Do Your Leaders Thank God For You (part 2)? - [1 Thessalonians 1:1-3]

The Source of Spiritual Progress Is God’s Work, Not Human Effort

Well on to part two of the message that I began last week if you'd open your Bibles to. 1st Thessalonians chapter 1. Here is a book authored by the Apostle Paul his second letter. You can read the history of it as we look back in Acts chapter 17 where Paul came to this region and in the Aegean Sea Known as northeastern Greece to us Paul had a short but effective missionary effort here.

For a church was established. And God saved some idolaters. And if I look around the room today, and if I look behind the pulpit today God saves idolaters for the glory of Christ and God established a church there.

God's established a church here. And what can we glean from this book last week we started? Didn't get too far. We're gonna get just a little bit further today. 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 I would like to read I'm reading from the King James Paul and Silas and Timothy Under the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul goes on to say we give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and Patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father knowing brethren loved your election of God.

For our gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance. As you know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. In verse 2 as we looked last week.

We see the manner of his Thanksgiving. How is it that Paul expressed this Thanksgiving unto God? And of course we see that that is while he is praying and While he is praying the Apostle Paul does something Related to or pointing to this church to God.

You remember he thanked God For them not thanking them, but he thanked God for them for these dear saints. And what Paul is saying there in verse 2 is that God is the source From whom their spiritual progress came or whatever took place in that church there.

It was sourced in God. God was the one who had wrought that good work in that church. And isn't that so true? We learned it even in Sunday school this morning and in some of the Remarks that were made by pastor Steve as the as this service had begun that Christians who understand themselves and Will be honest with others Will readily admit that any spiritual good or any spiritual attainment that they have achieved in their lives Can only be attributed to the mercy and the grace and the power and the help of God.

It's originated from God. Works righteousness the whole idea there as far as is what is it you're trusting in? What is it that you're trying. Are you trusting in what you can do for God and That would be that you're leaning on your own understanding.

You're leaning on your own effort and that would be that you are trying to work to obtain God's righteousness. When you are doing it as the Bible would say and as grace teaches us. You are not trusting in yourself.

You're not trusting in your own labor or your own effort. But it is all the labor of Christ. It is all the work of Jesus Christ on your behalf. Now there are those we looked in Sunday school in Galatians 5 where it says the the fruit of the the works of the flesh.

Are these things? Jealousy and envying and fighting and Striving. And it says those who do those things or those who practice those things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Now it's not that we have done them one time didn't say those who have done those things but those who practice.

It's an ongoing practice in the life if you continually sin in that way. Then you will not inherit the kingdom of God. But Paul in writing to the Corinthians and there in Galatians He says. But the fruit of the Spirit is the opposite of that is when God Visits you when God doesn't work and you're not trusting in yourself, but you're trusting in the work of Christ on your behalf.

God is the one who changes you. God makes you a new you are born from above you are regenerated. You become a child of God through the work of God and born out of that the Holy Spirit coming to dwell within you.

Is the fruit of the Spirit love joy and peace. It is not of yourselves. It's of God is something God works in you. And even when Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. He said he said Don't be deceived.

He said neither thieves nor covetous nor dialers revilers. Nor extortion or shall inherit the kingdom of God. And he said but such were some of you such were some of you you're not that anymore. God has Radically changed you you've given it been given a new nature the old things are passed away all things that have become new and You're not working for your salvation.

You are resting in what Christ has done for you for your salvation. It's where his work and not your own. And in this church here that we're gonna look at this morning. We're seeing fruit born out of their lives.

Something that God has done in this church and what Paul does and verse 2 is he understands That it is the work of God in their lives and therefore he gives thanks to God for God's wonderful work in these believers.

What Makes a New Testament Church Successful

Now last week just a quick review. We began to look at the occasions or the reasons why? The Apostle Paul made mentioning as he made mention of them in the church in his prayers giving. Thanks to God.

He there were some things that caused him to be thrilled caused him to be overjoyed and for that reason he get gives Thanks to the Lord. Now for to introduce it this morning, maybe I'll I'll take on a little different of a bit of a question a different perspective.

