The Joy of Service (1 Thessalonians 3:6-10)

Kootenai Church

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Good morning, and I've said many times And I know the other elders agree with me how much

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I love this congregation and today your character is showing For those of you who thought

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Jim was going to be preaching. You're still here and For those of you who thought

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Justin was going to be preaching. You're still here. It'll be okay.

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Let's pray before we start Father it is your word that we look to this morning

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And it is the Living Word the loving Son of God Jesus Christ who gave us Everything that we look to this morning the music has lifted him up We ask father that now this worship together in the

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Word of God will lift you up will honor you will glorify you Will spread the good news of your son the

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Lord Jesus Christ, and we'll give to your children your saints your elect the tools

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To be about the business of raising up godly children Preaching to the gospel the gospel to the lost and living our living out in the world

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The salvation that you have given us We trust you for this in Jesus name

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Amen so We started chapter 3.

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We're in first Thessalonians chapter 3 Again, and we started chapter 3.

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Oh In August of this year, I think it was and in that time together. We looked at verses 1 through 5

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The topic was comfort for believers And we looked at the way Paul and his co -laborers attended to the needs of the believers in Thessalonica They had been unceremoniously

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Ushered and roughly ushered out of Thessalonica as you saw in the scripture reading this morning chapter of Acts chapter 17 1 through 9

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Before they felt that they had an opportunity to at least in their own minds Spend the time necessary there with that body to give them the foundation they believed they would need to stand the struggles that The that the life that life had to throw at them there were three observations well actually we looked at the first five verses we looked at the heart of a pastor who delighted in serving

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God and Who loved the brethren and he had opportunity to bring the gospel to we looked at that?

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Those five verses were full of biblical truth regarding the ways that an under shepherd can tend to the needs of the body of Christ I use the word under shepherd advisedly because that's what that's what elders in a church are and with emphasis on the word under The five are the excuse me the three observations we made

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I need a course in remedial math But the three observations we made is number one They won't leave believers alone and unhelped versus one and two number two

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They won't minimize the fact that believers will be afflicted Verses three and four we'll talk about that again today and number three.

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They won't ignore the possibility of apostasy verse five So Paul even though he really needed

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Timothy in Athens. He needed his help. He needed his companionship He was headed into a city that was dark very dark

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We think that everything is the worst. It's ever been today Well in the days of the Apostles, it was the worst that had ever been in their day and Paul had to go into Athens didn't have to yeah

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He did because he was come his he had a compulsion which was to preach the gospel He had to go into Athens and and bring the gospel to that dark city and he could have used

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Timothy But he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to be a blessing to them

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Further he didn't shrink back from letting the Thessalonians know that they would be persecuted as will all who will live godly in Christ Jesus Finally he tackled the possibility of apostasy, but it was clear from his words that he did not expect that from this new group

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Paul was he Paul had seen the Holy Spirit at work in believers in other believers and he knew the truth of the scripture and Just as he told the

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Galatians He believed that in this little church the one who had begun a good work in them would bring it to completion in Christ Jesus is that not a comfort to know that it is

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Christ It is himself who will bring the work in your life to completion that you don't have to depend on men

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What what a comfort that is With that as kind of a short review normally my reviews take a lot of time because it's been a long time since I've been

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With you, but it's only been a few months this time with that as a short review We'll we'll take a look at the next five verses in chapter 3.

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So let's look at chapter 3 and I'm going to read Chapter 3 verses 1 through 10 to give us context 1st

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Thessalonians chapter 3 verses 1 through 10 therefore When we could endure it no longer we thought it best to be left at Athens alone behind at Athens alone and we sent

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Timothy our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ to strengthen and Encourage you as to your faith so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions

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For you yourselves know that we have been destined for this For indeed when we were with you

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We kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction and so it came to pass as you know

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For this reason when I could endure it no longer I also sent to find out about your faith for fear that the tempter might have tempted you and our labor should be in vain

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But now that Timothy has come to us from you and has brought us good news of your faith and love

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And that you always think kindly of us longing to see us just as we also long to see you for this reason brethren in All our distress and affliction.

