WEBVTT

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 Amen. All right. So this morning we're continuing our sermon series in 1 Thessalonians.

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! We've covered most of the first two chapters so far. Today we're going to be picking it up in chapter 2,

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! Verse 17, which will be on page 1173 of your Pew Bible. If you want to follow along in the Pew Bible,

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 page 1173, we're going to go chapter 217 through the end of chapter 3. And what we'll be encountering

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 in the text is something of an emotional roller coaster as the Apostle Paul shares the anxiety

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 that he has felt over the state of the church at Thessalonica. And it's an anxiety that's driven by

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 his deep and abiding love for the men and the women of that church. So as I've been in the text

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 this week, I've really been moved by Paul's affection for the believers that he's writing to

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 in this letter. So here's the plan for this morning is I'm going to start by setting the scene

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 just a little bit, setting up the drama so that we're all on the same page, if you will, of the

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 narrative. Then we're going to ride that narrative roller coaster together that Paul takes us on in

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 this passage. And then finally, I'm going to share some applications from the text that I hope are

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 going to be helpful for you. Sound good? Okay, good. Well, if it doesn't, this is what we're doing

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 anyway. So, all right. So a couple of Sundays ago, Pastor Mike, he framed the context of this letter.

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 So I'm just going to give you a bit to remind you of what's happened up until this point.

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 The Apostle Paul and Silas, who also went by Silvanus, by the way, that's how he describes

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 himself. He went by Silvanus and Silas. I'm going to call him Silas, had visited Thessalonica while on

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 one of Paul's missionary journeys. They had shared the gospel there over the course of several weeks,

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 and the Lord had done just this awesome work through their evangelism. You can read about this

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 in Acts 17 if you're interested. Luke, the author of Acts, he reports this in the chapter. He says,

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 some of them, some of the Jews that they had shared the gospel with, were persuaded. They were persuaded

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 that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. And Paul and Silas, or I'm sorry, and joined Paul and Silas,

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 as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. That's Acts 17.4.

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 So, Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel, and God is graciously rescuing Jews and Gentiles

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 through their evangelism, and they're starting to do the work of discipling these new believers,

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 because that's part of the Great Commission, right? Jesus said, you make disciples, baptize them,

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 and then teach them to obey everything that he commanded, Matthew 28, which means that new believers

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 need to be taught, that they need to be shepherded. They need to be built up in their faith as they begin

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 the lifelong work of following Jesus, and that is exactly what Paul and Silas had begun to do.

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 But, tragically, they did not get very far, because the Jews in Thessalonica, who did not accept that

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 Jesus was the Messiah, began to oppose Paul and Silas, okay? And eventually, they worked up a crowd

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 that formed into a mob, and this mob dragged Paul and Silas before the city council. They accused them

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 of treason, saying that they're teaching that Jesus is the true king, not Caesar, which is kind of true,

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 but how they're representing it, not quite. And the church, this brand new church of new believers,

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 they end up somehow convincing the city council to let Paul and Silas go. But this is not good,

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 right? Getting accused of treason in a major Roman city, this is starting to look pretty dangerous.

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 For Paul and Silas. So, the Thessalonian believers, they send Paul and Silas away under cover of night

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 to get them out of the city. Now, the text doesn't say this, so this is my guess, okay? This is me

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 surmising, this is not Scripture. But my guess is that the Thessalonians have to fight Paul on this

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 a little bit, because my guess is that he wants to stay. Because Paul knows that this is not how you

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 plant a church, right? This is not how you establish a church. Paul knows that he and Silas should be

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 there with these new believers. They should be teaching them the Scriptures. They should be

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 building them up in their faith. And instead, they have to flee in the middle of the night,

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 and they've got no clear plan on when they're going to be able to come back. So, however that

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 conversation went down, the Thessalonians convince Paul and Silas that they need to leave, and Paul and

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 Silas do so. Now, if you're part of the church at Thessalonica, if you're one of those new believers,

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 how would you feel about things at this moment? You can go ahead and put yourself in their sandals,

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 so to speak. Paul and Silas, they had come to you. Maybe you were a Gentile. Maybe you believed in many

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 different gods. Thessalonica was a proud Roman city of about 100,000 people, same population as

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 Kenosha back then. This would have been a huge, huge city. And you'd been living probably under the

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 belief in Zeus and the other Roman gods. There were also some prominent Egyptian cults in Thessalonica

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 at this time, so maybe you're worshiping Egyptian gods. And then Paul and Silas show up on the scene,

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 and they tell you, no. The fickle, harsh, unloving gods that you worship, they are not real.

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 They are false gods. Let us tell you about the one true God who came in humility and died the death that

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 you deserve. Or maybe you were a Jew who had been waiting for so long for the Messiah to come,

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 and Paul tells you the Messiah has come. His name is Jesus Christ. He's the one that you have been

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 waiting for, and he shows this to you from the Scriptures. So, Paul and Silas are teaching you,

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 you believe with great joy, the Holy Spirit. He opens up your eyes to see how your sin has separated

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 you from a holy God, and he has made a way through Christ for your sins to be forgiven. You experience

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 the love of God for the first time. You're starting to learn from the Scriptures. You're eager to learn

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 about your Savior. And then one day, there's a riot. And it's a riot to falsely condemn these men that you

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 have grown in this short time to love and to trust. And you watch them get dragged before the city council

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 and accused of treason. So, your church decides that night, we've got to get them out. This is not safe.

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 Paul and Silas, we love you so much. We are so grateful for you, but you're going to end up dead

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 if you stay. And we know that the Lord has more gospel work for you to do. There's more people like us

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 that need the gospel. You have more work to do. You've got to go.

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 And so, the next morning, you wake up, and the men who have been functioning as your pastors are gone.

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 And you're a brand new believer.

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 So, what's going through your mind at that point? Are you doubting? Are you questioning God's

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 goodness? I mean, why would He allow this to happen? Those questions might be going through

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 your mind. And also, by the way, you do not live in the most tolerant city. You just watched Paul and

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 Silas drag before a city council for preaching Christ. You know what's at stake if you share the

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 gospel and you live out your new faith. So, this is a very difficult position to be in if you are a

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 new Christian. And what about Paul for that moment, for that matter? What's he thinking after all this,

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 being separated from this church that he loves? Well, Paul actually, he shares much of his thoughts

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 with us in the passage today. So, let's take a look starting in chapter 2, verse 17.

