1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,080 You’re listening to a sermon from pastor Collin Smith of Open The Bible. 2 00:00:07,080 –> 00:00:15,900 To contact us, call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 or visit our website at openthebible.org. 3 00:00:15,900 –> 00:00:17,740 Let’s get to the message. 4 00:00:17,740 –> 00:00:19,820 Here is pastor Collin. 5 00:00:19,820 –> 00:00:26,459 We’re continuing our series today that’s called the Apostles’ Apprentice, and we’re 6 00:00:26,520 –> 00:00:32,939 looking at the life of Timothy who served as an apprentice to the apostle Paul. 7 00:00:32,939 –> 00:00:38,099 We began last week by looking at his calling and asking the question, how can we individually 8 00:00:38,099 –> 00:00:45,779 and together be more responsive to the calling of Christ in our lives? 9 00:00:45,779 –> 00:00:52,959 We take up the story today in Acts, Chapter 17, and it asks for you to open your Bible 10 00:00:52,959 –> 00:00:58,380 there. But we’ll begin in Acts 17 and then come to 1 Thessalonians which was read for 11 00:00:58,380 –> 00:00:59,919 us. 12 00:00:59,919 –> 00:01:06,639 This point in the story, Timothy is just about 20 years old. He’s now been traveling with 13 00:01:06,639 –> 00:01:11,339 Paul on the second missionary journey for just a few months, having begun, as we saw 14 00:01:11,339 –> 00:01:18,379 last week, chapter 16. It’s interesting that he isn’t named in any of the events in chapter 15 00:01:19,320 –> 00:01:26,800 the journey begins, and not until verses 14 and 15 of chapter 17 is Timothy actually identified 16 00:01:26,800 –> 00:01:31,919 by name. So he was pretty low profile, but there is no reason to doubt that he was indeed 17 00:01:31,919 –> 00:01:37,320 with Paul and Silas throughout all of these visits that they made, including this one 18 00:01:37,320 –> 00:01:44,099 that is our focus today to the town of Thessalonica, chapter 17 and verse 1. 19 00:01:44,139 –> 00:01:52,959 When they passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica where there was 20 00:01:52,959 –> 00:01:59,199 a Jewish synagogue. That’s Acts 17 and verse 1. Now Luke tells us that Paul went into the 21 00:01:59,199 –> 00:02:06,239 synagogue and for three weeks he reasoned from the Scriptures explaining and proving 22 00:02:06,239 –> 00:02:12,479 that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. He was arguing from the Old Testament 23 00:02:12,479 –> 00:02:18,960 Scriptures that Jesus is indeed the Christ. Now notice in passing that the apostolic message 24 00:02:18,960 –> 00:02:26,160 was always about Jesus Christ. The work of the church is always to proclaim the claims 25 00:02:26,160 –> 00:02:33,500 and the promises of Jesus. And notice how Paul did it. He explained and he reasoned. 26 00:02:33,500 –> 00:02:38,320 So there was dialogue here. There were questions and answers. The focus of the dialogue was 27 00:02:38,440 –> 00:02:45,440 about Jesus and about the Scriptures. Now we find here that the ministry in Thessalonica 28 00:02:45,580 –> 00:02:52,580 was very fruitful. Verse four. Some of the Jews were persuaded and they joined Paul and 29 00:02:52,779 –> 00:02:59,240 Silas and did a large number of God fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. 30 00:02:59,240 –> 00:03:06,240 So there was clear evidence of the blessing of God. Wonderful conversions in Thessalonica. 31 00:03:06,259 –> 00:03:11,460 And it’s not surprising therefore that there was quickly opposition. Verse five. If you 32 00:03:11,460 –> 00:03:17,699 have it open in front of you. The Jews were jealous and so they rounded up some bad characters 33 00:03:17,699 –> 00:03:24,699 from the market place, they formed a mob and they started a riot in the city. 34 00:03:25,320 –> 00:03:31,800 So things got pretty ugly fast. In fact we’re told, verse five, that the mob rushed to Jason’s 35 00:03:31,880 –> 00:03:37,660 house, Jason obviously one of the believers, in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring 36 00:03:37,660 –> 00:03:42,100 them out to the crowd. So here’s the mob now who are going to the place where evidently 37 00:03:42,100 –> 00:03:47,559 Paul was staying, and they’re in for a lynching. They want to drag him out and deal with him 38 00:03:47,559 –> 00:03:53,839 as it were with the crowd. Now some of the believers had evidently foreseen 39 00:03:53,839 –> 00:04:00,139 these events and had hidden Paul and Silas somewhere other than Jason’s house. And so 40 00:04:00,259 –> 00:04:06,160 when the mob arrived at Jason’s home, they focused their anger on Jason and were told 41 00:04:06,160 –> 00:04:11,100 verse six that they dragged him along with some of the other brothers before the city 42 00:04:11,100 –> 00:04:15,119 officials. So now you see the situation, the city officials 43 00:04:15,119 –> 00:04:21,100 have a near riot on their hand. There’s an angry mob, and they are angry at Paul and 44 00:04:21,100 –> 00:04:27,380 Silas, but Paul and Silas are nowhere to be found. There’s only this man, Jason, who had 45 00:04:28,380 –> 00:04:33,899 had Paul and Silas in his home. The crowd was in uproar and the magistrates 46 00:04:33,899 –> 00:04:38,839 had to decide what to do, and we are told in verse eight that the city officials made 47 00:04:38,839 –> 00:04:45,239 Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 48 00:04:45,239 –> 00:04:52,239 Now FF Bruce explains in his commentary what this means. He says Jason and his companions 49 00:04:53,239 –> 00:04:59,579 were made responsible for seeing that there was no repetition of the trouble in the town. 50 00:04:59,579 –> 00:05:05,059 This probably meant that Paul had to leave the city and that his friends, Jason and the 51 00:05:05,059 –> 00:05:10,899 others, guaranteed that he would not come back, at least not during the present magistrates’ 52 00:05:10,899 –> 00:05:16,820 term of office. So if you look on to verse 10 of chapter 17, you’ll see there that as 53 00:05:16,820 –> 00:05:23,920 soon as it was night the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea, which was the next 54 00:05:23,920 –> 00:05:30,619 town on their journey. Now, that’s what happened when Paul came the first time, indeed 55 00:05:30,619 –> 00:05:37,320 the only time to Thessalonica. Now, let’s turn over in our Bibles to 1 Thessalonians, 56 00:05:37,320 –> 00:05:42,799 the letter that was written probably just a few months after the visit that we’ve 57 00:05:43,540 –> 00:05:49,839 read of from Acts 17. And we’re going to pick up the story at the beginning of 1 Thessalonians. 