Bible Reading Challenge Blog

There is a tale that Captain John Smith when he was made leader in Jamestown told the people if you do not work, then you will not eat.  It worked, people worked and the colony began to thrive.  If you ever wonder where he got that idea you don’t have to look any further than II Thessalonians 3:10.  You see Paul in a few other places talk about this Protestant work ethic.  No, it wasn’t called that back then, but there was an insistence of a certain work ethic which has carried over into our own understanding.  It isn’t understood today as a Christian perspective, although it should be, but industriousness is seen rather as a secular benefit.  We should turn that around and say it was Paul who insisted that “with toil and labor we worked night and day.”  I like that example.

If you take vs.13 it really works for so many different situations in life.  Listen to this verse again: “Brothers and sisters do not be weary in doing what is right.”  How can you be weary in doing what is right?  Well, what if doing what is right doesn’t put you in a position to step over others in your career?  Then it might be old doing what is right.  What if doing right puts you in a position of weakness?  Then doing right just might not seem too appealing.  But Paul tells us that we should never weary of doing right, and he says it in the context of a work ethic which ought to push us to keep doing, and doing, and doing.

 

Ever since the 1st century when Nero was around Christians have labeled leaders and individuals as the “son of destruction” or the lawless one.  Another term that people have used over time, and Scripture uses this term as well, is the anti-Christ.  Inevitably, it is applied to people who are in power because that is to what Scripture alludes.  But as Paul said from the very beginning, we don’t know when Jesus is coming back and we can never attribute this title of anti-Christ to any individual.  There have been many leaders who have worked against the kingdom of God either by attempting genocide or instituting policies and protocols which make the poor poorer and overlooks the most vulnerable in society.  

That would be my translation and a 21st century interpretation of what Paul is saying.  But a first century interpretation would refer specifically to Nero, the one who is causing all of the pain and suffering to the first century church in Thessalonica.  Paul tells the people of that church that they just have to hang on because Jesus is going to come back again.  It seems that there are some who are saying that Jesus has already come back again and this is as good as it is going to get.  But Paul says no, that is not true.  Jesus has not come back again for when he does come back again all things will be different.  

Take a look at vs.11 and you will see that it was God who sent people a powerful delusion which led them to believe in that which is false.  We see similar instances where God hardens the heart of Pharaoh.  There are times in history where people are blinded (remember the Pharisees) and as a result God’s purposes and God’s will is able to be seen more clearly.  

Paul switches gears once again to become the encourager.  He tells the people of Thessalonica that they were chosen as first fruits.  But then look at vs. 15 where Paul tells the church that they are to hold fast to the traditions which they were taught by him.  Notice he says the traditions.  What are some of the traditions that we pass on from generation to generation in our church?  What are some of the teachings that we want to be sure that our children learn as they grow up.  He isn’t talking about a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  That is almost a given and an understood aspect of what will be passed on.  But what are the traditions that Paul is talking about?  I’ll leave you to chew on that…

It is thought that II Thessalonians was written just a few months after the first letter to the church in Thessalonica.  Because of the close proximity in when the letter is written, the themes doesn’t seem to change much.  Paul encourages the church as they persevere during harsh persecutions.  He constantly reminds them of the example that they are setting of keeping the faith in the face of tribulations.  

Let’s look at the first chapter of this three chapter letter.  Do you sense a different tone with Paul in his writing in this chapter so far?  The first 4 verses seem pretty normal with Paul effusively dumping praise on the church including telling them that he boasts about them to everyone with whom he comes into contact.  But then it seems like the tone changes.

Yes, the whole last letter he spoke about how proud he was of the church for maintaining their faith even in the face of persecution, but now he basically addresses those who are persecuting the churches.  He says that God will surely repay the afflictors with affliction.  It sounds a lot like eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth.  Yes, Jesus did say that it would be better for a person to have a millstone tied around their neck and them thrown into the sea than if they misled a child of God (Mark 9:42).  Yeah, that’s pretty rough.  

