1 THESSALONIANS 3:1-132007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007. We as believers in Jesus Christ do not stop growing. There's never a point in our life where we're to stop drawing closer to God, becoming more like God.

There's never a time that we're to be satisfied with our relationship with God. Many times that can happen for us. You know, we look back and we think, you know, I'm a whole lot better than I once was. And while that's true, you're still not even close to where God calls you to be. It's the truth for all of us. And it's something that we need to be acquainted with and know well within our hearts.

That there should always be a desire, a thirst for more in our relationship with God. Even if you reach 35 years of walking with God, it's not over. It's not finished. That's not complete, as Harvey shared with us.

No, the finish line is not 35 years. It's not 40 years. It's not 50 years. The finish line is Jesus Christ. It's when you go to be with him or when you're caught up together in the clouds with him, then you are finished. That is the finish line. But until then, you are to keep pressing forward, to keep growing, to keep running the race that he has set before you.

And that is something that Paul deals with very briefly, but I want to point out in chapter 3, the importance of us continuing on and pressing forward until the coming of Jesus Christ. Here in chapter 3, as we do our study this morning, we see the subjects again, the same things we've been looking at for the past couple weeks, the subjects of faith, love, and hope.

What we see most clearly is Paul's love for the Thessalonians as he writes here in chapter 3. If you remember, a quick outline of the book of Thessalonians, the first three chapters, Paul is really relating to them what happened in his heart and what he experienced after he departed from Thessalonica. As he went on his way, he...

They experienced some things and wondering about them and anticipating what was going on and worrying or being concerned for their well-being, for their walk with God because of the situation in which Paul was driven out.

And so he's relating to them the things that took place in his heart, in his life. And then in chapters four and five, we'll see really some doctrinal issues that he wants to correct and encourage them in. But first and foremost, he's sharing with them his heart and what he experienced. As we look at and finish up that portion of this book, Paul ends it with a beautiful account of his love for the Thessalonians.

That's what we see most clearly is his love for them. And I would encourage you as we study these verses that you ask yourself, do I love people this way? The way that Paul is demonstrating and describing here, do I have this type of love for other people in my life?

I'm sure that you're familiar with the Great Commission, Matthew 28, 19 and 20. Jesus, before he ascended up to the Father, he looked at his disciples and he said, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Amen. Jesus said, look, I'm leaving. I'm going to prepare a place for you. I'm ascending to the Father, but here's your task, disciples. And it's not limited to those 12 that were there, but there was even more than 12 there. But it's applicable to every single one of us. Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to be a discipler.

Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to make disciples, to teach people to walk with God. It's a command that's for all of us.

And so you being called to disciple, being called to encourage people and help people to follow Jesus Christ. The question for you and the question for me this morning is, do I love the people that God has called me to disciple in the same way that Paul loved the Thessalonians?

We see Paul's love demonstrated or manifested in three areas this morning. First, we see his love demonstrated in Paul's concern. His concern demonstrates and shows his love. The second thing we'll see is Paul's comfort. The comfort that he received because of his great love for the Thessalonians. And finally, number three, we'll see Paul's prayer. His prayer as a result of his great love for the Thessalonians.

Is this the way that you love those that God has called you to disciple, to minister to, to encourage and to build up?

First, we see Paul's concern, and it starts here in verses one and two. It says this, therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone and set Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith.

Paul says, I could no longer endure it. We couldn't take it anymore. It was too much to bear. And so we decided better to be alone in Athens and send Timothy to you to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith. Just to give you a quick recap of the history or the events that were taking place at this time.

If you are following through this time frame that Paul is talking about in the book of Acts, we would be in Acts chapter 16, where Paul was ministering in Philippi. And as you know, he was driven out of there. There was some problems and situations. There was great rebellion and opposition to the message. Paul was imprisoned and then he was asked to leave the city. And so he leaves Philippi. He goes just down the road to Thessalonica.

