Yeah, thanks.
Our reading today is 1 Thessalonians 2, verses 1-7.
It's page 1186 in the Red Church Bible.
You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results.
We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know,
but with the help of our God, we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.
For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,
nor are we trying to trick you.
On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.
We are not trying to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.
You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed.
God is our witness.
We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else,
even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
Instead, we were like young children among you.
Thank you very much, Louise.
Let's keep our Bibles open there.
I'm just waiting on some water.
I wasn't prepared, so we'll wait for that or I'll be pausing and getting stuck.
So just a reminder, we've been looking at this letter of Thessalonians,
perhaps one of the first letters that Paul has written to a church in Thessalonica in Greece.
And we've covered the first few sessions together.
And if you've missed any of them, please have a look on our website.
All the talks are recorded there for you to follow up.
Thank you very much.
Thanks.
Well, let's pray together and ask for the Lord's help as we look at his word.
Father, thank you that you have given to us all that we need
as we live for you and serve one another.
Thank you for this letter written centuries ago,
recorded for us today in our time,
so that we may be encouraged and built up in our faith
and helping us to live and be the kind of church you call us to be.
Please help us by the power of your spirit.
Amen.
Well, on a trip overseas quite a while ago,
I was exploring one of the local markets
in order to get some gifts to bring home.
And on one of the stands,
a very enthusiastic man insisted
that I buy a bottle of his aftershave.
So we haggled and so on,
and eventually we agreed on a good price.
And when I got home,
I took off the silky wrapping,
opened up the beautiful gift box.
Pssh, pssh.
It was a counterfeit.
It was just water in a bottle.
No scent whatsoever.
I had been tricked,
taken for a ride.
Now, when we pull back the wrapping of the church,
when we get to the very heart and centre of the church,
what do we find?
Are we authentic?
Or are we counterfeit?
Is our message that we proclaim
in the ministries that we're involved in,
are they real?
Or are they fake?
But when the apostle Paul arrived in Thessalonica
to preach the gospel,
he encountered strong opposition.
And in fear of their lives,
for the mob that were after them,
they escaped to the next town
round the corner to Berea.
But when the dust had settled,
it seems that some of the new believers
had begun to question Paul's motive.
If his message was authentic,
and if his ministry was genuine,
well, then he would have never left us.
It seems he just arrived into town
wanting to make a quick buck,
and as soon as troubles came,
well, Paul and his buddies headed for the hills.
So in part, Paul writes to defend himself,
and as he does,
he shows us today
what an authentic church is like.
What our message and ministry is.
That it must be true,
and it must be clear.
So two big ideas we're going to look at this morning.
Here's our first one,
our message entrusted with the gospel.
Look at verse 4.
On the contrary,
so despite what you think of me
running away and leaving you on your own,
on the contrary, he says,
we speak as those approved by God
to be entrusted with the gospel.
Now we need to know
what we have been entrusted with.
So a few things.
First, we've been entrusted with the gospel.
The gospel is what we've been singing
and celebrating about this morning.
The good news about Jesus Christ
God's chosen king
who's come to rescue us from our sins
and to establish his loving rule
in our lives.
It's all about a person,
the person of Jesus,
who dies for you and me,
taking the blame for our rebellion
and who rises again from the dead,
defeating death,
giving us life and life eternal.
This is good news
because it's not something that we do for ourselves,
but it's all done by God for us.
And in response,
we turn from ourself
and we put our trust in Christ.
this is the wonderful,
beautiful gospel.
But this gospel that we have
is God's.
It's not a made-up message by Paul and his team.
Have a look at the end of verse 2.
But with the help of our God,
we dare to tell you
his gospel,
the gospel of God.
End of verse 8.
We were delighted to share with you
not only the gospel of God,
but our lives as well.
Or look at the end of verse 9.
We worked night and day
in order not to be burdened to anyone
while we preached the gospel of God to you.
You see,
it's not just an idea
or a philosophy
invented by any person
or by any church.
We don't just kind of sit around and say,
let's come up with a message to tell.
No,
this has been revealed
by God.
Verse 13.
We also thank God continually
because when you received
the word of God
which you heard from us,
you accepted it
not as a human word,
but as it actually is,
the word of God.
This wonderful message
is the very word from God
to restore broken lives
and restore and renew
this disordered world.
And it is this gospel
that has been entrusted.
You see,
the apostle Paul
was just like us.
Sometimes we kind of set him
high and above everybody else.
Well,
he needed the gospel too.
He needed to trust Jesus
for forgiveness of his sin.
But he did have a special
and unique calling.
That's what we read
in verse 4.
