Labor in the Word

Well, as I mentioned earlier, brethren, two weeks ago, we had a general conference of the elders of the United Church of God. Now, that's an annual meeting. We cover different topics every year. And yet, I have to say, because the theme for this conference, the title of it was, Labor in the Word. Labor in the Word. I have to say, in thinking about the material that was covered, what was presented, the benefit that it seemed to have to me was really remarkable.

I think I could say that it was not only uplifting, but truly beneficial to, in a sense, kind of stick in my side, poke me to where I want to be more involved in studying and in teaching and preaching the Word of God. And of course, that was the intent. That was the meaning behind the conference. And there were several different focuses that we had during this conference.

Now, if you've read the updates, then you've covered kind of an overview of what it was we covered. But the focus that we had, there were three different focuses. One of them was Labor in the Word. The other was, rightly, Divide the Word of Truth. And then the third was, actually, Preach the Word. It's not a matter of me getting up and talking about what I think, what I happen to want, or what I believe. Although, whatever I'm saying, I'm going to say it is something I believe.

But see, we want to focus on, and I think you find that our services are basically set up to where we're focused on, the Word of God. The basic textbook, whenever you're in school, you have a textbook. You usually have a number of textbooks. And you go over those periodically throughout the day. But whenever we come to church, our only textbook, in a sense, has got to be the inspired Word of God. And so, each one of these focuses have a direct command that are connected to them.

And all of these come out of the books of Timothy. Timothy was a young minister, and Paul had a lot of concern for him. He appreciated the effort. He appreciated the involvement that he had in the service to the church. He actually mentioned that Timothy had a heart for doing what Jesus Christ wanted him to do in regard to his teaching of the church. Let's look at a couple of these here in 1 Timothy 5.

1 Timothy 5, verse 17, it says, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor. And this is actually where the theme of the conference came from, laboring in the Word. It says, Let the elders, especially those who labor or who toil in preaching and in teaching, for the Scripture says you should not muzzle an ox while it's treading out the grain, and the laborer deserves to be paid or worthy of his hire. As a laborer, not only if someone is preaching and teaching the Word of God, that's a specific type of job.

And what Paul was telling Timothy was that I want you to appreciate that that's what is being done whenever you're studying and covering the Word of God as it's being taught or preached. If we go on over to 2 Timothy 2, this is not only directed to Timothy and to the ministry, but it's directed to every one of us as members of the congregation. 2 Timothy 2, verse 14, Paul says, Remind them of this and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good, but only ruins those who are listening.

So there are not only direct commands as far as what to do and how well to do it, but also things to avoid that Paul continues to tell Timothy. But he says in verse 15, study to show yourself approved unto God.

This translation says, Do you do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by Him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, but rightly dividing or rightly explaining the Word of Truth? That's what we intend to do here in service. It's not only what I hope and plan to do each time I have opportunity, but what we have so many here in this congregation who are able to help with speaking and with song leading and with serving in that way.

This is a part of what God wants us to do, properly understanding or properly dividing the Word of God. We do have not only just to read the Word, because it is important that we read it and that we study it, but that we come to understand it or come to see how it is that it does show us God's purpose for human life.

Why it is that He would even draw us to be a part of the Church? There's a reason. A part of this we're going to discuss even more next weekend on Pentecost, because it really is very specific to the day of Pentecost and to the receipt of the Holy Spirit and to the way that the Holy Spirit must be working in our lives. We have a part to play in that, but what this mentions is to study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. See, how many people do you know that understand what you understand regarding the fact that there's more than one resurrection?

Most people don't really think about the resurrection a whole lot, but I would say that many would not have very limited understanding about the fact that their Bible clearly talks of more than one. And there are numerous other examples of the same type that show that we are to come to understand as you put the Bible together, because that's really a key to understanding, to put the Bible together in such a way.

