## Our Job Description

## I Thessalonians 2:1-20

In recent years there have been many changes to how people do business. When I was first entering into the working world, no one had a written job description. My job was simply to do whatever needed to be done. Nowadays people want to have things written in black and white. I suppose it protects some, but for most it seems to be a way of getting out of doing something. If it isn't in the job description, then they are not responsible to take care of it.

Of course, you would think that being in the ministry would be different; not so. Often I have interviewed young men for ministry positions who want to know

1. how much does it pay,
2. is there a written job description, and
3. how much time off do they get.

It is rare to find someone today who is interested in doing the work of the ministry…and the ministry is work! I am thankful for our staff here at Grace, every person is willing to do the work…even if it means getting their hands dirty.

But ministry work is not just for those who are in full-time service. The work of the ministry is for every child of God.

(Eph 4:11-12) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; {12} For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Now, it may surprise some of us to realize that God has given us a written job description of sorts. It is found in the 2nd chapter of 1 Thessalonians. It tells us what is required of a child of God, and more specifically, a member of a local church. Now some employers have quarterly evaluations of their employees, but God is daily evaluating each of us.

Tonight let's see how we are measuring up to our 'job description'. We find three primary areas of evaluation in our text this evening; let's consider them together.

I. We Are To Be Faithful As A Steward (1-6)

A. Stewardship involves more than just material things.

1. We have been entrusted with the precious Word of God

2. Every believer is a steward of the Gospel.

3. Our responsibility is to share it with others.

4. A steward owns nothing, but possesses and uses that which belongs to his master.

5. We are accountable to God for what we do with the Gospel.

B. Faithfulness is the most important quality a steward possesses.

(1 Cor 4:2) Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

1. It would be easy to compromise the message in order to please men, but it wouldn't be faithful.

2. Paul states that his message was not of deceit, his motive was pure, and his method was honest.

3. He presented the Word of God in the power of the Spirit, and trusted God to work

II. We Are To Be As Tender As A Mother (7-8)

A. The emphasis of the mother is gentleness.

1. Paul was a man of authority, but he always used his authority in love.

2. In I Co. 4:14-15 he calls the saints at Corinth his sons, begotten through the gospel.

3. The main thought here is that of loving care

4. Christians need love, food, and tender care to help them to develop properly

5. How a mother feeds her child is almost as important as what she feeds it.

ILLUS: airplane and hangar game

B. A nursing mother imparts her own life to the child

1. A nursing mother cannot turn her child over to someone else without providing the necessary milk for that child.

2. The nursing mother eats the food and transforms it into milk for the baby.

3. It is a natural process that is necessary for the child to grow and mature.

4. A nursing child can become ill through reaction to something the mother has eaten.

5. The Christian feeds on the Word of God and then shares their nourishment with other believers so they can grow.

6. We must be careful not to feed spiritually on the wrong things; it will have an affect others!

C. A mother's natural tendency is to protect the child.

1. Note the example in I Kings 3:16-28

2. Paul was willing to give not only the gospel, but his own life as well

3. His love for the Thessalonians was so great he would die for them if necessary.

III. We Are To Be Careful As A Concerned Father (9-20)

A. His Work v 9

1. The father works to support his family

2. Paul worked hard for the benefit of the young church

3. He didn't want to be an added burden to them

4. The servant of God's primary concern ought to be for those he serves, not himself.

B. His walk v 10

1. Fathers must live so that they are good examples to their Children

2. Dr. W.E. Dowell used to tell us in school that, "a river will rise no higher than its source."

3. Our lives should be holy, righteous, and blameless as an example to those about us

C. His words v 11-12

1. A father must not only support the family by working, and teach the family by being a good example.

2. He must also take time to speak to the family members.

3. Notice the way Paul ministered to the church

a. He dealt with each of the believers personally - like our Lord, he was never too busy for individuals.

b. He encouraged them - to go on with the Lord and not quit

c. He comforted them - he not only made them feel better, but he made them want to do better.

d. He charged them - by giving personal witness of his experience with the Lord

4. His purpose was that they might "walk worthy of God"

D. His concern v 13-20

1. For their attitude toward the Word of God. (13)

a. They appreciated the Word

1) They did not consider it as the words of men.

2) But rather as truth from God

b. They appropriated the Word

1) Paul uses two different words here for "received".

2) The first means "to accept from another"

3) The second means "to welcome"

4) One refers to hearing with the ear, while the other has reference to hearing with the heart

c. They applied the Word

1) They obeyed the Word by faith, and the Word went to work in their lives.

2) James 1:22, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

3) The Word of God has in it the power to accomplish the will of God

4) When we believe God's Word and obey, He releases power that works in our lives to fulfill His purpose.

2. For their attitude toward God's people around us. (14-16)

a. Christians who suffer for their testimony can become very self-centered

b. Remember how Elijah felt?

c. No one is serving God, but me.

d. Paul needed to let them know that the difficulties they were facing in Thessalonica were the same as other churches in other areas.

e. As God's people, we need to stand together in times of difficulty and encourage one another.

3. For their attitude toward the future (17-20)

a. Notice that Paul didn't focus on the past or even on what might have been.

b. He was not making excuse, but stating fact.

c. Rather than dwelling on the difficulties and hindrances he had faced from Satan, he pointed them to the future.

d. No amount of suffering can dim the hope we have in Christ.

e. They were a source of joy and glory to the apostle.

f. Note: "in the presence" Not will be but are now - we are just as sure of this truth as if we were there!

What kind of servant should we be? What is our job description? Are we living up to what is expected of us? Paul sets an excellent example for us - it is up to us to follow.

- We Are To Be Faithful As A Steward
- We Are To Be Tender As A Mother
- We Are To Be Careful As A Concerned Father