Today, we undertake to highlight the vital nature of responsibility as it relates to those who have just received Jesus as their Savior. What is our role when it comes to people who have just been born again? Isn’t it to make disciples? That’s what Jesus said. Take the raw elements of a new convert and help them on their journey of being molded into the image of God. That’s positive production. Picture a large manufacturing plant in your town or city that produces shoes. The management has invested great sums of money and many man-hours into the plant to produce the finest shoes possible. Money has been spent on salaries for the employees, machinery for shoemaking, and materials from which the shoes are to be made. The plant is now in operation with hundreds of workers scurrying to and fro. Machines are running full blast, and activity is at a maximum. One day the president asks the production manager, “How many shoes have we produced so far?” “None,” the manager answers. “None?” the president exclaims. “How long have we been in operation?” “Two years.” “Two years? And still no shoes?” “That’s right,” the manager says, “No shoes, but we are really busy. In fact, we have been so busy that we are all nearly tired out. We’ve been very active at our jobs.” The management would probably be very concerned, fire somebody, and try to find out what the problem was. If we now put a cross on top of that building and transform it into the church on the corner—your church, we find much activity going on. Men and women are working hard. The budget is higher this year than ever before. The objective, however, is to produce disciples. Is all that money and man-hours production in your church going into the production of disciples for Jesus Christ?¹ Producing disciples, that’s our job and that’s why we’re talking today on the subject of What’s Our Responsibility to Those Newly Come to Faith in God — all on this week’s Light on Life.

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Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

Making disciples is our mission. Look for every opportunity to build others up in their faith in Christ.

Join the Conversation

Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:

Question: Who helped establish you in God? Share your testimony in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of First Thessalonians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

1. #S10-022: Why the Second Coming of Jesus is the Expectation of All Believers [Podcast]
2. #S10-021: Why Modeling the Jesus Life Is Such a Powerful Witness [Podcast]
3. #S10-20: Why Turning from Idols Is A Super Exceptional Move of God [Podcast]
4. #S10-019: Why It’s Vital that Jesus Followers Pray for One Another [Podcast]
5. #S10-018:How to Start a Power-Packed Effective Church: Lessons from Thessaloniki [Podcast]
6. #S10-017: How the Breath of God Inspired the Writing of First Thessalonians [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 45 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 40 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

Our Responsibility to Newborns

• We’re in the book of 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 2:1–6 (ESV) — 1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed— God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

• So, as we saw in chapter one of First Thessalonians, Paul, Silas, and Timothy working by the direction of the Spirit came into the city preaching the Word with signs following.
• The result of that is many Gentiles who came to Jesus.
• Now that they’re in God, now that their insides have been changed, now that they are new creatures in Christ, Paul is writing this church.
• We’re talking about responsibility here.
• A responsible take on the gospel is not only to get people saved but to get them established in God.
• You must pass on what you know to fish disciples.
• And, with that thought, here is the Illustration of the Day.

After a distinguished performing career, virtuoso violinist Jascha Heifetz accepted an appointment as professor of music at UCLA. Asked what had prompted his change of career, Heifetz replied: “Violin playing is a perishable art. It must be passed on as a personal skill; otherwise it is lost.” We need to listen to this great musician. Living the Christian life is a highly personal experience. We can’t pull it off merely by watching skilled veterans “perform.” We need hands-on instruction.²

• When a person says ‘yes’ to the Lordship of Jesus, they are considered newborn babes in Christ.

1 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV) — 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

• Newborns are dependent on their parents for survival.
• You can’t just say to a newborn, “Go ahead and live for God.”
• Well, what does that mean?
• You can’t just say to a newborn, “Go ahead and feed yourself – you know, study the Word.
• They don’t know how.
• Children of God who obey the new commission have a responsibility to see after those whom they witnessed to.
• You either do this personally, or you get them connected to a local body of believers.
• If you leave them to themselves, they won’t grow right — they won’t develop.

I know of a traveling minister who visited a church for revival services. They had marvelous results. People were getting saved and set free. The visiting minister asked the pastor of that church about how they were doing follow up. The pastor said, ‘Ah, if they got anything, they will be back.’ The traveling minister immediately said, ‘I’m closing the meeting,’ and he left.

• The traveling minister was right.
• Newborns can’t look after themselves spiritually.
• They don’t know how.
• This pastor should have followed up and called or had these people called and gotten them integrated into the church where they could have a chance to grow and develop.
• And with that thought, here is the Quote of the Day.
• This quote is from D.L. Moody.
• D.L. said.

