How an extraordinary event shapes our ordinary lives A study on 1 and 2 Thessalonians
CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIP: The impact of the Gospel • in our relationship 1 THESSALONIANS 3.1-13 .
• You may have 250 Facebook friends, but only two are close pals, says study • You may have a multitude of Facebook friends and plenty of Twitter followers, but how many people count as your close pals? • According to a new U.S. study of more than 2,000 adults, people have only an average of 2.03 close friends. That's one friend less than respondents said they had in a 1985 survey.
Christian friendship: We are concerned with each other's faith So when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are appointed for them. 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. 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 had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. 1 Thessalonians 3.1-5
“We… endure all things”. 1 Corinthians 9.12 “We could no longer endure it”. 1 Thessalonians 3.1 Paul and his friends were able to endure anything, except not knowing about them. They could endure privation, hunger, thirst, persecution, thrown into prison, beaten with rods and whips, being stoned and even being martyrs, but they could not endure not knowing how well it was going with this church. Paul Washer
Christian friendship: We are concerned with each other's faith • We sent Timothy… to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are appointed for them. 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. 1 Thessalonians 3.2-4 • In this world you will have trouble. John 16.33 • We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14.22 • E veryone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3.12
Christian friendship: We are concerned with each other's faith • … so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are appointed for them. 1 Thessalonians 3.3 • For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5.9
Christian friendship: We are encouraged by the progress of each other’s faith 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. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 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? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith 1 Thessalonians 3.6-10
Christian friendship: We are encouraged by the progress of each other’s faith Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. (1Th 3.6). εὐαγγελισαμένου (euangelisamenou): This is the exact equivalent of “preaching the good news of the gospel”. The report from Timothy was, to Paul, like hearing the gospel. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. Acts 18.5
David Jeremiah God’s people often underestimate how much they can encourage others by living out their faith and openly sharing their experiences of God’s faithfulness.
Christian friendship: We pray for others’ continued spiritual growth 1. Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 2. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 3. May he strengthen your hearts 4. So that you will be blameless and holy 5. In the presence of our God and Father 6. When our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3.11-13
• May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love . 1 Th 3.12 • Increase : Do, make or be more, increase by extension • Abound : Be in excess, exceed the ordinary, abound, overflow Only love admits no excess . For so we see, aspiring to be like God in power, the angels transgressed and fell; by aspiring to be like God in knowledge, man transgressed and fell; but by aspiring to a similitude of God in goodness or love, neither man nor angel ever transgressed, or shall transgress. Francis Bacon
• 200 million Christians in 60 countries are denied Christian friendship: basic civil liberties for We pray for others’ no other reason than continued spiritual their faith. growth • 40,000 Christians a year are martyred for their faith. 110/day, 5/hour
Bombing of Roman Catholic cathedral in southern Philippines kills at least 20
• Abraham Ben Moses, 4 years in prison • Thank the Lord for Abraham’s strong faith. Pray he will continue to look to God with trust and courage. • Commit to the Lord Abraham’s family. May they be surrounded by Christian family ready to love and support them at this difficult time.
• Is prayer your steering The prayer of a righteous wheel or your spare person is powerful and tire?" Corrie ten Boom effective. James 5.16
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