1 Thessalonians 3 "Community in the Church"

“May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you.” (v.12)

A church is more than the number of its members, or a state-of-the-art building. Whether your church has stadium size crowds or just a few in attendance, numbers are not what God uses to measure success. He looks at the heart of the church.

The apostle Paul planted an important church in Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia. He showed his desire for the church members there when he wrote: “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all . . . so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness” (vv.12-13). With these words, Paul showed us two important characteristics vital for a successful body of believers—love for one another and holiness. 

In the words of the prophet Micah: “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8). Any church doing this will be successful in His service. 

The Truth

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

1 Thessalonians 2 "Tender Loving Care"

“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.” (v.7)

We all recognize the need for special care of the young in many areas of life, including new Christians. Here in our text, the apostle Paul described how he and his associates treated the new believers in Thessalonica: “We were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (v.7).

Paul and his co-workers, Silvanus and Timothy, were spiritual parents to God’s family in the Thessalonian church, and spoke of exhorting, comforting, and admonishing them “as a father does his own children” (v.11). Like all Christian mothers and fathers, Paul desired that his spiritual children would grow up to reflect God’s glory, but sometimes this called for correction.

Bible commentator Albert Barnes wrote, “Those who minister the gospel should be gentle, tender, and affectionate… What is wrong we should indeed oppose—but it should be in the kindest manner toward those who do wrong.”

In other words, we are to correct the sin but love the sinner, applying the correction with love. That’s not easy, especially among those we know best. For C. S. Lewis, it seemed impossible until he remembered: “There was a man to whom I had been doing this all my life—namely myself!”

We too need to treat others as we lovingly treat ourselves.

The Truth

“Honor your father and your mother, and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 19:19)

1 Thessalonians 1 "U-Turn For Christ"

“For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.” (v.9)

Here at the beginning of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church he is recounting to them that, wherever they went (Paul and his companions), they were finding a great testimony of their sound conversion from idols to the true and living God. Paul seems to refer to all whom he had met or had heard of "in all places," who said anything about the Thessalonians, “they” were unanimous in bearing testimony to their conversion.

This was no resolution on their part, but a true conversion. They turned from serving and worshipping the gods of the gentiles (Pluto, Mercury, Jupiter, etc) to serving the one living and true God by; embracing and professing His Gospel, submitting to His ordinances, and walking according to His Word.

We all have a conversion story to tell, a life we once lived in service to ourselves. Get it out there whenever the opportunity presents itself and share your “U-Turn” for Christ.

The Truth

“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” (Ephesians 2:1-5)

2 Chronicles 36 "God's Patience Has Limits"

“The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.” (vv.15-16)

Have you ever been warned about something, but went your own way despite the warning, and then wished you hadn’t? Me too. Most warnings come to us out of love and concern, and probably a result of a history of bad choices. Our text today sites heavenly warnings that came to God's people, (through the mouth of His prophets), that were ignored over and over again, and eventually brought the destruction of Jerusalem.

When God saw His people in Jerusalem crafting and worshiping idols, He “sent word to them . . . again and again, because he had pity on his people” (v. 15). God spoke His warning through the prophet Jeremiah, but the people said, “We will continue with our own plans” (Jer. 18:12). Because of this, God allowed Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and capture most of its inhabitants.

Second Chronicles 36 reminds us that God will not allow His children to continue in sin. Even though He is “longsuffering, not willing that any should perish, but all should come to repentance”, His patience has limits. If we don’t correct the problem ourselves, we can be sure that He will, even if it means the rod of discipline.

God’s warnings are proof of His compassion for us. He sees what’s ahead and wants us to avoid the problems that will come. His warnings are to protect us, not to punish us. We then are in control of our own future consequences, either through our stubbornness or our repentance. I for one choose to repent. How about you?

The Truth

“He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed.” (Proverbs 29:1)

2 Chronicles 35 "Refrain From Meddling"

“What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I (king Necho) have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.” (v.21)

Josiah was a great leader, but he died seemingly unnecessarily because he got involved in a needless battle, a battle that was not his. Why he did not heed the word of warning from king Necho of Egypt, the Scriptures do not tell us. Maybe he was looking for a reason to fight against Babylonians at Carchemish, maybe he just wanted to go to war, or maybe he was not going to let some Egyptian tell him, a Jew, what God’s will was (pride). Nevertheless, Josiah, a great man, who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and followed in the footsteps of his father David, became entangled in a fight that was not his, and he paid for it with his life.

Oh that we might learn from him and not meddle in needless affairs, debates, gossip, or political opinions of others. Instead, that we would fight against the feeling we have to have an opinion on everything, weigh in on every discussion, or get involved in every debate. It can only led to strife, disappointment, and maybe even like Josiah, an unnecessary mortal wound. The scriptures tell us in James, "The wisdom from above is first pure (no motive), then peaceable and gentle, easy to accept (no strife), full of mercy and good fruit (a blessing)", that's how we know it's from heaven.

A word of advice, have a light touch with the world and its crusades, do not be drawn into its endless or senseless debates. But, be in touch with God and be open to His leading in your life through His Holy Word. You don't have to fight every battle,

The Truth

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)