WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.379 So those of you that know that I'm a stickler 00:00:04.379 --> 00:00:07.620 for the church calendar or maybe I should say 00:00:07.620 --> 00:00:11.380 I rejoicingly Celebrate the church calendar you 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:14.900 may be asking yourself Why is he wearing a green 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:18.559 tie when we've changed everything to red? I like 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:20.480 it to say that it was a great plan, but I have 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:23.339 come up with an explanation for you It is the 00:00:23.339 --> 00:00:26.679 church season the season of Pentecost and typically 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:32.049 it's green for six months However, in October, 00:00:32.109 --> 00:00:36.750 we bring out the red in order to remind us to 00:00:36.750 --> 00:00:40.090 pray for reformation, that the Lord pour out 00:00:40.090 --> 00:00:43.390 his spirit again like he did at Pentecost, reforming 00:00:43.390 --> 00:00:47.329 his church and adding to the church daily. So 00:00:47.329 --> 00:00:51.409 here I am in green, but we're asking God to bless 00:00:51.409 --> 00:00:55.780 us and bring a Pentecost movement to us. Let 00:00:55.780 --> 00:00:57.880 us now pray and ask for the Lord's blessing. 00:00:59.219 --> 00:01:01.880 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word that 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:04.819 brings light and life to us. Please grant us 00:01:04.819 --> 00:01:07.719 understanding of you and our own hearts. Now, 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:09.980 as we hear the word preach, let the words of 00:01:09.980 --> 00:01:12.579 my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts 00:01:12.579 --> 00:01:15.900 be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength 00:01:15.900 --> 00:01:18.819 and our nearest kinsman, Redeemer, Jesus Christ. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:25.069 Amen. We are continuing our series through the 00:01:25.069 --> 00:01:28.549 book of 1 Thessalonians. I want to remind you 00:01:28.549 --> 00:01:33.120 of several things. that we already understand, 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:37.099 but just to help keep it in context today. There 00:01:37.099 --> 00:01:40.540 is, of course, a central theme in 1 Thessalonians 00:01:40.540 --> 00:01:44.659 of giving thanks, Eucharisto, in God's work in 00:01:44.659 --> 00:01:48.480 Thessalonica. We get a constant reminder of giving 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.620 thanks to God for his work in others, and that 00:01:52.620 --> 00:01:57.579 he makes our labors be efficacious, right? Makes 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:01.500 our labors able to change people and work in 00:02:01.500 --> 00:02:04.000 people's life because of his work. He works alongside 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:06.980 of us and we should rejoice and be full of much 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:10.800 gratitude and thanks. We also know that the gospel 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:14.460 came to the church in Thessalonica in much assurance. 00:02:14.620 --> 00:02:17.759 God is with them and also much affliction through 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:22.319 great persecution and trials. But all of these 00:02:22.319 --> 00:02:25.340 ordeals are not random trials. Listen up. These 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:28.439 ordeals are not random trials and persecutions. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:33.379 but they are part of God's redemptive historical 00:02:33.379 --> 00:02:36.479 design. I want you to think about that for yourself. 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:40.780 All the ordeals that go on in your life are not 00:02:40.780 --> 00:02:44.900 random trials, but rather these persecutions 00:02:44.900 --> 00:02:49.240 and trials are part of God's redemptive historical 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:55.060 design. Finally, we are reminded in 1 Thessalonians, 00:02:55.389 --> 00:02:58.150 that the gospel reigned true to them, in that 00:02:58.150 --> 00:03:02.409 King Jesus had defeated sin and death, and consequently 00:03:02.409 --> 00:03:06.330 they were delivered from idols to serve the living 00:03:06.330 --> 00:03:09.740 and true God. With that in mind, let us go to 00:03:09.740 --> 00:03:13.639 our text today, 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, beginning 00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:17.199 in verse 1. Therefore, when we could no longer 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:20.659 endure it, this of course is Paul speaking. We 00:03:20.659 --> 00:03:23.639 thought it good to be left in Athens alone and 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.039 sent Timothy our brother and minister of God 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:29.879 and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:32.560 To establish you and encourage you concerning 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:35.400 your faith that no one should be shaken by these 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:38.659 afflictions For you yourselves know that we are 00:03:38.659 --> 00:03:42.199 appointed to this for in fact we told you before 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:45.800 When we were with you that we would suffer tribulation 00:03:45.900 --> 00:03:49.860 Just as it happened and you know For this reason, 00:03:49.879 --> 00:03:52.500 when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know 00:03:52.500 --> 00:03:56.439 your faith, lest by some means the tempter had 00:03:56.439 --> 00:03:59.259 tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. 00:04:00.849 --> 00:04:04.270 But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought 00:04:04.270 --> 00:04:06.909 us the good news of your faith and love, and 00:04:06.909 --> 00:04:10.110 that you always have a good remembrance of us, 00:04:10.449 --> 00:04:14.430 greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see 00:04:14.430 --> 00:04:18.170 you. Therefore, brethren, and all our affliction 00:04:18.170 --> 00:04:21.370 and distress, we were comforted concerning you 00:04:21.370 --> 00:04:25.089 by your faith. For now we live, if you stand 00:04:25.089 --> 00:04:28.870 fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render 00:04:28.870 --> 00:04:32.269 to God for you, for all the joy with which we 00:04:32.269 --> 00:04:35.850 rejoice for your sake before our God, night and 00:04:35.850 --> 00:04:39.730 day, praying exceedingly that we might see your 00:04:39.730 --> 00:04:44.050 face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. 00:04:44.930 --> 00:04:49.009 Now, may the God and Father Himself and our Lord 00:04:49.009 --> 00:04:51.910 Jesus Christ direct you, and may the Lord make 00:04:51.910 --> 00:04:54.470 you increase and abound in love to one another 00:04:54.470 --> 00:04:58.529 and to all just as we do to you, so that He may 00:04:58.529 --> 00:05:02.730 establish your hearts blameless and holiness 00:05:02.730 --> 00:05:06.389 before our God and Father at the coming of the 00:05:06.389 --> 00:05:10.089 Lord Jesus Christ with all those saints. These 00:05:10.089 --> 00:05:13.189 are the words of Almighty God. Receive them in 00:05:13.189 --> 00:05:16.660 your hearts. The three things that I would like 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:22.149 you to Use as a lens as we go through our text 00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:27.550 today are these. Christians must be established 00:05:27.550 --> 00:05:31.540 and encouraged in their faith. Christians must 00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:34.439 be established and encouraged in their faith. 