Love One Another
Life is filled with a variety of relationships. From the moment you are born until the day you die, you are constantly involved in relationships with other people. There are…
- Family relationships – Regardless of our age we have family relationships. We either are parents or have parents or both. Aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, and in-laws; these are all family relationships.
- Professional relationships – Your doctor, dentist, pharmacist, lawyer, accountant, and realtor, mechanic, and delivery man fall into this category. There are certainly more options, but you get the idea!
- Occupational relationships – Your boss, supervisor, co-worker, employer and employee, customers, and clients are in this group.
- Neighborhood relationships – Down and across the hall, in the next building, around the corner, at the supermarket, gas station, auto parts store, department store, all of these are examples of neighborhood relationships.
We all have friends. No man is an island. (No woman either!) We cannot escape from nor totally eliminate relationships. For sure, not all of them are of equal importance, but to some degree, we are all involved in relationships with other people. Life on earth is largely about relationships.
Our relationships with other people either bring us pain or pleasure. They can make us better or they will make us bitter. They can bless us or bother us. The way we relate to other people can make us happy or sad or make us frustrated or excited. The potential of any number of emotions is right there in our relationships.
The most significant part of your life is often controlled by your relationship with those people with whom you are most connected. Think about it: a problem in just one relationship with one person can spoil every part of your life, ruin your mood, consume your mind, and control your emotions. Much of our lives are centered on our relationships, and that never changes, regardless of our age. This is because people were created for relationships – first with God and then with others. Relationships offer us the most intense pleasures in life and, at times, threaten us with the possibility of the most intense pain in life. The worst pain in life is not a broken body part; it is a broken heart. When we are rejected, betrayed, criticized, falsely accused, misunderstood, overlooked, ignored, unloved, underappreciated, distrusted, troubled and hated we feel the deepest hurt possible.
Relationship problems send people to the bookstore for “self-help” books, or to the counselor’s couch, or to the drug store for nerve pills. Relationship problems lead many people to search for relief in the bottom of a bottle, or to contemplate the unthinkable: suicide.
All of us genuinely need help in our relationships. I’ve got some good news! The Bible has the answers. God’s Word on relationships is “one another.” We would revolutionize our relationships if we would obey the “one anothers” of the Bible. There are 31 of them!
| Love one another | Be at peace with one another | Wash one another’s feet |
| Edify one another | Prefer one another | Have the same mind toward one another |
| Judge not one another | Receive one another | Admonish one another |
| Greet one another | Bear one another’s burdens | Serve one another |
| Tarry one for another | Be likeminded one with another | Forbear one another |
| Forgive one another | Be hospitable to one another | Submit to one another |
| Confess to one another | Pray for one another | Care for one another |
| Esteem one another | Don’t lie to one another | Comfort one another |
| Consider one another | Provoke one another | Speak no evil of one another |
| Grudge not one another | Fellowship with one another | Teach one another |
| Restore one another | ||
Love One Another
Luke 10:25-37:
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain [man] went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded [him], and departed, leaving [him] half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked [on him], and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion [on him], And went to [him], and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave [them] to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
According to Jesus, the greatest commandments are to love God with your whole being, and to love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. The two relationships Jesus described in the greatest commandment cannot be separated. May people are misled into believing they can be in fellowship with God when they are not getting along with each other. That is a lie; it is impossible to love God if you hate your brother. 1 John 4:20:
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
The first and most obvious “one another” for us to consider is the statement to “love one another.” Looking at the Scriptures it is clear that we should love one another because of, at least, four reasons.
Because of God’s Commandment
- John 13:34 – “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”
- John 15:12 – “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”
- 1 John 3:23 – “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”
Can love be commanded? Can a young man command a young lady to love him?! No! How then can God command us to love one another? The answer is that Christian love is not an emotional feeling that we “fall” into without trying. It is a matter of the will. One must decide to love others. That means we must decide to treat others as God treats us. God forgives us, so we must forgive others. God is kind to us, so we must be kind to others. Christ receives us, so we must receive others. In spite of personality clashes, different interests, and hurtful actions, you are commanded to love one another.
Because of God’s Law
- Romans 13:8 – “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
The Old Testament Jew had many laws and regulations to keep; everything from his land to his food, from his clothing to his worship. What does Paul mean when he writes “he that loveth one another hath fulfilled the law”? Paul is not saying that obeying one commandment takes care of all the other regulations. The moral law still stands. It is still sin to lie or steal or murder.
What Paul is saying is that love fulfills the law, because if I love you I won’t murder you, steal from you, lie to you, commit adultery with you, or covet what is yours. It means that we do not obey God’s moral law from external fear but from internal love; not by compulsion on the outside but by compassion on the inside. Love does not replace morality; it reinforces morality.
Because of God’s Example
- 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you:”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9 – “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”
The Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8), and He teaches us by His own example to love another. God the Father loved us and gave us His only Son. God the Son loved us and gave Himself for us. God the Spirit lives within us and teaches us to love.
- John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
- 1 John 4:11-12 – “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”
- Romans 5:5 – “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Too often the world sees Christians and says, “Look how they fight! Look how they criticize and disagree!” What they should be saying is, “Look how they love one another!”
Because of God’s Nature
- 1 John 4:7-8 – “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
When we are saved, we receive the nature of God. We are “born again.” The old nature does not treat others as God treats them. The old nature is full of revenge and hatred, but the new nature treats others as God would. Peter describes it this way:
- 1 Peter 1:22-23 – “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”
It is an “unfeigned” love. This means it is sincere, genuine, ad not at all phony. It is love with a “pure heart”, meaning there is no mixture of sin. This love is “fervent”, meaning energetic, giving fully to it.
- 1 John 3:11 – “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”
- 2 John 5 – “And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.”
From beginning to end, God wants us to love one another. Revolutionizing your relationships begins with love.
1 John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
Spiritual Fitness
Fitness is big business. America is obsessed with fitness, but America is also obese! Its unreal isn’t it, that the same country can be obsessed with fitness, counting carbs, being thin, and worshipping beauty, but at the same time be populated with the heaviest people in the world. According to statistics, we are the overweight nation, the land of lard, the bastion of freedom and flabbiness. As Christians we have not always been positive examples of physical fitness, even though we believe the body is the temple of God, and through it we give expression to our service for God, we don’t have a strong track record in this area. Most of our fellowships and gatherings revolve around food, generally fried food, followed up with lots and lots of desserts. And how we love to fellowship!