When you look at vs.9 you see a pretty graphic description of what I would call hell.  Yes, I do believe in a literal hell.  Just like I believe in a literal heaven.  Yes I believe in an inclusive Gospel, but there is an exclusivity which is built around the belief that there is a singular way to God the Father which is through Jesus Christ.  There is no embarrassment in this claim, but rather a willingness to leave it all up to God and to sort it out.  But I do not shy away from a belief that has God including all of humanity in a salvation while at the same time recognizing that there is an exclusivity with its foundation built on the only way, truth, and life being found in Jesus.  II Thessalonians 1 speaks to this.  

Paul begins this chapter with a reminder to the community that Jesus is coming back.  But his point is less about Jesus coming back and more an encouragement for the church to be children of light so that when Jesus does come back he can find them presentable to him.  He uses the metaphor of light and darkness as a representation of people of faith vs. people who do not know God.  He reminds the church that they do not need to be reminded to live in the light, to do that which all people could see and for which they would not be ashamed.  

Look at vs. 8 where Paul speaks about the breastplate of faith and love and a helmet of salvation.  It should remind us of the armor of God which we find in Ephesians 6:14ff.  Paul only points out two different pieces of armor, but they are important.  Faith, love, and salvation are essential for us to understand the love that God has for us and the love that we ought to have for God.

 

The ending of this chapter has a lot more than we can probably cover today.  It is absolutely full.  Let’s look at it piece by piece and see how far we get.

Vs. 15 should sound familiar…”Go out into the world in peace and repay no one evil for evil”  Does that sound familiar?  It is the benediction that I say every Sunday and much of it is taken from this verse.  

Just read vs.16-28 and check off each of crucial aspects of life that we are called to do, and do well.

There are really two parts to this Scripture.  Actually, we are probably going to look at three different sections.  Let’s start with vss. 1-8.  We can call this the purity code section of this chapter.  Paul reminds the church, not that they need reminding he says, that they are to live their lives in purity.  They are not to pursue sexual immorality.  So, why this topic?  Thessalonica was the center of many idol worshiping cults and some of them involved some pretty twisted and deviant sexual practices.  Paul wants to remind the church that they are not to act like the gentiles in these matters.  They are not to act as if they do not know God.  But again, he stresses that it has not been a problem for this church, but since you are surrounded by it, it doesn’t hurt to send out a reminder.  

The second part of this passage goes from vss. 9-12 and speaks to the importance of hard work and being seen in a positive light by outsiders.  Paul speaks about being able to work with your hands so that you are not reliant upon anyone for your livelihood.  This comes from a tent maker who spent his entire life working side jobs so that he would not have to rely upon anyone.  While at the same time, however, he did receive help from incredibly generous benefactors.  I love how Paul states that it is important for us to act properly toward “outsiders”.  

The last section deals with the end times.  This is the Scripture which is primary in formulating the idea of the rapture.  I think I covered this in another 90 Day Challenge, but I need to cover it here again.  Read vss. 15-17 and you will find the premise upon which people have crafted and created a whole theology of rapture.  Some people believe that there will be a time before Jesus comes back that believers will be raptured, or taken up into heaven to meet a partially descended Jesus, before the second coming.  When that happens then there will be people who are left on earth who do not believe.  Do you get all that from these three verses?  No, neither do I.  But it does speak to what humans feel is a need to know exactly when Jesus is coming back and exactly how Jesus is coming back.  Let me give you a spoiler alert that in the next chapter vs. 2 we find our answer.  Jesus will come like a thief in the night.  We do not know the times nor the seasons.  We simply do not know.

So here is my recommendation for this Scripture.  Instead of focusing on the rapture which is a mystery if it is even going to happen, focus on what we know which is seen in vss.13-14.  Paul tells us that we should not grieve as those without hope.  We have hope, Paul states.  Our hope is found in the fact that we will be raised with Jesus in the resurrection.  We don’t know when that is or how it will take place, we just know that it will happen.  This is crucial.  It is a great verse for us to focus on.  Let us not live our lives as those without hope.  Our lives have to be beacons of hope for those around us.  

