Latest / The Daily Word / May 13 – Pleasing God, Not People
Transcript
- Cory Barnes: Well, hello and welcome to another Daily Word podcast. is Pastor Jenny here and it is May 13th, which lands us in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 as we continue in the New Testament of the Life Journal reading plan. And so being in Thessalonians, we of course are reading as Paul is writing to the second church that he planted or rather the second church that was planted in Europe that he helped to plant. He had been removed from them. He'd actually had to leave them early to go continue some things in Corneth. And so Timothy had brought back some news, shared some encouraging things with him. And so Paul is writing to them. And so this letter is a little bit different in that it doesn't have a ton of theology ⁓ and application as we see in a lot of Paul's other letters. But rather we see a lot of gratitude and thankfulness, really kind of a lot of reflection on his time with them and just ⁓ really encouragement of how excited he is to hear that they're doing well. And perhaps just a little bit that Timothy may have shared in some areas that he felt like they needed to be encouraged in. But ⁓ so with that in mind, as we read through, it might feel a little different as we kind of read through this particular book in the Bible because it can maybe kind of feel like how can we take these words of Paul and these words from the Lord and apply this to our lives. But in chapter two, I definitely captured some things that I felt like the Lord was speaking to me today and I want to share that with you. ⁓ Beginning in... verse four, ⁓ or yeah, so we'll start in verse four. So really again, Paul's reflecting on his time with them, ⁓ reminding them that he shared the gospel, ⁓ boldly with them. And he starts in verse four saying this, ⁓ but as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. So right away we see in verse 4, just Paul stating for, I think, himself, but also for the people, reminding them that what they did was not to please the people, not to please man, but it was for God. They did it in everything that they were saying and doing was to please God, not man. And that at the end of the day, it's the Lord who was testing their hearts and their motives. was going on, which makes me think that if Paul was going to say that, perhaps there was some questioning of motives and intent. And I don't know about you, but as I've ⁓ been following the Lord, I really since I was a child, so it's hard to really distinguish. ⁓ I remember ⁓ specifically, you know, entering into it, I'll say a saving grace, like a decision moment between the ages of Eight and ten, I'll say. There's a distinct marker, but really, essentially, it's like, when did you hit puberty? Nobody can really say, well, it was this day and this time. It was just kind of like a growing evolution in my childhood of following Jesus. ⁓ it sounds like just as Paul may have been questioned as integrity, as I've been following the Lord, ⁓ I have found, maybe you have found, that sometimes when you're sharing the gospel or maybe just minding your own business, living your life for the Lord. Have you ever found yourself in a position where people are questioning your motives, you know, straight to your face, maybe behind your back, maybe hear the whispers of people? Why are they really doing this? What's their real intent? And so, for whatever it's worth, it seems here, Paul wanted to make it very clear, at least in his words, that everything he was doing was to please God. not to please man. So I think it's important both for people to hear that, but even for ourselves to be reminded, because I know some of us struggle with people pleasing and we need to be stirred up in ourselves to be reminded that everything we do should not be in a response to please man, but we should first and foremost seek to please God. So let's continue reading. I'm going to continue. in verse five. So, neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness God is witness. Verse six, nor did we seek glory from men. So, we weren't in this to get attention either from you or from others, when we might have even made demands as apostles of Christ. So, because of their authority and because of how well known they were, they could have used that to say, you need to listen to what I'm saying. You need to pay attention to my words. They could have used that, but they didn't. so verse seven, love this. says, we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives because you had become dear to us. This entire passage, I feel like encapsulates. We see how Paul laid down his life, poured out his life, in helping to establish and plant this young early church, but I think it's a beautiful example of how we today can go about living our lives and pouring our own lives out as we continue to minister the good news of the gospel in our everyday lives, that we are first and foremost to look to please God, not man. but we are responsible to bring the gospel with boldness. If you read back up further ⁓ in verse 2, says, Paul says, were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God. In much conflict, by the way, is what it says. ⁓ So even when it's difficult, we're going to choose to share the good news, to share the gospel with those around us. But we don't do it in such a way that while we're not pleasing people, we are pleasing God. We don't do it in such a way that says, at me, I'm better than you because I'm on the inside. I know, I can see the truth, I can see the light, what's wrong with you? We don't approach it that way. We do it, verse seven says, we were gentle, just like Paul says, he was gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. We approach people in gentleness ⁓ and kindness. ⁓ And so then, As verse 8 says, so affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel, but Paul gave them their lives. And so as we lay our lives down for those around us, that in and of itself also imparts the gospel because we know that Jesus came and He gave His life so that we might be saved. So we come, we share the good news of the gospel. We please God. We look to please God. We do it with kindness, but we sacrificially lay down our lives. So much goodness that we can pull from this letter today. But can I pray for you and for us as we finish this time in the Lord? I hope you've been encouraged today. God, we come before you and I just can't thank you enough for the gift of Jesus. Thank you, Father, for giving us your Son. Thank you for so loving us. that you would give us your one and only son so that we can be reconnected with you, that we ⁓ can have the good news of knowing that while we were once dead in our sin, can now and have been for those of us that profess Jesus as Lord ⁓ can be raised to new life in him. Lord, we pray for those that have yet to come to the saving knowledge ⁓ of Jesus. God, would your word continue to go forth? God, as carriers of the gospel, would you help us to boldly proclaim that gospel in conflict, just as Paul did, going to the world around us to not please man, but Lord, in all things, to please you, but to be gentle with those around us, to lay down our lives in sacrificial service. so that your word can go forth. And just as you say, Lord, your desire is for that all men would be saved. Lord, help us to partner and co-labor with you in all things. So Lord, I speak blessing over all those who are listening today. I speak encouragement. Lord, I thank you, Holy Spirit, that you are with us, that you're partnering with us, and that you go before us in all conversations. Thank you that you'll give us the words. As we continue. to humbly seek after you. In Jesus' name, amen.