Sermon Tone Analysis

/Brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.

For we wanted to come to you — certainly I, Paul, did, again and again — but Satan stopped us.

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes?

Is it not you?

Indeed, you are our glory and joy./

 

*Ad Astra Per Aspera*/ /is a phrase which I heard often and learned well during the days of my youth.

The motto of the State of Kansas, this Latin phrase may be translated into English *to the stars through difficulty*.

The phrase would be an entirely appropriate motto for the people of God were it applied to the practise of their Faith.

I do not for a moment imply that salvation is difficult to attain; the difficult work is already accomplished and we need but believe.

I do mean that living *christianly*/ /is difficult and certain to invite opposition.

But for the child of God who perseveres in so living, God has promised that He takes cognisance.

God's Glory Now —In the verses preceding the text Paul presented great truths which speak of God's judgement of the wicked and which point to truths held in common by all believers.

Disappointed by the situation confronting us we may grow irascible, striking out at God and at those about us.

Alternatively we may, though aware of the difficulties, nevertheless rest in the knowledge that we serve a God too wise to make a mistake and too good to needlessly hurt us.

The particular response reveals our view of God and our relationship to Him.

Paul speaks of his deep longing to be with the Thessalonians.

You will recall that he was with them but a brief while before he was forced to flee the city.

One of the converts was put under a peace bond, the legal manoeuvre serving as a wedge driven between Paul and the congregation.

He could return to the city only at the jeopardy of those he loved and for whom he cared.

He viewed this event as engineered by Satan.

[W]hen we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.

For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul did, again and again – but Satan stopped us [*verses 18,19*].

He compared the work of Satan to that of an engineer battalion breaking up the road and placing obstacles in the advance of an army.

Despite his knowledge of the hindrances and their source, Paul nevertheless had a deep longing to be with these pressed and tested saints – a longing not unlike that which Jesus expressed to His disciples before His death [cf.*

Luke 22:15*].

Paul's longing was not born out of his own desire for comfort, but out of concern for the saints.

Paul was deeply concerned that these believers stand firm in the truth of Christ; he did not know how they might respond to the testing of the wicked one and he was aware of Satan's schemes.

Paul did not look back and thus give in to regret and remorse.

Instead, he looked ahead and rejoiced.

For the Christian the best is yet to come.

Paul looked forward by faith and saw his friends in the presence of Christ in eternal glory.

In times of testing and trouble it is important that we adopt the long view of things.

Paul, though walking about in the moment, nevertheless lived in the future tense.

His actions were governed by what God would yet do in the future.

Let the world mock about what is sometimes referred to as pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by faith; it is the knowledge of what is yet to be which makes the nasty-now-and-now tolerable.

It is the certainty of the /glory which is to be revealed/ which encourages us to continue serving.

Then, suddenly, in a moment of time, his view shifts and he speaks of – *glory*.

For what is … the crown in which we will glory … you are our glory.

We are not inclined to give much thought to God's glory.

That oversight is our loss in this hectic age in which we live.

We are too rushed to invest much time in thinking of such things seemingly removed from the humdrum of daily life.

We who know God are stunned into silence, however, whenever we pause to contemplate His glorious presence.

Isaiah, when the Lord was revealed to him, heard the angels exclaim:

 

/Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;        /

/the whole earth is full of His glory"/

                                                                                                                                          [*Isaiah 6:3*].

His response to the revealed presence of the glorious Lord, high and exalted, was to cry out, Woe to me…  I am ruined!

For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty [*Isaiah 6:5*].

Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, saw Christ Jesus the Lord of Glory in all His unveiled glory.

Hearing the voice of God and seeing the glory of Christ the Lord they fell facedown to the ground and in what can only be considered understatement were said to be terrified [*Matthew 17:6*].

John, when he turned to see who spoke to him on the Isle of Patmos, saw the glorified Christ.

And when he saw Him John fell at His feet as though dead [*Revelation 1:17*].

Daniel saw the pre-incarnate Christ and he /had no strength left/, his /face turned deathly pale/ and he /was helpless/ [*Daniel 10:8*].

I find it instructive that the universal response of believers in the presence of the unveiled glory of the Lord is that each alike is dumbstruck.

But here is an aspect of God's glory which is frequently ignored or neglected.

The redeemed of God, the Church of the Living God, is considered to be an expression of the glory of God.

According to the Word of God we Christians are destined to share in His glory [*Romans **8:17*, cf.* 9:23,24*].

Now, believers all reflect the Lord's glory and they are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory [*2 Corinthians 3:18*].

The pressures faced during this present life are viewed biblically as light and momentary troubles … achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all [*2 Corinthians 4:17*].

If we somehow fail to see the Church as an evidence of God's glory we impoverish ourselves.

The Church, flawed and failure prone as she is, and crippled with imperfections though she may be, is nevertheless the expression of God's glory.

Our eyes are prevented from seeing the full revelation of the glory of God in His people at this time.

Yet were we but able to see our fellow believers as they shall soon appear we would find that we were struck speechless in the presence of creatures so beautiful, so awesome, so glorious.

God's Glory Before Us —I insist on the authority of God's Word that there is a present glory now resident within the Church and among the people of God.

That glory, great though it is, obviously is not to be compared to the glory which is yet to be revealed.

John, the aged Apostle of Love, writing in his first epistle, observes: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.

But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is [*1 John 3:2*].

Take note of that promise: [W]e shall be like Him.

Because we shall be like Him we will in that day find our glory in that which glorifies Him; and we are taught that Christ is coming to be glorified in His holy people [*2 Thessalonians 1:10*].

Thus, as Christ is glorified in His people so we are glorified in those whom we have won to faith and brought to share in eternal righteousness.

Did ever greater cause for Christian witness exist?

Has ever greater reason to speak of our Faith been provided us?

God is just, and He takes note of His people; especially does He observe their labours which are exerted for His sake.

Throughout the Word of God are found precious promises which speak of His grace as He takes note of the labours of His holy people.

That God promises us rewards is another evidence of His grace.

God could demand service of us simply on the basis of all He has done for us.

But He chooses to encourage us and to bring yet greater glory to Himself through rewarding us for our labours.

What sort of rewards is promised to the child of God?  What must be done in order to be assured of these rewards?

God promises throughout the pages of the Word of God crowns to those saints who fulfil specified tasks.

We cannot be certain what is signified with the conferring of these crowns, but we are confident that each speaks of divine awareness of our efforts and they speak of eternal recognition of those same efforts.

God is faithful to recognise the devotion of His holy people.

Because He is faithful we are likewise confident that He is fair.

There is promised to* the one who subdues his body, keeping it under control for God’s glory*,* *an eternal crown.

Writing the Corinthian believers, the Apostle referred to this reward.

/Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.

They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize./

[*1 Corinthians 9:24-27*].

Self-control is produced by the presence of the Spirit; it is one of the fruits of the Spirit [*Galatians 5:23*].

Since the Christian's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the believer must be careful not to defile the body.

He must keep his body under control not only to avoid wickedness but also to employ the body in a godly manner for the tasks to which the believer is called.

When Paul spoke of the possibility of being /disqualified for the prize/ he was not speaking of the loss of salvation, but he spoke of the loss of eternal recognition.

When tempted to surrender to your own desires, whether to gratify base sexual urges or to surrender to your own greed or to give in to your longing to step back from spiritual conflict, don’t do it.

Remember that God knows the struggle you face and He even now takes note of your battle against the flesh.

When you have won the battle of self-control He will Himself give you the prize.

Speak to the lost!

Stand up for Christ despite the pressure to be silent!