Spiritual Awakening

I don't know if you've been following the events of this past week with the Hurricane Michael

! that has devastated the panhandle of Florida and many other states.

On its way north, but it captured my attention. Maybe one of our meteorologists could explain

this better, but a short summary of the development of this fast-moving storm actually began on

October 2nd. The National Hurricane Center began monitoring a broad area of low pressure

that had developed over the Caribbean Sea. And then by October 6th, the disturbance had developed

into a well-organized deep convection, whatever that means. Although it still lacked a well-defined

circulation. It wasn't quite spinning yet. But by the morning of October 7th, the radar data had found

a closed center of circulation and the newly formed tropical cyclone quickly strengthened

into a tropical storm. So that by October 8th, Michael became a high-end tropical storm.

And as the cloud pattern became better organized, it was only two days later that it made landfall

there at the panhandle of Florida in Mexico Beach, Florida. It's said to be one of the most powerful

hurricanes to hit the continental U.S. in nearly 50 years. Strongest tropical cyclone by maximum sustained

wind speeds since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Strongest on record to hit Florida panhandle ever.

The third most intense hurricane to make landfall on the U.S. in terms of pressure. Entire communities

destroyed. Houses obliterated so that only the concrete slab is left as gale forest winds of 155

miles an hour pounded that area. Several people are dead. Millions are without power. About 1,500 are

still missing. And the devastating effects will be felt for months and possibly years to come.

I'm reminded of this for a couple of reasons. First, I'm reminded of this because

of our need to pray. Our need to pray for brothers and sisters who are there in Florida. We often talk

about the common grace of God, the sun that comes on the good and the evil. That's God's grace

lavished on the wide audience of saved and unsaved individuals. But we often forget about the fact

of the common crisis that comes on the evil and the good. Yes, there were saloons that were devastated by

these wind forces, but also churches. There were believers, brothers and sisters in Christ who

are experiencing the devastating effects of this natural force.

So we need to be praying. Praying that God would use crisis in the lives of those who do not know him

and in the hearts of those who do to be willing to share the gospel and perhaps open the door for the gospel

in the hearts of those who are suffering in great physical need that may open the door to access to

helping them see their desperation for the true need and that is a spiritual need.

We need to be praying that God does that. I'm also reminded of this over the past week because it

reminds me of other storms. Not just the devastating wind of hurricanes, but a storm that Jesus talked

about in his parable, I think at the end of Matthew chapter 7, when he's speaking to the crowds and

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

he's talking about the wise man and the foolish man. He's talking about a house that's built on the rock and

a house that's built on the sand and he summarizes it this way. In chapter 7 of Matthew verses 24 to 27, he says,

everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

The rains fell, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall

because it had been founded on the rock.

And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them

will be like a foolish man

who built his house on the sand

and the rains fell and the floods came

and the winds blew

and beat against that house

and it fell and great

was the fall

of it.

Same rain,

same floods,

same wind,

different result.

And the different result

was not that they both were exposed

to the word,

the difference in result

was their response

to the word.

those who

heard the word

and obeyed it

versus those who heard the word

and refused

to obey.

You know, the winds of life,

they will come.

They are inevitable.

That's what Jesus is trying to communicate

through this parable.

The winds of life

will come.

Maybe

you're experiencing the winds of life

right now.

You feel the wind

beating on your life.

The floods are rising.

The storms are blowing.

But there can be

an unshakableness to your life

depending upon your response

to the word of God.

And that's where we come

this morning.

The question is not

will the winds come,

but when they come,

will your house stand?

And what does it take

to have an enduring home,

an enduring life?

What does it take

to have a solid foundation

in the storm?

It takes

a steady foundation

built

on the word

of God.

And that's where we come

this morning.

In our passage

found in 1 Thessalonians 2.

If you would,

please turn there.

1 Thessalonians 2.

Beginning in verse 13

and working our way

to verse 16.

If you're a guest with us

this morning,

it's on page 986

in the Pew Bible

ahead of you.