Actually, you find many things in the Old Testament that are complementary to the New. And clearly, the life of Jesus and His teaching is a basis for a Christian life, and yet the entirety of the Bible we're going to go ahead and read a little bit later is inspired by God. We want to come to understand how to properly put that together. And so, this is a secondary theme that was at the conference, finally here in 2 Timothy 4. In the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing in His kingdom, I urge you, or solemnly urge you to proclaim the message, to preach the Word of God, to be persistent, whether the time is favorable or unfavorable, so in season or out of season, convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost patience in teaching, for it says the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they'll accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to fables.

As for you, as Paul was telling Timothy, be sober and endure suffering and do the work of an evangelist and carry out your ministry fully. So these three major sections, laboring in the Word, rightly dividing the Word, and preaching the Word, were what was covered in all of the sessions over the three days, Sabbath and Sunday and Monday, that this conference involved. I'd like for us to look at the book of Acts, and as we think about not only that the ministry is to be laboring in the Word, but really as we think about the fact that all of us need to have a study of the Word of God as a primary focus of our lives.

It shouldn't be an afterthought. It shouldn't be something that we do if we happen to have time. Because, again, we'll find that we didn't quite have enough time. We've got to be able to think about how we're using our 24 hours in every day. And are we allotting a certain amount of time to study the Word of God? Here in Acts 6, you see the example of the first deacons who were appointed or ordained in the church. And you see a listing of those men in chapter 5. Stephen and Philip, Procarus, Nyckner, Timmon, Permanus and Nicholas. And yet, what I want to point out is, why did that come about?

Why was there a need to designate several individuals to ordain them as deacons? Why was there a need for that? Well, if we back up to verse 1, during those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Greeks complained against the Hebrews because their widows were not being neglected in the daily distribution of food. So this was a certain activity that needed to take place. The widows needed to be cared for. Others needed to have a certain distribution of the food that was collected and then distributed to the entire group. And the 12 called together the whole community of the disciples and said, this is not right.

It's not right that we should neglect the Word of God in order to serve or wait on tables. They pointed out that, well, the work of the ministry, the work of preaching the Word, of laboring in the Word, was a specific responsibility. So it says it's not right that in order that we leave or neglect the Word of God in order to wait on the tables. Therefore, friends, select from among you seven men of good standing, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task. And so this was a designation in regard to the physical things that obviously have to be done.

As we do today, we've got a lot of setup, a lot of take down, a lot of preparation that has to occur, even for services, to be conducted on a week in and week out basis. And then, of course, even beyond that, what kind of care might need to be provided to the membership, to others, to widows who are in need. And so we go on in verse 4 here. He says, we want to appoint these men to this task. And in verse 4, he says, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and we devote ourselves to serving, or the ministry of the Word.

Again, the emphasis was on the Word of God. The emphasis was on laboring in the Word of God. And that's what the ministry, and in particular the apostles in this case, they felt a responsibility that they would be out teaching and preaching. Preaching not only the congregations, but even proclaiming the message beyond that. So I ask all of us, even though this is directed more so at the ministry, that they were to focus on the Word of God.

I ask all of us, how interesting. How interesting is your study of the Bible? Your study of the Word? Because it tells us to study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed. Is your study of the Word of God more informative than it used to be? Is it better than when you first believed?

Is it more intense? Are you more motivated in it? Are you moved by the study of the Word of God? Or, on the other hand, is it something that's laborious? Something that is boring? Maybe familiar? And we become lackadaisical or bored or uninterested? Now, this may vary with any of us throughout the years, but it could also vary with each of us from year to year or month to month.

Sometimes we get busy and we don't focus on the need to study the Word of God. Or sometimes things come up that we just have to focus on. And yet, I will certainly say that making time for studying the Word of God is truly, truly important. I know I, I guess I used to study the Word of God so that I would actually know something. That was, at least in a sense, my desire as I first started studying the Bible was that I needed to know what it said.

I didn't know what it said. I knew a little bit about the Bible, but I certainly didn't know the overview of the New Testament. And I clearly didn't have any idea what the overview of the Old Testament was. And what are the major themes that you see throughout the entirety of the Bible, from the Garden of Eden to the New Heavens and the New Earth? We've got a 66-book book.

