WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:05.020 Hey, I'm going to invite you to first Thessalonians chapter, really the end of chapter two. 00:00:05.260 --> 00:00:07.520 We're going to predominantly focus on chapter three. 00:00:07.620 --> 00:00:09.800 But I didn't get all of chapter two completed last week. 00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:12.220 So we're going to get into chapter two, into chapter three. 00:00:12.220 --> 00:00:19.300 And as we jump into this text this morning one of the things I just recognized with the Church of Thessalonica, we've talked about this together is 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:20.180 we're going through the series. 00:00:20.260 --> 00:00:22.760 This is six weeks, and you're on week three churches. 00:00:23.240 --> 00:00:26.980 Thessalonica is an incredible church, made a big difference in the area of the world that they were located. 00:00:27.840 --> 00:00:32.100 They saw the gospel go forth from this church that impacted all of modern day Greece. 00:00:32.100 --> 00:00:33.350 And even beyond that. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:40.520 And as you look at this church, it's worth just examining this church to ask questions about us here in the 21st century and realizing we follow 00:00:40.520 --> 00:00:42.920 the same God who works in the same way. 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:49.040 And we want to see that work continue to be done through us, that we see in the early church, especially in the church of Thessalonica. 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.750 I mean, this was a church established on the backdrop of persecution. 00:00:53.300 --> 00:00:58.860 This was the second church that Paul began in the, in the continent of Europe. 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:02.630 So it started first in Philippi was the first continent in Europe and then into Thessalonica. 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:08.700 And we talked about Christianity being created in the cradle of where Africa, Asia and Europe come together. 00:01:09.020 --> 00:01:11.290 And the Apostle Paul establishes this church in Thessalonica. 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:17.020 Really, after being persecuted in Philippi, he goes to Thessalonica, he's persecuted there. 00:01:17.020 --> 00:01:20.300 He moves on to Berea, and that persecution continues to follow him. 00:01:20.340 --> 00:01:26.160 But yet when you look at the church of Thessalonica, you realize Paul spent a very little amount of time there just a few weeks. 00:01:26.880 --> 00:01:33.620 And yet the church became a powerful force to be reckoned with in the eyes of the Lord and the impact it made in the culture around them. 00:01:33.720 --> 00:01:34.960 And how do you do that? 00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:35.100 Right? 00:01:35.100 --> 00:01:37.940 As a church, we should want to be a part of something like that. 00:01:38.240 --> 00:01:41.020 We I think as people we're attracted to things that have life. 00:01:41.100 --> 00:01:45.160 We just we like to be excited and belong to something making a difference. 00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:48.900 And I would say that's happening here at ABC and we just enjoy that. 00:01:48.960 --> 00:01:50.550 And we want to continue to see that happen. 00:01:50.740 --> 00:01:55.430 God's story, written in the hearts of his people and lives transformed, and it's wonderful to be a part of that. 00:01:55.720 --> 00:01:58.950 But how do we see that happen in the Church of Thessalonica? 00:01:59.140 --> 00:02:01.640 Gives us a great small book of the Bible. 00:02:01.660 --> 00:02:07.540 But to really dig in and examine what took place among the churches, we think about our own lives in the here and now. 00:02:07.620 --> 00:02:14.740 Today, as we think about this, I'm reminded there's often an opportunity I have in being able to dialog with 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:19.400 people that some know the Lord or claim to know the Lord at least, and some don't. 00:02:19.400 --> 00:02:24.680 But one of the one of the questions I love to ask people is just simply start with the idea of, why do you think God made you? 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:33.680 I'm sure you've probably pondered that at some point in your life, but maybe even this morning you might be asking that question why in the world did 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:34.560 God make me? 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:40.130 I remember part of my faith journey really began with that deep soul searching, asking that question in college. 00:02:40.420 --> 00:02:42.240 Why did why did God make me? 00:02:42.540 --> 00:02:42.990 You know, it's interesting. 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:49.440 I often find that the answer people give is a typically give pretty common answer. 00:02:49.640 --> 00:02:52.580 That's not a biblical answer typically goes this way. 00:02:52.620 --> 00:02:55.400 I think the reason God made me is to prove something right. 00:02:56.180 --> 00:03:00.120 I'm here to really, it's about demonstrating my worth based on what I do. 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.440 So kind of the idea that God would find me acceptable. 00:03:02.480 --> 00:03:04.480 And I've demonstrated that. 00:03:04.480 --> 00:03:06.470 So God, God has made me to prove something. 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:09.340 And maybe this morning that might be your answer. 00:03:09.740 --> 00:03:14.580 And let me just kindly tell you, that's not a good answer, but that might be your answer, right? 00:03:14.620 --> 00:03:16.090 God made me to prove something. 00:03:16.540 --> 00:03:21.040 And let me just give you some pushback or some challenges as you think about that answer. 00:03:21.260 --> 00:03:25.120 Like it leads to the idea that your life is about performance, right? 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:26.650 It's a very religious way of thinking. 00:03:26.820 --> 00:03:28.680 Your life is about about performance. 00:03:28.680 --> 00:03:32.480 And you better hope you perform well, because if you don't, God's going to be ticked at you, right? 00:03:32.540 --> 00:03:33.470 Get that kind of an idea. 00:03:34.140 --> 00:03:36.680 And your God certainly gave you abilities to do things. 00:03:36.720 --> 00:03:39.040 But I wouldn't say it's the primary reason God made you. 00:03:39.540 --> 00:03:42.070 In fact, if you just kind of continue on with that thought. 00:03:42.120 --> 00:03:48.100 I mean, what about if you go through seasons where you just don't feel up to performing, right? 00:03:48.160 --> 00:03:55.320 Maybe you're battling with this depression or you're discouraged or what about if you compare yourself to other people? 00:03:55.980 --> 00:03:59.760 I mean, there's some people in life that just feel like they're just extraordinary people. 00:03:59.780 --> 00:04:00.100 They got. 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:02.980 They got everything, and God made them. 00:04:02.980 --> 00:04:04.440 And then you just kind of look at yourself. 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:08.140 You're like, I just if I had your talent, I'd be superstar of the world, right? 00:04:08.160 --> 00:04:14.720 Like, I'd play for every professional team making millions of dollars, like they just won the lottery in the gene pool. 00:04:14.720 --> 00:04:15.120 And then. 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:22.460 And then you might compare yourself to that or sometimes in life, there are people that we just have certain battles that we go through that we just we are not able 00:04:22.460 --> 00:04:26.180 to maybe perform in that sense as well as someone else. 00:04:26.220 --> 00:04:33.320 And when we just compare ourselves apples to apples, what does that say about, someone that might have more capability than someone else, 00:04:33.320 --> 00:04:34.580 especially in certain areas? 00:04:34.580 --> 00:04:35.500 Does that make them worthless? 00:04:37.140 --> 00:04:41.780 Are they only prone to just disappoint God because, well, they can't prove themselves as much as someone else? 00:04:43.080 --> 00:04:44.620 How do you how do you work that out? 00:04:44.620 --> 00:04:51.800 And then when you think about if God made you for the primary purpose of doing something, is it then because God needs you? 00:04:52.780 --> 00:04:56.380 And oftentimes people that might think, well, I'm here because I'm prove something. 