He says,
we speak as those
approved by God
to be entrusted
with the gospel.
Now,
to help us understand
this unique calling,
have a flick forward
to 2 Timothy.
So you get to
2 Thessalonians,
1 Timothy,
and then 2 Timothy.
chapter 1.
2 Timothy,
chapter 1.
Paul is now writing
to young Timothy,
who's pastor of a church,
and we're going to pick it up
in verse 11.
So Paul is speaking,
he says,
and of this gospel,
I was appointed a herald,
so somebody who announces good news,
an apostle,
one who has been sent by God,
and a teacher.
So he was uniquely set apart
to announce
and teach the gospel.
He was given a special authority.
His words,
and his words that have been
written down for us,
are to be considered
the very word of God.
So he can say,
verse 13,
what you heard from me,
keep us a pattern
of sound teaching.
Now nobody else
could say that.
I can't stand up
before you today
and say,
you know,
what you hear from me,
keep us a pattern
of sound teaching.
I mean,
the words of Johnny Grant.
No,
these are the words
of God
given to Paul.
What you heard from me,
keep us a pattern
of sound teaching
with faith,
in love,
in Christ Jesus.
Guard
the good deposit.
What is the good deposit?
The gospel,
the good news.
That was entrusted
to you.
Guard it
with the help
of the Holy Spirit
who lives
in us.
You see,
this same gospel message
that Paul had received.
He has now
taught to Timothy
and Timothy
must now
guard
what has been
entrusted to him.
Now how do you
guard the gospel?
Well,
look at chapter 2,
verse 1.
You then,
my son,
be strong
in the grace
that is in Christ Jesus
and the things
you have heard me say,
so that same phrase again,
the things you have heard me say
in the presence
of many witnesses,
entrust
to reliable people
who will also
be qualified
to teach others.
You guard it
by passing it on
to the next generation.
And that's what
has happened
over the years
and over the centuries.
The gospel
entrusted to Paul,
uniquely given to him,
has been written down
for us
and has been entrusted
to the church
today.
we don't put
our own spin
on it,
we don't alter it,
we guard it.
And we guard it
by declaring
to believers
and unbelievers
the truth.
Because all of us,
all of the time,
need the gospel
of God.
Let's go back
to Thessalonians.
So imagine with me
for a moment
that a cure
for cancer
has been invented.
It's a simple pill
that when taken
kills any
and all
cancerous cells.
Now imagine
that you've been
given the task
of guarding it.
Well,
it would be foolish,
wouldn't it,
to put it under
lock and key
and then throw
the key away?
No,
you want that
cure released
to make sure
it actually gets
into the hands
of the very people
who need it.
Likewise,
wouldn't it be
very foolish
if you were to
add your own
ingredients to that
in the hope
of somehow
making it better?
No,
you would ensure
that it is not
altered
in any way
so that it
remains effective.
Well,
we've been
entrusted
with the gospel,
a cure
for sinful,
broken,
rebellious humanity.
It is God's
kind,
gracious,
and loving
response
to our
sin-wrecked
lives.
A message
with a promise
of forgiveness,
the transformation
of our life,
and the hope
of eternal life
to come.
that's what's
been entrusted
to us.
Or imagine
you're the
guardian of the
Louvre Art Gallery
in Paris.
Your task
is to bring
the Mona Lisa
on tour
to all the
capital cities
of the world.
Every city
that you enter,
you put up
the picture
on display.
Now,
wouldn't it be
very foolish
of us
to get out
your brush
and think,
this needs
a little bit
of updating
here.
I think
I could
do a better
job.
Maybe put
a few
earrings on
or a
moustache
or,
well,
you know,
whatever you
like.
And it would
be foolish,
wouldn't it,
if you just
kept a cloak
over it,
leaving it
covered.
No,
you want
it on
display
for everybody
to see,
to marvel
at its
beauty.
well,
we are
guardians
of the
most
treasured
and most
precious
gift
ever.
We are
to display
together
the beauty
and the
wonder
of who
Jesus
is,
his death
for our
sins,
his
resurrection
from the
grave.
We display
the glory
of Jesus
as we
declare
his
gospel.
Carigaline
Baptist
Church,
we have
been
entrusted
with the
gospel of
God.
This is
our time.
This is
our generation.
It is
the means
of salvation
for the
world.
It is
the very
hope
for this
town of
Carigaline.
It brings
peace in
our fears,
comfort
in our
suffering,
the assurance
of life
in the
face of
death.
It is
the cure
for troubled
souls.
Declaring
the gospel
together
puts the
beauty of
Christ on
display,
who softens
hard hearts,
who opens
up minds
to those
who do
not believe.