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We were comforted about you through your faith For now we really live if you stand firm in the

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Lord for what? Thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our

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God on your account as We night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your faith and may complete what is lacking in your faith

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So the first thing he says continuing a look at how our an under shepherd can properly serve the body of Christ So that's what this section seems to speak is so that we know how an under shepherd a pastor an elder should act in the body of Christ and How they should be how they should live we're going to see in the next five verses.

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We're going to look at three things How an under shepherd? delights in those he serves An under shepherd is grateful for those he serves and an under shepherd seeks the growth of those he serves

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So first Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you and has brought us good news of your faith and love and that you always think

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Kindly of us longing to see us just as we also long to see you Written very soon after Timothy returned it seems because of the way this is worded the structure of the grammar here

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Paul focused on the good news of Faith and love and that there was a deep -seated longing to see

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Paul and the Apostles again And they Paul and the his co -workers had that same longing.

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They wanted to see the believers at Thessalonica again Paul didn't wait to let

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Timothy's report percolate it seems He it was that good of a chronicle of the faith that had been growing in those young Thessalonians Now young church

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I should say because there would have been every age group in the church These are always music These things are always music to the ears of those responsible to shepherd the flock of Christ When an elder hears that those under his care are defending the faith

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Ably they're living it out in a manner that is speaking to the culture around them and they are defending the faith ably they are

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They are demonstrating the love that only comes from the father of lights He is even more stimulated to love and good works that elder is

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It is a blessing beyond measure to know and see the scripture being lived out in people's lives Here the

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Greek word for good news, by the way, this is an interesting little construction It's almost well in all of Paul's other writings.

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It's only used of the gospel The Evangelion the good news the you and galley on in Greek here

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He uses it to talk about the good news that came from Thessalonica because this was good news

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He was he used it to recognize that they were continuing to love both the bringer of the message and one another it was a remarkable statement

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It was a wonderful report He speaks of the Thessalonians faith their love and their kind thoughts and their longing to see us

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In 1st Corinthians Paul reminds his listeners that even as those two qualities are together

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They render someone's knowledge useful in 2nd Corinthians Faith and lover linked to being able to bless others with gifts and kindness

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He uses these two words together some 18 times in his epistles faith and love in Ephesians Paul reminds the brethren and I'm not giving the the address so that you'll be prompted to look it up It's good reading in Ephesians Paul reminds his brethren that the true faith and love that comes with trusting

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Christ results in the indwelling Christ himself Later in 1st

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Thessalonians He will use this combination of faith and love as a picture of the armor much as he did in Galatian area

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Excuse me in Ephesians in 1st Timothy he calls these two qualities the actual goal of his entire instruction so much so That he reminds

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Timothy that even though he's young Timothy was young even though you're young if you demonstrate these two qualities

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You are a worthy example to all who believe do you hear that young believer?

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young person in church here Kootenai community Did you know that your faith and your love?

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Are not are not just a blessing to those around you but a challenge to your mentors You've brought the gift back to them when you walk in Christ I See so many young people in this in this body who love

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Christ and who are living out the truths of the gospel every day It is both a blessing to me and a challenge

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In the proper way to press on to become more like Christ I even had one tell me this morning He likes the fact that I use the word under shepherd.

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He studies the word. This is a teeny No, I'm not gonna say that like it's some sort of pejorative.

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He's a young man who loves the Lord He studies the word and he understands why I'm using a particular word

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What? That's just like the bees knees Can I say that he challenges he and those others challenged the elders to press on to be more like Christ So you're doing the work young people and it's a marvel to see later in 2nd

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Timothy using focusing back on these two words faith and love Paul reminds his young charge

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Timothy that an improper faith and love destroys people and that's the sound words

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He gave to Timothy result in proper faith and love Calvin said it this way He said faith and love this form of expression should be the more carefully observed by us in proportion to the frequency

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With which it is made use of by Paul For in these two words he comprehends briefly the entire sum of true piety

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Hence all that aim at this twofold mark during their whole life are beyond all risk of erring all others

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However much they may torture themselves Wander miserably and indeed as Rick mentioned or as Jeff mentioned this morning in his

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Sunday school teaching the goal of instruction Is love faith and love from the sound mind?

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Paul also speaks with joy of the news that the Thessalonians always also thought kindly of him He brought hard news to them.

