Good morning, Church.
How are you all doing today?
At a time when the world is crippled with fear and every conversation when
people meet is about the corona-virus, isn’t it wonderful to see God’s people
gather together in love – to worship God and to fellowship with one another.
It’s good to re-iterate what Saju has been reminding us on the group that we
have a Sovereign God and nothing surprises Him. Rather, God has allowed the
situations that we are in – to show forth His glory and His mercy.
Church, I wish to remind you of an incident in the Bible in which Jesus and His
disciples get on a boat to cross over from one place to another. Jesus makes
Himself comfortable by taking a pillow and going for a good sleep.
Co-incidently, there is a great storm and the boat is about to give in. The
disciples were fretting for their lives. In their desperation, they cried out
to the Lord (who was apparently sleeping through all this). He got up and silenced
the storm and looked at the disciples and said in Mark 4:40, “Why are you so
afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Beloved, in times like these, fear is
common to find all around us – including our own hearts.
But fear does show a lack of faith – lack of faith in an-all sovereign God –
right in the midst of our situations. When the world goes through fear and
despair – let us the people of God – stand boldly without fear – showing forth
the love of Christ through our responses – even with one another, in the family
of God.
To be honest, I went through the motions of fear in the last week but a
reminder of the hope that a Christian has lifted my spirit. Let us encourage
one another and build each other up – in love. Because “Perfect love casts out
fear.” “I am no longer a slave to fear – I am a child of God.” But love is also
careful and responsible.
Our elders and few brothers were
travelling last week and they decided to skip today’s service – in love – so
that none of us would panic. Let us keep them and their families in prayer. Let
us turn to our passage for today –
1 Thessalonians 2:5-12
5 For we never came with words of flattery,[b] as you know, nor
with a pretext for greed—God is witness.
6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though
we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle[c] among you, like
a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with
you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had
become very dear to us.
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil:
we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and
blameless was our conduct toward you believers.
11 For you know how, like a father with his children,
12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you
and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you
into his own kingdom and glory.
Pray.
We had talked about “Passion for the Gospel” last
Sunday and as I meditated on the text for today – I realized – Paul was talking
about the major reason behind his passion. His passion and craziness was fueled
by something so great that He could boldly stand for the Gospel in the midst of
conflict. And what was that? “Love”!
So, I would like to title my sermon today as “Love in action” and it is my
prayer this morning that we may be stirred up by the Love of God and love for
our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In these last days, the Bible says that the love of many will grow cold. In an
age of social media and television and lust – the word ‘love’ has lost its
purity and depth.
Covenant relationship in marriage has been substituted for just an agreement
paper. Family love has been substituted for whatsapp groups.
Brotherly love in churches have been substituted for a ‘hi and bye’
relationship. Inspite of all that – isn’t it wonderful that God has a remnant
which still builds their relationships on “Die together and live together”.
Isn’t it a wonder that the Gospel still binds broken hearts and wounded
relationships? Don’t we keep seeing the love of God displayed in the lives of
His children in difficult times as this?
Beloved, I wish to bring your attention this morning to this agape love which
is pure, willful and sacrificial – given to us freely through the Gospel. What
is this love that goes the second mile?
This passage gives a small glimpse of the love displayed in the lives of Paul
and his friends. As we begin, let us first understand what agape love is not..
and then we go on to understand what it really is..
What agape love is not?
- Agape
love is not in speaking words of flattery (vs 5)
Paul and his fellow workers showed not their love to
the Thessalonians by speaking flattering words as he mentions in verse 5 – “For
we never came with words of flattery”.
‘Love’ in today’s age means to flatter someone and gain something in return.
Doesn’t that happen when we flatter our bosses to gain a good bonus or a
promotion in return? Doesn’t that happen when we try to flatter our friends for
some favour in return? Don’t we flatter people sometimes to get them to church?
Don’t we flatter our pastors and brothers and sisters sometimes to gain a good
standing before them? Don’t we flatter our brethren sometimes when we know that
what they do is a sin?
The human nature loves to be flattered but that is not love. Imagine a doctor
examining you and flattering you that you have a normal flu when you could be
having corona virus. That’s making your case even worser for you and others
around you.
Paul and the apostles did not use flattering speech while planting the church
nor while discipling them. They did not flatter them with a good opinion of
themselves: they did not preach that they were good people who just needed
Jesus to go to heaven. No! but they were blunt in saying that they were sinners
in a desperate need of a Saviour.
Nor did they flatter them by talking about the power of their self-will but
they declared just the reverse: they were weak, impotent and strengthless and
couldn’t think even a single good thought if not for the Grace and power of God
– who works in them both to will and to do.
