Pastoring a church is like being the president of a small company, especially when it comes to finances. The absolute best policies and practices need to be in place for receiving, processing, and accounting for receipts and expenses. The pastor is ultimately responsible to make this happen and keep it going. When people give at church, they understand that they are giving to the Lord for the Lord’s work. To have those gifts misplaced, misused, squandered or stolen deals a huge blow to the pastor’s leadership standing and to the trust of the congregation. Praise God for trustworthy treasurers! They allow the pastor to sleep at night and focus on his main tasks knowing that capital concerns are well cared for.
Today’s text tells us that God is a trustworthy accountant. God is just. God balances the books. There were people who did not know God, who disregarded the gospel of Jesus, intentionally troubling the Thessalonian church. The word for “trouble” in this passage carries the idea of “crowd control.” That is, to be pressured or impeded by a crowd of people. Have you ever left a personal item in a theatre or a stadium and tried to go back and get it against the press of the crowd? That’s the word picture. Persecutors were pressing against the church's attempts to extend the gospel and expand the Kingdom.
Nevertheless, the result was positive on several counts. The church pushed back and learned perseverance. The church closed ranks and learned to love each other better. The church grew in their faith. How many of us and our churches take advantage of troubling times to grow in these significant areas? Sometimes we get sidetracked by the persecutors; we become more interested in payback than in ‘pay forward.’ God has done a gracious, priceless thing for us through His gospel. Our task and privilege is to pass that on to the next wave of believers. Our task is not to balance the books by seeking punishment for those who persecute us. That job is for the Divine Accountant.
God is a trustworthy treasurer. He is just. He will render mercy to the redeemed, and justice to the rebellious. But this just punishment will mostly come in the final accounting – when “Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels.” Knowing that accounts will be settled in the end, we can major on living for Christ. We can sleep at night and focus on our main tasks, fulfilling every good purpose He has for us and acting on the promptings of our faith.
Don’t let addressing your adversaries become the focus of your ministry. Don’t let the enemy set the agenda. Let God handle them. You go love somebody in Jesus’ Name!
Pray: God of Justice and mercy, help me keep one eye on You and one eye on the lost in my world. Help me keep the main thing the main thing. Grant us the rewards of persevering in loving service and joyful testimony. Help us leave the troubling of our troublers to You.
No comments:
Post a Comment