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:36.980 You don't just get saved and then, oh, don't 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:40.060 have to do anything else. No, you must be established 00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:44.519 and encouraged in the faith. Second, face -to 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:47.759 -face relationships are better than letters. 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:52.959 face -to -face relationships are better than 00:05:52.959 --> 00:06:00.399 letters. And finally, we are raised up to service, 00:06:00.980 --> 00:06:04.579 abounding in love. We are raised up in service, 00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:10.209 abounding in love. After Rachel and I became 00:06:10.209 --> 00:06:13.930 engaged, Took a semester off from Bible college 00:06:13.930 --> 00:06:16.509 and went home to earn some money so I could return 00:06:16.509 --> 00:06:21.569 to school and more importantly to Rachel I longed 00:06:21.569 --> 00:06:25.370 to be Face -to -face with her and this of course 00:06:25.370 --> 00:06:29.470 was before the time of cell phones and long distance 00:06:29.470 --> 00:06:33.949 was very expensive Right and I longed to see 00:06:33.949 --> 00:06:38.850 her so what I did I set out to write her five 00:06:38.850 --> 00:06:43.680 days a week Okay And I did. My wife can tell 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:45.939 you, I wrote her five days a week. I only skipped 00:06:45.939 --> 00:06:51.910 two days. Wednesdays and Sundays. Sundays, I 00:06:51.910 --> 00:06:53.790 had lots to do with the church. I was involved 00:06:53.790 --> 00:06:56.029 in all kinds of things. Basically, I'd get to 00:06:56.029 --> 00:06:58.430 church at eight and go home. I'd get a brief 00:06:58.430 --> 00:07:00.949 lunch in the middle, but I'd go home around 9 00:07:00.949 --> 00:07:05.250 .30 or 10, Sunday night. But the reason that 00:07:05.250 --> 00:07:07.509 I took off Wednesdays is because I was also working 00:07:07.509 --> 00:07:10.990 three jobs, but I had them all have me off on 00:07:10.990 --> 00:07:15.860 Wednesday. Sunday so that I could sleep but I 00:07:15.860 --> 00:07:19.079 was working really hard but I wrote her and once 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:21.259 a week I made sure one of those letters was in 00:07:21.259 --> 00:07:24.240 a card as a matter of fact I was so wanting to 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.139 be with her face -to -face that I saw this helium 00:07:27.139 --> 00:07:29.560 balloon you know one of those metallic ones they 00:07:29.560 --> 00:07:33.240 used to make and it had a picture of a smiling 00:07:33.879 --> 00:07:37.079 guy in a little bow tie and it had arms and legs. 00:07:37.459 --> 00:07:39.220 And I thought, this is a great idea, so I put 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:41.019 it in a box and I mailed it to her. If it can't 00:07:41.019 --> 00:07:44.980 be me, it can be this. I didn't think about the 00:07:44.980 --> 00:07:47.300 fact what would happen to a helium balloon as 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:50.149 it was shipped through the mail, but she had 00:07:50.149 --> 00:07:56.980 something to pin to the wall. But in all of this, 00:07:57.220 --> 00:08:03.079 I could send her all these letters, but it did 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:08.459 not compare to what it was like. Oh, to be fair, 00:08:08.500 --> 00:08:12.970 she sent me letters too. But what I am trying 00:08:12.970 --> 00:08:19.240 to tell you is that letters are not as good as 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:26.110 being face -to -face with someone. So being together 00:08:26.110 --> 00:08:32.129 face -to -face with my wife is a gift and a joy. 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:36.720 It's a challenge. She encouraged me in the Lord, 00:08:36.720 --> 00:08:38.659 I encouraged her in the Lord. She challenged 00:08:38.659 --> 00:08:43.159 my selfishness, I challenged her. We could enjoy 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:46.100 our relationship and face the trials of life 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:49.539 together and so glorify God and benefit others. 00:08:50.830 --> 00:08:55.210 God is the triune God who lives as a perfect 00:08:55.210 --> 00:08:58.629 society of love and in service to one another 00:08:58.629 --> 00:09:02.360 in the Godhead. As you know, God created us in 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:05.379 his image and therefore we are created for face 00:09:05.379 --> 00:09:10.529 -to -face relationship and face -to -face relationships 00:09:10.529 --> 00:09:14.570 that love and serve. one another. And in turn, 00:09:14.710 --> 00:09:17.590 you're strengthened together to love and serve 00:09:17.590 --> 00:09:22.070 the Church and the greater community. Paul here 00:09:22.070 --> 00:09:25.149 in 1 Thessalonians knows that Christians must 00:09:25.149 --> 00:09:27.590 be discipled to be established and encouraged 00:09:27.590 --> 00:09:32.169 in the faith. This is best done not in isolation, 00:09:32.730 --> 00:09:36.750 but face to face. Consider Proverbs 18, 1 and 00:09:36.750 --> 00:09:41.389 2. A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire. 00:09:41.590 --> 00:09:46.129 He rages against all wise judgment. A fool has 00:09:46.129 --> 00:09:49.740 no delight in understanding, but in expressing 00:09:49.740 --> 00:09:54.179 his own heart. When we isolate ourselves, it 00:09:54.179 --> 00:09:58.159 isn't because we want to serve others. It isn't 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:00.539 because we want to bless others. It's because 00:10:00.539 --> 00:10:04.570 we want to pull back. We want to serve ourselves 00:10:04.570 --> 00:10:09.440 and our own desires. And so we rage against wise 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:13.259 judgment, and we don't delight in understanding. 00:10:13.629 --> 00:10:18.470 but only in expressing our own hearts. From the 00:10:18.470 --> 00:10:20.870 beginning, Satan has attempted to separate men 00:10:20.870 --> 00:10:24.870 from God and men from each other. The first Adam 00:10:24.870 --> 00:10:28.269 sinned, and what did he do? He blamed God and 00:10:28.269 --> 00:10:32.529 Eve for his sin. Eve blamed the serpent's cunning 00:10:32.529 --> 00:10:36.750 guile, and Satan has not changed his evil designs, 00:10:37.389 --> 00:10:41.750 but aims to divide and isolate men from God and 00:10:41.750 --> 00:10:45.960 from each other. Paul in verses 1 and 2, speaking 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:48.759 like the affectionate nursing mother and strong 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:52.220 admonishing father that we heard in chapter 2, 00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:56.960 said this, that he could wait no longer to see 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:00.649 these children. He says this, when we could no 00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:04.759 longer endure it. If you've ever been separated 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:07.620 from your children, you long to see them, they're 00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:11.519 glad to see you. So what did they do? They had 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:15.230 Timothy leave them. That's Paul and Silas, and 00:11:15.230 --> 00:11:18.049 go to see them face to face that he might establish 00:11:18.049 --> 00:11:21.990 and encourage them in the faith. And Paul is 00:11:21.990 --> 00:11:24.509 now writing a letter to the church in Thessalonica, 00:11:25.149 --> 00:11:28.389 but this letter is preceded by sending Timothy. 