A Benediction for Friends: Seeking God's grace for one another

A BENEDICTION FOR FRIENDS: SEEKING GOD’S GRACE FOR ONE ANOTHER; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 – MHAFB, 16 Aug 20 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------Series: N/A / Topics: Benediction; Blessing; Sanctification; Church: Fellowship and Unity; Edification Before Worship: Pray with leaders! Openings Verse: Psalm 28:6-9 Songs: Hosanna (Praise is Rising); Our God; Build My Life ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introduction Attention: 1. How many of you are familiar with what a benediction is? 2. A benediction is, “Prayer for God’s blessing” or “An affirmation that God’s blessing is at hand.” a. The most famous of these is the blessing God gave Aaron for the Priests to speak over His people in Num. 6:24–26 Numbers 6:24–26 CSB 24 “May the LORD bless you and protect you; 25 may the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the LORD look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’ b. However, the New Testament is full of benedictions! (Rom. 15:13; 16:25–27; 1 Cor. 16:23; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 6:18; Eph. 3:20–21; 6:23–24; Phil. 4:23; 1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Thess. 3:18; 1 Tim. 6:21b; 2 Tim. 4:22; Titus 3:15b; Philem. 25; Heb. 13:20–21, 25; 1 Pet. 5:14b; 2 Pet. 3:18; 3 John 15a; Jude 24–25) 3. The great beauties of a benediction are that they remind us of the love God has chosen to pour out on us. a. And you’ll find in the New Testament that they are often positioned at the end of a letter b. It’s the final word that the Apostles want their people to remember… i. A final word not about how amazing the Apostolic author is ii. Nor about how amazing the church is iii. But rather—about how amazing GOD is. 1. How He is good and worthy of our whole-hearted pursuit, trust, & love 2. How He has chosen to love us & to demonstrate that love to us in powerful ways 3. How He is faithful to transform us as we draw near to Him. iv. We serve an awesome and amazing God who is worthy of our worship & radical pursuit. Big Picture: 1. And so today, as I preach my final sermon on this 2.5 year backfill tour, a. I want to draw your own attention to our awesome God. 2. And I want to share with you… a. SLIDE-Title: A Benediction for Friends: Seeking God’s grace for one another b. A benediction that shares some about how amazing our God is… i. His goodness & worthiness ii. His love & grace. c. And indeed, this benediction shares my heart for you in prayer— i. I earnestly pursuit that God’s grace be increased for each of you! d. The benediction we will be looking at is found at the end of 1 Thessalonians. 3. SLIDE-Thesis: In this I hope that you each will find that… a. God faithfully makes us holy and calls on us to build up one another toward this end. 4. As we look through this, I hope to draw your attention to two key things— a. God’s faithful sanctifying work & b. Our faithful united work (with Him, toward this end) Passage: 1. Context: a. Throughout 1 Thessalonians Paul has been celebrating the faith of the Thessalonica church while defending the message of Gospel & his work on it’s behalf. b. Three prayers help show the beginning, middle, & end of the letter— i. We are jumping into the last of these which highlights God’s faithful work to make us holy ii. And a call for us to join Him in this work in how we build one another up 2. Verses-2 Slides: So, I invite you to stand in honor of God’s Word as we read… 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28 CSB 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will do it. 25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us also. 26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brothers and sisters. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. a. May the Lord so bless us through the reading of His Word! Transition: 1. Join me in prayer… a. Heavenly Father, thank You for the simple truths of these verses. b. For the reflection it gives of Your faithful sanctifying work in our lives. c. May we rise up together as brothers & sisters to join You in this great journey of faith d. In Jesus Name we pray—Amen! 2. Now, let us start by first considering… Main Point 1: God’s Faithful Sanctifying Work Explain: This passage begins with a simple prayer, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v23) 1. So, let’s start with a simple definition of the word… a. MP1: Sanctify: (hAgiazō ; ἁγιάζω); Simply it is to be made holy i. MP1: This is a God-led process in which He.... 1. Sets us aside as sacred for Himself; 2. MP1: He cleanses & purifies us spiritually & morally ii. MP1: Something that is vitally linked to our salvation— 1. In one sense, at our salvation we are completely sanctified by the work of Jesus on the cross— a. We are now the ‘Saints,’ the ‘Holy Ones’ 2. And our sanctification will find it’s culmination in the end of days at our glorification, 3. However, we are also still ‘being saved’ by