David Bahn – Reflections

“O Tommy! Don’t I have just the most beautiful eyes you’ve ever seen?”

“Yep,” replies Tommy to his sweetheart Mary.

“And don’t I have the most luscious lips you’ve ever kissed?”

“Yep,” he replies.

“And don’t I have just the most perfect figure you’ve ever hugged?”

Yep,” he says again.

“O Tommy! You just have such a way with words!” [Rim shot!]

Silly joke, but an important truth. We may not need to hear that we are loved, but words of appreciation and love are one of the 5 love languages. And we need to know that we are loved.

Paul plays a little trick on the Thessalonians here. You don’t need us or anyone else to talk to you about brotherly love, he says. But in saying that he is reminding them of the importance of brotherly love. But he is also encouraging them through these words because they are practicing brotherly love throughout Macedonia.

Their love was not confined to their local church or community only. That love was expressed in providing shelter and support and shelter for traveling missionaries or persecuted believers. It was shown also as they shared their financial resources with poorer churches (cf. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5). They also sent messages and messengers of faith and encouragement so that their faith active in love was a model for others (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

Paul’s praise reflects their active, outward-focused love, extending beyond their local church to the broader Christian fellowship in Macedonia, fulfilling Jesus’ command to love one another (John 13:34–35). And even though they are praised here, Paul urges them to do this more and more.

This should serve as an example for us all. Jesus commands his followers to love one another. This is a command for all believers, and we have here a reminder that this is a lifelong calling. Even as Jesus’ love for us is being constantly renewed by others who reflect his love to us, so we too should seek continually to grow in our love for one another.

When I think of people who refresh my spirit, I think of Don, president of a small congregation in South Texas. He was always so encouraging, forward thinking, and fully devoted to bringing people to Jesus. I think of Lloyd, who served as president of the congregation I was serving long ago. He was always so encouraging, supportive, and gracious to listen. I think of Jim, good friend and dedicated follower of Jesus, generous with his resources and engaging in his friendship. These men – and others – were sons of encouragement to me. I thank God for them, and others not named.

Paul had his sons of encouragement, not the least of whom would be Timothy. Barnabas was the first to encourage him, even introducing Saul to the Apostles after his conversion (Acts 9:27). But Paul writes a letter to “Timothy my true son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2). As Paul writes to the Thessalonians here, he expresses his appreciation for Timothy’s visit, and the encouragement he brought. Timothy had brought  the good news of the Thessalonians’ faith and love and reported that they always remembered him and his missionary companions kindly and long to see them. 

The source of true refreshment and encouragement is the grace of God and the Holy Spirit’s work. When we are delighted to learn of others’ faith it is evidence that God is at work in them as well as in us. Who but a follower of Jesus would rejoice to learn of others’ who are following him? Who but one who believes in Jesus would rejoice to learn of others’ faith in him. Who but one who loves Jesus and neighbor would be thankful for a report of others’ love for God and neighbor?

Paul desires to see these people face to face. For it is in those skin to skin, eye to eye, heart to heart encounters that our souls are most fully refreshed.

I’m pretty certain Lloyd has died. So has Jim. But I look forward to being with them and all those who believe and who have served to refresh my spirit. One Day we who believe in Jesus will be eternally refreshed in spirit. We will rejoice together at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Years ago my beloved preaching professor, the now-sainted Gerhard Aho, provided a lenten sermon series resource titled, “Do Not Be Afraid.” As I studied that resource and the texts associated with that term, I realized how often this phrase appears in the Bible. Some examples:

“After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’”Genesis 15:1 (ESV)

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’” Luke 1:13 (ESV)

“And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.’” Luke 1:30 (ESV)

“And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” Luke 2:10 (ESV)

“But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’” Matthew 14:27 (ESV)

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)

True, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Jesus warns us not to fear the one who can destroy the body, but to fear him who can destroy the body and soul in hell.

God is gracious. His will is good. His love is steadfast. And his promise is sure, secured by Jesus’ death and validated by Jesus’ resurrection. We rightly fear, love, and trust in him alone.

Sometimes the various readings in this 49 Week Bible Challenge don’t connect with each other in any obvious manner. But today they certainly do. The Epicurean and Stoic philosophers call Paul a “babbler,” that is one who simply talks to hear himself talk. Many words. Little substance.

As I listened today, I see other places in these readings that relate to the idea of babbling.

“But King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and saw the altar that was at Damascus. And King Ahaz sent to Uriah the priest a model of the altar…” (2 Kings 16:10)

Ahaz imitates pagan worship practices, replacing God’s altar with a copy of a foreign one. His actions are like religious babbling — empty imitations of real worship.

“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips?’” (Psalm 50:16)

God rebukes those who say the right words but do not live by them. Their religious talk is just noise — babble without obedience.

