Last
week, in chapter one, we learned the faith of the Christians in the Thessalonian
Church was a witness to not only others within the city of Thessalonica, but in
the entire region around them. The truth of the gospel was lived out in their
lives, and the words of Jesus’ truth was heard and accepted by many because of
the holy witness these Christians bore with them. Because of this, Paul can
speak with assurance when he says the gospel he sowed in Thessalonica did not come
up hollow or empty, but was fruitful and made full in them and through them.
Throughout
this passage Paul speaks to the people of the Thessalonian Church explaining to
them not only is the work of the gospel not void or empty of purpose, he then
goes on explaining how he came to them. What he did as he lived his life among
them and the way in which we brought the gospel to them. Although it is
believed Paul writes these words as a way of defending himself against people,
who are lost to us due to the distance of time, but who would have been well
known to these those to whom he wrote. The influence of those, whom we believe
were working to discredit Paul, were enough of a disturbance that Paul felt he
needed to remind the Thessalonian Christians how he brought the gospel to them
and the methods and the means he employed or did not employ, which allowed them
to hear and receive the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
As
Christians, like Paul, we are all entrusted with the message of the gospel, to
bear it with us where ever we go. To further the kingdom and bear witness to the
love, grace and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ to those within our influence;
our friends, our family, our neighbors, the people with whom we interact on a
regular basis. This is the calling of each and every Christian. We are called
to share the love given to us, the truth we know and to live lives which speak
of Christ’s love, forgiveness and salvation in all we do, as well as sharing
the truth of the gospel with our words.
Although
it would be easy to set Paul’s words aside, believing they are perhaps only for
those who are called specifically to the work of an evangelist, or perhaps they
are directed more toward, our missionaries, our denominational leaders, and our
preachers, than to the average Christian worshiping a pew or joining us online this
morning, this in truth would not be the right thing to do. These words Paul
used to bring the truth of the gospel, the salvation of Jesus Christ to the
people of Thessalonica about the means and methods he use when he brought the
Gospel to Thessalonica can teach us about how we too can be faithful witnesses
to the truth of Jesus Christ to those we encounter in our own lives.
Paul
begins by explaining he came to them with courage. As much as we can all accept
bearing witness to the truth of the love, grace, forgiveness and salvation of Jesus
Christ is the calling and the role of every Christian, it does not come easy to
any of us. Sharing our faith is scary, especially when it seems so many in our
world are loath to hear it. For so many reasons, many around us are often
antagonistic to hearing the truth of the Gospel. Perhaps in the past you
attempted to share the gospel. Perhaps
it did not go well, your efforts were rejected, you were hurt by that
rejection, it stung or the harsh words spoken to you bore down deep into your
soul like a parasite sapping you of the boldness you once had.
Paul
is no stranger to rejection, violent rejection at that. Paul was chased out of one
town, had to be smuggled out of another town in a basket, was imprisoned and
would ultimately die, all for sharing the gospel with anyone and everyone who
would listen. Paul is well aware,
sharing the gospel takes courage, especially after you have been hurt and
rejected for doing so. Yet, Paul reminds us, even after all that he had endured
prior to coming to Thessalonica, he declared to them the truth of the gospel
with courage and boldness anyway.
The
Courage and the boldness Paul had, did not come from within himself, for if it
was his own strength and power with which he bore witness, it would be nothing,
but he relied on the courage afforded him by Jesus Christ. Whenever we find
ourselves immersed in the fear which can come upon us when we think about
sharing our faith, we can rely Jesus Christ to give us the strength, the
boldness and the courage we need, just as Paul had to each time he bore witness
to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Secondly
Paul tells us he did not share the gospel with impure motives. He did not
employ any means of trickery. When I was younger trickery was actually a method
of drawing people into the Church. I cannot remember exactly how it was used
but the phrase I remember was that we were “to bring them to Jesus either by
hook or by crook.” The person went on to explain a sort of bait and switch program
to bring people to the church and hopefully get them saved. It was a “the ends
justify the means” sort of plan, where as long as they come to Jesus it did not
matter what methods we employed.
By
proclaiming this was not a method he used when he brought the truth of the
gospel to them, we can conclude that trickery of any kind is not a proper way
to draw people into faith in Jesus Christ. It may seem obvious to say, but I
will say it anyway, the manner and the methods we employ when sharing the gospel
cannot be themselves be un-Christ-like.
Jesus
Christ never attempted to trick or fool people. Those we the methods of those
who were seeking to work against Jesus, never the methods of our Savior. If
Paul’s words are not enough to discourage us from any kind of “crook” method of
bearing witness to the love of Jesus Christ, the ways Jesus himself taught should
be the example. Bringing people to Christ using any means which are in
themselves dishonest, is not to be used by people who are seeking to follow the
model of Jesus Christ.