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Remember we talked about the last time we're together He didn't he didn't shrink back from telling you're gonna struggle. You're gonna be afflicted the world's gonna hate you

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I'm gonna talk about that a little bit more later on you didn't know that did you? The world was gonna hate you you may not have when you first became a

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Christian Because you were one of the elect of it wouldn't have stopped you But it might have made your entrance into to life a little more sobering thoughtfully and sobering

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Remember we talked about the fact that he told them they would suffer if they became followers of Christ the genuine good news of the

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Gospel will never minimize the bad news of the world Insulating people from what can happen to them when they trust

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Christ is a disservice to them it is not necessary to wax eloquent about how evil the world is a

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Simple reminder that the world hated Christ and that Christ promised his followers a proportion of that hate is enough in fact

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Why don't we just see what the scripture says you know things like this? John 15 19 if you were of the world the world would love its own

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But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world because of this the world hates you

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So the world Believers have come out of the world and the world hates that John 15 18

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The world hates you you know that it's hated me before it hated you and Matthew 10 22 You will be hated by all because of my name

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But it is the one who has endured to the end that will be saved beloved. Don't be surprised This is now.

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This is not scripture. This is me Because the scripture often uses the word beloved. I don't want you to be confused The world hates the

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Lord Jesus Christ, and if you love Christ the world will hate you John 3 19 and 21 to 21

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This is the judgment that light has come into the world and men love the darkness rather than the light

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For their deeds were evil for everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will

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Be exposed, but he who practices truth comes to the light so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God imagine someone

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Who hates it when you come into the room and turn the light on this is the world?

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You Try to turn the light on to show them the truth of the gospel, and they will hate you for it But there will be some who will bless you for that remember that there will be some who will bless you for it

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Always remember that Romans 118 for the wrath of God is Revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness

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Proverbs 12 1 well let me Back up for the wrath of God there will always be those who hate the truth

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The world wants to suppress the truth so that they can continue to live in their unrighteousness Anyone who wants to continue to live in unrighteousness?

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Whether it be an unbeliever or a believer who's struggling in sin will try to suppress the truth So that they can continue to live in that unrighteousness

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Proverbs 12 1 whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid

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Proverbs 27 5 better is open rebuke than love that is concealed the world will always mistake a proper loving rebuke of sin as hate

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Let me say that again the world will read will always Let me read it again

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Will always mistake a proper loving rebuke of sin as hate and for that they will hate you you may lovingly attempt to correct someone about something like homosexuality or abortion or lying or or Fornication or or whatever sin there is and you will be viewed as hard and unloving

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When in fact the loving thing to do is to bring someone to Christ and repentance for their sin actually we don't bring them the

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Holy Spirit does but is to give them the gospel So that they can come to Christ and repent of theirs of their sin for only then does healing come

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But the world will hate you for bringing that truth Exodus 23 2 this is an interesting one You shall not follow the masses in doing evil nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice

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The world follows the big molders of opinion They follow the crowd The heart of a

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Christian is to test all things and to hold fast to that which is to which is true and the world hates this first Corinthians 1 27

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But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to Shame the things which are strong as anyone ever told you that the gospel is foolish

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That it's silly. It seems stupid They cannot Apprehend it until Christ comes into their heart and regenerate comes in and regenerates them so that they can understand it

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Keep teaching it keep saying it because there will be those who will understand it, but the world thinks you're stupid

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They think the things of the gospel are foolish We have to recognize that they are spiritually discerned and only after regeneration can someone understand and embrace embrace them as the truths of Scripture The gospel is the doorway to that among other things

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Acts 19 24 through 27. I'm not going to read the whole thing, but basically there were silversmiths in one of the towns that Paul had visited and The gospel was fouling up their business

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It was reducing their income because they were losing adherence to a faith that required that you buy their silver statues and then there was this girl that Let's see

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There was a girl in Acts chapter 16 who was making a great deal of money for her handlers by telling fortune the simple fact is that The under what's the bottom line of the world is diminished can be diminished by the gospel and they will hate you for that Because the gospel is not about making money.

