WWUTT 502 Moved by These Afflictions?

There's a tendency to believe that whenever we suffer ridicule or persecution for our faith that it'll be something noble and other people will see it and come to Christ.

Likely you'll be going through it alone. But you're never really alone when we understand the text.

This is when we understand the text studying God's word to reach all the riches of full assurance in Christ.

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Here's your teacher, Pastor Gabe Hughes. Thank you Becky and greetings all. For those of you who live in North America, happy day after the eclipse day.

I saw my first ever total solar eclipse yesterday. Maybe the only one

I will see in my lifetime. We were just 70 miles south from totality. So I figured, hey, let's make a day of it.

We left here at 1030 in the morning and headed north to a little Kansas town called

Marysville. The black squirrel capital of the US.

I'm not joking. There is a sign outside town as you're entering into the community that says, welcome to the black squirrel capital of the

US. I don't know what that means. If they even have black squirrels in Marysville because we didn't see any, but they do have these almost person sized statues of squirrels all over town and they're not all black.

Some of them are multicolored, but for this particular event, they had glasses on all the squirrels look like they were wearing solar glasses.

I went into this mom and pop grocery store. I was looking to get some food for the kids for lunch and the lady at the checkout asked me where I was from.

There were thousands of people had descended upon this little town. So it's pretty clear.

I mean, you know, in a small town, you know who everybody is. They knew I was not from there. So she asked me where we came from.

I said, oh, we traveled up from Junction City. She asked me how the traffic was. I said, really? Wasn't bad. It was like driving. It was like any kind of Kansas drive.

She was surprised by that. However, the traffic was a whole lot different when we were driving home.

The roads really were quite packed as everybody was heading back to where they came from. They were trying to catch a glimpse of the total solar eclipse, just like we were.

But I made a mention to the lady there at the checkout. I said, I like the touch on all the squirrels, the solar glasses, and she mentioned the guy's name who made them and said that they've been on the squirrels for a few weeks.

But some days ago, there were some high school students that vandalized some of the statues and stole the glasses.

So they decided to take all the glasses down. So none of none other glasses would get stolen and didn't put them back up until just that day.

So these are the kinds of stories you get in small Kansas towns. I'm used to this.

I grew up with this. So if you're ever in Kansas, you got to strike up a conversation with with that convenience store clerk that you're that you're stopping to get a soda.

Just strike up a conversation. Find out what kind of stories they can tell you, because something happened that day that is just as bizarre and unusual as that.

So anyway, we found this spot under this bridge. There was like this place where you go under the bridge and then there's a state park under there and these trails that you can take.

And it was kind of right there at the entrance to the trails. We parked and pulled out our chairs and set them up in the grass and just watched the the moon pass over the sun and how many times we had to remind our daughter

Aria to stop looking at the sun without her glasses on. So so the kids were warned, do not look up unless you have your glasses on until daddy tells you you can take your glasses off.

And as soon as the moon passed over the sun, man, it was gorgeous. But it's so surreal, like the way the sky just darkens and the bugs stop making noise and everything just gets eerie stars show up in the sky.

We can see the planet Venus right next to the moon. The streetlights came on. It was just this this completely eerie feeling.

It's difficult to try to describe it. So I understand why there are people that come away from a solar eclipse thinking that it's the sign of the end, because it really is bizarre.

It's strange to look at. The sun is black and has these white, you know, wispy flames all around it.

And the whole atmosphere changes. Everything changes when the moon passes over the sun like that. It was only 30 seconds.

We were not in the area where you're getting like the two minutes of of sun cover. It was only 30 seconds long, but it was a gorgeous sight and was totally worth traveling north to be able to see.

But again, eclipses are not signs of judgment. They're not. They are some pretty incredible natural phenomenon to stand beneath and behold the glory and the majesty of God and in all of his creation.

We certainly appreciated that aspect of the solar eclipse, but none of us felt like we were in danger of the world ending.

That doesn't happen during any kind of eclipse, as I talked about yesterday. But that that sure was fun.

