Alba 10-29-2023
WALK WORTHY OF GOD
I Thessalonians 2:9-12
You may have heard of a rather pompous-looking deacon who was speaking to a class of boys about the importance of living the Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” the man asked. After a moment’s pause, one youngster said, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.”
I am sure that is not the answer that man expected. But what answer would you receive if you asked the same question? It gives a person something to think about, doesn't it?
It boils down to how the way we live our lives compares with what we say we are in Christ. One of the common critiques leveled at present-day Christianity is that it’s a religion full of hypocritical people.
A 2016 Barna Group study examined the degree to which this perception may be accurate. The study explored how well Christians seem to reflect the actions and attitudes of Jesus in their interactions with others. They found the differences between the self-oriented behavior of born again Christians and that of national norms were small.
Sadly an earlier Barna Group survey in 2006 found that when measured for some moral behaviors, born-again believers were not much different from non-born-again adults.
Thankfully the Pew Research Center also released a study in 2016 of the ways religion influences the daily lives of Americans. And it found that people who are highly religious are more engaged with their extended families, more likely to volunteer, more involved in their communities and generally happier with the way things are going in their lives.
I think it all depends on whether the one who calls himself a Christian is making it a goal to walk worthy of God. That's what the apostle Paul called the church in Thessalonica to do in I Thessalonians 2:9-12. Let's read what it says.
9 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 preached to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
And while Paul does give the church that charge, he does more. He sets the example of how walking worthy of God is done. He reminds them he had made it a point not to be a burden to them (verse 9). Paul was a tent maker and worked his trade as he taught the people in Thessalonica about Jesus and to walk worthy of God.
Paul had the right as an apostle to demand that the church support him financially. However, in this circumstance, Paul didn't want anything to get in the way of the Gospel message getting through, so he did not require money from them.
Because of this, there are people who think that the church shouldn't talk about money. But the Bible does. I Corinthians 9:5-6 says that giving should be a “matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.” And then it says, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
There are a number of professing Christians who get fed up with the church because they feel that there is always a demand for money. What has happened is that these people were burdened with financial commitments to the church before they were spiritually mature and committed to Christ and the work of the church.
So, even though there is biblical instruction about money and how to use it, they had no joy in giving because there was no sense of involvement and no sense of delight in sharing a common goal.
But, “God loves a cheerful giver” (I Corinthians 9:7). And we see that the apostle Paul was one. He gave of himself so that others could know the saving power of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.
So, our presentation of the gospel should be presented the same way. Not for any personal or physical gain, but so that people will come to a place where they yield their lives in obedience to Jesus Christ.
And not only that but, as verse 10 says, the gospel needs to be presented devoutly, justly and blamelessly. That means that if we are wanting to be a witness of our faith to others, there should be some evidence to support it. We need to walk worthy of our calling. Let's take a closer look at these three verses.
What does it mean to be devout? Well it doesn't mean someone who is self-righteous, who tries to look “holier than thou.” But it is someone who endeavors to live a holy life.
It means seeking to live holy before God, a life separated from the worldly desires of the flesh. It is a life that is not dictated by the pleasures of sin, but instead by a desire to walk worthy of the love that God has for each of us.
Certainly you would agree that our culture today is in need of those who will live holy before the Lord. Holiness cannot be pretended. We either live for God or we don’t.
Many see folks who claim to love the Lord on Sunday, but their lives don’t reflect that love throughout the week. We need to be a devout, separated people to the Lord.
Also we are to present the gospel justly. What does it mean to be just, to live justly before others? It literally means “righteously, properly, and upright.” It means to live just and right in all of our dealings with God and with people.
F. B. Speakman told of his experience of seeing well-dressed parents and a little boy in a fancy restaurant. The waitress took the order of the parents and then said to the little boy, “What would you like?” The boy responded fearfully, “I want a hot dog.”
Both parents spoke at once, “No hot dog!” They told her to bring him potatoes and beef with vegetable and a hard roll. The waitress was not listening to them, and she said to the boy, “What do you want on your hot dog?”
He flashed an amazed smile and said, “Ketchup-lots of ketchup, and bring me a glass of milk.” “Coming up,” she said as she turned and left two parents in stunned silence. The boy turned and in excited voice said, “You know, she thinks I’m real.”
We will walk worthy God when we treat people as if they were real, because they are. It is a Christian obligation to do so, for each person is precious to God. To live justly means treating people fairly and compassionately, treating others as one wants to be treated, and seeing them as God sees them. Every person is a soul made in the image of God. And because “God is not willing that any should perish”, that is our reason for sharing the good news of the gospel with others.
So next, what does it mean to live blamelessly? None of us can claim to be perfect. Even the apostle Paul admitted he had not yet attained but was always pressing on. Blameless means that what you are is able to stand up to scrutiny. And that no one can make an accusation stick.
