Scriptures: 1 Thessalonians 4

Introduction

I listened as the man voiced a common concern: "Everyone is worried about the economy this year. My hairline is in recession; my waistline is in inflation; and altogether I am in depression!" The comments were made in fun, but they reminded me that people face pressure, problems, and pain as a part of their everyday existence. Normally people face the stress of life and just keep plowing through, day after day. Occasionally the pressure gets to them and they crack, crumble, and crash. They're left hurting and hopeless. For many, hopelessness has become their existence. It's at this point that we must strive to discover how the pressure of life can help us find hope instead of despair.

The apostle Paul penned 2 Thessalonians probably less than six months after writing the first letter to them. He wrote again so quickly to clear up a few items in the first letter, but also to encourage this young church because they were under so much pressure. He wrote to infuse them with hope by helping them understand the purpose of pressure. If we can get a grasp on the same lessons, we can discover ways in the midst of pressure to find hope. Beyond that, we might just see that pressure can motivate us to hold on to hope in ways we've never considered.

A man found himself in the middle of a pasture with an angry bull chasing him. He was running as fast as he could. The only form of escape he could see was a tree, but the nearest limb was 10 feet off the ground. The man ran for it, made a tremendous leap at the branch but missed it----on the way up; he caught it on the way back down!

Motivation makes all the difference. When the pressure of life is on, I'm more motivated than at any other time to want hope surging through my spirit. The good news is that because Jesus is risen, there is hope. In the first 12 verses of Paul's letter we can learn volumes about how hope bubbles in the pressure cooker.

Before we examine the main points as they relate to hope, allow me to point out some essential things to notice about the passage. I refer to these essentials as entrance ramps. If you have driven down an interstate highway, you realize that to get moving into the flow of traffic, you use the entrance ramp.

The same is true with Scripture. Before we get moving in the flow of the passage, let's use entrance ramps to get started. An entrance ramp is found in verses 8-9. "He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power" (NIV).

I have to call this entrance ramp, non-negotiable consequences. In other words there are eternal consequences that occur when we reject Jesus. I wish that I could erase that from my Bible at times. I wish I could accept universalism, which teaches that all will be saved. But I can't; no one can. You can't tamper with truth. The truth is that without Him we are lost and doomed. Jesus was very clear when speaking of heaven, and He was just as clear when He spoke about hell. If He was wrong about one, He was wrong about the other.

There are many today who think they can go to heaven, and want to ignore the existence of hell. Yet, Jesus was speaking the truth. The only way to heaven is to accept Him, and that is the origin of hope. The next entrance ramp is important for us to remember, as well. There are two verses that we need to study. In verse 3 we read, "We ought always to thank God for you." In verse 11 we read, "With this in mind we constantly pray for you." Both of these verses remind us of the entrance ramp I call, the priority of prayer. This was a repeated theme from the apostle Paul. He often reminded people of their need to pray. He made prayer a priority in his life as well.

There was an old preacher who was reflecting to a friend one day. He shared that he had noticed through the years there was less power in his preaching than when he was a younger man. As his friend inquired as to why this was so, the preacher offered his evaluation of what had been taking place. When he was younger he had the prayer support of many of his friends. As he had grown older, many of his friends had died. Because they were dead, they weren't able to pray for him anymore. Not as much prayer support meant not as much power. He certainly gives us something to think about. We must always remember there is great power in prayer. Prayer is a privilege we need to take seriously. Hope is easier to find when you make communication with the Father a priority. Keep those things in mind and let's move into the passage and make some discoveries about hope in the midst of pressure.

This would be the interstate trip through the passage. (Most would probably call these the main points.) At this moment in history the church was facing the most brutal persecution ever. The pressure was on to bow to Caesar. If they refused, they ran the risk of being crucified and tortured.

I. Power under pressure produces hope

In verses 3-4 we read, "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring." As Paul writes this he points out some interesting things that are taking place. He reminds them that their faith is growing, their love is increasing, they are standing tough, and they are facing it together. If someone were to ask me if I wanted to be described as a person who was growing stronger in his faith and loving others more, I'd have to say, "Certainly." It is happening in the passage, but it is not happening in good times; it is happening in the pressure cooker.

Sometimes we make great discoveries about God when we weren't expecting to do so. When we are under pressure we are able to see the way God provides and cares for us, and that brings hope. God does some of His greatest work in the pressure cooker. Never forget, it takes broken soil to produce a crop. It takes broken clouds to give rain. It takes broken grain to give bread. It takes broken bread to give us strength. In the midst of turbulent times, we find a power that we never knew we could have. That power awakens within us awareness that we are not alone. That power brings with it hope!

