A LOVE FOR GOD'S CHILDREN
1 Thessalonians
3:1-13
Parents are blessed to have children. They have the great
job of nurturing
and training them in the Lord Jesus. As their children grow up and move
away they still have the job of encouragement and praying
for their welfare.
Paul treated the Churches he established as his children. He
could not be
with them as he moved from place to place, but he was
continued to be concerned for
them and desired to know their progress in the Lord.
There are several points we can gain from Paul's attitude.
1. His genuine
love for the Church
2. His concern
for the welfare of the Church
3. His desire to
have an eye witness account of their
well being by sending Timothy.
4. His
encouragement of the Church.
5. His being
encouraged by the Church.
6. His constants
prayers for the Church.
GOD KEEPS HIS EYES ON US
V:1. "So when we could stand it no longer, we thought
it best to be left by ourselves in Athens
A. As parents, we want to know how well our children are
doing, especially
when they grow up
and go off on their on.
1. The desire to
hear from them will be so strong that we will be driven
to make contact.
2. That really
should be our attitude for each of our church members.
3. We may lose
members because we don't contact them when they
have been out
for a while.
B. We never know what
someone is going through that discourages or
prevents them
from coming to Church.
1. Paul knew the
persecution that early Church faced for preaching
the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.
2. We live in a
time where the truth is not pursued or valued for a
desire to
fit in with the world's perverted ideals.
3. A spiritually
immature Christian can easily get discouraged.
4. It is the job
of each of us to continue to encourage each other
in the Lord.
C. What new Christians don't understand, is that faith is
tested and tried
through the
trial and tribulations we face.
1. We are to
expect that the moment we set our minds on Christ
the devil gets
busy to discourage us.
2. We must remind
each other that what we are facing is what
God desires
to strengthen our faith.
Romans
5:3
And not
only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation
worketh
patience.
VICTORY IN ENDURANCE FOR CHRIST
V:4-5. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you
that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5
For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your
faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our
efforts might have been useless.
A. Our testimony is important to other Christian.
1. It is easy for
us to think that we are only one that got problems keeping
faith.
2. When we have
troubles it is easy to think we are
being singled out by God for
some special
punishment.
B. Others need to know that we have been through what they
are experiencing.
1. Our problems
may not be the same, but Satan is always on the job
to bring us
down.
2. Our testimony
of how God has helped us through trials is
important.
3. Our testimony
is a way of encouraging others.
ENCOURAGED BY THE TESTIMONY OF OTHERS
V:6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has
brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always
have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long
to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were
encouraged about you because of your faith.
A. Our concern for other in the faith is God's concern.
1. As ministers
(we all are), we must lay the ground work for faith.
2. Since the Word
of God cannot return void, it will take root in
hearts of the
hearers.
3. We must not
only preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but we must
also teach
the promises of God for our obedience.
4. It is key for
us to know that God will not put more on us than
we can handle.
5. It is also key
to know that God allows trouble to test and grow
our faith.
6. We not only
have the talk the talk, but live our lives as
men and women
of faith.
B. When we have done our job as ministers, preaching and
teaching
the Word of God,
we will be encouraged by how the next
generation of
Christians handle the trials they face.
1. Others see our
examples of living by faith under trials
and imitates us
in their lives.
2. We share in the victories of other over their
trials as they
share in our
victories.
BEING THANKFUL FOR PROGRESS OF OTHERS
V:8-10. For now we really live, since you are standing firm
in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we
have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most
earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
A. A strong prayer life affects many victories in Christ.
1. It is our duty
to pray for the congregation of Christ.
2. The prayers of
the righteous accomplishes much.
3. We are assured that When we pray for the
faith of others so that God
gets the
glory that our prayers will be answered.
B. Our joy should
be increased as we see our prayers for
others being
answered.
1. We should be
encouraged by the steadfast faith of others in the Lord.
2. It is
important for us to pray without ceasing because Satan
continues
his war on the Christians.
ENCOURAGING OTHERS IN JESUS
V:11-13. " Now may our God and Father himself and our
Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love
increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does
for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and
holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all
his holy ones.
A. We must have specific prayers for growth and strength of
others in the
Lord Jesus.
1. It is important
for us to continue in prayer that God will
open doors for
the Gospel to be preached.
2. We must pray
that our love for Christ and each other continue to
flow as we
face the day to day work of service.
B. It is also important that we pray that each of us be
strengthen in our
Character to
remain faithful to the Lord.
THANKING GOD FOR YOUR
SERVICE
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and
visit my blogs; revmmitichell.com and
goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
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