Watchman Radio Hour

David Schultz: Welcome to the Watchman Radio Hour. Coming to you from Portland, Oregon here in the beautiful Northwest. This is David Schultz, your announcer. The Watchman Radio Hour is a production of Watchman Radio Ministries International, an evangelistic ministry reaching out to the peoples of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And now, here's our speaker, Alex Dodson, to bring you this week's message from God's Word.

Alex Dodson: For our scripture reading today, let us turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter two, and we'll begin reading in verse seven. Let us hear the Word of God. "As apostles of Christ, we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us."

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the Bible that you've given to us. We thank you that it's your infallible word and that we can put our full confidence in everything that it says. And now, Father, as we come to study your Word, we pray that you will send the Holy Spirit in great convicting power. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.

The apostolic ministry was a ministry of gentleness toward sinners. The apostles came to seek out lost sheep with compassion and heartfelt concern for them. The modern gospel of give to get is a direct contradiction of the gentleness and compassion of the apostles toward those they came to reach.

The modern health and wealth gospel teaches its heroes to give so that they can get. It also enriches the messenger as he ends up receiving what is here as give. Not so the apostles. This was not their concern at all. They came with compassion and humbled themselves that they might win the lost to Christ.

Today, men lord it over the souls of others for their own personal gain and satisfaction. Their message of give to get helps few but lines their own pockets while they empty the pockets of others, all in the name of Christ. The sooner we abandon the health and wealth gospel, the better. We need to get back to the gentleness of the apostles and the gentleness of Christ as we confront the world with the gospel.

Our text is 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse seven, which again says, "As apostles of Christ, we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children." The apostles showed the gentleness of Christ in ministry. While the health and wealth preachers of today lord it over their flocks with prosperity messages and pressure to give to get, the apostles put on the role of servants and reached out to the people with love and compassion. We need the compassion of Christ and the love of Christ for people.

Now, let us see in the first place that they did not use their authority to burden the people. "As apostles of Christ, we could have been a burden to you." They did not use their apostleship to lord it over them. They were servant leaders.

John Calvin writes, "Paul says that he was so far removed from empty show, boasting, or arrogance, that he waived even his just rights as far as his claim to authority was concerned. Since he was an apostle of Christ, he deserved to be received with a greater degree of respect. But he had held back from any show of dignity as though he had been some undistinguished minister. From this, it is seen how far he was from arrogance."

Calvin goes on to write, "In the meantime, we must remember that those who want to be counted true pastors must entertain the same feelings as Paul. To have a higher regard for the well-being of the church than for their own life. They are to do their duty with no regard to their own advantage, but with a sincere love for those to whom they know that they are bound and connected."

Leon Morris writes, "The meaning of it will then be that the apostles became as simple as possible. As simple as babes as they preached. It's a strong expression for the extreme lengths to which they went to meet the needs of the hero." He goes on to write, "Paul speaks of being in the midst of you, and not simply among you. There may be no significance in this, but the expression used would more naturally indicate the taking of a place of equality than would the other. It's of interest that the Lord Jesus used the same expression in Luke 22:27 when he said, 'I am in the midst of you as he that serveth.' There, also, the thought is of a condescension to the level of others."

Morris goes on to write, "When the preachers had been among the Thessalonians, far from trying to make any gain of them, they had done all that they could do for them. Rather than coming among people to teach them to give to get in order to line their own pockets, preachers should come in the midst of their people to serve them as the Lord Jesus did."

Today, we need servant leaders. A servant leader comes among the flock to serve. He doesn't lord it over them for his own gain or personal satisfaction. A shepherd watches out for his flock and takes care of them. He does nothing to hurt them or mislead them. Today, we have false shepherds who, in the name of Christ, hurt their flocks with false and deceptive teaching. This whole health and wealth gospel movement will weaken the church and is deceiving Christians every day. Servant leaders strengthen the church and do not deceive their flocks.

Now, let us see in the second place that the apostles were gentle to the ones they were seeking to reach. Verse seven again says, "As apostles of Christ, we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you." We were gentle among you like a mother caring for her little children. They came with a heartfelt love and concern for people. They were like a nursing mother who takes care of her own children.

John Calvin writes, "As when a nurse, in this metaphor, he expresses two points which he had touched upon, that he has sought neither glory nor gain among the Thessalonians. A mother in nursing her child makes no show of authority and does not stand on any dignity. This, says Paul, was his attitude since he willingly refrained from claiming the honor that was due to him and undertook any kind of duty without being ruffled or making any show. In the second place, a mother in rearing her children reveals a wonderful and extraordinary love, because she spares no trouble or effort, avoids no care, is not wearied by their coming and going, and gladly even gives her own life-blood to be drained. In the same way, Paul declares that his feelings toward the Thessalonians were such that he was prepared to lay his own life down for their good. This was certainly not the mark of a shabby or ungenerous man, but of one who entertained an impartial affection. He expresses this in the phrase, 'because you were become very dear to us.'"