Let's try to get the right perspective. I'll ask this question. What makes a successful church. What makes a successful church is it is it the membership? Numbers is it the attendance? It's it's really uncanny.

But many times when there are conferences and pastors get to talk to each other. One of the first questions that come up is what are you running? You know, how many what they're asking is how many numbers you go?

How big is the church? What are you running? And I sometimes I'd like to say well, we're running one refrigerator one freezer and two dishwashers. I mean, you know just to get the thought off of the the foolishness of looking at numbers because that's not the numbers that That make it successful.

Look at the ministry of Jesus. He only had 12 at the at the end of his ministry 11 if you if you subtract Judas, is that successful? Of course, it's successful. It was what the will of God. It was God's will For him to start with those.

Well, is it our building that makes us successful? Is it the programs is it our ministries? Of course We would say no to these things and we would readily admit and ultimately it is the Lord's hand upon any ministry.

Or any church or any believers life? Which lends to its success it is God working in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. But here in this message this morning in this little series that I'm doing.

I'm trying to speak practically From the perspective of our human responsibility as believers as members of a New Testament Church. What is it that we are to do? What is it that we're to exhibit in our lives?

What ought to be coming forth out of our lives as God is working in us? And the correct answer to what makes a New Testament Church successful or what makes The life of a believer for there to be some sort of success is found in verse 3.

Where Paul uses these words? Work labor and endurance. If someone knew you were a believer and was describing you to another person They should say something along these lines that brother or sister in Christ is one who works verse 3 in the middle there Paul remembered their work of faith their labor of love their patience of a dirt of Hope or their endurance and hope and our church collectively should have this reputation.

BBC should be known for or be a place where you as a Christian work. BBC should be known for and be a place where you as a Christian labor and BBC should be a place for or should be known for and be a place where you as a Christian endure and by this I Mean our lives and ministries inside and outside of these walls.

Should exhibit the this these qualities of these virtues the first Paul was grateful to God as we saw last week that they had a faith that works and active faith. Where action was the key you remember that last week?

We there was an energetic faith. We saw that when God gives life or a person is born again born from above born of heaven becomes a child of God regenerated given spiritual life. Given repentance and faith to lay hold upon Christ and faith that that faith springs into action.

That's what we saw last week. The Thessalonian Church there the Thessalonians faith Was energetic and it was followed by works as we can even see in chapter 1. There were people who became examples in Macedonia and a ki and from then verse 8 Sounded out the word of the Lord the gospel went forth into those regions and in every place and their faith to God Wood was spread abroad.

They were people who were who didn't hold back. Their faith sprang into action. They believed that God had saved them others needed to hear it and they sent the gospel forward. That was an example in their lives.

Not to become saved but because they had already been saved by God and I stated last week that there were Three spiritual qualities in this verse in verse 3 that if they would be present in your life They will no doubt cause your church leaders to give thanks to God for you.

You remember my question last week when your name comes up at a BBC elders meeting. Do you do you or does your name bring joy or pain to your church leaders? Do your church leaders? Thank God for you.

And this is part two of of that message and I want just to give a little bit of a clarification. I spoke to a lot of people after this the message last week and sometimes when I'm preaching I just go for it because I just got so so much time and I try to pack so much into it and I know I'm looking at the clock and I'm going over and I just sometimes what happens is I make it kind of like an all-or-none and Someone came up to me after the service and this believer was troubled because of their present circumstances did not allow them to be able to serve in the church as much as they wanted to and what's as much as they Desired to they had issues going on in their family an unconverted spouse.

They had a parent who needed Attention and I assured that person that not all of their works or The spirit of their all of the spiritual deeds that they do in their lives are the only ones recognized are the only ones that are Recognized within this the walls of the sheetrock walls of this building.

It is inside and outside of the church. It's where God puts you that's where you're to labor in the field where God has called you to be for. Somebody says I can't wait. I remember talking to young people I can't wait till I can go to college Bible College and go to seminary and get into full-time Ministry and I assured them as a believer.