And there in Thessalonica, he ministers for about three weeks or three Saturdays. He's there ministering. And there's a mob that is brought together in a riot that takes place to get rid of Paul and get Paul out of the city. They were opposed to the gospel message. They were opposed to the good news that Jesus Christ died for sins.

And so leaving Thessalonica, Paul goes on to Berea. And the rioters from Thessalonica followed Paul there to Berea, stirred up the crowds there again and ran him out of Berea.

At that time, he headed farther south in the area of Greece, and he ends up in a place called Athens, which was kind of a capital or main city at that time. And as he goes to Athens, he does some ministry there. But from Athens, Paul here says he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica. He said, better for me to be alone in Athens.

and worrying and wondering, concerned for the Thessalonians, then, no, I'm sorry, better for me to be alone in Athens than to be worried and wondering and concerned for the Thessalonians. Then in chapter 18, as he moves on from Athens, Timothy joins up with him and they go into the area of the city of Corinth. And that's where Timothy comes back and reports to Paul. And it

Timothy's report is Timothy shares with Paul what took place and what was going on there in Thessalonica. Paul writes this letter, First Thessalonians that we're reading this morning in response to that and as a result to that and sends them this message. So you can understand that Paul's concern. What was his concern? Well, they had only been exposed to the gospel message for three weeks.

For three Sabbaths. Paul had not had a lot of time to be there to get them established and grounded in the faith. He had only been with them for a short amount of time. Not really enough time for them to be very established or firm in the faith. And at that time, he was driven out by a mob in the city. There was great opposition to the gospel message that came against Paul and those who believed.

And so there is persecution. There is trials and tribulation. We dealt with that a little bit more in detail last week. And let me ask you, when you were three weeks old in the Lord, you pray the prayer. You receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Three weeks later, are you ready to suffer and die for your faith? That's the issue that the Thessalonians were in. That's the situation that they were facing.

They had just learned about the Savior, Jesus Christ. They just learned about this great work that he did for us on the cross. And because the world cannot receive this message, because the enemy is opposed to this message, there's great opposition, affliction, trial and tribulation.

And so as new believers, three weeks old in the Lord, it's not like us today, you know. In the United States, we're very familiar with the gospel message. Even if someone has not really ever been to church that much, they've heard about Jesus. They've heard bits, you know, maybe here or there, just little bits of information. But there's some type of acknowledgement or understanding that there's this religion. But at that time, in the Greek culture...

This is new information. This is new material for them. And they receive Jesus Christ. They believe in him. He transforms them. He changes them like he does for all of us who believe in Jesus Christ. But now they're facing persecution, tribulation.

And so Paul's concerned. You can understand his concern. These are new believers, and yet they're facing very difficult times and situations. So he sends Timothy to them. He sends Timothy to accomplish two things specifically, he says. He says to establish peace.

And to encourage to establish you and to encourage you concerning your faith. This word establish, it means to strengthen or to make firm. To encourage means to come alongside. It's the Greek word parakaleo, which means to come alongside. And sometimes it's used in the idea of encouraging and helping along. Sometimes it's the idea of coming alongside to be a shoulder to cry on, to comfort, to help in times of adversity.

And that's what he sent Timothy to do, to strengthen them, to establish them and to come alongside them, that they would be able to continue on in the faith. And I found that encouraging as I was looking at these two things to establish and encourage, because these are the reasons that we go and visit the works that God has birthed through this fellowship. Those that God has brought into our family and the churches that have begun and the missionaries that have gone out.

I want to encourage you to be a part of those things as we plan events, as we look forward to going out. That's what we do. We go to the different places to establish, to strengthen and make firm the believers who are there and help them along in their faith, to come alongside them in comfort and encouragement, to fire them up that they might be blessed and continue on in the faith.