And we should have an understanding of that book. And I know that what we had introduced to us at our conference was that they are intending to make available to the ministry a 48-hour training course in the Bible. So, you know, that our teaching skills of the Bible can improve. Now, this is planned to be something that would start here in a couple of months and then run for about six months, I believe. You know, every week, a couple of hours each week, we could allot to, you know, going over, you know, whatever it is that's being covered, you know, at that particular time.

And they have different themes that they're already planning to prepare for us. But see, hopefully that's going to not only help me, hopefully that will help you. Hopefully that can be an encouragement. I know, you know, the ABC classes over the years have made available to us Scripture cards. And those Scripture cards are really, they're beneficial in that. And again, I've seen Scripture cards over and over again.

And yet I can say, well, there's a lot of them that I either have forgotten or that I've overlooked or that I don't remember. And a lot of times we can say, well, I don't remember numbers too well. And yet, you know, we really want to have some way of reminding, some way of stirring up our minds, some way of stirring up our heart, to be able to do the work that God wants each of us to do in preparing for our service, not only here and now, but in our service in the world to come.

I've got five things that I want to mention. And after thinking about these, this ended up being the RSTUV sermon. That's the five things. RSTUV. So you can try to write that down if you want. And then you can see if we can figure out what each one of the letters involves. RSTUV. It's not the ABC sermon. It's the RSTUV sermon.

So the first one is in 2 Peter 1. And I think this is rather obvious, but this and all of these perhaps are very obvious. But see, that's the point. It should be that we are all familiar with the Word of God and that we are growing in not only knowing what it says, but applying what it says in our lives.

So here in 2 Peter, in the first chapter, I want to point out what it is that Peter had to say. Because Peter, as we know, was one of the original apostles. He was quite well known. Jesus had a lot of interaction with him. He particularly told him that he was going to turn on him and he was going to deny him three times. Peter had a lot to learn. And yet as they went forward and as they realized who Jesus was, as they realized that, well, what he said actually happened.

He was going to be put to death. He was going to rise from the dead. He appeared to us afterwards. And he wants us to give our lives in his service. So in the latter part of, probably about in the 60s, when Peter would have been writing this toward the end of his life, it says in chapter 1, verse 10, he says, Therefore brethren, be all the more eager to confirm your calling and your election, for if you do this, you will never stumble.

It says if we are diligent, if we are persistent, if we are growing in the things he mentioned, and I'm not going over all of those things, but you can read them if you would like. Drop down to verse 12. He says, Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you already know them, and you were established in the truth that has come to you, I think it's right, as long as I'm alive, as long as I'm in this body, to refresh your memory.

See, this is what Peter's thoughts were regarding the brethren, the people he understood and knew understood the truth. It wasn't that they didn't know. It was that he wanted to continue to remind. He wanted to continue to rehearse. He wanted to bring it to their memory. Since he says in verse 14, I know that my death is going to come pretty soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me, and I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

So here he mentions several reasons why we should study the Bible. We should study the Bible in order to be reminded, to be refreshed, to actually recall, this is what it are, that we keep that in mind that, well, I don't know that any of us have memorized the Bible. I've understood or read somewhere where at least some have memorized great sections of the Bible. I don't know how that could really have been possible, although many of us are familiar, and I know in talking to almost all of you that many of us are familiar with different parts of the Bible.

But are we familiar with all of it? Well, there are obviously more sections. There's more. I'm familiar with some of it, but mostly I'm familiar with things I've read recently, not things I've read some long time ago or haven't focused on for a while. So the first point I'll make is just that, you know, we, if we're going to be the people of the book, we have to be reminded.

We have to be rejuvenated and refreshed in that way. The second thing I want to point out is here in 2 Timothy, back up a few pages, 2 Timothy, as Paul was again encouraging Timothy in his ministry, he wanted him to do the work of an evangelist. He wanted him to complete the task that he had been called to do. And here in 2 Timothy chapter 3, in verse 10, he says, And indeed, it says in verse 12, all who are to live a godly life in Jesus Christ will suffer some persecution.

