MPC, 11th November 2001.1 Thessalonians - "A Matter of Choice"
Phil Campbell MPC, 11th November 2001.
A couple of years back there was a McDonalds' ad on TV; and I wonder if you remember it. There's a bunch of kids in the school playground, choosing teams. For a game of basketball.
There's the team captain and his mate; chewing gum. Bouncing the ball – and they're looking over a row of kids waiting to be picked. One short kid. And a whole row of tall ones.
And the captain's mate whispers in his ear. He says, PICK TOMMY. The little guy. PICK TOMMY. Tommy's the last guy you'd choose for a basketball team. Pick Tommy. And the captain says WHY? And his mate says to him, HIS DAD always takes the whole team to McDonalds after every game.
Little Tommy is IN THE TEAM.
It's an ad I remember well, because as a NON SPORTY TYPE who DIDN'T have a dad to take the team to McDonalds, I'd generally get picked right at the end. Last resort. Not a good feeling.
Now it's one thing to be choosing people for a basketball team, isn't it? And that's bad enough if you're one of the type of people who's shorter than everyone else, or not as sporty. But in the passage we're looking at today, we're coming to one of the most controversial doctrines in the whole bible. One that some Christians just don't want to accept. And that is, that GOD CHOOSES. That God chooses his team.
I mean, it's okay for us to choose teams. In fact, we did it in a BIG WAY yesterday in the Federal Election. Choose him. Don't choose her. Choose THAT ONE. Don't choose this one. And you sit back and watch it play itself out all last night on TV.
But it's an unpopular idea among lots of Christians that GOD WOULD DO ANY CHOOSING.
And for a lot of Christians the word ELECTION isn't about politics at all. It's about a theological argument. Over whether GOD CHOOSES PEOPLE. Or he doesn't.
And so it's not FAIR that God chooses people. I mean, what about the people he DOESN'T choose? Or you'll hear someone say, "Doesn't that just make people ROBOTS who don't even get to make up their own minds?" Or, "If God chooses people, then how come the Bible says we're meant to EVANGELISE?" Let's let GOD do the choosing and leave us out of it.
And from that, two opposite extreme views. The ones who say, well, God chooses so it's God's business who becomes a Christian. So I don't need to talk about my faith to ANYONE. Or the opposite. NO WAY I'm going to accept the idea that God chooses people. It's all up to ME. Whether I'm a Christian or not. At which point it's ALL UP TO ME… whether other people become Christians or not.
Well, let's look at the passage. And let God's word speak for itself.
Does God choose? Or not.
1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Verse 4. Read it for yourself. Because you'll see a very curious thing.
Paul's writing to the people in Thessalonica who we saw last week in Acts 17. These are the people we saw him REASONING WITH about Jesus. These are the people we saw him EXPLAINING TO; these are the same people who he PROVED TO from the scriptures that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. And that JESUS WAS THE CHRIST. These are the people that Paul pulled out ALL THE STOPS WITH. To convince them that Jesus was the King they should BOW TO.
And now months later he's writing to them. The ones who accepted his message; who'd become FOLLOWERS OF JESUS. And he says this.
He doesn't say, YOU CHOSE WELL WHEN YOU CHOSE JESUS. He doesn't say WE PREACHED SO WELL YOU WERE PERSUADED. He says this.
Verse 4. For we know, Brothers loved by God, THAT HE HAS CHOSEN YOU.
Now because I've just been on Men's Convention Weekend listening to David Cook who's a great preacher, I realised I needed to work a bit harder on getting back to the ORIGINAL GREEK. So let me tell you my research tells me that the original greek work eklogomai means literally CALL OUT. Which is exactly the picture you get in the McDonalds' ad. You. And You. And You. In other words, Paul's saying to these Thessalonians, I know that GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU. Called you forward. Picked you. Selected you.
Now if you don't like that idea, there's a similar word. Jesus uses it himself when he's talking to his disciples. John 15. He says, "As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU out of the world. That is why the world hates you."
Acts 9: Paul's been struck down on the road and blinded. The same word again. "The Lord says to Ananias, "This man is my CHOSEN INSTRUMENT to carry my name before the Gentiles. Paul himself. Was CHOSEN. By the Lord Jesus.
And now he's saying in a very clear way to these Thessalonians, YOU WERE CHOSEN AS WELL.
