0:05 [Music]
0:07 welcome to back to the Bible radio
0:09 featuring best-selling author an
0:11 internationally known Bible teacher
0:13 Warren where's being in Chapter one of
0:16 first Thessalonians Paul tells us what
0:18 his evangelistic ministry was like we
0:21 have Paul the Evangelist Paul the
0:24 missionary but in chapters 2 and 3 we
0:27 find Paul the pastor you know we are so
0:29 accustomed to calling Paul a missionary
0:31 that we forget he was also a missionary
0:34 pastor Paul knew it was not enough to
0:37 bring the babies into the kingdom into
0:40 the family you have to raise those
0:43 spiritual children to help them grow in
0:46 the Lord so in chapter 2 Paul tells us
0:48 how he pastored these people how he
0:51 encouraged them chapter 2 verse 1 Paul
0:53 writes for you yourselves know brethren
0:57 that our coming to you was not in vain
1:00 it's interesting to notice throughout
1:02 this letter how often Paul reminds them
1:05 of what they already knew chapter 1
1:09 verse 5 as you know what kind of men we
1:12 were among you for your sake and then
1:14 chapter 2 verse 1 that we just read and
1:18 he also repeats it in verse 2 even after
1:21 we'd suffered before as you know we were
1:26 bold in our God chapter 2 verse 5 God is
1:28 witness not only were they watching but
1:30 God was watching and right in the middle
1:33 of verse 5 we did not use flattering
1:36 words as you know and he says it again
1:40 down in verse 11 as you know why was he
1:43 doing this because after Paul left town
1:46 people started lying about him Paul had
1:48 to leave town I think they probably got
1:50 a peace bond against him and said if you
1:52 come back into town you're in trouble
1:54 now Timothy was able to go back and
1:56 Timothy was able to minister to the
1:59 people and help them but Paul had to
2:01 leave and so people were saying to these
2:03 Christians oh well that Paul what kind
2:05 of a fellow was he he came in town he
2:07 got you into trouble he took what money
2:10 he could take and away he went now Paul
2:14 is refuting that in chapter 2 he tells
2:18 them look remember what we did while we
2:19 were there
2:22 our coming to you was not in vain that
2:25 word in vain means fruitless empty no
2:29 effect failure if I had been in Philip I
2:32 with Paul they had arrested me taken
2:34 away my rights beaten me and put me in
2:37 the inner prison I don't know if I would
2:39 have gone to Thessalonica but Paul did
2:41 Paul said you know that when we came to
2:44 you our coming was not in vain it was
2:48 not an empty thing now in chapter 2 Paul
2:52 gives to us the essentials for effective
2:56 ministry so many sermons are in vain it
3:00 seems so many services are empty and
3:03 void of power so many ministries are
3:05 simply not making it to the glory of God
3:08 why well we lack some of these
3:11 essentials you'll notice in verses 1 and
3:13 2 Paul compares himself to an athlete
3:18 and in verse 2 he says but even after we
3:20 had suffered before and were spitefully
3:23 treated at Philippi as you know we were
3:25 bold in our God to speak to you the
3:27 gospel of God in much conflict now the
3:29 word conflict there gives us our word
3:32 agony there's a whole family of words in
3:35 the Greek language that are translated
3:39 in our New Testament as conflict trial
3:41 and so forth here he's talking about the
3:45 agony the word means the agony the
3:49 stress the determination of the athlete
3:52 as he is running the race he's saying in
3:56 verses 1 and 2 when we came we won you
3:59 to Christ now as good athletes we have
4:02 the kind of toughness that we need to
4:05 keep going even though the going is
4:08 tough here's the first essential for an
4:10 effective ministry we need the toughness
4:13 of an athlete I'm going to come back to
4:15 that but let me go on to the second
4:18 essential verses 3 through 6
4:21 we need the trustworthiness of a steward
4:24 notice verse 4 but as we have been
4:28 approved by God to be entrusted with the
4:30 gospel Paul said I am not only an
4:32 athlete who is running a
4:34 and I've got the toughness to stick it
4:37 out I am also a steward who has been
4:40 entrusted with the gospel and I want to
4:41 be faithful
4:44 we need the toughness of the athlete 1st
4:47 Thessalonians 2:1 and 2 we need the
4:50 trustworthiness of the steward 1st
4:54 Thessalonians 2 verses 3 through 6 don't
4:57 stop there though we need the tenderness
5:00 of the parent it's rather interesting in
5:02 verses 7 and 8 he compares himself to a
5:05 nursing mother but we were gentle among
5:09 you just as a nursing mother cherishes
5:11 her own children imagine Paul the great
5:13 Apostle Paul comparing himself to a
5:16 nursing mother then in verses 9 through
5:19 12 he compares himself to a father an
5:23 encouraging father verse 11 as you know
5:25 how we exhorted and comforted and
5:28 charged every one of you as a father
5:30 does his own children
5:34 we need the tenderness of the parent now
5:37 this is a balanced ministry the athlete