Paul did not come to them with trickery, nor did
he come with words of flattery. He did not come seeking to sway them with honey
speech that was sugar and sweetness and held no substance. He gave them the
truth of the gospel plain and simple, nothing more, nothing less and most
especially he did not sugar coat it to make it more palatable. It is the difference
between a hearty healthy breakfast and a sugary sweet one. When I think of the
difference, I think of the “farmer’s breakfast” Mike makes for worship brunch
(Oh worship brunch . . .when will it ever be safe for us to do something that
like again?), you know the dish, eggs, and bacon, and cheese, and potatoes and
peppers. It is so good (it is my mama’s dish btw). That is a good breakfast!
Then
you have donuts. We recently went apple picking and bought apple cider donuts,
now apple cider with apple cider donuts is an enjoyable breakfast. Who does not
love apple cider donuts? But it is not hearty, nor is it in any way shape or
form healthy. The way I see it is you can have apple cider donuts for
breakfast, or you can Farmer’s Breakfast. One is all sugary sweet and full of
calories, the other is full of protiens and nutrients and all sorts of things
(now we can argue over the healthiness of the cheese and the bacon, but I think
you get my meaning). When we come with the gospel we need to give people the hearty,
warm, healthy meal, not the donut.
Whenever
Paul preached the gospel there was only One whom he was attempting to please. He
preached, he taught, he gave witness and shared the truth of the gospel to gain
the praise of God and God alone. He did not bring the gospel to them in hope of
earning the praise of others. He was not hoping to please any human being when
he shared the gospel, not his parents, not his fellow apostles or others who
were teaching and preaching alongside of him. He was definitely not seeking to
gain the praise or adoration of the local leaders, in the city or the
synagogue, and most especially not the praise of the governing bodies of world around
him. They were after all what would eventually put him to death. Giving witness
to the love of Jesus Christ cannot be done to gain the approval or praise of
others.
Finally,
Paul lets us know that did he come for any selfish reasons such as greed, hoping
of gaining support from them so that he may profit. I would hope that none of
us would ever resort to sharing the gospel for selfish gain. On the surface of
it actually sounds kind of ridiculous. I mean, I know I am not getting rich
doing this. And I am sure it has never occurred to any of you that bearing
witness to the truth of the gospel would result in any kind of profit for you,
but unfortunately the world is full of people we can point to who have used the
sharing of the gospel and the truth of Jesus Christ to benefit themselves,
either fulfilling their lust for power or lining their pockets with the
donations of devote people who trust them.
Now
that we know exactly what Paul did not do when he bore witness to the truth of
Jesus Christ, he explains to us the manner in which he did come. He came to
them with gentleness, like a nursing mother tending to her children, with deep
care and concern. As a mother myself, this metaphor, which Paul uses here
resonates with me.
I
can think of very few moments that the mere memory of invokes more tender care,
more gentleness and deep concern as the memory of nursing my own daughters.
Nothing is more tender, more honest, more sincere than the love and care felt
between a mother and a child in the deeply intimate, vital and inherently life
giving act of nursing.
The
way we bear witness to the gospel to others should be like that! When a mother
feeds a child in this way she is literally giving of herself to that child to
nourish them and sustain them. Our giving, our sharing of the gospel should be
that kind of self-giving, (self-emptying dare I say) love, done out of
tenderness, out of deep care.
Sharing
the gospel of Jesus Christ is an act of investment in the life and well-being
of the one with whom we are sharing. It is an act of intimacy that is best when
done with one with whom we are in relationship. The kindness and the deep
concern for the other comes from knowing the other, from being in a mutual
relationship of trust, where the act of sharing the gospel comes naturally out
of the relationship. Bringing the gospel to one with whom we are in
relationship will then, not be done selfishly, or with trickery or even words
of flattery, but will be done with sincere concern and love for the other.
Build
relationship, real relationship with others, enter into life with them, care
about the things they care about. Laugh with them, celebrate with them, sorrow
with them, bear their burdens. Walk with them and as you do so, live so that they
see Christ in you. As you do so, speak so that they hear the love of Jesus in
your words. And show them with your kindness and your gentleness and your love,
the love of Christ. Share with others with whom you are in relationship the
truth of the gospel. Tell them how Jesus is transforming your life, your
attitudes and actions. Let them know your struggles and your victories as you are
becoming the Christian God is calling you to be. Be like a mother, giving of
herself to her children when you are walking beside them. Tell the truth, give
them a good breakfast, but do so with the loving tenderness of a mother feeding
her children.