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 Paul writes,

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 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time in person, not in heart, we endeavored

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 the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face because we wanted to come to you.

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 I, Paul, again and again, he says, we were torn away from you. They all remember that night when

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 Paul and Silas had to leave so quickly. And the word that Paul uses, the Greek word, it's the word

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 that you would use to describe a child being separated from their parents. Literally, we were

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 orphaned from you, which maybe reads a little bit different than you might expect, especially since

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 earlier in chapter 1, Paul had actually referred to himself as their mother. He says,

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 But we were gentle among you like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

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 And then in chapter 2, verses 11 through 12, Paul says,

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 For you know how like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you

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 and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God.

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 So, you would expect Paul to talk about them, the church, being orphaned from him as this spiritual

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 parent, but he actually describes it in the opposite way. He says that we were orphaned from you,

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 which I think gives us a look into the intensity of affection that Paul feels about this church.

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 His anxiety over them is less like a parent being separated from their child and more like the

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 child's feeling of losing their parent, that sense of being lost, that hopelessness. There's a direness

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 in how Paul describes how he feels about being taken away from these brothers and sisters in Christ.

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 But Paul makes clear that this is temporary. He says,

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 We were orphaned from you for a short time in person and not in heart, that we were taken from you,

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 but our hearts are still with you, right? My affections for you have not gone anywhere,

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 which is why we've tried again and again to come to you. He says,

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 With great desire to see you face to face because we wanted to come to you. I, Paul,

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 again and again, you could just hear that desperation in his words that they've been wanting so badly

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 to get back to the Thessalonians. It's like he's saying,

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 If you're wondering why we haven't made it back from you, it is not from lack of trying. Like,

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 we so want to be back with you. Which begs the question of why. Why haven't you come back yet?

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 If we mean so much to you, you would have come back by now, right? And that's probably what Paul

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 is fearing that they might be thinking. So Paul explains, and he uses four little words. He says,

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 But Satan hindered us. We tried coming to you again and again, but Satan hindered us.

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 So let's pause for a moment and let's acknowledge something. We want to be careful about over-blaming

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 Satan for spiritual opposition in our lives. Paul, throughout this letter, he spends very little

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 time mentioning or discussing Satan compared to the other things that he prioritizes. He doesn't go

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 into all the details about Satan's activity. He's not morbidly fascinated with Satan, demons, and

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 spiritual warfare. And if you're not careful, you can end up wasting a lot of time becoming obsessed

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 with those spiritual realities. But they're still spiritual realities, right?

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 So Paul, he makes clear that their repeated attempts to visit the Thessalonians, those attempts were

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 thwarted by Satan, that Satan himself prevented their return. And we don't know exactly what that looks

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 like, but the fact remains that Satan hates Christians. He hates God, and he will do whatever he can

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 to prevent God's kingdom from growing. So Satan is a real enemy, and we do well to acknowledge that.

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 But he is not stronger than our God. And all that he does is under God's authoritative hand. And so

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 Paul's focus, it turns very quickly back to his brothers and sisters in Christ, back to his Lord Jesus,

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 after he explains that Satan is hindering him from coming to them, from returning to them.

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 He says,

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 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

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 Is it not you?

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 For you are our glory and joy.

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 You, brothers and sisters of Thessalonica,

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 when Jesus Christ returns in his glory,

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 Do you know what our greatest boast before Christ is going to be?

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 It's going to be you.

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 Which is an incredible statement from the Apostle Paul.

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 The depth of affection that he feels for this church is amazing.

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 And because of that affection,

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 eventually it got to a point

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 where Paul just, he couldn't take it anymore.

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 It says,

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 Therefore, when we could bear it no longer,

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 we sent Timothy.

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 The suspense was killing him.

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 He's going,

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 I just, I gotta know.

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 I just gotta know how they're doing.

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 Are they staying strong?

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 Are they enduring the persecution that I know that they're going to face?

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 Are there, God forbid,

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 are there false teachers that are starting to creep in

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 and make them question things?

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 And he goes,

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 Timothy, you've,

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 you gotta go to Thessalonica.

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 Brother, you,

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 you gotta go.

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 We gotta send somebody

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 to build them up

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 and to strengthen them.

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 Which is exactly

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 what they do.

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 So, chapter 3,

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 verse 2,

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 Paul writes,

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 And I think he means all Christians

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 in that we

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 are destined for this.

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 which echoes

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 2 Timothy 3, 12,

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 which Paul also wrote,

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 which says that all who desire to live

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 a godly life in Christ Jesus

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 will be persecuted.

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 And that was exactly his message

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 to the Thessalonians.

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 He says,

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 For when we were with you,

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 we kept telling you beforehand

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 that we were to suffer affliction

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 just as it has come to pass

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 and just as you know.

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 So, Paul doesn't need to be there

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 in person

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 in order to know

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 beyond a shadow of a doubt

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 that this young church

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 is facing persecution

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 for sharing the gospel.

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 In their short time

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 with these believers,

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 one of the things

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 that Paul and Silas

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 knew

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 that they needed to hear

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 over and over again

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 was,

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 You're going to take heat

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 for this.

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 If you commit to Christ,

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 you are going to take

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 heat for this.

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 This is what you're

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 signing up for.

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 So, the Thessalonians,

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 they went into this

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 eyes wide open.

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 But, knowing that you're

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 going to face something

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 and then actually facing it,

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 those are different things.

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 Right?

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 And Paul doesn't want

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 a single believer's faith

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 to be shaken

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 by what they're experiencing

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 as they take heat

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 for following Jesus.

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 He wants everybody

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 to make it through.

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 And until he knows

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 what's going on with them,

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 his own heart is fearful

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 by his own admission.

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 So, he says again

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 in chapter 3, verse 5,

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 he says,

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 For this reason,

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 when I could bear it

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 no longer,

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 I sent to learn

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 about your faith

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 for fear that somehow

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 the tempter had tempted you

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 and our labor would be in vain.

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 So, here once again,

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 Paul, he acknowledges

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 Satan's power.

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 Right?

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 This time,

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 his power to tempt Christians

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 away from Christ.

