If you have your Bibles, and I hope you do, open them up/turn them on, and we’re going to spend our time today in 1 Thessalonians 2.

This is Part 3 of a three week sermon, a sort of “series within a series” as we work our way through the book of 1 Thessalonians. In the first three chapters Paul’s reminding them of how they came to faith, how they had acted when they were there, and how glad he is to hear that they’re doing so well.

And in this three chapter commentary about the few weeks that they spent together, there’s so much for us to learn about how we should tackle the momumental task we’ve been given, to…

…make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything he has commanded us.

Matthew 28:28

Definition of a Disciple

So we’re to be about making disciples, but what is a disciple, anyway? It’s kind of a hard thing to describe succinctly, because it changes every aspect of life. In fact, it’s a whole new life.

I saw another pastor ask that question on Twitter last week, and I replied with the definition that I have found to be most helpful. It’s from Jeff Vanderstelt, a church planter and leader of the Soma Network of churches. He puts it this way:

A disciple is someone who is increasingly worshipping Jesus,
being changed by Jesus, and obeying Jesus in all of life.

Jeff Vanderstelt

One of the main reasons that’s my favorite definition of a disciple is the word “increasingly”. Because it’s important for us to remember that being a disciple does not mean being perfect. And if we think that way, then we’ll naturally come to the conclusion that being a disciple of Jesus is something for the super-spiritual, not regular people, not broken people like me.

No, being a disciple doesn’t mean you’ve arrived, but that you’re on the journey. As Paul put it in Philippians 3:

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12

Increasingly worshipping by Jesus. Progressively changing from who you were without Christ to who you are in Christ. And obeying Jesus more and more as you go along.

Recap

So if that’s what a disciple is, and we’ve been called to make them, then how do we go about that task? That’s what we’ve been looking at these past few weeks in 1 Thessalonians.

Last Week: “A Shared Story”

Last week, we talked about the the fact that in order to make disciples effectively, the Good News has to be proclaimed. We have “A Shared Story”, one that binds us together like nothing else could.

Our key verse was 2:4, where Paul says,

Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

As disciples, we have been entrusted with the most precious gift of all time, the greatest news in the universe, the Good News.

Rather than leaving us to our own devices—literally and figuratively—the Creator came as a creature. The Author of history wrote Himself into the story. He came and showed us what walking perfectly with the Father looks like, to live the life we all should’ve lived but couldn’t.

And then He sacrificed Himself for us, demonstrating for us in one magnificent act both the justice and mercy of our God. He’s too holy to allow rebellion to continue, and too merciful to just write us off as a lost cause. Instead, He did the unthinkable, sacrificing Himself to restore humanity to a right relationship with the Father.

And then, most glorious of all, he didn’t stay dead! On that first Easter morning, as the sun rose, the Son rose. And in that moment, God’s plan for the restoration of all creation was set into motion. He’s the firstfruits of the resurrection, meaning there’s more to come, including you and me.

When you put your faith in Christ, Scripture says that you’re already part of that new creation. Spiritually, you moved from death to life in that moment. And one day, what happened to us spiritually at salvation will happen to our physical bodies as well, resurrected just like Jesus’ was. Death wasn’t the end for Jesus, and because of Him, it’s not the end for us, either. One day, Jesus will return to finish the work he started 2,000 years ago. The dwelling of God will be with man once again.

That’s Good News if I even heard it. And, wonder of wonders, God’s plan for getting that news to every man, woman, boy, and girl, is you and me. We’ve “been entrusted with the gospel, and so we have to speak, not to please people, but God, because he’s the one who examines our hearts.”

Three Weeks Ago: “A Shared Life”

But once people have heard the Good News, once they’ve put their faith in Christ, once they’ve been “baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”, then what? How in the world do you teach someone to observe everything Jesus commanded us?

That’s what we started with, three weeks ago now, because I was sick one Sunday in between there. Not only do we need A Shared Story if we’re going to make disciples, we also have to have A Shared Life.

