October 25, 2020 “Paul & the Church in Philippi: Opposition” 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

 

Week number 29 and it is time as always to trust God and live like we know God is real!

 Today, we are reminded of God’s love for the church in Philippi and Paul’s loving service during a pandemic of persecution.

 Paul was the founding pastor of the church in Philippi. He was very happy to be the leader of people who followed Jesus. Paul was in love with the church and the church was in love with Paul.

 Everybody was as happy as could be in the beginning of the marriage. Their union was blessed and celebrated. When Paul could not be home with the church, he wrote love letters. The love letters addressed the many issues that have to be addressed in any relationship. All relationships need regular attention and maintenance. Relationships that are meaningful and deep require dialogue and a willingness to straighten out whatever is crooked in a relationship. Relationships that work require work.

 Somehow in our world of instant this and instant that, we have grown to expect love and quality relationships to involve no work at all. And God forbid that anything should need fixing in our relationships. Broken things ruin the moment. We are quicker to replace and to trash relationships that are broken rather than to fix them.

 

As is often the case, a relationship that breaks after a brief period of time, one might say, “We get what we pay for.” If we give a little, we may just get a little. If our foundation of love and care is shallow, we should not expect anything deep, should we?

 Scriptures tell us that the relationship between Paul and the church had some depth and meaning. He writes:

 

 Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

2 You know, brothers and sisters that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children[a] among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

 

Paul declared his love for the church, yet he noted that love was a challenge, in fact it, at times it was rather painful. Verse tells us in verse 2 We had already suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know…

 

Acts 16 tells us just how he suffered. 

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.

 

Have YOU ever been persecuted for your faith? Frowned at, treated rudely for being a Christian. Most of us have not, much less been beaten and jailed like Paul was.

 

A Bethel member reported recently that there are more modern day martyrs than there have been during any time in history. Where would we be without our faith in God when unspeakable and terrible things happen in this world?

It is faith that forces us to withstand when we see around the world – with our own eyes – not the eyes of the pages of history synagogues and churches being bombed, co-workers and teachers being decapitated when they share thoughts deemed disrespectful to some.

 The governor of Alabama extended an apology to one of the little girls that survived the KKK bombing of the 16^th Street Baptist Church. The bomb was placed under a stairwell. It went off before during the Sunday school hour before service began. Four little girls were killed because of that bomb. Sarah Collins Rudolph, survived. He 14 year old sister Addie Mae died. Sarah is now 69 years old, blind in one eye, and has spent her life dealing with the physical and mental pain of the bombing. She is a victim of the persecuted church.

 

News pops up on my phone all day, every day and most of it I do not even believe it, until it comes up on another more familiar and credible source. The news can be sickening, debilitating, demoralizing. What’s wrong with this world? We cry out like Jesus, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken us?” Why is there so much opposition when we are only trying to do good?

 

We wonder if God is judging the world by allowing certain things to happen, things we consider unbelievable, undesirable and sometimes unspeakable. Others suggest that God is not judging the world. God is judging the church. Where does the church fall short? When I was a young seminarian, someone came through the dormitories and placed flyers advertising a pornographic cable channel for purchase. Did that cable company actually think they had cornered a market in the Christian seminary? What do you think? What is your experience? What is God calling Christians to do better? If we as Christians get our ducks in a row, would we be able to turn this world right side up again? Is God judging the world, or is God judging the church?

 

Either way, God uses the church for great and marvelous things. Many are blessed in extraordinary and miraculous ways. The church has a mission and ministry that cannot be fulfilled in a country club, a little league team, a community center or any other organization. We are unique because as the song says:

 

We serve a risen savior, he is in the world today.

We know that He is living, whatever others may say

We see His hand of mercy, We hear His voice of cheer

And just the time we need Him He's always near

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with us and talks with us

Along life's narrow way

He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart

You ask me how I know He lives.

He lives within my heart.

 

As we discussed in the Monday Meditation this week, there are many who call themselves Christian who are really not Christians deep down in their hearts and in their habits. They may be Chreasters, who come to church on Christmas and Easter. That is not a real bad thing because at least they are coming to church. What did Jesus say about those who were not doing church like we do church. According to Luke 9, he said “Leave them alone! If they are not against us, they are for us.”

 

God knows the church is not a perfect bride. God still chooses us and loves us. Darryll reminded me this week that Dr. James Dobson affirms the idea that God blesses America, God withholds harsher judgments on America because we sacrifice for the sake of missions and we affirm the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people.

I cannot argue against that. I am convinced that God has blessed America.

 

Even though we know that the church is not always a safe or helpful place for sinners who mess up. All too often stories are told of folks shying away from the church when they are targets of gossip or rejection or rage or the violence of silence or made to feel ashamed.

 

Some know that the church is not always a safe place for those who want to do right, either. Even Christians are so human. We stone the prophets and rub elbows with the mischief makers. It is tempting to work to win the favor of our brothers and sisters rather than to please God. It is because of God’s grace and mercy that we are yet alive to be the church.

 

We are alive and often we are well. Still there are opposing forces. Paul sent a letter to another church, the church in Ephesus reminding them to be strong in the Lord because we are in a wrestling match, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. Paul talked about not one place of opposition, but two… against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world AND against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

 

We are not strong because of any brute force, belittling, or bullying. We are strong when we pray together, unite together, seeking God diligently, serving God faithfully, and obeying God quickly! May it be so today and always. Let us pray…

 

God of our past, present, future, how we cling to you today, dismissing our fears and trusting that you have begun a good work in us that is not yet finished. We are trusting that you have a purpose and plan for our wellbeing and our victory over sin and confusion. We believe, Lord that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, but your will will be done on earth among us as it is ordained in heaven. We pray as you taught us. 

Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

We trust this message is allowing the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. Next week we begin a new theme – “Upside Down – Heaven Is Hell” around Matthew 5. If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is

Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475. 

 God bless you!