00:04:56.420 --> 00:05:03.300 The reason they think that they're here to prove something is because, well, God obviously needs me to do something and therefore, yeah, God does need me. 00:05:04.340 --> 00:05:05.380 And it's in that circumstance. 00:05:05.740 --> 00:05:12.790 I love to push back a little bit more, because we're not only saying something about ourselves in this, the way we view ourselves, we're saying something about the way we view God, 00:05:13.080 --> 00:05:15.520 which will then determine the view I have on myself. 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:19.070 And that kind of thinking puts a lot of pressure on us as human beings. 00:05:19.400 --> 00:05:23.930 Not only do I think it's an error to what Scripture says, but it's a lot of pressure on you to perform. 00:05:24.020 --> 00:05:26.610 In one sense, you're created to perform in that way of thinking. 00:05:26.760 --> 00:05:33.260 But in another sense, the idea that God would even need you is communicating that you have in some capacity and inadequate God. 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:41.760 And at some point, not only might you disappoint him and not being able to prove yourself that God would disappoint you because, well, he's a needy God 00:05:41.760 --> 00:05:43.670 in some capacity and he's lacking. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:52.120 And it's usually in that moment, I just I just want us to consider, like, if that's if that's the way we think in terms of our existence and 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:58.280 the idea of God, that rather than see God as this needy God who is dependent on you. 00:05:58.400 --> 00:05:58.680 What if. 00:05:58.940 --> 00:06:06.200 What if rather, we took a biblical worldview that really said to us, God is so sovereign in his abilities that he doesn't lack in anything 00:06:06.200 --> 00:06:08.300 and therefore he doesn't need you. 00:06:09.380 --> 00:06:11.960 Now, for some of us, we like to feel wanted, right? 00:06:12.780 --> 00:06:17.920 And that might feel a little scary to start thinking about for a second, but we could follow it up quickly with this thought. 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.400 Rather than seeking a God who might, quote need you. 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:24.080 What if more special than that? 00:06:24.080 --> 00:06:28.860 There's not a God who needs you because he's completely sovereign, but rather he wants you. 00:06:30.400 --> 00:06:33.950 There is a God who created you because he wants you. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:41.400 And I would even say that biblically, that that's really the desire of God's heart for you this morning, that God, God wants your heart. 00:06:41.520 --> 00:06:48.600 And when you think about that, it's saying to you, the whole, the whole reason God is pursuing you is because of a freedom and 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:51.180 a desire that when you read Scripture, it says, God is love. 00:06:51.180 --> 00:06:54.720 And love is about giving itself away and giving himself away. 00:06:55.160 --> 00:06:59.510 The crown of his creation is humanity, and God made humanity in his image. 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:01.360 And what it says to you is a couple of things. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.240 One, you're created to connect to God, being made in his image. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:05.360 You're different than the other creature. 00:07:05.620 --> 00:07:06.550 God made you for relationship. 00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:15.650 So it's not like God's coming to you because, oh, I'm lacking and I just, I just need you and you kind of satisfy what's what's missing in my life. 00:07:16.100 --> 00:07:18.120 But it's more special than that. 00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.440 It's that God created you because he desires you. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:23.060 He wants that relationship with you. 00:07:23.060 --> 00:07:23.620 He made his. 00:07:24.020 --> 00:07:26.040 Your purpose is discovered in him. 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:32.480 So God's primary reason for making you is for the idea of this relationship, but also being made in his image. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:39.500 When you're connected to your creator, you then can live out a purpose for your design that God through through your relationship with 00:07:39.500 --> 00:07:43.110 him, that you get to live for his glory in the way that you demonstrate him in this world. 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:48.880 And one of the most beautiful places that you get to do that is towards other people who are made in his image. 00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:53.760 And when you look at the Church of Thessalonica, this is a church that understands this. 00:07:54.180 --> 00:08:01.500 And we saw this together in chapter one when we talked about the importance of transformation in the Lord, and we talked about the idea of faith, 00:08:01.500 --> 00:08:08.900 hope and love, that we see this God who desires us, who wants us by becoming flesh in the most personal 00:08:08.900 --> 00:08:16.000 of ways, and giving his life for you and for me, so that we could find freedom and forgiveness of our sins, all the things that 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:23.360 put us in opposition to God, that oppose him, that were violators of his law, that we live contrary to him like he's 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:24.360 a holy God. 00:08:24.400 --> 00:08:26.360 And one day he's going to take into account sin. 00:08:26.760 --> 00:08:28.540 But rather than give up on us. 00:08:28.580 --> 00:08:32.640 Not only did he make us in your image, he also wants to remake you through the cross. 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.299 And so we pursued you to give you new life in him. 00:08:36.400 --> 00:08:39.750 So when we think about that, ask the question, how do I know that God really loves me? 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.720 The tangible truth of the cross is the demonstration of that. 00:08:43.740 --> 00:08:51.000 That is God screaming at you, that he loves you, that he's willing to give everything for you, that you can find freedom in him, relationship 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.440 in him, and purpose in him. 00:08:53.580 --> 00:08:54.640 And so through that. 00:08:54.640 --> 00:09:00.930 Then in the beginning of chapter one, we talked about in verse three that God has given us this place of being established in that identity. 00:09:01.180 --> 00:09:03.060 It's not about proving anything to him. 00:09:03.140 --> 00:09:05.170 It's about what God has already proven to me. 00:09:05.400 --> 00:09:09.880 And through that, I get to live through this freedom where God fills me up in his richness and goodness. 00:09:09.880 --> 00:09:12.490 I find purpose and identity in meeting. 00:09:12.580 --> 00:09:15.500 And so the idea of faith, hope, and love is what Paul talked about. 00:09:16.380 --> 00:09:23.840 The idea of faith is that we're established based on what's been done in the past through the cross of Christ, for you and for me, that we can trust 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:26.770 in that we can rest in that we can put our faith in that. 00:09:27.220 --> 00:09:32.900 And not only do I have a place to rest my faith, knowing that my past is taken care of, no more guilt and shame. 00:09:33.260 --> 00:09:37.560 But also I have this future hope that as Jesus lives, I can live to that. 00:09:37.560 --> 00:09:42.660 The promise of the resurrection is made known through Christ's resurrection and in the security of my life. 00:09:42.660 --> 00:09:44.490 Then I get to walk with in love. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:51.240 The idea of faith, hope, and love is as God has filled me up in his richness, I get to pour my life out for the goodness of God. 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:51.360 But. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:53.310 But it begins through that relationship. 