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 He knows that Satan

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 can use persecution

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 to the point that

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 Paul admits that he is fearful

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 that his labor amidst

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 the Thessalonian church

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 had been in vain.

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 Paul is afraid,

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 in other words,

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:29.620
 that Satan's temptations,

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 that they may have exposed

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 a terrifying possibility,

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 a terrifying possibility,

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 which is that their faith

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 was not actually genuine.

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 Maybe when push comes to shove,

00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:46.539
 maybe the Thessalonians

00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:50.019
 weren't true believers in Christ.

00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:54.700
 So, Paul's fear is that the Thessalonians

00:20:54.700 --> 00:20:55.480
 are like the seed

00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:57.440
 that's sown on the rocky ground

00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:00.579
 in Jesus' parable of the sower.

00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:02.500
 If you remember that parable,

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.559
 there's a farmer

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:05.740
 and he scatters seed.

00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:07.960
 And some seed gets eaten

00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:08.640
 by the birds

00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:10.299
 and some of it falls

00:21:10.299 --> 00:21:11.759
 on shallow soil

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.240
 where the sun scorches it.

00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:16.099
 Some falls among thorns

00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:16.960
 and gets choked.

00:21:17.620 --> 00:21:19.319
 And some falls on good soil

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:20.660
 where it produces

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:22.299
 a huge crop,

00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:22.940
 a harvest.

00:21:23.819 --> 00:21:24.799
 And Paul's fear

00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.380
 is that the Thessalonians

00:21:26.380 --> 00:21:27.640
 turn out to be the seed

00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:29.299
 scorched by the sun.

00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:32.200
 In Matthew 13, 21,

00:21:32.879 --> 00:21:33.700
 Jesus says,

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.779
 As for what was sown

00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:37.200
 on rocky ground,

00:21:37.859 --> 00:21:38.799
 this is the one

00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:40.319
 who hears the word

00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:42.059
 and immediately

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:44.319
 receives it with joy.

00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:47.440
 Yet he has no root in himself,

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:50.720
 but endures for a while.

00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:52.220
 And then what?

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.359
 When tribulation

00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:55.240
 or persecution arises,

00:21:55.659 --> 00:21:56.899
 on account of the word,

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:58.700
 immediately it falls away.

00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:03.639
 So the question is,

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:05.419
 is that what

00:22:05.419 --> 00:22:07.859
 the Thessalonian church is?

00:22:08.859 --> 00:22:11.379
 Are they the seed

00:22:11.379 --> 00:22:12.680
 that is sown

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.700
 on rocky ground?

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:18.539
 And the answer

00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:20.099
 that Timothy

00:22:20.099 --> 00:22:22.379
 finally brings back to Paul

00:22:22.379 --> 00:22:24.960
 is no.

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.759
 They are not the seed

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.599
 that is sown

00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:29.980
 on rocky ground

00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:31.220
 because the Thessalonians'

00:22:31.460 --> 00:22:33.599
 faith is strong.

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:34.619
 Look at chapter 3,

00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:35.299
 verse 6.

00:22:35.900 --> 00:22:36.440
 But now,

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.960
 Timothy has come to us

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:38.480
 from you,

00:22:38.579 --> 00:22:39.420
 and commentators say

00:22:39.420 --> 00:22:40.039
 this is like,

00:22:40.619 --> 00:22:42.200
 this just happened,

00:22:42.420 --> 00:22:42.640
 right?

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:44.460
 This probably just happened.

00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:46.160
 Timothy just got back.

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:47.099
 Um,

00:22:48.099 --> 00:22:48.700
 where am I?

00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:49.279
 Oh, here I am.

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:49.759
 Okay, sorry.

00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:51.000
 I'm just so excited

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.859
 for Paul

00:22:51.859 --> 00:22:52.379
 and what he's doing.

00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:54.040
 But Timothy now

00:22:54.040 --> 00:22:54.960
 has come to us

00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.580
 from you

00:22:55.580 --> 00:22:56.600
 and has brought us

00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:57.660
 the good news

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:58.760
 of your faith

00:22:58.760 --> 00:22:59.380
 and love

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:00.020
 and reported

00:23:00.020 --> 00:23:01.040
 that you always

00:23:01.040 --> 00:23:02.060
 remember us kindly

00:23:02.060 --> 00:23:03.660
 and long to see us

00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.900
 as we long to see you.

00:23:05.040 --> 00:23:05.500
 And Paul,

00:23:05.620 --> 00:23:07.600
 he is just overjoyed

00:23:07.600 --> 00:23:08.800
 at this news.

00:23:09.100 --> 00:23:10.040
 The Thessalonians'

00:23:10.300 --> 00:23:10.640
 faith

00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.860
 and their love

00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:12.860
 remain strong.

00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:15.319
 Their affections

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:16.379
 for Paul

00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:18.099
 and his fellow apostles,

00:23:18.359 --> 00:23:19.139
 those affections

00:23:19.139 --> 00:23:20.759
 are still burning.

00:23:20.899 --> 00:23:21.799
 If I was Paul,

00:23:21.979 --> 00:23:22.619
 I would say,

00:23:22.899 --> 00:23:23.439
 huzzah!

00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:25.159
 That would be my response.

00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:27.799
 This is the best news.

00:23:27.979 --> 00:23:29.240
 It is better news

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:30.240
 than the Brewers

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:31.379
 beating the Cubs

00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:32.259
 last night

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:33.919
 in the playoffs.

00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.259
 It's even better than that.

00:23:36.639 --> 00:23:37.719
 As I was studying

00:23:37.719 --> 00:23:39.219
 this part of the passage

00:23:39.219 --> 00:23:39.859
 this week,

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:41.479
 my mind kept going

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.880
 to A Christmas Carol

00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:44.960
 where Ebenezer Scrooge,

00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:45.839
 he rejoices

00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:47.380
 over his own salvation.

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:47.779
 He says,

00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:48.940
 I'm as light as a feather.

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:50.380
 I'm as happy as an angel.

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:52.220
 I'm as merry as a schoolboy.

00:23:53.099 --> 00:23:55.200
 Except that Paul's joy,

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:56.640
 it's not over

00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:57.579
 his own salvation.

00:23:58.500 --> 00:24:00.400
 His joy is over

00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:01.779
 the good news

00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:04.940
 of someone else's faith.