Now, there is certainly nothing run with physical fitness. If you are saved, after all, your body is the temple of God, your body is the one instrument you have for worshipping and serving God. Your body is not to be worshipped, but it is the instrument for worship. But all of us should realize that a healthy body with a sick soul is a tragic thing. For everyone, the ultimate issue should not be the physical, but the spiritual.
In my brief 36 years of living I have learned this one inescapable truth: discipline is the necessary key for accomplishing anything in this life. And that is true whether we are talking about being physically fit, playing an instrument, learning a trade, etc. The apostle Paul states this to his young protégé Timothy, and to us, in 1 Timothy 4:7-8,
“But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”
The word translated “exercise” in our Bibles is the Greek word “gymnazo”. The word basically means discipline. (I think it even has the gym smell all over it!) We need to be disciplined Christians as we make our pilgrim trek through this world. You need to discipline your behavior, but most importantly, you need to discipline your mind, your thoughts. Disciplined hearts will produce disciplined attitudes and behaviors. Now I don’t want you to have a negative picture of discipline in your mind. Discipline is not a cuss word, it’s not a bad thing. Discipline is a good and necessary thing.
Sermons without illustrations are akin to houses without windows. It often takes a good illustration to crystallize a truth that we have heard. Jesus always employed vivid, relevant illustrations when He preached, and the apostle Paul was no different. Paul regularly used three illustrations: that of a soldiering, athletics, and farming (2 Timothy 2 is one example).
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Paul utilizes the athletic simile. The Greek culture was huge on games. You all know that the Olympic Games have their origins in Olympia, Greece, but are you aware that the city of Corinth also hosted a popular sporting event that occurred every three years known as the Isthmian Games? Much like the Olympics, in the Isthmian Games athletes competed in a variety of events such as foot races, javelin, discus, wrestling, boxing, and even gymnastics. One commentator makes note of how consumed the culture was with sports. He said that the masses only demanded two things from their government: bread and games. The man wrote, “By day they stood about idle; in the evening they watched sports.” Some things just never change! But one thing is for certain, the Corinthians understood Paul’s illustration of athletics, and this is the true test of a good illustration.
Determined Running – 1 Corinthians 9:24
Paul asks a rhetorical question. “Don’t you know that of all the people who start a race, there is only one winner?” Of course they understood that, as do we, so, Paul says, “Run, that you may obtain.” Now, one thing of which you can be certain is that Paul is not teaching Christians to compete with one another. This is not a call to proselyte members of other churches, or keep a ledger of who brings the most visitors to church, and who has led the most people to the Lord. We compete not against each other, but against physical, practical, and spiritual obstacles that would hinder us. We are not competing with one another for a reward, but we are to serve Jesus Christ with everything that we have! Run to win, not just to be in the race. Don’t present Christ with a half-hearted effort!
Do you want a football analogy? If you’re carrying the ball, don’t duck out-of-bounds when the linebacker has got a bead on you, put your head down and gain those extra yards. Yes, your body will take some punishment, but give it your best, everything you have. Do it with all your might!
What separates must winners from losers? It’s not always superior talent, superior coaching, superior intelligence, or giftedness. What separates winners from losers more often than not is sheer effort and determination. Listen, Jesus Christ endured death for you! He who was sinless, took upon Himself your sin, so that you may become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus Christ desires and deserves your best effort, not a lazy, half-hearted, mamby-pamby, “I don’t wanna get hit” effort! Run in such a way as to win the prize!!
Disciplined Training – 1 Corinthians 9:25, 27
Here Paul argues from the lesser to the greater. If individuals are prepared to go into strict training and deprive themselves of justifiable enjoyments all for the sake of a laurel wreath, how much more should we be concerned to run the race of the Christian life in order to gain heavenly rewards?! Now, it’s obvious that those ancient athletes, much like their modern counterparts, were not competing just for that laurel wreath, or in our day, a gold medal. They competed for the fame and the acclaim, to be hailed a hero and be famous, to be profiled on ESPN, or to be “immortalized” in the Hall of Fame of their field. But that “immortality” is just as mortal as a laurel wreath or a gold medal. In other words, none of that stuff will last forever, not even a bust in Canton or Cooperstown will last forever; they are corruptible, perishable.
But think about all that athletes endure to gain acclaim, or rewards that won’t last. They endure strict training; they must exercise extreme self-denial and self-discipline in order to be in shape to run the race. Athletes limit their freedom and liberties, they discipline their minds and their bodies, they restrict their diets, they sleep when others are partying, and they are awake and training when others are asleep, their training is tough and demanding, they sacrifice everything as they pursue their goal of winning the prize, and their financial, mental, emotional, and physical commitment to winning is unrivaled. And they do all that for a laurel wreath, for their bust in a Hall of Fame.
Now one thing is obvious, it was obvious to the Corinthians in the 1st century, just as it is obvious to us 20 centuries later; no one wins the 400m at the Olympics coming straight off the couch, or after a brief period of training. Those athletes train their whole lives, in many cases, their training is their life! They discipline their minds and bodies; they bring their appetites into subjection, and this dedicated training is a continual thing, so that they will be prepared to run the race as so to win. They can’t start training the night before, and there are no shortcuts!
That’s the kicker, that’s where it hurts, especially in our fast-food, microwave, convenience society. We want all the end results of a life-time of disciplined training, but without all the disciplined training. That’s why stuff like “instant abs” has such appeal. Have you seen those ridiculous commercials of people putting electro-shock belts on their bellies that will work your tummy into a flat, appealing shape while you watch TV?!?! It’s ludicrous, but it’s apropos of our society.
People want the perfect body with the minimum of effort, and the same is true in the spiritual realm. People want a quick fix and an easy route to godliness; a 12 step program, 40 days of purpose, whatever. Look, quick fix offers are useless, because the Bible does not offer a shortcut to spiritual fitness.
The athlete’s disciplined self-control and strict training is a rebuke to the flabby, half-hearted Christians who do not discipline themselves for the race. Our race, our fight, is much more noble and deserves far greater effort than the Olympics, or the Isthmian Games. We strive for an incorruptible crown, a “crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing,” (2 Timothy 4:8). Ours is “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” (1 Peter 1:4).
We live and work for eternity. Keep your eyes on that prize!
Dedicated Reasoning – 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
Athletes train for a reason; they have set goals for for which they aspire (and perspire) to reach. Did you notice that in verses 26-27 Paul switches from “you” and “we” to “I”? Paul has a dedicated reasoning, a clear purpose; he doesn’t aimlessly run, nor does he compete with uncertainty. His purpose has been stated throughout this chapter, specifically in verses 19-22. His goal was to win as many people to Christ as possible by any means possible.
