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e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e good morning everyone welcome to free race Baptist church for our morning worship service we have Pastor Ryan malar's here this morning he'll be preaching and then our evening servic is at 5:00 p.m. as usual and Wednesday night bible study at 7:30 p.m. a couple more announcements our AGM the annual general meeting for free Grace Baptist Church has been bumped ahead by week so we're having that due to a conflict of schedule we're having that on the 15th of February Saturday the 15th of February for all the members of pre Grace Baptist Church also there's going to be a young people's table talk meeting coming up there'll be an email coming out about that that should be on the 7th of February Friday evening here at the church and then there's still many copies of the directory if you prefer to have a uh paper copy with photos and contact information for all the people come to the church here there's lots in the back there pick one up on your way out as well the U online Church social platform is up and running and then let's remember the confessing the faith conference that our church puts on each year now second one coming up April 25th and 26th uh there is a there's been an email sent out on that as well with links to videos you probably receive that but keep that in your prayers and in your mind look forward to meeting with many like-minded Brethren on that weekend for our call to worship this morning we're going to turn to Psalm chapter 20 so the 20th Psalm Psalm 20 to the chief musician a Psalm of David may the Lord answer you in the day of trouble may the name of the god of Jacob defend you may he send you help from the sanctuary and strengthen you out of Zion may he remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice sa La may he Grant you according to your heart's desire and fulfill all your purpose we will rejoice in your salvation and in the name of our God we will set up our banners may the Lord fulfill all your petitions now I know that the Lord saves his anointed he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord Our God they have bowed down and Fallen but we have risen and stand upright save Lord May the king answer us when we call amen for our first hymn we're going to sing Psalm 148b from the sulter 148b as in bravo hallelujah praise Jehovah please stand with me as we [Music] sing hallelu PR heav praise His name praise in the all his angels praise all his together PR him and stars on praise [Music] of the sky let the [Music] gra for Al is and GL is and His glory is exed and his GL is exed our the Earth [Music] they were made at his and [Music] forever his degree shall ever stand from the earth of [Music] GRA to all and [Music] and [Music] is Al is is and his glor is exed and glor is [Music] exed the Earth [Music] and trees and all H and mountains high and Beast and C in the heaven K of Earth and Alles all PR and [Music] children for sing the and is and is exed and his glor is exal above the Earth and [Music] let's turn our hearts to the Lord in prayer our gracious and merciful God we thank you for this glorious day thank you for the beautiful weather outside thank you for health and strength and that we can gather together here as your people thank you that you have brought us here by Divine appointment each and every one that is sitting in this room Lord there was a time when we would not have darkened the doors of a church there was a time when we were each one of us were living in Rebellion perhaps there are still some in this place that have not surrendered have not uh come and tasted and seen that the Lord is good we pray that this day would be the day of salvation we pray oh God that your spirit would be in attendance and that you would be at work in our hearts and that through the singing and the prayer and the preaching of the word you would Minister to your people and Minister health and salvation to those who are not yet yours we thank you that Pastor Ryan and his wife Esther and their children can be with us today we pray that you would bless their visit here we pray that you would bless him as he brings the word to us and we pray oh God you'd give him unction from on high and clarity as he speaks the word and open our hearts to receive it we pray for sister churches we know there are many churches here in this city of chillak that are open this morning Lord wherever the gospel is being preached we pray that it would go forth with power with conviction give your servants anointing to preach that word and give your people a willingness in the day of your power we pray for the sister churches in our association thank you for pastor Ryan's Church up there in Armstrong we pray that you'd bless the congregation this morning encourage them cause them to continue to grow in unity and faith and in maturity we pray for our sister church out in sui that you would be with them this morning bless Pastor Kirk Patrick encourage them cause them to continue to grow in the faith and we pray as likewise for the congregation in dren Ontario bless them bless Dan and Josh as they lead that congregation we pray oh Lord that you would give them much success in the preaching of the word and ministering to your Saints there Lord all across this country we pray that the gospel would have an impact and that as the gospel Goes Forth you would do a work in the social fabric of this nation we see much around us that causes us concern we see on many people's uh in many people's cases a sense of hopelessness and despair but we are not hopeless we are full of Hope because Christ rules and Christ is building his church and the Gates of Hell will not Prevail against her cause your church to be Salt and Light a preservative force in this in this Society of Canada and Lord we pray the same for all of Western Europe and United States the countries where the gospel has had a huge impact in the past we pray oh God that once again your church would be purified and your church would be a voice in society and we thank you for the work you are doing in many other countries especially where the gospel has been um persecuted your church has been hounded we pray you'd be merciful to your Ministers of the Gospel in China in North Korea in the Middle East in other Muslim nations Lord be gracious to the people of God and sustain your people we pray in particular for those who