5:41 toughness the steward trustworthiness
5:46 the father and mother tenderness this is
5:50 what ministry is all about you see Paul
5:52 was the kind of a person who cared for
5:55 people Paul had time for people oh
5:57 that's difficult
5:59 I have pastored three churches and I
6:01 tell you the larger a church becomes the
6:04 more difficult it is to minister to
6:06 everybody individually you just can't do
6:08 it I don't know how some of these men
6:10 with these huge churches minister to
6:13 people by the acre but somehow they get
6:15 it done I trust what I look at verse two
6:18 now we need the toughness of the athlete
6:20 but even after we had suffered before
6:23 that's physical suffering and were
6:25 spitefully treated at Philippi that's
6:28 emotional suffering they were insulted
6:32 they were humiliated as you know we were
6:35 bold in our God to speak to you the
6:38 gospel of God in much conflict in much
6:43 agony you see a man or a woman running
6:46 on the Olympic team cannot
6:48 when I would have quit perhaps I would
6:49 have said well if they're going to
6:52 insult me and humiliate me and beat me
6:54 and put me in prison and I haven't done
6:56 a thing wrong if this is what ministry
6:58 is all about I'm through my friend
7:00 remember this it takes toughness to
7:03 serve the Lord the president Harry
7:05 Truman used to say if you can't stand
7:07 the heat get out of the kitchen and
7:10 there's a lot of truth to that in first
7:13 Timothy chapter 4 paul writes to young
7:16 Timothy and tells him how to be a tough
7:18 minister how to keep on going when the
7:21 going is tough first Timothy chapter 4
7:25 verse 7 but reject profane and old wives
7:28 fables be careful what you eat
7:30 intellectually and spiritually and
7:32 exercise yourself rather to godliness
7:37 for bodily exercise profits a little but
7:39 godliness is profitable for all things
7:42 having promise of the life that now is
7:44 and of that which is to come he says
7:46 Timothy if you ought to be a tough
7:49 athlete he you exercise we need
7:53 spiritual disciplines today without
7:55 spiritual discipline I fear we're not
7:58 going to get much done if we would put
8:01 into our ministerial work the same kind
8:04 of discipline and devotion and
8:07 determination that athletes put into
8:09 their work we would all have better
8:12 churches and we'd all be better pastors
8:14 we need the toughness of the athlete
8:17 secondly we need the trustworthiness of
8:21 the steward in verses three through six
8:24 he talks about his stewardship first he
8:27 says our exhortation our message did not
8:29 come from deceit now there's the message
8:32 or uncleanness
8:35 there's the motive nor was it in guile
8:39 there is the method a steward must be
8:43 faithful in his motives his message and
8:46 his methods I've heard people say I
8:48 don't care what methods you use as long
8:50 as you get people saved Paul didn't
8:52 believe that there are some methods that
8:55 are not worthy of the gospel our our
8:57 exhortation did not come from deceit
8:59 that means error we must
9:01 the right message he was entrusted with
9:05 the Word of God God had entrusted the
9:07 word to Paul Paul took that word to
9:09 Thessalonica the Thessalonians people
9:12 shared that word with others for from
9:15 you the word of the Lord has sounded out
9:18 in Macedonia and in akia well we need
9:20 the trustworthiness of the steward in
9:24 our message we must guard the gospel and
9:28 preach the gospel and defend the gospel
9:31 and practice the gospel but don't stop
9:34 there someone says well my message is
9:36 right well what about your motive our
9:38 exhortation did not come from deceit or
9:41 uncleanness the word uncleanness their
9:43 means motives now there are many wrong
9:46 motives look at verse 4 but as we have
9:48 been approved by God to be entrusted
9:51 with the gospel even so we speak not as
9:54 pleasing men there's a wrong motive to
9:56 preach the gospel to get a crowd to have
9:59 people follow you all the celebrities
10:02 today in the religious realm it breaks
10:04 your heart to see these people who are
10:07 building fan clubs in the name of Jesus
10:10 Christ pleasing men but we please God
10:13 who tests our hearts neither at any time
10:15 did we use flattering words you see the
10:18 right motive is to please God to glorify
10:21 God in verse 5 he said we didn't go
10:24 after money a cloak for covetousness
10:27 verse 6 we didn't go after praise nor
10:30 did we seek glory from men what is the
10:32 motive for your ministry if your motive
10:35 is to please God then you can be
10:37 faithful to him all we need the
10:39 trustworthiness of the steward in our
10:42 message and in our motives and in our methods
10:43 methods
10:47 nor was it in guile he says in verse 3
10:49 that word guile means the baiting of a
10:54 hook cunning devices using methods of
10:58 psychological salesmanship to try to win
11:02 people verse 5 tells us flattery will do