58 00:05:49,839 –> 00:05:55,279 Notice there by the way that the letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy, the three still 59 00:05:55,279 –> 00:06:02,820 traveling together to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 60 00:06:02,820 –> 00:06:08,859 And knowing the story from Acts sheds all kinds of light on this New Testament letter. 61 00:06:08,859 –> 00:06:14,660 If you look at verse 5 of chapter 1, you’ll see that Paul is describing there what happened 62 00:06:14,660 –> 00:06:15,760 when he came. 63 00:06:15,760 –> 00:06:21,899 He says, verse 5, our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power with 64 00:06:21,899 –> 00:06:23,619 the Holy Spirit in deep conviction. 65 00:06:23,619 –> 00:06:27,619 He says, look, when we were there just a few months ago, it wasn’t just me talking. 66 00:06:27,619 –> 00:06:30,540 There were clear evidences of God’s Holy Spirit at work. 67 00:06:30,540 –> 00:06:32,579 And this is how you were converted. 68 00:06:32,579 –> 00:06:36,839 And he says, verse 6, in spite of severe suffering. 69 00:06:37,640 –> 00:06:42,920 Well, when this was read on Sunday morning in the church, Thessalonica, I expect Jason 70 00:06:42,940 –> 00:06:46,299 was nodding his head when that came to the bit about severe suffering. 71 00:06:46,299 –> 00:06:48,179 Yeah, I know what you were talking about. 72 00:06:48,179 –> 00:06:51,040 I was bound over by the magistrates. 73 00:06:51,040 –> 00:06:55,980 And he says, in spite of the severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given 74 00:06:55,980 –> 00:06:57,619 by the Holy Spirit. 75 00:06:57,619 –> 00:07:04,559 Notice, by the way, the clear evidence of God’s blessing on any work. 76 00:07:04,619 –> 00:07:10,859 Verse 9, you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for His 77 00:07:10,859 –> 00:07:12,220 Son from heaven. 78 00:07:12,220 –> 00:07:16,260 How do you know that God is really at work in a person’s life? 79 00:07:16,260 –> 00:07:21,359 Well, you will see repentance, they turned to God from idols. 80 00:07:21,359 –> 00:07:25,820 You will see ministry, they served the living and true God. 81 00:07:25,820 –> 00:07:33,279 And you will see perseverance, they continue as they wait for His Son to come from heaven. 82 00:07:34,000 –> 00:07:39,239 Now this was marvelous, what God had accomplished in Thessalonica during the short visit of 83 00:07:39,239 –> 00:07:40,940 Paul and his companions. 84 00:07:40,959 –> 00:07:47,079 Let’s take it up then at chapter 2 and verse 17 of Thessalonians. 85 00:07:47,079 –> 00:07:57,220 But, brothers, Paul says, when we were torn away from you for a short time, in person 86 00:07:57,220 –> 00:08:01,440 though, not in thought, out of our intense longing, we made every effort to see you. 87 00:08:01,859 –> 00:08:08,040 You can see why Paul said, we were torn away, leaving the city by night, having been banned 88 00:08:08,040 –> 00:08:10,160 from ever coming back by the magistrates. 89 00:08:10,160 –> 00:08:12,679 The ministry that he had was cut short. 90 00:08:12,679 –> 00:08:17,480 He would have loved to have been able to disciple these new believers more fully, but he had 91 00:08:17,480 –> 00:08:21,500 to leave after the riot. 92 00:08:21,500 –> 00:08:24,140 You can understand why he says, we were torn away. 93 00:08:24,140 –> 00:08:27,940 He was clearly frustrated that he was not able to go back. 94 00:08:27,980 –> 00:08:30,660 And he says here, we longed to see you. 95 00:08:30,660 –> 00:08:32,940 We wanted to come to you. 96 00:08:32,940 –> 00:08:38,659 Certainly I, Paul, did again and again, but Satan stopped us. 97 00:08:38,659 –> 00:08:45,679 And it seems that his reference to Satan stopping them was simply to the ban that had been placed 98 00:08:45,679 –> 00:08:46,799 by the magistrates. 99 00:08:46,799 –> 00:08:55,140 Paul read this as a dark thing that hindered him from going back to this town. 100 00:08:55,179 –> 00:09:00,739 So, Paul has gone with his companions to Thessalonica. 101 00:09:00,739 –> 00:09:04,919 There has been a wonderful work of the Holy Spirit, in which significant number of people 102 00:09:04,919 –> 00:09:07,820 have come to faith in Christ. 103 00:09:07,820 –> 00:09:13,380 There’s been a lot of trouble, and Paul can’t go back to the town. 104 00:09:13,380 –> 00:09:15,979 He’s under a ban. 105 00:09:15,979 –> 00:09:19,780 And yet, he really feels that he wants to be able to build these new believers up in 106 00:09:19,780 –> 00:09:20,780 their faith. 107 00:09:20,780 –> 00:09:22,719 So what does he do? 108 00:09:22,719 –> 00:09:29,979 He can’t go himself, so he sends our man Timothy, right. 109 00:09:29,979 –> 00:09:36,320 Chapter 3 and verse 1, when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left 110 00:09:36,320 –> 00:09:41,640 by ourselves in Athens, after Berea, that’s where Paul had moved on to. 111 00:09:41,640 –> 00:09:48,799 We sent Timothy who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ. 112 00:09:48,859 –> 00:09:57,479 Now, remember that Timothy was just over 20 years old at this point in his life? 113 00:09:57,479 –> 00:10:03,239 He’d been traveling with Paul as the apprentice for only a few months. 114 00:10:03,239 –> 00:10:07,520 He’d been low profile, so low profile that he didn’t even get a mention by name in Acts 115 00:10:07,520 –> 00:10:12,320 chapter 16 or the first part of chapter 17. 116 00:10:12,320 –> 00:10:21,400 But now after watching Paul for a few months, Paul gives to Timothy his first solo assignment. 117 00:10:21,400 –> 00:10:24,580 Now, can you imagine this? 118 00:10:24,580 –> 00:10:28,200 Paul says to Timothy, now come in, sit down, we’ve got to talk. 119 00:10:28,200 –> 00:10:33,299 You’ve been traveling with me for a few months, you’ve been watching what I do, you’ve been 120 00:10:33,299 –> 00:10:38,619 entering into the work, but I think the time has come, Timothy, for you to go on your first 121 00:10:38,619 –> 00:10:41,520 assignment. 