There is another solar eclipse coming in the United States in 2024. So if you ever remember this story of mine that I have shared of our experience being able to see the total solar eclipse seven years later, this story pops back into your mind.

This strange pastor from Kansas, I remember listening to a podcast with him and he was talking about traveling to a black squirrel town, watching watching a solar eclipse and a little bitty

Kansas town. You know, I need to go have my small town experience watching a solar eclipse. So seven years from now, when the next one comes to the

United States, which is going to be more on the on the east side from like Missouri and on east to the northeast, make it make it a point to go and see the solar eclipse.

It really is neat. Like I said, 30 seconds long. Totally worth it. I thought it was a wonderful, wonderful day.

Shared it with my wife, all my kids and our friend Sonia, who went with us. Thank you for sharing that memory with us to Sonia.

All right. So I've eaten up six minutes of time here. Let's go ahead and get into our study.

First Thessalonians chapter three, reading the first five verses here that we looked at yesterday,

Paul saying, therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone.

And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith that no one be moved by these afflictions for you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction just as it has come to pass and just has come to pass.

And just as you know, for this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

So going back to verses two and three, where Paul says that we sent Timothy to you to establish and exhort you in your faith that no one would be moved by these afflictions.

The persecution that you are experiencing because of the gospel that you believe in and proclaim.

Don't think it's strange that you're going through this. You were destined for this, Paul says, as he goes on, you yourselves know that we were destined for this.

We were destined to know God and also to suffer for his name. So do not think that as you're enduring these things, that the plan of God has failed, that something is happening outside his will.

This has all been ordained by God. We told you about this when we were with you. So Paul giving them a sense of assurance again, that God is in control.

And for those who are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. And for those who endure to the end, they will be given the crown of life.

Very similar to words that we read from James. James chapter one. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Or when Peter says in first Peter chapter four, beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you.

But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Now, this was part of the problem for the Thessalonians is they didn't quite yet understand the end times teaching.

They had been told that Christ was coming back and that those who were in Christ Jesus would be with him in his eternal kingdom.

But apparently in Paul's teaching of the Thessalonians, when he was when he was teaching them about the return of Christ, he didn't get into the specifics because they still had this

Greco Roman understanding of how a person dies, the Epicurean teaching that when a person died, they just ceased to be.

There was no afterlife. So when Christ comes back, does that mean that our brothers and sisters who have died, they're not going to be with us?

Like they've missed the boat, they missed their chance because they were not alive at the time that Christ returned.

This was the way that the Thessalonians thought. So the return of Christ was not terribly hopeful for them.

So Peter, when he says rejoice when you share in Christ's sufferings so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Well, that wasn't necessarily all that reassuring for the Thessalonians because they're like, oh, yeah, you know, I get to be with Christ.

But my brothers and sisters in the Lord who died before this day came, they don't get to be with Christ. So this is why when we get to chapter four and Paul explains to them what that day will be like, he says the dead in Christ will rise first, and then we who are left will be caught up with them in the air.

So then we will forever be with the Lord together. He wants them to know that that even those who have died before that day comes, we will all be together on that day.

No one's going to miss out. So he finds it necessary to spell that out, to hand them the particulars of what that day will be like, since he didn't have the chance to teach them those things when he was with them.

So this is kind of the precursor to that teaching when he says, know that we were destined for this.

Nothing is happening outside the will of God. Even those who have died before the day of the Lord comes, this is all still within God's will, and they will get to be participants on that day, which

Paul gets to when we arrive at chapter four. So all of these things that he is sharing with the

Thessalonians to continue to assure them of the promises of God that he would, well, just like Paul said to the

Philippians that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it on the day of Christ Jesus.

In fact, as I was reading through this yesterday, something came to mind. I didn't get the chance to get to this on the podcast, but the

Philippians were equally concerned about Paul's persecution. Now, here the Thessalonians are concerned by their own persecution.

Boy, we're being persecuted for this faith. Is this the way this is supposed to happen? And Paul saying, yeah, we told you about it.

