Life-changing Words
Introduction
Earl had far too much money. He did not need to work. He took all kinds of drugs, including heroin. At the age of thirty he ended up in hospital.
Someone came to visit him in hospital and gave him a New Testament. He was thrilled. The paper was very thin and was ideal for rolling joints. He rolled his way through Matthew, Mark and Luke. When he came to John’s Gospel, he started reading. As a result of reading the words of John’s Gospel, he encountered Jesus. He was filled with joy.
The psychologist in charge of his case was a very beautiful young woman, who had been a model. One day she said to Earl, ‘Look, I have it all – success, beauty and endless qualifications – yet I am not fulfilled. Your life is a mess yet you seem to have something – a peace and a joy. What is it?’
Then he led her to faith in Jesus Christ. Later they were married. Earl and his wife, Thommy, were great friends of ours at theological college in Oxford. His life had been radically changed by the words of God in the Bible.
Psalm 119:1–2
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes
and seek him with all their heart…
Commentary
Words of blessing
If you want a ‘blessed’ life – one without any regrets – then you need God’s words. This, the longest of all the psalms, is all about the blessings of aligning your conduct and conversation with God’s words.
‘You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him’ (vv.1–2, MSG).
God loves you and wants to bless you. Through God’s words in Scripture, discover the blessings of life in relationship with God. Seek him with all your heart (v.2), walk in his ways (v.3), learn his words (v.7) and you will never be put to shame (v.6).
Prayer
Lord, thank you that your words bring such blessing to my life. Help me to ‘read, mark, learn and inwardly digest’ them.
1 Thessalonians 1:2–8, 2:1–13
1
2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction...
6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.
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.
9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, 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. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
Commentary
Words of power
No church is perfect. If you find the perfect church, don’t join it. The moment you or I join the church it will become imperfect! Nevertheless, there is such a thing as a model church – a church that is a good example and an inspiration to others. People will travel from all over the world to learn from this kind of church.
The church in Thessalonica was a model church (1:7): ‘Believers look up to you... all over the place’ (vv.7–8, MSG). It was a church full of faith, love and, especially, hope: ‘They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of… Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom’ (v.10, MSG). The church was loved by God (v.4). It was a suffering church (v.6), boldly proclaiming the words of God. The Lord’s message rang out from them, not only in Macedonia and Achaia but everywhere (v.8).
This should be our aim and our prayer – to be a church worthy of imitation, where the gospel rings out not only in our own local area, but everywhere. The aim is not empire building, but gospel spreading. Paul does not commend the Thessalonians for the size of their church (we do not know how big it was). Instead, he commends them, ‘you’re the message!’ (v.8, MSG).
The message came ‘not simply with words but also in power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction’ (v.5):
- Words
There is a time to speak. It is not enough simply to live out the Christian life. Tell people about Jesus and what he has done. - Power
Words in themselves are not enough; you also need power. The power of God speaks through you; the Holy Spirit bringing deep conviction to the heart of the hearer. - Lives
Paul goes on, ‘You know how we lived among you for your sake’ (v.5). Even powerful words will not have a lasting effect unless your life is consistent with the message. It is not life or lips, but life and lips.
You, like the apostle Paul, have been ‘entrusted with the gospel’ (2:4). It is an immense privilege. Proclaim faithfully the words of God, ‘not after crowd approval – but God approval’ (v.4, MSG). Don’t misuse words: ‘We never used words to butter you up… And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you’ (vv.4–5, MSG).
The task of proclaiming the gospel is a wonderful privilege as well as a great responsibility. God has entrusted the work to us. Ultimately you are accountable to him and to him alone. Don’t be concerned primarily with whether the preaching of the gospel pleases other people – in all probability it will not – but be concerned that it pleases God (v.6).
Paul did not simply throw words at the Thessalonians. He was ‘never patronizing, never condescending’ (v.7, MSG). He loved them like a parent – caring for them and sharing his whole life with them (vv.7–8), and setting them an example and encouraging them to live for God (v.12): ‘Like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step by step how to live well before God’ (v.12, MSG).