You're in the full-time ministry all the time a hundred percent every single day. So where you are serve the Lord with gladness and I just want to encourage you if anybody was was saying Oh brother Dave, I can never do that.

Well by the grace of God We can do it inside these walls and outside of these walls. Well, I need to go on to the second phrase in verse 3 that I wanted to look at last week. Was that it's commendable to God if we live a spirit-filled life.

Whereby we exhibit that we are a people who demonstrate a work of faith this week. It is in order for us to live a life that is commendable to God and causes your church leaders to thank God for you. You must possess a love that labors and this second identifying quality or virtue.

A Labor of Love That Goes Beyond the Ordinary

Which marks every blood-bought child of God is their labor of love or ought to be a labor of love. This is right in the middle of verse 3 as you see it in a nutshell what this means that is that as a Christian you minister because you are Motivated by love a love for God and a love for others around you.

And where does this love come from? Well, it doesn't come from us. Does it because we did not have that love before before the Lord saved us. We had a love for who for self not a love for God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love and it is first and foremost a love that God of love for God that compels us.

That constrains us to serve God and to serve others and it comes from God. Where where does the love come from that propels us to abandon ourselves as these believers did and serve others in spiritual ministry?

Where does it come from? Again Galatians 5. Around verse 21 the fruit of the Spirit is love. Of course, it's shed abroad in our hearts by God. The source from which our love flows is from our loving Heavenly Father.

Even in Paul's letter. Here he says that you don't even need for anybody any man to teach you if you look in chapter 4 and in verse 9 Paul writes now as to the love of the brethren. You have no need for anyone to write to you for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

This is something that God teaches us. This is something by God by his grace teaches his children to love each other. Paul goes on to say in verse 10 for indeed you do practice it. Toward all the brethren who are in Macedonia and he says I want you to keep practicing it.

I want you to increase in it more and more to love one another. Love was something that was practiced amongst these believers. It wasn't something that was just felt. It wasn't something that they planned on doing.

It was not something that they got in a in a nice little circle around the campfire and talked about. They practice love they if I could put it this way, it's not a good English sentence, but they did love they did it.

They did love and that's what we're speaking of this morning. Are we a people who have this badge this mark? For believers to love one another and to show it or practice it is the badge of distinction.

Which sets Christians apart from the world. It is something we ought to be known for. Consider these New Testament passages. You don't have to turn there. John 13. Our Lord Jesus said in verses 34 and 35 a new commandment I give you some have called that the 11th commandment a new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another and get this by this.

By what we all have a big C on our forehead like we're Christians or maybe a BBC because we're members of this church. No by this by this love that you have one for another as I have loved you. He says by this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have loved one for another.

It's the distinctive mark. It's the badge on the believers that shows that we are we are the Lord's John 1512. This is my commandment. Jesus said that you love one another just as I have loved you and greater Love has no one than this than one lay down his life for his friends, and I'll speak a little bit more on that later.

First John is a book that speaks of this over over and over again first John 2 2 verses 9 through 11 the one who says he is in the light and Yet hates his brother is in darkness until now you say that you're in the light.

But you hate your brother you are in darkness, what does that mean you are lost you do not understand grace. You are not a believer a true believer and follower of Christ. The one who loves his brother John goes on to say abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

But the one who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness Has blinded his eyes he went on practically in verse 3 to exhibit. How does this love exhibited to a brother or sister in Christ?

First John 3 14 through 18. We know that we have passed out of death into life. What does that mean? We know that we have passed out of death and into life. What is what is that? An analogy of what is that?

What is he saying there? We know that we have been saved. We know that we have been changed. We know that we've been delivered. And we know it because we have Bookshelves at home that are just full of all these Christian books tapes and all this cool stuff, right?

No. Says we know we pass from death and life from death out of death into life because we love the brethren. Now for some of you you're gonna be thinking wait a minute that means that Person over there and I know what that person over there who said that to me last week.