It is better to train ten people than to do the work of ten people. But it is harder.³

• Getting people raised up in God is harder than just putting them to work.
• We need to put things in people — good things, solid truths from the Word — not just put things on people.

Our Responsibility: Help Get People’s Minds Renewed

• It’s the renewal of the mind that’s the issue.

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) — 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

• You can see where the bridge is — or can I say it this way, where the balance tipping point is.
• What’s the difference between being conformed to the world and not being conformed to the world or what’s the difference between being like the world and being like Jesus?
• Being like Jesus is discipleship right?
• What’s the difference?
• The difference is the state of mind.
• How is the mind renewed? — by the Word of God.
• That means a new believer needs new words t think on — to mediate on.
• A person may be born again, they may be a new person in Christ, their heart may be changed — well not maybe, it is changed, — the problem is a few feet above — the head or the mind.
• The mind, the thoughts, feelings, opinions, and the thinking patterns of the world still live in the mind even though their insides are new.
• Learning how to yield to the Word and how to become familiar with the leading of the Holy Spirit in their spirit is prime real estate.
• Now, you don’t have to be a Bible scholar, or fivefold ministry teacher to help equip others in these areas.
• Everyone, who has walked with God for any length of time, knows things a new believer doesn’t know.
• Share what you know.
• Help encourage young believers with the encouragement you received when you came to Jesus.
• You know way more than you think you do.
• The problem is we forgot where we came from.
• You’ve made a lot of progress since you said yes to Jesus.
• Share that progress with others.

Our Responsibility to Newborns: An Example from Crete

• Listen to what Paul did after he finished ministering on the island of Crete.

Titus 1:5–9 (ESV) — 5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you — 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

• Paul writing to Titus says, ‘Look man, I left you in Crete to organize the results of the ministry there. People got saved, and people gave their hearts to Jesus. Now all of this needs to be organized.”
• Sheep need a shepherd is what Paul is saying.
• Babies need parents to raise them up in the nurture and the admonition of the Lord.
• Newly saved Jesus followers are like a blank painting — add some of your brush strokes to their canvas.
• Elders need to be appointed is what Paul said to Titus.
• What I want you to see is that Paul didn’t just blow in and blow out.
• The results of any work of the Spirit of God need to be looked after so that those results are not lost.
• You know they can be lost?
• All of this brings us to Paul and this letter.
• But, before we talk about what we have in chapter two, listen to a few verses along this line.
• To the Galatians, Paul wrote.

Galatians 4:11 (ESV) 11 — I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

• So you see, results can be lost.
• Here it is again.
• To the Philippians, Paul said something similar.

Philippians 2:14–16 (ESV) — 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

• Now we come to our letter – Paul writing to the Thessalonians said.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV) — 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

• Do you see it?
• Paul in this letter is checking up on the Thessalonians because he knows he has a responsibility to them.
• From these three verses we just read, you can discern that it is possible to labor, to work hard and yet have it all be in vain.
• Vain means it was all for nothing.
• All for nothing means you might as well have stayed home.
• Now, you don’t want your hard work for Jesus to go down the drain, do you?

1 Corinthians 3:10–13 (ESV) — 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

• You don’t want your work to go up in flames, to be burned up, do you?
• The Greek word ‘burned’ is the one we want to look at and with that thought here is the Definition of the Day.

The Greek word burned means to destroy by fire.

• It means to burn down.
• Now, fire normally rises up.
• If something burns down that means it’s totally demolished.
• We don’t want our witnessing labor to be demolished.
• I know I don’t.
• So, let’s see what we can glean about this by going through something here in chapter two.

Our Responsibility to Newborn’s: What Paul Did in Thessalonica

• We’ve already seen what Paul did in Crete.
• We saw how he voiced concern over the possibility of laboring in vain.
• In this second chapter, Paul defends himself against accusations coming from his opponents.
• He does this because he doesn’t want to lose any of the young believers to get caught up in the dissension.
• You know how people are.
• Some negative stuff gets reported about a person and people believe it.
• This happens with news shows all the time.
• If you tell a lie long enough, people will believe that lie a swear by it as the truth.
• So to protect the young sheep, Paul answers his accusers.
• You mean you don’t just ignore these accusations — you know, turn the other cheek?
• Not always.
• Paul could have cared less what people thought about him personally.
• Before God, He stood.
• But the fate of little ones hanging in the balance demanded a rebuttal.

Responsibility to Newborns: Answering the Critics

• What were Paul’s opponents saying?