People may say ugly things about you, but the important thing is to make sure the criticisms are not true. It could have everything to do with the salvation of the people around you, because they are watching you.
Glenn Pease says that many Christians are convinced that the way to impress the unbeliever is to show him you can be just like him, rather than showing him you can be what he cannot. He says he saw this philosophy being worked out in action.
He said, “I saw a Christian business man meet with a group of unemployed men, most of whom were not Christians. The leader began the meeting with a sincere prayer as the smoke from his cigarette rose with it. He then proceeded to show that Christians are not narrow minded, sheltered people who don’t know how the world lives and talks.
He proved it by introducing a curse word here and there, and making a specific effort at one point to use a violent expression.
Pease said that after the meeting he talked to some of those young men, and it was made clear that non-Christians are not impressed at all when you show them you can be like them.
Their whole problem in believing is that they cannot see enough difference to convince them that there is anything to it. They had no respect for that man who could pray to Christ one minute and then use foul language the next. Such behavior is not holy, and certainly not blameless.
This was also illustrated in the life of the famous author Mark Twain. Church leaders were largely to blame for his becoming hostile to the Bible and the Christian faith. As he grew up, he knew elders and deacons who owned slaves and abused them. He heard men using foul language and saw them practice dishonesty during the week after speaking piously in church on Sunday.
He listened to ministers use the Bible to justify slavery. Although he saw genuine love for the Lord Jesus in some people, including his mother and his wife, he was so disturbed by the bad teaching and poor example of church leaders that he became bitter toward the things of God.
Jesus never hinted that conformity to any practice of the world would be effective in winning the world. He was holy, undefiled and separate from their behavior, even while he ate with sinners. He is the friend of sinners, but He proved that purity of life is the greatest power to persuade men.
Philippians 2:14-15 says, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” That is how we will walk worthy of God.
Oh, it is true that nothing we could do would make us worthy of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our salvation. But it is also true that we should make it our goal to walk, that is we should live, in a way that is worthy of the great love God has given to us in Jesus Christ. We should live in such a way that is worthy to wear the name Christian.
In order for the Thessalonians to walk worthy of God, verse 11 reminds them how Paul exhorted, comforted and charged them. So, as we walk with God, and encourage others to do the same, there are times we must exhort, meaning to plead with, and strongly encourage people to take hold of faith in Jesus.
There are also times when we must comfort, because there are people who have made some bad choices in their lives. They need to know that they still matter to God. And that in spite of the past, they will be welcomed by Him.
And there also are times when we need to give a charge, that is to instruct authoritatively, to urge earnestly. In other words, we must make it a matter of the great importance that it is.
When looking at verse 12, other versions help us see how important it is to exhort, comfort and charge. The New Century Version has it, “We encouraged you, we urged you, and we insisted that you live good lives for God, who calls you to his glorious kingdom.”
And The New Living Translation has it, “We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.”
In verse seven it says that Paul was gentle, as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. And in verse 12 it says he acted as a father for his children. Mature Christians need to “parent” new believers as they grow in their walk with God.
We learn by example. Larry Crabb, who was a long time professor at Colorado Christian University, told about watching his father pray when he only 4 years old. He said:
“It was Sunday morning, and about 50 people gathered in a circle at our (Lord’s Supper) service. The elements - covered simply with a white cloth were on a table in the middle. The arrangement was intentional: it spoke of Christ as the center of our thoughts.”
He said, “Dad stood to pray. I was lying on the floor, looking up at him. Even now, the memory is clear. I thought to myself, ’He actually thinks he is talking to Someone. And whoever it is means more to him than anyone else...’”
Larry Crabb saw a sincere, and honest faith in his father that he never forgot. That is what people long to see in us.
Think about it like this: What if every person who claims to be a Christian acted like you? What if everyone was as faithful as you, gave like you, prayed like you? What if young minds and hearts began to study your life so that they might learn how to live?
What areas of your life would you say: Do as I say, not as I do? What areas in your life would you alter if others were going to use you as a pattern? Would you bring honor and glory to Christ? Is it obvious to others where your true loyalties lie?
When Jesus gave the Great Commission He said, “Teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.” Doing what the Lord has commanded is the way to live a life that walks worthy of God.
Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” With His help, we can learn to live a life that is worthy of God.
CLOSE:
A little girl came home from school and said to her mother, "Mommy, today in school I was punished for something that I didn’t do."
The mother exclaimed, "But that’s terrible! I’m going to have a talk with your teacher about this ... by the way, what was it that you didn’t do?" The little girl replied, "My homework."
The question is, what have we left undone? We must ask ourselves, is our behavior in line with God's Word and honoring to Him?
When we give an honest look, we will have to admit that we come up short. We need to do a better job of seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
But ultimately, how can any person become more blameless, righteous, free from sin and walk worthy of God?
There is only one answer. Jesus Christ.