are suffering in prison for the sake of Christ and his gospel we pray oh God that you would encourage your Saints this very day Lord we pray for the churches that we are in contact with in Kenya we pray that you would encourage them cause them to continue to be a light in that part of the world and may the gospel go forth from there throughout Africa Lord be with us this morning as we continue to worship we pray oh God that you would cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness we do not stand before you righteous in our own works or merits we stand here because of what Christ has done on our behalf and because of his righteousness afforded to us and we thank you for that we pray these things in Jesus name amen we're going to stand again to sing number 243 in the Himel 243 hallelujah praise Jehovah no How firm a foundation sorry 2 43 [Music] his excellent to you [Music] Jesus I am you and still give you Str [Music] you you [Music] my shall for to your [Music] de be [Music] cons and your to [Applause] re my [Music] [Applause] [Music] my sh never [Music] for we're going to continue our scripture reading in the gospel of Mark chap 12 where we left off last Sunday we'll we'll pick up at verse 35 and read to the end of the chapter Mark 12:35 then Jesus answered and said while he taught in the temple how is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David for David himself said by the Holy Spirit the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foot stol therefore David himself calls him Lord how is he then his son and the Common People heard him gladly then he said to them in his teaching Beware of the scribes who desire to go around in Long robes loving love greetings in the market place the best seats in the synagogues and the best places at feasts who devour widows houses and for a pretense make long prayers these will receive greater condemnation now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury and many who were Rich put in much that one poor Widow came and threw in two mites which make a quadrants so he called his disciples to himself and said to them assuredly I say to you that this poor Widow has put in more than all those who have given in the treasury to the treasury for they all put in out of their abundance but she out of her poverty put in all that she had her whole livelihood well this scene in the in the temple is something different than what we would have here this morning we don't have a big bucket somewhere and people file by and put their money in we tend to do things differently we know that in from the gospel account in this day and age the scribes the Pharisees and the Sadducees liked to show off a bit and obviously if you could stand there and watch how much they were throwing in a bucket of coins um it was impressive but Jesus pointed out that this poor Widow who put in pennies had put more in than all of these who had poured in out of their abundance which is to say that God doesn't need you doesn't need your money but he does want your heart this woman's heart was in the right place she was giving what she had out of Devotion to the Lord to Jehovah uh a lot of other people were pouring in that was just Surplus um made them feel good maybe made them look good that's not what we need to be doing we we ought to be doing it from a heart of gratitude and Devotion to the Lord let's pray gracious Father in heaven in your mercy and your kindness you call us from the life that we were living born in darkness born serving ourselves to to come out of Darkness into Marvelous Light and serve the king of kings and Lord of lords and Lord help us to serve you with a true heart out of true devotion not out of selfish ambition not for what we can get not so that we can get ahead and not for fire insurance that we might make it into heaven Lord I pray that you would give us a heart of love for the Savior who loved us and gave himself for us us we pray these things in Jesus name amen amen for our final hymn we're going to sing Psalm 22 d as in delta 22d the ends all the Earth shall hear please stand again as we sing [Music] all the Earth shall and turnto the Lord all of the Earth shall and worship [Music] him her [Music] Lord of lords the King of Kings GL is the king he [Music] the all Lord of lords the king of King all to him her holy the Lord [Music] of shall worship heaven and children still you shall the Glorious of [Music] his the of [Music] kous all gener [Music] from [Applause] [Music] to words the Lord has [Music] well good morning everyone it's always such a joy to be here again such a joy to sing together in this church a a um very thankful to be here and uh to worship together with you always I bring you greetings from the church in Armstrong Trinity Reformed Baptist Church up there um we're very thankful for the relationship that we have with you as a church for for all that you have done for us as a church and of course we're always thankful for your prayers as well and and know that we as a church pray for you for your pastors and for you uh for you here as well so you very much um in our prayers um when I stand in this Pulpit I I always feel like the little boy steps into his father's shoes and wonders how he's ever going to can fill those shoes um but interestingly I heard one of those little video clips on social media um and Pastor Butler said I've never been alone in this Pulpit before and I and uh I pray that the same the same Lord will be here today and that uh that therefore you will hear from from the Lord today so with that let's turn our attention to First first Thessalonians first Thessalonians we're going to be looking at chapter 2 this morning the first four verses of of 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 but as always it's we need to understand the context so we're going to read a a little bit uh longer section from uh verse one of chapter 1 to verse 12 of chapter 2 so I'll begin reading in first Thessalonians 1: 1 Paul sylvanus and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ we give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembering without ceasing your work of Faith labor of love and patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father knowing beloved Brethren your election by God for our gospel did not come to you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much Assurance as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake and you