Lord willing, we'll be planning a trip to Idaho to visit Dion in April or May. And I would encourage you to join us. Help us establish and encourage the body there. Because there's a great work and a great need for that to take place. Going on in verse 3, Paul continues on to say that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

So Paul's concerned for them. He sends Timothy to them to encourage them, to establish them. Why? Well, that they would not be shaken by the affliction. See, they're facing trouble. They're experiencing turmoil. And Paul wanted to make sure that they were not shaken. This word shaken, it means to move, but more than just moving around.

As in motion, it's used to describe a dog's tail wagging and how it would move from one side to the other.

He says, I wanted to make sure that you weren't shaken. And that's not just quaking in your boots. It's not just put in motion, but it's it's switching sides. I wanted to make sure I sent Timothy to make sure that you didn't move from one side. That is a walk with God, a relationship with God to the other side. That is an abandonment of those things and a running away from God.

I'm sending Timothy to come alongside you to strengthen you and encourage you so that you do not abandon the faith because of these afflictions, because of these trials that you're facing. Is that a real danger? Did Paul have a right to be concerned over them facing these afflictions? Absolutely. Do you remember the story, the parable that Jesus told in Matthew chapter 13? He told the parable of the sower and the sower went out to sow the seed and

As he was sowing the seed, some of the seed fell on different types of soil. There was four types of soil in all. One was the good soil, one was the stony soil, one was the thorny soil, and then one was the path, the hard and pressed down soil. But one of those soils, specifically the stony soil, Jesus was dealing with this very issue.

In Matthew chapter 13, verses 20 and 21, he describes the stony soil to the disciples. It says,

See, this was Paul's fear. This was the danger that he feared for the Thessalonians because they received the word and it had been a short time. But now there is affliction. There's persecution. There's trouble as a result of the word of God, as a result of believing in Jesus Christ. It is a real danger.

There's a danger of not being deeply rooted enough to handle tribulation, persecution and affliction. And here's the thing. We will suffer persecution, tribulation and affliction. We saw that last week. It's promised to us. Paul says, look, you yourselves know that we're appointed to this. Appointed to what?

These afflictions, you know that we're appointed to these afflictions. It's not a surprise. We told you they were coming. You know they're coming and now you're experiencing them. And so I've sent Timothy to make sure that you continue on to encourage you and help you in your walk, that you do not get shaken or moved and abandon the faith as a result of this.

It is a real danger. And so I would ask you, what are you doing to make sure that you're grounded and deeply rooted, that when trials and affliction come in your life, that you do not get shaken, that you do not move from a relationship with God, a walk with God, to abandon that and run in rebellion to God?

It's important that you and I continue to grow, to dig in to the Word of God, to become grounded and rooted deeply in our relationship with God, that we prepare ourselves for the trial, for the tribulation, for the affliction, because you yourselves know we're appointed to this. We're going to experience it. It's going to happen in your life. You may not be experiencing much right now,

But you will. But you will. And so prepare yourself now. Now is the time to dig deep, to become rooted, that you don't become the seed on stony places. Verse 4. Paul says,

Paul says, look, you know that we were appointed to affliction. When I was there, I told you that we would suffer tribulation and it happened. It took place. And so Paul was deeply concerned. Are they strong enough to withstand these trials?

Has the seed fallen on stony soil and that they will be scorched quickly, burned away quickly, that they will run quickly when there's persecution or trouble as a result of the word of God? Are they deeply rooted enough? And so he sends Timothy to them to strengthen them and establish them. Verse five.

For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you and our labor might be in vain. Again, Paul says, I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't handle it anymore. I could no longer endure it. And so I sent Timothy to you. Paul was concerned. He's not sure if they will last through the trial. So Timothy goes on his behalf to find out.

Because, and this is something I think is interesting, if they had been moved, Paul says, our labor would have been in vain.

If they had abandoned the faith, if they had rejected the word because of persecution and just kind of fit into society and said, OK, never mind, we don't believe that anymore or never mind, it's not a big deal. We're not going to meet or share that with you anymore. If they would have conformed to what their society called them to do and wanted them to be, then Paul says it would have been our labor there would have been in vain. That is useless or empty.

