But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
I Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV
At times we all take something or someone for granted.
Not appreciating what has been given to us. Not understanding the precious, invaluable gift that has been passed on to us. To take responsibility for, The Gospel!
As our children started to grow and got to the age of leaving them by themselves we tested them.
We would have extensive rules and instructions left for them to follow.
Reminding them not to turn on the stove. Don’t play in the front. Don’t fight with each other. Don’t open the door for NO one, it doesn’t matter who they are. When we call you better answer.
If anything happens, run next door, because the neighbors will help if you need.
As they proved to not burn the house down, more trust is given. To the point I now trust my children with everything I have. So much so that when the Lord takes me home, what I have will be left to them.
There is so much given to us by the Father I don’t think we fully grasp.
The more given, the more expected. The more expected the higher the responsibility! Showing and proving that we can be responsible with what we have been given, then the more trust we gain!
The Lord does the exact same thing with us today.
He gives us one thing at a time, starting with Salvation.
Before anyone can make the decision to accept the free gift of Salvation by the Death AND Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we must first trust.
We first must have trust in Jesus. We have to trust that what He said is true. We have to trust that He did rise from the dead. That He ascended into heaven. And we have to trust that He will return for His Church.
Before we have faith, before we hope, we must first have trust.
As we learn about His faithfulness, truthfulness, and righteousness we grow in Him. We see the love and mercy He graciously gives, then we too start to show and live the same.
We as Followers of Jesus Christ have been entrusted with a gift. A gift that holds destinies of souls! A roadmap to course through this life. Explanation of good and evil. We have what the world seeks, the answers to the questions.
We have the history of all mankind and this world. We know it’s beginning and we know it’s end. But above all we know the One that has created it all from just His Precious, Holy Word!
We have been given the key that unlocks the locks of the hardest of hearts.
We have been approved by the Blood of the Lamb!
We have been entrusted by the Grace of Almighty God with The Gospel!
His Gospel.
Approved means to be validated through testing.
Testing in trials, tribulations, faith, grace, mercy. Testing in persecution.
All of these are Testing to see how well of a guardian you are of the Word of God!
A guardian to the Word of God in your own heart!
Holding it so dearly and closely like any rare treasure. Protecting it at all costs so that we can hand it down to the next thirsty soul!
We have the honor and the privilege to be heralds of the Gospel of Christ! The Lord has called us to be His messenger of the Good News that saves the condemned souls!
The Lord has given us the privilege to care for His Holy Word!
We must take a step back and see how much of a privilege it is to be the protector of God’s Word.
Not as pleasing men, but God.
Do you remember when your parents handed you the keys to the car?
Finally, what a privilege it was. The care you took. The trust that was given. The responsibility that was expected.
You put your seatbelt on. Checked the mirrors. Looked both ways. Kept your hands on the wheel. Went the speed limit. Even stayed in your own lane.
But when we get comfortable things change. We are not so careful any more.
We have treated the Gospel the same way. We don’t see it as a privilege. Some see it as a burden.
So instead of pleasing God by being a good stewards of what He has trusted us with, we take it for granted and don’t count it as precious anymore.
Let me ask you, how important is God’s Word really to you? And are you ready to die for it?
Imagine, you have a single page from a Bible. In order for you to go to Church you have to walk for miles. Constantly looking over your shoulder, making sure no one is following you. Never taking the same route twice. You hold on tightly to that single page of God’s precious Word, that’s all you have. You have memorized every word on that tattered page. You finally get to an old abandoned building that seems like no life has been in it for years. You knock on the door to be let in. Someone looks at you through a peephole. You hold up your page of God’s Holy word, it’s you pass through the door. You walk in, only to be taken up a stairway. Another door, another peephole. Finally united with your Brothers and Sisters in Christ. You’re in a small room, only a single light bulb hangs from the ceiling, it’s the only light in the room. Standing shoulder to shoulder. Service starts. Prayer, worship then a reading from the single sheet you have. In hiding , in seclusion . Not knowing if you will be found. But, knowing in the back of your mind any one of us, or maybe ALL of us may lose our life on the spot. Is it worth it?
Are you protecting the Word of God like this?
Think about this today.
Search your heart.
Are you taking the trust of God and His Holy Word to be a good and faithful steward of what has been handed down to you?
Pastor Ed
