Text: \u00a01 Thessalonians 5: 16-24<\/p>\n
We are always waiting for something. \u00a0Something as simple as the mail-carrier to \u00a0bring those Christmas cards with news and greetings from people we know and love. \u00a0We\u2019re always waiting, waiting for company, waiting for a phone call or email, waiting for lab results. \u00a0What about waiting for Jesus?<\/p>\n
Are you waiting for Him? \u00a0He is coming. \u00a0It\u2019s the 3rd Sunday in Advent and so we know. He is soon coming in the Christmas gospel. \u00a0The good news of a Savior born to you, Christ the Lord. \u00a0And He is coming next Sunday in Holy Communion. \u00a0Are you waiting? \u00a0Are you waiting with a heart that knows your sin and yearns for Jesus to come to you with his \u00a0gifts of peace and forgiveness? Or are you waiting with a heart weighed down by life for Jesus to lift you up with his love? \u00a0 We are always waiting something. \u00a0Are we waiting for Jesus? \u00a0Are we waiting for his coming when every eye will see him, the living and the dead? \u00a0Are we waiting for that coming when those who wait will be filled with joy, not half filled, not mixed with sorrow, but filled to the brim, running over. \u00a0\u00a0Are you waiting for Jesus? This word of God is for those who are.<\/p>\n
While Waiting for His Coming\u2026
\n<\/b>I. Rejoice, Pray, and give thanks-ALWAYS
\nII. Keep in step with the Spirit and his Truth
\nIII. \u00a0Count on your faithful God.<\/p>\n
16 Be joyful always<\/span>; 17 pray continually<\/span>; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus<\/span>. There are times when I stand up here and think to myself, who are you to be preaching on this? \u00a0This doesn\u2019t describe your life, Pastor Smith. \u00a0Ask my wife, she knows. \u00a0I can let life get me down , like you. \u00a0I can let my prayer life slip. \u00a0And too often I forget to be thankful. \u00a0Somebody else should be up here.<\/p>\n But then I realize this is not about me. \u00a0It\u2019s about what our Lord, not Pastor Smith \u00a0has to say to us. \u00a0I need to hear this just as much as you. \u00a0\u00a016 Be joyful always<\/span>; 17 pray continually<\/span>; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus<\/span>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take them one at a time. \u00a0Be joyful always. \u00a0Our joy in life comes and goes. \u00a0It\u2019s a joy to see your son or daughter graduate or get married. \u00a0But listening to the hospice nurse talk to my very sick brother in law was hardly joyful. \u00a0Yet it says here: \u00a0Be joyful always. \u00a0How? Is Paul speaking like that song some years ago. \u00a0Don\u2019t worry, be happy? \u00a0Is God just telling us: \u00a0Put on a happy face.<\/i> \u00a0No, there\u2019s much more to this joy . \u00a0Think of these Christians in Thessalonica. \u00a0Paul describes them this way. \u00a0In spite of severe suffering you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit<\/span>.<\/p>\n You see, dear friends, every moment of every day we have reason for joy. It doesn\u2019t change like the rising and falling of the tides. \u00a0Our problem is we lose sight of it and fix our hearts on what\u2019s only for a time. Our problem is we lose sight of Jesus and what his coming means. So we need each other and we need his Word to remind us of what is ours in Him. \u00a0For when we keep that before us this joy will ALWAYS be ours: \u00a0The kind of joy we heard the prophet express: I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness<\/span>, So be joyful always<\/span> because in Christ you are a forgiven child of God rescued from hell for heaven. Be joyful always for we are waiting for something great. \u00a0We are waiting for Jesus. \u00a0\u00a0And each day brings us one day closer<\/p>\n And pray continually.<\/b> What a privilege we have in Jesus Christ! \u00a0What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. \u00a0And just think. You won\u2019t ever hear God say. \u00a0Oh, you again. \u00a0What is it this time?<\/i> \u00a0Even those that love us can get tired of hearing our voice. But God does not grow weary of your prayers. \u00a0He invites them. \u00a0He desires them. \u00a0He ANSWERS them. \u00a0So keep praying.<\/p>\n And give thanks in all circumstances<\/b>. \u00a0First notice what is NOT said. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t say give thanks FOR all circumstances. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t say: Give thanks for that broken hip, Pastor Smith. \u00a0Give thanks for that trip to the Emergency room<\/i>. We don\u2019t give thanks FOR the troubles that come our way. \u00a0\u00a0But we can give thanks IN every circumstance in our life.<\/p>\n Think of Paul and Silas when they were jailed in Philippi. They were stripped, beaten and flogged. \u00a0Yet what are we told? \u00a0About midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God<\/span>. \u00a0Why? \u00a0They knew the Lord was in charge of their lives. \u00a0And they knew that God would not permit anything to come their way unless he could make it work for their good. \u00a0That\u2019s the Lord\u2019s promise to YOU while you wait for his coming. \u00a0<\/b>So rejoice, pray and give thanks.<\/b><\/p>\n Then Paul adds, For this is God\u2019s will for you in Christ Jesus<\/span>. \u00a0That sounds like a command, doesn\u2019t it? \u00a0Men, women, rejoice, pray, give thanks. \u00a0But it\u2019s more than that. \u00a0This is what God wants for you in Jesus Christ. \u00a0That you are able to have joy in our hearts, pray to our Father and give thanks no matter what. \u00a0For no matter what we have peace and hope in the Child of Mary, the Son of God whose coming we long for and expect.<\/p>\n So we wait for Him. \u00a0But as we wait believers can fall into trouble. \u00a0And don\u2019t fool yourself. \u00a0The Bible warns: \u00a0If you think you are standing firm, watch out that you don\u2019t fall<\/span>. \u00a0You and I can get careless in our walk. \u00a0We can push God\u2019s Word and God\u2019s people into the background of our lives. \u00a0We can be slow to pray. \u00a0We can fall behind in the race. \u00a0So as I read these verses this comes to mind. \u00a0While waiting\u2026Keep in step with the Spirit and his Truth. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Here Paul warns us: \u00a019 Do not put out the Spirit\u2019s fire<\/span>; Think about that. \u00a0People sometimes say. \u00a0Don\u2019t play with fire. \u00a0Why? \u00a0We or someone else can be can get burned. \u00a0But there\u2019s something else that can happen. \u00a0The fire can go out. \u00a0You see, the gift of the Holy Spirit is a wonderful thing. \u00a0He takes a heart unable to believe. We wanted nothing to do with Jesus. \u00a0It was plain foolishness to us. \u00a0Maybe you remember that time in your life.<\/p>\n But God the Holy Spirit came to you. \u00a0He brought you to faith in Jesus. \u00a0With that came a fire, a warmth, a love for God who has so loved you. A warmth for others born out of God\u2019s love.<\/p>\n But the Spirit will not remain where he is made unwelcome. \u00a0If we neglect our faith and our need for God\u2019s Word, if we live a life that ignores God\u2019s will, if we do not struggle against our sinful nature and just go the way of this world, if we live a self-centered life all about me, we are asking for trouble. \u00a0We grieve the Holy Spirit. \u00a0We can put out the Spirit\u2019s fire. \u00a0Don\u2019t, Paul warns here. \u00a0Keep in step with the Spirit. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n And this is closely connected. His truth<\/b>. \u00a0He says it this way. \u00a0Do not treat prophecies with contempt<\/span>. \u00a0In Bible times, God gave the gift of prophecy to certain people, his prophets and apostles. \u00a0He would use them to reveal his Word. \u00a0So we\u2019re told: \u00a0Men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.<\/i> \u00a0And what God intended for us to have, he had written down. \u00a0So when we think of prophecies today, we\u2019re talking about our Bible.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t despise<\/b> it. \u00a0Don\u2019t take away the authority it deserves in your life. \u00a0When God warns you take it seriously. \u00a0When God promises you,live by that promise. \u00a0When it shows you your sin, don\u2019t make light of it. \u00a0That gossipy tongue, that anger in your heart, that lust of your eyes. \u00a0Instead, repent, turn away from it, confess it to God. \u00a0Then believe the Gospel which shows you your Savior, Jesus Christ. Come to the manger with the excitement of the shepherds, the awe of Mary and Joseph. \u00a0Come with eyes of faith that see in the Christ-Child the one who sets you free. \u00a0Keep in step with the Spirit and his truth. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n But test everything<\/b>. \u00a0There are all kinds of people who claim to speak for God. \u00a0Some speak in churches, others from the television screen. \u00a0Don\u2019t just assume that they or I speak the \u00a0Spirit \u2018s truth. \u00a0Test every teaching or preaching \u00a0against the Bible.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t stop there. Test everything. \u00a0Hold on to what is good. \u00a0Avoid every kind of evil<\/span>. For example: \u00a0This Christmas season. \u00a0Does your Christmas celebration keep Jesus central? \u00a0Has shopping and gift giving become a big distraction from the true gift? \u00a0It\u2019s also the season of parties and get-togethers. \u00a0That can be a good thing. \u00a0But not when your head is numbed with alcohol or marijuana, not when you say things or do things you later regret. \u00a0Hold on to what is good. \u00a0Avoid every kind of evil<\/span>. While waiting for Jesus, keep in step with the Spirit and His Truth. \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n But while waiting, we can be shaken<\/b>. \u00a0More than once I have heard this. A person had heard the good news for years. \u00a0Time and again, he had heard the precious words of absolution, your sins are forgiven. \u00a0He had taken the Lord\u2019s body and blood to assure him that he had peace with God. \u00a0But something had shaken him. \u00a0Maybe the prospect of death. \u00a0Maybe a shameful memory. \u00a0You see, the devil is very good at attacking us at our weakest point. \u00a0So now a monster of uncertainty has parked itself on the doorstep of that Christian\u2019s heart. \u00a0What will I find when I stand before God? \u00a0Will Jesus reject me? <\/i>And don\u2019t think you are immune. \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Then think of Paul\u2019s closing prayer for these people. \u00a0May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ<\/span>. \u00a0He prays that because that\u2019s how we need to stand before God. Blameless<\/i>. \u00a0Are we? Not on our own.<\/p>\n But we are not on our own. \u00a0\u00a0Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification<\/span>. \u00a0So Now In Christ we are justified. \u00a0God says you are blameless. And you will stand blameless just as you do now. \u00a0For the one who calls you is faithful and He will do it<\/span>. \u00a0So while you wait, count on your faithful God<\/strong>. \u00a0And not just for that day to come, but every day of your life. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Text: \u00a01 Thessalonians 5: 16-24 We are always waiting for something. \u00a0Something as simple as the mail-carrier to \u00a0bring those Christmas cards with news and greetings from people we know and love. \u00a0We\u2019re always waiting, waiting for company, waiting for a phone call or email, waiting for lab results. \u00a0What about waiting for Jesus? Are you waiting for Him? \u00a0He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent","category-sermon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":568,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions\/568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.livingwordpetaluma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}