APPROVED AND ENTRUSTED GODLY MESSENGERS

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-6

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

“It’s all about the Benjamins.”

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase before, one that suggests that everything in life is really about money with the “Benjamins” referring to $100 bills where you will find the picture of Benjamin Franklin. It originated from a 1996 rap song by Puff Daddy and later ended up being the title for a movie in 2002.

Of course, before this catchphrase became prevalent we had this one:

“Follow the money.”

This saying came from the movie “All the President’s Men” in 1976 and implied that all corruption and evil can be exposed by tracing the flow of money.

What’s the point?

Well, unfortunately this idea of greed and cash flow has entered the Christian church, and it’s not just a present day phenomenon.

Go back to the Bible in the Old Testament and you will find kings doing evil in plain sight of the Lord, using the riches He provided for sinful purposes.

And then there was Judas Iscariot, the treasurer for Jesus and his disciples. Before he would decide to sell Jesus out for 30 silver coins, we learn this in John’s Gospel:

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. (12:4-6).

Finally, we come to a couple, Ananias and Sapphira, who decided to lie about funds they held back for themselves instead of giving to the Lord. We read about them in the fifth chapter of Acts:

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (Vv. 1-10)

Countless kings of Israel and Judah, Judas Iscariot, and the couple, Ananias and Sapphira. All biblical examples of people who were “all about the Benjamins” and committed sins that could be found by following the money.

Today, there are many churches who are also more concerned about what they bring in financially than what they provide spiritually. Many pastors only preach what their congregants want to hear, sermons that will make them feel good before being convicted. Ungrounded promises of wealth and health are transmitted with regularity. And the ways of the world, sinful as they are, are not only integrated into the church but accepted.

Indeed, in many churches today, pastoral and doctrinal integrity needs to come back to the forefront and this is only going to happen when the Lord and the authority of His inerrant word is uncompromisingly preached and taught in all completeness.

In other words, we need to ensure our Gospel and Bible messengers are genuinely approved and entrusted by God to do the work they are doing.

As we look at our passage for today from our continued study of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 2, we find the Apostle Paul speaking to the subject of authenticity within in ministry work as he writes to the believers in Thessalonica. Look again at his words here:

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority (Vv. 3-6).

Here, we find Paul verifying the Gospel credibility that he and his fellow missionaries carried.

First, he and the others came with motives that were true and pure. They didn’t go to Thessalonica or anywhere else with the plan to trick people. Rather, their only goal was to make sure that everyone knew about God’s plan of salvation for all people, whether Jew or Gentile, through belief in His Son Jesus.

That was it.

They weren’t interested in getting rich but rather helping others gain the riches of eternity and they did so as people “approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel”.

Second, their ministry work wasn’t carried out to “pleased people”. Paul and the others didn’t water down their messages so their listeners would feel good about where they were as they lived in sin. They didn’t patronize others and use false flattery to get what they wanted. Rather, they held themselves as accountable to the God who appointed and anointed them to carry out His will and way, knowing that He would test their hearts.

Finally, Paul and his fellow missionaries didn’t cover up greed. Arguably the greatest evangelist after Jesus ascended to Heaven, Paul wasn’t wealthy by any means. Like many missionaries today who are willing to leave their comfort zone to bring the Gospel to the unreached, Paul and the other missionaries relied on donations from the Christian churches to have enough to just get by.   

Ultimately, with God as their witness, Paul and the others with him were only interested in pleasing God, the One who appointed and entrusted them with the Gospel. As we work to carry out the Great Commission every day, let us follow their lead and not only serve with integrity but demand it from others, especially our church pastors and leaders.

Amen.  

In Christ,

Mark

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