You've been destined for this, and we told you about the affliction that we would all suffer for the name of Christ.

You know about the afflictions that we suffered when we were in Philippi before we came to you and the afflictions that we even suffered after that.

So you're sharing in those things. And all of this is still as we were predestined to go through those of us who were called out of darkness and into the kingdom of Christ.

We were destined to suffer while we remained on this earth. So the Philippians, they had a concern that was from a little bit different angle for the

Thessalonians. It was because of what they were personally experiencing. But for the Philippians, their concern was because of what they heard

Paul was experiencing. He had been arrested and was imprisoned in Rome.

He was under house arrest in Rome. Wasn't like he was under stocks and in chains like had what like was what happened to him when he came through Philippi and was preaching the gospel there for the first time.

He was actually put in the stocks. But in Rome, he was under house arrest. So people were still able to come to hear him preach the gospel.

He just couldn't go out to anybody. So the Philippians were they were concerned in their hearts for Paul, especially when they had heard some other

Christians trying to make things more difficult on Paul. There were some who were well, they considered themselves rivals.

It's like they were competing with Paul. And they also had this idea that if somebody had gone to prison for something, then they must have done something bad.

So shame on you, Paul. But look at us. We're not as bad as Paul is. And so they were actually using

Paul's arrest to try to bolster themselves, try to thump their own chest and make themselves important or look better than Paul.

And this troubled the Philippians in their hearts. They loved Paul and they knew this wasn't the case.

He was an apostle of Jesus Christ. So they had a paphras take a collection.

The Philippians took up a collection, a money collection to help Paul with his ministry in Rome, and they sent it with a paphras who brought it to Paul.

And then Paul's letter to the Philippians, which we have Philippians chapters one, two, three and four. This is Paul writing back to them, thanking them for their gift and the encouragement that they showed to him as they had this opportunity to do so.

But he also wanted to assure them that what's happened to him has actually been a good thing, putting their hearts at ease, hearing about what has happened to Paul.

So here's what he said in Philippians 1 verse 12 is where I'm starting. I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel so that it has become known throughout the whole

Imperial Guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the

Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed and in that I rejoice.

So that certainly would have put the hearts of the Philippians at ease to hear that there were some even in the

Imperial Guard that were coming to know Christ because of what had happened to Paul. Now, I want to share something with you, though, related to this, that sometimes we might have this idea that when we suffer for Christ or when we are persecuted, that it'll be noble, that it might be the way

Paul was persecuted. And there were others that look at it and go, oh, boy, that guy's being unjustly treated.

I can tell that he loves the Lord. This must be some serious thing that he believes and then listen to the gospel and they be converted and come to the faith.

But that's not necessarily going to be our story. The ridicule and the persecution that we experience for our faith is not necessarily going to be a noble thing in the eyes of other people.

It might actually be something that you will otherwise feel like you are experiencing alone or only the people closest to you will be able to relate to your empathize with you and encourage you, whether it's your own family or even people in your own church.

And there might even be people in your church that when you are ostracized and ridiculed for your faith may not really share the struggle that you are going through.

They'll just be thinking, well, well, at least that's not happening to me. And I'm not going to put myself in the position that they are putting themselves in that way.

I won't get ridiculed like they're getting ridiculed. A lot of times what we suffer for the cross is not going to be all that noble in the eyes of other people.

And this is why I believe Peter said again in first Peter four, don't be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you.

It's not like something's happening to you that that is outside the will of God or is something that God didn't see coming or suddenly he's shocked and stunned.

I didn't mean for you to go through that. That's not the way that that these things have been put together.

God absolutely chose you for his kingdom. And part of that choosing you would be that you would be ridiculed for your faith.

We were destined for this, that we would suffer with Christ. So as Peter goes on in verse 13, rejoice insofar as you share

Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

So even if the ridicule that you experience might be, you might feel like you're totally alone in that.

