"A Convincing Witness"
1Thess.2:1-13 Jan.16/05
Converts or Corpses?
Witnessing is essential to the Christian enterprise. God's wonderful works compel it, Jesus Christ commands it, the Spirit burdens us with a desire to share the good news with others. People need to hear about God's offer of eternal life, or they'll die and be condemned to an eternity of emptiness and torment without a Saviour. And the church depends on it, if it is truly a "believers' church" rather than a purely human institution prolonged by natural propagation.
Although witnessing takes courage, it's necessary for a church to thrive; without it, we wither. AJ Gordon has remarked, "Ecclesiastical corpses lie all about us. The caskets in which they repose are lined with satin, and are decorated with flowers. Like the other caskets, they are just large enough for their own occcupants with no room for converts. These churches have died of respectability and have been embalmed in self-complacency. If, by the grace of God, our church is alive, be warned of our opportunity -- or the feet of them that buried thy sisters will be at the door to carry thee out."
The second chapter of Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonica reviews some vital aspects of witnessing that ought to characterize our own evangelism today. In particular, he refers to the Mover behind witnessing; its Motive, Manner, Morality, and Might.
Mover Behind the Witness
The message we as Christians have to share is not something we've made up. It's not a clever story or quaint fable. It's a message committed to us by God to be told to the rest of the world. In v2 Paul notes, "With the help of our God we dared to tell you His gospel in spite of strong opposition." Note it is GOD'S gospel, His Good News, which He helps us to dare to tell. Vv 8,9,13 also refer to "the gospel of God" or "the word of God" which can just as easily be translated "God's gospel" / "God's word" (since Greek doesn't have possessive contractions). It's His message and publication from start to finish. V4 says, "We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel." It's a trust, God's relying on us to get the word out, He's committed the message into our hands to deliver. He's the Mover behind the message.
This week we finally got around to mailing off a couple of late Christmas parcels. I paid about $7 postage for one and $8 for the other, a Tim Hortons mug to our niece's boyfriend from the States - a little Canadian memento. Now suppose after I walked out the door of the Post Office, the postmaster and assistants peeked inside the parcel and decided, "Well, that's so late it really doesn't have to be mailed until November, in time for next Christmas. We can put it to good use til then." And they proceed to have their coffee breaks from now til then sharing that Tim's mug. Would I be pleased? I paid full price for the mug, and for the cost to send it. I entrusted the package to Canada Post to be put in transit imeediately; the onus is on the postmaster to send it immediately, not use it themselves for 10 months! Similarly, the Lord has entrusted an important message to us, to get out immediately. He paid full price on the cross, and will help us deliver it.
God is overseeing the whole process. A couple of times in this passage (vv 5,10), Paul declares, "God is our witness". He's intensely interested to see us get the word out. He's counting on us and will hold us responsible. Billy Graham said, "The evangelistic harvest is always urgent. The destiny of men and of nations is always being decided. Every generation is strategic. We are not responsible for the past generation, and we cannot bear the full responsibility for the next one; but we do have our generation. God will hold us responsible as to how well we fulfill our responsibilities to this age and take advantage of our opportunities."
Motive of the Witness
We need to be sure we're sharing the gospel for the right reasons, that our MOTIVES are correct. Paul is very up-front about half a dozen factors that are NOT why he's doing the work of an evangelist. V3 says, "For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you." It's not from error; we're not plain wrong, the historical nature of the Biblical texts and the testimony of the earliest martyrs is against that. We're not stimulated by "impure motives", literally "uncleanness": this motive may not have occurred to you in connection with evangelism, but the nature of other religions in Paul's day might make one wonder. Commentators say, "This disclaimer, startling as it may seem, was not unneeded amidst the impurities consecrated by the religions of the day;" and, "The ecstatic initiations in some of the popular religions were grossly sensual." Neither was he trying to trick people into joining his religious club, as if fishing for them with juicy bait.
