Sermon Tone Analysis

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When my wife had a recent school inspection, all the different aspects of the school were graded from Level 5 – “many important shortcomings”, up to a Level 1 “good with outstanding features”.
One afternoon I was idly wondering how the apostle Paul might inspect the different churches he was writing to – or even how he might inspect this one!
The church in Galatia I think might get a level 5, “Many important shortcomings”.
Perhaps Corinth would get a level 4: “Some good features but shortcomings in important areas”.
The church in Thessalonica on the other hand, would probably be a level 3: “Good features outweigh shortcomings”.
The church had been planted by Paul after a powerful work of the Spirit.
Paul says in his first letter to the Thessalonians: “our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction”.
But he also says “in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”
After just three weeks in the town, Acts 17 tells us Paul had to escape to Berea under cover of darkness.
In spite of the persecution and the loss of its founding apostle, the church in Thessalonica is prospering.
Look at [[2 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 3|Bible:2Th 1:3]]: “We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.”
What a wonderful commendation!
But although these good features far outweigh the shortcomings, not everything in the Thessalonian garden is rosy.
The opposition from unbelieving Jews has wrought confusion as to whether the Lord will come in judgement against those who oppose the church.
Some are even claiming that the apostle Paul has said things he has not!
But Paul insists that the Lord has not yet come, that persecution will continue, but he insists too that the Lord will judge and punish those who persecute the church.
There may be many differences between the church in Thessalonica and the church here.
Perhaps you are not a young church without leaders.
Perhaps you are not suffering from persecution.
Perhaps the growth of this church has been slow and steady, not remarkable and rapid.
Yet even if that is the case, I believe these verses have much to say to us.
Because just like the Thessalonians, I’m sure there is much to thank God for, but still much to put right.
Your good features might well outweigh your shortcomings, but the important shortcomings will remain here nonetheless.
As we look at the word of God, we must attempt to understand what the Lord is saying both to the Thessalonian church /and to us here/.
We need to ask both “what is God saying to them” as well as “what is God saying to me”.
I have four points for you: God’s choice brings thankfulness ([[v13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]]), God’s calling brings glory ([[v14|Bible:2Thess 2:14]]), God’s grace brings responsibility ([[v15|Bible:2Thess 2:15]]), and God’s love brings strength ([[vv16-17|Bible:2Thess 2:16-17]]).
So then, let’s see what the apostle Paul has to say.
First:
!
God’s choice brings thankfulness
Look at [[2 Thessalonians 2, verse 13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]]: “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
The Thessalonians themselves may be discouraged because of the difficulties, but Paul is not.
No, he will always thank God for these brothers loved by the Lord.
What causes Paul to be so thankful?
He thanks God because God has chosen them to be saved.
Theologians call the truth that God has /chosen/ some to be saved the doctrine of /election/.
Paul doesn’t say very much about the doctrine of election here, but it’s one found throughout the whole Bible.
Very simply it means this: If you’re a Christian, it’s because God chose you to be saved.
It may /feel/ as though /you/ chose /God/, but the Bible teaches clearly that /He/ chose /you/.
How do you respond when you think about the doctrine of election?
Perhaps you respond with distaste – after all there are many people who don’t like the idea that God is in charge of everything, that he even chooses who is saved.
Perhaps you respond with misgivings – you know that the doctrine of election is something that the Bible speaks about, but you’re not sure that it’s something we should mention in case it puts people off, or causes division.
Or maybe you respond with confusion – you’re just not at all sure how the Bible can teach that God chooses who should be saved and at the same time teaches that every man and woman has a responsibility to repent and believe in God themselves!
Or maybe you respond as the apostle Paul does here – look at [[verse 13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]].
“I thank God for you… because from the beginning God chose you to be saved.”
The doctrine of election may bring many responses, but if praise and thanksgiving are not among them, then you’ve not understood the glory of election.
The story is told of a child who had been adopted, receiving a great deal of teasing at school, because his parents weren’t his real parents.