What the Critics Said: Paul Is Teaching Error, Has Impure Motives, and Is a Trickster

• Paul’s opponents said that he was teaching error, that he had impure motives, and that he was trying to trick people with his message.
• They were trying to discredit the message by throwing dirt on the man.
• In the same way, we can solidify the message because of the righteous example of the man.
• Look again at verse three.

1 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV) — 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive,

• Paul is standing up.
• He is taking issue with these false accusations.
• Paul stood up for himself but not for himself but for the message.
• Now, if you keep reading you can pick up some other things the bag guys were saying about the good guys.
• Look at verse four.

What the Critics Said: Paul Is A People Pleaser

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV) — 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.

• Paul’s accusers, inspired by the devil, were saying that Paul’s message was garbage and not to be trusted because all he was doing was teaching what people wanted to hear.
• That’s what you call a people pleaser.
• You know people pleasers sit up late at night crafting messages designed to tickle the ears of their hearers.
• ‘Look at Paul,’ the devil’s crowd said, ‘he is having success alright, but it’s just a new fad that will fade away.
• Now note that Paul is not answering the critics.
• He is targeting the sheep who may be affected by the remarks of these critics.
• Paul said, ‘My whole conversation is for one reason only — to glorify God. I only say what pleases Him.’
• Do you see how Paul is answering for himself?
• But, it’s not over yet — there’s more.
• Verse five hints at yet some other things Paul’s opponents were hurling out into the public arena.
• Paul said.

What the Critics Said: Paul Is Using Flattery and Is After Money

1 Thessalonians 2:5 (ESV) — 2 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed— God is witness.

• Why did Paul say that?
• Because that was the word on the street that his enemies were putting out.
• You see, they tried all kinds of things to put the man down.
• ‘Paul butters people to get them to join him,’ is what they were saying.
• Have you ever heard that before?
• Then comes the classic accusation – money.
• Paul said we did not have a pretext for greed.
• He said that because these evil people were saying, ‘Don’t listen to Paul, he is just trying to get up a crowd so he can get some money.
• The enemies of the gospel have been wearing this accusation out.
• Now let me ask you a question.
• I want you to think about this for a moment.
• And with that thought, here is the Question of the Day.
• Here’s the question: Why is it okay for drug dealers, organized crime, and stock swindlers to have a private jet but if a preacher has one, he’s automatically a thief?
• Why is that?
• Think about the hypocrisy of this.
• The devil’s crowd can have the tools they need to traffic in evil but a minister can’t have the same tools to traffic in righteousness.
• Here they are trying to get the gospel out, trying to put the Word, trying to get people saved, healed, and delivered and they have to go about it with antiquated broken down tools just because people think all preachers are after your money.
• This is shameless thinking in my view.
• A jet is a tool to get the gospel out faster — to expand our reach further to the ends of the earth.
• How are you going to get to the ends of the earth in a broken-down old car?
• I want to have the best tools to get the gospel out.
• That costs money.
• I want to do the best job I can to preach the message to as many as I can reach.
• Finances are needed.
• This ‘ministers having money thing’ is a tired old excuse.

Proverbs 13:22 (ESV) — 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

• What are you going to do with this verse?
• The wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
• Is this for some of the Body of Christ or is it for all the members of the body?
• Really, this thinking comes from wrong theology.
• It stems from teaching that to be spiritual you have to be poor.
• David wasn’t poor.
• Solomon his son was even richer.
• Look what the Word of God says about Abraham.

Genesis 13:1–2 (ESV) — 1 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb. 2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.

• Abraham wasn’t just rich — he was VERY rich.
• So, whether in the first century or the twenty-first century, the attacks of the enemy have not changed.
• So, Paul’s opponents played the money card.
• And, Paul answered this accusation as well so the Thessalonians could be assured that there was nothing to this allegation.
• But, the attacks against Paul didn’t end there.

What the Critics Said: Paul Is Seeking the Spotlight

** 1 Thessalonians 2:6 (ESV)** — 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

• Verse six indicates some other trash that Paul’s accusers were generating.
• ‘Paul is wanting attention.’
• ‘He wants to be in the spotlight, he wants to be on the stage, he wants his name known.’
• ‘He is seeking glory from people.’
• So, you can see the MO here.
• Paul is forced for the sake of protecting the young in Christ, to answer his critics.
• It was a responsibility that he embraced.
• My question to you is this, ‘Are you doing what needs doing to protect the young?’

Now, Father God thank you for helping us to know the way that we should take. Help us to know what our responsibilities are in you and for you. Help us to teach the way of God and to disciple young ones in the things of God. We ask for your help and your enablement and we do it all in Jesus precious Name, Amen.

• You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

Love [Scripture List]

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