In vv 4 and 6 Paul states, "We are not trying to please men but God...We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else." Paul wasn't an evangelist intent on becoming acclaimed by thousands or being seen on the cover of Christianity Today. V5 adds, "You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed..." Flattery is a prime means someone in moral failure uses to "butter you up" so they can get what they want, manipulate you to meet their desires. It goes far beyond an appropriate healthy compliment. And people have been suspect from early times of religionists who "hawk" their platform in order to take advantage of the offering basket, greedy for gain. The KJV terms this "a cloke of covetousness". In v6 and elsewhere (1Cor.9:4-14) Paul maintains that apostles and other church workers had the right to be financially supported by those they served; but he himself chose to make the gospel "free of charge", manufacturing tents part-time to support himself. This protected him from accusations of milking his converts out of self-interest.
If Paul wasn't motivated by error, impurity, trickery, pleasing people, flattery, or greed, what was his real motive for witnessing? We can be spurred on by two things, our accountability to God and our love for people. V4 says, "We are not trying to please men but God who tests our hearts." And, "We speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel." Approving and testing here have the same root word, "to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not)". God's holding us up to the special light to see whether we're a genuine '50' or not -- so we share His message.
Another motivating factor is in v8; Paul admits, "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." Another big reason we witness is because we love the person and can't stand the thought of losing them forever. "We loved you so much...you had become so dear to us..." This is sincere love-language. The word "dear" is the same as that meaning "cherish" in Eph.5:29 where Paul talks about husbands loving their wives as they care for, cherish, or protect their own bodies. We dress up before going out into the cold in the wintertime because we care for our physical health; Paul felt that same dearness, that attachment for those who heard his message. In Philippians (1:8) he could write, "God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus." We SHARE because we CARE. Not because we want more notches on our belt, or to line our pockets.
Richard Bellinger was a young boy in South Carolina and the son of a Baptist pastor. One Saturday night, Richard decided to shine his father's shoes. The following night his father put a silver dollar on the bureau of his son's room with a note commending him for what he'd done, and telling him the dollar was his reward. The next morning, when the father put on his shoes, he felt something hard and metallic in one of them. When he took the shoe off and reached inside, he found the silver dollar he had given to his son the night before. Along with the dollar was a note that simply read, "I did it for love!"
When Paul preached to the Thessalonians, he wasn't motivated by money; he did it for love. So our witness too can be prompted by sincere caring and affection for those who haven't yet come to know Jesus as Saviour and Lord.
Manner of the Witness
What should be our manner in witnessing to others? Some of us shy away from the activity because we've heard stories of people coming across like a ton of bricks. A cartoon showed a crusader riding a horse and carrying a big shield with a cross on it. The crusader was thrusting a spear down on the throat of a guy on the ground who was saying, "Tell me more about this Christianity.I'm terribly interested." Somehow I don't think that was Jesus' style! The medium - and manner - need to fit the message.
Paul's letter makes it clear that he wasn't tough on them; but it was tough for him to tell the Christian message. V2 says, "We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition." Suffering - insult - opposition: those who evangelize need endurance in order to face challenges that arise. Anticipate opposition; be prayed up, prepared in case the reception isn't exactly rosey.
Vv7-8 reveal how different Paul's manner was compared to the crusader on his high horse. He recalls, "we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well..." Isn't this tender terminology? How caring, how sacrificial - anyone who's looked after a few little children for a day knows what a toll that can take on one's resources. Yet how tiring it may be is often forgotten by a parent who is truly devoted to their little one. Paul's presentation was much more than a canned sales pitch: he was delighted to share his very life with them. V9 tells how they "worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone"; this meant "toil" and "difficult labour". Paul worked long hours as a bivocational pastor, perhaps before daybeak and on into the night at his tent-making sideline in order to support himself and not impose financial burdens on the new flock. He was available when people had problems and needed to talk. His manner was gentle and giving.
Yet witnessing does involve persuasion, helping people come to the point of making a decision to yield their life to Jesus' control. In some cases, this requires bluntness. After conversion, follow-up may require frankness in instructing new believers about changed lifestyles. Paul could challenge people as well. Vv11-12 add, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." Not putting pressure on like a Mack truck, but in a fatherly way, gently yet firmly showing the right direction.