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
Paul is not shadowboxing; he’s not flailing around with his eyes closed. He’s not just working up a sweat. He is right there in the mix of things! There is a dedicated reasoning to the race he’s running and to the fight in which he is engaged. He has disciplined himself; he has brought his body under subjection so that he won’t become a hypocrite, and so that he may win souls to Christ.
Now understand this, Christianity is not about law but liberty; it’s not about rules and regulations, but it is about holy discipline, because liberty and freedom require self-control. Do not misunderstand me, external rules and asceticism will not make you holy, will not provide the training that I have been writing about in this post. And those of you who are reading this and thinking to yourself, “I know what you do, you do all these external things and then it all fits”. No, that’s not the case; just read Colossians 2:20-23,
“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
Now here is the key to spiritual discipline, it’s found in Colossians 3:1-2,
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
If you are a believer, a Christian, one who has repented of his sin and trusted Christ as his Savior then you’ve been raised with Jesus, positionally seated in the heavenly places. Let your practice match your position! Get your heart there, get your mind there, get yourself there, and as Colossians 3:5 says, “Chuck out all the garbage!” Why? Because you’re now in tune with Jesus, and He doesn’t like that stuff, He knows it’s no good for you, He doesn’t want you to be a part of it, and you’ll never win the prize if you’re clinging to that junk.
We need spiritual fitness in this flabby generation. Spiritual fitness, much like physical fitness, is begun and maintained, not on the basis of emotional surges and New Year’s proclamations, but on the basis of disciplined commitment, and a little (actually a lot) of “I get by with a little help from my friends!” We need training partners, sparing partners (don’t read to much into that!) The journey to spiritual fitness is not a series of sprints but a cross-country run that lasts the rest of your life!
See you at the finish!
Strategy for Christmas
We should not have an ad hoc mentality when it comes to Christmas, blindly going with the flow and taking what’s easy instead of thinking ahead and devising strategies for action and engagement with the culture. As Christians we should think things through and be prepared for what may even seem routine – like Christmas. If I was to ask you, “Are you ready for Christmas?” Would you immediately think of…
- Christmas shopping
- Christmas decorations
- Christmas cards
- Christmas baking
- Christmas travel plans
- Christmas parties
There is certainly a sense in which all of those things factor into our preparedness for the Christmas event, but they are only a part of Christmas and by no means the most important part. Instead of all the above, are you prepared to ensure that your family, friends, and co-workers understand that Jesus Christ is indeed “the reason for the season”? We need to have a strategy for Christmas, and the strategy must go beyond presents, pictures, pageants, and parties.
I may be the first person to have ever suggested that you formulate a Christmas strategy; at least one that doesn’t involve the usual fare. I encourage this for a simple reason. Have you ever wanted to take advantage of the Christmas holiday to talk with family about the real meaning of Christmas or maybe to speak with a friend about the season’s reason, but before you realize it you’re cleaning up wrapping paper on December 26th and thinking to yourself, “I can’t believe it’s already over?!” That is why we should think this through before it’s over. That is why we should have a Christmas strategy. It’s good to have a plan.
Should we celebrate Christmas?
Perhaps your Christmas strategy is to have no Christmas at all! Many of this nation’s founding families were Puritans, and they refused to celebrate Christmas. It would be difficult to find more orthodox believers than the Puritans. While I certainly do not agree with all of their theological positions or some of their legislative policies, I would be hard-pressed to find another group of people who dearly loved the Lord and desired to honor Him. Don’t believe all the caricatures and stereotypes about the Puritans. If your only exposure to the Puritans is The Scarlet Letter then you’re misinformed. If the name Puritans can only conjure up images of prudish, boorish, modern-day hypocrites and witch trials then you have been duped. There is much more to the Puritans than all of that, and much to imitate. Should canceling Christmas be one thing in which they are imitated?
The Puritans’ refusal to celebrate Christmas may be distilled down to a couple of reasons. First, they felt the holiday had fallen into abuse. Instead of being a day that was devoted to Christ and Christian celebration it had become a day of wanton partying. The day had become associated with drinking, reveling, and its focus had shifted from the Savior to only merriment, and usually corrupt merriment. Everything but Christ was emphasized, so the Puritans abandoned Christmas.
The second reason is that they considered it wrong to celebrate and emphasize Christ’s incarnation only once a year, as opposed to having that marvelous truth before our eyes throughout the year. As Christians, the Puritans argued, the glorious truth of God being made flesh so that He might die on the cross as atonement for sins should not be reserved for acclaim in only December; instead it should be commemorated year round.
I don’t think we should dismiss the Puritans’ reasoning as quickly as some may like to do, because the holiday is less of a “holy day” and more of a “time off of work so let’s have a good time day.” I agree with the Puritans on both counts. I think it is inarguable that Christmas is abused, by non-believers and believers alike. The day is used as an excuse to party, be greedy, or get charge happy. Even for those who don’t get drunk, are not greedy, and who don’t get (too) charge happy, the celebration has less to do with Christ and more to do with “the season” or the “spirit” of Christmas (and that isn’t a reference to the Holy Ghost). Christmas is seen as a time to feel good about yourself, your neighbors, family, anything and everything but Jesus Christ being made flesh. This is a theologically rich holiday, but the theology is either left out or given scant time, while Santa, snow, presents, and “Christmas spirit” are the primary focus.
This ought not to be, but while I agree with the Puritans’ reasoning I do not agree with their strategy to just call the whole thing off.
How then should we celebrate Christmas?
If we are going to celebrate this holy day, how should we do it?
We Must Celebrate Christmas with Honesty
We should start with honesty, and in so doing we should honestly admit that there is no good reason (that means Biblical reason) for exchanging gifts at Christmas. There is no Biblical reason why celebrating Christmas must involve a decorated tree, concerts, plays, or people traveling all across the state, country, or globe just to be together on the 25th of December.
Now, before you label me as the ultimate Grinch, let it be known that the giving of gifts, the decorating of trees, and the assembling of families, even over great distances, are all truly wonderful traditions which I thoroughly enjoy. But if your Christmas celebration is dependent on any or all of those things then you need a new strategy.
Honestly, what we have done as Christians is combined the celebration of Christ’s birth with an entire season of consumerism, commercialism, and just plain busyness. This is often one of the most hectic and crazy periods of the year, with families running in all different directions to make it to every concert, cantata, office party, and so on, that many people feel relieved when the 26th comes around.
