Certain Hope for Uncertain Times
10/14/2001 - How to Be Certain of Your Faith
I don't have to tell you that we live in very uncertain days. The events of the last few weeks have rocked our world. None of us are as confident about the future as we were on September 10, the day before the attack on America. A recent headline in the Philadelphia Inquirer read, "Post-attack gloom invades lives, dreams." The shock and anger of September 11 have given way to fear and uncertainty. One person quoted in the article said, "The world is a scarier place. You know this happens in other places, but you don't think about it happening in America. Everything's different. Our lives are different." Another person said, "We're just waiting for the unexpected. Something is going to happen. We just don't know what." We can all relate to that feeling.
Waiting for the unexpected. Waiting for the next attack on America. Waiting for the next hijacking, bombing, bio-terrorist threat, anthrax scare. Is that what God wants us to wait for? Is that how God wants his children to live their lives, in fear bracing themselves for the next retaliatory strike?
I don't think so. Instead, God wants us to live our lives waiting for something else. The apostle Paul told us what to wait for when he wrote these words to the church he started in the city of Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
God wants us to wait for the unexpected. But the unexpected event he wants us to wait for isn't the next terrorist attack, but the invasion from heaven of his Son Jesus Christ who will rescue his followers from the coming wrath. And the wrath that's coming on this world will make the events of September 11, as horrible as they were, look like the good old days. Are you waiting for his return? Are you ready for his return?
This morning we begin a brand new series that couldn't be timelier for our lives today. We're calling it Certain Hope for Uncertain Times. It's a series that will take us through the end of the year studying the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians, a book that's actually a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica shortly after he started a church there. This letter is 2,000 years old, but in one sense it's even more relevant today than it was the day Paul wrote it, because we're closer now to the return of the Lord than we've ever been. And the return of Christ is a major theme in this letter. Each one of the five chapters ends with some reference to the second coming of Jesus Christ.
This series has the potential to calm our fears, to build our faith, to strengthen our love, and to fortify our hope in the Lord. It can build certainty back into our lives. Are you having trouble these days knowing whom to believe? Since the air strikes began this week in Afghanistan the Pentagon has been saying no civilians or only a very few have been casualties, but the Taliban is saying hundreds and hundreds of innocent victims have been killed? What are we to believe? What's really going on?
What can we be certain of? 1 Thessalonians will show us how we can be certain of our faith, certain of our purpose in life, certain of our message, certain of God's love, certain of God's approval, certain that Jesus is coming back. It will give us certain hope for uncertain times.
So this morning, I'd like us all to know how to be certain of our faith. We'll get started with some background and then with a look at the journal entry in Acts 17 that describes Paul's visit to Thessalonica. Next Sunday we'll look at chapter one of the letter itself, so you might want to read 1 Thessalonians 1 this week.
First, let me give you some fast facts on Thessalonica. Thessalonica was a strategic city located in northern Greece. It's still a thriving city today, I spent some time there a number of years ago. It was a proud city. There are statues of Alexander the Great everywhere, because the world's greatest conqueror grew up in that area. In fact, Thessalonica was named after Alexander's half-sister.
It was a populated city. In Paul's day about 200,000 people lived in Thessalonica, today the population is almost double that. It was a beehive of activity, a hub of transportation for the Roman Empire. It was home to a bustling seaport and straddled the Via Egnatia, the great Roman Road that connected Istanbul in the east with Rome in the west. It had a harbor and I-95 running right through it. It was a world trade center like New York City with travelers and tourists and trade pouring into it from all over the known world. And Paul knew that if he could establish a church in Thessalonica and if the gospel could take root there it would be explosive and quickly spread throughout the entire empire. So Paul, under the direction of Holy Spirit, was led to Thessalonica on his second missionary journey to start a church there around A.D. 50.