became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much Affliction with joy of the holy spirit so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and aayah who believe for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and aaya but also so in every place your faith toward God has gone out so that we don't need to say anything for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of Entry we had to you and how you turn 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 even Jesus who delivers us from the Wrath to come for you yourselves know Brethren that our coming to you was not in vain but even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi as you know we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much Conflict for our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness nor was it in deceit but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God who tests our hearts for neither at any time did we use flattering words as you know nor a cloak for covetousness God as witness nor did we seek Glory from men either from you or from others when we might have made demands as Apostles of Christ but we were gentle among you just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children so affectionately longing for you and we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives because you had become dear to us for you remember Brethren our labor and toil for laboring night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you we preach to you the gospel of God you are witnesses and God also how devoutly and justly and blam lessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father does his own children that you should that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory amen well let's pray before the preaching of the word Our Father in Heaven again we come before you and we feel our need of you Lord and we ask that you would be with us in this in this day in this in this your house as we are gathered with your people on your day and Lord may it be that the dear Saints of this flock here would hear from you today as your word is preached by your spirit Lord take your word bring it to Bear upon the hearts of each one here may it be for the edification of of those who are yours here may it be Lord for the Salvation of Sinners if there be any here this morning not in Christ and Lord above all we ask may it be for the glory of your most worthy name and we pray this in the name of our savior your beloved Son the Lord Jesus amen so at the time that this APO that this epistle was written the Thessalonian church was a very young Church uh probably at the most about a year and a half old uh since Paul had been there you you can go to acts 17 you can find the story there of of uh Paul coming into the city for three sabbaths he go goes into the synagogue he reasons with the Jews there he preaches to them that it was necessary that the that the Christ their their Messiah would suffer and then enter his glory and he says he says to them this this this Jesus whom I preach is the Christ he is the Messiah now of course the Jews didn't like that so after 3 weeks the Jews organized a riot they they descended upon the house of Jason where they thought Paul and and his team here sylvanus and Timothy were were staying somehow we don't know but they they were able to slip away sneak away they had to sneak down in the middle of the night to the docks jump aboard a ship sail at night across to um Berea the next city and then from there they moved on to Athens and Paul is very concerned about the Thessalonians you really pick that up as you read through this passage here and especially into into chapter 3 as as well he's very concerned about them because 3 weeks is not a a very long time to see someone turned from Serv in Idols as he says in verse 9 of chapter 1 serving Idols to serving the true and living God 3 weeks is not a very long time to to to see that change and to have them on the right path now we understand the sovereignty of God we know that God Saves his people but we also know that prone to wander and prone to leave the the the god that we love that um as well so Paul is concerned are they persevering in the faith they probably did not have a pastor yet again this is this is somewhat speculation but just to help us understand the the concept here so Paul's wondering are they persevering are they holding to the gospel or have they gone back to serving Idols again he's worried about them he tells us in Chapter 2 that he was hindered uh by Satan Verse 18 he was hindered by by Satan somehow from going there himself to go see to them and to go minister to them and encourage them he was not able to go there himself but then so then finds a way that he can send Timothy to go there to strengthen to encourage their souls he says and then Timothy brought back good news that they were persevering and they were rejoicing even in the midst of Affliction just like we read um this morning in chapter 1 so they're rejoicing but then so then Paul then writes this letter back to them to share his thankfulness to the Lord for this but also then to encourage them to press on to keep going to um uh vers chap 4:1 we we urge you and exhort you abound more and more you know so Paul wants to to continue to see to their their perseverance so that's the that's the context that's the the purpose for this epistle here and that's the the context and where we find our passage here and as we read through this you you might have sensed the fact or that that Paul is sort of going on the defensive almost here that he's defending himself his reputation perhaps it seems like um maybe some as though someone was speaking ill of him and he feels the need to defend himself but that's not how we need to understand this we need to remember he's there to encourage them because what's probably happening is what was very common in uh in those days there is that um Paul's probably being labeled as just another one of these philosophers a traveling philosopher that's sort of come through with his his new you know new doctrines new philosophies new ideas new ways of life that you should follow and he's he's one of those and that was very common in those days uh you remember in the story in Acts 17 when Paul goes to the areopagus in Athens to discuss with the Greek philosophers there and they and they and actually what happened was Paul encountered them in the marketplace when