Let me read this passage

and we'll spend

the bulk of our time

this morning

kind of developing

what does it look like

to have a word-filled life

and we'll look at that

primarily in verse 13.

But let me read

for us this morning.

Paul says this,

And we also thank God

constantly for this,

that when you receive

the word of God

which you heard

from us,

you accepted it

not as the word of men

but as what it really is,

the word of God,

which is at work

in you believers.

For you brothers

became imitators

of the churches of God

in Christ Jesus

that are in Judea.

For you suffered

the same things

from your own countrymen

as they did

from the Jews

who killed

both the Lord Jesus

and the prophets

and drove us out

and displeased God

and opposed all mankind

by hindering us

from speaking

to the Gentiles

that they might be saved.

So as always

to fill up

the measure

of their sins

but wrath

has come upon them

at last.

Let's pray.

Lord, even as we read

this passage this morning,

we are gripped

with the inevitability

of wrath

that has either come

on Christ

or will come on us

if we refuse

to align our hearts

to your word.

wrath

is come.

And for those of us

who are in Christ Jesus,

it has come

on Jesus

in our place.

And for those

who are of faith,

who have believed

in Christ

for forgiveness

of sin,

have trusted

in him

for deliverance,

for rescue

and salvation,

for cleansing,

there is forgiveness.

forgiveness.

There is the work

of the Spirit

in our lives

to rebirth us,

to regenerate us,

to remake us

and renew us,

to cleanse us

from those old sins

and to remove

from us

the wrath of God

because it was placed

on Jesus.

Thank you

for forgiveness.

Thank you

for cleansing.

for cleansing.

But I would guess

this morning

that there are those

who have not trusted you,

Lord.

And so it is my prayer,

my plea

this morning

that you would also

lead them

to salvation

so that they would

experience

not the wrath

of God

on them,

but they would

experience

the wrath of God

removed from them

because of grace,

because of the gift

of Christ

given to them.

May they not continue

to fill up

the measure

of their sins,

but may their sins

be paid for

in Jesus Christ

and may they experience

the freedom

that can be found

through faith

in you.

Lord,

for the rest of us

in this room

who have responded

to the word,

Lord,

I pray that you would

continue to move us

in ever-increasing

depth

and security

in the foundation

of the scriptures.

Please cultivate

the soil of our hearts.

May it yield

abundant fruit,

the fruit of the spirit

that can be found

in us,

the fruit of a changed

life,

the fruit of the expression

of thanksgiving

that marks us

as a people,

the fruit of individuals

who are satisfied

only with a deeper

intimacy with their Savior,

a longing for you

that presses them

deeper into the word,

a desire to know you

more richly,

more fully,

so they can obey you

more completely.

Lord,

may that be true

of our lives

today.

for those

this morning

who are experiencing

the crisis of life,

the winds of this life

that are blowing on

their home,

as it were.

May they come

to enjoy

the steady

bedrock

foundation

of the scriptures.

May their roots

go deep

and anchor them

and hold them

in that truth,

the never-changing

word of God,

the all-sufficient

scriptures

that can speak

to every area

of life.

May your word

be sweet

to them

today,

sweeter

than the honey,

from the honeycomb.

And Lord,

may

the word of God

continue to grow

in our attention

as a people

and our desire

to follow.

Bolstered

by the strength,

the indwelling strength

of your Holy Spirit,

we pray

in Jesus' name.

Amen.

This morning,

I want to look at

what does a word-filled

church

look like?

And how does

God create

an awakening

in the hearts

of his people

through

the ministry

of his word?

And so this morning

as we look at this,

I want us to see

that God has

a spiritual awakening

in mind

for you

today.

He has a

spiritual awakening

in mind

for me

today.

Every day

can be

a new experience

of a fresh

awakening,

a fresh

reminder,

a fresh

fellowship

and intimacy

with God.

God.

It is ready.

It is accessible.

It is available

to you

through the ministry

of the word,

the spiritual

awakening.