00:09:53.660 --> 00:10:00.840 The primary purpose of my existence is not about proving something, but as it's been proven to me in my relationship with Christ, therefore I 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:03.560 get to live for the reason for which I was finally created. 00:10:04.980 --> 00:10:10.590 And so understanding faith, hope, and love is critical that transformation that only takes place in Christ. 00:10:10.880 --> 00:10:18.060 So that then as we are transformed, we get to move in this world with the grace of God made known, knowing that other people need that opportunity to 00:10:18.060 --> 00:10:20.500 discover God's grace and freedom in him. 00:10:20.580 --> 00:10:25.850 So we talked about the importance of remaining pure in our motive in chapter two last week. 00:10:26.380 --> 00:10:33.520 And as we remain pure, that our focus becomes singular, that our life be about pleasing the Lord, living for his glory, knowing 00:10:33.520 --> 00:10:37.560 him rather than listening to all the other things this world might throw at me. 00:10:38.420 --> 00:10:43.470 I get to live my life for an audience of one, and at the end of the day, if I just do that, I have no regrets. 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:51.720 I have nothing to be sorry about, nothing to lay my head down at night and feel like I messed up because my life has given over 00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:53.190 to the one who ultimately matters. 00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:56.020 And through that, then I get to bless other people. 00:10:56.860 --> 00:10:58.860 And so I have this motive that should remain pure. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.190 And I get to model in this world what it looks like to walk with Jesus. 00:11:02.640 --> 00:11:06.790 And now in chapter three together, we're going to we're going to discover through the church of Thessalonica. 00:11:07.180 --> 00:11:09.980 Like, how do I know that my life is truly surrendered to him? 00:11:10.780 --> 00:11:10.920 Right. 00:11:10.920 --> 00:11:18.040 So, like, if I know God transforms me and I know God calls me to remain in this pure motive and just model the 00:11:18.040 --> 00:11:21.760 richness of Christ in this world, how do I know that my life is truly surrendered to him? 00:11:21.820 --> 00:11:25.520 Because to be honest, some people can just fabricate that. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:33.240 I mean, you can fake on the outside this look of having some relationship with the Lord. 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:36.880 I think religious people, Jesus, criticize all the time about that. 00:11:37.880 --> 00:11:41.800 How do I really know that my life is truly surrendered over to him? 00:11:41.800 --> 00:11:44.850 I think we're going to see two markers in this text today that give us an indicator. 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:52.500 This is not an exhaustive list so that, but just from the end of chapter two into chapter three, I want us to see a couple of things that Paul identifies for 00:11:52.500 --> 00:11:59.800 us, because if we understand what Jesus has done for you and for me in surrendering his life completely, our desires should 00:11:59.800 --> 00:12:01.680 want to be to surrender our life to. 00:12:02.420 --> 00:12:04.300 I mean, we've never been loved this way. 00:12:05.180 --> 00:12:12.700 And when you've been loved with a sacrificial, tremendous love, we as people naturally just want to reciprocate and response as 00:12:12.700 --> 00:12:14.220 somebody lavishes on you. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:15.360 Just a gift of kindness. 00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:16.810 A word of encouragement. 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:19.620 Just spending genuine time with you. 00:12:19.760 --> 00:12:23.500 We as people tend to care about that, and we want to reciprocate in some way. 00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:24.980 And it's the same way with the Lord. 00:12:26.140 --> 00:12:33.300 When you think the King of all glories gave his life, that you could find freedom and purpose and identity in him, the desire 00:12:33.300 --> 00:12:38.600 of our heart should be one of joy to respond that God would even care enough about me to pursue me in that way. 00:12:39.500 --> 00:12:40.520 So how can I know him? 00:12:40.520 --> 00:12:41.580 And how can I walk with him? 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:44.670 How do I really know what it looks like to have a life surrendered to him? 00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:46.080 Can I give you a point? 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:46.750 Number one in your notes? 00:12:46.860 --> 00:12:48.100 I'll give you an explanation on this. 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:53.880 Number one, is this Your sacrificial care for community. 00:12:55.800 --> 00:12:58.280 Your sacrificial care for community. 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:05.040 You know, living in community isn't always easy, but I think it's a beautiful demonstration of the work Jesus has done in you. 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:13.440 And it communicates more than just care for community, because in order to get there has to be some certain underlying in your life that would drive 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:14.550 you to want to do that. 00:13:14.640 --> 00:13:16.720 Because community life is not always easy. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:22.160 And so when you look at I'll give you an example and I'll crack open Thessalonians here in a minute. 00:13:22.160 --> 00:13:29.920 But when you read the epistles of the New Testament, what you often find is the first half of the epistles talk about theology and 00:13:29.920 --> 00:13:31.200 then the latter half of the epistles. 00:13:31.520 --> 00:13:36.500 Oftentimes we'll talk about orthodoxy, how you live, because what you believe determines how you behave. 00:13:36.900 --> 00:13:39.900 If you want to know what you really believe, just look at what you do in life. 00:13:40.380 --> 00:13:45.520 And sometimes we can tell ourselves we believe something, but oftentimes what we claim we believe doesn't match what we do. 00:13:46.380 --> 00:13:49.720 What you truly do is a reflection of what you really believe. 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:54.420 And so in having a solid belief that becomes foundational. 00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:59.210 So I started off with some theoretical theoretical ideas of how people respond to the purpose of their existence. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:04.340 Because if you have an erroneous worldview, it's going to demonstrate in how you live your life. 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:09.580 So we want to have a biblical, a healthy worldview in what we do, but what you believe determines and how you live. 00:14:09.820 --> 00:14:11.960 Sometimes when you read epistles, you'll see questions and answers. 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:14.480 Will Paul talk about a theological issue and the practical outworking? 00:14:14.760 --> 00:14:19.060 But oftentimes he'll divide his letters first half theology, last half practice. 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:20.650 Like, for example, the book of Ephesians. 00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:28.480 If you read the book of Ephesians, first three chapters are all about theology, and the last three chapters are all about the practice of that theology. 00:14:28.680 --> 00:14:30.600 If you really believe it, this is what it should look like. 00:14:31.580 --> 00:14:37.260 And so when you think about a surrendered life to Christ, there is a certain truth of who God is that in fact we should surrender to. 00:14:37.880 --> 00:14:41.680 But the practical implications of that is how it works itself out in my life. 00:14:42.700 --> 00:14:47.800 And what it should look like for you and for me, is a deep and genuine concern for community. 00:14:47.820 --> 00:14:53.360 In fact, if I gave you a verse this morning from Ephesians, and next verse will give Thessalonians a promise. 00:14:53.420 --> 00:14:57.160 But in Ephesians he says this I therefore a prisoner for the Lord. 00:14:57.220 --> 00:15:00.380 I urge you to walk worthy of the calling for which you have been called. 