Speaking the words of God is not always easy. Paul writes, ‘Surely you will remember, brothers and sisters, 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’ (v.9).
- ‘Toil’
Preaching the gospel involved hard work; ‘working our fingers to the bone’ (v.9, MSG). Some of the work may appear tedious. I think of our amazing ‘A’ team on Alpha, who work from 5pm until 11pm – cooking, cleaning, serving and scrubbing saucepans. - 'Hardship’
The ‘revival’ came at a cost. There was insult, strong opposition, suffering (v.2) and hostility (v.15). But in spite of this there was great joy, ‘You welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit’ (1:6). Suffering and joy go hand in hand in the New Testament. Do not expect one without the other. Many around the world are suffering great hardship for their preaching of the gospel. - ‘Working day and night’
Not only is there an intensity about the work, there is also a huge amount to do. In Paul’s case, like most Christians today, he was not a full-time evangelist. He was doing two jobs at once. He was preaching during the day and earning a living at night.
The Thessalonians recognised that the words of the gospel spoken by Paul were not just human words, but the very words of God (2:13). They had a life-changing impact – so that the Thessalonians were willing to pass the message on, in spite of all the suffering and hostility they faced.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the life-changing power of the gospel. Give me the strength, energy and enthusiasm to keep on telling people the good news about Jesus.
Jeremiah 18:1–6, 20:8–11
18 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.
20
8 ... the word of the LORD has brought me
insult and reproach all day long.
9 But if I say, ‘I will not mention his word
or speak any more in his name,’
his word is in my heart like a fire,
a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
indeed, I cannot.
11 But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior...
Commentary
Words of fire
The insults, opposition, hostility and ridicule that we in the West experience in the media, online, and even in personal attacks, are minor in comparison with the persecution of Paul, the Thessalonians, Jeremiah and many around the world today.
Jeremiah was a true prophet. He listened to the word of the LORD: ‘This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD’ (18:1), ‘The word of the LORD came to me’ (v.5). God spoke to Jeremiah through the visual aid of a potter and his pots. This powerful image was picked up and used by Paul (Romans 9:21). You are spiritual clay in the hands of God who is shaping you for the purpose he has for your life.
Having heard the Lord’s word, Jeremiah spoke it out: ‘This is what the LORD says’ (Jeremiah 19:1). He proclaimed the words that God had told him. He said, ‘Hear the word of the LORD… this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel says: Listen!’ (vv.3,15a).
However, they would not listen (v.15b). Jeremiah was beaten and put in stocks (20:2). He was ridiculed and mocked (v.7). It was not easy for him. Sometimes it is tempting to give up speaking the words of God because it is so painful. However, Jeremiah concludes:
‘The words are fire in my belly,
a burning in my bones.
I’m worn out trying to hold it in.
I can’t do it any longer!’ (v.9, MSG)
The fire of God’s word burned so powerfully within him that he had to go on speaking it. As you follow Jeremiah’s courageous example, you can say like him, ‘But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior’ (v.11a).
Prayer
Lord, help me to listen carefully to you and not to be put off by opposition, insults, hostility or ridicule. Thank you that your word in my heart is like a fire, which I cannot hold in. Help me to speak the message with your love and power.
Pippa adds
Looking at 1 Thessalonians 2:12
If we are parents, we need to be ‘encouraging, comforting and urging’ our children on. In the same way, church is a family and we need to be doing the same with one another.
Who can I encourage today to ‘live a life worthy of God’?
Thought for the Day
Stop looking for a perfect church. It does not exist. Join an imperfect church and serve in every way you can to make it nearer perfection.
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References
The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel (commentary formerly known as Bible in One Year) ©Alpha International 2009. All Rights Reserved.
Compilation of daily Bible readings © Hodder & Stoughton Limited 1988. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Limited as the Bible in One Year.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message, copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.