122 00:10:41,520 –> 00:10:45,599 These believers at Thessalonica, it’s wonderful what God is doing in their lives, but I’m 123 00:10:45,599 –> 00:10:46,760 concerned for them. 124 00:10:46,760 –> 00:10:51,640 Timothy, if I could go back to Thessalonica, I’d be there in a flash, but you know I can’t 125 00:10:51,640 –> 00:10:52,820 go back. 126 00:10:52,820 –> 00:10:58,479 They’ve bound Jason and the others over, they’ve made them stand bail on account that I will 127 00:10:58,479 –> 00:11:04,880 not return to the city, I can’t go back under these circumstances, but you can, Timothy. 128 00:11:04,880 –> 00:11:11,479 I want you to go in my place, and I want you to strengthen and to encourage these new believers 129 00:11:11,799 –> 00:11:16,159 in the new church at Thessalonica. 130 00:11:16,159 –> 00:11:23,159 So the Apostles’ Apprentice, after just a few months, is now becoming the Apostles’ 131 00:11:24,400 –> 00:11:25,119 Envoy. 132 00:11:25,119 –> 00:11:32,119 And Thessalonica was Timothy’s first assignment. 133 00:11:32,760 –> 00:11:36,520 So what we’re seeing here, you see, is a path of growing usefulness. 134 00:11:36,820 –> 00:11:43,820 This young man Timothy, he started out responding to the calling of God, and now he’s being 135 00:11:43,960 –> 00:11:48,659 trusted with greater responsibility. 136 00:11:48,659 –> 00:11:52,320 And I want us to follow this path as we follow the story of Timothy’s life. 137 00:11:52,320 –> 00:11:58,119 And ask this question, well then, how can I be more useful to Jesus Christ? 138 00:11:58,119 –> 00:12:03,520 I’ve stepped out to follow His call, I want to be His servant, how can I be more useful? 139 00:12:03,520 –> 00:12:08,520 How could I walk a path that would put me in a position where I would be trusted with 140 00:12:08,520 –> 00:12:14,080 more responsibility in the work of His Kingdom? 141 00:12:14,080 –> 00:12:18,840 Well I want us to see three things on this path that Timothy was walking and then to 142 00:12:18,840 –> 00:12:21,580 apply them to ourselves. 143 00:12:21,580 –> 00:12:28,580 This man who was trusted with more became more useful because he was a hard worker, 144 00:12:29,479 –> 00:12:35,219 because he was an effective encourager and because he was a joyful intercessor. 145 00:12:35,219 –> 00:12:40,440 I want us to see all of these things, apply them to ourselves so we may walk the path 146 00:12:40,440 –> 00:12:47,440 with Timothy of becoming increasingly useful and more and more trusted by God in the work 147 00:12:48,820 –> 00:12:50,880 of His Kingdom. 148 00:12:50,880 –> 00:12:51,979 First of all then a hard worker. 149 00:12:51,979 –> 00:12:57,700 I hope you have your Bible open in front of you, 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 9. 150 00:12:57,780 –> 00:13:02,400 The principle here is that, if you want to be useful to Christ and if you want to be 151 00:13:02,400 –> 00:13:09,320 trusted with greater responsibility in His Kingdom, learn to work hard like Paul, Silas 152 00:13:09,320 –> 00:13:11,799 and Timothy did. 153 00:13:11,799 –> 00:13:17,880 Chapter 2 and verse 9, surely you remember brothers our toil and hardship. 154 00:13:17,880 –> 00:13:24,880 We worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone. 155 00:13:25,159 –> 00:13:30,619 Now, it’s interesting when you follow the ministry of Paul. 156 00:13:30,619 –> 00:13:36,280 Sometimes he received financial support and therefore gave himself to the work full-time. 157 00:13:36,280 –> 00:13:40,140 In other places and situations he did not receive full-time support and then he went 158 00:13:40,140 –> 00:13:44,320 out, got a job and did ministry in the evenings. 159 00:13:44,320 –> 00:13:50,640 Philippians chapter 4 and verse 16 tells us that the people at Philippi did actually send 160 00:13:50,640 –> 00:13:52,900 some money to Paul. 161 00:13:52,900 –> 00:13:56,700 In fact, they did it on a number of occasions while he was at Thessalonica, which is interesting 162 00:13:56,700 –> 00:14:01,380 because he just came from Philippi in chapter 15 and because they had been blessed by his 163 00:14:01,380 –> 00:14:05,659 ministry, they gave to the support of it when he moved on to Thessalonica. 164 00:14:05,659 –> 00:14:10,599 But it wasn’t enough to sustain him and the team in the ministry full-time and so what 165 00:14:10,599 –> 00:14:16,340 Paul tells us is that he worked during the day presumably making tents, that was his 166 00:14:16,340 –> 00:14:17,359 trade. 167 00:14:17,359 –> 00:14:23,760 And then he gave himself to ministry in the evenings and Timothy would have done the same. 168 00:14:23,760 –> 00:14:26,840 This is hard work, long days. 169 00:14:26,840 –> 00:14:39,219 Now I have to tell you with gratitude in my heart how often my heart is moved by the hundreds 170 00:14:39,219 –> 00:14:44,059 of people in this church who work incredibly hard for the sake of Christ. 171 00:14:44,059 –> 00:14:47,280 It is a wonderful thing. 172 00:14:47,280 –> 00:14:53,780 You face all the pressures of your work during the day whether that be an employed assignment 173 00:14:53,780 –> 00:14:59,859 or whether it be an assignment that God has given to you in the home or some other setting, 174 00:14:59,859 –> 00:15:06,039 you work incredibly hard during the day and then you are here serving kids, preparing 175 00:15:06,039 –> 00:15:11,919 music, engaged in all kinds of ministry of an evening. 176 00:15:11,919 –> 00:15:15,380 It’s hard work. 177 00:15:15,479 –> 00:15:22,280 And it is a wonderful thing to see people extending themselves for the sake of the cause 178 00:15:22,280 –> 00:15:27,460 of Christ. 179 00:15:27,460 –> 00:15:29,739 My mother used to repeat a phrase often. 180 00:15:29,739 –> 00:15:32,039 It was a very good one and a very helpful one. 181 00:15:32,039 –> 00:15:34,299 She used to say, hard work isn’t easy. 182 00:15:34,299 –> 00:15:37,320 It’s very profound. 183 00:15:37,320 –> 00:15:38,539 Hard work isn’t easy. 184 00:15:38,539 –> 00:15:39,539 That’s true. 185 00:15:39,539 –> 00:15:44,940 Hard work isn’t easy, but it brings great rewards. 186 00:15:44,960 –> 00:15:49,679 Do you know biblically what the reward of hard work is? 187 00:15:49,679 –> 00:15:53,299 More responsibility, that’s the reward of hard work. 188 00:15:53,299 –> 00:15:56,419 You work hard, you get trusted with more. 189 00:15:56,419 –> 00:15:57,700 That’s the biblical principle. 190 00:15:57,700 –> 00:16:01,659 You can check it out in Luke’s Gospel chapter 19. 191 00:16:01,659 –> 00:16:06,880 Jesus told a story about a man of noble birth who had 10 servants. 192 00:16:06,880 –> 00:16:11,460 We know this story about the parable of the talents with the three servants perhaps better. 