This ought not to be.
We Must Distinguish Fact from Fiction
A second stoke in our wheel of strategy should be the distinguishing of fact from fiction. It isn’t uncommon for people, including Christians, to know so little about Christmas, or to at least have quite a lot of fiction mixed in with the facts. Where do we arrive at the facts? From Scripture! It is a sad state of events when the story of Christ’s birth – not only the story about the baby in the manger but the Man on the cross – becomes lost in the shuffle of wise men, gifts, drummer boys, elves, Santa Claus, flying reindeer, and the rest. That must not be allowed in Christian homes or in our churches!
A lot of fiction swirls around the wise men. The fiction starts with there number. We don’t know that only three Magi came to worship Jesus, and we definitely don’t know that their names were Balthazar, Melchior, and Gaspar. We don’t know that they visited Jesus on the night of His birth. In fact, the text clearly shows that they were not there on that holy night.
Here are the Biblical facts, and those are the only ones we can and should trust. We know for sure that Magi from the east – most likely Persia, modern day Iran – came to Jerusalem in search of the nearly born King of Jews. We know that this troubled the already paranoid Herod, and that, after counseling with his religious cohort, he sent the wise men off to Bethlehem. We know that when they arrived in Bethlehem Jesus and His family were not in a stable or an inn but in a “house”, and that Matthew refers to Him as a “young child” not a babe in swaddling clothes as Luke does when he recounts the holy night of Jesus’ birth. We do know that the wise men brought costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh because that is what one does when he visits the king. He brings gifts. We know that they worshiped the Christ-child, and that is fact which we should emulate. (Matthew 2:1-12)
We are quick to say, “The wise men gave Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh, so I’m giving you this fruit cake.” Instead of that, we should be as aware as they were, and worship the one who was born King of the Jews, the one who was born to “save his people from their sins.”
Here is another fiction: the innkeeper was a cold-hearted miser who said “NO!” to a needy family. We don’t know anything about the innkeeper. We don’t even know if there was an innkeeper. It’s not like the owner of the Holiday Inn refused shelter to Joseph and Mary. There have been countless sermons and not a few songs about this heartless, money-grubbing, hell-bound innkeeper, who was probably the father of Barabbas, yet all we know is that “She brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7) That is all we know!
We should be careful with the songs we sing, not only at Christmas but at all times, but it seems like artists take quite a few liberties during Christmas. Not long ago I heard a song called The One I’m Dying For, which is written from the supposed perspective of Barabbas after learning that he will be released and Jesus will be executed. Now, it is true that Jesus died for Barabbas, but that is where the theological/Biblical truthfulness of the song ends. Some of the lines are pure fiction. Here’s what I mean:
“I caught the eye of a man who was beaten – I saw the truth, even I believed Him – I hear them cry, “Release Barabbas!” – In disbelief I turned to Jesus – He looked at me and He said go free, you’re the one I’m dying for.”
Those are very touching, sentimental words, and when accompanied by a stirring video one can be easily moved. There is just one problem. It’s all fiction. All we know about Barabbas is that he was scheduled to be executed, but in their diabolical bloodlust the Pharisees whipped up the crowd to beg for his release so that Jesus may be crucified in his place. That’s all we know. We don’t need to make up that stuff to proclaim the truth of salvation, and we shouldn’t.
We have to separate fact from fiction.
We Must Think about the Details
It’s been said that “the devil is in the details.” Maybe he is. I’m certain that God is, and I know that we should be, especially as we devise a Christmas strategy. We have to think about the details concerning gifts. I love exchanging gifts at Christmas. Buying someone an anniversary or birthday gift is nice; just as a house-warming, new-baby, or retirement gifts are fun, but those all pale in comparison to Christmas gifts. I enjoy to Christmas shop; at the physical as well as virtual stores. I like to wrap gifts, place them under a tree, and watch them be opened. That is a wonderful tradition, and I believe that it is so enjoyable to exchange gifts at Christmas because of how much we’ve been given. That doesn’t mean that a neck-tie or a gift card is comparable to God’s gift of Christ, but it does make me want to be giving; hopefully not just on the 25th of December. So I do not think it sacrilegious to exchange gifts at Christmas.
I do think it is immoral to be greedy; even if you’re “greedy” on others’ behalf. Before you buy your first gift, plan out how much you should spend. Notice I said “should” and not “want.” You may be able to afford spending as much as you want, but that may be more than you should. Christmas is not like winning the lottery, so plan and shop accordingly.
We Must Celebrate Christmas Evangelistically
December should not be the only time in which you talk with your family, friends, and co-workers about Jesus Christ, but Christmas affords us a golden opportunity to speak about Christ with folks who would easily tune you out the other eleven months of the year. Without doubt Christmas is over-commercialized. No question that the big-boned, bearded gentleman from the North Pole receives the lion’s share of the press during Christmas, but it is still Christmas, not Clausmas! What a wonderful opportunity to praise God for Christ, to magnify the name of Jesus, to declare
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
And why is God with us? As the angel told Joseph:
“She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21)
. How shall He save His people from their sins?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved…For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (John 3:16-17; Romans 6:23).
You see, it’s impossible to honestly speak about Christ’s birth without also speaking about His death. As remarkable as His birth was, His death, burial, and resurrection are just as fantastic.
Explain to people, starting with your kids if you have any, why Christmas should be celebrated, and that you celebrate the wonderful truth of the incarnation year-round!
We Must Honor and Glorify Christ
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31); that includes who we celebrate Christmas. I’ve saved this for last, because we have to follow the other strategic points if we are to glorify and honor Christ at Christmas. We must honestly celebrate this holy day. Christmas does not depend on the pageantry. All of that stuff has its place, but it is not of primary importance. We must separate fact from fiction. The Bible is our guide to truth, including truth about Christmas. We don’t need to be sappy to make Christmas special; it is already that, so let’s stick to the factual story and leave the fiction out of the celebration. Think about the details. How much should you spend, and on what should you spend it? How much time should you devote to concerts, cantatas, plays, and parties? How far should you travel, if at all? If you don’t think through the details, then you will drown in them. We must celebrate Christmas evangelistically. Don’t forsake this perfect opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. If we do all of that I believe we will honor and glorify Christ at Christmas.
Saturday Morning Cartoons
Hungry?