00:15:01.180 --> 00:15:02.800 So saying now you have a relationship with the Lord. 00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:06.340 God gives you a special calling, and I want you to walk worthy of that. 00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:07.330 So what does that look like? 00:15:07.380 --> 00:15:14.520 Well, he says it like this with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the 00:15:14.520 --> 00:15:16.360 unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. 00:15:17.380 --> 00:15:22.400 Here's what he's saying is like when your life has been radically transformed in Jesus, you understand the truth of who he is. 00:15:22.400 --> 00:15:23.590 This is what it looks like. 00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:25.770 And you walk humbly in this world with gentleness. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:33.560 Not not because you're less than someone else, but it's rather because you've become incredibly confident in who you are, because you know who you are in Jesus, and 00:15:33.560 --> 00:15:36.340 therefore because you don't need other people to affirm who you are. 00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:37.600 But your life has been affirmed in Christ. 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:44.070 It gives you this beautiful position to really serve people freely, because your life has been served freely in Christ. 00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:51.340 And so therefore you can walk with this humble servant attitude, because you follow one who became the servant of servants. 00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:54.540 Jesus, to give his life for you so you can find freedom in him. 00:15:54.740 --> 00:15:58.190 And now you've been called to model that life of Christ in this world. 00:15:58.260 --> 00:16:04.780 And so therefore, as Jesus became the servant of servants, we serve others for the benefit of them to the glory of God. 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:09.410 And one of the ways he describes us like this with patience, because he knows we're not perfect. 00:16:10.800 --> 00:16:12.140 Bearing with one another in love. 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:18.520 It's saying literally this, that you're going to put up with each other because we know that we're not perfected in Christ yet. 00:16:18.520 --> 00:16:20.450 And sometimes with that there comes challenges. 00:16:21.640 --> 00:16:25.820 But far more important than those challenges is what Jesus desires to do in your life and mine. 00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:29.510 And Paul, in the midst of his challenges. 00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:36.680 And Thessalonians is recognizing that sometimes those challenges are interpersonal and relationship, the way that we 00:16:36.680 --> 00:16:41.680 might have conflict with one another, but other times the challenges might be external. 00:16:42.680 --> 00:16:48.630 And in the Church of Thessalonica, that certainly is the case, is that there is an external pressure that the church is facing. 00:16:48.900 --> 00:16:50.940 And Paul uses this look in verse 17. 00:16:50.940 --> 00:16:58.340 He says, but since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time in person, not in heart, we endeavor the more eagerly 00:16:58.340 --> 00:17:00.870 and with greater desire to see you face to face. 00:17:01.820 --> 00:17:07.920 If you remember in this story, there was after three weeks with the church of Thessalonica, there was persecution that broke out against the church. 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:15.200 The leader of the church, a man named Jason, is being brought before the leaders, and they're bringing judgment against him and Paul's concern for his 00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:15.560 life. 00:17:15.560 --> 00:17:17.940 He's concerned for the life of the church. 00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:22.270 And because of his concern, he actually decides the best thing to do is temporarily step away. 00:17:22.940 --> 00:17:26.760 And so Paul and his companions, they go down to Berea and then to Athens. 00:17:27.780 --> 00:17:32.460 And when Paul's doing this, he's saying, look, I may be gone physically, but my heart is still there. 00:17:32.460 --> 00:17:35.760 But my desire is to still be with you face to face. 00:17:35.780 --> 00:17:40.170 In fact, this word for torn away is the same word they would use or translate as orphaned. 00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:42.930 Like, I don't want you guys to think that you've been orphaned. 00:17:43.100 --> 00:17:44.060 Like I don't care about you. 00:17:44.100 --> 00:17:46.080 I've just abandoned you, Paul, saying that's not true. 00:17:47.220 --> 00:17:48.280 My desire. 00:17:48.280 --> 00:17:51.160 My hope is still for you. 00:17:51.340 --> 00:17:51.820 And so are you. 00:17:51.840 --> 00:17:55.030 Saying in the life of the Apostle Paul as his life is surrendered to Christ? 00:17:55.180 --> 00:18:01.740 What's what's taking a preeminent focus in his life is the is the idea of how God wants to move through community. 00:18:03.080 --> 00:18:10.280 And so when we were really surrendered, there comes this draw to see the success of God's people and how we committing 00:18:10.280 --> 00:18:12.710 our lives to Christ for the benefit of others. 00:18:12.800 --> 00:18:17.420 And so a surrendered life is seen through our sacrificial care for community. 00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:24.490 And then Paul goes on from there and he says in verse 18, because we want to come to you, I, Paul, again and again. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:26.860 But Satan hindered us. 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:28.300 And we'll talk about that in just a minute. 00:18:28.360 --> 00:18:35.380 But verse 19 he says, for what is our hope or joy or crown, or of boasting before our Lord Jesus 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:36.940 at his coming? 00:18:37.040 --> 00:18:38.040 Is it not you? 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:41.920 For you are our glory and joy? 00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:42.920 Yeah. 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:47.170 This whole section we're going to read together in verse 17 all the way through chapter three. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:51.620 This section, I think the really focal verse is this right here. 00:18:52.540 --> 00:18:58.440 Paul is saying the way that God has moved in my life, as is making the victory of his people my victory. 00:18:58.860 --> 00:19:06.260 I think this is critical to think about in the life of 21st century America, especially because we tend to be an individualistic society. 00:19:06.780 --> 00:19:09.360 All about I, I, II. 00:19:10.060 --> 00:19:15.360 But what Paul is doing here is he's defining the win for the church through we. 00:19:16.500 --> 00:19:23.660 So he's saying that the real victory that we are seeing in for me as a believer, following after Jesus is not 00:19:23.660 --> 00:19:29.050 based on what I do, but it's based on what God does through me for the benefit of others. 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:32.220 He's measuring success through community. 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:40.280 And so sometimes in our Christian walk, like I think it is important to talk about your individual health in Jesus, because our community is only as healthy 00:19:40.280 --> 00:19:41.840 as the individuals that make it up. 00:19:42.580 --> 00:19:47.600 But sometimes we can get so isolated in our individualistic ideas that we fail to see. 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:54.760 The way that God measures success is not through you walking faithfully with Jesus, but helping his church to succeed in walking faithfully with 00:19:54.760 --> 00:19:55.460 Jesus. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:20:00.640 And so it's not about, just how's my own personal time in Jesus going? 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.620 I hope you're having a wonderful personal time in Jesus. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:09.840 I do, but how God does more with that than just simply, making you an intellectual giant in the and 00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:11.700 in understanding of Christ. 