God— a. The Holy Spirit is actively working with us to help us, as Paul highlights, i. To become more ‘sound and blameless’ in our faith ii. That is to say, to ever-grow in greater obedience & likeness to our Christ! iii. Loving God & others more & in such a godly way that it results in greater moral & spiritual purity 2. Another important note: Who, again, is leading this process of sanctification? God. a. What is He entitled here? The God of peace. b. This hails back to the Old Testament understanding of peace, also called ‘shalom’ i. Biblical peace references a total well-being (mind, body, spirit, & relationships) 1. That God wants us to live within; 2. That our obedience to God leads us into! c. The necessary beginning of this true peace came through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross i. Then, when we are justified we enter into this journey of peace (Romans 5:1) ii. And as we continually receive more of God’s sanctifying peace in our lives and set our mind on the spirit (Romans 8:6) this ‘peace that passes understanding’ (Philippians 4:7) fill our lives more fully d. MP1: And so, sanctification comes from peace & leads us into greater peace! i. Something I know each of us could use more of! 3. Also note: How much does Paul pray that we become sanctified? Totally! a. Two ways that He highlights this: Asking that… i. This God of peace will “sanctify you completely,” ii. And that this will make our “whole spirit, soul, & body [to] be kept sound & blameless” b. God is concerned about all of who you are i. And as a Christian, the entirety of who (material & immaterial) we are is under the holy claims of Jesus c. MP1: And therefore, He sanctifies all of who we are! i. How you think & feel ii. How you process & understand the world iii. How you act & speak iv. How you interact with others v. Even the attitudes & motivations of the heart d. He works to ‘sanctify us completely!’ Illustrate: C. S. Lewis shares this helpful reflection… 1. When I was a child, I often had a toothache, and I knew that if I went to my mother, she would give me something which would deaden the pain for that night and let me get to sleep. a. But I did not go to my mother--at least not till the pain became very bad. b. And the reason I did not go was this: i. I did not doubt she would give me the aspirin; but I knew she would also do something else. ii. I knew she would take me to the dentist the next morning. iii. I could not get what I wanted out of her without getting something more, which I did not want. c. I wanted immediate relief from my pain; but I could not get it without having my teeth set permanently right. i. And I knew those dentists; I knew they would start fiddling about with all sorts of other teeth which had not yet begun to ache. 2. Our Lord is like the dentists. a. Dozens of people go to him to be cured of some particular sin. b. Well, he will cure it all right, but he will not stop there. c. That may be all you asked; but if you once call him in, he will give you the full treatment. 3. This is the grace of our God—that He will not simply take away one or two things, a. But that He will work to make us totally sanctified! Expand: And now for a final reflection on this section… 1. MP1: God is committed to do this for us! a. As v24 shares, “He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.” b. It is God’s desire to make us holy, spirit, soul, & body i. And He is faithful to do this very thing! 2. I am reminded of Paul’s similar reflection in Philippians 1:6 Philippians 1:6 CSB 6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 3. We worship a loving, mighty, & faithful God. a. As His sons & daughters, i. He is working now within us to make us holy! ii. To totally cleanse & purify us! b. And He won’t give up on this! Transition: 1. So my question to you— a. Are you willing to join Him on this journey? 2. While God promises to faithfully sanctify us— a. He also calls us to join Him in this journey! b. To accept personal responsibility & exercise personal effort to become holy 3. And Paul’s conclusion to this letter highlights several key ways that we can do this through… Main Point 2: Our Faithful United Work Explain: Paul highlights four key ways we can join God’s sanctifying work: 1. MP2: Pray for one another: a. v25 simply says, “Brethren, pray for us” (NASB) b. The great apostle to the Gentiles, the scripture-writer—Paul asked for prayer for himself & his companions (Silvanus & Timothy, see 1 Thessalonians 1:1) i. This was actually a common practice for Paul (see Romans 15:30–32; 2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 6:19–20; Philippians 1:19; Philemon 22) ii. And if he needed prayer, you better believe that we do, too! iii. Each of us are facing hardships, struggles, weariness, and temptations of various sorts. c. Prayer was no empty ritual or duty in Paul’s eyes i. Rather, it was a means by which God’s power was received in the lives of the believers 1. Power undoubtedly for his ministry, but also for that