Now let's look at the journal entry in the book of Acts that records Paul's visit to Thessalonica. Turn with me to Acts 17. By the way, whenever you're reading a letter in the New Testament like Thessalonians or Galatians, Ephesians or Philippians you want to go to the book of Acts first to see what happened in that city before Paul wrote them their letter. Acts records the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul and his visit to Thessalonica is found in Acts 17.
Look at Acts 17:1-4, When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
Paul came to Thessalonica. And his strategy was to first find out if there was a Jewish synagogue in that city. Paul was a Jew. And any town or city that had at least ten Jewish men could form a synagogue. And Paul knew if there was a synagogue then there was a group of people who believed and studied the Bible or what we call the Old Testament. The New Testament hadn't been written yet.
So he finds the synagogue and for three weeks, every Sabbath Day, he shows up and takes the Scriptures and proves to his audience that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. And as the Messiah he had to suffer and die. You the see the suffering and death of Jesus was a huge obstacle for the Jews. They just couldn't accept a Messiah who would suffer and die. They were looking for Superman. A Messiah that was faster than a speeding bullet, that could leap tall buildings in a single bound. But Jesus didn't come as Superman, he came as a suffering servant.
Paul probably showed them verses like Isaiah 53:3-6, He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
This passage written over 500 years before Christ was born graphically describes his suffering and his death for us, even to the gory detail of his piercings on the cross, a form of execution that he hadn't even been invented when Isaiah wrote this prophecy. But not only did the Messiah have to suffer and die. He also came back from the dead.
So Paul said, "Look at Isaiah 53:10-11," Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life, and be satisfied.
Jesus came back from the dead, just as the Bible said he would. And like Juma said last week, Jesus is different. He's not just a prophet like Moses or Abraham or Mohammed. He is the very Son of God. And some of the Jews said, "Yes you're right we believe." And a large number of Greeks said, "You convinced me." And more than a few wealthy women said, "Count us in too." They were certain of their faith in Jesus Christ.
Are you certain of your faith today? Have you been convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, not just a mere man, a great teacher, or a holy prophet, but the Son of the living God? And as the Son of the God he died on the cross for you and for me, taking the punishment we deserve for our sin on himself. But he didn't stay dead. Three days later as prophesied by Isaiah and as testified by human history he rose from the grave. He's alive today. And certain hope for uncertain times begins when we trust Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.
I was a little seven year-old twerp when I was persuaded that Jesus died for me. My father was seventy-six when he was convinced that Jesus died for him. It doesn't matter how old you are when you come to believe. But it does matter that you believe. Trust Christ today and you'll find that certain hope for uncertain times.
But not everybody will be thrilled with your decision to follow Christ. Get ready for opposition in your family, in the neighborhood, at school, at work. You may have to pay a price for believing the truth. Paul did. Look at what happened in verses 5-9.
But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the market-place, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: "These people who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they put Jason and the others on bail and let them go.
Somebody once said, "Wherever the Apostle Paul went there was either a revival or a riot. And usually there was both." Those who didn't believe Paul's message gathered some bad characters, like hit man types, formed a mob, and ignited a riot. And when they couldn't find Paul or his buddy Silas they grabbed a poor guy named Jason, who was probably like one day old in the Lord, and roughed him up. They trumped up a charge that Paul was advocating the overthrow of the Roman government. So poor Jason had to post bond to be released. He was out some bucks. "It's fun to be a Christian!" he thought.
When you see these riots going on in Pakistan and the Middle East with everybody yelling and screaming and throwing rocks that's what it was like. That's what the name of Jesus can do to people. So don't be surprised if you take some hits for your faith.
When I was in junior and senior high school I didn't want to take any hits for Jesus. I was much too concerned about fitting in. I wasn't ready to go public. I wanted to keep my faith a private thing, just a church thing. I admire so many of you who are that age who aren't ashamed of Jesus. You're way ahead of where I was. But in my senior year I was baptized and for me, that was the first step to coming out of the closet.