193 00:16:11,460 –> 00:16:13,559 This is a different one, Luke 19. 194 00:16:13,599 –> 00:16:20,679 A man of noble birth, 10 servants and they all are given exactly the same amount of money. 195 00:16:20,679 –> 00:16:27,739 Ten servants with the same resource at the beginning, just like all of us have the same 196 00:16:27,739 –> 00:16:32,780 resource of time, trusted to us by Christ. 197 00:16:32,780 –> 00:16:37,799 But at the end when the King comes back, these servants have very different outcomes of the 198 00:16:37,799 –> 00:16:43,479 investments they have made with what has been trusted to them. 199 00:16:43,479 –> 00:16:49,320 At the end of the story the first servant to give an account to the King has a tenfold 200 00:16:49,320 –> 00:16:54,140 return on what has been trusted to him and this is what the King says. 201 00:16:54,140 –> 00:17:01,880 Well done, my good servant because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter. 202 00:17:01,880 –> 00:17:07,079 Because you’ve been trustworthy in something small, here’s the punch line, take charge 203 00:17:07,079 –> 00:17:09,420 of ten cities. 204 00:17:09,420 –> 00:17:12,239 Ten cities. 205 00:17:12,239 –> 00:17:17,680 What’s the reward for being a faithful steward of what is trusted to you? 206 00:17:17,680 –> 00:17:19,979 Bigger responsibility. 207 00:17:19,979 –> 00:17:23,760 More trust in the King’s work. 208 00:17:23,760 –> 00:17:25,339 Now what is the lesson here? 209 00:17:25,339 –> 00:17:30,780 If you want to be trusted with greater responsibility in the work of Christ, work hard at what God 210 00:17:30,780 –> 00:17:33,439 has trusted to you now. 211 00:17:33,439 –> 00:17:39,359 If you want to be trusted with greater responsibility in the work of Jesus Christ, work hard at 212 00:17:39,359 –> 00:17:42,880 what God has trusted to you now. 213 00:17:42,880 –> 00:17:44,959 Now notice the theme of hard work in this letter. 214 00:17:44,959 –> 00:17:51,979 If you have it open in front of you, just very quickly, the value of hard work is repeatedly 215 00:17:51,979 –> 00:17:55,640 emphasized in this part of the scripture. 216 00:17:55,640 –> 00:17:58,439 Work with your hands, chapter four verse 11. 217 00:17:58,439 –> 00:18:04,540 Just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and you may 218 00:18:04,540 –> 00:18:07,239 not be dependent on anyone. 219 00:18:07,239 –> 00:18:08,239 Work hard. 220 00:18:09,180 –> 00:18:11,319 You won’t respect a lazy person. 221 00:18:11,319 –> 00:18:16,199 So work hard, be independent as far as that is possible. 222 00:18:16,199 –> 00:18:19,160 Don’t be dependent on anyone. 223 00:18:19,160 –> 00:18:22,619 Work to make this the pattern of your life. 224 00:18:22,619 –> 00:18:27,079 This is an important value to teach to our children. 225 00:18:27,079 –> 00:18:31,520 Study people who are successful in life, useful to Christ. 226 00:18:31,520 –> 00:18:35,319 You will find that they are hard workers. 227 00:18:35,319 –> 00:18:37,319 And that is how it should be in the church too. 228 00:18:37,380 –> 00:18:39,640 First Thessalonians 5 and verse 12. 229 00:18:39,640 –> 00:18:44,500 Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord. 230 00:18:44,680 –> 00:18:46,680 Or chapter 5 and verse 14. 231 00:18:46,680 –> 00:18:50,459 We urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle. 232 00:18:50,579 –> 00:18:53,119 Notice that, warn them. 233 00:18:53,119 –> 00:19:00,540 Not encourage them, warn them because those who are idle are in spiritual danger. 234 00:19:00,540 –> 00:19:05,959 Those who don’t want to work, who don’t want to work will be in spiritual danger because 235 00:19:05,979 –> 00:19:12,760 The devil finds work for idle hands, that’s the principle, you see. 236 00:19:15,300 –> 00:19:19,640 When Paul speaks about what it means to be an Apostle, in 1 Corinthians 15, you know 237 00:19:19,640 –> 00:19:21,300 what he says? 238 00:19:21,300 –> 00:19:26,160 I worked harder than all of them. 239 00:19:26,160 –> 00:19:32,319 It’s a distinguishing mark of someone who is called to the kind of responsibility that 240 00:19:32,319 –> 00:19:35,199 Paul was given. 241 00:19:35,199 –> 00:19:42,400 And then we thought last week about how Jesus calls us to pray, because the harvest is plentiful, 242 00:19:42,400 –> 00:19:45,339 but the workers are few. 243 00:19:45,339 –> 00:19:46,560 So what are we to do? 244 00:19:46,560 –> 00:19:50,520 We are to pray, and we’re to pray for certain kinds of people. 245 00:19:50,520 –> 00:19:51,780 Who are we to pray for? 246 00:19:51,780 –> 00:19:57,020 We are to pray for laborers to go out into the harvest field. 247 00:19:57,020 –> 00:19:58,020 Laborers. 248 00:19:58,020 –> 00:19:59,020 What’s a laborer? 249 00:19:59,040 –> 00:20:06,339 A laborer is someone who will be ready to work long and hard, and sustained in the field 250 00:20:06,339 –> 00:20:10,160 until the harvest is brought in. 251 00:20:10,160 –> 00:20:14,699 It’s easy to get folks who’ll go out into the harvest field, pick a few years of corn, 252 00:20:14,699 –> 00:20:18,140 and then decide it’s time for a tea break. 253 00:20:18,140 –> 00:20:19,900 But that’s not going to bring in the harvest. 254 00:20:21,359 –> 00:20:27,219 You’ve got to pray for the kind of men and women who will be laborers, who are not scared 255 00:20:27,219 –> 00:20:28,219 of hard work. 256 00:20:28,619 –> 00:20:32,939 Who will go out into the field and stay in the field until the harvest is brought in. 257 00:20:32,939 –> 00:20:35,680 That’s the kind of people to pray for. 258 00:20:35,680 –> 00:20:41,339 And if you want to be increasingly useful to Christ, that is the kind of person to become, 259 00:20:41,339 –> 00:20:44,280 someone who’s not afraid of hard work. 260 00:20:44,280 –> 00:20:49,300 Now think of the example of Jesus in this. 261 00:20:49,300 –> 00:20:55,339 The miles Jesus covered in his ministry on foot. 262 00:20:56,339 –> 00:21:01,920 The sheer horizon of his ministry, from town to town to village to village. 263 00:21:01,920 –> 00:21:12,119 And in just three years, the extent of the coverage of the ministry of Christ, just 264 00:21:12,119 –> 00:21:13,760 three years. 