They also did not flatter them when they were enjoying their sin and being
friends of the World. When a man from the Corinthian church was caught in
adultery, Paul wrote to them to count him as an unbeliever and deliver him into
the hands of Satan – Why? Why didn’t he flatter them?
Because he loved them!
Love does not flatter but looks at their eternal welfare and speaks the truth
in love. That does not mean we always find faults and sins in our brethren.
Rather love covers a multitude of sins. It does not keep an account of evil but
is lavish in forgiving others.
But when we do see someone going in a direction towards hell, let us take care
not to flatter them but show them their sin through the Gospel and point them
to a Saviour who loves them unconditionally and died for them.
Going on to my next point. –
– Agape love is not greedy (vs 5)
Paul and his friends did not preach the Gospel out of
greed or covetousness as said in verse 5.. “nor with a pretext for greed – God
is my witness.” He calls upon God as His witness when he says that yes – we
loved you – but we had no desire for money or position.
They trusted in an all-providing God for their needs and went all out for the
Thessalonians in love. A love which expects nothing in return? That’s agape
love. When Paul was old, he advises an younger elder – Timothy that “The love
of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10). He also adds, “Godliness with contentment
is great gain”. (1 Tim 6:6).
Beloved, I know God is calling many from amongst us – from the Gathering
community – to show forth the love of Christ to our fellow brothers and sisters
sitting next to us – to the community of broken people in our neighbourhood and
colleges and offices.
But when you do that, remember that your God is an all-sufficient God and He
takes care of all your needs and you need not look at any man for anything in
return for the Gospel. Freely you have received, freely give! The love that the
Gospel pours into our hearts does not look for monetary gain or riches or gifts
from people.
Also, our expectations when we come to Jesus is not for riches or money or
prosperity. God has promised to supply all our needs but not all our greeds.
This attitude should not be just amongst our church members but also in our own
respective families.
Many of us come from families who do not know Jesus and they by nature have
money as their God. But what is our Christian response? I serve Jehovah Jireh –
God is my provider. I need not act like the gentiles but show forth Agape love
– which does not run after money.
Have God as your witness this morning – there may be failures – but let us draw
near to God confessing our greed to Him and ask Him to fill us with a love
which is selfless.
- Agape
love seeks not for glory from people (vs 6)
Paul goes on to say in verse 6 that he did not seek
glory from people. That convicts me. I would be wrong to say that I do not seek
glory from people. People must say nice things about me. “Isn’t he a great
guy?”, “Doesn’t he have a great zeal for God?”,
Beloved, most of us want God to do His work indeed but we also wish that if He
does work, It must be only through us. Like the mother of James and John, we
wish that we get to sit at the right hand and the left hand of Jesus – when He
is glorified. That is not agape love.
Agape love seeks the Glory of God even if I am abased and crushed in the
process. Agape love seeks God’s Glory in the salvation of sinners and in the
sanctification of the saints. I do not love you in order to gain your approval
– I love you because I am already approved and beloved in His Son – Jesus
Christ.
I am passionate to preach the Gospel and live the Gospel because I live in the
presence of an all-knowing God who knows my sitting down and my rising up and
my thoughts afar off. I must hurry on, brethren.
- Agape
love doesn’t make demands and burden others (vs 6 & 9)
I will not spend much time in this point but I must
say that Paul and the apostles worked very hard for their bread and butter
in-spite of their commitment to the Gospel. Living out the Gospel in our lives
does not make us lazy men.
“God is our provider – so let us sleep?” “God cares for me – so, I need not
look after my family?” That’s not agape love, brethren. In verse 6, Paul says,
I could have made demands as an apostle but I did not.
In verse 9, He says – “you remember our toil – we worked night and day” – that
we might not be a burden to any of you. Beloved, we as children of God – with
agape love – need to bear one another’s burdens but we are not called to be a
burden to one another.
Paul in another place writes – “If a man will not work, let him not eat.” Don’t
we get sometimes very demanding with our brothers and sisters? Am I not his
brother? Shouldn’t he take care of me? Rather, you are called to take care of
him without expecting it in return. Agape love is not demanding but giving!
Ok, so we saw what Agape love is not. But what then is
Agape love:
Agape love is –
- Affectionate
and gentle as a nursing mother
Let me read to you something written by Max Lucado:
“Moms,
I have a question: Why do you love your newborn? I know, I know, it’s a silly
question.. (but still) Why do you?
For months this baby has brought you pain. She (or he) made you break out in
pimples and waddle like a duck. Because of her you craved sardines (wada pavs)
and crackers (chocolates) and threw up in the morning. She punched you in the
tummy.
She occupied space that wasn’t hers and ate food she didn’t fix.
You
kept her warm. You kept her safe. You kept her fed. But did she say thank you?
Are
you kidding?