00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:07.519
 The faith of his brothers

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.279
 and sisters

00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:11.079
 back in Thessalonica.

00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:12.179
 This is a man,

00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:13.759
 he is just bursting

00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:15.259
 at the seams

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:17.439
 with Timothy's

00:24:17.439 --> 00:24:18.259
 good report.

00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:20.859
 And here's what

00:24:20.859 --> 00:24:21.859
 that joy does

00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:23.519
 for Paul and Silas

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.000
 and Timothy.

00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:25.000
 If you look at verse 7,

00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:26.439
 it says,

00:24:26.779 --> 00:24:27.619
 For this reason,

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.019
 brothers,

00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:31.099
 in all our distress

00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:32.539
 and affliction,

00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:33.980
 in all of the anxiety

00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.720
 and the persecution

00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:35.960
 that they are facing,

00:24:35.960 --> 00:24:39.059
 we have been comforted

00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:39.920
 about you

00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:42.120
 through your faith.

00:24:43.880 --> 00:24:46.019
 Knowing that the Thessalonians

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:48.140
 are standing strong

00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:51.539
 brings them comfort.

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:55.940
 It brings them comfort.

00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:58.559
 For now we live,

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.059
 Paul says,

00:25:00.120 --> 00:25:01.740
 if you are standing fast

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:03.100
 in the Lord.

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:05.759
 So as Paul and Silas

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.259
 and Timothy,

00:25:06.459 --> 00:25:07.059
 as they face

00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:08.259
 their own opposition

00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:10.059
 to the gospel,

00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.219
 the faithfulness

00:25:11.219 --> 00:25:11.799
 of the brothers

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:12.419
 and sisters

00:25:12.419 --> 00:25:13.480
 in Thessalonica

00:25:13.480 --> 00:25:15.439
 spurs them on.

00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:18.019
 It comforts them.

00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:18.959
 It brings them

00:25:18.959 --> 00:25:21.099
 new life.

00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:24.299
 Because faithfulness

00:25:24.299 --> 00:25:25.099
 is contagious.

00:25:26.719 --> 00:25:26.939
 Amen?

00:25:28.379 --> 00:25:29.639
 And I want to have

00:25:29.639 --> 00:25:30.519
 a contagious faith

00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:31.019
 like that.

00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:34.079
 Don't you want

00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:35.700
 your devotion

00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:37.359
 to Christ

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:39.259
 to inspire

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:39.940
 your brothers

00:25:39.940 --> 00:25:40.559
 and sisters

00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:41.200
 like that?

00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:42.180
 Yeah.

00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:46.240
 So with Paul's heart

00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.160
 filled to the brim

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:49.379
 at the good report

00:25:49.379 --> 00:25:50.099
 from Timothy,

00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:52.960
 he turns his focus

00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:54.420
 very appropriately

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:56.299
 to the living God.

00:25:57.339 --> 00:25:58.319
 In verse 9,

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.000
 he says,

00:25:59.799 --> 00:26:00.779
 For what thanksgiving

00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:02.980
 for what thanksgiving

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:03.759
 can we return

00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:05.019
 to God for you?

00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:07.539
 For all the joy

00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:08.460
 that we feel

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:10.019
 for your sake

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:11.379
 before God

00:26:11.379 --> 00:26:12.319
 as we pray

00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:13.680
 most earnestly

00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:15.319
 night and day

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:17.000
 that we may see you

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:18.000
 face to face

00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:19.519
 and supply

00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:20.740
 what is lacking

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.539
 in your faith.

00:26:21.539 --> 00:26:25.019
 at the end of the day,

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:27.379
 God is the one

00:26:27.379 --> 00:26:29.359
 who gets the glory

00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:30.839
 for the Thessalonians'

00:26:31.339 --> 00:26:31.980
 faithfulness.

00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:34.220
 Which is why

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:35.639
 this good report

00:26:35.639 --> 00:26:36.759
 ultimately results

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.759
 in Paul

00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:38.460
 feeling this

00:26:38.460 --> 00:26:39.240
 overwhelming

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.500
 sense of gratitude

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:42.099
 to the Lord.

00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:43.559
 And Paul,

00:26:43.700 --> 00:26:44.680
 he also recognizes

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:46.159
 that the journey

00:26:46.159 --> 00:26:46.559
 of faith

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.559
 is not yet over.

00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:48.519
 Right?

00:26:48.519 --> 00:26:50.299
 He still aches

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:50.879
 to go

00:26:50.879 --> 00:26:51.639
 and see

00:26:51.639 --> 00:26:52.720
 the Thessalonians

00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:54.460
 in person.

00:26:54.460 --> 00:26:55.019
 Even though

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.639
 they have this

00:26:55.639 --> 00:26:56.180
 good report

00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:56.799
 from Timothy,

00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:57.559
 he says he wants

00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:58.200
 to get back

00:26:58.200 --> 00:26:58.660
 to them

00:26:58.660 --> 00:26:59.700
 so that he can

00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.339
 supply

00:27:00.339 --> 00:27:01.440
 what is lacking

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:03.319
 in their faith.

00:27:03.379 --> 00:27:03.879
 And that's because

00:27:03.879 --> 00:27:04.660
 the Thessalonians,

00:27:04.779 --> 00:27:05.359
 they still need

00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:06.019
 to be strengthened.

00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:08.160
 They still

00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.160
 need to be

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:10.059
 taught.

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:10.900
 As faithful

00:27:10.900 --> 00:27:11.879
 as they've been,

00:27:13.019 --> 00:27:14.000
 there's more

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.819
 work to do

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.519
 in building

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:15.939
 them up

00:27:15.939 --> 00:27:17.359
 and maturing

00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.439
 them as

00:27:18.439 --> 00:27:19.059
 disciples.

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:19.819
 So Paul has

00:27:19.819 --> 00:27:20.200
 still got

00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:21.139
 every intention

00:27:21.139 --> 00:27:22.679
 of getting

00:27:22.679 --> 00:27:23.319
 back to them

00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:24.059
 and he knows

00:27:24.059 --> 00:27:24.879
 that he needs

00:27:24.879 --> 00:27:25.779
 the Lord's help

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.859
 in order

00:27:26.859 --> 00:27:28.799
 to do so.

00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:29.599
 Because Satan

00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:30.319
 has hindered him,

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:30.659
 right?