We have
been entrusted
with the
glorious
gospel,
it is
our
time.
It is
our
generation.
So,
our
message,
entrusted
with the
gospel.
Second,
our
ministry.
You see,
if we've been
entrusted with
the gospel,
our ministries
must be
faithful to
the gospel.
faithful.
In
second,
in
1st
Thessalonians
chapter 2,
what we've
just read,
we're going
to see
three marks
of what it
means to
be faithful.
Here's the
first one.
That we
would be
willing to
suffer,
not twist
the truth.
Willing to
suffer,
not twist
the truth.
Look at
verse 2.
We had
previously
suffered and
been treated
outrageously in
Philippi,
as you know.
So,
before they
got to
Thessalonica,
Paul and
his team
were in
the city
of Philippi.
And there
they shared
the gospel
openly,
but it
came at
a cost.
Here's
what Acts
tells us
happened to
them in
that city.
The
magistrates
ordered them
to be
stripped
and beaten
with rods.
And after
they'd been
severely
flogged,
they were
thrown into
prison.
Now,
you would
think,
if that
had happened,
Paul would
just go on
to the next
town and
be quiet.
But no,
it doesn't
stop them,
does it?
Look at the
rest of
verse 2.
But with
the help
of our
God,
we dared
to tell
you his
gospel
in the
face of
strong
opposition.
For the
appeal we
make does
not spring
from error
or impure
motives,
nor are
we trying
to trick
you.
Our
message was
true.
Our
motivation
was pure.
Our
witness
was honest.
Why would
we go
through all
that suffering
if the
gospel we
were bringing
was all
made up
and just
taking you
for a ride?
No,
the very
reason we
suffered,
was because
they were
faithful to
the gospel.
Now,
none of us
likes to
suffer.
We might
be beaten
with rods,
but we
don't like
to be
kind of
rejected
and pushed
aside because
of what we
believe and
what we
think.
So the
way to
avoid
suffering,
if you
want to
avoid
suffering,
is to
design your
own
gospel.
Come
up with
your
own
ideas.
I mean,
leave
little
bits
out.
Never
ever
talk about
repentance
and turning
to Jesus.
And
whatever
you do,
don't say
anything about
scripture
being the
authority.
You'll
upset people
and they'll
get really
annoyed with
you.
Or
alternatively,
you could
try this.
Why don't
you add
things into
it?
Tell people
that if
you follow
Jesus,
guess what?
All your
problems are
going to
disappear.
You'll
never suffer
and everything
will be
wonderful
every single
day.
And what
really works,
if you want
to get more
people to
come to
church,
tell them
it's up
to you,
you decide
what's best
for you
and how
you want
to live.
No.
That's
trickery.
That's
using
error to
increase the
numbers on
a Sunday
morning.
That's
designing
your own
gospel so
that we
avoid any
pushback.
Together we
must remain
faithful to
the gospel,
willing to
suffer and
not twist
the truth.
How about
this one?
Pleasing to
God and
not seeking
personal gain.
That's what
it is to
be faithful.
Verse 5,
on the
contrary,
we speak as
those approved
by God to
be entrusted
with the
gospel.
We're not
trying to
please people
but God
who tests
our hearts.
You know
we never
use flattery
nor did
we put on
a mask
to cover
up greed.
God is
our witness.
Now by
nature,
verse 4,
we're people
pleasers.
We're all
people pleasers.
We say and
do things so
that people
will like
us.
I know
of one
pastor in
a church
who
discovered
that his
monthly support
had been
stopped.
And he
went to
the church
and asked
a bit about
it and
they said,
well,
numbers are
down,
people aren't
very happy
with you,
and if you
want your
pay, if you
want your
support,
you're going
to have to
change
something.
And the
temptation for
him was to
begin to
please people
so that
people would
like him
and so that
he would get
his monthly
support.
It's called,
verse 5,
using flattery,
saying what
people want
you to say
and doing
the kinds
of things
people want
you to do.
Of course,
there are
others who
see ministry
as a quick
way of making
money.
They're tempted
by greed.
I've seen
it on trips
overseas.
I've watched
as a pastor
has stood
up and
he's promised
the congregation
a special
prayer for
anybody who
needed a
job,
guaranteed to
get a job,
heal your
sickness,
and to
help those
who are
struggling
with infertility.
And before
he prays,
they must
put their
envelopes,
which are
filled with
money,
into a
wooden drum.
and then
he prays.
It's called,
verse 5,
putting on
a mask
to cover
up greed.
Now,
we might
think of
these examples
as extreme,
but I think
this is how
we can all
be at times.
Instead of
pleasing God,
we want to
please people.
and the
reward when
we please
people,
we're liked.