00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:17.300 But then how it how it bleeds from your life for the benefit of others, right. 00:20:17.340 --> 00:20:21.600 That what I know becomes about what I do for the sake of others, to the glory of God. 00:20:22.760 --> 00:20:25.380 And Paul is certainly he's putting our focus there. 00:20:25.380 --> 00:20:27.460 He's saying, look, surrendered life to the Lord here. 00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:34.540 Here's what my life is about, as I've given my life to Jesus, as I've seen God work in not only in me, but also through me for the for 00:20:34.540 --> 00:20:35.280 the benefit of others. 00:20:35.340 --> 00:20:38.650 That one day when I see God face to face, this is going to be our boasting. 00:20:38.760 --> 00:20:40.110 This is what I'm going to rejoice about. 00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:43.620 His grand story of redemption made known through people. 00:20:44.300 --> 00:20:46.000 And he let me be a part of that. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:49.700 And I was faithful to share with him in it. 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:57.980 And so you see the Apostle Paul identifying this for us, that as you think about your own life, it's to say, God, Amen. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:21:05.320 As I'm I'm giving my life over to Jesus, the question I need to be asking is like, how am I seeing that work itself out 00:21:05.320 --> 00:21:07.020 for the benefit of those around me? 00:21:07.760 --> 00:21:13.720 How is this impacting community, whether it's church, whether it's home like God? 00:21:13.780 --> 00:21:15.020 How are you doing this? 00:21:15.040 --> 00:21:17.020 Because my life enriched in you. 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.370 This is how it looks. 00:21:19.260 --> 00:21:24.340 And Paul, in the midst of telling this also wants us to recognize like it is a battle, right? 00:21:24.340 --> 00:21:25.200 We saw in Ephesians. 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:27.360 But you're also seeing it in Thessalonians. 00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:32.440 If I threw an extra verse up here for you, verse 18, we already read verse five. 00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:34.000 You're seeing a similar thought here. 00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:41.270 But as you look at chapter two, Paul's reflecting on his own self first, because he doesn't want people to think, he's just left them in the dust. 00:21:41.840 --> 00:21:47.980 And then he moves to the church and he thinks about the church and what God desires for them, but the battles they face. 00:21:47.980 --> 00:21:51.290 But in verse, verse five and 18, he puts a name to that enemy. 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:55.080 He says in verse 18, because we wanted to come to you. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:58.110 I, Paul, again and again, but Satan hindered us. 00:21:58.620 --> 00:22:05.980 And in verse five, for this reason, when I could not bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:08.430 you, and our labor would be in vain. 00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:16.880 Now Satan's or excuse me, Paul's recognizing the work of Satan among God's people, that Satan, what he desires 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.640 to do, is thwart the very plan that we've talked about together. 00:22:19.720 --> 00:22:26.740 God's desire for us as community and the way that Satan works so that we're all aware Paul is talking in 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:27.340 this sense. 00:22:27.340 --> 00:22:32.380 He's being persecuted and Satan has hindered him through that persecution. 00:22:33.340 --> 00:22:34.660 And now he's thinking about the church. 00:22:34.660 --> 00:22:35.900 They've also been persecuted. 00:22:36.540 --> 00:22:40.240 And the tempter is tempting them away from the Lord because of this. 00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:43.920 And the way the enemy works is like this for you and for me. 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:50.330 The way it plays itself out is Satan loves nothing more than to whisper in your wounds. 00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:58.820 He loves nothing more to get than to get you isolated and discourage you in the darkness, to get 00:22:58.820 --> 00:23:03.320 you off track from what God desires to do in your life. 00:23:03.820 --> 00:23:11.520 And so the Apostle Paul is saying, this is this is how Satan has tried to work in my life by bringing this persecution against me to discourage 00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:14.380 me in those dark moments, literally in prison cells. 00:23:15.520 --> 00:23:19.410 It's the same thing for the church as they're facing that outward pressure. 00:23:19.560 --> 00:23:22.260 Sometimes it can come from inside, sometimes it can come from outside. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:28.900 But either way, Satan just wants to bring disunity to break up the community because he knows there is power when God's people work together. 00:23:31.320 --> 00:23:37.540 And so having that kind of understanding of recognizing like we're not perfect, right? 00:23:37.540 --> 00:23:44.060 But Jesus wants to do a beautiful work in our lives, but this is the way that the enemy often works. 00:23:44.080 --> 00:23:47.220 And the Apostle Paul, he told us this much. 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:54.280 And in Second Corinthians 12, talking about his own life in terms of Satan, he says, so to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing 00:23:54.280 --> 00:24:01.440 greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh a messenger of Satan to harass me, to 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:02.780 keep me from becoming conceited. 00:24:04.520 --> 00:24:10.200 That's interesting that the Apostle Paul would say that right, like a messenger of Satan to harass me. 00:24:11.080 --> 00:24:15.470 Like he might get a little freaked out by something like that and think, man, what does that look like? 00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:18.160 Like, I don't know, I do not want this verse ever. 00:24:18.940 --> 00:24:24.880 I hope this is just an exclusive verse for Paul that a messenger of Satan's coming to harass them. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:26.530 How does how does that look? 00:24:26.580 --> 00:24:29.580 Is this, like every horror movie you've seen about exorcisms? 00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:34.300 Is that is that I need to watch those movies to figure out how to how to fight this. 00:24:34.300 --> 00:24:41.300 Like, I want you to know it's very tangible the way that Satan, Satan, or Paul is identifying 00:24:41.300 --> 00:24:43.550 the work of Satan in his life is actually very tangible. 00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.690 It's not like this. 00:24:44.980 --> 00:24:49.030 This ghost appears to you and says, I'm Satan here to harass you. 00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:53.500 What Paul is acknowledging he's already told us what these messengers are in chapter 11. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:02.060 These messengers are actually people that Satan is working through people in order to harass the Apostle 00:25:02.060 --> 00:25:07.750 Paul, to get him off mission, to discourage him, to whisper in his wounds. 00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:10.600 And it's the same for us. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:14.920 Discouragement comes, and it can often be in a very personal way. 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:18.540 And Paul is even acknowledging this for the church. 00:25:18.620 --> 00:25:23.990 And first Thessalonians 214 for you, brothers became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. 00:25:24.080 --> 00:25:31.260 For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. 00:25:31.260 --> 00:25:36.840 And this displeased God, and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles, they might be saved. 00:25:38.060 --> 00:25:42.260 So he's saying, here's what he's trying to hinder you from doing the mission that God has called you on as a community in him. 00:25:42.860 --> 00:25:44.060 And this is the way Satan works. 