00:27:30.819 --> 00:27:31.539
 Satan has hindered

00:27:31.539 --> 00:27:32.579
 him from

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.539
 returning to

00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:34.460
 the Thessalonians.

00:27:35.399 --> 00:27:36.819
 So his response

00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:38.859
 is to pray.

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:41.379
 He says,

00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:42.000
 we pray

00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:43.540
 most earnestly

00:27:43.540 --> 00:27:45.360
 night and day

00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:46.900
 that we may

00:27:46.900 --> 00:27:47.460
 see you.

00:27:47.580 --> 00:27:48.380
 That is the

00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:50.300
 constant desire

00:27:50.300 --> 00:27:51.480
 of this man's

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:52.160
 soul.

00:27:53.560 --> 00:27:54.780
 He's been

00:27:54.780 --> 00:27:55.260
 praying,

00:27:55.380 --> 00:27:56.300
 he will continue

00:27:56.300 --> 00:27:57.500
 to pray

00:27:57.500 --> 00:27:58.080
 and his

00:27:58.080 --> 00:27:59.380
 desire for them,

00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:00.580
 it runs so deep

00:28:00.580 --> 00:28:01.180
 that he actually

00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:02.060
 overflows

00:28:02.060 --> 00:28:03.740
 into a written

00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.320
 prayer

00:28:04.320 --> 00:28:05.360
 right then and

00:28:05.360 --> 00:28:05.560
 there,

00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:06.440
 like he just

00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:06.900
 can't help

00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:07.360
 himself.

00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:08.800
 Which takes us

00:28:08.800 --> 00:28:09.920
 to the final

00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:10.580
 verses in this

00:28:10.580 --> 00:28:10.940
 passage,

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.660
 verses 11

00:28:11.660 --> 00:28:12.360
 through 13.

00:28:13.559 --> 00:28:14.400
 Now may

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.320
 our God

00:28:15.320 --> 00:28:15.900
 and Father

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.480
 himself

00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:18.080
 and our

00:28:18.080 --> 00:28:18.740
 Lord Jesus

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:20.200
 direct our

00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:20.980
 way to you

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:22.420
 and may the

00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.180
 Lord make you

00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:24.460
 increase and

00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:25.580
 abound in

00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:26.539
 love for one

00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.100
 another and

00:28:27.100 --> 00:28:27.840
 for all

00:28:27.840 --> 00:28:29.380
 as we do

00:28:29.380 --> 00:28:30.180
 for you

00:28:30.180 --> 00:28:31.840
 so that he

00:28:31.840 --> 00:28:32.720
 may establish

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.940
 your hearts

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:35.360
 blameless in

00:28:35.360 --> 00:28:35.860
 holiness

00:28:35.860 --> 00:28:37.580
 before our

00:28:37.580 --> 00:28:38.140
 God and

00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.559
 Father

00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:39.920
 at the coming

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.400
 of our Lord

00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:40.740
 Jesus

00:28:40.740 --> 00:28:41.759
 with all

00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.360
 his saints.

00:28:45.780 --> 00:28:46.720
 Paul knows

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.120
 that his

00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:48.259
 return to

00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.259
 the Thessalonians

00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:50.540
 and their

00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:51.140
 continued

00:28:51.140 --> 00:28:52.140
 faithfulness

00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:53.400
 and growing

00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:54.060
 love in his

00:28:54.060 --> 00:28:55.259
 own heart

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:55.960
 towards them

00:28:55.960 --> 00:28:56.920
 that all of

00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:57.740
 that is under

00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.660
 God's hand.

00:28:59.840 --> 00:29:00.060
 Okay,

00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.160
 he needs the

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:01.860
 Lord to

00:29:01.860 --> 00:29:02.960
 reach out

00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:03.880
 with his

00:29:03.880 --> 00:29:04.900
 transforming

00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:06.080
 grace and

00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:07.620
 establish the

00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:08.659
 Thessalonians

00:29:08.659 --> 00:29:10.039
 in holiness

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:11.859
 and as a

00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:12.139
 matter of

00:29:12.139 --> 00:29:12.339
 fact,

00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:13.219
 if they

00:29:13.219 --> 00:29:14.679
 don't make

00:29:14.679 --> 00:29:15.159
 it back

00:29:15.159 --> 00:29:16.519
 as planned,

00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:18.119
 if the

00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:19.000
 Lord is at

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:20.039
 work in

00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:20.399
 the hearts

00:29:20.399 --> 00:29:20.819
 of these

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:21.579
 young believers

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.459
 then they

00:29:22.459 --> 00:29:23.599
 actually have

00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:24.599
 all that they

00:29:24.599 --> 00:29:25.000
 need,

00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:26.559
 that everything

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:27.119
 is going to be

00:29:27.119 --> 00:29:27.419
 okay.

00:29:27.539 --> 00:29:28.099
 His grace

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:28.699
 will be

00:29:28.699 --> 00:29:29.159
 sufficient

00:29:29.159 --> 00:29:30.859
 until Christ

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.719
 calls them

00:29:31.719 --> 00:29:32.959
 home or he

00:29:32.959 --> 00:29:33.419
 returns.

00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:37.019
 So now

00:29:37.019 --> 00:29:37.340
 that we've

00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:37.960
 experienced

00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:39.279
 the drama

00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:40.539
 of Timothy's

00:29:40.539 --> 00:29:41.039
 good report

00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:41.519
 back to

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:41.880
 Paul,

00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:42.920
 I'm going

00:29:42.920 --> 00:29:43.480
 to close

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.860
 with four

00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:45.580
 applications

00:29:45.580 --> 00:29:47.259
 that I hope

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:47.960
 will be helpful

00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:49.180
 as you think

00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:49.600
 through how

00:29:49.600 --> 00:29:50.640
 this relates

00:29:50.640 --> 00:29:51.080
 to your

00:29:51.080 --> 00:29:51.940
 life right

00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:52.180
 now.

00:29:53.300 --> 00:29:54.440
 So first,

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:56.800
 faithfulness

00:29:56.800 --> 00:29:57.380
 is rooted

00:29:57.380 --> 00:29:59.300
 in love

00:29:59.300 --> 00:30:00.259
 for one

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.580
 another.