That one in the back back behind me. I don't want to sit back there because I don't even want to see them. It is an issue. This is practical. This is where the rubber meets the road. We know we've passed out out of death and the light because we love the brethren who he who does not love abides in death.

Everyone who hates his brother it gets even it gets even more graphic here. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this that he God laid down his life for us and we ought to what?

Lay down our lives for the brethren and he gives an example here. So has this world's goods and Seasons brothers in need his brother is in need and closes up his heart against him doesn't demonstrate love.

How does the love of God abide in him little children? Let us not love in word. Or in tongue. I love you. With word, but I hate you in action. We're guilty of that. Aren't we? I love you. I'll pray for you.

But when we go home, the daggers are out. And we don't love as we don't demonstrate we love. Because it says here. No, it's not love in word or in tongue, but indeed. And that is laboring a labor of love.

That is work. That is effort. That is demonstrate. Demonstrable, that's a word you can demonstrate it in your life. You can show it that you really do. Love somebody let us love indeed and in truth first John chapter 4 verses 7 through 11 beloved.

Let us love one another for love is of God. These are familiar verses and everyone who loves is what born of God? We're born from above if we are if we are we are people who love. The one who does not love does not know God for God is love.

But this is the love of God. By this the love of God was manifested in us that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world. So that we might live through him in this is love not that we love God.

But that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins beloved if God so loved us we also. Have it's optional for us to love one another. No, it says we ought we ought to love one another.

It is expected of us to love one another first John for the last verses that I'd like to look out of that book first John 4 verses 20 and 21 if someone says I love God and hates his brother. He is a liar for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen.

Cannot love God whom he has not seen in this commandment. We have from him that the one who loves God should love his brother. Also, brother Dave. Are you saying that if I don't love that believer sitting in this building?

That you're that you are calling me a liar and you're telling me that I could prove out that I'm not a believer. No, I'm not saying that God is saying God's Word is saying that we just read it in the book and one of the distinctive marks of being born again is that you love others who've been born again and That love motivates us to serve them and sacrifice For them.

So when it comes to love, what is the Apostle Paul saying here in verse 3? I believe he point his point is is that if you say that you've been saved of saved by God. If you are the elect of God verse 4, which we'll hopefully get into in a subsequent message then you will labor and That labor will be motivated by love for others.

You know, there are things that motivate us right good and bad. There are some good things like the Great Commission go into all the world. That's that's a motivator. What what God is interested in we ought to be interested in that that can motivate us.

How about the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit within us? Working in us as I've already made mention of that that is something that can just Just thrill us knowing that God is working and we're no longer the same.

How about the coming judgment seat or the Bema seat of Christ? That's a that's a motivator. Where the works of each believer will one day be scrutinized not for our sin. But for our labors for Christ and of course the glory of God is our ultimate motivation.

Here Paul is talking about love. Love for God love for others should motivate us. There are bad reasons. To be motivated pride can be one greed can be one lust for power or popularity or position. Desire to be seen of men to be Recognized by other people to want to get the glory for want other people to brag on us for us to go around.

Tooting our own horn. Look at me. Look at what I've done. In that situation God has robbed of his rightful praise. Our agenda can motivate us what we want to do. Rather than God's will which you would which it should be.

It could make it can motivate us to make decisions or consume our time or chew up our resources. We could be craving or caving into temptations sin can be. Something that is captivating and something that is compelling us to do as we looked at in in Sunday school.

In Romans chapter 7 how Paul was just disgusted with himself over his sin. But thankful to God that he would be delivered from it one day. We should run from these types of motivations and run unto what Paul is Describing in here as the ultimate motivation for us.

One of them is love you remember in 1st Corinthians chapter 13. That's your homework. Pastor Mike is gone. I feel like I got to fill in just a little bit your your homework for this afternoon would be to read 1st Corinthians Chapter 13 and see what it says about how important love is in your life to manifest it.

And really I remember MacArthur gives a good algebraic equation. I'm not going to scare anybody with anything along with X squared plus Y squared equals Z or whatever. It is a very simple equation life minus love equals.

