I have said recently that I have a dream where our church becomes somewhat like the church in Antioch. I admit that it is an ambitious dream. It’s perhaps not as ambitious as the dream being celebrated tomorrow. But why not? Why can’t we dream big if it is for the glory of God? Why can’t our church be instrumental in the starting of other churches of Christ – churches even more important than ourselves? Why can’t our Heavenly record declare that we were used of God to sponsor several missionaries? Perhaps other churches might some day send ambassadors to investigate the exciting things taking place here in Post Falls, just as Jerusalem did with Antioch. If it be the will of God, there is no reason why Calvary Independent Baptist Church could not become the Antioch Baptist Church of the American Northwest. It might not be in my lifetime, but somewhere in God’s time, it would be wonderful.
But, as has been pointed out several times, there are things about Antioch which we don’t find in our church and perhaps never will. For example, there was a spiritual “revival” and multitudes were being born into the family of God. Acts 11:21 – “The hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.” So it appears that that church in Syria was much larger than we are. Is size a criteria to becoming a second Antioch? As those new believers grew in the things of God, the church grew in its organization and ministry. That church had a significant number of prophets and teachers. “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul” – Acts 13:1. Did that mean the church had multiple elders? How much “staff” would it take before we became like Antioch? From what we know about the church, could we ever be a reflection of her?
And then there are many thing we don’t know about Antioch. How can we emulate or duplicate things about which we are ignorant? Is that important? For example, we can only guess as to how that church was originally formed. We have reason to assume it was constituted out of members from the church in Jerusalem. “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only” – Acts 11:19. Was the church in Syria primarily or entirely made up of dispersed Jews? The “diaspora?” Was there an ordained missionary who started the Antioch Baptist Mission. Or did a number of Judeans resolve to move en-mass to Syria? We aren’t told that any of the Apostles traveled the 300 miles necessary to organize the church. So does that mean the constituting members were originally sent with authority to organize in Syria? Acts 11 tells us that the Jerusalem church later sent Barnabas to Antioch to investigate and observe the Lord’s blessing in that place, almost as if the Judeans were ignorant of what was going on. But then two chapters later Barnabas and Saul were ordained and sent out as missionaries out of Antioch. There is much we don’t know about the church in Antioch.
But for the last few months we have been looking at Paul’s first letter to the saints in Thessalonica. Through those letters and what we find in the Book of Acts, our knowledge of God’s work in Thessalonica is a bit more complete than what we have about Antioch. We know that its foundation was established by Paul the missionary out of the church in Antioch. He was assisted by Timothy (Timotheus) and Silas, who was also known as Silvanus. Silas had come from Antioch and with their blessings. But Timothy had been saved and baptized by the missionary on the field. Was Timothy a member of the church in Antioch? There is no scriptural declaration to that effect. He could have been and remained a member of the church in Lystra. Does that confuse anyone’s understanding of Biblical missions?
The ministry of the missionary team in Thessalonica was of a relatively short duration. There is very little information given to us about the organization of that work in the Macedonian city. But through Paul’s letters, carried back and forth from Achaia by Timothy, we learn a few things. It was an organized Baptist church at the time of Paul’s epistles. At some point it was organized, eventually calling its own pastor, observing the ordinances and preaching the gospel. Even in its infancy, the saints bore some wonderful ecclesiastical qualities.
Knowing a few things about the brethren in Thessalonica, I would like to amend my dream. While still reflecting what we know about Antioch … It would be equally wonderful if our church was replicated that church in Macedonia as well.
Paul tells us that the saints in Thessalonica had become famous throughout Macedonia and Achaia. Whether the mission was large or small, it was spiritually vibrant. Almost immediately they had endured the opposition of Satan which pushed them toward the omnipotent God – making them strong. The people were well-known for their “work of faith,” “labor of love” and “patience of hope.” How many churches in our world today – out of love for their Saviour, step by faith out of their comfort zone to attempt great things for God? To be like Thessalonica would be a wonderful testimony and would bring our Saviour glory. They studied and mimicked the lives of their Saviour and their teacher evangelists. Thus they became examples to others, leaving their mark on the world. Isn’t that a part of how churches replicate themselves – faith and love in the light of the blessed hope?
Brethren, these are all good things. If these things could be said of us, it would bring glory to our Saviour. These should be a part of our dreams and spiritual goals. These are things which make up the gold, silver and precious stones of Christian spiritual wealth. But it is not about our enrichment. Those golden crowns will be lovingly placed at the feet of our Saviour. It is His glory we desire.