You know, we can expect that there will be some difficult times. There will be trials and there will be tests. But he says in verse 13, wicked people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived. And so he said, I want you to be on guard against those who would take you away, who would deceive you. And in verse 14, he said, As for you, Timothy, continue in what you have learned and what you have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it. And so he was telling Timothy, you have a remarkable foundation. You have, actually, he had a great blessing. A blessing of growing up with his mother and with his grandmother teaching him, training him in what?

Well, in the Holy Scripture, in the S, in the Scripture, the sacred Scripture or the sacred writings. And obviously, he was not talking about the New Testament at that point. He was talking about the Old Testament, the prophecies that talked about what Jesus would fulfill and what he would do as he came to the earth as the Son of God. And so here in verse 14, he says, Continue in what you have learned and believe, knowing from whom you've learned it.

And how from childhood. See, from childhood, even as our little children are learning and they actually pick up a great deal. And it's a great benefit, those of you who are younger, it's a great benefit to have your parents teaching and giving you instruction and making you familiar with the Word of God.

And it's a great blessing to you to be able to learn some of these things because, you know, many people are not familiar with the Bible at all. Clearly, Timothy was. He was familiar with Joseph. He was familiar with the story of Joseph and what Joseph went through and how he rose to power in Egypt. Not because of him, but because of what God was going to do in rescuing Israel.

What God would do in causing his brothers and the sons of Israel to thrive, to rescue them, and to prepare them for even more in the future. But Timothy was familiar with that as well as the rest of the Old Testament. He says, Now from childhood, you have known the sacred writings, the sacred scriptures that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. See, this is what Timothy was familiar with. He was zealous in his service to the congregations. Paul said that he puts Jesus Christ first in his life. He is a servant of Jesus Christ, unlike any of the others. He makes that kind of statement about Timothy. But he goes on here in verse 16. He says, All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching and reproof and for correction and for training in righteousness. So that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient and equipped for every good work.

So that wasn't simply about Timothy. That was about those Timothy would serve, those Timothy would teach, those Timothy would rehearse the words of God with. Of course, that's what we intend and that's what we are planning to do here in services. So the second point involves the letter S, the sacred scriptures, and how it is that they lead us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. That's an extremely important concept that we never want to let down. We back up to 1 Timothy 4. You see in 1 Timothy 4 that Paul again encourages Timothy in doing his work in how it is that he could be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

And he says in verse 6, if you put these instructions before the brethren, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed or they have followed. Again, the basis for our lives, the basis for our Christianity needs to be the word of God. And yet he goes ahead in verse 11 and points out how it is that Timothy was to labor. How it is he was to toil.

So that's my third point, toil, in these scriptures. In verse 11, he says there are things that you must insist on and teach. And he says, letting one despise your youth, but set the believers in example, in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity, and until I arrive, give attendance to the public reading of scripture.

Again, this is going to be the primary part of what our church services are involved with, is reading the word of God, studying the word of God. And here, he says, give attention to the public reading of scripture. Give attention to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you that was given to you through prophecy from the laying on of hands of the ministry.

But put these things into practice. Devote yourselves to them so that all may see your progress.

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this, you will save both yourself and those who hear. Those who listen, those who pay attention. Timothy had opportunity to labor and toil in the Word. And again, that was a primary focus of what he was to do in his ministry, in his service to others, was to point them to the Word of God. To point them to what it is that God's Word says, how it is that it can be understood. How it is that it can increase their faith in Jesus Christ. Because that's really a big part of what all of us need to have in our lives. The next thing was letter U, or STU. Letter U stands for understanding.

And I want us to go to Luke 24, because it's remarkable when you read this section of Scripture. It's really illuminating. It's in many ways just hard to really believe what it was that Jesus did immediately following his resurrection.

