Get Infected

Read at beginning of service:

Matthew 5:13-16 (NIV)

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

INTRODUCTION

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 (NIV)

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia–your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead–Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

In the third century, St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus:

This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the wide lands, you know very well what I would see; brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness. It really is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world.

Yet, in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians?and I am one of them.

( Gordon MacDonald, Forging a Realworld Faith)

The beginning of this letter St. Cyprian wrote sounds rather familiar doesn?t it? He describes a world in the third century that really hasn?t changed too much. A world that at times can seem cheerful and beautiful but upon closer inspection is revealed to be incredibly bad. The conclusion of his letter describes the contrast he found in a certain people who exhibited the qualities of life that he found he longed for. There was something infectious about their life that implanted in St. Cyprian the desire to become one of them. Their faith was contagious.

In the letters Paul writes to the Thessalonian church we find his description of a people who exhibited a contagious faith. In fact this is probably the one thing that seemed to stand out more than anything else when I read these letters. I found myself noticing the number of times Paul remarked on the Thessalonian church?s faith. He writes in verse 7, “?your faith in God has become known everywhere.”

For the next couple of weeks I?m going to be preaching on Contagious Faith. Our church ought to be infected with it, every Christian should be incubating it, and the world needs to be infested by it. Billy Graham writes in his book Unto the Hills,

I have found that the casual Christian has little or no influence upon others. I am finding that it is only the Christian who refuses to compromise in matters of honesty, integrity and morality who is bearing an effective witness for Christ. The worldly Christian is prepared to do as the world does and will condone practices which are dishonest and unethical because he is afraid of the world?s displeasure. Only by a life of obedience to the voice of the Spirit, by daily dying to self, by a full dedication to Christ and constant fellowship with Him, are we able to live a godly life and have a positive influence in this present ungodly world.

Now I want you to hear something important this morning, Every person can realize the potential to have a heavenly impact on this world when they are filled with a faith birthed in a hunger for God and empowered by His response. Did you hear that?

Now the reason why I?ve chose to describe this faith as contagious is because of its nature. Usually when we use the word contagious it describes something that we want to flee from. The reason for that is because contagious often is used as an adjective for sickness, disease, or parasite. When we say someone is contagious what we?re really saying is that you can “catch” what they?ve got. If they have a cold and they are contagious what we are saying is that the cold virus they have can be easily transferred from them to you. Most people don?t stick around those who are labeled contagious because people who are contagious will always infect someone else with what they are carrying unless they are quarantined.

You see, the reason why I am using the word contagious is not to say that faith is like a virus or bacteria or parasite but to say that contagious faith has similar characteristics to a contagious virus or bacteria or parasite. Contagious faith (like contagious sicknesses or disease) is caught, grows and spreads. However there is an important difference ? an imposed quarantine is somewhat successful in preventing the spread of contagious sickness or disease but a quarantine will never prevent the spread of contagious faith! The very fact that we are gathered here together today is a testament to the truth of that statement

So, contagious faith is caught (or received) ? a person is infected by it; it grows (or increases) ? it incubates in its host; and finally, contagious faith spreads (or multiplies) ? as it infests others who come in contact. This is pretty much the outline of what I will be speaking on in for the next couple of weeks. Today I?d like to focus on the infection of contagious faith.

Contagious faith is caught from hanging around a carrier.

One of the things I remember about my Dad growing up is the reaction he would have when he found out one of us was sick. Immediately he would avoid any contact with us and would make sure we kept our distance. If my mom happened to get hit with a cold or a flu he wouldn?t sleep with her. That didn?t mean he?d give up the bed however? Now I am exaggerating a little bit but one of the things Kerryanne made clear to me when we got married was if she got sick and I didn?t want to sleep with her that would be fine but she gets the bed and not me! And if I get sick ? well, she still gets the bed?

The truth of the matter is most of us tend to avoid getting too close to those with a contagious cold or flu or disease because we know the risk is greater of catching what they?ve got the more we?re in their presence!

I would invite those of you who are Christian to think back to what first got you walking down the path to your salvation. Now I?m sure that there are many things that you would identify as being nudges in the right direction but I know there will be a common thread in all of our stories. And that thread would be, we saw something in another person close to us that awakened a desire we never knew we had. There was something about what they said and more importantly something about what they lived that gave validity to their message. Because of our proximity to the carrier we were infected!

I have memories of growing up in a church where I was taught about God and I received a lot of knowledge about God but it wasn?t until I started hanging around a group of people who hungered to know God and have a relationship with Him that being a Christian became necessary to me. I was infected by Christians with a contagious faith!

The apostle Paul was a Christian with a contagious faith who infected the Thessalonian church because of his proximity to them.

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1 Thessalonians 1:5b-6a (NIV)

?You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; ?

It was how Paul and his ministry team conducted themselves and lived that brought validity to the message that they spoke while among the Thessalonians.

Then that initial group of people that Paul, Silas and Timothy infected grew the contagion spread. The word translated “imitators” in the NIV is translated “follower” in the KJV. The original greek word is “mimetes”. Now when we think of the word imitate we usually think of someone who is mimicking someone or something else but who doesn?t actually become like what their mimicking or continue in it. However, that is not the intent of this greek word. In this instance the word means actually becoming like the one being imitated and continuing on from the point of becoming In other words, what Paul is writing here is that when the Thessalonian believers converted to Christianity the became like Paul and Jesus and continued on being like them. Do you get the picture?

So what happened then is that the Thessalonians caught what Paul, Timothy, and Silas had. They were infected with their contagious faith.

