4 H's of Thessalonica

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon is entitled 4 H’s, and my focus is our Epistle (1^st Thessalonians 4:1-12). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Many of you have tasted the vegetables I have brought here throughout the summer and fall: tomatoes, peppers, zucchinis, beans, radishes and so on. I have spoken about how my mother influenced my desire to plant and grow vegetables so that we could nourish ourselves, share them with others, and preserve some for the future. What I did not share with you is that as boys, we were very active in the Beaver County 4-H program.

I don’t think that the 4-H program is as popular as it was when I was involved in it, but I did see some displays at the Hookstown Grange Fair which indicated that some clubs still exist. As I read today’s Epistle, I was reminded of the 4‑H Pledge: I pledge my head to clearer thinking, My heart to greater loyalty, My hands to larger service, and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

Paul uses several H words in chapter four that will be the basis of my sermon: holiness, honor, hands, end even though it is not explicitly said, Paul implies that quiet lives are lived at home. Holiness, honor, hands and home.

First, holiness. Over the last 200 years, the word holy, the root of the word holiness has been used as an intensifying word. Some expletives include holy smoke, holy mackerel, holy cow and holy moly. Holy League has been applied to various European alliances; the Holy Alliance was that formed by the sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and Prussia in 1815, ended in 1830.

Our English word, holy, has been adopted through the Germanic languages, from the Latin word, sanctus. Holy is stronger and more absolute than any word of similar meaning. That which is sacred may derive its sanction from man; but that which is holy has its sanctity directly from God. We speak of the Holy Bible, but the sacred writings of the Hindus. He who is holy is absolutely or essentially free from sin, and the opposite of holy is sinful or wicked.

When Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica, he reminded them that they had already been instructed by himself (by God), and that he simply wanted them to keep walking in the same direction. Paul saw these Christians as his brothers and sisters, and his approach was not heavy-handed for the phrase “in the Lord Jesus” carried enough authority in itself.

Covering material that the Thessalonians already knew, Paul commended them for how they were now living. Remember, these were people who not long before this were devoted to idols and pagan religions. They believed and lived as pagans among pagans. As relatively new Christians, they had already suffered a good deal for their faith but remained steadfast. Paul’s encouragement stressed how necessary it was for all Christians to remain steadfast.

When he uses the word sanctification (v 3), Paul was telling them that God’s will is for all Christians to be holy. God wills holiness for all Christians, indeed, for all people. Being holy comes through the process of being made holy by God.

What Paul specifically addresses here is that Christians must avoid sexual immorality or sexual sin. The Greek word for this is porneia, which relates to prostitution or incest, something pagans in Thessalonica practiced. Paul broadened the use of the word to cover all sexual activity outside marriage. Because such activity was commonly accepted and even embraced in the Greco-Roman world, this meant that the Gentile Christians who set themselves apart from their former ways and now abstained from this behavior would be seen by their former pagan associates as strange because they identified as Christians. In that culture, one did not choose to identify oneself. Pagan culture dictated who you are and what you do.

Now, because Christians in Thessalonica were originally pagans and not Jews or even God-fearers, such as the Roman Centurion who requested Jesus heal his servant, they would not have been exposed to rabbinic teaching as was Paul. Devout Jews, including Paul, believed that Gentiles often fell prey to lust, and his concern was that lust would guide a person’s decision about a mate and one’s relationship with that mate. And so, Paul reached back into his bag of knowledge to pull out some advice from the Hebrew Scriptures. In this case, Wisdom (14:12-27), which directly addressed the wanton ways of pagan worship and pagan marriage. While Paul went into greater depth about Christian marriage elsewhere (1 Cor 7:1-4; Eph 5:21-33), here he stated that Christian marriage involved concrete holiness and honor of oneself, one’s spouse and God. For Paul, holiness in Christian marriage was not some abstract ideal, but the real deal for every Christian and every person, which involved a constant openness of God’s love being poured forth into your heart for the good of your relationship with God and spouse. For Paul, holiness and honor go together. Both are about your relationship with God and neighbor. And that brings me to my second point, honor.

Honor. How’s your reputation? Do people respect you? Do you wear a badge? Are you pure as the driven snow? Does your dinner host insist you order first or do your golf partners ask you to tee off first? If life were a bridge game, are you the King or Queen? We use honor in different ways, and apply it in different settings. I made the Honor Roll. In honor of. Would you do me the honor of. Yes, your Honor. Full military honors. It is an honor to meet you. We honor our mothers and fathers. We sing All Glory, Laud and Honor to our Redeemer King.