William Hendriksen writes, "The Thessalonians had discovered that these missionaries were affable, easy to speak to. They were mild, kind in their dealings. Paul's own commentary on this word 'gentle' is found in verses 8, 9, and 11, as well as in the remainder of verse 7: 'as when a nurse cherishes her own children.' The sense, in all probability, is not 'as when a nurse takes care of the children of her mistress,' namely, the children that had been entrusted to the care of this nurse by some mistress, but 'as when a mother nurse warms, fondles, cherishes the children that are her very own because she gave birth to them.' This interpretation is in line with the more usual sense of the original 'for her own,' with Paul's language elsewhere, and with the immediate context. The missionaries, far from trying to promote their own interest, and become both father and mother to the Thessalonians, their love had reached a glorious climax of tenderheartedness, as is clear from the words which follow."

Leon Morris says, "The meaning would seem to be, with Origen and Augustine, like a nurse among her children talking in baby language, and so would indicate the tender way the preachers adapted themselves to their hearers. They took up no attitude of superiority." And then he says, "The word 'cherisheth' is the translation of thalpe. The Greek verb meaning basically 'to warm.' It is used of the mother bird and so comes to have the secondary meaning 'to cherish,' to care for tenderly. The probable meaning of her children is that the nurse is also the mother, and thus would give them very special care." The apostles truly cared for the Thessalonians as if they were their own children. They came to seek their best and highest good. They came to give them the gospel, which they knew was good for them, and they did it with the gentleness and love of Christ.

Now, we need ministers who love sinners. We need today ministers and evangelists who love sinners, not their own pockets. We need true servants who will give their lives to win the lost to Christ. In the last of the 19th century, many missionaries in China laid down their lives for Christ during the Boxer Rebellion. They had come to China as servants to the Chinese people to reach them for Christ. They went to China not knowing if they would return to their homelands, and many didn't. They laid down their lives for the Chinese that they might know Christ. These are the kind of servant leaders we need today in the church.

The health and wealth preachers deceive those they seek to reach with a false gospel. This was not the gospel of the apostles. They presented the cross, and they took up the cross as they carried the gospel to the lost. Today's modern health and wealth preachers know nothing of the cross. Such preaching produces a weak church that knows not the cross.

In Mark 8:34 and 35, it says, "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, 'If anyone would come after me, must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.'" The health and wealth preachers know not this verse. Where is their cross? Where is their self-denial for the sake of the gospel? They deceive themselves and their hearers with a crossless gospel.

Today, we need preachers who will lay down their lives for Christ and call their heroes to the way of the cross, not some health and wealth way which denies the cross. The sooner the health and wealth preachers shut their mouths, the better off will be the church. We need preachers of the cross. In 1 Corinthians 2:2, Paul says, "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." In 1 Corinthians 1:17, it says, "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel. Not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." The power of the health and wealth preachers is not the cross. It's a false power and is deceiving and weakening the church today. We need ministers who love the cross and love sinners.

Now, let us see in the third place that the gospel reveals the gentleness of Christ toward sinners. Again, our text says, "As apostles of Christ, we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children." Jesus had compassion on the lost. He was gentle toward them.

In Matthew 11:28 through 30, it says, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." In Mark 6:34, it says, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And so he began teaching them many things."

In Matthew 9:35 through 38, it says, "Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" Jesus had compassion on the lost. He sought them out and brought the gospel to them. He saw their need and longed for more workers to help reach them. Jesus was in the business of seeking out and finding lost sheep and bringing them into the fold.

In Isaiah 40:11, it says, "He tends his flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart. He gently leads those that have young." We need to reach out in compassion to sinners.

Matthew Henry writes, "He mentions the gentleness of their behavior. We were gentle among you. He showed great mildness and tenderness, who might have acted with the authority of an apostle of Christ. Such a behavior greatly recommends religion and is most agreeable to God's gracious dealing with sinners. He, in and by the gospel, showed the kindness and care of a nurse that cherishes her children. This is the way to win people rather than to rule with rigor. The word of God is indeed powerful and, as it comes often with awful authority upon the minds of men, as it always has enough in it to convince every impartial judgment, so it comes with the more pleasing power when the ministers of the gospel recommend themselves to the affections of the people. The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men and patient."

J. Herbert Kane, in his book *Understanding Christian Missions*, wrote, "Missionaries have always been apostles of love. Count Zinzendorf, the greatest missionary statesman of the 18th century, said, 'I have one passion. It is he and he alone.' Hudson Taylor, who gave 50 years to the service of Christ in China, said, 'If I had a thousand lives, I'd give them all to China.' Alexander Mackay, writing to the Church Missionary Society, said, 'My heart burns for the deliverance of Africa.' Melville Cox died after being in Liberia only four months. His last words were, 'Let a thousand fall before Africa be given up.' Henry Martyn, on his arrival in India, said, 'Now let me burn out for God.' All these men were like Paul, constrained by the love of Christ. And they literally burned themselves out for God and man."