he's in the marketplace and they brought him to the areopagus and said come and tell us about this new doctrine that you're speaking of they wanted to to hear it and and listen and think about it and so that was very uh very common now some of these philosophers you know perhaps they had genuine concerns about the meaning of life and existence and and all of these you know deep Concepts well enough but way too often there was just very new fangled ideas that would come up new uh someone would come around trying to uh present their idea trying to convince others of it and trying to gain a following and it was always for their personal benefit the the the of the the leader this person they would benefit somehow whether it was with power having a following whether it was financially or or whether it was sexually those three things generally is where all of those things LED so for the average Greek in those days these traveling philosophers were very they were annoying people I read a um uh a document from a Greek writer named Lucien of Sada he's not he's he's for second century writing about these he's not a Christian he's a pagan and he calls them you know quack philosophers or charlatans and he says this about them he says they pray on people who have neither brains nor indivi nor individuality and only the shape of their bodies distinguishes them from sheep so we we know people like that don't we and then it's is and it's sort of interesting it's it's a very funny read actually to read it but then he asks all the gods who are in charge of averting disasters to protect him from men like this so the these were these these types of men were common these these sort of charlatan philosophers and perhaps What's Happening Here is that Paul is being lumped into this category we can imagine perhaps that family members are saying to the Thessalonians you know we think you've been had we think you've been had by another one of these these guys you've you've you know your life has radically changed and you've you've done all these things and we think we've been had and so Paul's writing here then to so that their faith is not shaken he wants to distance himself from these philosophers but to do so by by highlighting his message the message that he brought was not a message at all like what the other you know quack philosophers if we want to use that term charlatans were bringing rather he wants to instill confidence than in uh in them so that's what we have in this passage here um and and he he he in the first part here verse one and two he reminds them of the the adversity that he had to endure in order to bring this this message to them that he wasn't benefiting here at all he was actually sacrificing a lot to bring this message and then in verse three we get into the character of the message and then verse four his motivation for bringing that message to them so verse one here you yourselves know Brethren that our coming to you was not in vain so again well I think when he says in coming in vain here I think referring to the content of his message I know my outline doesn't you know exactly reflect that perfectly but but the content of his message is not he's not coming in vain he's not coming pedling some sort of vain philosophy some sort of empty empty philosophy a non consequential take it or leave it kind of philosophy you think of in those days you think of the stoics that was some of the the the philosophers that Paul reasoned with in in in Athens they were the stoics and stoic philosophy said that that you needed to live in perfect harmony with logic and with reason and emotion emotion is what caused you to make uh choices and decisions and reactions that could be irrational so therefore you had to avoid all emotion you know that's a take it or leave it philosophy if I decide that I want to laugh or I want to cry or I want to I want to you know be be scared or be annoyed and and possibly make an irrational decision because of that I I love my wife and I might spend too much money on her Christmas present that's pretty non-consequential that's a kind of a take it or leave it philosophy but Paul says my message is not in vain my message is not empty it's not a take it or leave it message if you reject the gospel you reject it to your peril the gospel says when you when you reject the gospel you're rejecting the god of the gospel and the god of the Gospel is your creator the creator of all things so Paul's message implicates everyone and and that's the reality of it that's why the gospel causes so much opposition because it strikes a nerve in the hearts of of of all men we all have the law of God written on our hearts we all we all recognize the reality that there's a there's a Creator out there a God to whom we have to do to whom we are we we have to answer for and the gospel strikes that nerve and that's why we that's why Paul faced so much opposition because of the content of his gospel it was it was not a take it or leave it type of message verse two the opposition here we even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi as you know we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict so you know the story what happened in in at Philippi the Philippian Jailer we often refer to it that way of the story there they were stripped of their clothes they were beaten with rods they were thrown into the stalks in the inner prison not a nice place to be by any stretch but this didn't dissuade Paul and Barnabas from from pressing on uh boldly proclaiming that message in the face of of of opposition and the face of conflict as they come into thessalonica and and face that same opposition there so again you you you see what Paul's doing here he's trying to tell these Thessalonians I'm not a charlatan I'm not here for myself he wants to encourage them you know what he and get them thinking would he really would he really continue preaching that gospel given the suffering that he was encountering and he was in the opposition he was facing as he brought this gospel would he really do that if he was just in here to benefit himself with he wants he wants to remove that any doubt from their minds I can't you can't imagine a stoic philosopher being ready to go to jail and and and die for his message that you can't you shouldn't laugh or or or love or or be sad so there's something different about Paul's message he's not in it for himself so again as we we see here the the the false