Proclaiming the Good News!

Doing Your Exercises?

1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, 3 so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what we are destined for. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been in vain. 6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us– just as we long to see you. 7 For this reason, brothers and sisters, during all our distress and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For we now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Is exercise a waste of time? Concordia Plans does not think so. It encourages church workers to be active physically at least thirty minutes a day, three times a week, with a financial reward both to the congregation and the church workers. The same is true of a regular regimen of fruits and vegetables. I was irritated that they were trying to motivate me this way, but it helped me to get into a pattern, one where I “earned” the maximum number of points and dollars and did something healthy in the process.

Paul talks about spiritual exercise. He had started the Thessalonian congregation and could stay there for only a short time. He sends Timothy to check on the mission when he cannot bear the silence. Timothy comes back and reports that Satan has not killed it off. The Lord has blessed the congregation(s) and Paul prays that will continue. But Paul then goes on to talk about growth in faith. May the Lord strengthen your hearts in holiness and love for one another. Christianity is not about self-growth but growth toward others.

If my healthy habits do not open doors to growth in faith and life, they are just selfish. Our church body wants us to be healthy to be strong also for mission. How do we grow stronger in our spiritual life? Worship is a time to hear the Good News, be fed with His body and blood, and carry each other on our hearts. Scripture reading and study with others, as well as devotionally on our own, is used by the Lord for the same purpose. But there is no financial reward. Why bother? To be honest, if the reward is only financial, it is a waste. But if it does enable me to be further involved in leading in faith and life, the blessings far outweigh a gift card.

Add something to your plan? Have a plan? Offer it up to the Lord for the joy of growth in ministry in the kingdom. It may be calling someone each week to see how they are doing, visiting someone once a month who can no longer come, planning to worship each week, joining in a Bible study. I hesitate to write these because it will look like rule making. But strengthening ourselves can and does flow out of the desire to serve the Lord in my new nature. May the Lord and our fellow members help us to grow in looking outward for service in this Lenten season. May that give us strength in our temptations. May it help fill in whatever is lacking in our maturity. We each can do something!

Pastor Tom Trapp, Mission Pastor
Walking the Emmaus Road with the Risen Lord!

(Originally published in Emmaus Footprints, Vol. XIV, Number 8, March 2013)