00:11:28.669 --> 00:11:31.909 He could just send a letter based off of the 00:11:31.909 --> 00:11:35.950 three weeks that he was there and was doing ministry, 00:11:37.179 --> 00:11:39.820 but he thought, I could send a letter and ask 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:42.649 questions, they could reply back. but nothing 00:11:42.649 --> 00:11:48.100 is as effective as sending forth a pastoral intern 00:11:48.100 --> 00:11:52.100 to go there in Timothy and go and find out and 00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:54.399 firm them up and encourage them and strengthen 00:11:54.399 --> 00:12:02.019 them. And so Paul's motive in all of this is 00:12:02.019 --> 00:12:05.980 for his own glory, so that the church in Thessalonica 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:09.419 would not be shaken by the afflictions surrounding 00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:12.279 all the persecutions and trials brought on by 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:17.860 the enemies of God. Right? There are enemies 00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:23.720 you know and enemies you don't know. There are 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:27.960 enemies who you think are friends and there are 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:32.019 friends that are your enemies. And so Paul knows 00:12:32.019 --> 00:12:35.259 what's going on and so he wants to strengthen 00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:41.500 and encourage them and he wants them to be strengthened 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:46.750 in this time of trial and persecution. In Matthew 00:12:46.750 --> 00:12:49.750 chapter 13, Jesus teaches us by the parable of 00:12:49.750 --> 00:12:52.929 the sower that Satan seeks to attack the hearers 00:12:52.929 --> 00:12:56.669 of the word by snatching the word from hard hearts. 00:12:58.509 --> 00:13:04.539 We also see that others receive joy in the word, 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:09.450 but then it has no root. We also were told that 00:13:09.450 --> 00:13:12.429 when tribulation and persecution arise, that 00:13:12.429 --> 00:13:15.820 some stumble. So what is Paul doing? He's trying 00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:18.019 to go back. Is there somebody with hard heart 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:21.120 that he can go and break up the soil? Are there 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:26.529 others that he can go to and work it in? Are 00:13:26.529 --> 00:13:29.610 there others who are being choked out by the 00:13:29.610 --> 00:13:33.549 trials and persecutions of life? So what does 00:13:33.549 --> 00:13:37.149 Paul do? He sends Timothy to go and be that minister, 00:13:37.210 --> 00:13:39.669 that farmer, that sower of the seed, that one 00:13:39.669 --> 00:13:42.710 who knows that it is the Holy Spirit that makes 00:13:42.710 --> 00:13:45.799 them grow. But he's commanded to bring out the 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.080 seed. He's commanded to cultivate. He's commanded 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:51.960 to pray that the spirit be poured out and water 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:55.440 the ground, that it may be fruitful. Fruitful 00:13:55.440 --> 00:14:00.789 just a little bit? No, 30, 60, or 100 times. 00:14:04.610 --> 00:14:08.899 We do know. that God initiates salvation. But 00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:11.759 we are called to grow more and more into maturity 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:14.379 in order to produce greater and greater fruit 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:17.220 to the glory of God and the benefit of others. 00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:20.960 And God has established ministers and elders 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:26.700 to proclaim and disciple and to teach. Now we 00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:32.360 need to know this, right? God initiates, right? 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:35.200 But we have obligations. Remember conditions 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:39.139 by God do not nullify grace. but it is grace 00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:43.980 that enables us to fulfill the conditions. I'll 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:46.220 say that one more time. Remember, conditions 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:50.000 by God do not nullify grace, but it is grace 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:56.019 that enables us to fulfill conditions. The gospel 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:59.539 is the good news that King Jesus has come and 00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:02.720 defeated sin and death, and we as His people 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:05.720 have been delivered from idols by the living 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:10.460 God. But not for ourselves, but rather for the 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:14.259 glory of God and the service of others God raises 00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:19.750 us up for service God transforms you and forgives 00:15:19.750 --> 00:15:22.730 your sins sets you free from the bondage of sin 00:15:22.730 --> 00:15:26.610 that you may serve Not just him not you in your 00:15:26.610 --> 00:15:29.490 Bible in your prayer time, but to take that and 00:15:29.490 --> 00:15:36.179 then go and serve others So Timothy was sent 00:15:36.179 --> 00:15:39.460 to the Thessalonian Church to establish and encourage 00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:43.590 them in Christ Jesus I can see Timothy reminding 00:15:43.590 --> 00:15:46.889 them that that they were persuaded that Jesus 00:15:46.889 --> 00:15:50.909 is the Christ and So the promises of Psalm 37 00:15:50.909 --> 00:15:54.750 were true for them in Christ Jesus Remember what 00:15:54.750 --> 00:15:57.710 Psalm 37 tells us do not be shaken or choked 00:15:57.710 --> 00:16:02.230 out or without root Do not fret trust God and 00:16:02.230 --> 00:16:05.970 do good Delight and commit your way to the Lord. 00:16:06.529 --> 00:16:11.070 Rest and be patient in the Lord. Cease from anger. 00:16:11.309 --> 00:16:15.610 Forsake wrath. Again, do not fret. It only causes 00:16:15.610 --> 00:16:21.139 harm. And if you drop down in Psalm 37, you can 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:22.919 see it, right? Can't you see this? In the midst 00:16:22.919 --> 00:16:26.460 of all this, he would go and grab Psalm 37. He 00:16:26.460 --> 00:16:28.620 says all these things. Don't fret. Don't worry. 