00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:46.580 He brings discouragement to you from people. 00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:51.480 And in fact, and by the way, I don't want you to look at people as enemies to attack back. 00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:53.100 That's not what we want to accomplish here. 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:56.940 But I just want you to realize how the enemy works to distract us in our lives. 00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:58.500 And let me just add an extra thought to this. 00:25:58.560 --> 00:26:02.080 It's not just people, it's religious people. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:09.920 If you think about the Apostle Paul's life as he went on these missionary journeys, the people that continue to follow after him, to persecute him along the way, 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:14.390 where the religious people of his day and the Apostle Paul is saying, and this is what's happening to you in Thessalonica. 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:19.760 And don't misunderstand that this is what's happening from the beginning of the church. 00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:21.640 This is what happened against Jesus. 00:26:21.780 --> 00:26:24.010 It was the religious leaders that crucified him. 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:32.340 And so some of the most dangerous people and discouraging you in your own relationship with the Lord can be religious people, the 00:26:32.340 --> 00:26:39.500 do gooders who you might think are there, intended to encourage you, can actually deter you and distract you from the things that God 00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:40.540 has for you. 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:42.860 So here's the question. 00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.660 And what's the antidote? 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:48.380 Because when I look at a verse like this, I'm like, I know Paul is talking about the importance of community. 00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:49.710 But then I think about this. 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:54.300 I'm like, no, thank you to community because people, people can be terrible. 00:26:56.340 --> 00:26:59.030 But also what God can do in a community can be incredibly beautiful. 00:27:00.780 --> 00:27:02.400 So what is the antidote to this, Paul? 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:10.380 Paul gives it to us in the beginning of chapter three says, therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we 00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:13.420 were willing to be left behind at Athens alone. 00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:19.780 And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker, and the gospel of Christ. 00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:23.000 Here's what Paul is saying. 00:27:23.040 --> 00:27:24.300 The first thing that took place. 00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:27.840 Remember, Paul went from Thessalonica to Berea, then down to Athens. 00:27:28.360 --> 00:27:31.260 He got to Athens is like, Timothy, I can't take this anymore. 00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:34.520 I want you to go back up to the church and just check on them. 00:27:34.520 --> 00:27:38.710 I care about them because I care about the Lord and what God cares about his community. 00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.660 30. 00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:40.920 And so Timothy goes back. 00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:45.200 And the first thing that we learn really is the importance of healthy community. 00:27:46.100 --> 00:27:50.960 In fact, healthy community rooted in truth that really have a genuine concern for us. 00:27:51.060 --> 00:27:55.460 Because he says to us about Timothy that he's a coworker in the gospel of Christ. 00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:57.980 So Timothy's interest is their well-being. 00:27:57.980 --> 00:28:05.140 His life surrendered to the Lord, and he knows he's going to see the beauty of the Lord work, and that God has called him in that personal relationship to lay his 00:28:05.140 --> 00:28:06.440 life down for their sake. 00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:10.240 And so he really wants to encourage them in what God desires for their life. 00:28:10.280 --> 00:28:13.120 And so for you and for me to walk faithfully in Jesus. 00:28:13.460 --> 00:28:20.780 It's critical that we have Timothy's in our life, someone that no matter what other people might say in the discouragement they might bring in the thoughts 00:28:20.780 --> 00:28:27.880 that Satan might want to carry and bring disunity among the body, that we have some individuals that will speak truth into us, over 00:28:27.880 --> 00:28:32.480 us for the sake of how God wants to continue to work through us collectively. 00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:41.180 But even beyond that, not only does he talk about the importance of healthy community, he goes on and says at the end of verse two, to establish and 00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:44.100 exhort you in the faith or in your faith. 00:28:45.340 --> 00:28:52.420 And so here's what he's saying is like, not only do we need an encourager, but the importance of grounding you in truth, because what the enemy wants to 00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:59.500 do is distract you from that enemy's desires, to deter you from that through through the woundedness that you 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:00.250 might have. 00:29:00.300 --> 00:29:07.820 And in fact, if you looked at Romans chapter 12, verse two, it tells you that through the messages of this world that they 00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:11.380 want to conform you to, its the image, its image, they want to oppress you. 00:29:11.760 --> 00:29:12.610 That's the idea of conforming. 00:29:12.840 --> 00:29:17.580 It's like taking your life and just shaping it, pushing it down to become what it wants. 00:29:17.800 --> 00:29:20.860 But it says this in Romans 12 two do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed. 00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:27.260 Look at this by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern that what is the will of God? 00:29:27.260 --> 00:29:29.940 What is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God? 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:32.940 So he's saying like this the world wants to press you. 00:29:32.940 --> 00:29:34.640 Satan wants to discourage you. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:37.180 But God's truth is what transforms you. 00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:43.740 That your mind would be saturated in that truth, that you would not lose sight of that faith, hope, and love. 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:46.260 Who you truly are in this world, in the Lord. 00:29:46.260 --> 00:29:51.700 Because that can never, that can never be taken away from you by the things this world might throw at you. 00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:55.420 In fact, in Second Corinthians chapter ten, Paul says it like this. 00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:59.240 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:02.160 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh. 00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:05.620 So we're not fighting people, even though people might be against us. 00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:08.810 But we have divine power to destroy strongholds. 00:30:09.220 --> 00:30:16.320 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:21.000 He's saying the battle in our walk with the Lord really begins in the mind. 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:22.100 What truth are you going to believe? 00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:23.660 Because it's going to determine what you do. 