Now going back to our analogy of contagious sicknesses or disease we usually identify people who have them by certain symptoms. My Dad was an expert at picking up any symptoms others in my family had of an oncoming cold or flu. He knew it was coming before we did! Whether it be a runny nose, a hacking cough, a slight change of temperature ? these are all symptoms that identify a person who is sick.

Now in a similar way there are “symptoms” that identify a Christian with contagious faith. Paul identifies many of these “symptoms” in this letter to the Thessalonians and I?m going to mention a few of them. Now keep in mind though this is not an exhaustive or definitive list.

Contagious faith produces work (1:3)

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul further elaborates on the kind of work he is talking about?

2 Thessalonians 3:7-11 (NIV)

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” 11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

Now you must understand something very clear here, Paul is not saying work produces faith. He is clearly saying that faith produces work! It is the kind of work causes people to say things like, “this person is practicing what their preaching” or “this person doesn?t have to do that but they?re doing it anyway!”

Contagious faith is not idle!

Contagious faith refuses to be silenced by opposition (2:2)

1 Thessalonians 2:2 (NIV)

2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.

Contagious faith perseveres through trial (1:6; 2:2; 2:14-16; 3:2-7; 2 Thess. 1:4-5)

1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NIV)

6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

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1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 (NIV)

14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

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2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (NIV)

4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

Contagious faith is marked by holiness and blamelessness (2:10; 3:13; 4:3-8; 5:23)

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

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1 Thessalonians 2:8 (NIV)

8 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.

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1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 (NIV)

17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you–certainly I, Paul, did, again and again–but Satan stopped us. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

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1 Thessalonians 3:6 (NIV)

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

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1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NIV)

12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

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1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 (NIV)

9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.

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2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV)

3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

Other symptoms?(5:12-23)

1 Thessalonians 5:12-23 (NIV)

12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil. 23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is these symptoms and more that indicates a person?s faith is contagious!

Now I know I began by making the point that Contagious faith is caught from hanging around a carrier and I?ve listed some of the symptoms that indicate who may be a carrier of this faith but there is something else I need to say that cannot be left out. And it is important that you don?t misunderstand me. What makes a person?s faith contagious is not what the person does but who is doing things through them. I just finished reading 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23 in which Paul lists many of the symptoms or things that a person with contagious faith exhibits in their life but it is very important we complete what Paul said by including verse 24?

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1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV)

24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

What makes a persons faith contagious is the person of the Holy Spirit empowering and working through the believer in producing the “symptoms” (or another word is fruit) of a child of God.

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1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NIV)

5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

Contagious faith is caught when the Kleenex is kept in the box.

When I was in Bible College, one of my professors was a germ freak. He did everything that he could reasonably do to avoid catching something from contact with someone else?s germs. I remember one lecture he gave in class involved how to make your exit from a public restroom germ-free! It involved?(talk about) Now there are some people in the world who are so obsessed with keeping “clean” that they miss out on most of their life.

Contagious faith is caught when the Kleenex is kept in the box! Those who catch it are those who have no preventive measures in place.

To gain some more insight into Paul?s letters to the Thessalonians I went back to the book of Acts which records his missionary journey to the city. You can read about this in Acts 17:1-9 ? why don?t we turn there together?

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Acts 17:1-9 (NIV)

1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.

Did you catch it? There are definitely some who caught what Paul had when he came to Thessalonica but there others who didn?t because they got the Kleenex out of the box. Do you know who I?m talking about? Look again at verse 5, “But the Jews were jealous” and their jealousy was a Kleenex preventing them from catching contagious faith. Now what was it that they were so jealous about? Well if we turn back to 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 we?ll find the answer?

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1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 (NIV)

14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

The jealous Jews couldn?t catch Paul?s faith because they didn?t want non-Jews to know the grace of God. Even further in their minds they had God figured out and there is no way what Paul said could be true because even Gentiles could receive His grace apart from the Jewish law! How many times do we take out the proverbial Kleenex in our lives that prevents us from receiving a contagious faith? How many times do we let the failings of the flesh keep us from catching a faith that is contagious? Maybe it?s jealousy, maybe its envy, maybe it?s bitterness, or slander, or unforgiveness, or rage ? does that list sound familiar? If it does it?s probably because you?ve heard the words of Paul,

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Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

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Colossians 3:8-11 (NIV)

8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

If you want to catch contagious faith then keep the Kleenex in the box and then lose the box!

CONCLUSION ? Contagious faith is found in weakness.

Friends, I want to tell you something, we need contagious faith if we?re going to know the presence and power of God. The last element of catching contagious faith appears when a person is so weak that they need God to be their strength – when a person is so poor that they need God to be their provision ? when a person is so empty of themselves that there is room for the presence of God in their lives.

When it comes to contagious viruses, bacteria, and/or parasites – strong, healthy people usually don?t get sick ? at least not as much as weak, unhealthy people. Physically, this is something good. Don?t misunderstand me ? I?m not trying to promote the idea of becoming physically weak and unhealthy so that you get sick.

The comparison I?m trying to make is that If you are strong and independent and self-sufficient and full of your self you?re not going to catch contagious faith. If you?re satisfied with that, fine ? but you?re not going to know what it?s like to be in the presence of God. When you?re weak, when you?re hungry, when you?re weary, when you?re lost, when you?re broken, when you?re empty ? you are ripe for being infected by a faith that will carry you into the very presence of God and led to a life defined by His strength, by His provision, by His energy, by His guidance, by His completeness, and by His fullness. Get infected!