Bendigo Presbyterian Church

In this message on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Presbyterian Theological College student, Aaron Maskell, encourages us from the text to live lives on integrity (by both believing and living the gospel) based on Paul’s experience and example.

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Introduction

In 2 Timothy 1:8-12, we find that the Apostle Paul was just ‘getting warmed up’ after his initial greeting to Timothy. After establishing the reasons why he was so thankful for Timothy, Paul proceedes with some exhortations to Timothy to take responsibility for the gospel, not so much teaching it (not yet anyway), but suffering for it. Paul was in prison and facing death and he was doing all this for the sake of the gospel. Timothy was not yet in prison and not yet facing death, but he was still called to live a li9fe of faithfulness to the gospel as Paul did – regardless of the outcome.

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• The second in this series
• What we learned about Paul and Timothy
• The passing of the baton
• See how Paul speaks of …

Five French young men
Faithful unto death…

The letter of Paul to Timothy that we know as 2 Timothy is significant for a number of reasons, but mainly because it stands as Paul’s last letter before his execution. Written to his younger son and trainee Timothy, a pastor-teacher in the first century, it is full of warm feelings from Paul to Timothy, but also strong advice and exhortation about Timothy’s task and the way he ought to fulfill his calling. In 2 Timothy 1:1-7, Paul sets some foundations in place, especially in regard to his own confidence in the Lord and, to a degree, also in Timothy.

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• The first in this series
• Paul’s last letter and from prison!
• Paul’s attitude
• See how Paul tells us of his confidence in …

Fan this into flame…
What God has given his servants…

The text of Genesis 35:1-29 tells us that Jacob finnaly headed from Shechem, where there had been much disgrace brought upon his family, to Bethel, where God renewed so many of His promises to Jacob’s family. With three revelations of the Lord to Jacob on the way to and while at Bethel and three deaths in Jacob’s immediate family, the chapter is full of highs and lows for Jacob. As the last in this sermon series, it’s good to see how Jacob played a special role in the coming of the One who was Jacob’s (Israel’s) greater Son, Jesus the Messiah.

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• The sixteenth and last in this series
• The context of this chapter
• Jacob and Bethel
• See how Moses tells us of Jacob’s journeying…

Where his story began…
Who his story leads to…

There’s no way of looking at Genesis 34:1-31 without saying that the story is not a pretty picture. In fact, the actions of jacob’s sons were deplorable, as we the actions of the young man who raped Jacob’s daughter Dinah. Moses, who recorded the story for us, certainly doesn’t hold back – even Jacob himself comes across as all too passive when dealing with the sins of his sons. But in all of this, God is at work, even rescuing us from afar bigger mess that we created because of our own sin.

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• The fifteenth in this series
• An uncomfortable text!
• Some of the bad fruits from Jacob’s failure to obey
• See how Moses tells us of …

The abuse of the holy…
When God’s people are a stench…

The text of Genesis 33:1-20 gives the conclusion to the long anticipated meeting of Jacob and his twin, Esau. All that Jacob had been through now led up to this most significant moment when he would have to face up to his brother. But while the reader might have expected to be fireworks and anger, the situation has been diffused. Jacob is different and so is Esau. God has been good! But Jacob’s half-hearted response to God leaves the door open for compromise and temptation to make their way in his family.

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• The fourteenth in this series
• Amazing and remarkable…
• Some of the fruits of God’s work in Jacob’s life
• See how Moses tells us that …

A warning about what’s to come!
God’s work to make us His own…

When Jacob was left alone at the river Jabbok, with all his family and goods sent on ahead of him to placate Esau, he could never have known that this was the moment when his life would be changed forever. After meeting with angels earlier in chapter 32, then his own messengers returning from Esau, then God met him. And he did it in such a way that Jacob would always remember. The text of Genesis 32:24-32 is vital in understanding God’s plans and purposes for Jacob and also, for you and me.

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• The thirteenth in this series
• Jacob’s limp…
• Jacob is being taught to trust God
• See how Moses tells us that …

Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity!
The choice before you…

When Jacob finally broke ties with Laban, he had another, bigger trial with someone else ahead of him. His twin brother, Esau. Though Jacob feared His meeting with Esau, God showed his great kindness to Jacob in preparing him for what was ahead – even sending his angels to remind him of his previous encounter with the Lord at Bethel. The story is related to us in Genesis 32:1-23, where, by the end of the passage, Jacob is entirely alone (verse 24a) unaware that he had another meeting with some One else before Esau.

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• The twelfth in this series
• A quick recap of the story
• Jacob is heading straight for Esau
• See how Moses tells us that …

Jacob is all alone!
The only way for wrath to be turned away!

After Jacon and family left Laban secretly, it’s little wonder that Laban did his best to ctach up with his fleeing family. The text of Genesis 31:22-55 tells the story of how Laban caught up with Jacob, the difficult conversation thjat followed and the fruitless search for the household gods he valued so highly (that Rachel had hidden in the camel’s saddle.) There are lessons to learn from this. Lessons about God’s protective providence for Jacob and also about the kind of God we worship.

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• The eleventh in this series
• The classic chase scene
• A quick recap of the last scenes
• See how Moses tells us of …

The providence of God – again!
The person of God – Living and True!

There are many times when decision making is hard. Guidance doesn’t always come easy. But in the case of Jacob in Genesis 31:1-21, the Lord made the decision for Jacob to leave Laban a relatively easy one. He told him to go. Circumstances around Jacob were also pointing in that same direction. And even when he talked this over with Rachel and Leah, they too were of the same opinion. And so, he upped and left – with his family – all without telling Laban. Not that he was running away looking for ease. Rather, he had an appointment to keep with his brother, Esau.

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• The tenth in this series
• Where we are in the story
• A gradual change in Jacob
• See how Moses tells us of…

Clarity in a crisis moment
Three ‘green lights’ – time to follow the Lord’s directions!