He's basically saying, it would have been wasted time that I spent with you if you fall away. If afflictions move you away from a relationship with God, if the tempter moves you away from a relationship with God, then the labor involved in your conversion, Paul says, it was in vain. It was wasted time. That time could have been used later.

Sharing with others, converting others, sharing the gospel message and getting that message out to others. Paul says, I want to make sure that it wasn't in vain, that there really was a work that God established there, that he was going to carry you on to completion, that he was going to finish the work that he started in you. I wanted to find out. I couldn't take it anymore. The concern, the wondering, the worrying. If you were going to persist.

If really God had started a work there, or if it had just been a quick fad that came through the town. I think it's important because Jesus told us in the Great Commission to go therefore and make disciples. And it's well been pointed out many times. We're to make disciples, not just converts. The goal isn't for someone to pray the prayer of faith and receive Jesus Christ alone.

And that's it. But the goal is for sinners to be converted, for them to receive the grace of God, the forgiveness of God, but then to learn to walk with Jesus and observe his commands. That's what Jesus says. Go make disciples, baptize them in my name and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. It's more than just getting that final decision, but it's a walk of life afterwards.

Conversion, the fact that you and I, sinful creatures, can be born again is a miracle. And of course, it's essential. Jesus said you can't enter the kingdom of heaven unless you are born again. And so we become a new creation in Christ Jesus. But that's not the end of the story. It's not, you know.

And they prayed the prayer and they received Jesus Christ and they lived happily ever after. You know, that's how the story ends. No, that's not how the story ends. That's the beginning of the story. That's the beginning of the work that God wants to do. That's the beginning of the work that God is going to do. It's not the end. It's just the beginning.

Every year as we take part in the Harvest Crusades, man, it's so incredible. You see thousands of people go forward to make professions of faith. It's miraculous. It's awesome to behold. But it's not the end. It's not like, okay, finally we made it. That's it. No, that's just the beginning. It's just the beginning. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is the end. Because many...

who go on the field to make professions of faith, do not continue to walk in a relationship with Jesus Christ. But I think that we drop the ball a lot as Christians. Because here's what usually happens. Here's a typical experience at a crusade or any type of conversion experience. It starts with people in a person's life sharing with them the good news, the gospel message, sharing with them the love of God.

And what we must do to be saved in receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. And it's not typically something that happens right away, but it's days and weeks and months and years and sometimes decades of Christians sharing with an individual the love of God. And through a course of time, of course, God, as he loves to do, he works. He speaks to their heart. And a person receives Jesus Christ.

As a Lord and Savior. But what happens then? Unfortunately, often the people who shared with them, the people who are so involved in convincing them and encouraging them and sharing with them, they don't continue with them. They don't continue to invest in them to make sure that they become established in the faith. Sometimes the goal is just, OK, they said the prayer. That's it. All right. Next, next project.

Next, you know, life makeover that we're involved in. No, the goal is not just that conversion. That's just the beginning.

There needs to be discipleship that takes place as well. As Christians, we need not to just evangelize, but also to disciple and teach those that have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to obey Jesus's commands, to walk with him, to learn to have relationship with him. We need to complete the work. And it's more than just sharing the gospel, but it's teaching people that

To live in intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ, to be established in the faith, deeply rooted and grounded in the word of God. Here we see Paul's love for the Thessalonians. It's demonstrated by his concern for them that they would continue in the faith.

He has this great burden for them. He cannot rest. He can't take it anymore. And so he sends Timothy to find out because he loves them dearly. And he wants to make sure that they have everything that they need to continue on, to press forward, to walk as disciples of Jesus Christ.

It was more than just conversion. That already took place. He went through. God did a work. They professed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Then Paul left. And if that was the end of the story, then Paul wouldn't be worried about them. Okay, they prayed the prayer. It's okay. No, Paul says, I need to make sure that you're established, that you continue on, that you're not moved and shaken, that the tempter doesn't lead you astray, that you continue on in the faith, that you press forward in this relationship.