And as Paul

begins

this little

section,

and again,

we're going to spend

most of our time

in verse 13,

but as Paul

begins this section,

he wants to set

before the people

this understanding

and appreciation

for what does

the word of God

accomplish in heart.

And I think

almost unintentionally,

Paul begins

with this statement

of thanksgiving.

It flows

from his heart

there in verse 13.

He says,

and we

also

thank God

constantly

for this.

And by doing

so,

Paul demonstrates

that he is held

by the word.

He is held

by the word.

That's our first

point this morning.

Anchored

in the word.

Secured

in the word.

Confident

in the ministry

of the scriptures,

in the testimony

of God

in his word

to him.

And it is

helped

to fix him

in his

faith in God,

his appreciation,

even in the

circumstances

that he's experiencing.

So the outflow

of his

heart in life

is an expression

of this deep

satisfaction in God

and deep commitment

to trusting God

so that he is

held

by the word.

The storms

of life

had certainly

beat against

the life

of the apostle

Paul.

We'll look at that

in a moment.

And yet,

he is able

in this

short verse

to testify

to the fact

that thanksgiving

is the

constant expression

on his lips.

Maybe some of your

translations say,

for this reason,

we also thank God

without ceasing.

Those of you

who have the

New American Standard

or the New King James

would actually

begin with that phrase.

And that's because

it begins with,

and because of this,

literally.

Paul has just

recounted

in verses

1 through 12

the hardship

that he's experienced.

He's no stranger

to adversity.

In chapter 2,

verse 1,

he says,

our coming

was not in vain.

In verse 2,

he says,

even after we had

suffered

and were spitefully

treated at Philippi,

we were bold

to speak to you

the gospel

of God.

In verse 8,

he talks about

his mom-like ministry,

this ministry of grace

and affection

for these people.

In verse 9,

he talks about

his dad-like ministry,

the toil

and the labor,

the sleepless nights,

the burden

that he carried

for this people.

Ministry that was

immersed in

a measure

of suffering,

expending self,

this personal

sacrifice

for this group

of individuals.

We think of

his investment

when we read

the first 12 verses

of this chapter.

And so,

it's no wonder

to begin

to see in Paul

this expression

of gratitude

when the work

of God

is becoming

evident

in the lives

of a church.

Those of you

who have children

know this

to be true.

the investment

that you pour

into their life

and speaking

the truth

of the scriptures

to them

and seeking

through those

late nights

of encouragement

where you'd

rather be in bed

or those early

mornings

of helping them

with schoolwork

or leading them

through those

broken friendships

that they're experiencing

at school.

Whatever it might be,

there is the burden

that you carry

as a parent

for your kids.

maybe there are

those health concerns

or maybe there are

other kinds

of pressures

that your children

are facing

and parents

tend to feel them

even more

than their kids.

It's one thing

for it to happen

to you

but to happen

to your kids

is another thing

altogether.

And Paul

in his affection

for this church

was carrying

the burden

of the ministry

and now to see

the work of God

played out

in their life

brought to him

this expression

of incredible

thanksgiving.

We've seen

in a couple

of other occasions

the Apostle Paul

in his gratitude

to God

for God's work

in the lives

of these individuals.

On at least

three occasions

he uses the word

constantly.

In chapter 1

verse 2

he says

we always

thank God

for all of you

mentioning you

in our prayers.

Here in our

verse this morning

and we always

thank God

for you

or we

thank God

for you

constantly

depending upon

your translation.

And then last week

we looked

at chapter 5

where Paul says

pray without

ceasing

but also

connected to

rejoice

always

and give thanks

in every

circumstance.

this is the

predominant

perpetual

expression

of mature

spiritual heart.

A heart

that is willing

to give thanks.

It is a heart

that is anchored

in God.

A heart

that is confident

in him.

A heart

that is steadfast

in faith.

A heart

that is

bolstered

against the storms

of life.

Colossians

Colossians 2:6–7

chapter 2

verses 6

to 7

helps us

see

this show up.