00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.400
 Faithfulness

00:30:02.400 --> 00:30:03.160
 is rooted

00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:05.220
 in love

00:30:05.220 --> 00:30:06.380
 for one

00:30:06.380 --> 00:30:06.700
 another.

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:08.720
 As I

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:09.580
 studied this

00:30:09.580 --> 00:30:10.180
 passage this

00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:10.460
 week,

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.460
 I felt

00:30:11.460 --> 00:30:12.580
 convicted

00:30:12.580 --> 00:30:14.000
 more than

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:15.220
 once about

00:30:15.220 --> 00:30:16.640
 how strong

00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.560
 Paul's

00:30:17.560 --> 00:30:18.220
 affections

00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:19.600
 are for

00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.620
 his brothers

00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:21.480
 and sisters

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:22.860
 in Thessalonica.

00:30:23.040 --> 00:30:23.320
 You can

00:30:23.320 --> 00:30:24.720
 hear it in

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.420
 his kind

00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:26.420
 of gushing

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:27.180
 eagerness

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.420
 that he,

00:30:29.900 --> 00:30:30.280
 with the

00:30:30.280 --> 00:30:30.780
 phrases that

00:30:30.780 --> 00:30:31.259
 he uses.

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:31.800
 We were

00:30:31.799 --> 00:30:32.379
 torn away

00:30:32.379 --> 00:30:32.779
 from you

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.500
 in person,

00:30:33.700 --> 00:30:34.240
 not in

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:34.879
 heart.

00:30:35.379 --> 00:30:35.539
 We

00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:36.079
 endeavored

00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:36.799
 the more

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.399
 eagerly

00:30:37.399 --> 00:30:37.759
 and with

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.980
 great desire

00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:40.159
 to see

00:30:40.159 --> 00:30:40.980
 you face

00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:41.399
 to face.

00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.379
 You are

00:30:42.379 --> 00:30:43.619
 our glory

00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:45.180
 and our

00:30:45.180 --> 00:30:45.759
 joy.

00:30:45.879 --> 00:30:46.059
 You can

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.759
 just hear

00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:47.379
 the affection

00:30:47.379 --> 00:30:48.799
 spilling out.

00:30:48.879 --> 00:30:49.059
 You can

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:49.639
 also hear

00:30:49.639 --> 00:30:49.859
 it in

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.619
 his anxiety

00:30:50.619 --> 00:30:51.940
 over the

00:30:51.940 --> 00:30:52.460
 state of

00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:53.139
 their faith

00:30:53.139 --> 00:30:53.460
 as he's

00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:53.839
 been waiting

00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:54.339
 for Timothy

00:30:54.339 --> 00:30:54.919
 to come

00:30:54.919 --> 00:30:55.680
 back with

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.000
 the news.

00:30:56.159 --> 00:30:56.579
 We heard

00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:56.980
 it before.

00:30:57.119 --> 00:30:58.000
 When we

00:30:58.000 --> 00:30:58.500
 could bear

00:30:58.500 --> 00:30:58.839
 it no

00:30:58.839 --> 00:30:59.220
 longer,

00:30:59.339 --> 00:30:59.759
 he uses

00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.519
 that phrase

00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:01.359
 twice.

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:01.720
 When I

00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:02.279
 could bear

00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:02.819
 it no

00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:03.460
 longer,

00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:04.400
 I sent

00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:04.720
 to learn

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.059
 about your

00:31:05.059 --> 00:31:05.619
 faith for

00:31:05.619 --> 00:31:07.059
 fear that

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:08.039
 somehow the

00:31:08.039 --> 00:31:08.519
 tempter had

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:09.000
 tempted you

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.240
 in our

00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:10.319
 labor would

00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:11.240
 be in

00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:11.539
 vain.

00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:12.440
 And what it

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.119
 shows us is

00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:14.379
 that Paul

00:31:14.379 --> 00:31:15.680
 just loves

00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.059
 this church.

00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:19.000
 That he

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:19.440
 just, he

00:31:19.440 --> 00:31:21.279
 loves these

00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:22.379
 people.

00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:22.980
 He doesn't

00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:23.799
 just love the

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.980
 idea of

00:31:24.980 --> 00:31:25.299
 them.

00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:27.519
 he loves

00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:29.180
 these people.

00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:29.980
 He wanted

00:31:29.980 --> 00:31:31.579
 Timothy to

00:31:31.579 --> 00:31:31.960
 go to

00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.319
 them, to

00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:32.740
 strengthen

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.259
 them so

00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:34.220
 that no

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:34.839
 one, not

00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.759
 a single

00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:36.619
 one of

00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.559
 you, would

00:31:37.559 --> 00:31:38.339
 be moved

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:39.819
 by these

00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:40.879
 afflictions.

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.119
 So as I

00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:43.500
 read these

00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:44.019
 verses I

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.599
 had to ask

00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:46.980
 myself, do

00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:47.680
 I feel

00:31:47.680 --> 00:31:48.559
 that way

00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:49.940
 about

00:31:49.940 --> 00:31:51.500
 others in

00:31:51.500 --> 00:31:52.139
 my church?

00:31:52.140 --> 00:31:56.220
 And if

00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:57.280
 I don't,

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.220
 does it

00:31:59.220 --> 00:32:00.360
 bother me

00:32:00.360 --> 00:32:00.740
 that I

00:32:00.740 --> 00:32:01.100
 don't?

00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:03.300
 Do I

00:32:03.300 --> 00:32:04.900
 want to

00:32:04.900 --> 00:32:05.780
 love the

00:32:05.780 --> 00:32:06.460
 people in

00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.020
 our church

00:32:07.020 --> 00:32:08.120
 like Paul

00:32:08.120 --> 00:32:09.860
 loved the

00:32:09.860 --> 00:32:11.220
 Thessalonians?

00:32:12.840 --> 00:32:13.800
 Is that

00:32:13.800 --> 00:32:15.220
 how you

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:15.920
 want to

00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:17.040
 love your

00:32:17.040 --> 00:32:18.280
 brothers and

00:32:18.280 --> 00:32:18.980
 sisters?