Again, I ask us, I ask you, do you love the people that you are called to disciple this way? Again, every one of us is called to make disciples. Every one of us, God has placed in our lives people that we're to be examples to and encourage in the scriptures, that we're to love and cherish. Are you loving them this way? That you have great concern over their continual walk?

Are you willing even to change your plans? I'm sure that Paul could have accomplished much more and in a sense would have been better off had Timothy been by his side, his faithful companion there in Athens as he moved on to Corinth. But Paul changes his plans.

Change the plan, guys. Timothy, I was going to have you involved in these things, but now I need you to go back to Thessalonica. I'm really concerned. I want to make sure they have everything that they need to keep on walking. Are you willing to change your plans, to put things on hold in order to make sure that the people that God has placed in your life get grounded in the faith, that they become established, that they become encouraged, that the labor...

Is not in vain. Are you willing? Are you loving? In that way. The second example. A demonstration of the love. That Paul has for the Thessalonians. Is.

We find as we continue on and it's in Paul's comfort that he receives. Look at verse six. Paul says, but now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us as we also to see you. Now he continues on. It's not a complete sentence yet, but

As Paul is relating to them what he was experiencing at that time in his life, he says, then I'm worried, I'm anxious, I'm wondering, are they going to continue? I send Timothy. And then he comes back with some wonderful news. What's the wonderful news? Paul, they have faith and love.

Faith and love. These two things we've been talking about a lot in this book. Faith, obedience to God at his word, love, overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. These things, Paul, are evident in their lives. They're evident in their hearts. They're evident within the body there in Thessalonica. Why are faith and love such wonderful news? Again, get the picture.

Paul, so deeply concerned, sends Timothy. Timothy responds, they have faith and love. And Paul takes a big sigh of relief. He's like, whew, that was a close one. This is what he needed to hear. This is what he needed to know. It was wonderful news because faith and love are the marks of a Christian. They're the evidence that God is working. They cannot be obtained any other way. They can't be faked.

For a period of time, or for more than a period of time, they're the evidence. They're the reality that, hey, God is doing something. God is at work. Faith, obedience to God at his word, and love, agape love, an overwhelming concern for and desire to serve others. Timothy did not come back and say, hey, Paul, great news. They're going to church.

That wasn't the mark of the Christian. That wasn't enough to bring comfort to Paul's heart. He didn't come back and say, hey, Paul, they're really religious. That wasn't enough. That wasn't the mark of a Christian. He didn't even come back and say, hey, Paul, the persecution is over. They got it easy there now. No problems. No, that wasn't comfort to Paul's heart either. He came back and said, they have faith and love. That's amazing to me.

It's something that's deep and profound in my heart. Faith and love. It's the marks of a life that God has changed. Are they in your life? If Timothy was sent to your home, to this body, faith and love, are those the marks of our lives? The thrust of our lives? We live in obedience to God with an overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. Is that true?

The focus, the drive of our lives and of our hearts. Are these marks in your life? Are they in the lives of your family? Faith and love. Is it evidenced in the lives of the people that you are called to disciple? That God has placed in your life for you to train and to raise. For you to encourage and equip. Are these things found in your life?

And the lives of those around you. Because they're the marks of a Christian. You cannot be a Christian and not have these marks. And you can't display these marks and not be a Christian. You can fake it for a while. But it will break down very, very quickly. Verse 7. Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress, we were comforted concerning you by your faith. So here's the word, comfort. Paul's comfort. His love for them is demonstrated by his comfort. Because once he knew...

Hey, they have the evidence. They have the marks. They genuinely have been touched by God. And God is doing a work in their midst. Paul says, oh, that brought us great comfort. We were comforted concerning you by your faith.

Even here, Paul says, look, in our affliction and distress, we were comforted. They're experiencing their own trials and tribulations. They're where Paul is with Timothy. They're suffering. They're experiencing things. But once we heard about you, once we heard that you had these marks, oh, we were comforted. This word comforted also translated encourage. It's the same word we saw in verse two, pericleo, to come alongside. I find that interesting.

