurary 2020?

My dad’s architecture business used it for meetings with clients and contractors around the world…the master’s seminary used it for classes

But today, even the most technological stgruggling person is figuring out how to load it onto their phone or tablet and use the technology?

Because the whole world was forced to be isolate from each other.

ii.

The internet has brought many blessings just like telephones, telegraph, and even letter writing brought before it

iii.

But it is not and cannot be good enough

3. Let me remind you how personal 1 Thessalonians is

i.

The church is one of the most healthy and growing spiritually churches

1.

They were showing great spiritual fruit so that ti was clear they were elected by God

ii.

They were started by Paul in that he ministered like a mother and a father to them

1.

And as he brought them the truth, they accepted it as the word oG do

iii.

but Paul had to flee as the jews stirred up Mobs and sent him to the next place

1.

We talked about how some many having taken that as a lack of love on Paul’s part and Paul has to defend himself

4.

This also teaches us, showing us the theology of meeting together in person.

i.

I want to hel you all tell others of the need to meet in the same place as other christiasn

ii.

But next time we will talk about how Paul used the modern technology as a messenger and this very letter to benefit, so we’re not against using the technology either

II. 3 Reasons we are compelled to have church face to face.

1. Righteous Love for others compels us (17-18a)

i. Explanation

1. Paul knew his fatherly relationship with the church was strong

a.

And few pains are as great as being abandoned a father or mother.

Feeling rejected by them

b.

So Paul starts with “but brothers” to explain that though they had this relationship, he was eperated fro them

2.

He uses “we” too

a.

Because Paul was not a one man show… he ws not their father

b.

They were the spiritual fathers… ministry was was a team work[i], unlike much of the American obsession with celebrities individuals, even in churches today

3. The missionaries were torn away from this church

a.

The wooden translation would be orphaned for an hour

b.

They were forced apart from the persecution like an child orphaned from their family in the midst of war

c.

But it was only in person, their hearts still being very much with them.

d.

It was their great desire to return..

i.

The phrase is epithyma is translated lust other places… it is strong a strong desire

ii.

But this one is rightly placed

iii.

AS CS lewis wrote

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak.

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us”

4. So they made every effort to return

a. Paul emphasizes himself in v18 strongly stating he tried eagerly and repeatedly to get back

b.

A number of commentators agree… why would Paul be saying this unless the question was being asked, why did Paul not get back?

5.

Even when Paul uses the high tech system the walking messenger Timothy to communicate with them remotely and he is able to bless them and hear back, he still wants to be with them

1 Thessalonians 3:10–11- as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you,

a. John says the same

2 John 12- Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink.

Instead I hope to come to you and talk face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

ii.

Illustration

1. Love for others makes us care when we’re away, but be so excited and want to be together

a. Pastor Dennis and his wifey Terry are great example of this far off love

a.

We all heard Dennis’ love yesterday for this church and his joy to be with us

a.

I saw Terry first in the hallway last week and her first words to me were we continually pray for you.

1. Love for people means our hearts are towards them like there is to this church even when we’re not togetherLove should compel churches to be together

2. We know other means of communication are working correctly when they make us what to be with each other all the more.

3.

As you’ve heard, my wife’s sister recently went through cancer treatment and it became all the more difficult to keep updates between her and her siters.

So they started doing short video messages back and forth and my wife would say it really encouraged their relationships.

They were communicating through technology.

4. But it is not a replacement for being together as my Liz will testify that she wants to be in person with her sisters all the more now and the devastation of her tooth surgery causes all the more pain because it prevented them being together.

5.

That is what Paul is feeling, that is what we should be feeling when separated

iii.

Application

1.

I want us to be believe church is a inperson gathering

a. Paul uses phrases like “when you come together as a church” and “the whole church comes together” (1 Cor.

11:18; 14:23).

2. I know I’ve heard some people say they are spending all morning at church… they watch this preacher and that preacher online or on TV

a.

And that isn’t church… that’s watching someone teach

b. roughly 40 “one-another” commands in Scripture that require personal relationships

c.

It is the difference between watching a baseball game and being on the field

even injured team mates sit on the field to support the team

i.

And God gifts each member of the church with a gift to help the church be the church