00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:32.350 Don't be full of anger. Let go of wrath. even 00:16:32.350 --> 00:16:36.950 though these people are coming against you. He 00:16:36.950 --> 00:16:42.769 says this in verse 23 of Psalm 37. I could see 00:16:42.769 --> 00:16:45.509 him saying this to them. The steps of a good 00:16:45.509 --> 00:16:49.250 man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights 00:16:49.250 --> 00:16:52.870 in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly 00:16:52.870 --> 00:16:58.830 cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his 00:16:58.830 --> 00:17:02.289 hand. Can you imagine that? You can hear that. 00:17:02.590 --> 00:17:06.089 This is what he's doing to encourage and to hold 00:17:06.089 --> 00:17:10.099 them up so they won't be shaken So Timothy face 00:17:10.099 --> 00:17:14.359 to face with them set out to make them stable 00:17:14.390 --> 00:17:17.950 Encouraging and comforting them by exhorting 00:17:17.950 --> 00:17:21.990 them and teaching them the words of God In verse 00:17:21.990 --> 00:17:25.809 5 Paul again speaking as a spiritual parent declared 00:17:25.809 --> 00:17:28.829 when I could no longer endure it I sent to know 00:17:28.829 --> 00:17:32.099 your faith In case the tempter had by some way 00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:34.700 tempted them and they fell away or they're wandering 00:17:34.700 --> 00:17:39.240 away or they're doubting in their faith God never 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:46.099 leaves us or forsakes us But God had upheld them 00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:49.839 God had been faithful as he always is even in 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.240 trials persecutions and Troubles none of these 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:56.700 are random God was with them and this in fact 00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:59.519 was part of his redemptive historical design 00:18:00.329 --> 00:18:03.289 Now we can actually look back to that time and 00:18:03.289 --> 00:18:06.269 understand what was happening, right? We understand 00:18:06.269 --> 00:18:08.750 that Jesus pronounced the judgment on the temple 00:18:08.750 --> 00:18:11.970 in Jerusalem and the whole Corrupted what had 00:18:11.970 --> 00:18:13.990 happened to the Old Testament system. He's the 00:18:13.990 --> 00:18:16.930 fulfillment of all things and they rejected him 00:18:17.509 --> 00:18:20.069 And so all this persecutions happening as the 00:18:20.069 --> 00:18:22.589 church is growing and we know because we can 00:18:22.589 --> 00:18:26.539 look back we could see how God was blessing the 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:28.599 church and it's growing and growing and growing 00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:32.220 and then the day the Lord came and Jesus from 00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:37.049 his throne brought about the judgment on Jerusalem 00:18:37.049 --> 00:18:39.349 and the temple. Like we can see that building. 00:18:39.750 --> 00:18:43.430 And so for us, looking back, we can see and know, 00:18:43.849 --> 00:18:45.910 oh yeah, God, this is all part of his redemptive 00:18:45.910 --> 00:18:49.269 plan. Yes, for you too in your life, this is 00:18:49.269 --> 00:18:52.609 God's redemptive plan and his design. You're 00:18:52.609 --> 00:18:55.609 just a little part of it. You think about that 00:18:55.609 --> 00:18:58.250 one little kid, or that teenager, or that family, 00:18:58.809 --> 00:19:02.250 and all the persecutions going on in Thessalonica. 00:19:03.210 --> 00:19:04.869 They couldn't see the big picture. They didn't 00:19:04.869 --> 00:19:06.630 have the ability to look behind. What'd they 00:19:06.630 --> 00:19:09.390 do? They had the Word of God to stand on. And 00:19:09.390 --> 00:19:12.329 they needed to be reminded that it was Christ 00:19:12.329 --> 00:19:15.210 Jesus, and that He was the Messiah. He is the 00:19:15.210 --> 00:19:19.740 King overall. And He had redeemed them from death 00:19:19.740 --> 00:19:24.690 and sin. And so... They're being called up to 00:19:24.690 --> 00:19:32.940 be steadied and to serve one another. So we know 00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:35.720 that God and His providence and sovereign plan 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:38.660 for His glory and for the salvation of all His 00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:41.859 people. You can turn and look at Zephaniah 1 00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:45.440 verses 15 through 18 and you see how God works 00:19:45.440 --> 00:19:49.480 in hard circumstances very clearly to redeem 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:56.390 His people. This is His plan. So Timothy came 00:19:56.390 --> 00:19:59.150 back to Paul and Silas and reported the good 00:19:59.150 --> 00:20:01.950 news of their faith and love and that the church 00:20:01.950 --> 00:20:06.029 there, they were remembered there, Paul and Silas' 00:20:06.529 --> 00:20:10.369 work and word. And then he told them, hey, look, 00:20:11.490 --> 00:20:14.009 the Thessalonica church, they want to see Paul, 00:20:14.730 --> 00:20:16.910 right? And they want to see all in his company 00:20:16.910 --> 00:20:21.200 again. This is quite amazing, right? We say, 00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:23.819 well, why is this amazing? Well, think about 00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:27.839 this. For many of us, we might like certain people, 00:20:28.180 --> 00:20:30.680 but we don't like how they stir things up when 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:36.630 they come around. We're glad to have met them, 00:20:36.630 --> 00:20:39.390 but we don't like the chaos that happens when 00:20:39.390 --> 00:20:45.559 they're around. So we can say, so nice to have 00:20:45.559 --> 00:20:51.130 met you, but don't come back. These saints understood 00:20:51.130 --> 00:20:54.809 that Paul's preaching was out of his determination 00:20:54.809 --> 00:20:59.500 for them. Right that it and we see in first Corinthians 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:02.119 the same thought here that anything among you 00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:03.920 I didn't preach anything among you except for 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:06.880 Jesus Christ and him crucified and that's what 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:09.940 brought every brought chaos to their town to 00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:12.440 their city and Some were arrested and some had 00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:18.170 to pay fines and they were being stirred up stirred 00:21:18.170 --> 00:21:24.299 up against them for following God So so they 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:26.279 longed for him to come back even though they 00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:29.759 knew that if Paul returned It's likely to be 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:31.960 trouble. There's likely to be problems. There's 00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:36.319 for me and for my family Don't deny Christ for 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:39.279 the problems that it looks like it's gonna happen 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:43.500 in your life dearly beloved if you have friends 00:21:43.950 --> 00:21:48.430 or are that friend who always brings chaos is 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:52.490 it because You or they are speaking with the 00:21:52.490 --> 00:21:55.150 excellence of speech or great wisdom about the 00:21:55.150 --> 00:21:58.329 things of God for your own glory or Following 00:21:58.329 --> 00:22:01.869 or does the chaos come from declaring Jesus? 