teachers these charlatans these quack philosophers they're always in it for themselves and there's nothing new Under the Sun we still we still have that in our day and age as well those in the church those outside of the church you know the Thessalonians would have been familiar with the latter those outside of the church we might be more familiar with the former those in the church who claim to be Christian who go around and seeking to find uh to gain a following but they're in it for themselves to feed that same the lost for power the lost for money the lust for for for women you know you can pick any cult you can pick any strange movement within within Orthodox Christ or shouldn't say orth Evangelical Christianity and you and you you can see those the leaders their lives are riddled with these things just Joseph uh Joseph Smith James and Ellen White Charles T Russell you know rulan Jeff the name goes on it's that's you know it's uh it's it's sad but that's the reality of it being in in it for themselves but the point is here then is that Paul is not in it for himself he's making it very clear to us he's he's here bringing a gospel that cost him and he's delivering this the gospel message and the and the his the way that he is delivering it reflects the message itself reflects the content of that message because the gospel says someone else suffered so that you can benefit and that's what Paul wants them to see Paul's living out that Ministry he's practicing what he's preaching we might uh we might say he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life be willing to suffer not as an atonement for sin that's that's not where I'm going but you you see the parallels willing willing to suffer and he pressed on he says here he pressed on boldly continues to preach the he was bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God the gospel of God that's we might better trans or we might better understand it in our common language now God's gospel this is God's gospel that he's bringing not his message God's message that he's bringing to the people we'll come back to that shortly that concept but I want to look at first then the character of the message itself our exhortation this is verses verse three our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness nor was it in deceit so error here means to mislead to cause to intentionally cause to stray from the truth Paul's message is not a me and the gospel is not a message that cause us to believe something mystical something unexplainable to follow to to make this blind leap of faith uh so to speak away from truth in Paul's own words the gospel is the message of is the are the words of truth and reason Paul's not asking anyone to believe absurd claims things that don't make sense to the human mind Mystic mysticism he's not asking that and that's the reality of it the Christian message the Christian gospel we're not when we preach the gospel we're not asking you to lay aside your intellect and to take a blind leap of faith and and believe something that's utter nonsense we're not asking you to look for for some sort of mystical feelings and mystical you know burning in the bosom or or some something strange that you can't explain the gospel is are the words of truth and reason you don't need to lay aside your intellect to believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ you need to lay aside your rebellion and that's if you're here this morning that's and not a believer of this gospel have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ that this gospel reveals to us you maybe you've believed the world's lie that the world says you can either believe in science and and and logic or you can believe in God you can't have the two they don't mix that's a lie from from the world I I recently just listened to a a podcast and the the two were were talking about um Jordan Peterson and and the the one the one guy being interviewed was a Christian and he says you know Peterson frustrates me because he comes up to the line and he doesn't cross that line I think we probably whoever listens has that same frustration and the host said why is that is is that because of a life of Academia that was his instant his instant that's where he went Peter said was too smart to believe the gospel that's not the real that's not what it is that's the biggest lie out there that you need to lay aside your intellect you need to leave truth and logic behind when you believe the gospel maybe you're a skeptic here this morning and you're you you've you're you're trying what is this gospel about is God really real and and you know all of these things examine it study it it will it the gospel does not lead you away from truth it leads you to truth it brings you to the truth but it does require that you lay aside your Rebellion against this God against this one who you are at enmity with that you acknowledge that you've sinned against him you repent to that sin you understand that you have that you have sinned you've broken his law and you're liable of the punishment for that law which is death the wages of sin is death so we're not asking to put aside your intellect the your holdup is an ethical one it's not an intellectual one so repent believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and he says here Paul then says that his message did not come from in uncleanness either generally this is a reference to sexual impurity Paul was not selling a message that catered to those lusts he didn't say believe my message and join my club and follow me and and you can have as many wives as you want or or you can you know join my following and one day you'll get your own world that you can be king of with all as many wives as you want neither did he use his authority to lure women and and girls you know and to seduce them the ones who had believed his lies he calls all men men and women all men everywhere to repent the message was the same for everyone the message was uh and Paul did not use that message to exploit anyone in these in unclean ways and then his message was not in deceit deceit is to defraud someone Paul's not asking for things from his followers he's not he's not asking for money in exchange for something he's he's not he's not instilling some sort of fear the Lucian The Greek writer that I mentioned earlier said all men all men live by two principles the principles of fear and of Hope and he says these quack philosophers