It says this,

Therefore

as you received

Christ Jesus

the Lord

so walk

in him

rooted

and built

up

in him

established

in the faith

just as you

were taught

abounding

in thanksgiving.

those who

are rooted

in Christ

those who

are founded

on the

bedrock

of Christ

will be

those who

are abounding

in thanksgiving

because

they have come

to the place

of being able

to trust him

in every

circumstance.

But what

are the

challenges

to a

thankful

heart?

What

are the

challenges

to your

thankful

heart?

What

are the

challenges

to my

thankful

heart?

What

keeps us

from being

thankful

people?

I thought

of these

questions.

Questioning

God's

wisdom.

You ever

done that?

God

is this

really best

for me?

Do you

really know

what you're

doing here?

Or

questioning

God's

faithfulness.

God

this just

isn't

fair.

This

isn't

right.

This

isn't

good.

Are you

really

faithful?

Questioning

God's

power.

God

the

adversaries

seem

to be

so

strong.

the

opposition

is too

great.

God

are you

really

in

control

here?

Do you

really

have

power

to

overcome

my

situation?

Or

perhaps

questioning

God's

goodness.

God

I know

you're

good but

do you

really love

me?

Do you

really care

about what's

happening in

my life?

all of

these could

have been

true about

Paul for

sure.

Think about

his

situation.

God

closed the

door on

Asia.

God

closed the

door on

Bithynia.

He

finally

opens the

door to

Macedonia

and what

does he

experience

there in

Philippi?

Beating,

opposition,

imprisonment,

is run

out of

town,

opposed

by the

Jews,

beaten

up

physically,

having to

provide for

his own

financial

needs and

also for

the needs

of his

ministry

team,

afraid

for their

lives,

can't even

stay in

one town

for more

than a

couple of

weeks.

Satan

seems to

be getting

the upper

hand.

his

aging

body

continues

to feel

not only

the aches

and pains

of his

older age

but also

the abuse

that he's

experiencing

on a

regular

basis.

Maybe

Paul

could have

said,

I don't

know how

my courage

will last

as I think

about all

the enemies

I make

from city

to city.

If anyone

could have

questioned

the goodness,

faithfulness,

power,

and sovereignty

of God,

it could have

been the

apostle Paul

and yet

in this

instant he

says,

we thank

God

constantly.

How is

that possible?

How truly

remarkable.

God,

I thank

you.

I give

thanks to

God always

for you.

For what is

our hope?

He says in a

couple more

verses,

we're going

to look at

in a couple

weeks.

here.

What is

our hope

or joy

or crown

of boasting

before the

Lord Jesus

at his

coming?

Is it

not you?

For you

are our

glory and

our joy.

You see,

the litmus

test for

spirituality,

if God

is cultivating

spirituality

in your life,

if there is

a spiritual

awakening

that has

occurred,

that is

happening

for you,

you'll be

able to

know as

God is

growing you

in ever

increasing

moments of

joy.

as you

learn and

are being

conditioned

to rejoice

always

and to

count it

all joy

when you

fall into

various

trials,

recognizing

that God

is working

this for

your good

and for

his glory.

But it

doesn't end

there.

now he

expresses being

held by

the word,

but now he

begins to

call attention

to the

work of

God in

the lives

of this

church.

And he's

calling attention

to that

work and

God moving

them in

ever deeper

courses of

trusting and

loving his

word.

He begins

here in

talking about

their reception

of the word.

He says,

you received

the word.

We find that

in the second

phrase.

We thank God

constantly for

this, that

when you

received the

word of

God, which

you heard

from us.

What is this

reception?

Paul is

talking about

a previous

work that

was done

in the

past that

is showing

up now in

the present.

This is the

first step in

the chain of

responses that

stem from

hearing.

This receiving

the word, and

it is an

emphatic in

the New

Testament, trying

to call

attention to

their possession

of this

word, the

word of

God that

had come to

them.

They had a

personal

connection to

it.