We all know that it’s easy to be a Christian on Sunday morning, when you’re surrounded by your church family, when the worship band is knocking it out of the park, when the sermon really hits home, that’s when it’s easy.

The much harder part is following Christ Mon–Sat, isn’t it? But that other 167 hours of the week is where actually living as a disciple of Jesus Christ happens. That’s where you see if what you sang on Sunday is actually true—did you really surrender all?

We call it “the Christian life”, not the “Christian Sunday.” How do we disciple people in the rest of that time. The only possible answer is, we show them.

So much of life is caught, rather than taught, isn’t it?

My wife and I have a 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara. We purchased it back in 2016. I wasn’t looking for a Suzuki at all, just happened upon it at a dealership for a really good price, but the thing that really sold me on it was the fact that it was a stick shift. I know, automatics are more convenient, good ones are even more efficient now, but there’s just something I love about row, row, rowing my own gears.

If you know how to drive a stick shift, remember when you learned? (killing dad’s pickup in the driveway)

You can understand how a clutch works, read a book about how to shift properly, but that won’t help you once you’re in the driver’s seat, right?

It’s something that’s more caught than taught. You’ve got to get a feel for it, knowing the right time to shift by the feel and sound—it’s as much about listening as it is about the individual steps.

That’s the way of learning to obey everything Jesus commanded us is like. You can know all the commands, know all the steps, but once you’re at a stoplight on a hill with someone an inch from your bumper, that’s when it gets real.

What will help is someone who’s been driving a stick for 40 years, patiently guiding you. Not doing it for you, but showing you by example how to do it right, and guiding you as you learn to do it on your own.

That’s what believers need. They need to know what Jesus commanded, but they also need to know how to do what He commanded. And for that, they need someone who’s been doing it a while to show them by example how to do it, and to guide them as they learn to do it on their own.

This third week, we’re going to look at a theme that runs through these three chapters, but particularly comes into focus in the last part of chapter 2 and into chapter 3. We’ve seen that to make disciples, we have to have (a) a shared life, (b) a shared story, and (c) a shared responsibility.

1. We are each others’ family.

I’ve mentioned this every time, Paul speaks in terms of family through this whole letter, in particular these first three chapters:

Gentle like a mother

Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nurse nurtures her own children.

1 Thessalonians 2:7

Encouraging like a father

As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:11–12

Faithful like a brother

Eighteen times in a five chapter book, he refers to these believers as “brothers & sisters”. And he treats them like it’s true. Not giving up on them, watching out for them, proud of them, hurts with them.

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood,
Join heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I’m part of the family, the family of God.

Families long to be together.

It always amazes me when I see people get out of church meeting as quickly as possible—what does that say about how we think of each other?

For this reason, when I could no longer stand it, I also sent him to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that our labor might be for nothing.

1 Thessalonians 3:5

2. We are each others’ keeper.

“I could care less” Weird Al, Word Crimes, “that means you do care, at least a little.”

These verses are like Paul saying, “I couldn’t care more!”

Remember the story of Cain & Abel?

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Genesis 4:9

What an attitude, huh?

But I wonder… how often we have the same attitude when it comes to our brothers and sisters in the faith. If God were to ask us, “Where’s your brother?”, our answer would be, “I don’t know, am I my brother’s keeper?”

Yes, you are.

We should feel a sense of responsibility for our family.

2. We are each others’ glory and joy.

But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? Indeed you are our glory and joy!

1 Thessalonians 2:17–20

Sounds wrong when you first hear it, doesn’t it? His hope, joy, glory is found in who?

We must not interpret Paul’s glory in the Thessalonians in a way which conflicts with his affirmations that he will glory only in Christ and his cross. For the Thessalonians are trophies of Christ crucified. What Paul seems to mean is that his joy in this world and his glory in the next are tied up with the Thessalonians,

John Stott

I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.

3 John 1:4

3. We are each other’s glory in the future.

Remember the song “Thank You” by Ray Boltz, 1988, with hair to match. Had a love/hate relationship with that song as a kid.