This afternoon I’d like us to focus on one thing about those brethren. This is a part of my amended dream. Verse 8 uses a single Greek word which is found nowhere else in the Bible – “sounded out.” It was a word used by ancient Greeks to describe the public pronouncement of an important statement – and it is also used sometimes to speak of thunder. It is the Greek word “execheomai” (ex-ay-kheh’-om-ahee) and speaks of sounding out LOUDLY, declaring vociferously – to “trumpet out.” There are three things this word suggests to me. These are a part of my dream, and I hope become a part of your dreams and of our church.
I believe the word suggests one of the PURPOSES of God’s church.
Paul praises seven things about the brethren in Thessalonica – the founding members of that church. I’ve already mentioned that he spoke of their love, their faith and their hope in the return of Christ. It is interesting that Paul DOESN’T mention their firm or stubborn doctrinal stand. It may have been understood, but it wasn’t expressed. This suggests that faith, love and hope are more important than most fundamental Baptists believe. He says nothing about their retaliation against the persecution against them, because there was none. He doesn’t talk about their bold or obnoxious evangelistic style, which some Baptists have today.
But he DOES say, “you sounded out the word of the Lord.” Among the seven things Paul praised in this church was their testimony. That part of their personal and church lives stood on a par with their faith and their love. They all blended together – with each part motivating and expressing the others. They “sounded out” the Gospel consistently, unashamedly, openly, joyful and even loudly.
The church is God’s trumpet – the means of making His voice heard above the din of sin. Have you and your friend ever tried to talk softly in a noisy auditorium? There are so many venues where we have to speak loudly if we want to be heard. Down stairs surrounded by cider blocks, we have to speak loudly to be heard. Even last night at Brother Bergs. And this is an illustration of the world in general. We live in a society of nearly constant noise. Everyone has an opinion and is trying to express it. There is the very noisy boiler of big business, and the din of the sports arena and sports talk. We hear the constant rhetoric of the politicians and the laughter of a million fools. There are the jokes of the filthy comedians and the screams of countless victims. And all of this is before the words of billions of common people living their common lives. How can the average Christian witness be heard by any more than the closest of ears?
The short answer is by bringing our voices together in concert. Last September, you gave to Judy and me, the gift of season tickets to the Coeur d’Alene symphony. So far we have been to two of those concerts over at the Kroc Center. I have learned over the years that the sound of one viola or french horn may not fill an auditorium. But when it is joined by two others, they can be heard anywhere. And when a hundred musical instruments come together in accord, their music can be loud even to the point of almost deafening. One Christian voice may never be heard over the din of the world, but when that voice is joined to others in the context of the Lord’s church, their sound increases exponentially. This is to what Paul refers in these verses.
The independent Baptist church is the only instrument commissioned by God to teach and preach His Word. The Great Commission of Matthew 28 was not given to Christian individuals; not even to the Apostles. The work of evangelism was given to the church of Christ – each local ecclesia – assembly. The work of world-wide missions has not been entrusted to boards or denominations, fellowships or para-church organizations. To the church in Jerusalem was the responsibility of the evangelism of the whole world. “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Then to the church Antioch was given the task of sending out and praying for their missionaries Saul and Barnabas. Evangelism and missions are responsibilities of every true church of God – including ours. The only reason why there are so many extra-church and non-church evangelistic organizations is because God’s churches are not taking seriously their responsibility to “sound out the word of the Lord.”
We, as a group of believers who have covenanted together for this purpose, are commissioned to trumpet the gospel to the world. It is the not the responsibility of us as individuals nor is it a commission to a few of us, but to all of us. None of us should feel the weight of this responsibility on his own shoulders. We are like the team of priests who together carry the Ark of the Covenant on our shoulders. We have been commanded to wade out into the river with the gospel on our backs. When we obey, we may find the river stopping before us and the saints of God streaming around us.
The word “sound out” suggests the TYPE OF SOUND we are to make for the Lord.
Our testimony should be clear and unmistakable. Remember – the word “sound out” suggests the blast of a trumpet. I Corinthians asks a question which was rhetorical in Paul’s day – “If the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” It used to be that a trumpet made an excellent tool of communication – as in the day of battle. Before there were modern military communications – there was the trumpeter. He sounded out the charge, the retreat, the victory, thee orders to regroup and so on. If the trumpeter didn’t know the calls, or his horn was broken or his lip was cut, the army was in trouble.
These are problems which still exist among God’s saints today. What should be our call – our message? As much as I love our history, should our trumpet blast out the story of the Waldensians and Donatists? I heard a man recently say that our church should be a lighthouse for Landmarkism. No it should not. I don’t believe we should make the doctrines of grace the pinnacle of our message. Yes, we must preach and teach the whole counsel of God especially among ourselves. But when it came to the missionaries of Antioch and Macedonia, the theme was gospel.