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:31.720 And so you're to take those thoughts captive, and you're to surrender it to the Lord, and you're to walk in his truth, because Satan wants nothing 00:30:31.720 --> 00:30:37.330 more than to discourage you, to find your wounds and just whisper in it. 00:30:38.100 --> 00:30:41.400 And so Paul is saying, look for us in healthy community. 00:30:41.400 --> 00:30:48.440 It's finding brothers and sisters in Christ that walk and that truth to encourage is to establish ourselves in the in that truth, knowing how the enemy 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:49.940 wants to deceive from that. 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:53.900 And in verse three, that no one be moved by these afflictions for yourselves. 00:30:53.940 --> 00:31:00.960 Know that we are destined for this for when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction just as it 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:02.490 had come to pass. 00:31:02.660 --> 00:31:09.760 And just as you know, sometimes when we go through hard things, our tendency is 00:31:09.760 --> 00:31:11.920 to ask challenging questions of God. 00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.980 Have you abandoned me? 00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:15.540 Do you not love me? 00:31:16.300 --> 00:31:17.600 Are you punishing me? 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:22.490 But what Paul is saying here is none of those things are accurate. 00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:24.420 That God hasn't abandoned you. 00:31:24.420 --> 00:31:25.860 God's not punishing you. 00:31:26.020 --> 00:31:28.240 But God actually loves you and cares about you. 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:35.820 And rather than God pouring out his wrath on you, faith and suffering or suffering in faith or a part of a part 00:31:35.820 --> 00:31:36.710 of the Christian journey. 00:31:37.460 --> 00:31:40.150 In fact, that's what you're seeing in the life of the Apostle Paul here. 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:43.350 That's what happened to Jesus, the one who we ultimately follow. 00:31:43.680 --> 00:31:46.660 And so when the world opposes him, we might expect that. 00:31:46.720 --> 00:31:53.940 But in the midst of that persecution, in the midst of that trial, it becomes this beautiful place to demonstrate what matters to me more 00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:54.740 than anything. 00:31:56.020 --> 00:31:56.800 It's Jesus. 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:05.720 And in putting my faith in Jesus over and above the challenges of this world, what the way it should ultimately be demonstrated 00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:11.760 is how I care for his community, how the Lord uses me in his community for his glory. 00:32:12.600 --> 00:32:19.660 In fact, when you think about the Church of Thessalonica, I think we should consider just three weeks is all the Apostle Paul spent 00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:20.080 with them. 00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:27.280 And yet this church, in the midst of persecution, they were reaching all of Greece. 00:32:27.280 --> 00:32:34.320 And even beyond that, this tiny church, just this little time in the gospel with this, the apostle Paul. 00:32:34.380 --> 00:32:37.660 And yet their impact became overwhelming, it became inspiring. 00:32:38.140 --> 00:32:44.960 And sometimes we look at challenges like this I've got to get through this challenge, and when I'm finally on this challenge, then I can really start serving the Lord. 00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:47.860 But the Church of Thessalonica teaches the opposite of that. 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:51.910 It's in the midst of that challenge that they're making tremendous impact for the sake of the gospel. 00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:58.380 And so when you look at the Apostle Paul, he's saying, look, don't look at the afflictions as if this is a place that discouraged you in the Lord. 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:02.500 But look at this as this beautiful opportunity to demonstrate to the world what matters to you more than anything. 00:33:02.540 --> 00:33:04.270 Is the Lord in the midst of that persecution? 00:33:04.640 --> 00:33:07.540 Don't underestimate the power of God and the way that he can be made known. 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:17.040 And I'm not ignorant to the fact that even some of us this morning in being here, there might be challenges to our own relationships, because we might have made a decision 00:33:17.040 --> 00:33:18.180 to follow after Jesus. 00:33:18.540 --> 00:33:20.980 And our friends and family are not fond of that. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:27.240 But don't underestimate the beauty of what God can do in your life as you walk faithfully with him. 00:33:27.480 --> 00:33:28.980 And people see that. 00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:34.280 And so, Paul, he reminds us that a life surrendered to him. 00:33:34.280 --> 00:33:38.720 You're seeing a sacrifice for care, for community. 00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:41.850 And then let me give you point number two, because I'm getting here to the end. 00:33:42.100 --> 00:33:44.890 Number two, if your life is truly surrendered to Christ, here's what you see. 00:33:45.520 --> 00:33:52.660 Your genuine prayer for community, not just care for community, but you also 00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:54.700 see a genuine prayer for community. 00:33:56.020 --> 00:34:00.760 And prayer is one of those beautiful gifts that we have to intimately connect people to God, right? 00:34:01.840 --> 00:34:05.680 And the Apostle Paul does this for the church, especially knowing that he's away from them. 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:07.680 He prays for them. 00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:09.679 And I love this prayer in verse eight and nine. 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:11.150 He says it like this for we live. 00:34:11.940 --> 00:34:13.800 If for now we live. 00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:18.679 If you are standing fast in the Lord, for what thanksgiving can we return to God for you? 00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:21.900 For all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God. 00:34:22.420 --> 00:34:25.250 Let me stop and look at these next verses a minute, but I just want you to recognize this. 00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:27.400 Paul starts off this prayer he's about to mention. 00:34:27.540 --> 00:34:28.900 He just starts in this place of thankfulness. 00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:37.040 Even in the midst of hardship, he's starting this place of thankfulness because he's recognizing that even in the challenges they're facing, the beauty 00:34:37.040 --> 00:34:38.480 of God is being made known. 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:42.440 His transforming work is being told in the hearts of people. 00:34:43.560 --> 00:34:44.360 And Paul loves that. 00:34:45.380 --> 00:34:48.659 And I could say it's the same for us as a church and people. 00:34:49.120 --> 00:34:51.320 We want to belong to something that makes a difference. 00:34:51.320 --> 00:34:53.250 We want to belong to something that's life giving. 00:34:53.820 --> 00:34:55.199 I think that's what the gospel is. 00:34:55.199 --> 00:35:02.100 I think that's what we see here at Alpine Bible is again and again, people coming to know Jesus, a growing congregation making a difference in this world. 00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:07.600 And we could just stop with this heart of thankfulness and saying, God, how much we appreciate what you're doing. 00:35:07.700 --> 00:35:09.680 Even in the challenges we might face as people. 00:35:09.680 --> 00:35:13.040 You don't give up on us because you love us, you care about us. 00:35:13.160 --> 00:35:16.610 And we're seeing that story being told over and over again. 00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:18.540 And so Paul is rejoicing in that. 00:35:18.540 --> 00:35:25.600 And in verse ten he says, as we pray most earnestly night and day, that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your 00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:25.920 faith. 