And when I went to college I was determined that I was going to be a witness for Christ. So I mustered up all my courage and in my dorm room right next to my life sized six-foot tall Mark Spitz swimming poster, the one with the seven gold medals hanging around his neck, I stuck a little picture of Jesus on my wall. You tell me who was hero!? It must have worked though because halfway through my freshman year the co-captains of the swim team barged into my dorm room one night, sky high on dope, called me all sorts of names because I wouldn't party with them and then held me down and tried to force me to smoke a joint. And these were two big 6' 4" dudes and my heart was racing and I broke out in a cold sweat, but with God's help I didn't cave in and told them why. And that was a defining moment for my faith. Have you had one of those yet?
This week our 10 year-old son, Jordan, had a defining moment for his faith. A neighbor overheard a boy say to him, "You know, Jordan, if you really want to be cool you have to curse, because cool people curse." And Jordan said, "I'm not going to curse." And the kid said, "Well, then you're going to be nerd." And Jordan, "So then I guess I'll be a nerd." Are you willing to be a nerd for Jesus? Do you have the guts to go against the flow if that means pleasing Christ? There will always be opposition.
The believers in Thessalonica were concerned for the safety of Paul and Silas, so they smuggled them out of town. Look at verses 10-12,As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
Paul and Silas left Thessalonica and went sixty miles west to a town called Berea. Their strategy was the same. Hit the synagogue first. But this time they were welcomed with open arms, by an eager bunch of people who were ready to receive their message and dive into the Scriptures. They were a dream audience.
You want to become convinced of your faith? You want to be certain of your hope? Be like the Bereans. Dive into the Word of God. Read the Bible for yourselves. Don't just listen to me on Sundays. A few months ago I was getting sloppy in my own Bible reading so I committed myself to read it through again, cover to cover. It'll probably take me a few years. Maybe Jesus will come before I get out of Leviticus. I hope so, that's a tough book. But get into the Bible and get the Bible into you. That will sure up your faith.
And if this is a brand new book for you, let me give you some advice. Don't start in Genesis. Start with the Gospel of John, the book that was written for seekers. Then read through the rest of the New Testament and finish with Matthew, Mark and Luke. Then tackle the Old Testament. And don't worry that you don't understand everything, just keep reading and your faith will grow.
This week we were giving our 12 year-old daughter, Chelsea, some ways that she could respond to her peers who might tease her because she believes the Bible. And we told her one thing is to ask a person if they had ever read it. There are very few people who have read through the Bible with an open mind and have remained skeptics. Most critics have never read the Bible. They're afraid too, because this book is powerful. Let's be like the Bereans.
Now if we ended hear, the story would have a happy ending. But that's not the end of the story. The opposition continues. Look at verses 13-15, When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14 The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
Can you believe these people? They just wouldn't quit. They traveled at least three days to hunt down Paul like a fugitive. And once again he was on the run. This time he headed two hundred miles south to Athens. And then eventually to Corinth where he wrote the letter we call 1 Thessalonians.
And next week we'll start to study that letter. But before we close and observe the Lord's Table let me tell you how to be certain of your faith.
First, believe God's Son. Believe what Jesus says is true. Paul's message was all about Jesus. And Jesus said in John 6:47, I tell you the truth, he who believes has eternal life. You can't get much clearer than that. Have you believed in Jesus? That's where certain hope starts.
Second, read God's Word. In another passage, Romans 10:17, Paul writes, Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Get into the Bible like the Bereans.
And third, accept the witness of God's Spirit. When we do believe in Jesus, God gives us his Holy Spirit and his Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are now in God's family. Romans 8:16, The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. He whispers in our ear, "You're mine. I love you. You're in the family."
We live in a crazy world. There's lots of uncertainty out there. We don't know what tomorrow holds. But we know who holds tomorrow. And we don't need to be uncertain about our relationship with God. Believe God's Son. Read God's Word. Accept the witness of God's Spirit and enjoy certain hope for uncertain times.