As I have said, Paul praised these Thessalonians for their faith, love and hope. Those new saints had became somewhat famous for their courage in the face of persecution. But these things did not make up their trumpet call. Their message, reverberating between the mountain ranges of Macedonia and Achaia was the gospel. It declared that these people had “turned to God from idols to serve the living ana true God.” They were awaiting the return of God’s Son, their Saviour, from Heaven, “who had delivered them from the wrath to come.” There may be a hundred sweet melodies to be played through our trumpets, horns and strings. But as Christians there should be one which stands out above all others – “Jesus saves, Jesus saves.”
The call of a trumpet is by its very nature clear and penetrating. Musically, it is “piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” In other words, our message should be – must be – the Word of God – the sword of the Spirit.
Obviously, every instrument has a different tone and even a different purpose. The sound of a bassoon is mello; the french horn is round and full. The purpose of the drum is usually a staccato rhythmic beat. The piccolo seems to float above all the other instruments like some sort of butterfly. And the base fiddle might make up the foundation of the orchestral sound. And the sound of the trumpet is penetrating – often cutting right through all the rest of the orchestra. Almost every instrument could be used in a church for the worship of the Lord – drums being an exception. But not every instrument is best suited for every kind of hymn. And the trumpet would be best suited for stirring, rousing, motivating songs.
This is the sound which God’s church is called upon to make when it stands before the world. Yes, the harp may be appropriate for a prayerful hymn, and the cello may warm our Christian hearts. But the world needs to hear a sound of the charge. The gospel needs to pierce through and penetrate sin and the soul. It’s the trumpet we need for that – “From you sounded out the word of the Lord.”
Most of you know the sound of “Reveille” – the army’s wake up call. Have you ever heard it played on the oboe? The viola? The cello? It would be a waste of time on such an instrument. That’s like rubbing the backs of the kids you are trying to wake up and get out of bed. My alarm doesn’t play Brahm’s “Lullaby” to get me up in the morning.
You have probably heard a few marching bands – some Susa marches – patriotic 4th of July concerts.. Which instrument, besides the drum, is the focal point of the marching band? Is it the clarinet? It is the brass section which demands, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” “It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” “Behold, now is the accepted time and now is the day of salvation.” “How shall ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation?”
“Awake” says the trumpet, get going, let’s go and do something for the Lord. It shouts, “Judgment is coming, sinner. Repent before it is too late.” Is that our message? Or is it a bassoon playing…. “Go to sleep; go to sleep; let your soul take its rest. Mind not God; Mind not Christ; we hope all will be blest.” The Word of the Lord should be blasting forth from our lips and our lives. It should be the ministry of our church as it was from that infant church in Thessalonica.
There is another thing that the idea of a trumpet suggests – THE BREATH OF GOD.
“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord.” The Word sounded out THROUGH the Thessalonians. I doubt that you have ever heard a trumpet playing all by itself. Some instruments can do that – the Aeolian harp is so sensitive that it can catch a breath of air and its strings vibrate. And some other stringed instruments actually catch the vibration of neighboring instruments and in sympathy respond. Then there are the bagpipes which if filled with air, continue to bellow even after the player walks away. But the trumpet cannot make noise of itself. When a trumpeter picks up that horn his lips become a part of the instrument. His lips enter the armature and if they flutter properly the right kind of sound flows out.
Why was the church in Thessalonica so influential? It had become God’s own trumpet. Those people were filled with the Spirit, empowered by the Lord, saturated with the message of Christ. And they were certainly not tooting their own horn. If I picked up a trumpet and tried to play it you all would either laugh or leave. It is not my instrument. But if Winton Marcellus picked up the cheapest, ugliest, most dented horn imaginable, playing Hummel’s “Trumpet Concerto,” he might take me half way to Heaven. He is a master of the trumpet. And similarly, we are to be mastered by our Master, if we hope to be a blessing to others.
There are hundreds of churches blowing their own horns, and no one takes notice – nor should they. But when a church permits the Lord to speak through them, the music becomes glorious. We have no strength to raise the dead or even quicken the sleeping. But God is not so limited. We cannot bring about the conversion of the worst of souls, or even the best. When we do the blowing the noise is confused, out of synchronization, garbled. But if the Lord is our strength and message then we will sound like Heaven.
The Coeur d’Alene Symphony is made up of about a hundred musicians. Each of them have been given talents, and most of them have mastered at least one of them. Some of them could leave the orchestra and become good soloists, but as a unit they have not. The second chair second violin may be a very good player, but she never gets to pick the music for the next concert – that is the privilege of the concert master or conductor. The Lord Jesus is the Head of His church, and He chooses the music which we are to “sound out.”
I believe He is doing that with the opportunity to sponsor missions in Oklahoma, Southern Idaho, and Southern Washington. And he is doing it again with the opportunity to sponsor another new missionary/evangelist – just as Antioch did with Silas. Maybe some day we too will have a statement written against our name somewhat like what the Lord said of the church in Thessalonica – “From you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad.”