Sunday, May 8, 2011

Sermon (May 8) - "Every Time I Think of You: Your Work of Faith"




     There is a church that had an amazing impact on its community and region in spite of incredible odds.  The church got its start during a three week period when one of the best known preachers and missionaries in the world came to town.  His work was shoehorned between two other engagements of a much longer duration.

     After three weeks of very powerful ministry, the preacher was forced out of town by a group of local dissidents who complained bitterly to city officials by saying,"These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also." They were so enraged, that his hosts had to lead him and his assistant out of town under cover of darkness.

     No one would give this church much of a chance to survive, much less have an impact on the world around them.  Three weeks is hardly enough time to unpack a suitcase.  And with only a few committed people to keep things going, what are the odds that a handful of people, brand new to the Christian faith, could build a healthy and growing church?

    Actually, the church not only survived, it became a powerhouse among the earliest churches.  It is the church described in First Thessalonians.  The city of Thessalonica was strategically located at the crossroads of East and West and North and South.  It was one of the major sea ports in the world at the time of Paul's visit.  The city was a very prosperous and thriving urban setting in the first century.  Even today, the modern city of Thessalonica is the second largest city in modern Greece.

     As well as being prosperous and cosmopolitan, Thessalonica was a religious mix with its citizens involved in a multitude of cults and worship of numerous deities.  Most of the people who made up the early Thessalonian church had turned away from their worship of these gods.  

     It’s hard for us to grasp today just how radical this response to the message of the gospel was.  Most people in Paul's world who worshiped the available gods, simply added new deities to their religious life when it suited them.  It was no great thing to simply add another god to the list of those that appealed to their needs.  It was kind of a religious form of, "The more, the merrier.”

     When the believers in Thessalonica first heard the good news that Paul brought to them, they made a radical commitment of their lives to Christ and turned away from all other religious persuasions and practices.  Paul praised them with his words, "...you turned to God from idols..."  They did not simply add Jesus Christ to their list of household gods.  They completely turned away from one way of living and embraced a new way.    

     For the next four Sundays, I invite us to focus on a common way that Paul begins several of his letters to various churches.  He wants the churches to know that he is thinking of them and praying for them and then he offers each church a word of affirmation on how they are being faithful to Christ.

     Today, we focus on his first letter to the Thessalonians when he affirms them for their work of faith.  Next Sunday, we’ll look at his letter to the Romans and how he gave thanks for that church’s faith known throughout the world.  Three Sundays from today, we’ll look at Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians and how he appreciated their faith in the midst of adversity.  And for the final Sunday, May 29th, we’ll look at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and Paul’s encouragement to them that they have been given the seal of the Holy Spirit.

     My prayer is that we will be encouraged in our faith as we focus on each of these opening letters of the Apostle Paul.

    For today, we focus on Paul’s words to the Thessalonians of how he is constantly remembering before God their work of faith.  What does it mean for Paul to affirm them for their work of faith?

     By faith, Paul was referring to their new faith in Jesus Christ.  As I mentioned earlier, the church in Thessalonica was a brand new church, probably only a few months old at the time of Paul’s first letter to them. 

     Since this church is only months old, it’s quite a compliment for Paul to be affirming them for their work of faith.  In such a short amount of time, this church is already at a level of faith that is pretty remarkable.

     The church of Thessalonica was living in a culture that couldn’t understand why you would put all of your faith and trust in this one God who was known through the person of Jesus Christ.  You were supposed to blend in with everyone else, not stand out for your particular beliefs.

     Growing in your faith can be difficult work.  Just ask our 7th grade confirmands who have been meeting every Sunday morning for the past several months to learn about important aspects of the Christian faith.

     When I met with the confirmation class for one of their Sunday morning sessions, they were learning about the three different kinds of God’s grace according to John Wesley – prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace.  They spent time thinking about how those three graces are the same and how they are different?  And they also thought about how any of this related to their everyday lives.    

     On another Sunday, they learned about the Wesleyan quadrilateral and how to read and interpret the bible.  They learned that the best way to read the bible is to interpret it in light of tradition, reason, and experience.  Tradition is how the church has interpreted scripture over the centuries.  Reason is how we use our minds to view scriptures from a rationale point of view.  And experience is when we reflect on how our personal experiences in life can help us understand the bible.

     These were not easy topics.  They required study, discipline, and hard work.