There really is no doubt that Paul wanted to get back to Thessalonica as soon as he could, but he couldn’t.  So, he sent Timothy to check in on the church to see how they were doing.  Look at vs.6 where we read that Timothy just got back and gave a glowing report.  Not only is the church doing well, but here is a video of one of their worship services…  Okay, not quite, but pretty much right?  

It is interesting that Paul basically told the church that you know what you signed up for, right?  I told you that you were going to be persecuted, and sure enough you are living through that persecution.  But hey, it isn’t anything that we haven’t experienced.  He says it in the most loving and caring way possible.  In fact, since we don’t really know each other all that well, I sent someone along to check in on you just in case you were falling in your faith.  But you weren’t!  Praise be to God.

Focus for a moment on vs.12.  “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all.”  This is really the progression that we see we ought to take.  As a church we have to have love for each other, but that love can’t remain within the church.  It has to be love that we have for all.  That is fairly audacious of Paul to make that statement that we have to have love for all.  Not just our neighbor, not just the people we like, not just other members of the church, but all.  Focus on that for tonight and this week.  

This entire chapter seems to be an encouragement to this young community to keep doing what they are doing.  In Erica’s comment on yesterday’s Scripture, I wish there were a like button to be able to agree with what she said.  Wouldn’t it be great if our church were known as the heart of the borough, county, state, even nation in that what we do is seen as a magnet to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ?  We can’t wait to see what God is going to do.  Here in chapter 2 Paul continues to point out positives within the community in Thessalonica that the congregation was doing.  

It is interesting, though, that Paul also feels the need to defend himself and to lay out his authority and his work as if he is reminding the Thessalonian community of his pedigree and his background.  He speaks of how they worked day and night so that they would not be a burden (read financial burden) to the community as they made their living.  He commends the community for the fact that they interpreted Paul’s words as words which came directly from God.  He commends the community for having taken on suffering in such a way that it was not a hindrance to the propagation of the Word of God.  

The entire chapter is an atta boy and atta girl as he underlines the fact that their faith is strong and that they basically just need to keep what they are doing and trust Paul and his leadership as they move forward into the future.  I love, love, love the last verse of this chapter.  Listen to it and take it to heart: “Yes, you are our glory and joy!”  Brothers and sisters, all you who are reading this hear and believe the good news of the Gospel: Yes, you are our glory and joy!  What an incredible witness and what an incredible legacy that can be ours.  Strive to live your life in such a way that people will call you their glory and joy.

This is the first of Paul’s letters in all of Scripture.  (Some would argue that Galatians is the first.  In fact, in my earlier blog I say as much.  I changed my mind, this one is earlier).  Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica was written around 51 AD so it would have been when most of Jesus’ disciples could still have been around.  Remember, Paul wrote most of the New Testament, so it is significant when we say this is his first letter.  You may have thought that Paul’s letters were arranged in chronological order.  No, that is not the case, if it were so then Romans would have been one of the first written.  Instead, we know that Romans was one of the last and written while Paul was in prison.

So what do we know about the Christian church in Thessalonica.  We know that Paul started the church.  Go ahead and read Acts 17:1-9.  We find there that for three weeks (three successive Sabbath days) Paul was arguing in the synagogue that Jesus was the messiah.  Can you imagine that?  Just think if for three successive Sundays we had someone come into our church and argue that this man who was killed as a state criminal was actually, in fact, the messiah.  I’m not sure we would give that person much time, nor should we.  But Paul persisted for three weeks.

Still in Acts 17:1-9 we read that some actually believed and followed Paul and that eventually Paul was kicked out of the city because he was accused of rebel rousing.  From there he left the city.  We don’t read that he ever returned again.  That is the setting of his work in Thessalonica and it is thought that he wrote his letter to them from Corinth shortly after his escape from their city.  You can look at Acts 18 and see that he goes to Corinth afterward.