Now, you might not like what it's saying. But be clear about it. Right through the Old Testament. And in Matthew. And Mark. And Luke. And John. And Acts. And Romans. In Corinthians. In Ephesians. In Colossians. And here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. The bible is very clear that GOD IS A CHOOSING GOD.
Which is something we need to get our heads around. As we adjust to the idea that GOD IS GOD. And we're not. God is even in control of who becomes a Christian. And who doesn't.
Now at that point you might start asking yourselves some tough questions. Like … well, HAVE I BEEN CHOSEN? Or haven't I? Have my FRIENDS BEEN CHOSEN? Or not? Good questions to ask. I mean, maybe I'm just sitting here in church and I haven't been chosen at all. You think you're in the game… but you've really been left sitting on the bench.
Well, there's a simple test. And you can see it in what Paul says next. In the next verse, which is one that's often misunderstood. So we need to look at what it's saying carefully.
Follow it from verse 4 again to get it in context. How do you know if someone's been chosen by God? How do you know if YOU'VE been chosen by God? Here's the answer.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because OUR GOSPEL CAME TO YOU NOT SIMPLY WITH WORDS, but also WITH POWER.
Now what's that mean? Not simply with words. Also with POWER. People like the American preacher John Wimber have made a lot out of that verse over the years. And they've said, JUST PREACHING WORDS isn't enough. Do MIRACLES. They called it POWER EVANGELISM. They said, SHOW OFF SOME POWER. Or people won't take any notice. Slay people in the spirit. Heal their diseases. Tell them things about themselves you couldn't possibly know. Words of Knowledge. POWER EVANGELISM. And then they'll HAVE TO BELIEVE.
Nice theory. And if you can do that stuff, go right ahead. But it's interesting when you think back to what happened to the Thessalonians, isn't it. Because even though sometimes the Apostle Paul did amazing miracles, it's fascinating that in Thessalonica he didn't. In Thessalonica, he did exactly the sort of stuff ORDINARY CHRISTIANS LIKE US can do. In Thessalonica, we saw it last week, he talked to them. He reasoned with them. He explained the bible to them.
So what does he mean? Not only with words. Also with POWER.
Well, you can see the answer if you keep reading. Here's how you know if you've been CHOSEN BY GOD. "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has CHOSEN YOU… because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power – with the Holy Spirit and WITH DEEP CONVICTION."
If you want it in simple terms, it's there again in verse 6. He says in spite of sever suffering, YOU WELCOMED THE MESSAGE WITH THE JOY GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Some very rude kids I used to know, they got in the habit when their parents were saying something they didn't want to hear, they'd just block their ears and speak over the top of their mum or dad and say BLAH BLAH BLAH.
Now any kids here today, let me warn you, DON'T TRY THAT AT HOME. Or you'll be in trouble. But the point is, with some people when you tell them about Jesus, can't you feel them doing that? May not be quite so rude, but you can see them just glaze over. All they're hearing is BLAH BLAH BLAH. Empty words.
But if you've been chosen by God, here's how you know. That when you HEAR THE GOSPEL, it's not empty words as well. Something STIRS IN YOU. And you know it's not just ordinary words you're hearing at all. You know you're hearing GOD'S WORDS. Words of life. And there's a deep conviction. There's a joy. That comes from THE HOLY SPIRIT.
You can see the same thing again if you look over to verse 13 in chapter 2. "And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard form us, YOU ACCEPTED IT NOT AS THE WORD OF MEN, but as it actually is, THE WORD OF GOD which is at work in you who believe."
And so in spite of their suffering; in spite of unpopularity; in spite of the PEER PRESSURE – these are people who when they heard the gospel, they said this isn't just MEN SPEAKING. THIS IS GOD SPEAKING.
So how do you know if you're chosen? You know… by HOW YOU'VE HEARD. You know by whether or not you've accepted the gospel. By whether or not when you heard the message that Jesus Christ suffered and died for your sins – you realised it was YOUR SINS he died for. And not just someone else. By whether or not when you hear the Bible explained week by week, you realise it's FOOD FROM GOD.
And it's THAT. That's the power of the Spirit at work. That's the mark of GOD'S CHOSING.
And if that's the way you've responded to the gospel, if that's the way you're responding to the word; if you're hearing it as God's word, if it's working in your life, then the good news is, GOD'S SPIRIT is at work. Because you've been CHOSEN BY GOD.