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What's truly Reprehensible is that those who wear the guise of Christian in the church are

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Preaching that you can be rich and famous if you'll just do certain things you can be rich or healthy or wealthy

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None of the gospel teaches that and it is those who are the most reprehensible that they would lead people astray

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We've talked about that. Actually, I think it was brought up in Sunday school, too No, we don't collaborate.

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I think we just read the same Bible There's a great deal more but that suffices for now

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I don't want to barrage you with the fact that the world hates you did any of you have did you know the world hates?

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You you can nod your head. Yeah. Yeah. Okay good it should Do not be surprised

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Don't use it necessarily as a litmus test to see if you're doing right always test all things from Scripture and hold fast to the truth but if the world hates what you're saying if The world hates what you're doing and you're doing it out of a out of love

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Odds are you're in the right track, but always come back to Scripture Paul was also delighted to know that the people he had invested his life in long to see him

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These are the people that he told that the world was going to hate him He probably I know he preached to them much more eloquently than I just did

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He told them that the world would hate them and they long to see him again The verb translated long and has an intensity of purpose

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Timothy had apparently told Paul that the believers in Thessalonica missed him terribly What a balm to Paul's wounds that the world was giving to him

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He was a blessed man, and he truly delighted in those He served verse 7 for this reason brethren in all our distress and affliction

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We were comforted about you through your faith the distress and affliction that Paul and others were facing was very real

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In in many if not most of the places they went they were rejected hated and run out of town

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Hearing about a church body that had received the gospel and had put to work so quickly was incredibly comforting

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Let's face it in this life Good news like that makes the worth the work more than worth it

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For it is work to build up others as I'm sure you know But not a project It's loving work

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No, they were on people are an object of love and concern and so this is what the body of the

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Thessalonian believers was was to Paul and his companions they were a Blessing beyond measure a delight somebody they wanted to see again really badly

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In any proper Church of the Living God This is the relationship that you will find between the brethren there even while people are going through difficulties

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They will want to invest themselves in other people's lives if we all said well I'll wait till things are good with me, and then

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I'll help someone else out How's that gonna work out? It's not gonna work out because we will always be struggling through things

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More than likely that's what makes us by God's grace most useful to others not more than likely that his way

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One of the things by God's grace if we all waited till things were perfect perfect in our lives to begin investing in the lives

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With others nothing would get done When is difficulty ever ceased in your life?

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You go ahead raise your hand Okay, okay

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With Paul the difficulties were multiplied by his own choice of course as he traveled throughout the known world to plant the gospel

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It was a dangerous and often thankless work to receive a report like this was fantastic One commentator noted that although Paul and his co -workers had been quote expelled from one place after another in Macedonia Paul and the others might well have wondered if in spite of their confident interpretation of the call of God in Acts chapter 16

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They had been divinely guided to that province after all they had no reason to expect more positive acceptance in Achaia To which they had now perforce come, but Timothy's report on the state of the

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Thessalonian Church dissipated their fears The gospel had taken firm root in the capital city of Macedonia The seed had been sown in fertile ground and the fruit was already beginning to appear if the

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Thessalonians had not allowed the tribulations to destroy Their Christian faith and love Paul and Sylvain is found in this good news a sovereign remedy for their own distress and affliction

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So now here's where I get off the horse. I saddled and rode into church today, and I get on an unsaddled untrained horse

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So so the Lord by his choice has called four of us to serve this church as under shepherds and I'm here to tell you and other elders

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They go, what's he gonna say? I've had people come to me recently with difficulties and and terrible things hard things going on in their lives, and I've been blessed that they came to me and I've had some of them relate.

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Well you seem so busy If I'm too busy Then somebody needs to kick my legs out from under me

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This is what I'm here for you Or what elders are called for and We find it a blessing and a delight to be able to serve you and if it ever goes to our heads

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I know you'll take care of that because this is a church that studies the Word of God We want to be used by God.