“For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” (Psalm 96:5)

The babble of the nations — their endless praises to false gods — is contrasted with the truth of God’s glorious majesty.

“Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall… Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together.” (Daniel 5:5–6)

Belshazzar’s feast is full of boastful talk — the ultimate “babble” of pride. God interrupts the noise with His own unmistakable Word of judgment.

The world around us thinks of God talk as babble – senseless and mindless words about nothing. But we see and hear with the eyes and ears of faith. We look beyond the world’s glitz and listen to the truth of God –  the maker of heaven and earth. We also believe in Jesus Christ who died for the sins of babblers everywhere, and rose from the dead and believe that one day every mouth will be silenced, and the whole world will be held accountable to God (cf Romans 3:19).

In every age, the world is full of noise — religious chatter, political slogans, self-assured words. But God’s Word cuts through the babble with truth, grace, and power. What the world calls foolishness or babbling is, in fact, the wisdom of God revealed in Christ.”

I may not have been gentle—but at the time, I didn’t think it mattered.

A woman had purchased two concrete planters and set them at the entrance to the new building addition at the church I was serving. Each held a beautiful shrub. Then one morning, I arrived to find that the planters were gone—and the shrubs lay on the ground beside the doors. Someone had stolen them!

We replaced those planters, but before doing so I printed this verse on the replacements:

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” – Galatians 6:7

I was angry. My “warning label” was anything but gentle. But no one ever read it—and the new planters remained unmoved.

A friend of mine believes pride is the root of all sin. We’ve talked about this more than once. I’m not entirely convinced he’s right—but I’m not sure he’s wrong either. What I am convinced of is this: humility is absolutely essential to healthy relationships within the body of Christ.

Humility is also essential to faith itself. We must humble ourselves before God to repent of our sins and trust in his grace. It is the defining mark of Jesus’ own character—“who humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

So when I need correction, I must be humble enough to receive it. And when I’m called to help restore someone else, I must do so with gentleness and humility – one sinner guiding another back to the cross, where both stand on level ground.

The fruit of the Spirit adorns such confrontations and exhortations beautifully. Humility sparkles like the diamond it is when the light of love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, and goodness all shine on it. Gentleness and humility are not only essential to Christian relationships, they reflect the grace of Christ, who restores us gently, forgives freely, and sows mercy in hearts that once were proud.

There have been times when sorely-tempted, people have given in and fallen into sin. There have been times when faced with the opportunity to do a great work of faith and faithfulness people have risen to the challenge and done extraordinary things.

But we who have been called by the Holy Spirit of God also know that we do not go all the way down the vortex of temptation and sin. We haul ourselves back before completely giving in to the point of death. The Holy Spirit prevents us from completely abandoning the faith – sinners though we are. And we also know what it is to propose some great act of sacrificial love, but to fail to give in fully to the point of death.

If we are free in Christ why is a life of faithfulness so difficult? Paul speaks of this here when he says, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:17). We do not do what we want to do on either side. We don’t give in fully to temptation. Nor do we perfectly follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. 

There is a war going on. We are saint and sinner. And the struggle will continue until life’s end. But even as we struggle, we do not despair. We rely on the Holy Spirit’s power to fight temptation, and to restore us in repentance and faith when we stumble. And we pray that the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control would ever more control our hearts, minds, and hands. 

I can still recall the feeling of relief. The sweat chloride test resuIt was negative. As in good. As in no cystic fibrosis. It was as if a weight was lifted from my shoulders. There were so many positive implications to that news. No daily clapping to loosen phlegm. No expensive medications to administer. No phone calls to sisters with the grave news that since both of us were carriers of the dread disease, it was likely they were too. Just relief. I still sigh as I recall that day.

It’s one thing to say it’s not too late; that as long as there’s life, there’s hope. It’s quite another to see a complete reversal of fortune. The blind man seeing. Healed. The lost one found. The last one is first. The loser  becomes the winner.

This is the message of Isaiah 54. It is a reference to Sarah, who had been barren for many many years, who bore a son. And not just any son: the son of the promise. Through this child the seed of Abraham would be continued. And the promise to Abraham, “In you all the nations of the world will be blessed,” would continue to unfold.

So what do we do in the face of such good news? We praise God. We rejoice in his faithful work in and through us. But not only so. We expand the realm of our dwelling. We enlarge our influence and our testimony to God’s faithfulness, grace, goodness, and love.

This is the good news of God. This is the LORD’s doing. This is God’s redemption. His doing. For all this it is our duty to thank, praise, serve and obey him. Because of his redemption we may live under Christ in his kingdom and serve him eternally. This is not only for us, it is for all whom the Lord will call to himself. We enlarge God’s reign and rule of grace and faith because he has had compassion on us with  his everlasting love.