Sermon – Inspired
This message requires two 4" x 5" lined index cards for each person in the audience and something for them to write with.
[start immediately after the reading of 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 from The Message]
So I wonder how that felt.
Imagine with me for a moment.
You come for worship one day and the worship leader stands up at the beginning and says, “I have something special to share with you today. We have received a letter.”
The leader goes on to say that the letter is from a beloved and admired friend. In fact this friend is the reason that you are all gathered, because this friend is the person who founded your church. This is a really important person!
Are you with me? What are you feeling?
If that doesn’t do it for you, then maybe this will. Imagine with me.
You go to get the mail one day and in among all the fliers and advertisements, there’s an envelope. It’s from the Canada Revenue Agency. On the outside it says, “Confidential. Important.”
Are you with me? What are you feeling?
I suspect that for the people of the church in Thessalonica, receiving a letter from Paul was a bit of all of those feelings and maybe more. This letter comes from their beloved founder. The one who first shared the gospel with them; first told them about Jesus. I expect that when he was with them he had taught them. He had encouraged them. He had challenged them to change their ways and corrected them when they needed it.
What would the letter say?
Would it be more good news?
Would it be bad?
It had been a long time since they had heard from Paul.
So one day, a long time ago, someone stood up when the church was gathered in an environment of excitement and curiosity mixed with anxiety and apprehension and began to read.
I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you! God's robust peace! Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labour of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. (1 Thessalonians 1:1-4 - TM)
Whew!
Can you feel it?
Isn’t that nice. The Thessalonians must have felt pretty good about themselves from that greeting. “You’re wonderful. I think about you and pray for you all the time. God thinks you’re special, too!”
It must have been inspiring for them. Someone really important to them, that they admire, their founder, tells them, “You’re wonderful. I think about you and pray for you all the time. God thinks you’re special, too!”
Can you feel it?
I hope so.
I believe that it is true for people these days, just as I suspect it was true for those Thessalonians all those years ago. I know it’s true for me. We respond so much more to someone we look up to, someone important to us. Don’t we?
You know who those people are for you, don’t you?
A compliment from them and you’re walking on air, ready to do anything. And when they tell you what a great job you did on something specific? Wow! You know they noticed you, then.
It feels good, doesn’t it?
And I don’t know about you (although I strongly suspect) I know for me that that kind of recognition and appreciation makes me want to keep going. It makes me believe that my labour is not in vain.
It’s inspiring, isn’t it?
Well today I want to make a suggestion and lay a challenge before you, the church gathered in this place.
For some this may be easy. For others it will be a stretch. Either way, I’m pretty sure it will help you to grow in living out your faith.
Here’s what I want you to do. I brought with me a stack of index cards.
[hand them out so everyone gets 2]
Today, I want you to be Paul. I want you to inspire someone.
In that greeting to the Thessalonians, Paul also mentions calling to mind "the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus" that he knows the Thessalonian church is living out. Catch those 3 phrases:
- work of faith;
- labour of love;
- patience of hope.
And I want you to write a brief thank-you to them on ONE of your index cards for what they did. Be sure to start with their name and sign it with your name.
Go!
[pause]
That’s step #1.
Step #2. Sometime this week, I want you to hand deliver that card. (I told you this would be challenging for some of you!)
That’s step #2.
Now I suspect you are wondering with fear and trepidation what you are to do with the other index card.
Over the course of this week, I want you to write a short note to someone who is NOT a part of this congregation for whom you want to acknowledge their value and show your support for them which will thank them and inspire them. From manufacturers to farmers, those in retail, and those who help move products and materials from there to here.
Again, write something to thank them for their work and tell them that you appreciate them; and be sure to put your name on it. Maybe hand it to them at their job, or leave it where they will find it later.
Just as Paul was for the Thessalonians, so you can be for each other and for the people in your wider community. An inspiration. A blessing. As you do the work of faith, the labour of love, and show the patience of hope, in following our Master, Jesus.
AMEN.