11:04 that tell people how good they are lying
11:08 to them flattery in our message and in
11:11 our motive and in our methods we must be
11:12 faithful to
11:16 the Lord why because God is witness
11:22 chapter 2 verse 5 God is witness God
11:26 sees our hearts he knows the motives God
11:28 hears our message
11:30 he knows whether or not we're preaching
11:33 the truth God watches our methods and if
11:35 someone says well the end justifies the means
11:36 means
11:38 then you've parted with the Apostle Paul
11:40 there are some methods of sharing the
11:43 gospel that cheapen the gospel there are
11:45 some methods of presenting the gospel
11:48 that are not worthy of the gospel in
11:51 verse 12 he says that you would have a
11:54 walk worthy of God well we need the
11:56 toughness of the athlete and the
11:59 trustworthiness of the steward may God
12:01 help us not to be quitters and may God
12:03 help us not to be deceiving
12:07 to be open and aboveboard and honest as
12:10 we share the wonderful message of Jesus Christ
12:17 the most expensive message in the world
12:21 is the gospel it cost God his son it
12:25 costs Jesus Christ his life some
12:27 messages are rather inexpensive but the
12:30 message of the gospel is the most
12:32 expensive message in the world the
12:33 greatest treasure
12:37 it's the saving gospel of Jesus Christ
12:40 now this gospel has been committed not
12:43 to angels but to us to men to women boys
12:47 and girls Paul says in 1st Timothy 1:11
12:50 this glorious gospel of the Blessed God
12:54 was committed to his trust now what did
12:56 he do with it well he committed it 2
13:01 Timothy chapter 1 verse 18 this charge I
13:05 commit to you son Timothy according to
13:07 the prophecies previously made
13:09 concerning you now he gives it to
13:12 Timothy he repeats this in 1st Timothy
13:16 chapter 6 and verse 20 first Timothy
13:20 chapter 6 verse 20 old Timothy I can
13:23 just hear Paul as he's dictating this
13:24 letter o Timothy
13:28 guard what was committed to your trust
13:31 so God committed the gospel to Paul Paul
13:34 committed it to Timothy now what is
13:36 Timothy supposed to do with it well he's
13:39 supposed to commit it to others 2nd
13:44 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 2 and the
13:47 things that you have heard for me among
13:50 many witnesses commit these to faithful
13:54 men who will be able to teach others
13:58 also we are stewards of the gospel and
14:01 because we are stewards of the gospel
14:04 our job is to be approved of God verse 4
14:08 as we have been approved of God not as
14:12 pleasing man but God who tests our
14:15 hearts now it's an easy thing to try to
14:17 please people but it doesn't work out in
14:20 the end we'll get mail at the broadcast
14:23 from people who read our magazine or
14:24 they read our books or listen to the
14:27 broadcast ministry and they disagree with
14:28 with
14:30 some people even say now if you continue
14:33 to teach that we're going to drop our
14:36 support well we're not here to please
14:39 men we want people to support the
14:40 ministry but our ministry is not for sale
14:41 sale
14:44 nor is our conscience for sale how we
14:48 cannot be bribed God wants us to please
14:50 him and we don't want to be arrogant or
14:53 independent that's the wrong attitude
14:57 but submissively yielded to God we want
14:59 to be faithful to him it's not going to
15:01 make a bit of difference when I stand
15:03 before the Lord Jesus Christ how many
15:06 people on earth applauded me or
15:10 criticized me the important thing is did
15:14 I please the Lord and every day I search
15:16 my heart and every day I pray to God at
15:18 the beginning of the day early in the
15:20 morning Oh God help me today so des
15:24 Minister as to please the Lord you see
15:26 there's a danger in verse five of
15:31 flattery covetousness verse six seeking
15:35 glory trying to get praise from man all
15:38 how easy it is to use these
15:41 opportunities to build up yourself
15:43 instead of building up the Church of
15:46 Jesus Christ head back to the Bible we
15:48 don't have any celebrities we're
15:51 servants we're here to serve Paul is
15:53 very careful to tell us he was faithful
15:57 as a steward of the gospel now don't
15:59 stop there though stewardship involves
16:02 something else it involves the the
16:06 ministry of our spiritual gifts in first Peter
16:06 Peter
16:10 we are told about this first Peter
16:15 chapter 4 and verse 10 as each one has
16:18 received a gift and that means a
16:20 spiritual gift first Peter 4:10 is
16:22 talking about spiritual gifts as each
16:25 one has received a gift minister to one
16:29 another as good stewards of the manifold
16:32 grace of God the manifold grace of God
16:37 exhibited in spiritual gifts oh what a
16:40 wonderful Lord we have he does not give
16:41 us a job
16:43 to do without first giving us the
16:46 equipment to do the work that encourages
16:50 me to know that when God calls he equips