She’s no more out of the womb than she starts to cry! The room is too cold, the
blanket is too rough, the nurse (papa) is too mean. And who does she want? Mom.
She
didn’t even tell you she was coming. She just came. And what a coming!
She rendered you a barbarian. You screamed. You swore. You bite bullets and
tore the sheets. And now look at you. Your back aches. Your head pounds. Your
body is drenched in sweat.
Every muscle strained and stretched. You should be angry, but are you?
Far
from it. On your face is a for-longer-than-forever love. She has done nothing
for you, yet all you can talk about are her good looks and bright future. She’s
going to wake you up every night for the next six weeks, but that doesn’t
matter. I can see it on your face. You’re crazy about her.
Why?”
I
sometimes watch Abiah nursing our son, Nathan day and night – without much sleep
– tired, exhausted, weary – but still so affectionate and so gentle with him –
and I see a small glimpse of agape love there.
Look at how Paul describes his love for the Thessalonians – “You had become so
dear to us. We were gentle among you like a nursing mother. We were so
affectionately desirous of you. We were ready to share with you – not just the
Gospel – but ourselves.” T
hat’s agape love. Loving God’s children as a nursing mother loves her own
children. Oh that God would pour into our hearts such love for one another –
for each other’s spiritual welfare. Oh that we would be gentle and patient with
one another – forgive each other just as God in Christ forgave us.
Is there something that you have against your brother or sister this morning?
Make sure you forgive him/her and show some love to that person before you
leave. Oh God, pour out heavenly love into our hearts! Love that cares for
others. Love that goes a second mile for others.
Love that covers a multitude of sins. Love that is ready to give ourselves for
others. Is that possible? I leave that for you to ponder. Let me go on… a
mother’s love is great but a father’s love is equally important too.
- A
strong pillar of encouragement and role-model as a loving Father
Fathers have a huge role in a child’s life which the world fails to adore and
admire. With all his failures as a human being, a father is a child’s strength
and role-model. A bad father leaves behind a broken home and a forever
distorted child – unless the child experiences God’s love.
Paul says, “Like a father, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and
charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God.” He also adds, “How holy and
righteous and blameless we were amongst you”.
Is there a role that God is calling you to play, dear brother, dear sister –
similar to a loving Father – who exhorts others and encourages others and
charges others to live in a manner worthy of God. When you lift up a fallen
brother, when you correct a brother’s sin in love, when you go out during the
week to your brother’s house and ask him how he is faring – you show forth
Fatherly love.
When we live out the Gospel as a role-model to our brothers and sisters, we
show forth love as a father to those around us. Beloved, God is calling us to
live lives like an open book – not a compartmentalized life. A holy life in
church and a sinner elsewhere – sets forth a standard of hypocrisy and
double-standard to the world around us.
This is not a father that a child looks for – says something but practices
something else. Let me be honest and vulnerable here – I have failed in many
areas to have a heart like a loving father but I pray that God would instill in
me and in all of us – such a heart of love – which stands up as pillars of
encouragement and role-models in this generation – in this city – those who
will point many to the Father – the Holy God – the loving Father but as we see
agape love being displayed in the roles of a mother and a father, it would be
incomplete for me to end this sermon without pointing you to the only perfect
Agape love displayed till date until now.
- A
love which can be seen perfectly only in the Gospel
The man – Paul – with all his love and affections and
holiness – still would go on to say that amongst all the apostles – he was the
least of them and so, when we would look for a perfect example of Agape love –
you wouldn’t find it anywhere else except on the cross – in the Gospel – where
God so loved you and me that He would give His only Begotten Son for you and me
– wretched sinners and imperfect lovers!
If you admit that agape love is not what you display many a times – you have
good company – you need the Gospel as much as any of us would do. God –
I have a question – Why do you love us so? Why do you tolerate us? Only heaven
knows how much pain we’ve brought you. How we kicked against you and rejected
you. How we disobeyed you. How we mistreated the bodies you gave us. We ignored
the Word you sent us. And we killed the Son you sent us.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out
among the scoffers. You have every reason to abandon us. But here comes an
answer from God – Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes. I have a million reasons to
abandon you. But I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE! I am Agape Love! My
love does not change based on your actions – My love is much much greater than
a mother’s love – “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no
compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I WILL NOT FORGET
YOU!”
Is there someone out here who hasn’t experienced that love until now – I plead
with you right now by faith to look unto Him that was pierced on the cross for
you – Jesus Christ – He loves you! He loves you! He loves you!
There is no greater love than this – that a man lay down His life for his
friends! And HE did! As we close, I want you to meditate on this never-ending
agape love which loved His elect from before the foundation of the World!
As we respond by taking the Lord Supper, if you haven’t experienced the love of
God in your life, we ask you to let it pass by and you can reach out to us
after this service and we will be willing to help you.