Thomas Aquinas knew a great deal about education and a bit about motivation. He once said that when you want to convert a person to your view, you go over to where he is standing, take him by the hand, and guide him. You don't stand across the room and shout at him. You don't order him to come over where you are. You start where he is and work from that position. He said that's the only way to get people to budge.
Morality of the Witness
The term "Evangelist" has been tarred with a black brush somewhat lately due to the scandals of TV preachers who've later been convicted of sexual sin or shady business practices. Paul was concerned to keep his ministry above-board in all respects. His long hours toiling to be financially self-supporting backed up his integrity when he was misunderstood and slandered in places like Thessalonica and Corinth. He could say in v10, "You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed." Anyone sharing the Christian story needs to be careful to keep their life morally pure and above reproach. We must not only "do right" but "be seen to do right" - "not even a hint of immorality" (Eph.5:3) - which may require some special hedges in terms of where and under what circumstances we're seen with members of the opposite sex; avoid situations that may be misinterpreted or be made fodder for the rumour mill. Will Rogers quipped, "So live that you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."
Might of the Witness
Finally, when we're faithful on our part, God's word is unleashed with a power that can really turn lives around. V13 says that when the Thessalonians received God's message that they heard from Paul and companions, "you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." God's WORD is at WORK - the root word in the Greek is related to our English word "energy"; it means "to be operative, be at work, put forth power". Witnessing isn't something that takes place solely on a human level: the Holy Spirit is at work behind the scenes, using our words to convict and enlighten and persuade the hearer to receive God's truth, particularly the reality of the eternal Person of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4(12) describes God's word as "living, active, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Our job in evangelizing isn't to be pressuring the person to say a few "right" code words, but patiently explain who Jesus is, what He's done to clear up our sin-mess, and how life can be different with Him in the driver's seat. Let God do the leading, try to discern the words He's giving you - for it's God's word that alone has power to save. Not our finest human arguments. Put yourself totally at the disposal of Christ's love and truth to flow out, verbally and non-verbally.
Chuck Swindoll writes, "It is my opinion that the best evangelistic centre in the greater metropolitan Boston area is not a church. It is a filling station...It was owned and operated by a man named Bob who caught the vision early in his life that his vocation and calling were to be welded together. As time passed, his station became known as the place to go for gas, new tires, or other car service. I have seen a half-dozen cars lined up bumper to bumper near two pumps in front of that little station just waiting to be served by that man. He has no banners out, no 'Jesus Saves' flags, no signs, no 'ichthuses', nothing plastered all over the station or in the windows, no sign 'Bring your car to Bob and take your soul to Jesus'. He simply did his job! He did it well and people knew he was in partnership with the Lord. He led dozens of people to faith in Jesus Christ."
Preach always - if necessary, use words. God's word is mighty to convict others when our witness is credible, though the words not be many.
The Silent Witness of Loving Intensity
Dr Paul Brand is a Baptist missionary to India who as a surgeon through the years performed leprosy operations that helped the lives of thousands of people. One day he was taking a visitor on a tour of the hospital when he noticed one of his young interns talking intently to a patient. Dr Brand stopped and, in sheer amazement, said to the visitor, "Look at his face! Look at the expression on his face! There is only one other man I've ever known who could look at a person with such loving intensity. That was my teacher at medical school, the doctor under whom I interned. I haven't seen an expression like that since I was with him." The visitor smiled and said, "But Dr Brand, I have seen you care for patients, and whether or not you realize it, you have that exact expression on your face when a patient is telling you about suffering and pain."
When we have Jesus inside, He makes Himself known through our actions as well as our words. The Thessalonians knew by Paul's preaching as well as by the way he was gentle and caring, sharing his whole life with them, that the message about Jesus was true. God's waiting to continue to make His appeal known through us today, through what we say and by silent but powerful "loving intensity" expressing Him through our face. Let's pray.