00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:19.640
 Do you

00:32:19.640 --> 00:32:21.460
 regularly think

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:21.960
 about the

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:23.380
 faith of

00:32:23.380 --> 00:32:24.100
 those in

00:32:24.100 --> 00:32:24.940
 our church

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:25.319
 and how

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:25.640
 they're

00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.600
 standing and

00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:27.019
 how they

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:28.400
 are navigating

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:29.079
 the trials

00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:29.900
 of life and

00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.640
 keeping their

00:32:30.640 --> 00:32:31.279
 eyes on

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:31.559
 Jesus?

00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:32.100
 Are you

00:32:32.100 --> 00:32:33.559
 asking your

00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:34.140
 brothers and

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:34.660
 sisters with

00:32:34.660 --> 00:32:35.319
 a heart full

00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:35.940
 of care,

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:36.779
 not of

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.500
 gossip, but

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.019
 a heart full

00:32:38.019 --> 00:32:38.640
 of care,

00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:40.120
 how is your

00:32:40.120 --> 00:32:40.579
 walk with

00:32:40.579 --> 00:32:40.960
 the Lord?

00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.059
 How can I

00:32:43.059 --> 00:32:43.600
 be praying

00:32:43.600 --> 00:32:44.220
 for you

00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:45.660
 right now?

00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:48.440
 So if you

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:48.819
 are feeling

00:32:48.819 --> 00:32:49.660
 some conviction

00:32:49.660 --> 00:32:50.880
 this morning

00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:52.720
 about a

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.180
 lack of

00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:53.500
 care in

00:32:53.500 --> 00:32:53.920
 your heart

00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:54.400
 for your

00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.460
 church family,

00:32:55.580 --> 00:32:55.779
 I would

00:32:55.779 --> 00:32:56.640
 invite you

00:32:56.640 --> 00:32:57.040
 to press

00:32:57.040 --> 00:32:57.740
 into that

00:32:57.740 --> 00:32:59.180
 this week

00:32:59.180 --> 00:32:59.820
 to ask

00:32:59.820 --> 00:33:00.180
 the Holy

00:33:00.180 --> 00:33:01.340
 Spirit to

00:33:01.340 --> 00:33:02.420
 help expose

00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:04.180
 the root

00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:04.660
 that might

00:33:04.660 --> 00:33:05.100
 be there

00:33:05.100 --> 00:33:05.720
 of a

00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:06.860
 lack of

00:33:06.860 --> 00:33:07.320
 love

00:33:07.320 --> 00:33:09.500
 and ask

00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:10.460
 questions like

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.480
 am I

00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:12.980
 simply too

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:14.360
 preoccupied

00:33:14.360 --> 00:33:14.920
 with

00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:16.940
 myself and

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.720
 my

00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.480
 circumstances

00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:20.220
 and my

00:33:20.220 --> 00:33:21.320
 calendar?

00:33:22.840 --> 00:33:23.640
 Is

00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:24.900
 Jesus not

00:33:24.900 --> 00:33:26.039
 functioning as

00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:26.720
 the controlling

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.779
 center of my

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:29.400
 life right

00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:30.360
 now such

00:33:30.360 --> 00:33:30.920
 that the

00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:31.539
 well-being of

00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.120
 other people's

00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:32.700
 faith is just

00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.100
 not even

00:33:33.100 --> 00:33:33.800
 something that's

00:33:33.800 --> 00:33:34.640
 showing up on

00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:36.019
 my radar?

00:33:37.900 --> 00:33:38.720
 Ask the

00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:39.279
 Lord for help

00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:39.960
 in that.

00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:43.140
 Which brings

00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:43.460
 me to my

00:33:43.460 --> 00:33:43.700
 second

00:33:43.700 --> 00:33:44.280
 application.

00:33:45.900 --> 00:33:46.280
 Faithfulness

00:33:46.280 --> 00:33:47.020
 is rooted

00:33:47.020 --> 00:33:48.660
 in prayer.

00:33:50.140 --> 00:33:50.560
 Faithfulness

00:33:50.560 --> 00:33:51.220
 is rooted

00:33:51.220 --> 00:33:52.620
 in prayer.

00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:53.580
 In this

00:33:53.580 --> 00:33:54.040
 passage we

00:33:54.040 --> 00:33:54.520
 see a lot

00:33:54.520 --> 00:33:55.040
 of opposition.

00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:56.000
 Right?

00:33:56.080 --> 00:33:56.380
 We see

00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:56.820
 Paul and

00:33:56.820 --> 00:33:57.200
 Silas

00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:57.759
 torn away

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.200
 from the

00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:58.720
 Thessalonian

00:33:58.720 --> 00:33:59.300
 church against

00:33:59.300 --> 00:33:59.840
 their will.

00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:01.040
 Satan is

00:34:01.040 --> 00:34:01.560
 actively

00:34:01.560 --> 00:34:02.140
 preventing

00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:02.940
 Paul and

00:34:02.940 --> 00:34:03.380
 Silas

00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:04.340
 from returning.

00:34:04.520 --> 00:34:04.900
 There's fear

00:34:04.900 --> 00:34:05.640
 and anxiety

00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:06.320
 gripping

00:34:06.320 --> 00:34:07.480
 Paul's heart

00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:07.980
 as he worries

00:34:07.980 --> 00:34:08.559
 about the

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.360
 faith of his

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:10.200
 brothers and

00:34:10.200 --> 00:34:10.579
 sisters.

00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:11.739
 and what

00:34:11.739 --> 00:34:12.139
 does all

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:12.539
 of this

00:34:12.539 --> 00:34:13.699
 culminate in

00:34:13.699 --> 00:34:14.059
 at the end

00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:14.259
 of our

00:34:14.259 --> 00:34:14.719
 passage?

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:15.739
 It all

00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:16.559
 leads up

00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:17.039
 to a

00:34:17.039 --> 00:34:17.420
 prayer.

00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.599
 It all

00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:20.159
 leads up

00:34:20.159 --> 00:34:20.920
 to a

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:22.199
 prayer of

00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:23.219
 gratitude

00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:25.039
 for what

00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:25.679
 God has

00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:26.059
 done.

00:34:27.059 --> 00:34:27.719
 And a

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:28.559
 prayer of

00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:29.179
 request

00:34:29.179 --> 00:34:31.059
 asking God

00:34:31.059 --> 00:34:32.179
 to work

00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:32.779
 in both

00:34:32.779 --> 00:34:33.539
 circumstances

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.299
 and in

00:34:34.299 --> 00:34:34.699
 hearts.