     Like our confirmands, the Thessalonians worked at their faith.  They wanted to learn and grow in what it means to be followers of Jesus Christ.

     I meet in a monthly small group with other United Methodist clergy.  Together we read scripture, pray, plan ministries together, and hold each other accountable.  A couple of months ago during one of our gatherings, one of the pastors shared with us his understanding of a particular theological doctrine. 

     He grabbed the large white board in the corner of the room and proceeded to frantically draw a large grid which he then used to explain this complicated doctrine from a variety of theological perspectives.  We all left from that small group meeting feeling like we learned something new.  It was a great feeling to know that we had helped each other grow in our faith.

     I once attended a church growth seminar that was being held at a church that had been experiencing significant growth.  This church offered several mid-week bible study choices.  The leaders of this conference encouraged us to visit one of the bible studies that evening.

     I didn’t really have a preference so I chose a bible study that was at the top of the list.  When I attended this bible study, I remember being a little surprised that they weren’t using any special curriculum.  They were simply using their bibles and reading through the Book of Proverbs.  The leader would read for a while and then ask what people thought about that passage.

     It was that simple!  This bible study reminded me that working at our faith doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t even have to involve any expense.  All we need is a bible and someone who is willing to facilitate the meeting and encourage discussion.

      A Presbyterian pastor tells the story of a youth in her church who was a member of her small group which met a couple of times a month.  They made a commitment to pray for each other in their small group meetings as well as when they were apart from each other.  This was their way to work on their faith.
     At one of their small group meetings, this pastor became vulnerable and shared with the youth that she was nervous about a prayer she was to give at a rather large church convention that would be held later that week.  She said, “I would appreciate it if you would all pray for me because I know I’m going to be really nervous at this big event.”
     The day after this convention, this Presbyterian pastor is sitting down with her family for the evening meal when the phone rings.  It’s one of the youth from her small group.  “Hi pastor.  So how was your prayer yesterday?”  At first, she didn’t know what she was talking about.  After a few moments of thinking what she meant, that’s when she remembered that she had asked the youth in her small group to pray for her.  This youth went on to say, “I was praying for you all week and at the exact time you said that you would probably be giving your prayer at that big meeting.  I just wanted to call and hear how things went for you?”
     And this pastor, so impressed that this young person was that intentional to pray for her said, “I want to thank you for praying for me, because I felt really good about the prayer I gave.  I didn’t feel nervous at all.  It must have been because of your prayers for me.”
     What a difference it makes when we work at our faith and when we are that intentional in being the disciples that God has called us to be.

     This past week, I met with our Lenten small group leaders.  These groups met on a weekly basis during the season of Lent to discuss the previous Sunday’s sermon, to pray, to share, and to encourage one another.

     The small group leaders went on and on about how the people in their groups really enjoyed discussing the sermon topics and getting to know the other people in their group.  We then talked about having some of our small groups continue to meet since they have had such a positive impact.

     One evening, I was walking by one of the lenten small groups, and I could hear people discussing the topic from the Sunday sermon.  As a preacher, it was the best feeling in the world to know that the sermon didn’t simply end that past Sunday morning.  It was still being delivered thanks to the thoughtful conversations of that small group.

     A little later that same evening, I walked by that small group again and now they were offering prayer concerns.  And again, I remember being so thankful that I was a pastor of a church where people look forward to gathering during the week to not only discuss their faith, but to also lift each other up in prayer.

     One of the key ways for churches to grow in their faith is through some type of small group or bible study that meets on a regular basis.
     Our church is blessed to have many of these groups.  In addition to small groups, these include Sunday School classes, bible studies, sisters groups, youth group, as well as other opportunities for growth.

     Like Paul, I thank you for your work of faith.  It’s when we work at our faith that we are able to grow and be the people that God has called us to be.  

     This past week, I received a college graduation invitation from a former confirmand in my previous church.  She will be graduating from Butler University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

     Also included with this formal graduation invitation was a personal note from her mother.  Here’s what she wrote:

     Dear Robert,

      Not sure if you remember or not…but many years ago you said you believed that Sarah was bound for ministry.

     Well, you were right!  She’s going to work for Young Life full time following graduation.  And perhaps, will have the chance to lead a youth program at an affiliated Presbyterian Church.

     Couldn’t be prouder of this child.

     And then she signed her name.

     Every time I think of Sarah and our confirmands and each of you, I want you to know that I remember you in my prayers and give thanks to God for your work of faith.  Thank you.
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