II. The process of pressure produces hope

Verse 5 says, "All this is evidence that God's judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering." Other translations read some form of, "to make you worthy of the kingdom of God" (NRSV). That is a beautiful phrase. Usually we don't think about the fact that God is in the process of doing something in our lives, even when life is rough. Anything that is important in life is worth the effort, and the important things usually take a lot of effort. I refocus my attitudes when life is tough when I recognize that the Father is molding me into something more than I already am during the tough times.

I am reminded of the problems that fishermen had years ago trying to ship the codfish that were caught in the Northeast. If the fish were shipped frozen they arrived at the market, but they had lost much of their flavor. When the fish were shipped live, they arrived flavorless and would not sell because they were soft and mushy. Neither was acceptable for the fishermen to ship the fish across the country. After many possible solutions, finally one was tried that worked. They shipped the fish alive across the country, but put catfish in the bins where these live fish were stored. The reason: the catfish is the natural enemy of the codfish. During the entire journey the fish were swimming for their lives. The end result: they arrived fresh. The pressure made them better. I think it is good for us to remember that while life is rugged at times, there is something else that is going on. God is in the process of making us different, better, and more usable. It doesn't mean that the pressure goes away, but it does mean the pressure has a purpose. Hope lives when we begin to understand that.

III. Peace through pressure produces hope

Notice in verse 6 it reads, "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you." A few verses later in 11-12 we see, "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." When the pressure is on, we discover peace. It is that peace that reminds us that God is with us and He is in charge. He is very aware of all that is happening around us and that vengeance is His. We can relax at being mistreated when we remember that one day God will balance the books. From that perspective, the things that bother us become His problem, not ours. Once again, that doesn't do one thing to eliminate the crisis, but it does allow hope to bloom in the blizzard of blahs when the pressure is on. British novelist John Creasey published an incredible 564 books. While that is a library full of books, it should be noted that the first book was not published until he had received 774 rejection slips. John kept each and every one of them. As he continued to write, he'd occasionally glance at that stack and remember how much he believed in what he had written. Years later he'd say, "I always knew they were wrong." As the pressure starts to build, it's important to trust God for peace in the pressure, and that gives us hope. We will survive and we will cope with the pressure because we're not facing it alone. That makes all the difference!

IV. The promise after the pressure produces hope

This is good news for all who have a relationship to Jesus. In verse 10 we find these words: "on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you." I realize that hearing that there is hope to be discovered in the middle of pressure might not be exciting to some. Many would say, "I don't want to find hope. I just want the pressure to end!" That is what makes this point exciting. At some point, the pressure really does end. The great thing about being a believer, and one of the attractive things about Christianity for non-believers, is that there is a promise of a day when the pressure ends. On that day it is gone forever; we will never be faced with pressure again. Because Jesus has risen, there is hope. That is the best news we could ever get. That hope allows us to face life every day knowing that God is in control. That hope allows us the freedom to become all that God has called us to be. That hope restores meaning and purpose from the rubble of our shattered lives. We do not have to face problems, pain, or pressure alone! The One who created us, and loves us, will be with us through every situation.

Many years ago a man wanted to play in the Imperial Orchestra, but he couldn't play a note. His musical ability was non-existent. However, he was a person of great wealth and influence, so he demanded to join. His hope was that one day he would be able to play in front of the king himself. The conductor agreed, after much persuading, and let him sit in the second row of the orchestra. The man was given a flute to play. Although the man knew nothing about music, he would raise the flute, pucker his lips, and move his fingers, but he never made a sound. Some knew of this deception, but in the large sound of the entire orchestra the plan seemed to work.

This scam went on for two years. It was then that a new conductor came to direct the Imperial Orchestra. The new conductor told them that he would hold auditions to see how well each of the players could play. He warned that his standards were high, and if they could not meet his standards then they were going to be out. As you might imagine, this terrified the fake flute player. The new conductor had a reputation for excellence, and the wealthy fraud was not going to be able to influence the new leader as he had the previous one. The private audition was set. It was cancelled as the false flutist feigned sickness. The audition was rescheduled and the same sickness saved him again. Finally, after faking sick twice, the man had to face the music, and he did not know what to do. He was immediately removed from the Imperial Orchestra. That story is where we get the expression "face the music" today.

Conclusion

Often in our lives, we find ourselves in situations where we do not know what to do. The circumstances of life have swirled out of control and the pressure is overwhelming. But the promise of God is that in that moment, He does what needs to be done. He will not leave us alone; He will not forget we need Him. The Father stands with us, and we never face the music alone. That security brings us hope. That hope is a precious gift, given to us because Jesus lives.

Jeff Dixon is pastor of Covenant Community Church, Lake Mary, Florida.