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We want to be a blessing to you And if I act too busy then those of you that are more bold out there confront me

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Because I'm not I'm not too busy Neither is Dave Dave's not here to defend himself

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Neither is Jess Marcia Don't hurt me after the service Jim's on vacation a well -deserved vacation but our desire is to be a blessing and a service and a ministry and We truly believe that the word under means under we are under the

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Great Shepherd He has called people to this kind of work, and we're always looking for others There'll be an opportunity for that in the future in the near days to come

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I think and So now some of you are terrified. That's good One of the requirements that I believe an elder needs to have in his life is he needs to remain terrified his entire life

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Properly terrified if you will okay now. I'm gonna get back on the horse For now we really live verse 8 if you stand firm in the

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Lord this report was so fantastic That Paul writes here what naturally flowed from his heart as you truly stand in the

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Lord He said to the Thessalonians. We can really live Maybe many of you have heard the old funny about the billionaire who wanted to be buried in his

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Lamborghini and When that happened one of the onlookers Inadvertently blurred out wow man, that's really living.

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I don't think so I Don't think that's what this means Paul said he was really living

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I hardly think he used I hardly think that that's what it meant He uses the present tense here because this kind of news is one that sustains one throughout their entire life

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One commentator said this is more than physical life It is the fullness of the

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Christian life the fullness of seeing others walking strongly in the gospel I would also take it that Paul's choice of words here as inspired by the

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Holy Spirit are significant the word he uses for stand Firm is a military term Which denotes an armed force holding their ground?

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This is just another form of Paul saying that what he said to the Philippians that he was Confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will complete good work among you will complete it by the day

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Of Jesus Christ Christ Jesus just read what's on paper razor It is at once a terrifying thing to know that those who have given the gospel to Those we have given the gospel to will be persecuted

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But it is also as I mentioned earlier a very comforting thing to know that it is

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God himself Who has the responsibility of seeing them through to completion?

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It is God himself don't stop preaching the gospel And so hearing of the perseverance especially in this young church that Paul did not have the time he wished to have in giving him the

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Foundations they would need to stand the storms. It was wondrous to him and so this is a this is why

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Paul could say that it was the same kind of good news that the gospel was not Exactly the same don't misunderstand me

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I'm not minimizing the gospel, but this was good news when he heard that the Thessalonians were standing against affliction

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It inspires it inspires us as not as much as the gospel, but it's similar

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It should be remembered those with that But when those who had received the gospel from Paul were unfaithful.

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Can we think of a church that might have done that? the word Corinth comes to mind and Caved into sin and false teaching when that happened.

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He was devastated He even became depressed over the Corinthian church in first. I think it's chapter 7 verse 6.

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I Should have looked it up, but I think that's I'm pretty sure that's it He even became depressed and God relieved that depression how by sending

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Titus to him with good news about the Corinthian church The time this that time it was about the wayward

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Corinthians. We are made this way It's one of the ways God works in us when we when those we love follow

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Christ Even as it might seem to them just plodding through the difficulties of pain in life it the pain that life brings it brings joy

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To our hearts to see people holding fast to the scripture It Renews our desire to pray for them.

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It sustains us. It draws us closer to the Lord Jesus himself Your mother's you mothers, you know this

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Well, when you pour your life into a child it results in both great agony and great joy when they walk crooked

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You spend countless time in prayer When they walk according to the scriptures your heart soars

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It was this that inspired John to write He said I have no greater joy than this to hear of my children walking in the truth

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This is true of physical children and spiritual children This is to this to shows that a proper under shepherd delights in those he serves and he is grateful

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So this is so much so But though the world may be falling down around us and it kind of looks like that At least in some ways if an under shepherd sees those he is responsible for pressing on for the

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Lord Jesus Christ It is a balm. It is a delight a blessing and a wonder at once Calvin again said this he said all pastors are

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Reminded by this of the kind of relationship with ought to exist between them and the church when things go well with the church

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They are to count themselves happy even though in other respects They are surrounded by much distress on the other hand

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However, if they see the building which they have constructed falling down there to die

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They are to die of grief and sorrow even though in other respects. There is good success and prosperity

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Unquote now, of course, we know that the Lord builds the church in Context Calvin is simply talking about the relationship that exists between a vibrant church in the middle of a destructive world system how it brings joy to the heart of those who are responsible to serve and as Jim often relates

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You will not find this from I got to read this from a skinny jean ear pierced henna tattooed yellow brooch road charlatan

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I have always you know for years Back before I got involved here at Kootenai and and I when

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I was preaching in other places we talk about Prosperity preachers back then

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I call them yellow brick road charlatans Because who hasn't heard about the yellow brick road if you just follow the yellow brick road

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Well, has anybody maybe Wizard of Oz isn't watched anymore. I don't know. I'm an old guy anyway

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They're not the ones who are gonna be there for you, they're not the one they're not called They're called they think they're called to do this to make money wrong kind of calling this so those who have been called to serve the

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Church of God do so out of compulsion and out of love The compulsion is from the

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Lord himself. The love is for the brethren. It's a good compulsion and by the way

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You'll always find here that when we ask you to come to us with your needs and let us pray for you and don't push on the pulpit and Let us pray for you.