He faced down his tormentors with the simple response: “Yes, but /my/ parents /chose/ me”.
That gave him value.
That assured him of their love and their care.
They weren’t just landed with him, they /chose/ him.
Do you see why thinking about election always causes the apostle Paul to be thankful and praise God?
God has been very gracious in ensuring that 99.9% of the Bible has been passed down over the generations without any error or confusion.
But in a tiny percentage of cases, there is sometimes a disagreement about what a particular word might be.
By God’s providence, none of these words make any difference to any major doctrine, but they can sometimes cause a little confusion as to exactly what a sentence says – and unfortunately there’s just such a word in this sentence.
If you’ve got an ESV, you’ll see that Paul says “God chose you as the firstfruits”, and the NIV has something similar in the footnotes.
I really do think that’s what Paul was trying to say.
He is thankful, he is encouraged, because he believes that those in the church are just the firstfruits of those who will be saved in Thessalonica, and there is a full harvest still to come.
That’s entirely in line with Paul’s usual language, and reminds us again of why the doctrine of election brings so much praise to Paul’s mind.
Every converted person is a reminder that there are more elect people out there just waiting to hear the gospel and be converted!
But with all this talk about election, let’s not miss how these Thessalonian believers were saved.
Look again at [[verse 13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]]: “God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”.
Here Paul wants to make certain the Thessalonians have understood the enormous difference between them and those who are not converted.
That’s why he begins the verse with that word “but”.
Let’s go back to [[verse 10|Bible:2Thess 2:10]].
Those who are not Christians, Paul says, “perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved”.
Those who are Christians, the end of [[verse 13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]], are saved “through belief in the truth”.
[[Verse 12|Bible:2Thess 2:12]] tells us that those who are not Christians “have delighted in wickedness”, whilst [[verse 13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]] tells us that those who /are/ Christians are saved “through the sanctifying work of the Spirit”.
Paul then is very clear about what it means to be a Christian.
A Christian is someone who /loves the truth and lives the truth/.
Can you see that?
A Christian is someone who /loves the truth and lives the truth/.
But we mustn’t think that Paul is looking down his nose at those who are not Christians.
It’s very easy to forget that Paul was once someone who delighted in wickedness.
Remember, before he became a Christian he persecuted the church, he had many men and women thrown in jail, and was complicit in the killing of at least some.
If you’re not yet a Christian, and think that Christians – perhaps even us – look down at you, then please think again.
Not a single member of this church was born a Christian.
Not a single converted member of this church is innocent or has any reason to be self-righteous.
But every believing member of this church has been chosen “to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth”.
What marks us out is not our righteousness, but God’s grace.
So how did these Thessalonians move from delighting in wickedness to being saved?
In Paul’s words, they are saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit.
If you want to be saved, then you need to be sanctified, that means “made holy” by the work of the Spirit, and you need to believe in the truth.
That’s what happened to Paul.
It’s what happened to the Thessalonian believers.
It’s what happened to every Christian here.
There is no entrance into the Christian life other than through the cleansing work of the Spirit, and through belief in the truth.
Do you notice just how prominent God is in all of this?
These are brothers “loved by the Lord”, by Jesus, they are chosen by God the Father, and they are sanctified by the Spirit.
What a glorious work of salvation by the Triune God!
If you’re not yet a Christian, then understand that trying harder, praying more, doing better, or being more sincere will not make you a Christian – only God can do that!
Have you asked him?
Pleaded with him?
Acknowledged your own inability to save yourself, and begged him to save you?
It’s not your choice to become a Christian, it’s God’s.
So, that’s our first point, from verse [[13|Bible:2Thess 2:13]].
*/God’s choice brings thankfulness/*.
The second point, from [[verse 14|Bible:2Thess 2:14]], is this:
!
God’s calling brings glory
Look at [[verse 14|Bible:2Thess 2:14]]: “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Isn’t this an amazing verse?
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