We become
popular,
we get
recognition,
we gain
more followers
on Instagram.
It might
be financial
reward,
but we're
praised and
we're talked
about.
No,
we're to
please God.
We don't
use flattery,
we don't
put on a
mask.
Verse 4,
God is
our
witness.
It's not
what people
think or
what people
say,
but it's
asking,
will God
be honoured?
Will God
be worshipped?
Will God
be pleased
with my
service and
all that I
do?
We remain
faithful,
pleasing to
God,
not seeking
personal gain.
The third
one of
faithfulness
to the
gospel is
being gentle
to others
and not
abusing
your
authority.
Do you
see that
in verse
6?
He says
we weren't
looking for
praise from
people,
not from
you or
from anyone
else.
Even
though as
apostles of
Christ,
we could
have asserted
our
authority.
Instead,
we were
like young
children
among you.
Now,
not trying
to be
technical or
anything,
but if you
see the
little phrase
there,
young
children,
at the
bottom of
your page
in the
Bible,
you might
get a
different
translation
which says
gentle,
so that's
why I'm
saying
gentle.
Instead,
we were
gentle
among you.
Paul was
an apostle.
He'd been
given this
unique authority
from God,
so he
could write
to Timothy
and say,
what you
heard from
me,
keep as a
pattern of
sound teaching.
He had
this authority
from God,
but he
never misused
it or
abused it.
In fact,
he was
careful not
to mistreat
his position.
He was,
as it says
in verse
7,
gentle
among you.
He could
never be
accused of
being pushy
or forceful
or demanding
or domineering.
He was
considerate
and tender
and humble
and kind.
He never
used his
authority to
bash people.
He used
his authority
to serve
people.
Now,
this is
crucial for
our day
and our time
and for this
church.
And particularly
as we address
everyone,
I want the
elders to
pay attention,
myself included
as one of
them.
We've been
given an
authority,
not the
kind of
authority like
Paul,
but we've
been given
an authority
to care
for this
local church,
for the
people who
gather.
And we
care by
feeding
the people
with God's
word.
We guard
the people
by watching
out for
false
teaching.
The
authority we
have is
an authority
to serve,
not abuse.
And sadly,
many pastors,
and we hear
about it in the
news, we read
about it,
and elders who
abuse their
authority for
personal and
selfish gain.
They speak as
if everything
they say is
equal to
God's word,
that it has a
power that must
be obeyed.
well, we
don't have
that kind
of authority.
And I
say to the
church, if
you hear us
acting or
living in
that way,
step in.
Our
authority is
the scriptures,
and those
scriptures are
to be taught
in gentleness,
not being
harsh.
So,
elders,
all of us
together as
the whole
church,
we must be
faithful to
the gospel,
gentle,
not abusing
our authority.
You see,
the message
we have,
and the
ministry we
do,
when we
keep to
the gospel,
is
authentic.
And what
is authentic,
is effective.
Look at how
he starts in
verse 1,
chapter 2,
verse 1.
You know,
brothers and
sisters,
that our
visit to you
was not
without
results.
It was
effective.
He came
with the
full gospel,
and the
people that
he reached
were filled
with Christ,
because the
gospel is the
most precious
of gifts,
more valuable
than hidden
treasure,
more beautiful
than a rare
diamond.
It's
priceless,
because it
has the
power to
save.
And so
to have
Christ is
all that
we need.
For us
today as a
church,
it's as
simple as
this.
We have
been entrusted
with the
gospel,
and the
community in
which we
are in
are empty.
and as
we declare
the gospel,
so lives
are filled,
forgiveness
of sin,
freedom
from shame,
and fullness
in Christ.
This is
our time.
This is
our generation.
God has
entrusted to
us his
gospel.
Let us
continue to
encourage one
another to
remain faithful
to it,
so that many
within this
community will
trust Christ
and have the
joy of
salvation.
Let's
pray.
Our
Father God,
we thank
you for
the glorious
hope of
Jesus Christ.
Thank you
that you
entrust to
us in
our day
this
beautiful
message,
help us
as we
go into
this week
that we
would take
every
opportunity,
open doors
that we
may speak
of hope
and of
Christ.
Father,
help us
to keep
on being
faithful,
trusting
you that
you will
do your
work
through
your
people.
We say
thank you
for our
salvation
today.
In
Jesus'
name,
Amen.
Well,
we're going
to sing
together
and after
we sing,
we're going
to share
around the
Lord's
table as
we remember
his death.
let your
kingdom come,
let your
will be
done so
that
everyone
might
know
your
name.
Let
your
song
be
heard
everywhere
on
the
name.