Some

commentators

say that

the reception

of teachings

from a

teacher by

a student

was commonly

described using

this word

that's employed

right here.

They heard

the word,

they received

the word,

they accepted

the word in

its authority

in their lives.

They recognized

that there was

something distinctive

about this

word.

Not only that

the speaker

was authoritative,

but that he

was speaking

words that

came from

an original

source of

authority.

We see this

happening in the

life and

ministry of

Jesus Christ.

We see that

people throughout

Christ's ministry

also recognize

something quite

distinctive about

his word.

In Mark

Mark 1:22

chapter 1

verse 22,

speaking about

the crowds,

it says,

they were

amazed at

his teaching,

for he was

teaching them

as one

having

authority

and not

as the

scribes.

A few

verses later

it says,

they were

all amazed.

So they

debated among

themselves saying,

what is this?

A new

teaching

with authority.

Jesus

spoke with

the authority

of God

the Father.

It was

distinctive.

It was

visible.

It was

compelling.

It was

fresh.

It was

not like

the messages

they had

heard before.

They

recognized

that there

was a

work of

God

through

this

speaker

and

a

work

of

God

that

was

playing

out

in

their

own

lives

as

well.

Paul

points

to this

in

chapter 1.

He takes

comfort in

this in

verse 5

when he

says,

our

gospel

came to

you

not only

in word

but also

in power

and in

the Holy

Spirit

and with

full

conviction.

And then

in verse 6,

you received

the word

in much

affliction

with the

joy

of the

Holy

Spirit.

The

word of

God

was

embraced

by this

church.

They

recognized

its

quality,

recognized

that its

content

was unlike

anything

they'd

ever

heard.

The

work

of

the

Spirit

in

their

life

of

convicting

them

of sin

and

illuminating

their

hearts

was

evident.

And it

resulted

in a

reception

of this

word.

But this

is just

the

starting

place.

Receiving

the word

is just

the first

step.

Because as we

know from

James

James 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1,

James

says,

be

doers

of

the

word

and

not

hearers

only

deceiving

your

own

selves.

But the

one who

looks

into the

law

of

liberty,

that

perfect

law

and

perseveres

being

no

hearer

who

forgets

but a

doer

who

acts,

he

will

be

blessed

in

his

doing.

So if

you're

a

recipient

of the

word,

if you've

recognized

the

authority

of the

scripture,

that's a

great place

to be.

That's the

first step.

That's the

entry point

really to

this next

thing that

we're going

to look

at next.

Not only

did they

receive the

word,

what do

you see

next?

What's

the next

phrase?

It says,

you received

the word

of God

which you

heard from

us and

you accepted

it not

as the

word of

men but

as what

it really

is,

the word

of God.

There was a

reception to

the word.

They recognized

the authority

of the

scripture,

the truthfulness

of that

word and

now it

moves them

in to

this next

part of

accepting

the word.

Also,

speaking about

something that

happened in

the past.

This

welcoming,

this believing,

accepting as

true,

taking hold

of and

grasping it

for themselves.

The Greek

uses

a voice

which helps

to accentuate

the personal

nature of

the word

of God

working in

their lives.

Uses the

middle voice.

It's almost

synonymous with

receiving but

it places more

emphasis on a

personal appropriation

of the truth.

In other words,

they solemnly

received the

sacred message

and appropriated

it for

themselves.

They put it

to work in

their life.

They became

doers of

the word

that they

knew

was true.

They listened

to the voices

of Paul

and Silas

and Timothy

but what

they heard

was not

the voice

of men.

It was

the voice

of God

speaking

through

these men.

This word

itself,

the commentator

puts it

this way.

It says,

the emissary

of a man

is as

the man

himself.

And what

that means

is the one

representing

or being

the mouthpiece

for the

message

is as if

he is

the originating

messenger

himself.

The emissary

is just

as the

man

himself.

And so

when the

people in

Thessalonica

heard the

message

from Paul

and Silas

and Timothy

they heard

the words

of God

not just

the words

of men.