How it was that he began to interact with the disciples and then with others as he made himself available and as he taught or showed them just how it was. This is this section here starting in verse 13, is where two individuals, Cleopas was the name of one of them, but two of them were going in verse 13 down to a village of Iamos. It's a little ways from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had been happening in Jerusalem. And in verse 15, while they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. This would be an almost unheard of situation. It would clearly be difficult to fully understand or comprehend that the one that we are discussing and talking about and that the whole city is abuzz about, that here he is walking with us. We don't even know who he is. He just seems like a stranger. He seems like someone who's on the path with us.

But he said to them in verse 17, what are you discussing with each other while you walk along? And they stood still and kind of looked sad. They probably looked at each other and they thought, well, where is he coming from? And one of them said, whose name was Cleopas, he said, are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have taken place in these days?

And he asked, well, what about? What things? And they said, well, the things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. Now the chief priest and the leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.

We had hoped that he would be the one to redeem Israel. And yes, besides all of this, it's the third day since these things have taken place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning. And when they didn't find his body, they came back and told us that indeed they had seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found, just as the women had said, they didn't see him.

And so he said to them in verse 25, what a remarkable exchange for Cleopas and his friend and Jesus to be walking there, but they don't really know who he is. And they're telling him about what's just happened. This is unbelievable. This just happened here in Jerusalem and everybody is talking about it. And Jesus said in verse 25, O how foolish are you and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared. Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory? He makes a statement about how that he had been re-glorified.

At that point, he looked like a physical man. He could appear however he wanted. He could eat whatever he wanted. I was going to say that a little later. At least he's eaten some fish. And so he could come and go at will. And he had been glorified. But he said in verse 27, Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures.

See, this was what Timothy had been schooled in by his mother and grandmother. This is what he was familiar with, that he was to learn what these prophecies said about the coming Messiah. And how that what the Messiah would go through, and how that he would give his life for the sins of the world. And that he would be the Redeemer. And that he would rise from the dead. So in verse 28, as they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on.

He acted like he wasn't going to pull in with them. And they urged him strongly saying, Stay with us because it's almost evening and the day is now nearly over. So he went in to stay with them. And when he was at the table with them, he took bread and blessed and broke it, and he gave it to them. So he ate a meal with them in this case. And in verse 31, then something miraculous happened. Up to this point, they didn't know who he was.

Up to this point, they had no idea that he was the Messiah. And yet, you would think from what he said, he had a lot of information that they didn't have. He was able to explain what the plan of God was and what his purpose had been. In verse 31, then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. They realized who it was that had been walking and talking with them and telling them about the Holy Scriptures and about the Messiah and the one that they needed to even understand more from.

But it says he vanished from their sight. And they said to each other in verse 32, Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the Scriptures to us. We can all read the Bible. We can read the book of Genesis and any of the other books in the Old Testament. We can read the book of Psalms. We can read the Gospels. We can read the writings of Paul. We can read the Bible. But understanding comes from God. Understanding comes from Jesus Christ. And so we want not only to read the words and feed on those words, but to be nourished by the words.

We're going to have to have understanding. We're going to have to grow in understanding. And that's going to come from us asking for that understanding. We drop on down here in this same chapter. You see Jesus appearing to his disciples. And of course, this was, again, a remarkable reception. They didn't quite know what the description of this translation says. Let's see. In verse 41, while in their joy, they were disbelieving and still wondering, can this possibly be? It was hard to comprehend that the Savior was here with us. And so a combination of excitement and thrill and aha! And then, no, this can't be happening.

He says in verse 41, if you have anything to eat, and they gave him a piece of broiled fish, you would say, I don't know, tilapia or bass or something. I don't know what they have. Some of you probably know what they would have there at the Sea of Galilee or around the area. He took it and ate in their presence. He didn't need to eat.

He didn't need to eat anything physical, but, you know, he was communing with them. And in verse 44, he said to them, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the writings must be fulfilled. He mentions the three major sections of the Old Testament, the law and the prophets and the Psalms or the writings, and the three major sections that make up the Old Testament.