00:22:03.410 --> 00:22:06.069 Do you bring chaos does your friend bring chaos 00:22:06.069 --> 00:22:09.730 because they're pointing to Jesus is Jesus at 00:22:09.730 --> 00:22:16.839 the center Or does the chaos come? for discussing 00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:19.299 things. They might be good and biblical things 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.960 in a sense, but the question is, is Jesus at 00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:26.819 the center? Not just of your motives, but does 00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:30.940 every discussion lead back to obedience to God's 00:22:30.940 --> 00:22:36.440 word in King Jesus? One is centered on attention 00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:39.660 to oneself, even in Christian topics, and the 00:22:39.660 --> 00:22:43.220 other is centered on Jesus the King, Redeemer, 00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:47.119 and Deliverer of sinners unto salvation for good 00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:50.789 works. If we talk about everything and it never 00:22:50.789 --> 00:22:55.509 spurs us on to good works, Hebrews tell us, right? 00:22:55.549 --> 00:22:59.400 Spur one another on, right? Under faith and good 00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:06.769 works. Faith comes out in actionable items. Returning 00:23:06.769 --> 00:23:09.950 to our text in verses seven and eight, Paul continues, 00:23:10.410 --> 00:23:13.029 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and 00:23:13.029 --> 00:23:16.650 distress, we were comforted concerning you by 00:23:16.650 --> 00:23:20.859 your faith. for now we live if you stand fast 00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:27.250 in the Lord." So Paul, Silas, and Timothy, even 00:23:27.250 --> 00:23:28.890 in their afflictions, because they didn't just 00:23:28.890 --> 00:23:31.650 leave Thessalonica and everything was hunky -dory 00:23:31.650 --> 00:23:33.930 everywhere else, they went, no, they still had 00:23:33.930 --> 00:23:36.430 struggles and difficulties while they proclaimed 00:23:36.430 --> 00:23:42.019 the truth, right? But they are comforted by the 00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:45.759 Thessalonian church's faith, so much so that 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:50.710 they live, that they're so blessed that that 00:23:50.710 --> 00:23:53.130 they are actively changed in their thoughts, 00:23:53.150 --> 00:23:56.789 in their life, and they are endlessly blessed 00:23:57.880 --> 00:24:04.039 if the Thessalonian church continues in the kingdom 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:10.319 of God by standing fast. As your minister, or 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.980 if you've ever discipled somebody, or if you've 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:15.619 ever trained your children in the Lord, discipled 00:24:15.619 --> 00:24:18.400 your children in the Lord, you are endlessly 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:21.660 blessed when you see those disciples, those children, 00:24:21.980 --> 00:24:26.789 Those people, right? Standing fast in the Lord 00:24:26.789 --> 00:24:33.130 Jesus Christ. Every parent in this room knows 00:24:33.130 --> 00:24:36.250 that all the afflictions and trial of life are 00:24:36.250 --> 00:24:38.910 worth it if our children stand fast in the Lord. 00:24:38.930 --> 00:24:42.609 And this is what Paul is feeling towards the 00:24:42.609 --> 00:24:49.769 Thessalonica Church. So life, right? If God raises 00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:52.730 up our children for service across God's kingdom, 00:24:52.990 --> 00:24:55.750 we give thanks for all the trials and difficulties. 00:24:56.109 --> 00:24:58.990 And as James 1 says, count it all joy. All those 00:24:58.990 --> 00:25:05.859 trials, it's all joy. Now Paul here teaches us 00:25:05.859 --> 00:25:09.180 how this thankfulness, this Eucharisto should 00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:12.420 be. He says, for what thanks can we render to 00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:16.160 God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice? 00:25:16.569 --> 00:25:20.109 for your sake before our God night and day praying 00:25:20.109 --> 00:25:25.490 exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect 00:25:25.490 --> 00:25:29.809 what is lacking in your faith." Right? So he 00:25:29.809 --> 00:25:34.349 yearns to see them learn and mature and be settled 00:25:34.349 --> 00:25:39.250 in holiness. For every one of us in this room, 00:25:39.730 --> 00:25:42.630 we need to be subject to God's Word and the authority 00:25:42.630 --> 00:25:47.920 and power in it and grow into maturity. being 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:52.059 settled in the holiness and confession of our 00:25:52.059 --> 00:25:56.400 sin when we recognize that we have faltered. 00:25:57.589 --> 00:26:01.470 Paul asks what Eucharisto, that giving of thanks, 00:26:02.049 --> 00:26:04.650 can they bring before God for that church? Paul 00:26:04.650 --> 00:26:08.329 describes the memorializing of thanksgiving for 00:26:08.329 --> 00:26:13.700 them, and he does so with all joyful and gladness. 00:26:13.950 --> 00:26:17.569 which causes Paul to rejoice, which in the Greek 00:26:17.569 --> 00:26:21.009 means, like when we hear rejoice, I'm going to 00:26:21.009 --> 00:26:24.769 challenge us right now, right? Because the word 00:26:24.769 --> 00:26:28.349 of God says that we should rejoice. Sometimes 00:26:28.349 --> 00:26:31.750 we sing it in our songs, right? What is rejoicing? 00:26:33.170 --> 00:26:36.230 It is this. In the Greek it means being cheerful 00:26:36.230 --> 00:26:41.849 and having a calm happiness. Being cheerful and 00:26:41.849 --> 00:26:47.180 having a calm happiness. That is to say, for 00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:51.309 us, for all of the saints sitting out there, 00:26:51.509 --> 00:26:59.910 are you cheerful? Are you calmly happy? Right? 00:26:59.910 --> 00:27:02.230 There's persecutions, there's trials, there's 00:27:02.230 --> 00:27:05.009 difficulties of life, there's all kinds of troubles 00:27:05.009 --> 00:27:11.269 that go on. Are you cheerful in the Lord? Are 00:27:11.269 --> 00:27:13.970 you calmly happy? How can you be calmly happy? 00:27:15.109 --> 00:27:17.490 Right? There's this thing going on, and that 00:27:17.490 --> 00:27:19.470 persecution, and this trial, and these people 00:27:19.470 --> 00:27:22.529 rising up, all these things going on. No, no. 00:27:22.589 --> 00:27:26.809 Be cheerful, because God is sovereign. Jesus 00:27:26.809 --> 00:27:32.369 is king. And praise God. He has redeemed us and 00:27:32.369 --> 00:27:36.009 set us free from the bondage of sin and death. 00:27:36.890 --> 00:27:40.089 Do we have anything to not be cheerful about? 00:27:41.950 --> 00:27:45.200 Right? Parents. You're walking out the door, 00:27:45.319 --> 00:27:47.059 especially on a Sunday morning. I know how this 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:51.880 works. Your littlest one has a blowout. Of course, 00:27:51.980 --> 00:27:53.299 you know what they do. They wait till you got 00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.740 them fully dressed for church, and you're walking 00:27:54.740 --> 00:28:00.849 out the door. It happens, right? Are we cheerful? 