And anybody who has ever gone on a mission trip or gone out to help one of the churches that were started or come alongside of the believers, you'll hear from them the same thing. Like Timothy, you go to encourage. You go to come alongside and to comfort. But you end up being encouraged, being comforted, being built up and blessed. And that was the result that Timothy and Paul experienced.

Paul sends Timothy to encourage them. And as Timothy comes back, he's encouraged and Paul's encouraged. And they're blessed as a result of just coming in contact, even though they were the ones who were reaching out to the Thessalonians. It's so great how God works. We go out to bless. And we do. He uses us to bless others. But at the same time, he uses them to bless us. Verse 8. For now we live...

If you stand fast in the Lord. Look at how much Paul has invested in the Thessalonians. Again, we see his love. He says, now we live. If you stand fast in the Lord. Now we live. We were holding our breath. But now we can breathe freely. Because you stand fast in the Lord. To Paul, it was very important that they stood fast.

It was very important that these marks be found, faith and love, so much so that his life depended on it. Now we live if you stand fast. It was as if his world stopped until he made sure that they were going to continue in the faith. For Paul, it was more than just the conversion. And it was even more than just the time that Timothy was there visiting them.

The word stand fast here is in the tense that indicates it's something that's repeated and continuous. And so Paul is actually saying, hey, now we live. If you continue and keep on standing fast in the Lord.

Now we live because we've seen the marks that made sure that you have what you need to keep standing fast in the Lord, that you have the marks of a genuine believer, that God truly has done a work and that you are going to press on. You're going to keep on standing. You're going to stand through all the trials and tribulations, through the persecutions, through the difficulties. Now we live because we've learned you have what it takes to

You have the power of God working in you, changing you, that you might stand fast. Have you invested yourself this way in the lives of others around you? Have you invested yourself that way for your family? That you could say, now we live. Now I can breathe freely because I know that you will stand fast. I know that you'll keep on keeping on and keep on standing fast.

Have you done that for the people that you're called to disciple? Invested yourself to the point that you can't live. You can't breathe freely until you know they will stand fast. Have you invested yourself so much that your life depends on them continuing to stand fast? And have you equipped them so that they would be able to stand on their own? Have you taught them to be grounded? Have you taught them to be strong?

everything that they need so that they will be able to stand fast. You know, we don't want to teach people to be dependent upon us. If a problem happens and the first thing a person does is run to you, that's not a good thing. We need to teach people to first stand fast on the Lord, to run to Jesus Christ, to run to God, that he is our first defense. He's our first help. He's our first cry. He's our first phone call. We go to him first.

Our job is to train them to walk with him, to keep his commands, to hear from him, to follow him, to run to him. Verses 9 and 10.

The result of finding out about their faith and love leaves Paul speechless and overjoyed. He says, what things can we render to God for you? Essentially saying, I'm not even sure how to thank God because I'm so excited and rejoicing so much. No, thanks seems adequate to express how grateful we are. Paul saying,

Our words don't really mean that much compared to how we feel. They don't truly express what we're experiencing. How can we thank God when you have brought us such great joy? We're overjoyed at knowing that you walk fast, that you stand fast, that there's faith and love in your midst, that you're walking with God. It rejoiced Paul more than we can imagine, but not necessarily more than we can understand.

Because again, are you this invested in the lives of the people around you? That you can experience this type of joy as you see them standing fast. As you hear about God working in their lives. John, in one of his epistles, he says, Hey, I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the faith. That they walk uprightly. That they walk in love. No greater joy. John says, that's the greatest thing.