Now like I said before, when they hear the idea that God CHOOSES, people have all sorts of reactions. Often negative. Like "It's not fair." Or else, a sort of DESPAIR. That no matter what WE DO, it doesn't make any difference.
But can I point out to you what the GODLY response is. And that's the response you see from Paul back in verse 2.
THANK GOD
The way we should respond to knowing God chooses people is to GIVE HIM THANKS. Thank him. Look how Paul starts off the letter. They'd been there in Thessalonica, they'd preached and explained and reasoned in the synagogue; and then they're run out of town. And all Paul can say is WE THANK GOD.
We always, he says, we ALWAYS THANK GOD for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
Now notice again. Paul's not thanking THEM for that stuff. And he's not giving them some sort of a pat on the back. HE'S THANKING GOD. The God who made it happen.
Same again in chapter 2 verse 13. We looked at it before. WE THANK GOD CONTINUALLY. Because when you received the word you accepted it. Thank GOD for that.
Now look around this morning. And ask yourself. In the light of the fact that EVERY CHRISTIAN HERE has been chosen by God in exactly the same way, shouldn't we be doing THE SAME. And thanking God for one another. That he's CHOSEN US to be the people who receive his word as it really is. The WORD OF GOD. Not the word of men.
The first response to understanding that GOD CHOOSES – is to say THANKYOU GOD. Funny, isn't it. What is it about us that makes us want to do the opposite?
Funny as well that the other reaction we have is to say, well, if God does the CHOOSING, why doesn't he do THE WHOLE LOT. And DO THE TELLING as well. If God does the choosing, I'll just RESIGN from doing any evangelising. And let God do it himself.
I know a church that DID THAT. They said, LET'S HAVE A MISSION. And let GOD DO THE LOT. So they flew an evangelist up from Sydney - it was in country NSW - and they sat him inside their little old wooden church. And WAITED. I mean, if God CHOOSES PEOPLE, let him do the lot.
It's just that Paul doesn't see it like that at all. Paul sees it as a HUGE HONOUR… to be what he calls a FELLOW WORKER with God. And in the end God's calling and our telling people the gospel aren't competing with each other at all. They work hand in glove.
Look over at chapter 2. Verse 8. Paul's looking back at the time he had with them in Thessalonica. And reminds them what they did. "We loved you so much," he says, that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you."
Full tilt. Sharing the gospel. Sharing their lives. Working night and day. Because they knew, THIS IS GOD'S WORK. And the way they KNOW IT'S GOD'S WORK is that as they share the gospel, there are people who ACCEPT IT. With the joy that only comes from God's Spirit at work in their hearts.
Let me finish by making just a few quick points. Reasons why this doctrine of God's CHOOSING is such a great one. And as you have opportunities to speak to people about your faith, it's worth keeping in mind.
1. Not up to us
The first thing it keeps in balance is this. That in the end, the way people respond is NOT UP TO US. And so if there's someone who you're longing to see come to faith, your part is simple. You can TELL THEM how to be put right with God through Jesus. And you can share your life with them like Paul does. But keep in mind, in the end, the rest is UP TO GOD. That's why HE'S GOD. And we're not.
2. Not by our merit
Here's a second thing to keep in mind. And it's important too. When we're talking about GOD CHOOSING, it's not quite like the McDonalds' ad I was talking about at all. Because he's NOT CHOOSING YOU because your dad's going to take him to McDonalds after the game. He's choosing you because of HIS GRACE. And we need to remember – God doesn't pick the good ones. Or the smart ones. Or the sporty ones. Just ordinary sinners. Like us. And it's great. Because it means there's absolutely NO ROOM FOR BOASTING. No room for PRIDE. Only room for thanks.
3. It means you can PRAY for people
And here's the last one. A simple one. The fact that God does the choosing means there's ALWAYS ROOM FOR PRAYER. For unbelievers. And we know that instinctively, don't we, if there's an unbeliever you've been praying for, that's what we're asking. That GOD WILL MOVE THEM. That God's Spirit will open their hearts. We need to KEEP PRAYING THAT. Because we know in the end that it takes a REAL MIRACLE. Thank God that he chooses. And keep asking him to CHOOSE SOME MORE.