September 28, 2003am    God’s Garden         I Thes. 1:1-10

By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville Baptist Church

 

What is your impulse, inspiration, impetus, drive, incentive, stimulus, spur, driving force, motivation for becoming a Christian?                                                

 

Where are the beans?

When I was pastoring my second church, I was taking a walk through the yard with my eldest daughter when she noticed the garden plot that we had used during the past summer.  She remembered the green garden we had that year and she asked me a question that I will never forget.  She asked, “Where were the beans? “  In my relationship with God in Christ I can see the Lord asking me that question.  Where is the harvest?  At the same time I can see God giving the answer for me the way that I answered my daughter.  “The beans are in the jars waiting to be opened for dinner.”  In one way I feel the expectation of the Lord asking me where are the souls or beans that should have been saved.  In another I hear the answer of the Holy Spirit saying that he has already taken care of the harvest for me.  I am enjoying the present calling as a result of the Lord who continues to work in my life to produce the fruit that he desires to see.  The Lord is in the saving and preserving business (we call it canning).  I am in the Lord’s work to preach the gospel and pastor the church as he continues to give me his grace upon grace. 

 

 Text:   1The 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians [which is] in God the Father and [in] the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;  3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;  4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.  5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.  6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:  7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.  8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.  9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;  10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

 

God’s Garden is the church.  Have you been apart of the team and will you give thanks for the Lord's Work at the Church in the past Weeks, Months, and Years?   What are we giving thanks for today?  What is the fruit that God looks for in the garden?

 

1. V. 2.  For You All... it takes everyone in the church. This church has been an opportunity for all to join together in the work of the Lord in spreading the Good News of His coming to our lives.  Some have taught, Some have cleaned, Some have brought, Some have gave, and Some have prayed, but all have been used by the Lord to bring people to Him to be saved.

    When complimented on her homemade biscuits, the cook at a popular Christian conference center told Dr. Harry Ironside, "Just consider what goes into the making of these biscuits.  The flour itself doesn't taste good, neither does the baking powder, nor the shortening, nor the other ingredients.  However, when I mix them all together and put them in the oven, they come out just right."  Much of life seems tasteless, even bad, but God is able to combine these ingredients of our life in such a way that a banquet results.  From Bible Illustrator.

 

2. V.3.  Work of Faith:  this is your work or business, employment., task..

Characterized by Faith this is the activity that faith inspires.  Justified by faith, but faith produces works in our lives.  You can’t have a harvest without some work.

 

3. V.3.  Labor of Love..  labor or toil , hard work ,  to cut , to lash, to beat the bread, this is the toil that the Love(agape)  divine love prompts.. e.g.  healing of the 10 lepers but only one came back.. yet all ten were loved.   The motivation of our toil for the Lord in His work is agape. Rev. 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed [are] the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.

 

4. V.3.  Patience of Hope...   patience marked by hope, the endurance inspired by hope.. sustained by hope in spite of delays and set-backs..  patience is to remain under..  patient persistence in the Hope  of the Lord.   What do you hope for ?   Is Jesus the object of your hope?  

 

5.   V.4.  Your Election of God..  This is God's doing and God's choosing.   Could God choose you?   God has chosen us to work in the garden and be the garden. 

 

6.  V. 5  You Saw the Gospel…   You saw the gospel ,  and you felt the power of the gospel... and you were saved .. turned from idols to the living God who rose from the dead.  Has God seen the fruit of the gospel in our lives?

       When Mahmud of Ghazni invaded India, his conquering forces entered a celebrated temple to destroy it.  He was entreated by the priest to spare a certain idol but refused.  Instead, he rained repeated blows upon it.  Suddenly the image burst open, and a stream of precious stones cascaded from its hollow interior.  So, too, for each idol the Christian destroys in his life, he gains more than he loses!  Every one that is demolished brings him new treasures of grace and removes another hindrance to a productive life of prayer!

 

7.  V.6  You followed the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.. Extreme Faith is to follow the Lord to go where he is going and to do what he is doing.  What would Jesus do?

 

8.  V. 8  You spread the Gospel... You became the examples to all that believe.      You had an extreme Faith, because you serve the true and the living God.. V.9-10   Would you wash another’s feet?  Would go as Jesus went?

Would you be willing to follow the Lord into the Baptism pool? Would you be willing to join the Lord’s church?  Would you be willing to work in the Lord’s family