Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20020505.htm

1 THESSALONIANS: STRENGTHENING CHRISTIANS
Part II: A Layman's Self-Protective Guide To God-Led Leaders
(1 Thessalonians 1:8-2:20)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

The credibility of many religious leaders who are supposed to be heralds of God's truth is unraveling, making it harder for "laymen" to know whose words to heed so they can relate to GOD well:

(1) The April 20, 2002 issue of World Magazine, p. 7 reports Dr. James Dobson has taken the International Bible Society to task for its apparently deceptive efforts to produce a gender neutral Bible, the Today's New International Version. The IBS had agreed as late as April 18, 2001 to honor its initial 1997 decision to avoid publishing such a Bible, so Dr. Dobson's concern over the IBS failure to hold to that 1997 pledge led him to write to the IBS and state: "Disagreement over the finer points of Bible translation is one thing; the preservation of integrity is quite another . . .'" (Ibid.)

(2) This last April, Pope John Paul II called a special meeting of American Cardinals to discuss the troubling sex scandal among American Roman Catholic priests. The failure of Boston's Cardinal Law to remove a known pedophile from the priesthood under his oversight, and the failure of other Catholic overseers to protect flocks from known abusers in various jurisdictions who serve as priests has led to a crisis harming the trust some place in their Church leaders!

(3) Chuck Colson's Christianity Today column recently reported on our "Post-Truth Society,'" and criticized historian Stephen Ambrose, saying he "plagiarized portions of other historians' works and -- notwithstanding his public apology -- seemed hardly disturbed by the resulting controversy.'" (World Magazine, 4/13/02, p. 7)

Well, the Los Angeles Times in turn critiqued Chuck Colson, noting this very article criticizing Ambrose was written by a ghost writer, Anne Morse whom Colson had not credited! The Times innuendo was clear: how could Mr. Colson let Mr. Ambrose's plagiary be critiqued in his column when he himself used a ghost writer to do so without crediting her with it? (World Magazine, 4/13/02, p. 7)

Thus, World Magazine editor, Marvin Olasky urged Christian writers to credit ghost writers to guard their testimony. (Ibid., p. 38)

In view of the rising DOUBTS on the credibility of RELIGIOUS leaders, HOW may a LAYMAN know WHOM to HEED as he seeks to discern God's important TRUTHS?

(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )

Need: "With the credibility of religious leaders coming under fire today, HOW can I, the man in the PEW, discern WHICH leaders are GOD-LED?! As your answer can affect what I believe and how I relate to GOD, HOW can I tell YOU, Pastor Shell, are GOD-LED?!"
  1. When Paul wrote First Thessalonians, he knew his readers, NEW converts to Christianity, stood to be DISILLUSIONED about the Christian faith due to great TRIALS they faced FOR their faith:
    1. Acts 17:1-9 reports when Paul preached of Christ at Thessalonica, Hebrew enemies of the faith caused a stir against his new converts.
    2. Paul left town for Berea, and was chased even from there to Athens by enemies who had opposed him at Thessalonica, Acts 17:10-15.
  2. Paul next sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how these NEW converts fared, and found them dedicated to Christ, 1 Thess. 3:1-8!
  3. Relieved, Paul wrote to edify these NEW converts, giving the FOLLOWING evidences VERIFYING that HE was GOD-LED:
    1. Secondary opinions of credible believers VERIFIED Paul's work with the Thessalonians was BY GOD'S POWER, 1 Thess. 1:8-9.
    2. Paul's new converts themselves had seen a change in their lives from sin to righteousness, a sign Paul's ministry was GOD-LED, 1:9-2:1.
    3. From viewing PAUL'S acts and attitudes, the "fruit" PAUL thus exhibited evidenced he was GOD-LED and GOD EMPOWERED:
      1. Jesus claimed His followers could discern true from false prophets by their "fruit," or what they produced in their lives, Mtt. 7:15-20.
      2. Studying Paul's description of his own ministry to the disciples in 1 Thessalonians 2:2-20, we have much "fruit" for discerning his truly GOD-LED, GOD EMPOWERED ministry (as follows):
        1. Paul was uncharacteristically BOLD in the faith though being habitually badly treated for his stands, 1 Thessalonians 2:2.
        2. Paul's response to apparent charges of ministering an errant Gospel, that he was encouraging immorality and using dishonest methods in ministry (cf. Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, ftn. to 1 Thess. 2:3) was that (1) he used UNFLATTERING WORDS [2:5a] (2) in an ungreedy way [2:5b], (3) that he did NOT seek man's PRAISE [2:6], (4) that he was gentle [2:7] and (5) selfless with his converts [2:8], (6) laboring to avoid being a financial burden to them [2:9], 1 Thessalonians 2:3-9.
        3. Opposite a false teacher's emphasis on self-centered welfare in the present life, Paul clarified by his example and words he aimed to get his disciples as "dear children" to please GOD in living in readiness for God's eternal reign, 1 Thess. 2:10-12.
        4. Opposite a false teacher's results, Paul's disciples CHANGED by heeding his words, signifying his words were the Word of GOD that effectually discipled them, 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
        5. Opposite a false teacher's results, Paul's disciples stood up to persecution from fellow countrymen for their faith, 2:14.
        6. Akin to the experiences of other credible believers, Paul's Thessalonian converts suffered by Judaistic persecutors as had suffered the Old Testament prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and Paul's evangelistic team, 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16.
        7. Paul, unlike a false teacher's experience, Paul saw SATAN repeatedly hinder his making contact with his converts so as to shut off Paul's ministry to them, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18.
        8. Unlike many false teachers who would have ceased discipling due to such trials as there was so little selfish gain in it, Paul still joyed at the conversion of these converts amidst his MUCH sufferings in his work among them, 1 Thess. 2:19-20.
Lesson Application: (1) As a man in the pew, we can verify if a religious leader is GOD-LED for our OWN protection as follows: (a) The work of God's servant is approved via SECOND opinion of OTHER CREDIBLE believers. (b) He leaves a TRAIL of lives CHANGED for the BETTER. (c) He is uncharacteristically BOLD in ministry though facing habitual mistreatment for it. (d) He reacts to verbal attacks against his character with ((1)) unflattering words, ((2)) ungreedy acts, ((3)) without trying to be politically correct, ((4)) with seeking not be a financial burden to his disciples, ((5)) with pointing disciples to their accountability to God rather than living for this present life, ((6)) with having his WORDS impact his disciples' LIVES, meaning he speaks God's truth and ((7)) with his followers' independent of him standing for the truth in trials. (e) God-led men and their disciples identify with the persecutions of Old Testament prophets, Jesus and the Apostles, and (f) repeatedly see Satan try to BLOCK their efforts. (g) God's servant is JOYFUL of his disciples' growth in spite of his HIGH COST to help them! (2) We thus discern WHICH leaders are God-led to (3) HEED God's Word taught (4) for our welfare in Christ!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 Unlike some other notable ministers, I do NOT ask those in the pew to walk to the front of the Church to be saved in an "altar call." Rather, I ask people to trust in Christ as they remain seated in the pew.

Well, if other notable ministers use the "altar call" for the critically important work of leading people to escape hell and gain heaven, some may wonder how I can be God-led while NOT using it!

Well, my view on this issue comes from applying this sermon:

(1) Dr. Lewis Sperry Chafer, the founder of Dallas Theological Seminary and (2) affiliate of the Bible notes author, Dr. C. I. Schofield, in 1911 authored a book entitled True Evangelism. On pages 12-13, I read Chafer wrote that since salvation is by faith alone, the lost might think he has to walk forward in a meeting to be saved versus trusting Christ ALONE as Ephesians 2:8-9 says. Chafer thus urged only if an "altar call" is presented as not necessary for salvation could it be used!

Then, (3) I see the Foreword to Chafer's book was written by a Mr. Henry Varley, (4) the man who told Dwight L. Moody the words, " . . . the world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to Him." (Moody Monthly, Dec. 1902) (5) These words led to Moody's dedication and great 1873 evangelistic Crusade. (Ibid.)

In that Foreword (Ibid., Chafer, p. vi), Mr. Henry Varley wrote (6) he long before had talked with the great Baptist pastor, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, on what the soul-winner's role was in reaching the lost. Mr. Varley implied Spurgeon agreed with him when said the glory of saving men belongs only to God as the soul-winners merely "fellowship in the compassionate love and sufferings of Christ . . ."

This same Mr. Varley also wrote in that Foreword these words about Chafer's words: (7) "Your searching words in relation to certain phases of modern evangelism, both as to men and methods, should cause deep searching of heart; nor must we fail to point out what poor soul-winners' at best we all are. Our cry must be: O Lord, be with us, and help us, for without Thee we can do nothing.'" (Ibid., p. vi-vii)