For him. Paul says, I'm overjoyed because I've heard that you are standing fast, that you have faith and love. How about you? Are you invested in people's lives to the extent that you can be speechless as a result of, on account of the joy that you have as you see God working in their lives? Are they that important to you? Is them walking with God that important to you?

you Paul's comfort was that they had faith and love he could breathe easily now it wasn't that their tribulation was over it wasn't that everything was easy now they had faith and love they were gonna stand fast that's all that mattered and it brought him comfort and joy and Thanksgiving more than he could express it's a demonstration of his love because he received so much comfort joy and Thanksgiving as a result and

Of his great love for the Thessalonians. Do you love people that way? We find the third thing, Paul's demonstration of love in verses 11 through 13. It's Paul's prayer. Verse 11 says, Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you.

Here in Paul's prayer, we see his continued heart of love for the Thessalonians because first he prays that God would open the door for him to visit them again. He's still desiring, still earnestly wanting to see them, to be with them, to encourage them, to complete what's lacking in their faith. He wants to go and to be a blessing to them. Now, his first and foremost love is Jesus Christ.

And that's why he's not with them at the moment. He's continuing on. He needs to fulfill what God told him to do and where God called him to go. But he's praying. He hasn't given up. He's continuing to seek the Lord. Lord, I want to go back. I want to go visit them. I want to spend time with them and encourage them. I want to just be blessed as I am there to see what you're doing in their lives. We know that Paul did visit them on his third missionary journey.

He did get to see them again. Beyond that, we're not sure, but the Lord answered his prayer. It's amazing that Paul could have such a bond with them, though, because remember, he had only been with them for three weeks.

Three weeks of ministering there, and he has this incredible love for them, this incredible bond. And again, those who have gone out on a short-term mission trip or gone out to encourage a local body of Christ, you know that this is what happens when you go. You go to visit a place on the mission field. You go to minister alongside a church or a body of believers, and you make these incredible bonds there.

You make these incredible relationships. You become devoted to and invested in one another. And we experience that so much in American Samoa. I have family there. I, like Paul, pray that God would direct my way back there one day because I have family there and I would love to see what God is doing in their lives and what God is doing over there.

We have family in Okinawa. I have family in New York from the one time I went, not the one time I went there, but one time when I went there on a company business and got plugged into a church there. I have family as a result of God moving me in different areas. It's the wonderful unity that the body of Christ enjoys and has. Paul is united to them. He's remembering them, constantly praying for them.

In verse 12, he says, And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. And this is a part of Paul's prayer that's very interesting. He prays that they would increase and abound in love. Yet, Timothy came back with a wonderful report of their faith and love. And this is where we learn from Harvey. It's not over. Timothy comes back and says, Hey, they have faith and love.

Paul says, great, it's done, it's over. No, that's great. That means they're standing fast, that they're continuing on in their walk with the Lord. But I'm not saying that you're done, Thessalonians. I'm praying because there needs to be an increase. There needs to be even more abounding. There needs to be growth.

Even though you display the characteristic, even though you have the mark, there needs to be growth in that area. I know it's somewhat of a silly question. Of course, the obvious answer is that we're never done growing. We're never done growing. Because where's the finish line? Jesus Christ. No matter how many years you've been a Christian, there's still more room for you to increase and abound in love.

No matter how much longer you walk with God, no matter how many times you've read the Bible or how many times you've been to church services or how many times you've heard the word or taught the word, there's room to grow. There's room to increase. Lots of room. You know, not like just a tiny smidgen you need to fill in there. There's great lengths and leaps and bounds for us to grow in these areas in faith and love and hope.

We need to press on, continue forward. Paul says, look, I'm not satisfied with where you're at. I rejoice overwhelmingly so much so that I can't even really give thanks to God, but I'm still praying because I know God wants to do more. I'm still praying because I know God wants to increase you in faith and love and hope. Verse 13, so that he may establish your hearts blameless and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Here again we see hope, the confident focus on eternity. That was the Apostle Paul. He's always looking for, turning our eyes to eternity, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

Here in the final part of Paul's prayer, he prays that they would be established to the very end. The finished line is Jesus Christ. He prays that they would be established until they go to be with him, until they're caught up into the air with him, until they're finished, that they would be established, that they would stand fast, they would keep growing, keep pressing on, keep running the race.