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Let us minister. Let us help. Let us do what we can It's going to be in this church. It's elders and they're going to be men

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I'm looking into the camera. They're going to be men They're gonna be men called by God because that's what the scripture says and we adhere to sound doctrine

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Verse 9 for what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before God on your

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Account Paul asks a rhetorical question here in order to cast a special light on the fact that it was God himself

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Who did the work in those of Thessalonica? They were standing strong not because of Paul They were standing strong not because of Sylvanus.

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They were standing strong not because of Timothy They were standing strong because of God and because of the Word of God Let that not ever be

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Unevident from here. Is that a word unevident? The rejoicing was given to Paul and his co -workers directly from God Does the preacher take the credit for the good lives of his flock of the flock he serves?

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Paul never did His rejoicing was before God and his thanks was to God and all of the credit went to God So the good news

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Timothy brought inspired Thanksgiving in Paul's heart to God Under shepherds understand that it is

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God who does the work it is not them if it depended on men The church wouldn't have lasted 40 minutes

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But it's lasted 2 ,000 years because it depends on God Paul uses his words these words on Thank Thanks, thank or thankful in a positive way 32 times in his epistles now

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This wasn't supposed to be a preaching addendum to the holiday We just celebrated, but I can't help mention that I didn't notice as I was working my way through this

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That it lent itself very well to that idea There isn't much in life that came to Paul that he wasn't thankful in some way or another for he was thankful for those he served

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He was thankful for grace He was thankful for the gifts of the Spirit. He was thankful just to remember people

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He was thankful that those he taught lived out the gospel. He was thankful for Christ Jesus He was thankful in prayer for others

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He was thankful when anyone came to Christ and became a slave of Christ rather than a slave of sin He was thankful when believers were obedient to the

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Word. He was thankful for those who risked their lives for him He was thankful for the victory that comes in Christ. He was thankful for the prayers of others

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He was thankful for the inheritance waiting for him He was thankful for being one of the elect and he was even thankful for the distress and difficulties that came his way because he stated that he delighted in them because they were an opportunity for God to work and For God to be glorified

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And he was thankful for this thankful for this young body in Thessalonica Who had weathered the storms in their lives in such a way that when

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Timothy brought back a report about them It was clear. They were victorious because of God because of the gospel this delighted

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Paul And so he carefully gives all the credit and all the glory to God the rhetorical question

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He asked how can we possibly properly thank God for what he has done in you is thus answered this way by continuing to serve him in this and under jeopardy demonstrates gratefulness for those he serves by continuing to serve and Then as we we look at the last verse here verse 10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly

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That we may see your face and may complete what is lacking in your faith True to form

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Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he prays earnestly for them

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The words here translated most earnestly are a double compound Paul was fond of double compounds

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They weren't common in the Greek of the day, but Paul was fond of them And it is because of the inspiration of the script as a spirit here

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He puts that that he is able to put into words what he's thinking now that we know that the inspiration is we know that the

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Inspiration of Scripture is perfect and Paul said just what he needed to say But here is a man. He may have actually been struggling with how to get this down on paper

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When he received this fabulous report from Timothy He wants the Thessalonians to know how intense his prayer is for them

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One could translate this and I'm not claiming to be a Greek scholar or anything But this is just kind of how it appeared to me

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He was saying as we night and day keep on praying over and above super abundantly that we may see your face

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He wanted to see them again This somewhat communicates the intensity of this prayer night and day super abundantly over -the -top praying

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And he reminds them that he is looking for even more ways to bless them and sustain them and help them grow He wants to be back with them

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He wants to see them not just hear from them. I truly think that when Paul said he prayed night and day he really did That's what the scripture says

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That's not to say that he prayed 24 hours a day But his life was one of sustained petition to God for the many things that he was doing when difficulties came he turned to praying

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When rejoicing came he turned to prayer when counseling issues came up he turned to prayer When the cares of the church has overwhelmed him he turned to prayer when good news came to him regarding the steadfastness of others

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He turned to prayer my dear wife resorts to prayer whenever difficulties come up in our lives

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She always first thinks of that. I don't and I'm supposed to I think about what can

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I do? how can I how can I help and and and She'll remind me we need to pray. That's right.