16:54 when he equips he enables when he
16:58 enables he encourages when God called
17:00 Paul he equipped him for his ministry
17:04 now Peter writes to believers and says
17:05 everything's going to come to an end the
17:07 end of all things is at hand
17:11 therefore use your spiritual gift as
17:14 good stewards of the manifold grace of
17:16 God we have in our churches today
17:18 multitudes of people who have put their
17:21 gifts on the Shelf and they're not
17:25 serving the Lord and that is sin just as
17:27 we must be good stewards of the gospel
17:29 we must be good stewards of our
17:32 spiritual gifts and whatever gifts God
17:36 has given to you use them to the glory
17:39 of God we should also be good stewards
17:42 of the material resources God has given
17:47 to us in that parable of the steward in
17:51 Luke chapter 16 the Lord Jesus says in
17:53 verse 10 it's an amazing verse Luke
17:56 16:10 he who is faithful in what is
18:00 least that's money is faithful also in
18:03 much that's the gospel the the things of
18:06 the Lord the truths of the Bible and he
18:09 who is unjust in what is least that's
18:13 money is unjust also in much that's the
18:16 Ministry of the word of God and if you
18:19 have not been faithful says verse 12 in
18:23 what is another man's that's money who
18:25 will give you what is your own that's
18:28 the spiritual riches from the Lord no
18:30 servant can serve two masters
18:33 we have been commissioned to use our
18:36 material possessions to the glory of God
18:38 there's a direct relationship between
18:41 the material wealth and how we use it
18:45 and spiritual truth and how we minister
18:48 it I didn't say that Jesus did that's
18:50 why my wife and I do not support
18:52 ministries that are not faithful in the
18:55 use of money they don't have any audits
18:57 don't have any reports they don't have
19:00 any reputable system for reporting
19:03 what's going on with the finances we
19:04 should also be good stewards of our
19:08 opportunities in Ephesians chapter 5
19:12 verse 15 these verses convict me see
19:16 then that you walk circumspectly that
19:18 means carefully looking around not as
19:21 fool's but as wise don't walk through
19:23 this wicked dangerous world with your
19:26 eyes closed redeeming the time buying up
19:28 the opportunity because the days are
19:31 evil now because the days are evil we
19:34 are tempted to say well why do anything
19:35 they're gonna get worse and worse the
19:38 old corpse is rotting no no Paul says as
19:40 you walk through this dirty dangerous
19:45 defiled world use every opportunity you
19:49 have to serve the Lord I suppose when I
19:51 get to glory the thing I'm going to
19:53 regret the most at the judgment seat of
19:55 Christ is wasted opportunity
19:59 oh the opportunities I have had to
20:02 witness and to help and I guess I didn't
20:03 do it the way I should have and I'm
20:06 sorry I've prayed about it we need to be
20:09 as trustworthy as a steward good
20:12 stewards of the gospel are you
20:14 committing the gospel of Jesus Christ to
20:17 others well stewardship is important
20:19 isn't it not only stewardship of the
20:22 gospel but stewardship of our spiritual
20:25 gifts are you using your spiritual gifts
20:26 to the glory of God
20:29 let me exhort pastors and Sunday School
20:32 teachers to help people discover and
20:36 develop their spiritual gifts oh how I
20:40 thank God for my early years at a little
20:43 church in northern Indiana where I was a
20:45 member and then I became pastor and
20:49 those dear loving people received me and
20:52 encouraged me and they helped me to
20:55 discover and develop my spiritual gifts
20:58 how I thank God for a group of friends
21:00 who took a young man to their heart
21:04 prayed for him and encouraged him to
21:07 develop his spiritual gifts are you a
21:09 good steward of the possessions go
21:12 is given to you that's important one of
21:14 these days we're going to be gone and we
21:16 want to be able to use everything God
21:18 has given to us for his glory
21:20 are we good stewards of the
21:23 opportunities that God has given to us
21:26 this matter of stewardship is so
21:29 important and it's important that we
21:32 have the right motive you'll notice in
21:33 verse 6
21:36 Paul said nor did we seek glory from man
21:39 we didn't demand respect we commanded respect
21:40 respect
21:42 we didn't demand support we didn't
21:46 demand obedience no either from you or
21:48 from others when we might have made
21:52 demands as apostles of Christ he said I
21:54 wasn't there to get I was there to give
21:58 my motive was to share what I had to
22:01 share my spiritual gifts to share
22:04 whatever material wealth I had to buy up
22:08 the opportunity and to win people to the
22:10 Lord Jesus Christ that is what the
22:13 Christian life is all about being a good
22:16 steward in the name of the Lord Jesus
22:20 Christ we're glad you joined us today if
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