00:35:26.340 --> 00:35:31.440 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 00:35:32.180 --> 00:35:34.780 And so, Paul, he's saying, because I've looked at the beauty of community. 00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:38.020 My heart is just to want to continue to invest in that. 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.760 He's praying in that way. 00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:46.780 And then verse 12 and 13, he says that and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love 00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:53.800 for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that we may establish your hearts blameless and holiness before our God and Father 00:35:53.800 --> 00:35:57.480 at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. 00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:05.460 And so Paul is praying for the church and saying, and may you continue to increase in the beauty of that relationship with the Lord, that the depth of your 00:36:05.460 --> 00:36:12.820 own walk with Jesus would continue to flourish and grow, that you would succeed in community together and not only in community together. 00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:20.080 But notice he he's not only praying for all of the church here, but he says for all of the people he's 00:36:20.080 --> 00:36:27.360 his prayer is literally not only not only with your own relationship with the Lord, really impact how you care for Jesus's community, 00:36:28.100 --> 00:36:32.580 but also for the people beyond your community, in fact, the very people that are persecuting you. 00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:38.640 You know, only a heart transformed in Christ can really love in that way. 00:36:40.240 --> 00:36:45.180 You think that Jesus, even on the cross, said, father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:53.480 Jesus, our ultimate model, was one who continued to love us despite our sin, even when our sin drug him to the 00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.130 cross. 00:36:55.920 --> 00:37:02.960 And it's the same for us that we have the opportunity to see transforming work happen in this world, not because of our violence against our enemies, but by 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.570 the way we love him in Jesus name. 00:37:06.460 --> 00:37:13.870 So a heart surrendered to the Lord is one that's sacrificial towards the sake of community, but also prayerful because we recognize man. 00:37:14.180 --> 00:37:15.700 I can't love in this way. 00:37:15.780 --> 00:37:17.960 Let the power of God be made known in my life. 00:37:18.720 --> 00:37:21.960 I desperately need him in order to be able to love this way. 00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:26.240 We desperately need him in order to be able to love this way. 00:37:26.420 --> 00:37:30.450 And it amplifies our need to pray because of it. 00:37:30.660 --> 00:37:32.840 You know, when you think about the church in Thessalonica. 00:37:33.300 --> 00:37:35.240 And I'll close with this lady. 00:37:35.240 --> 00:37:39.300 But let me just say this before I tell you who this librarian is here. 00:37:39.300 --> 00:37:42.530 She's not really a librarian, but she looks like a great librarian. 00:37:44.040 --> 00:37:47.130 So the apostle Paul and you think about the church in Thessalonica. 00:37:47.980 --> 00:37:50.120 Powerful church, powerful church. 00:37:51.060 --> 00:37:57.900 And Paul was just there for three weeks and in persecution made a tremendous impact. 00:37:58.860 --> 00:38:01.160 And if they're able to do that, how much more? 00:38:01.160 --> 00:38:04.800 With our freedom today in Christ, should we be able to do that in the world? 00:38:05.740 --> 00:38:07.000 I mean, how can we do that? 00:38:07.840 --> 00:38:11.600 And can I can I just tell you it doesn't take a bunch of celebrity Christians to do it? 00:38:11.700 --> 00:38:17.510 I mean, we look at the Church of Thessalonica, we found out one guy's name there named Jason, and then really nobody else. 00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:20.590 But yet that church made a tremendous difference. 00:38:20.620 --> 00:38:24.550 Here we are, 21st century, still talking about the difference this church made. 00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:28.500 And we don't know their names, but yeah, they're able to make a powerful difference. 00:38:28.500 --> 00:38:29.240 How? 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:31.190 Well, that's why I bring up this lady. 00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:36.020 Because when you look at this lady, I can almost bet no one in this room has any idea who this is. 00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:38.800 But her name is Henrietta mears. 00:38:39.740 --> 00:38:41.080 And Henrietta mears. 00:38:41.100 --> 00:38:42.860 She was from la, southern California. 00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:43.180 Which? 00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:43.560 Utah. 00:38:43.600 --> 00:38:44.140 Southern California. 00:38:44.140 --> 00:38:45.000 Part two, I think. 00:38:45.080 --> 00:38:50.560 Now, Henrietta mears grew up in LA, 1930s to 1950s. 00:38:50.560 --> 00:38:58.020 She was a Sunday school teacher for children, and she decided that she was going to devote her life to make an impact in her community, 00:38:59.200 --> 00:39:01.120 and she poured herself out into those children. 00:39:02.640 --> 00:39:09.940 Among the children that she ministered to in the 1930s to the 1950s was a man by the name of Bill bright, who started Campus 00:39:09.940 --> 00:39:12.560 Crusade for Christ, known as Cru. 00:39:12.700 --> 00:39:19.360 There was a man by the name of Jim Rayburn who started Young Life, and there was another young man known as Billy Graham. 00:39:21.880 --> 00:39:29.720 Those three individuals went on to lead movements that impacted millions for the cause of Christ. 00:39:30.140 --> 00:39:36.960 In fact, when you look at Henrietta mirrors, you realize I'm looking at a lady that was a catalyst for impacting young men. 00:39:37.580 --> 00:39:40.180 That would impact millions for the sake of the gospel. 00:39:41.780 --> 00:39:44.160 In fact, Billy Graham said this of Henrietta mears. 00:39:44.200 --> 00:39:51.280 He said, if I had to know, name one person, humanly speaking, who had the greatest impact on my life, it would be 00:39:51.280 --> 00:39:53.070 Henrietta mears. 00:39:55.420 --> 00:40:02.620 Hey, guys, you never know the way that the Lord is going to use your life, but a life completely sold out to him is a life the Lord loves to 00:40:02.620 --> 00:40:03.140 use. 00:40:04.020 --> 00:40:07.420 And if you'd ask this lady years ago, did you think Jesus would do this? 00:40:07.460 --> 00:40:11.080 She might have said, this seemed to be something unique in these particular individuals. 00:40:11.120 --> 00:40:11.800 Who knows? 00:40:12.820 --> 00:40:20.100 But regardless what those people went on to do or not, she just wanted to see the success of God's people in 00:40:20.100 --> 00:40:22.300 her life faithfully given over to him. 00:40:23.300 --> 00:40:30.800 One of the things that just made me so thankful reading about this week is I looked at Henrietta mears because I recognized I came to know the Christ in college, 00:40:31.740 --> 00:40:36.000 and one of the ministries I immediately got plugged into was Campus Crusade for Christ. 00:40:36.460 --> 00:40:38.880 Learning what it meant to serve the Lord and walk with him. 00:40:39.680 --> 00:40:42.520 And as I learned about this lady this week, I thought, how incredible. 00:40:43.380 --> 00:40:49.320 Here's a lady from the 1930s faithfully serving Jesus who impacted a life that would eventually impact my life. 00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:53.200 I mean, I'm from the East Coast, went to Marshall University when I came to know the Lord. 00:40:53.420 --> 00:40:59.200 And here's a lady completely from the West Coast that Lord used to make some sort of impact on my life. 00:41:00.260 --> 00:41:07.400 Guys, when I think about the beauty of God's people, the evidence of our life in Christ is made known through our willingness 00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:12.500 to sacrifice for the sake of others, especially Jesus's church. 00:41:13.140 --> 00:41:15.890 That the beauty of Christ will be made known through us together.