What do you think zero? Read that in 1st Corinthians chapter 13. But that's what Paul is thanking the Lord for here in this chapter and what he says he says here is that he thanks them for. Gives he thanks God for them first of all for their work of faith and then for their labor of love now work.

Work remember as we looked at last week was the deed itself. It was the accomplishment and something that was born out of their faith because they believed because they were believers. They worked they labored the deed and sometimes the work itself can be pleasant.

Sometimes the work itself can be stimulating but labor here this word labor implies toil that is strenuous and sweat-producing. It kind of reminds me of the Olympians now I can imagine that it's difficult to compete and they do get tired when they compete.

But you know sometimes when they run or do the things that they do. If you and I had to do that, we'd be flat on the ground. I mean, they're they're they're they're all trained up. And when they're competing them, there's probably an exhilaration there.

There is a thrill in that work, but go back go back a week go back months. Go back years four years in the making between those Olympics. And what do you see you see them practicing day after day month after month year after year?

Thousands and thousands of hours stretching themselves to the point of Exhaustion and the pain and the grimacing and the weeping and the shots and the doctor's offices and the wrappings around their legs and their Arms producing gallons and gallons of sweat.

That's labor. That's the labor part. We can we can say that we've worked in the ministry and. But how many of us can say that we have labored to the point of exhaustion and here what we're talking about.

Is the work is the deed the labor is the effort that is extended or expended? The work is the deed itself what you do labor here and a labor of love is is how much effort? Have you put into it? How much have you extended or expended yourself?

And this is not this is something that is not foreign to the scriptures as far as as people in the scriptures Expending themselves to the point of exhaustion. We can consider the the life of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Did you ever think about why he is asleep in the boat? Was it just nap time? No. The Lord Jesus is exhausted from ministry. He has expended himself. Though very though God of very God in his humanity.

He grows physically tired from the preaching the traveling the attacks of his enemies the constant line of needy sinners Groping and grabbing after him coming to him for help the long days and tireless nights of ministry.

For others. Do you remember even another example of the Lord Jesus the description of the Lord in in John chapter 4? When he's has his encounter at the well with the woman of Samaria Jesus. It says there he had to pass through Samaria.

It's very interesting. But to go where he was going he didn't have to go through Samaria. That was not the quickest route through there. But it says of him he is who he is the son of man who's come to seek and to say that which was lost.

There was a lost sheep. There was a sinner woman from Samaria there and it said that he must needs or he had to go. He had to go through Samaria. To set his love upon her he comes to the well and in verse 6 of John chapter 4 It says that he was wearied from his journey.

He expends himself for her. He comes for her in Gethsemane our Lord is fatigued and though the disciples cannot stay awake Jesus does and he prays to the Father concerning the will of God for him to go to the cross and When he prays it was as great sweat drops of blood the scripture says there.

He is in agony there even beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane after that the mock trial the beatings the scourging the Crown of thorns and yes the cross of Calvary the greatest sacrifice of all where the sinless Savior Jesus Christ Becomes sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

He never calls upon the angels as they mock him and say so that he he could call on whoever And bring and they could rescue him if he if he was the Messiah, but no Jesus would willingly Voluntarily give of himself as a sacrifice on the behalf of sinners so that we could be saved.

He stays the course he despises the shame. He endures the death Enduring death for his own and he becomes obedient unto death. And why? Why why why there are some who would teach he had to do that? No, he didn't have to do that.

He wanted to do that. He desired to do the Father's will and in doing the Father's will he expended all effort it cost him his Eternal relationship being with them in the presence of the Father and you remember the the words that he spoke upon the cross my god My god, why have you forsaken me?

The effort that he gives forth he could have called as the song says ten thousand angels to set him free. But he did not he stayed Upon the cross to die for you and for me and this is nothing other than the greatest Demonstration of love.

Love that cost something love that expends a major effort love that is Fatiguing and love that love that is painful love that is tiring and love that consumes the person on the behalf of the unlovable.

