As we think about Jesus’ first coming – Advent – we remind ourselves that Jesus didn’t come just to set a good example of how to live although he certainly did. He didn’t even come just to die on the cross for our sins although he did that as well. My friend, the late Skip Gray, used to say something like, “For Jesus to die on the cross for our sins without someone to tell people about it would be a cosmic tragedy.”
Hence, Jesus invested his time in men, a primary focus of his John 17 prayer. We see the same emphasis in the Apostle Paul’s ministry. Some have said that Paul traveled around “planting churches.” That’s not quite right. He made disciples, which he organized into churches, and his goal was not that they attend church services (something that’s almost never mentioned in the New Testament) but that they live out Jesus’ life in the world. Here’s an example:
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2.13 – 17, ESV)
Let’s spread it out so we can see what kind of people were in Thessalonica, and what Paul wanted to see in them and what he wanted them to know:
- Chosen…to be saved through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth
- Called through the gospel to obtain the glory
Therefore,
- Stand firm
- Hold to the traditions taught by spoken or written word
May the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father who
- Loved us
- Gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace
May he
- Comfort your hearts
- Establish them in every good
- Word
- Work
I like the ending: it’s always work AND word.
Preach the Gospel and when necessary use words – attributed to St Francis of Assissi
Words will be necessary. – Leroy Eims, The Navigators
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5.16, ESV)
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2.14 – 16, ESV)