Have you ever prayed and found the experience empty? How about worship that fails to inspire you? Have there been times when you have opened your Bible and the words on the page were no more than that, just words on a page? What is the problem? Has prayer, worship, God’s Word, your church, pastor, etc. failed? On those occasions, you might have left your heart behind. Beloved, God’s table is filled; there is joy, music, laughter, nourishment, and refreshment. But the issue is appetite. Is your heart hungry? A healthy spirit means a healthy spiritual appetite.
Spiritually speaking, God has set the table. In His word is a lifetime of daily bread. The diet is balanced and delicious. Don’t pick at your food! It’s not a healthy vital sign.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Psalm 84 is a psalm that demonstrates a deep longing for God, as a pilgrim focuses his attention on his homeward journey. This psalm suggests three features of a healthy spiritual appetite. Those people who have optimum spiritual health, who hunger after God, display it by their:
- Devotion to God – (Psalm 84:1-4, 10)
- Direction towards God – (Psalm 84:5-7)
- Dependence on God – (Psalm84:8-9, 11)
Devotion to God
According to the psalm, a person with a good spiritual appetite will always be found praising God with the people of God (Psalm 84:4). The description of this person is given in Psalm 84:2 – longing, fainting, and crying out are verbs of intensity. The psalmist is not describing an occasional pleasant diversion in his life. He is not talking about a casual commitment to God. He is proclaiming that his very identity is a deep craving for God. That devotion to and for God is the explanation for who he is and where he is going. He possesses a spiritually hungry heart.
Now ask yourself this question: What is the deepest longing of my life? What is it that I am all about as a human being? No one can answer those questions but you and God.
The psalmist provides a profile of a person who has a spiritually hungry heart. There are three keys to identifying this person’s praise.
The Location of Praise
The first four verses of Psalm 84 are replete with the desire to be at the Temple; particularly verse 3. The psalmist wishes he could be a sparrow, nesting in the rafters in the holy place! Have you ever longed to be in God’s house like that? That’s what we do when we have a ravenous spiritual appetite.
Compare the psalmist’s attitude towards God’s house with the person in Amos 8:5. Here you have a merchant, who will go to church, but he is “clock-eyed”, continually checking his watch, hoping the service doesn’t stretch into business hours. Quite a contrast: two people in the house of the Lord; two very different attitudes and experiences. One sits at God’s table with a healthy, voracious appetite. The other is set before the same table, but has no appetite.
I want to stress a crucial point before moving on. Though a Christian can never be separated from the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 6:19), he can be separated from God’s people. And when you voluntarily choose not to be among God’s people, it speaks volumes about your spiritual appetite.
The Foundation of Praise
Consider how the psalmist addresses God throughout the psalm: “LORD of hosts…the living God…my King, and my God…O LORD God of hosts…O God our shield…the LORD God is a sun and shield”
Dear reader, God alone is worthy of worship and adoration! However, I fear that many Christians, in the perfectly legitimate quest to know God personally, have diminished God in their minds from the stature with which He is presented in Scripture. Too many have lowered Him down to the limited status of good friend or pal in our lives, rather than bowing down before His awesome majesty and splendor of His greatness.
The Expression of Praise
Psalm 84:4 – “Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.” The idea is continuous praise, not a certain time of day. Praise cannot stay locked up in the church building, confined to a couple hours per week. Praise God with your thoughts, your voice, your hands, your heart, and all within the very routine of your days. Praise is a continual thing, a controlling passion.
Paul said to us, but first to the Ephesians:
…Be filled with [controlled by] the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – Ephesians 5:18b-20
Please do not confuse expression of praise with style of praise. Real praise and worship of God does not come as a result of any external stimulus. It’s not a matter of the right tune, the right time or place, or of having things just the way you want them. Praising God is strictly an affair of the heart. For those who have left their hearts behind, prayer will not be profitable. Praise will fail to uplift. The Word will seem dull and unenlightening.
The living God, LORD of hosts is the foundation of all true praise and worship. And unless you have fulfilled a personal appointment with the living God in the time of worship, all you can really say is that you were physically present.
Direction towards God
Those who have a healthy spiritual appetite will have a devotion to God, and be moving in a direction towards God. They have their hearts set on pilgrimage. They see life as a campground, not a final destination. In short, they’re just passing through! Psalm 84:5-6, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them [pilgrimage]. Who passing through the valley of Baca”
If you have trusted Christ as your Savior you are a pilgrim who is just passing through. This world is not your Plymouth Rock. Your home is in heaven, an eternity with the Lord! You are on a journey! Don’t encumber yourself with the non-essentials of this world, which, after all, are not created to last! The more dependent you become on things around you, the more devastated you will be when they are suddenly taken away or destroyed. Avoid that devastation by maintaining a pilgrim sense of direction.
While on this pilgrimage, the psalmist referenced traveling through the “valley of Baca.” What is this valley? You know what a valley is, a lowland between two mountain ranges or hills. Figuratively, valleys are referred to as discouraging places, and the word “Baca” means, “weeping; sorrow.” “Passing through the valley of sorrow.” The psalmist is talking about going through difficulties, tough times, and tribulations. Even the pilgrim, with his eyes set on Jesus and filled with an insatiable appetite for God, must travel through valleys of Baca, valleys of sorrow.
Don’t Be Discouraged by Your Difficulties
Christians become discouraged by their difficulties far too easily, and I do not say that uncaringly. I am well aware that within every pew there sits a broken heart. Job said it best, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
Valleys are inescapable. Don’t fall victim to erroneous doctrine that says, “God wants you ‘healthy and wealthy’.” That theology comes from empty heads and closed Bibles. Listen, if God’s own Son had to endure suffering to complete the will of the Father, should you expect anything different? All must travel through their valley of Baca. They are behind us and in front of us. Many times, the exit of one valley leads to the entrance of another. Your valley may be death, disease, disappointment, divorce, dismissal, or any number of things. But I say to you, “Don’t be discouraged by your difficulties!”
Don’t Be Distracted from Your Destination
But you may be thinking, “How may I not become discouraged by my difficulties?!” Here’s how, don’t become distracted from your destination!
Think of the psalmist as your example. He knew where he was going, and he determined where he was not staying! Don’t set up shop or put down roots in the valley. Keep pressing ahead you are on a pilgrimage! Your destination is a place where sin and death have been vanquished. Don’t forget, you’re just passing through. Point yourself and others toward heaven. Jesus said in John 16:33: “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.”
Discouragement and defeat are natural byproducts of a Christian being distracted from his destination.
- Job and all his difficulties
- Daniel in the den of lions
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace
- Jesus Christ on the cross and in the tomb
I want to share with you some spiritual counsel that has helped me and I know will help you. Psalm 84:6 says: “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.”