This is the love foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31 3 the Lord has appeared of old unto me saying yea, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

This is the love of John 3 16 for God so loved the world that he what that he gave. He gave all his only begotten Son. Ephesians 2 4 says. But God who is rich in mercy. For his great love wherewith he loved us.

By grace you are saved. And first John 3 1 o what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us. God's Love compelled him to give his son Jesus as a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners. Genuine love acts.

Genuine love expends an effort. It does something about the needy condition of the object of its love it goes and get this it goes Beyond the ordinary effort. It goes beyond the ordinary effort and it goes into the extraordinary God sent his son.

When God set his love upon his elect He was moved into action to labor to give up his son and all the thought of that of giving up One's own child so that a ruthless criminal who could care less about us could go free.

Oh The deep deep love of Jesus we sang about last week. This is the type of love we are called to dear ones here today. God would have his children be marked with labors of love. Pouring out ourselves just like our Lord as it were poured out himself for us.

Barnes in his commentary says this means labors this labor of love in verse 3. This means labors produced by love or showing that you are actuated by love. And he goes on to give some examples such would be all their kindness towards the poor it would be because they love the poor.

The oppressed and the afflicted and all their acts which showed that they loved the souls of men. I guess we really if you really think about it, we can we can Demonstrate or we could be measured in our lives.

If someone was to ask us how much do you love the souls of men? Let's say the lost how much do you love the lost? It will be gauged by what we do on the behalf of the lost. If we won't share the gospel.

Then we can't say that we love them because we're not expending an effort. And when it comes the same thing in the in the life of the church. We can be gauged how much we love each other love the brethren.

By what type of effort or did the degree of the effort that we're willing to expend on the behalf of those whom we say? That we love. Now we've seen ultimate the ultimate example of love in our Lord Jesus, but there's other examples.

We see it in the life of the Apostle Paul amongst this church even in Thessalonica. If you would like to you could turn in first Thessalonians chapter 2 and in that chapter We're gonna study it more. Hopefully as Lord willing as we go on as we preach through this book.

But it says in first Thessalonians 2 8 that Paul Had an affectionate Desire for them. He had a fondness for them an affection for them and the King James. It says he was affectionately desirous of them and It says that he that he was fond for them so much so that he was willing to not only give them the gospel.

But did you notice here that would be the kind of like the ordinary? But but now he's gonna go into the extraordinary the effort. He's gonna but also our own souls because why. Because you're dear to us.

He was willing to give them his life. And in one of the examples that he uses here in chapter 2 to show what type of love that he had for them. You see it in verse 7 We proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly who tenderly cares for her child.

Paul said I'm ministry to you was just like equated to that of a of a gentle Mother who is nursing her child now in my lifetime I've I've seen and I've read of a great sacrifices where somebody says they love somebody and they Expend an effort for them but one that I have seen with my own eyes is.

And There's not many that surpass this type of selfless love is that of a of a mother who cares for her baby. She is selfless tireless. It's a loving sacrifice of that mother day after day night after night every few hours.

The mother does not care for herself. She forfeits her own comfort. She knows her baby needs the nourishment she can provide and she literally Sacrifices her plans her agenda and her comfort. She does not cave into the temptation of calling it quits.

That's it. This is painful. This is tiring. I can't get up one more time. But because of what she goes through she goes through sleepless nights. Why? Because she loves that little one and she proves it by her effort.

That's what Paul is saying my effort in verse in chapter 2. My efforts to you that example to you is something that you followed and when he saw it when he got word back from Timothy in in in first Thessalonians chapter 3 that they were going on in the faith and that they had works of faith and they had a labor of Love he praised God for it.

He could see that they were expending effort. They weren't just sitting idly as believers. They weren't just coasting into heaven. They just weren't sitting back and saying Oh brother Bob will take care of that or sister Sally's good at that they'll do it and Not roll up their sleeves and get busy and and put forth an effort Paul said in verse in chapter 2.

In verse 9 He says you recall brethren our labor and hardship working laboring night and day now that's effort. It's not just punch the clock a couple of 20 minutes here. Call somebody on the phone. It's all over with but night and day he was laboring.