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:04.339 And you go, how can I be cheerful about that 00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:08.500 foul odor? Ah, praise God. Their digestive system 00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:12.660 is working, right? Some children don't have that 00:28:12.660 --> 00:28:17.880 ability, OK? All of the things, what can we be 00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:21.259 cheerful? Lord, you can even say, if it is just 00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:22.799 beyond you, say, Lord, I don't know what you're 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:25.039 trying to teach me, but help me to learn faster. 00:28:27.029 --> 00:28:30.589 Be cheerful. Why? Because in all that you're 00:28:30.589 --> 00:28:33.950 doing, you have the forgiveness of sins. You're 00:28:33.950 --> 00:28:37.130 set free from that bondage, the glory of the 00:28:37.130 --> 00:28:43.609 gospel. So the way that we are to memorialize 00:28:43.609 --> 00:28:45.609 what God is doing in our lives and the lives 00:28:45.609 --> 00:28:48.410 of our family and church even in the midst of 00:28:48.410 --> 00:28:51.829 trials and cheerful and Tribulations is with 00:28:51.829 --> 00:28:56.599 cheerful and calm happiness Remember the gospel 00:28:56.599 --> 00:29:00.140 the good news Here's here's what we don't understand 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:04.160 We go to our little Greek dictionaries and we 00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:07.720 say Okay, that word that Greek word. It means 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:11.980 this right But don't miss out on the fact of 00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:15.000 how people in the day would have heard that word. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:21.269 In the first century there, it was clear to everyone 00:29:21.269 --> 00:29:25.750 when you said gospel, this is good news concerning 00:29:25.750 --> 00:29:30.210 the birth of a king, the coronation of a king, 00:29:30.470 --> 00:29:35.170 or a king's great victory, right? We have all 00:29:35.170 --> 00:29:38.430 three of those in Jesus Christ. He came down 00:29:38.430 --> 00:29:43.950 to earth for us. He was coronated at the ascension 00:29:44.529 --> 00:29:47.930 and He set us free yet a great victory over sin 00:29:47.930 --> 00:29:52.369 and death Can we be cheerful about that? We don't 00:29:52.369 --> 00:29:54.869 have any smiles not very many of them out there 00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:57.259 All right, can we be cheerful about that even 00:29:57.259 --> 00:30:01.089 when the hard things happen in our lives? This 00:30:01.089 --> 00:30:04.259 is the gospel part of our maturing in Christ 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:07.200 Jesus is that when we come to realize in a most 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:09.940 profound way that our King was born in the flesh, 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:12.319 that He was crowned King in His ascension and 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:14.720 has in fact defeated sin and death by the cross 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:20.279 and His resurrection. Are you hearing? God in 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:23.180 His infinite wisdom and glory has left the church 00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:27.160 to finish pressing Jesus' crown rights to the 00:30:27.160 --> 00:30:30.859 ends of the earth. You want to know what makes 00:30:30.859 --> 00:30:35.089 the enemies of God tremble? God's people worshiping 00:30:35.089 --> 00:30:40.519 Him. with joy and humble gratitude. And we do 00:30:40.519 --> 00:30:45.829 that. And every time we worship God, the gates 00:30:45.829 --> 00:30:48.849 of hell, keep hearing this boom. What's going 00:30:48.849 --> 00:30:51.849 on at the gates? Why are the gates of hell shaking? 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:55.579 Because the people of God are in His throne room 00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:59.839 worshipping Him. And then, when we are commissioned 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:02.220 to go out in the world to press the crown rights 00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:06.950 of Jesus, we go rejoicing and we're cheerful. 00:31:07.839 --> 00:31:13.480 We're calm and happy despite the roaring of God's 00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:20.220 enemies For all of us our wives our children's 00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:22.700 and all the saints in this church and all the 00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:28.259 husbands our Church is revived daily in our Thanksgiving 00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:31.440 calmly and cheerfully lived out in the world 00:31:31.789 --> 00:31:34.190 It's one thing you know we get in here, and let's 00:31:34.190 --> 00:31:37.190 be let's be honest. How's it going? We get two 00:31:37.190 --> 00:31:43.519 responses of that. Oh, man. It's all bad Or we 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:48.269 get, it's all great, right? What we should be 00:31:48.269 --> 00:31:52.500 saying is, God has blessed me with the trial 00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:56.279 and I give him thanks for it. And yes, please 00:31:56.279 --> 00:31:59.579 pray for me, but I give him praise and glory 00:31:59.579 --> 00:32:03.660 because he's working in me so that I may be reconciled 00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:10.079 to God and serve others. And all of this is to 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:15.359 be done joyfully. cheerfully and calm. Not a 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:18.589 false laugh, but a good laugh. Paul tells the 00:32:18.589 --> 00:32:22.109 church that they are praying night and day exceedingly 00:32:22.109 --> 00:32:25.890 that they may see them face to face to perfect 00:32:25.890 --> 00:32:27.710 what they're lacking in their faith in Christ 00:32:27.710 --> 00:32:33.180 Jesus. This word exceedingly in the Greek means 00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:38.410 super abundantly. So they're praying night and 00:32:38.410 --> 00:32:41.529 day super abundantly to see them face to face. 00:32:41.710 --> 00:32:43.849 so that they can encourage them and settle them 00:32:43.849 --> 00:32:47.930 and ground them in Christ Jesus. When I was apart 00:32:47.930 --> 00:32:51.450 from Rachel, I too prayed super abundantly to 00:32:51.450 --> 00:32:55.279 see her face to face. Of course, my motive was 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:59.319 to marry and to be with her. Paul here wants 00:32:59.319 --> 00:33:03.640 to be with them to perfect them, to build them 00:33:03.640 --> 00:33:07.490 up, to settle them. And of course, when the Bible 00:33:07.490 --> 00:33:12.450 speaks of perfection, it means to be mature. 00:33:12.849 --> 00:33:16.750 or to complete fully. So Paul is praying super 00:33:16.750 --> 00:33:20.190 abundantly that they, that's Paul, Silas, and 00:33:20.190 --> 00:33:23.869 Timothy go and help them mature by teaching them 00:33:23.869 --> 00:33:28.039 what they lack in their life in Christ. Paul 00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:30.839 understands that his letter may be good, but 00:33:30.839 --> 00:33:33.619 it is not a replacement for a face -to -face 00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:38.920 relationship. To cultivate something, one must 00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:44.809 be present, right? The digital world is not present. 