265 00:21:13,760 –> 00:21:19,500 You read the gospels, and Christ is always moving on to the next towns, to the next villages, 266 00:21:19,500 –> 00:21:24,280 for I must preach the gospel there also. 267 00:21:24,280 –> 00:21:29,140 You look at the pattern of the Apostle Paul’s life. 268 00:21:29,140 –> 00:21:31,560 It’s the same. 269 00:21:31,560 –> 00:21:35,099 These are our models of ministry. 270 00:21:35,099 –> 00:21:36,280 And you know what? 271 00:21:36,280 –> 00:21:40,140 They’re not laid back. 272 00:21:40,140 –> 00:21:46,339 There is no laid back model of ministry in the New Testament. 273 00:21:46,339 –> 00:21:53,439 What there is in the New Testament is vigour, energy, commitment, action, movement, to bring 274 00:21:53,479 –> 00:21:56,880 the Gospel to a lost world. 275 00:21:56,880 –> 00:22:00,719 And Timothy entered into that, and he learned it from the Apostle Paul. 276 00:22:00,719 –> 00:22:05,319 He was in Thessalonica with Paul, and he was working these long days, and he ends up being 277 00:22:05,319 –> 00:22:08,000 trusted with more responsibility. 278 00:22:08,000 –> 00:22:16,119 Now, I want to give a word of encouragement at this point to those who are working hard, 279 00:22:16,119 –> 00:22:18,540 there are so many. 280 00:22:18,540 –> 00:22:20,760 And I want you to look at chapter three and verse two. 281 00:22:20,760 –> 00:22:25,219 If you work hard, this will be a wonderful encouragement to you. 282 00:22:25,219 –> 00:22:29,819 Notice that Timothy is described not only as our Brother, chapter three and verse two, 283 00:22:29,819 –> 00:22:35,339 but as God’s fellow worker. 284 00:22:35,339 –> 00:22:42,459 God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ. 285 00:22:42,459 –> 00:22:48,819 Now, in Romans, Timothy is described as Paul’s fellow worker. 286 00:22:48,859 –> 00:22:50,660 That’s pretty good. 287 00:22:50,660 –> 00:22:53,520 But this is better. 288 00:22:53,520 –> 00:22:56,339 God’s fellow worker. 289 00:22:56,339 –> 00:23:00,459 Now, let’s ponder that for a moment. 290 00:23:00,459 –> 00:23:06,839 See, ministry is entering into the work that God is doing. 291 00:23:06,839 –> 00:23:08,060 God’s fellow worker. 292 00:23:08,060 –> 00:23:09,900 God is working. 293 00:23:09,900 –> 00:23:15,219 And ministry is about me having the privilege of entering into what He is doing. 294 00:23:15,300 –> 00:23:19,140 You having the privilege of entering into what He is doing. 295 00:23:19,140 –> 00:23:25,719 Now, when you see that, that ministry is about being God’s fellow worker, it will give you 296 00:23:25,719 –> 00:23:31,540 an entirely new perspective on the hard work that you are doing. 297 00:23:31,540 –> 00:23:40,819 If we think that God’s work depends on us alone, then we will quickly be discouraged. 298 00:23:40,819 –> 00:23:46,400 If it depends on us alone, we will be discouraged. 299 00:23:46,400 –> 00:23:54,199 Because the world is too big, the needs are too many, the resources are too few, the problems 300 00:23:54,199 –> 00:23:57,560 are too great, and the time is too short. 301 00:23:57,560 –> 00:24:00,160 Ever felt any or all of these things? 302 00:24:00,160 –> 00:24:02,680 All the time. 303 00:24:02,680 –> 00:24:10,760 If we think that God’s work depends on us alone, we will quickly be discouraged. 304 00:24:10,760 –> 00:24:16,560 But if we understand that God is at work, and that our privilege is to become involved 305 00:24:16,560 –> 00:24:20,680 in what He is already doing, then we will have a new sense of privilege, and a fresh 306 00:24:20,680 –> 00:24:25,380 sense of energy in the work He’s called us to. 307 00:24:25,380 –> 00:24:27,719 Let me try and apply that. 308 00:24:27,900 –> 00:24:36,339 Parents, teachers, those who are engaged in ministry to younger people, you’re trying 309 00:24:36,339 –> 00:24:40,300 to shape the life of a younger person. 310 00:24:40,300 –> 00:24:48,560 And if it’s all up to you, you’re quickly going to be discouraged, right? 311 00:24:48,560 –> 00:24:54,119 But if you can see that God is at work in the life of that younger person, your son, 312 00:24:54,119 –> 00:24:57,280 your daughter, the person in the small group that you’re teaching, God is already at work 313 00:24:57,359 –> 00:25:04,140 in their life, and He is, and that your privilege is to come alongside what He is doing, you 314 00:25:04,140 –> 00:25:09,560 will be greatly encouraged and renewed in your energy. 315 00:25:09,560 –> 00:25:14,160 Those who are involved in ministries of compassion and care, and you’re trying to reach someone 316 00:25:14,160 –> 00:25:19,880 who has been pressed down, and it takes such patience. 317 00:25:19,880 –> 00:25:21,800 And sometimes it’s discouraging. 318 00:25:22,760 –> 00:25:28,400 You’re God’s fellow worker, because God is at work in that person’s life. 319 00:25:28,400 –> 00:25:33,459 Your privilege is simply to come alongside. 320 00:25:33,459 –> 00:25:39,719 Those who are contemplating or engaged in a ministry to a tough part of the world that 321 00:25:39,719 –> 00:25:45,459 is highly resistant to the gospel, and you have felt the call of God to give yourself 322 00:25:45,459 –> 00:25:50,599 to reach people who are not quickly responsive, but you’re engaged in evangelism, boy, if 323 00:25:50,699 –> 00:25:56,939 you think it’s all down to you, you are quickly gonna be discouraged, but it’s not. 324 00:25:56,939 –> 00:26:03,699 God is already at work, and your privilege as God’s fellow worker is to become engaged 325 00:26:03,699 –> 00:26:05,140 in what he is doing. 326 00:26:05,140 –> 00:26:12,140 I have to tell you, the more I think about that, the more I feel, boy, what a privilege 327 00:26:12,160 –> 00:26:19,160 to work hard if I’m engaged in what God is already doing. 328 00:26:20,660 –> 00:26:23,359 Let that be an encouragement to your heart. 329 00:26:23,359 –> 00:26:25,939 It’s not all down to you. 330 00:26:25,939 –> 00:26:29,000 You’re God’s fellow worker. 331 00:26:29,000 –> 00:26:31,119 He’s at work. 332 00:26:31,119 –> 00:26:33,199 He’s at work. 333 00:26:33,199 –> 00:26:39,619 And you get a chance to come alongside what he is already doing. 334 00:26:39,619 –> 00:26:43,699 Now, that was Timothy’s privilege, and he gave himself to it. 335 00:26:43,699 –> 00:26:45,540 He was a hard worker. 336 00:26:46,260 –> 00:26:48,359 Here’s the second thing more briefly. 337 00:26:48,359 –> 00:26:51,000 He was an effective encourager. 338 00:26:51,000 –> 00:26:57,500 And if we want to be more and more useful in the Lord Jesus Christ’s work, if we want 339 00:26:57,500 –> 00:27:04,199 to be trusted with more responsibility, then we need not only to work hard but also to 340 00:27:04,199 –> 00:27:07,040 learn to encourage others. 