play on that on on fear they instill some sort of fear and then they offer hope but they expect payment so that you can have that so that he can give that hope and that's not what Paul was like here at all Paul Paul was not pedling the word of God as he said to the Corinthians he's not he's not selling them some hope he's not giving them the false hope of prosperity in this life believe or follow give give to my to my Ministry you know take out your checkbooks right now and and and give to it give to to my Ministry and God's going to reward you with all these these riches offering some sort of financial hope to his to his years in exchange for them to give all their money to his ministry which is the unfortunate reality of in this day and age of the health wealth and Prosperity Gospel it's shocking sometimes when you go and you listen you find Clips online of these men that will literally do that from their from their stage that they're on take out your check right now do you want $10,000 in your bank account give a th000 right now and God will put 10,000 in your bank account it's terrible it's it's it's it's terrible Paul's distancing himself from that he's not asking for money he's not asking for power he's not asking for women so so now so when the Thessalonians when their family members come to them and they say you know my son brother or whoever it is and we think you've we think you've been had you know like please don't tell me you've you've you've you've emptied your bank account for this Charlotte and you know they could respond with confidence and they could say no it didn't cost me anything cost it cost me I mean nothing to believe this gospel and to follow this this man who says follow me or imitate me as I imitate Christ Paul's offering to them something free that free offer of the Gospel which is the gift of eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus that's what Paul's offering the gift of eternal life it's free and this is and and and Paul can offer this gospel because it's or this this this gift because it's not not his gospel he's he he that's what he says in verse two here we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God or God's gospel in much conflict that's that's what this gospel is it's not something that Paul had come up with not something that he came up with so that he could benefit somehow but rather he has been appointed by God to take God God's message and bring it to the ends of the [Music] Earth this is God's message not his that's verse four his motivation but we have been as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel even so we speak not as pleasing men but God who tests our hearts so God had a message for the people for his image bearers whom he had created God has a message for them God needs a mouth God doesn't need anything but God needed a mouthpiece as it were to bring that that message and therefore God examines or tests their hearts it says here we've been approved by God and then the last line God who tests our hearts same same word used both times we've been approved by God we've been examined we've been tested by God as fit for this office fit for to be to to be the ones to take this message and bring it to the people now we have to realize God's also the one who made them fit for office as well we can't forget that either God is the one who who has equipped them and has qualified them so that when he examines them they are fit for this office we we don't want to we don't want to forget that now one thing we should point out as well is how are these men how are these men appointed by God or or um brought into this given this stewardship from God to this office Paul was an apostle he was appointed directly by the Lord Jesus as an apostle but then after that Silas and Timothy they were both chosen by the church through careful prayerful consideration of this and the laying on of of Hands by the elders or by the apostles and again we we can't miss that here and we can't stress that enough when it comes to the appointment of Elders in the church the qualifications for elders that God has given the church to follow 1 Timothy 3 Titus 1 elsewhere first Peter those those qualifications clearly forbid anyone who's driven by lust for money they they're they're not they cannot be greedy for money driven by Lust For Women they have to be a one woman man or driven by a lust for power not being Lords over those entrusted to them as as Peter tells us in First Peter so the means that God uses to entrust or to to test hearts and put men into this office is the church carefully considering this carefully going through this this process it's God's way and this is how God ensures that or we ought to or we ought to be doing this so that God because it's God's way to ensure that men do not get into office who will use the gospel for personal gain to satisfy those personal lusts so these men then are entrusted God has entrusted men with his gospel as a as a stewardship to to take this message and to bring it to the people Paul tells us elsewhere that he's an he is an ambassador for God or Ambassador uh Ambassador for God Ephesians chapter 6 2 Corinthians 5 and in in 2 Corinthians 5:2 he says now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us we implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God that that's that's an amazing statement when you think of that when you remove that middleman and you see him simply as only the the the mouthpiece so to speak of God and when and when he he is imploring you to be reconciled to God this is God's gospel God's message this is God calling Sinners to be reconciled to him through his son the Lord Jesus Christ so when you hear from the pulpit on a whether it's now or whether it's weekly Pastor Butler pastor Pastor Porter when when you hear that the call of the Gospel to repent and to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that's not Pastor Butler that's not Pastor cam that's not me whoever the preacher is calling you to believe it's God calling you to repent to believe and to receive the gift of eternal life it's not our message it's not the pastor's message it's God God saying come unto me and it's not and and and that goes that's not just for the gospel call it's self that goes for all the word of God as the word of God the Bible is preached if when the spirit attends to the preaching of the word and the word is delivered to the people it's not