00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:47.980 with you. It's all around you, but it cannot 00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:51.220 cultivate you. The Lord certainly can use the 00:33:51.220 --> 00:33:54.619 digital world by His Spirit to help you see or 00:33:54.619 --> 00:33:58.640 understand something, but it's just like a letter 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:03.269 in another form, right? We know this. It came 00:34:03.269 --> 00:34:06.890 up last night, actually, at our Circle of Wisdom. 00:34:07.670 --> 00:34:11.269 God's ordinary means of sanctification is through 00:34:11.269 --> 00:34:14.409 the Lord's day service and other people. face 00:34:14.409 --> 00:34:18.500 -to -face in our lives, in our face -to -face 00:34:18.500 --> 00:34:22.099 relationships, our selfishness is confronted. 00:34:23.469 --> 00:34:28.090 And being conformed to Christ, Jesus, means that 00:34:28.090 --> 00:34:31.269 we live not for ourselves but for the glory and 00:34:31.269 --> 00:34:33.710 honor of God through the sacrificial service 00:34:33.710 --> 00:34:37.230 to the benefit of others. I just want to pause 00:34:37.230 --> 00:34:40.889 for a second and explain this. I can't, to be, 00:34:41.289 --> 00:34:44.409 cultivate something you have to be present. I 00:34:44.409 --> 00:34:46.909 can, you know, back in the old days, say, go 00:34:46.909 --> 00:34:50.110 read a book, right, most of you. Go Google. Go 00:34:50.110 --> 00:34:53.539 Google how to make a plant. Where's the place 00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:56.219 that has the best soils? What tools and equipment 00:34:56.219 --> 00:35:03.130 do you need? I can study it to all depths, right? 00:35:03.670 --> 00:35:08.300 But if I live in a concrete city, I'm not cultivating 00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:11.969 a farm. I have to be physically present where 00:35:11.969 --> 00:35:17.119 the land is, where the seed is. where all of 00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:20.039 the irrigation equipment is. I have to be there. 00:35:20.219 --> 00:35:21.860 And then I got to go to work because I could 00:35:21.860 --> 00:35:24.639 also move there and study it and look at all 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:26.739 these things and have all the best equipment 00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:36.960 out there and still do nothing. You see, the 00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:41.650 digital world is not face to face. Forgiving 00:35:41.650 --> 00:35:45.090 and being forgiven can only be tested when we 00:35:45.090 --> 00:35:48.230 are with the person which we have had a broken 00:35:48.230 --> 00:35:53.219 relationship with. It is only face -to -face 00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:58.460 where broken trust can be restored so we can 00:35:58.460 --> 00:36:03.329 see the fruit of forgiveness. Covering over a 00:36:03.329 --> 00:36:08.579 multitude of sins for the sake of Christ and 00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:11.420 not be in the presence and confronted with it 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:17.159 is no benefit to ourselves. Much like a letter 00:36:17.159 --> 00:36:20.280 in the mail, the digital world does not actually 00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:23.869 confront us and as one commentator put it, In 00:36:23.869 --> 00:36:26.969 the digital world, it is not love covering a 00:36:26.969 --> 00:36:30.449 multitude of sins, but rather it is distance 00:36:30.449 --> 00:36:34.409 that covers a multitude of sins. So again, just 00:36:34.409 --> 00:36:40.309 to explain this a little bit, right? If I send 00:36:40.309 --> 00:36:44.250 a letter or an email or a text message or a signal, 00:36:44.289 --> 00:36:47.469 whatever you're using, right? Because I have 00:36:47.469 --> 00:36:50.449 some sort of spat with somebody or disagreement 00:36:50.449 --> 00:36:54.030 and I realize I was sinful and whatever. I can 00:36:54.030 --> 00:36:58.630 say, I forgive you. But if that person never 00:36:58.630 --> 00:37:01.929 comes in my life, or if I'm never in that person's 00:37:01.929 --> 00:37:07.829 life, when is that forgiveness tested? It's not. 00:37:08.599 --> 00:37:13.130 It's not. What's the hardest thing? Right? Who's 00:37:13.130 --> 00:37:15.750 the person closest to you? Your spouse? Maybe 00:37:15.750 --> 00:37:19.110 your children? Maybe a really good friend? If 00:37:19.110 --> 00:37:24.440 you're not married? Right? You can say, oh, we 00:37:24.440 --> 00:37:27.849 got an argument. I forgive you. But men, if you 00:37:27.849 --> 00:37:31.840 never again saw your wife again, right, is she 00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:35.510 ever confronted with what her forgiveness works 00:37:35.510 --> 00:37:39.050 out in the life? No. Are you confronted? No. 00:37:39.769 --> 00:37:44.570 Right? It's face to face where we're confronted 00:37:45.429 --> 00:37:48.869 in true service, in true forgiveness, in true 00:37:48.869 --> 00:37:52.429 restoration with others. Now, to be clear, let 00:37:52.429 --> 00:37:56.429 me make this part clear. Right? Forgiveness doesn't 00:37:56.429 --> 00:38:00.269 always equate to immediate trust. And, say, in 00:38:00.269 --> 00:38:02.389 a marriage relationship, if adultery happens, 00:38:02.489 --> 00:38:06.230 they'll never again have virgin trust. Can trust 00:38:06.230 --> 00:38:09.070 be restored? Most of the way, but there'll always 00:38:09.070 --> 00:38:11.630 be a little inkling there. And they'll just have 00:38:11.630 --> 00:38:17.019 to trust Jesus in it. But, ultimately, for all 00:38:17.019 --> 00:38:20.820 of us, we must understand the importance of being 00:38:20.820 --> 00:38:25.519 face to face. Finally, Paul turns to a written 00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:30.570 petition of prayer in verse 11. May our God and 00:38:30.570 --> 00:38:33.269 Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct, 00:38:33.369 --> 00:38:36.489 that is to guide and make straight, our way to 00:38:36.489 --> 00:38:39.570 you, that the Lord may make you increase and 00:38:39.570 --> 00:38:43.730 abound in love to one another and to all, just 00:38:43.730 --> 00:38:47.530 as we do to you, so that he may establish in 00:38:47.530 --> 00:38:51.070 your hearts blameless, deserving, that is blameless 00:38:51.070 --> 00:38:53.789 is deserving, no censure. It's not perfection, 00:38:54.130 --> 00:38:58.170 it's confession of sins, it's restoration, but. 00:39:00.079 --> 00:39:02.699 That God may establish your hearts blameless 00:39:02.699 --> 00:39:05.500 and holiness before our God and father at the 00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:07.460 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints 00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:12.079 so that's speaking of the last day the last day 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:16.039 ever the great white throne judgment Paul prays 00:39:16.039 --> 00:39:18.900 for God the father and our Lord Jesus Christ 00:39:18.900 --> 00:39:22.679 to direct God and make straight There that's 00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:26.639 Paul Silas and Timothy's way to them, but in 00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:30.340 the meantime He's asking God that they would 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:34.039 increase and abound in love to one another and 00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:36.219 to all did you notice that it wasn't just the 00:39:36.219 --> 00:39:42.610 one another of the Saints but to all Just like 00:39:42.610 --> 00:39:45.909 Paul Silas and Timothy that's how they acted 00:39:45.909 --> 00:39:48.469 preaching the gospel to all persecuted by all 00:39:48.469 --> 00:39:50.750 but loving one another the brethren first But 00:39:50.750 --> 00:39:56.039 then the world were raised up to service abounding 00:39:56.039 --> 00:39:59.170 in love One would think that a group of Christians 00:39:59.170 --> 00:40:02.210 would not have to be encouraged to love one another. 