He says, all of these sections predict about me, and they all must be fulfilled. And so in verse 45, it says, again, He opened their minds. Sometimes if we're reading the Bible and we don't seem to be understanding, we don't seem to be comprehending, well, what is this talking about? Perhaps we need to ask that God would give us understanding, that Jesus would open our understanding, even as He says, I'm able to do that.

He says He opened their minds in verse 45 to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, Thus it is written that the Messiah was to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His name, in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem, and you are witnesses of these things.

And I see I am sending upon you, and see I am sending upon you what my Father has promised. So stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. He was telling them, I want you to wait. Here in the city of Jerusalem, I want you to be looking toward the day of Pentecost. I want you at that point to be a recipient of the Holy Spirit and to be given power from on high. But of course, what I'm focusing on is in verse 45, for He opened their minds to understand. And clearly, our understanding today should be better than last year.

It should be better than 2 or 5 or 10 or 40 years ago, because we should have not only accumulated knowledge, but we should have a closer walk with God and a greater understanding because we've asked. And because God has been merciful and He has extended to us understanding.

Now, there may still be things that we don't understand, especially things in the prophetic sections or even in the book of Revelation. Some of the description that we were going through there in Topeka the other night, some of that is not as clear to me as I wish it were. But that doesn't mean I can't continue to ask for understanding, because understanding comes from Jesus Christ. It's very clear here in Luke 24 that He's the source.

He's the author of understanding. And so we not only need to be reminded and study the sacred Scriptures, doing that diligently toiling in the Word and asking for understanding. But the last of the five things that I wanted to mention is that we always want to stick to the trunk of the tree.

We always want to have a vision of the purpose of human life. Because we can never get away from that trunk of the tree. We can always grow an understanding of the Bible, and we should. But we never want to move away from the purpose that God has placed men on the earth. And the reason how He is working with us, and how He's not only just working with us, He's going to work with everybody eventually. He's going to work with people throughout the millennium.

There are going to be generations that will grow up and be taught the Word of God. It's not really in the forefront of people's minds on this earth today. You see people in seven billion plus around the world. Many are not familiar with the Word of God at all. Even those who are do not have understanding from God.

Because that comes from Jesus Christ, but comes from the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Here in 1 Thessalonians 2, 1 Thessalonians you see, of course, this book being written. By the Apostle Paul to the Church. The Church that we often think maybe more of in Chapter 4, and what we see written there about the coming of the Lord, and about how it is that there are some who do die in the faith, and how that we need to be looking toward the Kingdom of God, and looking toward the appearing of Jesus Christ, and actually understand that a resurrection is right around the corner.

It's right around the corner for those who die. They don't know anything until that resurrection. And then for those of us who are alive, we anticipate, we look forward to, we desire. This is what we often think of in 1 Thessalonians, at least the primary thing that I think of. But I want to focus our thinking here in 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 2. And Paul is telling the brethren, verse 1, You yourselves, brethren, know that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and had been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we have courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great opposition.

Thessalonika was a Greek city. It was in the area of Corinth and Athens. It was in at least the same section there, I believe. It was a Gentile congregation. It had been brought into the church through the work that the Apostle Paul had done, and he was writing to them. And he's pointing out something about how it was that they had come to believe. How it was that they had been introduced to the truth of God and had a vision of what it is to have eternal life, and how it is that God is wanting to transform us.

He's wanting to give us a completely different heart. He wants us to be full of mercy and to truly be the people of God. Here in verse 3, he said, Our appeal does not spring or come from deceit or impure motives or trickery.

See, what Paul was telling them, we haven't tricked you into attending this congregation in some way. We haven't deceived you by the words that we spoke to you. Our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motive or trickery, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel.

See, this is what Paul was going to preach not only to them, but to everybody else. They often were a little more receptive. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the message of the gospel, even so, we speak not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. And as you know, and as God is our witness, we never came with words of plattery, we're a pretext for greed, nor do we seek praise from mortals, whether from you or others, although we might have made demands as apostles of Christ, but we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for our own children.