That's

what

happened.

For them

the message

was authoritative.

It was

sure.

And the

people in

Thessalonica

who believed

recognized

the true

nature

of the

authority.

Authority

of God

not the

authority

of men.

Similar

to what

happens

in

Galatia

Paul

is

confronting

the church

in Galatia

for the

opposite

problem.

He says

in Galatians

Galatians 1:10–12

chapter 1

verses 10

to 12

He says

Am I now

seeking the

approval of

man or

of God?

Or am I

seeking to

please men?

If I were

still trying

to please

men

I would

not be

a servant

of Christ.

For I

would have

you know

brothers

that the

gospel

that was

preached

by me

is not

man's

gospel.

For I

did not

receive it

from any

man

nor was

I taught

it

but I

received it

through

the

revelation

of Jesus

Christ.

There are

two roads

two paths

to response

to the

word of

God.

There is

the

Thessalonian

path

and there

is the

Galatian

path.

There is

the way

of hearing

and receiving

and applying

the word

that we

find in

Thessalonica

of pulling

it in

embracing

it

of wearing

it for

yourself

of putting

it to

work

and there

is the

Galatian

path

that hears

the word

recognizes

its quality

and wants

nothing to

do with

the actual

message

but instead

begins to

work out

their salvation

for themselves

and Paul

rejects

that kind

of acceptance

that kind

of posture

against the

word.

He wants

the church

to experience

the joy

that comes

in knowing

and loving

the truth.

He commends

to them

the path

the Thessalonian

path

of accepting

the scripture.

I think

we're all

in danger

of treating

the message

of the gospel

which is

the word

of God

as if it

were only

the word

of men.

So I

like to put

up here

some things

I thought

of

some ways

that we

treat

the scripture

as being

from man

and not

from God.

Can you read

these?

They're big

enough this

time?

There may

be others

I'm sure

I missed

some

but here

are a few

that came

to my

mind.

How do

we treat

the word

of God

as if

it were

the word

of man?

First

we see

it is

optional.

Well let's

see.

It applies

to this

situation

but I

don't think

it's very

convenient

right now

so I'm

just going

to worry

about that

one later.

It's kind

of hit

or miss

I can

just do

it when

I want

to.

That's

okay.

Right

now in

this

situation

God's

word is

optional.

Or

that it

lacks

power.

More

I think

this happens

when God

gives us

a promise

kind of like

when he

gave the

promises to

the people

in

Jerusalem

about

where

salvation

comes.

It comes

from me

and not

through

horses

and not

through

military

might.

So we

recognize

that what

God says

is authoritative

but

man I'm

not sure

I can wait

for his

timing.

I'm not

sure

that he's

really going

to be able

to come

through for

me in

this instance.

Does he

really have

the power

that I

need for

this

moment?

And for

us in

that moment

it lacks

power.

At other

times it

is completely

irrelevant.

We think

that our

lives are

too complicated.

We think

that our

situations

are too

messy.

We think

that the

truth really

isn't as

black and

white as

it seems

to be.

And so

it can't

really apply

to my

specific

situation.

And so

in those

moments

it's

completely

irrelevant.

Perhaps

we treat

it as

the word

of man

because we

believe

that the

scripture is

outdated

or it's

old fashioned.

It was

for a

different time

a different

space

but we

have to

modernize

its

message.

We have

to bring

it up

to 21st

century

social

standing.

That

was

certainly

can't

apply

to my

situation

today.

Or we

see it

as

symbolic.

As

allegorical.

It's not

meant to be

taken

literally.

Not

meant to

be precise

in its

words.

It's

broad

message of

course

and its

themes.

We can

apply them

to life

but the

actual

words and

actual

phrases

or perhaps

we

think

it's

the

word

of

men

because

we're

distracted

by the

messenger.

That

happens a

lot doesn't

it?

You see

the

brokenness

of the

mouthpiece?

The

person

who's

bringing

the

word

to

you

you

see

their

messed

up

life

and

you

think

boy

if