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There's a good idea and So we do and I I'm so grateful for that and and many, you know

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They're the other they're the other but sometimes more than the other half They're the ones that often remind you of the things that are lacking.

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I'm so grateful for that So this is not how Paul lived the way

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I do He was truly a man of prayer in the sense that prayer permeated his life now.

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I drink coffee black But when you stir the cream into your coffee, it doesn't just sit on the top

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It doesn't sink to the bottom. What does it do? It mixes in that's the idea prayer needs to be mixed into your life

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So that it's an everyday part of it It's a part of every taste of life that comes your way in some way shape or form sometimes more intense sometimes quick Sometimes hours sometimes from lists are okay, especially when you get my age

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Now what was that person's name and I look them up in the church directory and it doesn't have a picture and I go

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When is Jim gonna get a picture there so I know It's Jim's fault. Okay, so if I'm not praying for his

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Jim's fault, that's the idea. It's mixed into your life It becomes part of your life.

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It needs to be part of your life God works through the prayers of his people. I can't give you a

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Scientifically reasoned out thought there, but he says I will work through prayer and I believe him

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Finally Paul wants to continue the work that he started and by the grace of God be part of the ongoing sanctification of the sub of the

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Thessalonians the on -going day -to -day growth of the Thessalonians the subject of what is lacking in the lives of the

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Thessalonians comes up again in chapters 4 and 5 Where Paul lists some of the things that the Thessalonians need to grow in and here's here's just a an abbreviated list

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Here's the things that he felt were lacking in their lives Now this is because he got to know them and he was he knew people that knew them and he spent time finding out about Them because he loved them

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They needed they needed extra help in sexual purity verse chapter 4 verses 3 through 7 the love of the brethren chapter 4 verse 10 habit of minding their own business chapter 4 11 proper attitude towards outsiders chapters 412 a correct theology regarding death chapter 4 13 through 5 11

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They needed extra teaching regarding hard work Chapter 4 11.

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Do you know hard work is godly? It's a good thing. Can't we all just hug and take a nap?

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after we've worked hard behavioral sobriety chapter 4 verse 11 Hospitality verse chapter 4 12 strict attention to the times in which they lived chapter 5 1 through 10

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Mutual encouragement. These are areas that the a good Functioning vibrant church needed further taught teaching in Mutual encouragement 511 obedience to godly and proper leadership chapter 5 12 through 13

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Biblical housekeeping regarding their behavior 514 patience 514 not responding to evil with evil 515 learn to be grateful and rejoice 516 maintain a robust prayer life 517 learning to give thanks for the good things in your life

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That isn't what he said learning to give thanks for everything 518 being obedient to the

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Holy Spirit 519 learning to delight when scripture demands that you change 520 carefully test the teaching you receive and cherish and hold fast to the truth 521 and Then last that I have here at least learn to recognize evil in all its forms and abstain from it 522 these are some of the things that he felt needful to be involved in The sanctification of the

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Thessalonians we will revisit these in much greater detail as we go through chapters 4 and 5 So that's probably going to be in 2023 and 2024 2025 26

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I've my grandkids have told me a trillion times not to exaggerate He seeks the growth of those he taught in Thessalonica indeed

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He wants to see them victorious over the world, but more importantly victorious over their selves in Christ How would you know what is lacking in someone?

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How would we know? Well, you must spend time with them For myself when

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I see someone on the street with a sign Homeless You know leave aside the fact that they've got a cell phone two dogs a nice lawn chair nicer than my lawn chairs

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And but I'm joking here to some degree I can't I've I've actually bought food for them and given it to them, but I'm not gonna give him money

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I need to get to know them I need to get to know people and I can't do that with everybody on the street

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But I can hear and I'm work That's one of the things I'm working on is to get to know each and every one of you better The church has really grown.