Here is what happens far too many who find themselves temporarily in a valley: their discouragement skyrockets and…
- They give up their class.
- They quit teaching Sunday school.
- They quit coming to church regularly.
- They stop tithing.
- They no longer hang out with Christian friends.
- They quit the choir.
- They let their guard down and their discipline drop.
But only until things get better! – They say.
Have you ever tried that on your job? Why don’t you call your boss and say, “I’m a little down today. I‘ll come in when I feel better.”
I’m sure your boss will say, “Well, God bless you. We’ll call the prayer chain.”
That’s not going to happen. Try that with raising your children.
“I don’t feel like taking care of my baby today. Hopefully, I’ll feel more like it in a week or two.”
You would never do that with your job or with your kids, but it often happens with the things of God. Christian, the things of God are too important to be treat like that.
Now here is that counsel that I promised. When you don’t know what to do, the best thing to do is to keep doing what you know to do!
- Keep reading your Bible.
- Keep getting on your knees in prayer.
- Keep being a positive witness for Jesus Christ.
- Keep going, and being active in, your church.
- Keep on loving God’s people.
- Keep doing all the things that you know you need to do!
Dependence on God
How is your appetite? Are you devoted to God? Is your direction towards God? Finally, is your dependence on God? The only way you can dig that well in the valley of Baca is through reliance on the Lord. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.”
God’s might and power is ample and it never abates. God’s grace will always prove sufficient to preserve you. Troubles will come; temptations will come, but do not be overwhelmed by them because you are kept by the power of God through faith in His Son. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
It gives me goose bumps to realize that the promise God made to Abram (Genesis 15:1) is the same promise that He makes to me! “Fear not, Travis: I am your shield and great reward!”
If that doesn’t get you hungry, you need to get checked out!
“O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
Do you trust God? Do you trust Him not only with the great decisions and big events, but with the little things as well? Do you trust Him with the things you speak to others about, and the things that you speak to no one about? Do you trust Him with your marriage, your child, your boyfriend, your career, your schooling, your business, and your life? Or do you live by the dictates of a panic-stricken world, caught in a frenzied scramble to feed its appetite with every empty thing in sight?
Do sheep get frenzied? Sheep simply listen to the Shepherd’s voice. They know the sound and are prepared to follow Him down any dusty trail. They know He will lead them to green fields and protect them from wolves.
Our Shepherd calls each of us by name. He leads us onward, not withholding any good thing from us, knowing exactly what is best for us. I am prepared to trust that kind of Shepherd. Are you? How’s your appetite?
Pleasing God with Our Grief
From the tone of this and the second letter to the Thessalonians, it would appear that at least some of them if not most of them, assumed that they would personally witness the Lord’s Return. Armed with that conviction, the members of this church were troubled by the deaths of their fellow believers. What of them? Paul devotes the rest of this chapter, much of the next, and nearly half of the second letter addressing that issue, but this single verse (v. 13) enables us to understand how we might please God with our grief. Christians grieve too, you know, and how are we able to please our sovereign Lord when our hearts are broken?
This single verse contains a distinction between the “brothers” and the “others”; an instruction to correct ignorance, and an application for believers to affect.
The Distinction Contained
The distinction this verse contains is between the brothers and the others. “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren”. This is the familiar word that peppers this letter. The Greek word is “adelphos” and it is used 19 times in all. The word does not denote only the men of the congregation, but should be understood as “brothers and sisters”. While this word could be used to refer to a biological brother, it is overwhelmingly used in the NT to refer to those who are brothers and sisters in Christ, and even more specifically, to the members of a particular, local congregation. This is a designation for those people who have been transformed by the grace of God, the work of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The “brethren” are the children of God (Galatians 3:26). We are not all of us in this world “children of God”; the children of God are those who by repentance and faith in Christ have been redeemed.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” (1 John 3:1; cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 9b-10; 2:10; 3:8).
Obviously, the “brethren” are the saved, and in particular, this designation refers to this local congregation. But who are the “others”? One thing is for sure, the “others” are not a mysterious group of people who populate an even more mysterious island in the Pacific!
The “others” are those who are without Christ, and consequently, they are without hope. That is what Paul said in his letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:12). This is what it means to be without Christ; it means to be without hope. If you are reading this and you are without Christ; if you have not come to Christ in repentance and faith, trusting in Him as your Savior and Lord, then this verse describes you. The issue is not religion, because the person without Christ may be very religious. The issue is not heritage, because the person without Christ may have a wonderful Christian legacy. The issue is not morality, because the person without Christ may be extremely moral.
The issue is none of those things. The issue is this: the person who is without Christ is without hope! And he or she will remain in that hopeless condition until one is, as Ephesians 2:13 says, “made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
This is no superficial distinction! This distinction is foundational; it is the difference between “brethren” and “others”; between faith and unbelief; between life and death; between hope and hopelessness; between a foundation of solid rock and a foundation of shifting sand; between the narrow and the broad way; between light and darkness. There is no middle ground! You are either in Christ and one of the “brethren”, or you are one of the ‘others”; without Christ and without hope.
Lest any of us who have been redeemed become puffed up, let us remember the words of Paul to Titus:
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:3-5).
Believer, I hope that this truth stirs your heart. May we never become so familiar with our redemption that we take it for granted, and may we never tire of proclaiming this good news of grace and mercy to “others”.
The Instruction Conveyed
Paul wanted to instruct this church and us thereby, concerning not only the matter of Christ’s Return but also the issues of death and grief. He said, “I would not have you to be ignorant.” Do not think that Paul was ridiculing this congregation, nor was he belittling them. He was informing them about these important and practical subjects. There is a difference between stupidity – lacking intelligence – and ignorance – lacking information. Paul was educating them, and us, about death, grief, and the Second Coming. This is something Paul did throughout his ministry, and it is the calling of all pastors-teachers; namely to “read in the book…of God distinctly, and {give} the sense, and {cause} them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8; cf. Ezra 7:10; Romans 1:13; 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1).
Many of our problems, Christian or otherwise, are related to ignorance. Ignorance may be bliss in some instances, but in many ways ignorance is rarely ever bliss. With Biblical and church issues ignorance leads to misunderstandings which leads to confusion which leads to disruption which leads to chaos, and all of these lead to no where good. The Lord said through the prophet Hosea, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6).