341 00:27:07,040 –> 00:27:13,000 Notice chapter three and verse two, we send Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow 342 00:27:13,439 –> 00:27:19,420 worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, and here’s what he was to do – to strengthen 343 00:27:19,420 –> 00:27:26,420 and encourage you in your faith so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. 344 00:27:27,520 –> 00:27:33,579 Now remember, Paul has been torn away from these believers in Thessalonica much sooner 345 00:27:33,579 –> 00:27:40,579 than he would have wanted, and he is now concerned about them for two reasons. 346 00:27:41,500 –> 00:27:48,140 The first reason, verse three, is because of the trials. Trials are unsettling, and 347 00:27:48,140 –> 00:27:53,140 all this trouble coming up for just a group of very young believers, Paul says to Timothy, 348 00:27:53,140 –> 00:27:57,319 Look, they’ve been through some tough trials in the short time that they’ve been Christians, 349 00:27:57,319 –> 00:28:02,260 you need to come alongside and encourage them in their faith. You ever felt this with someone 350 00:28:02,260 –> 00:28:07,520 who’s a new Christian? And they put their faith in Christ and then they hit some catastrophe 351 00:28:07,920 –> 00:28:11,439 and everything goes wrong, and you think, Oh boy! How are they going to stand up under 352 00:28:11,439 –> 00:28:17,560 this? How’s their faith going to be? Well, Paul was concerned about that. So many trials 353 00:28:17,560 –> 00:28:24,560 coming so early in their new Christian journey. And it wasn’t just the trials, but in verse 354 00:28:25,760 –> 00:28:30,739 five, you’ll see that Paul was also concerned because of the tempter. I was afraid that 355 00:28:30,739 –> 00:28:36,719 in some way the tempter might have tempted you, he says, and our efforts might have been 356 00:28:36,760 –> 00:28:43,760 useless. So notice this. Where there are trials the tempster will always be at work. If there 357 00:28:46,099 –> 00:28:53,099 are trials in your life, Satan will seek to gain an access and to work his own ends through 358 00:28:53,739 –> 00:29:00,280 the vulnerability of this moment. Where there are trials, the tempter will be at work. 359 00:29:00,280 –> 00:29:04,260 So because of the trials that had happened in Thessalonica, and because Paul knows how 360 00:29:04,319 –> 00:29:10,020 tempter operates, he has good reason to be concerned and he sends Timothy to encourage 361 00:29:10,020 –> 00:29:15,060 the believers and strengthen them in their faith. 362 00:29:15,060 –> 00:29:20,380 Now let’s put ourselves in Timothy’s shoes. You’re sent on assignment to Thessalonica 363 00:29:20,380 –> 00:29:27,380 and you’ve got to find out the spiritual condition of the church. If you were sent to find the 364 00:29:28,339 –> 00:29:35,339 spiritual condition of a local congregation, what would you look for? Would you take a 365 00:29:40,699 –> 00:29:47,699 look at the program? Would you examine the finances? Would you evaluate the worship? 366 00:29:47,839 –> 00:29:54,839 Would you count the attendants? Would you design a little survey and ask questions about 367 00:30:02,260 –> 00:30:09,260 how the people are feeling? Seriously? How would you go about assessing the spiritual 368 00:30:11,819 –> 00:30:15,660 health of a local church? That’s what Timothy had to do. 369 00:30:16,540 –> 00:30:22,079 Now, obviously there are many things that could be said about this and perhaps that’ll 370 00:30:22,079 –> 00:30:28,540 be another useful discussion over lunch. But what I want you to notice here today is that 371 00:30:28,540 –> 00:30:33,479 Paul is only concerned about one thing, and therefore surely this one thing must be more 372 00:30:33,479 –> 00:30:39,420 important than all others. Verse 3, he sends Timothy to strengthen and 373 00:30:39,760 –> 00:30:46,540 encourage the Thessalonians in their faith. Their faith. That’s what matters, that’s 374 00:30:46,540 –> 00:30:53,540 what Paul wants to know, nothing else. For lively confidence in God is the first sign 375 00:30:54,140 –> 00:31:03,619 of spiritual health. That’s the key. Lively confidence in God is the first sign of spiritual 376 00:31:04,380 –> 00:31:10,579 health. Now apply this personally in your own life. What you are facing right now isn’t 377 00:31:10,579 –> 00:31:19,300 the issue. What you are feeling right now isn’t the issue. We all have different trials 378 00:31:19,300 –> 00:31:22,900 and temptations and your trials and temptations will simply change. They’ll be different 379 00:31:22,900 –> 00:31:26,260 in the future from what they are now, but they will continue. They will morph from one 380 00:31:26,260 –> 00:31:31,060 thing to another. What really matters is not what you’re facing, not what you’re feeling. 381 00:31:31,079 –> 00:31:40,540 What really matters is the strength of your faith, your confidence in Almighty God, for 382 00:31:40,540 –> 00:31:45,020 lively confidence in God is the first sign of spiritual health in an individual Christian 383 00:31:45,020 –> 00:31:49,619 or in a congregation. 384 00:31:49,619 –> 00:31:58,619 Timothy is told that his task is to strengthen them and encourage them in their faith. Now 385 00:31:59,079 –> 00:32:06,079 if you were Timothy and you’re sent on assignment, how would you go about strengthening and encouraging 386 00:32:06,140 –> 00:32:10,939 another person in their faith? 387 00:32:10,939 –> 00:32:17,939 Suppose you’re sitting having breakfast with a friend and he’s struggling. How are you 388 00:32:18,359 –> 00:32:25,359 going to encourage that guy in his faith? How do you do that? 389 00:32:26,219 –> 00:32:33,219 Well, it’s helpful for us to think about how the Holy Spirit does this, because of course 390 00:32:34,979 –> 00:32:41,479 in the New Testament the Holy Spirit is the effective encourager, or to use the Bible’s 391 00:32:41,479 –> 00:32:47,839 word, comforter. It actually means the same thing. The one who gives strength and builds 392 00:32:47,839 –> 00:32:54,839 up. The Holy Spirit is the one who creates, builds, sustains, and lifts up communities 393 00:32:55,560 –> 00:33:02,560 and sustains, matures, establishes your faith. Now, if you are to be the fellow worker of 394 00:33:05,439 –> 00:33:11,900 the Holy Spirit in encouraging and strengthening another person’s faith, then you will want 395 00:33:11,900 –> 00:33:16,599 to work along the same lines as the Holy Spirit works. 