the pastor giving his his ideas and and whatever if he needs to be true to the text and preach the text and it is then it is God speaking to you and you are hearing from the Lord on the Lord's Day through the preaching of the word now that's that's that's humbling and and a terrifying thought for the for the pastor but we know we're not alone in it thankfully but for the hearer as well it's it's it's such an important reminder that we need to take seriously the preaching of the word of God God is speaking to you God is giving you his word through through his an ambassador through someone whom he has entrusted this this task to but it's God's message and therefore Paul says even so then we speak so he preaches that word in the face of opposition whatever it may be he's speaking the word because it's not his word it's it's the word of the Lord for the people he's delivering he's simply delivering God's message to the people he's not in it for himself he's not in it to satisfy his own lusts to satisfy others lusts he's delivering that message that has been entrusted to him from God because he knows that's what will please God he's doing it to please God think of the think of the the stewards the parable of the stewards for example that Jesus uh Jesus used all the all the servants were given talents from the master each according to their own ability and those and those servants had to go and had to take those talents and and use it to bring a return for the master and that's what that's how Paul sees his calling here he has been given the gospel the the the the gospel from God to him and he then needs to deliver that to preach that to Proclaim it so that he might bring forth much fruit so that when to use the language of the parable when the when the master has gone to a far far country and he comes back and the servant is is excited to present to him he says look Lord you've given me five talents and here's five more and the other one says you know two you gave me two and here's two more that's what Paul wants from these Thessalonians that's why he's so concerned to see to their perseverance because he wants to be able to present them that's the that we that's at the the end of the of the chapter uh verse 19 or verse 17 through through 19 through and 20 where he gets into that more but he wants to he wants to present them as as Those whom as fruits of his work he's stri he's been striving for the master he's been he's been preaching that gospel he's been teaching them he wants to go back there so badly to see to their perseverance because he wants to present them with joy and say look Lord the fruits of what you entrusted to me so he's not there to please himself and his message came at no cost to The Listener so Paul's not another traveling philosopher his message is the opposite his message didn't benefit him and it did not cost them so who benefits from God's message from God's gospel it's not Paul it cost Paul dearly Paul speaking as the as the ambassador of this message it did not benefit him it cost him you can read that list in 2 Corinthians of what he endured to bring that gospel five times receiving 40 Stripes save one from the Jews three times beaten with Rod stoned shipwreck Perils of robbers Perils of Gentiles Perils of false teachers and he goes on he suffered a lot to bring this message Paul's not the one benefiting God's not the one benefiting even though it's God's message God God does not benefit now this is where this is where you have to we have to think of who God is the creature cre Creator relationship is not a symbiotic relationship it's not like the the the clownfish and the anemon and they both mutually benefit somehow both parties benefiting in that symbiotic relationship that's not that's not what happens here God is Not benefiting God is the Perfection of being he can't become better than he is he's infinite Perfection of joy and blessedness in and of himself who's benefiting in this message by this message it's the hearer it's the people those who believe the one who hears and believes the gospel Sinners who who hear the gospel who rep and by God's grace repent and believe in this in this savior who suffered and entered Glory so that they too can can can enter glory and have the gift gift of eternal life those are the ones who benefit we benefit we receive every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ now in a sense we could say very carefully it comes at no cost to us it we can say it cost God because the gospel message is the message that God the Triune God the second person of that Trinity the word the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us the second person of the Trinity assumed to himself a human nature and according to that human nature it cost him it cost him everything though he was rich yet he became poor for our our sakes that through his poverty we might become rich he took to himself a human nature so that he might submit to the will of the father so that he might die so that we might have life and have it abundantly eternal life through him he was cursed so that we can be blessed he was cursed because we deserved to be cursed but he took that upon himself instead so that we can be blessed the gospel costs us nothing to receive that forgiveness of sin and the gift of eternal life it costs us nothing it cost him he paid for it we don't need to give our money to the church or to the the the the ministry of whoever it is in order to receive the blessing we don't need to live a certain way in order to be saved God is offering the gift of eternal life the message comes through his through men who he has entrusted this gospel message it doesn't it doesn't cost us by faith we receive this gift of eternal life the Forgiveness of sins it cost Christ it doesn't cost us now there may be there may be cost to us after the fact it cost us our old way of life uh we may suffer persecution and it may cost us in that sense Jesus says count the costs but we have to remember the cost comes after the fact the cost those costs are not admission into the kingdom of God those are costs are are once you've been in you may there may be suffering there may be Affliction there may be a slight temporal cost after the fact but it cost you nothing to receive this gospel there's there's no cost of admission into the kingdom of heaven and and and to receive Eternal and and enjoy eternal life there's nothing that we need to present to God