which He just prayed for— 2. The sanctifying work of God to be more powerfully realized in our lives— 3. And so much more! ii. Through prayer the Christian is transformed by the presence of God d. Do you so value & pursue the united & fervent prayers of others? i. Especially as a means to grow in sanctification & doing the good work God has entrusted to you? e. May we be a people who earnestly pursue our Lord’s work within one another through prayer! f. Next, we see Paul encouraging us to… 2. MP2: Build the Christian community in godly love: a. This comes out with a verse that seems quite out of place in this season of Covid i. v26, “Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.” (NASB) b. To ‘Greet’ is to ‘engage in hospitable recognition;’ to happily welcome someone into your life & space i. As brothers & sisters in Christ, we are called to so recognize & welcome one another in our lives ii. But Paul takes this a step further by telling us to do so “with a holy kiss” c. The “holy kiss” was a common greeting amongst Christians (see Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Peter 5:14) i. They could be on the lips, cheeks, shoulders, hands, feet (Luke 7:36-50) ii. Far from being romantic or sexual, 1. These greetings were a sign of brotherly love, unity (of fellowship), & peace 2. It was a warm greeting that symbolized acceptance, even after a wrong was suffered (e.g. Genesis 45:15; Luke 15:20) 3. It expresses friendship, respect, & reverence. iii. Such close friendships within the church’s great cultural, socio-economic, and ethnic diversity was truly remarkable in that time & our own! iv. And yet, this is the community that we are called to build, live within, & receive God’s sanctifying work within d. Thirdly, we see Paul encourage us to… 3. MP2: Focus on God’s Word: a. Paul says, “I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren.” (NASB) i. In 1 Timothy 5:18 Paul references Luke 10:7 as Scripture & in 2 Peter 3:16 Peter references Paul’s letters as scriptures 1. It seems that Paul had a basic understanding that what he was writing was more than just a casual letter… ii. And so he charges these Christians to ensure every local Christian can read this letter b. “I charge you” (CSB) was a very strong Greek word used to require an oath/pledge from someone i. It was significantly important to Paul that this letter be heard by all the saints of Thessalonica (c.f. Colossians 4:16). ii. Perhaps the church met at different times, different places, or even in different language groups— 1. Whatever the reason— 2. Paul wanted to ensure a. the entire local church heard his God-given exhortation b. That their eyes were on the truth of God 3. And as we do the same, we find that God’s sanctifying power unleashed all the more in our lives! c. Finally, Paul ends this letter in the same way he began (see 1 Thessalonians 1:1b)— i. Expressing His desire that “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (v28) ii. An prayer that exhorts us to recognize & … 4. MP2: Live in “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” a. The grace of God is the well-spring of all God’s goodness to us. i. His forgiveness, salvation, & peace, ii. The gift of the Holy Spirit & His work to mature us holiness— iii. These are all manifestations of God’s grace b. This grace of God applies to us i. It is part of our heritage in Christ. c. And through it, our lives can be powerfully transformed! Illustrate: 1. When we unite with God & one another in His work to sanctify we will find our lives radically changed. 2. One pastor (Gordon MacDonald, Ordering Your Private World) shared an experience that reminds us of what this can sometimes look like; he shares… a. “Some years ago, when Gail and I bought the old abandoned New Hampshire farm we now call Peace Ledge, we found the site where we wished to build our country home strewn with rocks and boulders. i. It was going to take a lot of hard work to clear it all out.... b. The first phase of the clearing process was easy. i. The big boulders went fast. c. And when they were gone, we began to see that there were a lot of smaller rocks that had to go too. d. But when we had cleared the site of the boulders and the rocks, we noticed all of the stones and pebbles we had not seen before. e. This was much harder, more tedious work. i. But we stuck to it, and there came the day when the soil was ready for planting grass.” Expand: 1. And so to in our lives, as we stick with God’s sanctifying work, we will find Him… a. Changing both big & little things b. Areas of hurt that we did not know now healed! c. Areas of brokenness that we never saw now beautified! 