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I mean we don't have a full house today, and there's more here Actually, we have more in our

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Sunday school than we used to have in church And I love it People who are thirsty for the

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Word of God and as we bring it God is glorified anyway back to I got off the horse again.

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How do you know what is lacking in someone? You must get to know them So between his own personal visits and the reports of others

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Paul had become to a knowledge of the needs of those in Thessalonica a proper under shepherd desires that those he serves grow in the graces of Christ grow in the graces that characterize a vibrant Christian life

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And so he looks for ways to build into those lives whether it's teaching the word Counseling or working alongside someone there are many ways to build into the lives of others, but it must start with the gospel

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It is notable here that Paul references completing the holes in their lives personally He says and I quote that we may see your face and may complete

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What is lacking in your faith unquote? The best way to work in the lives of others is personally face -to -face letter writing and telephones have their place and email and all the other modern convenience

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But with regard to discipleship and bringing people to completion in Christ you can't substitute personal interaction you just can't and That's what this is some of Sunday mornings where we spend time together ministering to one another and I've told you before I like to stand and watch it is such a delight to see people in this body

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Finding out what each other needs and then figuring out ways to meet those needs It's a picture of heaven on earth.

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It really is at least to me. It's a picture of heaven on earth in fact Our first significant interaction of how believers or mention of how believers interacted is in Acts chapter 2 verse 42

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They were continually devoting themselves to the Apostles teaching and the fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to prayer

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So you must be together physically to break bread by the way together. I Think there's no digital bread yet There's digital money and digital stupidity, but I don't know that there's digital bread and if there is ignore it

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So let us not be dissuaded from the gathering together of ourselves as the manner of some is but in these days most certainly we need one another and It is in these gatherings where we devote ourselves to the teachings of Christ to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to prayer

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That we most wonderfully love learn of each other's needs and discover ways to minister to one another So without reference to the list,

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I just mentioned can we all acknowledge that there are things lacking in our lives?

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Can we also all acknowledge that God has provided Everything we need in the scriptures for life and godliness

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So now I don't get a prompting when I get a prompting and I've heard that word a lot and it's a good word as Won't happen today

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What happened to me? I believe biblically was I was prompted to go to the scripture and to prayer

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What does the word say about this? How can I minister the word to someone in need? What does the word say to me about this

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What should I be doing about this? God will use his word when he prompts you to direct you into the lives of others and how to be used in the lives

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Of others he won't use indigestion, which is what often what most people feel is he will use his word

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His Holy Spirit will make his word Which you have hidden in your heart that which prevents you from sinning and that which makes you useful to others.

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I Commend to you the reading of the Proverbs and of Psalm 119 to start with the prompting of the

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Lord will direct you to the Word of God and to prayer and Then to service to others and usually most importantly service without any

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Recognition if you're doing it for recognition, it's not service. It's a wage earner and there's nothing wrong with wage earners

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But when he directs us to serve one another he's directing us for service. Okay, I got off the horse again

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So the most important thing you need today is Have you trusted Christ? Have you heard his call?

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Which he directs to his elect and have you trusted him? Have you repented from your sin if you're a believer? You've done this.

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Is there something in your life? That and there is because we all have first John 1 9 if we confess our sin and now

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I'm making it plural It's not plural in the script in this text Maybe it is if we confess our sins

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He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Keep the short accounts if you're not a believer you must trust

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Christ There's no other way to heaven

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No other way to properly serve others No other way to live life like Paul said if you want to live life like Paul said you must trust

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Christ. Let's pray Father as we come into this season where we even the world is forced

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To remember the things about the Son of God as he came to earth Let us be carefully thinking about ways to lovingly turn people to Christ to the

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Word of God how to direct their attention to you to this to the scriptures and to the truth that Christ came into the world to serve and to Pay for the son the sins of all men who will trust in him

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We commend that to the world we commend that to anyone that's in here that doesn't have you and to those of you who love You let us remind ourselves of that daily

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Because Peter said he wasn't embarrassed to bring us back to the basics, and so that's what we need to do often It is

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Christ who saved us it is Christ who continues us, and it is Christ who will bring us to glory