So here is Paul writing to a fledgling community who only had a chance to hear from their founder for less than a month before he has to escape.  They are left in this city by themselves trying to figure out how they survive and how do they live this Christian life.  It is no surprise that Paul’s theme for this letter is the second coming of Jesus.  He tells them to hang on because Jesus is coming back.  A fancy term for this is eschatology.  Eschatology is the belief that Jesus is coming back.  The debate around eschatology is exactly when is Jesus coming back.  We simply don’t know, and Paul will tell us this later on.

Now to the meat of the first chapter.  It is important to know the background to the letter, but let’s look at the first chapter.  Paul begins with a normal greeting to the church.  Well, normal at least, for a church that he likes and of which he is proud.  Not like I Corinthians where he consistently chastises them for their way of life and their bad theology.  No, here instead, we read of: “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  Now that is a great healthy church.  But they need help, they are still trying to figure things out on their own.  

But he especially commends them for their witness and their willingness to reach out to others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that they would turn from their idols and follow the only one true God, Jesus Christ.  

My grandparents on my mother’s side were missionaries in what was the Belgian Congo.  They had some amazing stories of God’s love and God’s miracles in their work.  If you want to read more about their life my grandmother wrote a book and I can lend you a copy or you can pick one up at:

 https://www.amazon.com/Congo-kaleidoscope-Alice-Cobble-Henry/dp/B0006QW3F8

But one of the stories is about my grandfather who was sent to a village which had never had exposure to the Christian message.  He befriended the chief of the village and told him he would be back in about a year.  It was far away and there were many villages that my grandfather had to oversee.  The chief asked if he could send a missionary or someone else to help them and teach them while he was gone.  No, my grandfather said, there is no one.  But I will be back.  A year passed and my grandfather came back and the chief showed him the new church that they had built and asked if he had found someone to stay in the village to help them learn about Jesus better.  My grandfather said no, but he would be back in a year.  The chief turned to him and said, I hope I am still living, for if I do not live then I am not sure this village will believe your words about Jesus.  I believe, but without someone to teach us I am not sure they will continue to believe.  

A year later my grandfather returned.  The first thing he noticed was that the church was torn down and in its place were the village idols.  The chief had died.  The villagers allowed him to stay for one night but then made it clear that he was not welcome.  Every time my grandmother or my mother would tell that story they would have a hard time getting through it recognizing the potential that was lost because there are not enough workers in the field.

The people of Thessalonica were left on their own to try to fend for themselves theologically.  They survived.  

Dear FPC family and friends,

            We are well on our way to finishing together the entire Bible.  This next 90 Day Challenge will take us through the New Testament and give us a taste of the Old.  In this challenge we will be covering a book of the Bible that is the most intriguing, and confusing, for some people: Revelation.  If for no other reason than to see what we think as Reformed Christians about this book of the Bible, pick up this 90 Day Challenge III and get reading!

            We will begin the Challenge on August 20, which is a Sunday.  It should take us all the way through November 15 when we will be looking forward to eating turkey on Thanksgiving.  It seems so far away!  But those of you who are Challenge veterans know that once you start reading, the end of the time comes very soon.  It is a challenging portion of Scripture because it does contain some harsh and even caustic statements that Paul and other writers include in their thoughts.  Hopefully we will be able to put them within their right context without stripping away any of the authority which the Bible contains for our life.  Isn’t that part of what we do as we read the Bible?  We try to read it knowing that it was written thousands of years ago, and yet it applies to us completely today as well.  It is a balance that takes some prayer and request of guidance from the Holy Spirit.  But that is what life takes after all.

            Our Challenge this year will take us through the celebration of the 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation.  It is a time in history when people of faith rose up against an institutional attempt to control a population’s ability to have a direct relationship with our Savior.  For many that relationship begins with the reading of Scripture.  I hope and pray that as you join us on this Challenge that you will see yourself as someone who is walking in the footsteps of those who paved the way to allow you to read the Scripture.  Allow the Bible to change your life.  As you do, put yourself within the context of generations before you who sacrificed their lives and their way of life so that we can read the Bible and understand what it means to walk with Jesus. 

            Remember, follow along online with my daily blog at: http://www.straspres.org/90-day-challenge-iii.

            Happy reading!

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

 

Pastor Bob