396 00:33:16,599 –> 00:33:22,239 How does he strengthen, form, and encourage faith? Jesus tells us. John, chapter 16, in 397 00:33:22,680 –> 00:33:29,199 John, chapter 14, he does it by taking the things of Christ and making them known to 398 00:33:29,199 –> 00:33:33,739 us. Now, if that’s how the Holy Spirit does this 399 00:33:33,739 –> 00:33:38,739 work of encouraging and strengthening and establishing in faith, then that is what we 400 00:33:38,739 –> 00:33:41,880 must do. It boils down to this. If you want to strengthen 401 00:33:41,880 –> 00:33:47,760 someone elsein their faith, the most effective thing you can do is help them get their eyes 402 00:33:47,780 –> 00:33:55,479 off themselves and what they are experiencing and onto Christ and what He is doing. Cause 403 00:33:55,479 –> 00:34:00,199 that’s what the Holy Spirit does. And if you’re to be his fellow worker strengthening 404 00:34:00,199 –> 00:34:04,920 and encouraging another person in their faith, that is the way that you will try and point 405 00:34:04,920 –> 00:34:10,179 and encourage and direct them all. So, get your eyes off yourself and what you’re experiencing 406 00:34:10,179 –> 00:34:15,540 and onto Christ and what He is doing. 407 00:34:15,540 –> 00:34:22,520 Well, Timothy went and engaged in this mission. And if you look in chapter six, we find out 408 00:34:22,520 –> 00:34:30,500 what happens when he came back. Timothy now comes back and he brings a good report chapter 409 00:34:30,500 –> 00:34:36,739 three and verse six. Timothy has just now come to us from you. So evidently, Paul is 410 00:34:36,739 –> 00:34:41,820 writing almost immediately after receiving the report. It’s all fresh in his mind. Timothy 411 00:34:42,100 –> 00:34:47,719 has just now come to us from you, and he has brought good news about your faith, good news 412 00:34:47,719 –> 00:34:54,419 about your faith. And notice verse seven, that the good news of the faith of these folks 413 00:34:54,419 –> 00:35:01,199 in Thessalonica now encourages Paul. Therefore, brothers, in our all our distress and persecution, 414 00:35:01,199 –> 00:35:08,199 we were encouraged. Timothy and I now are encouraged because of your faith. This is 415 00:35:08,199 –> 00:35:13,800 wonderful. Paul sends Timothy to strengthen them in their faith. Timothy comes back and 416 00:35:13,800 –> 00:35:18,379 says, you know, God’s work among them is wonderful. And Paul is now encouraged and 417 00:35:18,379 –> 00:35:31,340 strengthened in his own faith. Two things from that. Your faith under fire will encourage 418 00:35:31,379 –> 00:35:38,379 others far more than you will ever know or imagine. Don’t underestimate this. When you 419 00:35:40,699 –> 00:35:47,699 come under pressure and you stand firm in your faith, others will see it and they’ll 420 00:35:49,300 –> 00:35:55,000 be strengthened in theirs. Even if you never say anything to them about it, they see it 421 00:35:55,000 –> 00:35:59,620 and they’re strengthened and helped in their own walk. 422 00:35:59,639 –> 00:36:06,639 I have been so blessed and strengthened by the faith of others as I have seen it under 423 00:36:08,020 –> 00:36:15,020 great pressure. And the other thing that we learn from this is that if you want to be 424 00:36:16,120 –> 00:36:23,120 strengthened in your faith, seek the company of others who are strong in their faith. If 425 00:36:23,120 –> 00:36:30,120 you want to be strengthened in your faith, seek the company of others who are strong 426 00:36:31,820 –> 00:36:38,300 in their faith because that faith will bring strength and encouragement to use like the 427 00:36:38,300 –> 00:36:45,300 Thessalonians did to Paul. Look at the company you are keeping. Are you keeping company with 428 00:36:46,020 –> 00:36:50,520 some who are strong in their faith, and the impact of their life is to strengthen and 429 00:36:50,520 –> 00:36:57,139 encourage yours. Seek them out and you will grow. It’s one of the great blessings of 430 00:36:57,139 –> 00:37:04,139 fellowship, the privilege of Christian friendship, a hard worker, an effective encourager. 431 00:37:07,699 –> 00:37:13,939 Here’s the last thing, very briefly. A joyful intercessor. Chapter 3 says, 432 00:37:13,959 –> 00:37:20,939 A joyoful intercessor. Now, notice the we here because Paul and Timothy are talking 433 00:37:22,479 –> 00:37:29,479 about their shared experience of prayer and joy together. How can we thank God enough 434 00:37:30,780 –> 00:37:37,780 for you, in return for all the joy we have in the presence of God because of you? 435 00:37:38,500 –> 00:37:45,500 When Timothy and I left our hearts to God in prayer here in Athens, Paul is saying, 436 00:37:46,139 –> 00:37:53,139 we have such joy. And now that Timothy has brought this report back and the encouragement 437 00:37:53,399 –> 00:37:58,580 of what God continues to do among you, how can we thank you for the joy that we have 438 00:37:58,580 –> 00:38:03,060 in God’s presence, on account of you? 439 00:38:03,600 –> 00:38:15,600 Now, this is extraordinary because Paul is praying, Timothy is praying here for a persecuted 440 00:38:15,659 –> 00:38:24,659 church, and some of us have a real burden. And it’s a wonderful thing to pray for persecuted 441 00:38:24,659 –> 00:38:32,500 believers. And you would think that when Paul and Timothy prayed for persecuted believers, 442 00:38:32,560 –> 00:38:40,840 that the focus on their prayer would be on the suffering and on the pain and the pressure. 443 00:38:43,040 –> 00:38:50,580 But that’s not what we find. When Paul and Timothy pray for the believers on Thessalonica, 444 00:38:50,580 –> 00:38:56,320 what they say is this, we can’t tell you what joy we have in God’s presence on account 445 00:38:56,340 –> 00:39:03,399 of you, why is this? Because when they pray, their focus is not on the problems. Their 446 00:39:03,399 –> 00:39:10,399 focus is on what God is doing in the lives of these people. Now here’s the question. 447 00:39:10,419 –> 00:39:17,419 Do you have eyes to see what God is doing or are you the kind of person that can only 448 00:39:18,040 –> 00:39:25,040 focus on problems even when you pray? See some people are just so problem-oriented that they 449 00:39:30,560 –> 00:39:37,560 quickly become interested only in bad news. The latest gossip suddenly gets them alive. 