Of the Cambridge Seven, Jim Cromarty wrote, "Each man willingly sacrificed wealth, fame, and life of ease to serve the Lord Jesus in China. They were all young and athletic and had fame and fortune, but they gave it all up to serve the people of China and bring them the gospel message. They denied themselves and took up the cross. They lost their lives for the sake of the gospel, but found their lives through the cross and gave life to many others in China and other places."

Today's health and wealth preachers call us to a different gospel, and they call us away from the cross. They call us to shun the cross. They know nothing of the cross, yet to bear the cross is what we are called to do. We all have different kinds of crosses to bear. Jesus has led the way, and we must take up our crosses and follow him. The sooner we are rid of the health and wealth gospel and recover the gospel of the cross, the better off will the church be. Jesus calls us to reach out in compassion to lost sinners and to bring them into the fold. We must seek them out and gently bring them in.

John Piper wrote, "God's plan is that his saving purpose for the nations will triumph through the suffering of his people, especially his frontline forces who break through the darkness of Satan's blinding hold on an unreached people. That is what the lives of William Tyndale, John Paton, and Adoniram Judson illustrate so dramatically."

John R.W. Stott wrote, "The place of suffering in service and a passion in mission is hardly ever taught today. But the greatest single secret of evangelistic or missionary effectiveness is the willingness to suffer and die. It may be a death to popularity by the use of modest methods in reliance on the Holy Spirit, or to racial and national prejudice by identification with another culture, or to material comfort by adopting a simpler lifestyle. But the servant must suffer if he is to bring light to the nations, and the seed must die if it is to multiply."

Josef Tson wrote, "Suffering for Christ is not only the suffering of persecution. It begins when one leaves close relatives for the service of Christ. For some, it means selling their possessions and giving them to the poor, which often means giving them for the propagation of the gospel. For others, suffering for Christ may mean agonizing in prayer for the cause of Christ or agonizing in toiling for the building up of the body of Christ and the perfecting of the saints. Again, to clarify this concept, suffering for Christ is not a self-inflicted suffering. The disciple of Christ seeks to do the will of Christ and to promote the cause of Christ. However, suffering for Christ does mean that the disciple will voluntarily involve himself in suffering and in sacrificial living for Christ and his gospel."

John Piper said, "More and more, I am persuaded from scripture and from the history of missions that God's design for the evangelization of the world and the consummation of his purposes includes the suffering of his ministers and missionaries. To put it more plainly and specifically, God designs that the suffering of his ambassadors is one essential means in the triumphant spread of the good news among all the peoples of the world."

Today's health and wealth preachers would have us avoid suffering at all costs. They want us to run from the cross. What kind of gospel is that? Where did it come from? It's so contrary to the gospel of Jesus and the apostle. It must be another gospel indeed. Jesus calls us to take up the cross. Today, he calls us to take up the cross, to deny ourselves and to reach out to sinners with love and compassion and servant hood. We all need to know the gentleness and compassion of Christ and to show that to the peoples of the world that they may come to know Christ.

The church today needs servants who will take up the cross and march forward to the lost peoples of the world to bring them into the fold. The church does not need today's modern gospel of health and wealth, which weakens the church and deceives people. What we need today is the gospel of the cross. Men need to be called to come and take up the cross and follow Jesus.

But what about you? Have you taken up the cross to follow Jesus? The invitation goes out to you to come, deny yourself and take up the cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. This is no health and wealth invitation. It's an invitation to take up the cross. For Jesus said in Mark 8:34, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Our Father in heaven, we thank you for the cross. We thank you, Lord Jesus, that you came and laid down your life on the cross that we might live. And we know that when you call us by your gospel, that you call us to the way of the cross. And we know that we all, when we follow you, have to bear a cross. Different kinds of crosses. And oh Lord, we pray that you will help us to bear the cross. That you will help us to carry the gospel to the lost, that they may come to know Christ and follow him. And we ask these things in Christ's name. Amen.

David Schultz: We hope this week's broadcast has been a blessing to you. If you have any questions about Mr. Dodson's message, please write us. You may email us at info@watchmanradio.org. Our mailing address is Watchman Radio Ministries International, Post Office Box 13251, Portland, Oregon 97213. That's Watchman Radio Ministries International, Post Office Box 13251, Portland, Oregon 97213. You may listen to this broadcast at any time on the internet at www.oneplace.com. In the list of ministries, just select the Watchman Radio Hour. This week's program and previous programs are always available there for listening. Our web address is www.watchmanradio.org. That's W-A-T-C-H-M-E-N-radio.org. www.watchmanradio.org.