As opposed to ignorance, knowledge is described as one key to blessing (Colossians 1:10). And the believer is expected and commanded to “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
That is why you should study the Bible in an expositional manner; so that you may better understand and be strengthened and instructed by God’s Word. So that when you are buffeted by temptation to impurity you can run to 1 Thessalonians 4:3. So that in your daily routines you may know that God wants you to lead a quiet life, minding your own business, working with your own hands so that you may be a gospel witness to “others” and financially dependent on no one. So that when death or loss visits you, you may know how to grieve in such a way that honors and glorifies your God before men.
Paul does not want us ignorant “concerning them which are asleep.” In the Bible, especially the NT, “sleep” is a common term used to describe death, but this is also true of extra-Biblical sources. The Greek word translated sleep is koimaō, from which comes the English word “cemetery” (koimeterion in the Greek – Webster’s II New College Dictionary).
In this passage (1 Thessalonians 13-15) the death of the Christian (“which sleep in Jesus”) is compared to sleep, but we must understand that this idea of sleep only applies to the body never the soul. The teaching of “soul sleep” – the idea that the souls of the dead are in a state of unconscious existence awaiting the resurrection – has no Biblical basis. Paul said that for a Christian to be absent from the body was to be present with the Lord, and he also said “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain…to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21, 23). Paul would not have regarded death as gain unless he understood it to mean a closer, richer, fuller experience in the very presence of his Lord.
The primary emphasis of this word sleep, concerning the believer, is to describe the temporary nature of death. At the moment of the Christian’s death his soul departs his body (Genesis 35:18) and goes to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). At the resurrection of the dead in Christ (the Rapture), the body is raised incorruptible and reunited with the soul (1 Corinthians 15:42). Those who are still alive will be instantly changed from mortal to immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
Here is the point; death is the end of life here, but it is the beginning of a conscious eternity. Christ clearly taught that after death there would be an immediate awareness of either pain or joy; (Luke 16:19-31) “And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (vv. 22-23).
When you die you will immediately know that it is either good or bad; heaven or hell; present with Jesus or apart from Jesus. The good news is that you do not have to wait until you die to find out which it is!
Paul instructed them concerning death and he instructed them concerning their grief over those who had died: “That ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” No where is it taught that the believer is to be free from grief. The notion that a Christian is to always wear a smile and only cry “tears of joy” is un-Biblical. It is perfectly right and natural for a believer to grieve and mourn; for a believer to feel the pangs of loss is not a weakness. That grief, however, should be informed by our knowledge of God which only comes from the Word of God. A Christian’s grief is to be distinguishable from a non-believer’s grief.
For the unbeliever death is an awful, terrifying, permanent severing of relationships with no hope of reunion. Death is the great unknown, the unwanted inevitability of life; if you’re an unbeliever. And it is often covered with small talk and/or silly talk – “He’s looking down on us right now.” or “He’s here with us as we speak.” For the unbeliever the loss of loved ones is layered in depression and despondency and covered with hopelessness.
In contrast, believers do not experience the hopeless grief of non-believers. There is still genuine grief and not a little pain, but it is not the grief and pain of unbelief because we know from the Bible that there will be a “gathering together {of all believers} unto Him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1). We do not pretend that death does not bring loss and tears. We “sorrow”, but not “as others which have no hope.”
The Application Commanded
The application is three-fold: the issues of belief vs. unbelief; knowledge vs. ignorance, and God-honoring grief vs. pagan hopelessness.
Belief vs. Unbelief
Where do you stand in relation to the distinction between faith and unbelief? Are you in Christ or without Him? Only you can answer this question. Your spouse, parents, religious traditions or feelings, none of them can answer that question. You are either “dead in your trespasses and sins” or “by grace ye are saved.”
Knowledge vs. Ignorance
How are you handling the scriptures? If the answer is “Not very well” then how long do you plan on living as a relatively ignorant Christian? Believer, you need to be a student of the Book! You must know the Word of the Lord if you are to please the Lord of the Word. Do not be a clueless Christian wandering about always hoping that someone else will have the answer. There are many things in this life about which we may be ignorant; God’s Word is not one of them.
Good Grief vs. Bad Grief
How do you approach grief? Christian counselor Jay Adams defines grief as the following:
“A life shaking sorrow over loss. Grief tears life to shreds; it shakes one from the top to the bottom. It pulls him loose; he comes apart at the seams. Grief is truly nothing less than a life-shattering loss.”
Life brings losses, and when we lose we grieve, and if we do not properly handle grief we’ll be enslaved by it. And this experience of grief is not restricted to the loss of a loved one, because loss can be experienced on a variety of levels and over a range of issues (the loss of a job, relationship, etc).
The apostle Paul did not condemn grief; he understood it. He was confidently able to say that death was gain and that it was more desirable to be with Christ. But he also said about Epaphroditus: “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow” (Ph. 2:27).
Christians are not to employ some phony, glossy, heartless triumphalism. We may face our own death with triumphant assurance of an eternity with Christ, but that does not dispel the pang of loss in this life. It is appropriate that we celebrate the reality of Christ’s victory over death, but through our bereavement, what distinguishes us from “others” is the hope that is grounded in the resurrected Christ and the certainty of His coming again.
Pleasing God with Our Love
In his commentary on this letter, John MacArthur describes Christianity as “a shoe-leather faith.” Why doe he describe it that way? The reason is because our faith is to be practiced and demonstrated before a watching world in practical, everyday activities; from the ordinary, boring, routines of your life to the big, public, and not-so-routine moments. And the hallmark characteristic of Christianity is L – O – V – E! That only stands to reason because the OT teaches, the Lord affirmed, and the NT shows that love is to be the primary mark of identification for God’s people and the Lord’s churches.
In answering the question of what was the greatest commandment; the Lord answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all the soul, and with all thy mind”… but He didn’t stop there, he continued by saying, “And the second is like unto it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’” (Matthew 22:37-38; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18). Love is the evidence of genuine faith. The NT is full of passages that hammer – albeit with a velvet hammer – that truth home: John 13:34-35; John 15:11-12; 1 John 3:14; 1 John 4:7-21.
Love is the feature that should distinguish the believer from the nonbeliever, and the church from any other assembly. With that in mind we will consider three things from today’s text: the foundation of love; the expression of love, and the impact of love.
The Foundation of Love – 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
This was a loving church. Paul had already commended the congregation for their “Labor of love”. He was thankful to hear Timothy bring “good tidings of {their} faith and love.” Paul prayed for this church to increase and abound in love for one another and for the lost world. This church did indeed love.