00:40:02.929 --> 00:40:05.449 Imagine that. Christians have to be encouraged 00:40:05.449 --> 00:40:08.110 to love one another. If we're all honest, we 00:40:08.110 --> 00:40:14.309 know that that's very true. Jesus loved us while 00:40:14.309 --> 00:40:17.690 we were his enemy. Therefore, we have to love 00:40:17.690 --> 00:40:21.099 our enemies. We receive this command to love 00:40:21.099 --> 00:40:24.960 one another and all and you accept and so in 00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:27.539 here this when you accept all these gifts God 00:40:27.539 --> 00:40:31.260 is giving you You accept the gift of God's gracious 00:40:31.260 --> 00:40:33.960 and undeserved mercy and forgiveness for his 00:40:33.960 --> 00:40:37.659 good pleasure You accept the gift and then it's 00:40:37.659 --> 00:40:40.500 given to you for God's good pleasure is it God's 00:40:40.500 --> 00:40:42.340 good pleasure that you take the good gift of 00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:45.869 the gospel and the forgiveness of sins and Hold 00:40:45.869 --> 00:40:49.369 it in your coat not sharing it with anyone withholding 00:40:49.369 --> 00:40:54.730 forgiveness and restoration? To please God and 00:40:54.730 --> 00:40:59.030 to honor Him, Jesus said in Luke 6, But if you 00:40:59.030 --> 00:41:01.190 love those who love you, what credit is that 00:41:01.190 --> 00:41:03.630 to you? For even sinners love those who love 00:41:03.630 --> 00:41:06.789 them. And if you do good to those who do good 00:41:06.789 --> 00:41:09.269 to you, what credit is that to you? For even 00:41:09.269 --> 00:41:12.590 sinners do the same. And if you lend to those 00:41:12.590 --> 00:41:15.530 from whom you hope to receive back, what credit 00:41:15.530 --> 00:41:19.280 is that to you? Are you getting it? If you love 00:41:19.280 --> 00:41:21.539 people for what you get out of it, that's not 00:41:21.539 --> 00:41:26.820 love. And it says this, even if you lend to those 00:41:26.820 --> 00:41:29.480 whom you hope to receive back, what credit is 00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:32.719 it to you? For even sinners lend to those to 00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:35.699 receive as much back. But love your enemies, 00:41:36.460 --> 00:41:40.119 do good, lend, hoping for nothing in return, 00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:42.820 and your reward will be great, and you will be 00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:45.139 sons of the Most High. So to love one another 00:41:45.139 --> 00:41:48.440 and to love others, even in persecution, even 00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:51.400 your enemies. Even when you're not going to get 00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:56.320 anything back, this work of Christ in your life 00:41:56.840 --> 00:42:00.840 is for us, declaring to the world we are sons 00:42:00.840 --> 00:42:04.059 of the Most High. And this is Jesus again, for 00:42:04.059 --> 00:42:08.460 He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Wait, 00:42:08.559 --> 00:42:15.230 what? Jesus says that God is kind to the unthankful 00:42:15.230 --> 00:42:20.429 and evil. What separates us from the world? We 00:42:20.429 --> 00:42:25.929 are kind even to the unthankful and evil. Now 00:42:25.929 --> 00:42:29.699 kindness, right? That's not flattery. That's 00:42:29.699 --> 00:42:32.400 not niceness. Kindness is telling the truth firmly 00:42:32.400 --> 00:42:35.679 and love and willing to stoop low and serve and 00:42:35.679 --> 00:42:39.320 help and lift up. And so Jesus says there in 00:42:39.320 --> 00:42:42.800 Luke 6, therefore be merciful just as your father 00:42:42.800 --> 00:42:49.010 is merciful. Paul acknowledges that the primary 00:42:49.010 --> 00:42:54.079 way that young converts will be rooted steadfast 00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:57.340 in God is face -to -face relationships so they 00:42:57.340 --> 00:43:02.139 can do just as Paul and his team does. Paul asks 00:43:02.139 --> 00:43:05.980 God to establish their hearts blameless. That 00:43:05.980 --> 00:43:08.400 is, deserving no censure in holiness. So that's 00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:11.179 confession of sin and restoration of relationships 00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:15.699 before God and Father and of course for the very 00:43:15.699 --> 00:43:19.679 last day. in Christ Jesus and all his saints. 00:43:20.579 --> 00:43:24.079 Dearly beloved, we are in Christ Jesus and we 00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:27.360 are to mature and be fruitful, abounding in love 00:43:27.360 --> 00:43:32.489 towards one another. To think that out, I'll 00:43:32.489 --> 00:43:36.090 close with this. Relations 422, you know this 00:43:36.090 --> 00:43:39.440 passage. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, 00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:44.199 joy, peace, long -suffering, kindness, goodness, 00:43:44.800 --> 00:43:48.369 faithfulness, gentleness. self -control. Against 00:43:48.369 --> 00:43:51.429 such, there is no law. And those who are Christ 00:43:51.429 --> 00:43:54.469 have crucified the flesh with its passions and 00:43:54.469 --> 00:43:57.429 desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also 00:43:57.429 --> 00:44:00.610 walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, 00:44:00.829 --> 00:44:05.360 provoking one another, envying one another. Jesus 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:07.960 has set us free from the bondage of sin and death. 00:44:08.360 --> 00:44:10.679 We've been raised up in our baptisms in Christ 00:44:10.679 --> 00:44:15.420 Jesus into steadfast, joyful, and cheerful service. 00:44:15.730 --> 00:44:22.079 abounding in love. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, 00:44:22.500 --> 00:44:25.820 please help us we pray that in our weakness to 00:44:25.820 --> 00:44:30.420 turn and to look, to believe and follow Jesus, 00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:33.460 who trusted you in your divine plan to redeem 00:44:33.460 --> 00:44:37.739 men from all nations through persecutions and 00:44:37.739 --> 00:44:41.489 trials and even unto death, we ask you to grant 00:44:41.489 --> 00:44:44.409 us the gift to abound in love to one another 00:44:44.409 --> 00:44:48.900 and face to face Until and unto the great and 00:44:48.900 --> 00:44:52.440 precious day that we see you face to face We 00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:54.960 ask all this for the sake of Jesus Christ our 00:44:54.960 --> 00:44:57.739 Lord who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit 00:44:57.739 --> 00:45:05.230 forever and ever amen Let us continue our worship 00:45:05.230 --> 00:45:47.400 by giving of his ties and our offerings in these 00:45:47.400 --> 00:45:50.300 ties and offerings forward It is representative 00:45:50.300 --> 00:45:52.840 of all that we have done. We bring it up as a 00:45:52.840 --> 00:45:56.750 tribute offering to the Lord. Let us pray Blessed 00:45:56.750 --> 00:45:58.750 are you, O Lord God, for through your goodness 00:45:58.750 --> 00:46:01.489 we have these gifts to share, accept and use 00:46:01.489 --> 00:46:03.909 your tithes and our offerings for your glory, 00:46:04.329 --> 00:46:07.489 for service in your kingdom. Blessed be God forever 00:46:07.489 --> 00:46:08.769 and ever. Amen.