450 00:39:37,939 –> 00:39:44,939 Paul goes the opposite way. There are trials. There is pain. Satan hits the door. And, therefore, 451 00:39:47,419 –> 00:39:53,179 hinder us from going back to Thessalonica, but God is at work, and when I lift my heart 452 00:39:53,179 –> 00:39:57,979 in his presence, I have to tell you I have joy in what I see God doing. 453 00:39:57,979 –> 00:40:01,379 How can we thank God enough for all the joy we have in his presence, because 454 00:40:01,379 –> 00:40:09,179 of you? See, Paul’s praying isn’t, 455 00:40:09,459 –> 00:40:17,439 Now Lord, here’s what I want you to do, and why aren’t you doing it? Paul’s 456 00:40:17,439 –> 00:40:25,080 prayer is, Lord this is what I see you doing, and I 457 00:40:25,080 –> 00:40:29,560 rejoice in it, a joyful intercessor. 458 00:40:29,919 –> 00:40:36,459 Now, there are other kinds of praying, but I want to ask what you know about this 459 00:40:36,600 –> 00:40:43,520 kind of praying. Rejoicing in God’s presence on account of what you see him 460 00:40:43,520 –> 00:40:52,199 doing in the lives of his people, who you love. And by the way notice from Paul’s 461 00:40:52,199 –> 00:40:56,899 example that he not only rejoices in God’s presence, he tells the church at 462 00:40:56,899 –> 00:41:04,280 Thessalonica, he tells these believers, I’m rejoicing because of you. So don’t 463 00:41:04,300 –> 00:41:08,879 just rejoice in what God is doing in the lives of others. Tell these others that 464 00:41:08,879 –> 00:41:16,620 you’re rejoicing because of what you see God doing in their lives. Do you see what 465 00:41:16,620 –> 00:41:24,560 God is doing in the lives of your kids? Are you so obsessed with what he’s not yet 466 00:41:24,560 –> 00:41:30,340 done and what he’s still to do, that you can’t see what he’s doing now? Rejoice in 467 00:41:30,479 –> 00:41:35,139 what he is doing and tell the kids that you see what he’s doing and that you 468 00:41:35,139 –> 00:41:38,879 thank God because I see him doing this in your life and it’s such an 469 00:41:38,879 –> 00:41:45,959 encouragement, a joy to me. Share that with others who you love. It will lift 470 00:41:45,959 –> 00:41:49,919 and it will transform your prayer life and your relationships. It will make you 471 00:41:49,919 –> 00:41:57,959 an encourager. This encouragement flows out of joyful intercession. How to be 472 00:41:57,979 –> 00:42:04,280 more useful to Christ. How to become the kind of person who’s going to be trusted 473 00:42:04,280 –> 00:42:12,040 by God with greater responsibility. A hard worker, faithful in what’s been 474 00:42:12,040 –> 00:42:18,520 trusted to you already. An effective encourager, building others up in their 475 00:42:18,520 –> 00:42:21,979 faith, helping others to get their eyes and their focus of themselves and always 476 00:42:21,979 –> 00:42:26,800 back on to the Lord and you’re a joyful intercessor. 477 00:42:26,840 –> 00:42:32,320 With eyes to see what God is doing and a heart to rejoice and be glad in it. 478 00:42:32,320 –> 00:42:40,639 That’s Timothy, and after just a few months a man of that kind of character 479 00:42:40,639 –> 00:42:46,379 gets trusted with more responsibility. 480 00:42:46,739 –> 00:42:53,780 So here there are three ways to improve our usefulness to Christ. Work hard, 481 00:42:53,879 –> 00:43:02,419 encourage others, pray with joy. Let’s boil it down to three questions before we 482 00:43:02,419 –> 00:43:09,120 pray. Where do you have responsibility? Where has God given you a trust in the 483 00:43:09,120 –> 00:43:16,719 home in the church in the workplace? Where do you have responsibility? Work 484 00:43:17,199 –> 00:43:26,500 hard at it. When did you last hear the value of hard work being praised? We need 485 00:43:26,500 –> 00:43:32,479 that in our society, don’t we? And then the church. Work hard at what God has 486 00:43:32,479 –> 00:43:41,280 given you to do. You will find quickly he trusts you with more. Who can you 487 00:43:41,280 –> 00:43:47,080 encourage? Who is there who’s struggling in their faith right now, that you could 488 00:43:47,080 –> 00:43:56,139 call this week and you could help them to get their eyes onto Christ, strengthen 489 00:43:56,139 –> 00:44:00,939 them, and encourage them in your faith. As you’re faithful in that, the Lord will 490 00:44:00,939 –> 00:44:09,479 extend your ministry. What can you see God doing? That’s the third question. Do 491 00:44:09,479 –> 00:44:14,600 you have eyes to see? What do you see God doing? Well, now, rejoice in it. Rejoice in 492 00:44:14,600 –> 00:44:18,800 it as you see it in those you love, those He’s placed around you. Rejoice in it as 493 00:44:18,800 –> 00:44:24,179 you see it in the church. Your faith will grow, and you will become increasingly 494 00:44:24,179 –> 00:44:31,780 useful to Christ, and isn’t that what we want? 495 00:44:32,780 –> 00:44:42,679 Isn’t that what we want? Let’s pray together shall we? Father in heaven, it is 496 00:44:42,679 –> 00:44:49,600 what we want, we really want to be increasingly useful to you, more useful 497 00:44:49,600 –> 00:44:58,479 than we’ve ever been before. We see the path, we see it in Jesus, we see it in 498 00:44:58,600 –> 00:45:07,360 Paul and we thank you that we see it in 20 year old Timothy. We want to follow 499 00:45:07,360 –> 00:45:13,679 this example to work hard in what you’ve trusted to us now. To reach out and to 500 00:45:13,679 –> 00:45:19,659 encourage others and to learn to pray with increasing joy in your presence 501 00:45:19,659 –> 00:45:27,040 because we discern how you are already at work. Thank you for this immense 502 00:45:27,300 –> 00:45:36,540 privilege of being your fellow workers. Renew us in our strength and our energy 503 00:45:36,540 –> 00:45:41,899 and our faith that we may fulfill all that you have trusted to our hands and 504 00:45:41,899 –> 00:45:48,080 that as we pursue it we may be counted worthy to be trusted with more. 505 00:45:48,080 –> 00:45:52,679 For these things we ask together. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 506 00:45:53,520 –> 00:45:59,419 You’ve been listening to a sermon with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible, 507 00:45:59,419 –> 00:46:06,280 To contact us, call us at 1-877-Open-365 508 00:46:06,280 –> 00:46:10,500 or visit our website, openthebible.org