2. Are you ready to see such change in your life? I hope so! Transition: 1. Let’s begin to close this off... Conclusion: Conclusion Reiterate: God faithfully makes us holy and calls on us to build up one another toward this end. 1. Upon our salvation we have been set aside for God a. As such, God wants to purify us spiritually & morally b. And He is faithfully committed to making us completely holy! 2. But, He calls on us to rise up & join Him as a community of faith on this journey! a. So, let’s consider.... Apply: How should we respond? I suggest these points for your prayerful consideration… 1. Con: Trust in God to become who you should be. (see 1 Thessalonians 3:13) i. To sanctify you! a. When we are overwhelmed, exhausted, & stressed i. At those times it is often easiest to see how far we still have to go as a Christian 1. To see how far from true Christlikeness we really are. ii. But take heart! b. The call of God is paired with His faithful enabling! i. It is not not by our own power or wisdom that we become who we ought to be-ii. It is through our faithful God’s work c. Do you trust Him to do it? i. He loves & cares for us. 1. One of the key ways He shows this is through His sanctifying work ii. Take comfort in this as you struggle & as you see others struggle— 1. God is not finished with you! iii. Temptations or weaknesses of character that seem unconquerable— 1. Trust that He can indeed conquer them! 2. But don’t trust Him & then do nothing, also… 2. Con: Earnestly pursue your sanctification! a. There are many things we could pursue… i. Career success, retirement accounts, relationships, new clothing, new cars, the latest tech, & much more! ii. But your sanctification is far more important than any of these things— 1. It is one of those heavenly treasures that we talked about a few weeks ago 2. And it takes hard work to grow in these ways! 3. But it is a hard work that God partners with you in pursuing! b. And consider our previous four exhortations as a primary means of doing this: i. Con: Revitalize your prayer life! 1. Consider what you need to do to spend substantial times with the Lord. a. Look at Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 6:5-15 & Luke 10:38-11:32 b. Let God use the Psalms to guide you into what this looks like 2. Consider how you can add key elements to your prayers like praise & thanksgiving, confession, Intercession & petitions, & even simply listening to Him. a. Put this into your schedule & make it happen! ii. Con: Fervently build the church up in love! (see Hebrews 10:19–25; 1 John 3:23–24, 4:7–11) 1. While the "holy kiss” is ill-advised during this season of Covid-19… a. And social distancing discourages spending too much time together… 2. What can you do to warmly recognize and welcome one another into your life? a. To increase brotherly love, unity, & peace? 3. Perhaps this season of isolation is one of the greatest times of need for this pursuit! a. Will you do it? 4. Greet those who are new. a. Reach out kindly to those of old. b. Show to them the same welcome that Jesus showed to you! 5. Third... iii. Con: Become engrossed in God’s Word! (see Joshua 1:6–9; Psalm 1, 119; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13) 1. As with prayer, I encourage you to put this into your schedule & make it happen! a. Start with something simple & bite-sized—a chapter or a few paragraphs a day. b. Reading through Luke & Acts can be a great place to start! c. Perhaps take 1 Thessalonians and work through it as Paul called us to do so long ago 2. Whatever method you use— a. I exhort you-b. Become engrossed in God’s word! 3. Finally… iv. Con: Recognize & live in God’s grace! (see Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 16:23; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 6:18; Philippians 4:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:18; Revelation 22:21) 1. Again, this is how Paul both started and ended this letter. a. Actually he made a Christian standard for farewells in letters— b. In his day simply saying “Farewell” was most common (see Acts 15:29)! 2. But Paul wanted us each to recognize this one and only thing that makes a Christian different from anyone else… a. They have received God’s unique grace through the Lord Jesus Christ! 3. And this also ties us back into the 1st application point… a. Paul stressed both the individual’s commitment to holy living (e.g. Romans 6:19–22; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8; 2 Corinthians 7:1) and the enabling power of God for it (1 Thessalonians 3:13, 4:8, 5:23-24) 4. Realize that He never leaves you alone to accomplish what He has called you to do a. He will journey with you & empower you to do it. b. Remember the many ways He has poured out His grace on you c. And then walk in light of this truth. Appeal: 1. Liberty Chapel— a. It has been my great joy to have these pursuits with you throughout my tenure here. b. As my family & I move on from here; I encourage you to i. Continue on this journey of faith. ii. Receive God’s sanctifying work and power within and among you! iii. Become all the more a people of prayer, the word, & loving community 1. A people living in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Today may we each see anew… a. God’s blessings upon us, b. His beauty, love, & power. 3. And may we walk in it as His children Conclude: 1. Pray with me...