In this setting, Paul reminded Christians in Thessalonica to think of others before they acted. Think about your spouse before you give into base, sinful activity. Honor your spouse, your family, your Lord and Savior. Would your Christian spouse want to see you do what you are tempted to do? Would your Lord and Savior bless your immoral activity? Would your fellow believers encourage you to corrupt yourself? Of course, the answer is always NO.

Paul reminded Christians living among pagans to control their passions and their bodies. He reminded them that their motto was not “my body, my choice.” To emphasize that elsewhere, he wrote to the Corinthians, “For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.” (1 Cor 7:4)

Today, how would Paul remind Christians living among pagans about honor where abortion, sexual orientation without a compass and pornography among teenagers and young men is the norm? How would he remind us about honor? Paul would advise: Think of one another. Think of Jesus Christ. Paul’s mouth and pen were always instructing people to turn to Christ. His finger always pointed to the Cross.

Martin Luther always reminded people that we Christians are unable to save ourselves. Jesus Christ is the only one who can save you, who can bring honor to you and your family. Hang your clothes in the closet and your reputation on the Cross.

Before moving onto my third point, let me return to that 4-H Pledge. I pledge my hands to larger service. Hands. It’s generally known that the word hand comes to us from the Latin word manus. Hence, we speak of manual laborers as people who work with their hands: landscapers, foresters, dockworkers, machinists, millwrights and so on. I gained a great deal of appreciation for manual laborers when I saw our house being built. Young Amish men walking on 2x4s 20-30’ in the air fastening rafters. Cement finishers, plasterers, plumbers and countertop installers working not only with their hands but with their minds and the latest technology. And at my age, it is good to have mature teenage boys to help pull logs, plant shrubs, and lay mulch.

In the seminary, I learned that the Nigerian students studying theology also learned how to work with their hands. Geoffrey was one who measured and sewed curtains for my mother’s living room. St. Paul was cut from the same cloth. Commonly known for his tent-making skills, Paul supported himself in this way as he preached the Gospel in the marketplace or town square.

Why did Paul emphasize to the Christians in Thessalonica to live quietly, mind their own affairs, and to work with their hands? Paul was telling them how to relate to outsiders. These Christians were still living amidst a larger pagan community; and as he often advised Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ, here he advised them to imitate his style of financial support.

Paul did this because in that culture, to aspire meant the opposite of living quietly. The ancient philosopher, Plutarch, advised that those who cared about their reputations should display aspirations and pursue honor and distinction among their peers. They should not lead a quiet life, but actively seek to get their names inscribed in the city’s stone walls. They should seek many followers on ancient social media platforms.

Paul and the ancient Greek philosophers dramatically disagreed on what amounted to honorable and decorous behavior. Christians were to strive within the community in order to build it up. Paul did not mean for Christians to be retiring or to seek alliances with rich patrons who would care for their needs. He discouraged Christians to entangle themselves in such alliances with patrons or to be busybodies (2 Thes 3:11). Working with your hands was a Jewish and not a Greek idiom. The work ethic was a fulfillment of a divine mandate going back to Genesis (3:17-19). Paul’s work as a tentmaker was part outreach and part income building especially when people attending sporting games would need tents and such. This does not mean that Paul believed in self-sufficiency, but in dependence on God and mutual love and larger service among Christians. The other thing to remember is that Christians were persecuted, and keeping a low profile meant it may go better for them.

My final H: Home. After hearing this sermon, you will eventually go home. While you are home this week, I want you to think about, pray about, and talk about our work. My work as pastor is to lead worship, preach, teach, visit the sick, bring comfort to the dying and consolation to the family. I even employ Travis and especially Maggie in my work. As a husband, grandfather, neighbor, and friend, my work always involves the love of Christ.

What is your work as an individual Christian? Are you a Laborer for Christ? What is our work as a congregation? If I am on Church Council, am I working to stabilize our finances for the future? Will we be prepared to call a new pastor? If I am an Elder, do I reach out to people who are present and absent? When is the last time I invited anyone to worship with us? If I am on the Altar Guild, is my love for Christ evident in how I prepare the church for worship?

Friends, as Christ’s holy people, let us live honorably with one another and before others, using our hands and homes to work with the Holy Spirit who guides us in building God’s Kingdom in our Church, our homes and elsewhere, and when we do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.