Nobody else even encouraging me or helping or helping to strengthen me through this trial that I am going through know that you are not going through anything that Christ didn't also go through.

You are sharing with Christ and he is with you. So you're never really experiencing that alone.

I think those are the passages that we find our rest and our comfort in more so than Paul sharing his experience with the

Philippians of how his imprisonment is served to advance the gospel. There's actually even people in the Imperial Guard who are coming to Christ that may not necessarily be your experience more than likely.

You will go through something in which you'll feel like you're doing it alone, but know that you're never alone because you are with Christ.

And we have that comforting assurance that Paul did give to the Philippians that he who began a good work and you will be faithful to complete it all the way to the day of Jesus Christ.

So you are going through something that Christ himself went through, even when you are being tempted by sin and you're struggling with that.

Man, I don't know that I can resist this. This is so hard. The feeling that I have on my mind and in my heart and in my flesh, which is so weak as I'm being tempted by this thing.

Know that as you're struggling through that, you're not even doing that alone. For as we read about in Hebrews, our

Savior was tempted just as we are. He was like his brothers in every way.

And so we worship a high priest who is able to sympathize with us, even in our weaknesses, even in those circumstances.

You're not even alone there for your Lord. Christ is with you and you share in a suffering that he went through now.

Now, granted, that's given that you resist that temptation. If you give in to that temptation, well, then you are on your own because you have left the fellowship of Christ to give in to the temptation of Satan.

And Paul goes on to talk about that here. Verse four, First Thessalonians three, four. When we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction just as it has come to pass.

And just as you know, you have this firsthand experience of this kind of affliction that we would suffer for the gospel.

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

So if Satan tempts you and you wander away from the faith and give in to that temptation, you dabble in that sin.

Well, then you have left the fellowship of Christ. But we have such a gracious Lord that we follow who said to us through his servant,

John, that if we are faithful to ask forgiveness for our sins, God is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He is just because Christ has paid that sin for us on our behalf. Now, this is not in any way, shape or form an excuse or permission for you to dabble in sin to think, you know,

I can still do this because then I can still come back to Christ and ask for forgiveness. And it's promised to me in the scriptures that he will give it to me.

If that's your line of thinking, then you're probably still enslaved in your sin. You've not been set free by the righteousness and grace of God.

This is not a momentary weakness of your flesh. You're still totally enslaved by the weaknesses of your flesh.

You must ask for the grace of God to free you from that bondage so that you would be set free in Christ to worship him in a way that is worthy before God and grow in holiness and righteousness, unlike you were able to do before the spirit entered your life.

Now, even as I'm talking about these things, there are probably people who are going to be really convicted by this and go, man,

Brother Gabe, as you're talking about this, I am in this sin. I just sinned this morning. I just did this.

And now you're talking about this and I'm realizing in this sin, I've left the fellowship of Christ.

So how can I know if I am saved or not? You know, the fact that you feel a conviction over that shows that the

Holy Spirit is still at work in your spirit. Again, this is not permission to do this sin, but it just shows that the spirit is convicting you so that you would be brought back into that fellowship with Christ so that you would be convicted all the more to pursue righteousness and flee from sinfulness.

It is good that you experience that conviction because it leads to repentance as long as it leads to repentance.

Don't ever get comfortable in your sin. Praise God for the conviction that you have in your heart. That is a gift of God by his

Holy Spirit. And be assured by these promises, as Paul said to Timothy, that even when we are faithless, he is faithful for he cannot disown himself.

The spirit of God is in you, convicting you of sin. God is not going to disown you because he will not cast out himself, his own spirit that is within you.

You are safe and secure in Christ. But again, listen to that conviction.

Flee far from sin. Have nothing to do with it. Let the tempter not have any power or dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace.

So live in the holiness of Christ as an act of worship, thankful for the grace that you have been given by the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the grave.

By tomorrow, I hope we will finish up chapter three, God willing. But we have this wonderful doxology.

And I'm going to go ahead and close with this even today. So I'm skipping ahead to verse 11. Now, may our

God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our

God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.