Paul always pointed to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially so in this epistle. We see it over and over again. We've seen it a couple of times and we'll continue to see it. His focus on he's always pointing them to eternity. It's the motivation. It's the hope. It's the goal. It's the focus. It's the finish line. It's the moment that Paul was living for and the moment that he encouraged everyone else to live for. From the apostle Paul in his prayer, we see his love again.

His desire to see them. His earnest desire for them to grow. And his desire for them to finish well. To run to the end. So again I ask, do you love the people that God has given to you to disciple that way? That you're continually, earnestly praying on their behalf. To see them, to be with them. For them to grow and for them to finish well. Paul's love is

As an example to all of us. His demonstration that he gives to us here in chapter 3 is incredible. It's a challenge to all of us. Do you love the people in your life this way? Number one, to have this great concern for those that God has placed in your life. As they go through trials, as they experience discomfort, as they experience affliction, are you...

Concerned for them. So much so that really life stops. I can't rest. I couldn't bear it any longer. So I sent Timothy with you. Is the lives of others around you a burden to your heart? Not in a bad way, but just in an intense desire and concern for them. Is that the type of love that you have for your family? For those that God has placed in your life for you to disciple and encourage? Do you love them?

In the same way that Paul, that you get great comfort as you see faith and love. That God is working in their lives. That you get so much joy that you're not even really able to give thanks. The words can't come out of your mouth because you're so excited because God is at work in their life. Do you love people that way? Is that the relationship that you have with them and for them? And in Paul's prayer,

Do you have that type of love? To continue to pray, to be with them, that they would increase and abound in love, and that they would be established to the very end, which speaks to us of something that's also important, and that is that we're to love them to the end. We're to press on, to grow, to increase and abound in love to the end. We're to be established to walk with God to the end.

What a great example for us, the Apostle Paul. Modeling for us the love that God calls us to have. And fulfilling the Great Commission. Making disciples. He invested his whole life in making disciples. Teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded. Teaching them to walk with him. Is that your endeavor? Is that your life? Is that your heart? One last question for some who are listening to this.

I would ask, do you want to be loved this way? Do you have a need in your life to be loved this way? To be loved like the Apostle Paul loved the Thessalonians? Do you want and need to experience that type of love? Because I want to share with you that you can in receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

Because the love that God has for you is infinitely greater than the love that the Apostle Paul demonstrated. But in addition to his love for you, he has united together the body of Christ. And as you become a part of the kingdom of God, God will place in your life people like the Apostle Paul to love you, to care for you, to be concerned for you, to be comforted as God works, and to be praying for you.

It's so essential in our lives to receive this type of love from other members in the body of Christ and to give it as well to those that God has placed in our lives. But it can only be received in Christ by being born again, by having intimate fellowship and relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray for all of us here, what all those listening...

to what you have given to us through the Apostle Paul, through your word. God, I pray that you would help us to learn to love this way. We thank you, God, that his example and demonstration of love is only even a small sample of the love that you have for us. Lord, because you loved us so much that you sent your son to die on the cross for us. Lord, your world stopped until you made sure that we had what we need to spend eternity with you.

Until you made sure that we could have forgiveness, right relationship with you. God, thank you for your love for us. And Lord, may we as believers in Jesus Christ increase and abound in this love more and more to the very end. Lord, teach us to love those that you've placed in our lives. Our family, friends, co-workers. Lord, those that you've called us to disciple, to equip, to

to share the good news with. God, may we demonstrate this same type of love towards them. May we reach out to them. May we make sure that they're established in the faith. Help us, Lord, to die to ourselves in order to love others around us. And God, I pray for anyone who has not received this gift of love in your Son, Jesus Christ. God, I pray that you would open their hearts, reveal to them

As your word says, you demonstrate your love for us in that while we were yet sinners, you died for us. God, I pray that you would bring them to a saving knowledge of you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of his word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.