Why did this church love? How did they love? The foundation of their love was, and the foundation of our love is, the Lord God. As the text read, “For ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another” (v. 9b). The preceding verse reminds us that as believers we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit; that reference taken together with “taught of God” reveals that the foundation of Christian love is the Lord; an activity of God within the heart. This love was not innate to the Thessalonians, and is definitely not innate to us.
It is a characteristic of the new nature one possess as a child of God. When you are converted to Christ you are “born again”. You are a new creation. As a new creation in Christ you receive His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). The indwelling Spirit of God is the believer’s guide in understanding and applying the truths of God’s Word; as these Scripture’s attest: John 14:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10; Romans 5:3-5.
The foundation of love is God, because God is love. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10; cf. John 3:14-21). This love is not superficial, emotional, or sentimental. And it’s not simply a duty or a commandment. Instead, love is the very foundation of our experience as Christians. Salvation is possible because God loves you. We are able to love God because He first loved us, and as the redeemed (redeemed meaning purchased – purchased by the shed blood of Jesus) we are to love one another.
In the context of a local church we are to love one another; that would seem obvious, but it is very often not exemplified. The love is not to be restricted only to your local church, however; Paul praised the Thessalonians for their love of their sister Macedonian churches (1 Thessalonians 4:10). Our love shouldn’t stop there. We should love our fellow believers, even those who have different convictions about various points of doctrine. You may not feel comfortable joining their church and vice versa, but we still serve the same great God. We should have and display love for one another. But our love for others must not be limited to our fellow church members, sister-churches, and fellow believers. We must love the lost; taking the name of Jesus with us so that we may win them to Christ.
The Holy Spirit is the foundation of our love and v. 11 describes the expression of our love.
The Expression of Love – 1 Thessalonians 4:11
The Thessalonians weren’t perfect, an even though there was much about this church to commend, there were also some areas that needed to be addressed. This verse addresses three types of negative church member behavior: fanatics, busybodies, and loafers.
Lead a Quiet Life – “study to be quiet”
The first expression of love addresses the first negative behavior: “study to be quiet” is the antidote for fanaticism. Evidently there were some Thessalonians who had become obsessed with the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:2). They were so zealously preoccupied with Christ’s return that they neglected their daily responsibilities.
“Why bother?” They must have thought.
“Christ’s coming again at any moment so let’s just stop everything, and wait for the show!”
All Christians should eagerly await the return of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7; Revelation 22:20), but not to the point of fanaticism. We have not been left here to stand around, looking up in the sky, and speaking only about eschatology.
As Christians we are to be bold and urgent in our witness because we know that Christ’s return is imminent, but we are not to lead loves of frenetic, noisy agitation. In v. 11 Paul used two verb forms that appear contradictory. Study means “to be zealous; ambitious” and “to be quiet” means “to be silent; at rest and tranquil”. You could paraphrase it this way: “Make it your ambition to have no ambition”. It is an oxymoron, instructing us, not to lack initiative, but not to overemphasize certain points of doctrine.
I know people like that; where every conversation will be peppered with some reference to their preoccupation: the translation issue, the timing of the Rapture, reformed theology, the spiritual gifts, the degrees of separation, etc. Many churches have this preoccupation and it is evident just by reading their letterhead or viewing their church sign. Here again is another quote from MacArthur’s commentary:
“In anticipation of the Lord’s return, believers are to lead peaceful lives, free of conflict and hostility towards others, which is a witness to the transforming power of the Gospel.”
This is a word to the church busybodies; those who want always to poke their nose into everyone else’s business. This is an apostolic injunction to the church in Thessalonica, and to every church, for believers to concentrate on their own lives, take care of their own business, and not meddle in the affairs of others. We must understand that there exists a colossal difference between putting others first – Philippians 2:4, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” – and the nosy person’s compulsive itch to know everyone else’s affairs.
This could be classified as the “What about him” syndrome which so affected the apostle Peter in John 21:19b-22,
“And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me…Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”
Work with Your Hands – “work with your own hands”
How are the loafers in the congregation supposed to express the love of God and for God? They were to work with their own hands instead of being lazy. You should note that manual labor was viewed as degrading by much of Greek culture, but Paul said that those who wouldn’t work shouldn’t eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). Of course, this is referring to those who could work but just would not work. Paul was not ashamed to work. In fact, his working as a tent-maker in order to financially support himself and his colleagues was probably attacked by his opponents in Corinth; arguing that a real teacher would not be supported instead of doing manual labor to support himself. But Paul operated in that manner so as not to drain the resources of the young churches he had planted (1 Thessalonians 2:9; cf. Acts 18:3; 1 Corinthians 4:12). Work is a noble task to which all Christians should be engaged for their own support and the glory of God.
The Impact of Love – 1 Thessalonians 4:12
Christians are to lead quiet lives, mind their own business, and be hard workers, but do not view these things as ends in themselves. Don’t read these verses like, “Great, I like the sound of a quiet life and minding my own business!” The underlying emphasis behind this entire section – sexual purity and brotherly love (expressed as quiet living, non-obtrusive, and hard working) – is so that you may win the respect of outsiders, and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. Part of a Christian’s basic mission is to live a life that commends the Gospel to others. My good behavior is not for my glory but for God’s glory and for the sake of the Gospel.
The purpose for this exhortation is evangelism, as well as financial independence (and independence does not mean “everything that I’ve ever wanted”; it means food, clothes, and shelter). The integrity of their lives was critical to their evangelism. Their display of brotherly love via their sexual purity, their quiet lives, their respect for the privacy of others, and their diligent work ethic was a powerful testimony to unbelievers and it made the Gospel credible. What was true in 1st century Greece is true today in 21st century America.
There is a little ditty that says, “You’re writing a Gospel; a chapter a day; by the deeds that you do and the words that you say. Men will read what you write; distorted or true. So what is the Gospel according to you?”
The world was watching the church in Thessalonica. The world is watching your life and your church. They do not appreciate our grasp of Biblical doctrine. They have no clue, and they care not about our “doctrinal distinctiveness”, but they are able to recognize transformed lives. They are able to evaluate us as we love one another, and they are able to experience love as we show it to them. Believer, let us not only proclaim the Gospel with our lips, but may we adorn our lives with the Gospel.
Ask yourself:
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Will my actions please God? Christian morality is not primarily rules and regulations but relationships. The more we know and love God, the more we will want to please Him.
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How will my actions allow me to serve others? Pray for the desire to please God over the desire to please self. Pray that your love for others will displace your love for self.
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