to receive this blessing this gift so we have nothing to lose and we have everything to gain Glory Bliss beyond our understanding etern the gift of eternal life if we just stop and think about what that is to be in the presence of God to enjoy Joy his goodness and his immediate presence forever no sin no sorrow no tears all the things that Revelation tells us no curse joy unspeakable full of Glory that's what that's what the gift offers the gospel offers that's the gift of eternal life we have nothing to lose it costs us nothing nothing we need to offer to receive this any gospel any so-called gospel that that requires you to give of something first before you can receive this gift is a false gospel whether it's money whether it's a certain amount of Good Works a certain amount of of cleaning up your life first a certain amount of of uh of of obedience to the law an experience some some some something mystical to present to God that's that's a false gospel the it costs you nothing the gospel is free the true gospel says Ho everyone who thirst come come to the waters you have no money come buy and eat yes come buy wine and and milk without money without price why why do you spend money for what is not bread why are you why do you want toy buy something that's that's vain it's empty you want to try and do something for that why would you do that why do you spend money for what is not Brad and your wages for what will never satisfy he says listen carefully to me eat what's what is good that your soul Delight itself in abundance eternal life with God abundance incline your ear come to me listen here and your soul shall live that's the gospel message that's God's message for you today if you are not a Believer it's not me telling you this it's the Lord as Paul says as pleading as though God were pleading through us come believe this message believe receive this gift that he offers you he will turn no one away the one who comes to me I'll in no wise cast out you don't have to worry that if you if you believe on on the Lord Jesus that that somehow this wasn't for you somehow and and and the day you die and he'll say no that was wrong you you you didn't no he offers it freely freely to everyone it doesn't come in error it's not we're not asking you to believe something absurd it doesn't come in uncleanness it doesn't come in deceit it doesn't it's not come it's not here to defraud you of something the gospel says you can have everything and it costs you nothing that's the that's the true gospel and that's truly good news and that's that is why that's our encouragement to persevere for those of us who who who believe by God's grace have believe this message and we and we're walking by faith we persevere in that we've been we have everything to gain at the end of this journey yes it there's a cost now like I said in in after we've been saved we may suffer we may face trials and opposition and the hindrances of Satan just like Paul but press on we have we have received the greatest gift and and it came at no cost let's never lose sight of that of the the The Wonder of the Gospel we have to remind ourselves of this of this daily cost us nothing when we live when we go out and we live our lives and we fall into sin and we feel we feel we say Lord I I I did it again he we don't have to we don't have to present something in order to to fix that or we repent we know that when we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness we don't need to earn his favor somehow we don't need to present something to him and say on oh I did really good today look Lord now now I have your favor on the days when we fail and we and we sin again and we think oh i' I've lost his favor because I haven't I haven't been able to give him the good works like I should it doesn't work that way it's free he you are accepted in the Beloved when you believe in him his beloved Son two times from Heaven he spoke audibly and he said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased beloved his beloved Son and we are accepted in that beloved one not because we've had to give something of ourselves for him that doesn't mean that doesn't mean we live our lives how we want we go on sinning you know that we're here to present good fruits to God ourselves just like Paul was so concerned about this he wants the Thessalonians to do that as well to go on to live lives that where they can they too can say like the steward look Lord you gave me these different gifts talents circumstances desires and I use them for your glory here Lord for you he wants that from us he wants us to live lives we he Paul wants us to follow him because he's following Christ but it's not so that we might be saved let's never forget the freeness of the Gospel we've been given a gift by our creator the gift of eternal life I'll close with Psalm 68: 19 blessed be the Lord who daily loads us with Benefits the god of our Salvation let's close in prayer oh Lord we are so thankful for your word you have given us we lord we are so thankful that for that word who became flesh and dwelt Among Us that word who came down from heaven to do the will of his father and that of all that that the that of all that he had given to him that he might save them all Lord and bring them and raise them up so that they might have everlasting life Lord I I pray that this message would encourage your people here as we're reminded again of your goodness to us and that we have the gift of eternal life in store for us the fullness of joy in your presence Lord may we run that race with endurance knowing that of the the hope of glory that is that is there for us and Lord may we never lose sight of your goodness to us through the free offer of the Gospel through your lord Jesus Christ Lord May Sinners here May the light Dawn in their hearts may they see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and may they run to him in Repentance and faith and receive that gift as well Lord may you be glorified we pray in Jesus name amen all right we're going to uh in closing hymn number 564 564 let's stand as we sing that together [Music] please bless God the god of is who ho you with wonderous Works in GL who only to withous Works in glory and blessed be is glorious name to all eternity the whole earth his [Music] glory the whole earth and His glory am so [Music] all right you can be seated for a a brief time of meditation on that and after the piano is done you're dismissed