So deeply did we care for you that we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you are very dear to us. See, what kind of care, what kind of interest, what kind of concern did Paul have for the members of the congregation there in Thessalonica?

He loved them. He was concerned about their growth. He was concerned about their development spiritually. He was concerned about the way they reacted even to him, and he was pointing out that we had been entrusted with the message, a message from God. You didn't just believe what I said, as Paul would mention. He said, you recognized that this was a message about the kingdom. This was a message about the gospel. And the gospel involves not only Jesus Christ and understanding who he is, but about the kingdom that is coming, about the vision that is set before us, and about how we are to be focused on that kingdom that is coming.

If we drop down to verse 11, as you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading with you that you lead a life with God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. He wanted them to understand the kingdom of God. He wanted them to understand a relationship with God that was nurtured by the word that he had spoken, and by the Holy Spirit that was extended as a gift. He wanted them to fully appreciate that and to be moved by that.

In verse 13, he says, we also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you receive the word of God that you heard from us, that you accepted it not as a human word, but as what it really is, God's word, which is also at work in you believers. See, this is, whenever we study the Bible, it's more than just reading any other book. It is the inspired word of God. It provides a vision of what God is doing, and of course, whenever Paul would be speaking to them, he was speaking not just what he happened to think, although, surely, he had a lot of experiences and he had a lot of persecution, perhaps, to be able to back up the commitment that he had made in doing the work that he had been called to do.

But he says, whenever we preach to you, we didn't just say our words. We said the words of God. And of course, as he penned these things, they became a part of the Holy Scriptures that all of us can benefit from as we read them as truly the words of God. So, as we're reminded of the sacred Scriptures and toil in those Scriptures and ask for understanding, we want to never forget a vision of what God is telling us in his Word and how precious it is to be able to study the Bible.

Actually, here in 1 Peter 4, two other verses that I will cover with us before we conclude here, 1 Peter 4, he gives a lot of admonition about how it is that we are to labor with one another, how we are to have the love of God for one another, how we are to maintain constant love for one another, verse 8. But in verse 10, he says, "...like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received.

And whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God. Whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God is glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. And to him, of course, belong the glory and the power forever and ever." See, he wanted his people, made up the church, he wanted them to be receptive to God's words.

And whenever we study, whenever we labor in the Word, whenever we make that a priority, well then we are, you know, drinking in of the very words of God. And so the final verse here is in Hebrews 4, a verse that I guess we could have started with, but we'll conclude with it because there's more to studying the Bible than just reading it for information. The Bible, as the Word of God, is to be read in order to transform our heart. To have us see the type of change that God is wanting to take place in each of our lives.

And in Hebrews 4, Hebrews 4, verse 12, Paul says, Indeed, the Word of God is living and it is active. Living and active it is sharper than any two-edged sword. See, he gives a description of the words of God as being so powerful, so meaningful, so significant that it is like a two-edged sword piercing until it divides the very inner part of a man between soul and spirit, joints from marrow, and it's able to judge the thoughts and the intents of the heart. See, that's what we should read the Word of God with that in mind. We should read God's Word asking that God would show us our own lives and show us ourselves and show us our need for Him.

And of course, he finalizes this thought in verse 13. He says, And before God no creature is hidden, but every one of us are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. See, we're going to answer to God. We're going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

We don't want to be able to do that, fully familiar with His instructions, fully grateful for the understanding that He gives, thankful for the vision of His purpose for our lives, and thankful that His mercy never fails.

He is always able to lift us up. And so this last verse just points to the fact that there is power in the Word of God to transform human lives, to transform human hearts. And so we want to be sure to ask for that. So, laboring in the Word was an extremely good conference to have for several days. But I hope it is something that we all can focus on more as far as our study of the Bible, our desire, our motivation, and our understanding of how wonderful it is that we have the words of God in order to guide our lives.