Tokens

2 Thessalonians 3-Part 6
The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.  2 Thess. 3:17-18


LET IT GLOW

Twice while we visiting our daughter, who lives in the northeast, we drove close to Boston and walked the Freedom Trail. Now did you notice I said close? We parked the van and took the T, which is the name for the train system in this big city. With so many commuters and few parking facilities, it's very convenient. Anyway, in order to ride the T, a person had to purchase tokens, which were in place of real coins or tickets. This was probably the only times I have used tokens.
Paul used the term in this salutation, conclusion, or benediction of his second letter to the Thessalonian church. How did this word fit in?

A token is that by which a person or thing is distinguished from others and known; a sign, a mark.

Evidently, Paul signed his name  in order to prove such a letter was actually written by him because he often had a secretary. Remember when Luke and Tertius were dictating for him? Frequently Paul ended his leters "The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Perhaps that was like his signature. I'm not sure. Whatever his token, the receptient of a letter knew it truly was from Paul. He had an identifying signature.

Charles Swindoll said, "In doing so, he gives the letter an indisputable mark of genuineness. By comparison, we, as living letters, have the 'distinguishing mark' of Jesus Christ. Like the distinctive handwriting on the Declaration of Independence, the Lord put His John Hancock on our lives. That distinguishing mark is God's grace."

Are there any tokens significant to my being a Christian as I am Jesus' living letter to a lost world? Are my actions and words showing that I am a token for Jesus?


LET IT GROW

Here are some thoughts from Swindoll in his book Steadfast Christianity:

When Paul concludes this letter with "The Lord Jesus Christ be with you all," we realize that it's the quality of graciousness that transforms our living letters into more treasured correspondence-love letters.
In 2 Corinthians, where Paul refers to the Corinthian believers collectivelly as "a letter of Christ," he also describes them as "a fragrance of Christ" (verse 15). For this, he gives thanks to God, who "manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place" (verse 14). If you've ever received a letter scented with the fragrance of someone very much in love with you, you have the picture of what God intended your life to be to others. Fragrant...enticing...evoking strong, tender feelings...cherished...read with eagerness. In the past, a lonesome word has received from the church mostly form letters. You may not be able to change the postal system, but you can change your own letter. You can make it personal, and you can make it gracious. The world has been waiting for such a long time for a fragrant love letter from home. Won't you be the one who sends it?

Yes, I want to be a sweet fragrance of Christ through which His love letter is read by the world. Will you join me?


LET IT GO

Make sure my token on this world is that of love.

Let my life be a sweet fragrance to Christ and the world.