As we celebrate Easter Sunday and the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, we look closer at Luke’s account of the Resurrection, the grave was not the last word. He Lives!!!
As we continue with Part 2 in 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 we specifically focus on verses 11-12. Paul is helpful here in affirming that love is observable. While it is good for us to declare we love the body God has given us, we must also demonstrate we do as is detailed in verse 11. Paul goes on to share in verse 12 that such demonstrable love makes a difference both externally (to outsiders) and internally (us who are already a part of the family).
In Part 1 of this sermon on 1 Thess. 4:9-12. The call to love one another within the body of Christ is the central. From this text we will look at the details Paul relays about this all-important love we must show our brothers and sisters. Paul is adamant that such love is neither optional nor individually defined. Instead, Paul makes these things clear about love.
At the start of this new chapter, Paul goes right into a discussion about the importance (and imperative!) of a life lived in devotion to the Lord Jesus, which manifests itself in holiness. Paul specifically calls it a “walk”. The walk is a Jewish euphemism that we actually understand in our own culture (i.e. whenever we say something like “don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk”). To Paul, it matters whether not we are actually living out the devotion to our King that we claim we have. Are we walking this walk?
It is not all that uncommon for Paul to break out into prayer in his letters and/or to mention what he has been praying and continues to pray for these Jesus-followers he loves so dearly. Here he does just that. As a result, we can learn a thing or two from his prayer.
Without doubt, God has moved in the lives of these Jesus-followers in Thessalonica to encourage and sustain them in the midst of severe persecution. But that also moved Paul. He was moved to gratitude, to prayer, and to recognize a way he could serve a purpose among this fellowship.
Paul did indeed get that report from Timothy regarding the faith of the Jesus-followers in Thessalonica. The report is quite positive! Paul hears that their allegiance to Jesus continues. This passage is helpful to us for a number of reasons. Faithfulness is supposed to be observable and tangible. And it should encourage us when we see it is present and lived out in every church. It should also encourage us when we see that fidelity to Jesus remains steadfast through thick and thin. All of this was proven true by these faithful believers in Thessalonica and, as such, was “good news” to Paul. Like Paul we ought to rejoice at such faithfulness, but it also should serve as a paradigm for us. What is it about this church’s faithfulness that can serve as a model for our own faithfulness?
Today’s message looks at Psalm 96 and the joy, fear and glory of the Lord. Can you have joy and fear together? God’s glory is the composite magnificence of his greatness and goodness. It’s easy to be tempted to look more to the lower glories of this world then the goodness and greatness of God. …
As Paul had made clear to this church (and continues to), suffering for the sake of Christ is inevitable. The question ought never to be “Will we face persecution?” but, rather, “How do we respond when we do face persecution? ” We want the same thing Paul wanted – for followers of Jesus to remain unshaken in their faith. In this passage we will explore that faith is much, much deeper than simply “believing certain facts about Jesus”.
Often, when we think of the biblical theme of “love” we run first to God’s love for us. That is good and right. Then perhaps we will mention our love for Him, which is also good and right. However, by His design, biblical love isn’t just defined as “His love for us” and “our love for Him.” It also includes our love for one another or, to put it another way, the church. Paul loved these people (the church at Thessalonica). Through the things Paul conveys here, it is clear that this love was not abstract but quite concrete.