00:34:36.659 --> 00:34:37.199
 Paul is

00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:37.920
 absolutely

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:39.119
 confident in

00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:39.639
 the power of

00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:39.779
 prayer.

00:34:39.879 --> 00:34:40.000
 And you

00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:40.379
 can tell

00:34:40.379 --> 00:34:40.779
 by how

00:34:40.779 --> 00:34:41.639
 he talks

00:34:41.639 --> 00:34:41.900
 about

00:34:41.900 --> 00:34:42.079
 prayer.

00:34:42.179 --> 00:34:42.359
 He says

00:34:42.359 --> 00:34:42.920
 we pray

00:34:42.920 --> 00:34:44.359
 most earnestly

00:34:44.359 --> 00:34:45.659
 night and

00:34:45.659 --> 00:34:46.359
 day.

00:34:46.859 --> 00:34:47.039
 Right?

00:34:47.400 --> 00:34:48.119
 This is a

00:34:48.119 --> 00:34:48.659
 man who

00:34:48.659 --> 00:34:49.819
 is totally

00:34:49.819 --> 00:34:50.619
 devoted to

00:34:50.619 --> 00:34:51.420
 going before

00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:52.159
 the throne

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:52.799
 of grace

00:34:52.799 --> 00:34:53.779
 and pleading

00:34:53.779 --> 00:34:54.199
 with his

00:34:54.199 --> 00:34:54.920
 God to

00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:55.579
 act because

00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:56.400
 he knows

00:34:56.400 --> 00:34:57.259
 who is

00:34:57.259 --> 00:34:58.239
 sovereign over

00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:58.779
 all of

00:34:58.779 --> 00:34:59.159
 this.

00:35:00.379 --> 00:35:01.440
 He knows

00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:02.219
 who holds

00:35:02.219 --> 00:35:02.900
 all of

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.379
 the power.

00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:05.739
 And so

00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:06.480
 we need to

00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:07.839
 pray and

00:35:07.839 --> 00:35:08.940
 ask God

00:35:08.940 --> 00:35:09.420
 not only

00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:09.840
 to act

00:35:09.840 --> 00:35:10.119
 in our

00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:10.760
 circumstances

00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:11.460
 but to

00:35:11.460 --> 00:35:11.880
 act in

00:35:11.880 --> 00:35:12.400
 our hearts

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.740
 as well

00:35:13.740 --> 00:35:14.980
 and in

00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:15.320
 the hearts

00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:15.820
 of others.

00:35:17.200 --> 00:35:18.000
 So if you

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:19.679
 feel totally

00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:20.320
 lost at the

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:20.900
 encouragement to

00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:22.079
 pray and

00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:23.260
 you're not

00:35:23.260 --> 00:35:23.800
 sure exactly

00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:24.099
 how to

00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:24.639
 pursue that,

00:35:24.720 --> 00:35:25.220
 there is a

00:35:25.220 --> 00:35:25.559
 phenomenal

00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:26.179
 book I

00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:26.559
 want to

00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:27.320
 recommend to

00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:27.460
 you.

00:35:27.579 --> 00:35:27.900
 I love

00:35:27.900 --> 00:35:28.260
 books,

00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:28.760
 good books

00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.059
 that point

00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:29.280
 me to

00:35:29.280 --> 00:35:29.519
 Jesus.

00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:30.820
 A

00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:31.200
 Praying

00:35:31.200 --> 00:35:32.500
 Life by

00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:33.119
 Paul

00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:33.760
 Miller.

00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:35.059
 I'm not

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.720
 awesome like

00:35:35.720 --> 00:35:36.200
 Mike and I

00:35:36.200 --> 00:35:36.519
 don't have

00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:37.000
 like 15

00:35:37.000 --> 00:35:37.539
 copies to

00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.059
 give out like

00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:38.460
 he sometimes

00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:38.740
 does.

00:35:39.260 --> 00:35:39.820
 So I'm

00:35:39.820 --> 00:35:40.079
 just going

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:40.579
 to drop

00:35:40.579 --> 00:35:40.860
 that.

00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:41.320
 A Praying

00:35:41.320 --> 00:35:41.840
 Life by

00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:42.320
 Paul Miller.

00:35:42.519 --> 00:35:43.179
 I've read

00:35:43.179 --> 00:35:43.960
 it like

00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:44.679
 twice in

00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:45.019
 the past

00:35:45.019 --> 00:35:45.679
 three years.

00:35:46.220 --> 00:35:46.760
 I am

00:35:46.760 --> 00:35:47.420
 not a

00:35:47.420 --> 00:35:47.860
 natural

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.519
 prayer.

00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:49.059
 It's an

00:35:49.059 --> 00:35:49.519
 area of

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.099
 ministry that

00:35:50.099 --> 00:35:50.480
 I really

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:50.880
 want to

00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:51.380
 grow in

00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:51.940
 and that

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.360
 book has

00:35:52.360 --> 00:35:53.000
 been a

00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:53.880
 significant

00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:55.000
 help to

00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:56.340
 me in

00:35:56.340 --> 00:35:57.380
 learning how

00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:58.260
 to pray,

00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:58.659
 how to

00:35:58.659 --> 00:35:59.039
 talk to

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.340
 the Lord,

00:35:59.420 --> 00:35:59.639
 how to

00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:00.099
 go before

00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:01.059
 the throne.

00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:01.619
 So A

00:36:01.619 --> 00:36:01.840
 Praying

00:36:01.840 --> 00:36:02.340
 Life by

00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:02.860
 Paul Miller.

00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:03.059
 It's

00:36:03.059 --> 00:36:03.539
 fantastic.

00:36:03.539 --> 00:36:05.019
 Here's

00:36:05.019 --> 00:36:05.219
 another

00:36:05.219 --> 00:36:05.519
 simple

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:05.840
 thing that

00:36:05.840 --> 00:36:06.099
 you can

00:36:06.099 --> 00:36:06.699
 do in

00:36:06.699 --> 00:36:07.500
 prayer if

00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:07.860
 you feel

00:36:07.860 --> 00:36:08.480
 kind of

00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:08.880
 lost in

00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.079
 there,

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:09.840
 is just

00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.139
 go to

00:36:10.139 --> 00:36:10.320
 the

00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:10.900
 Psalms.

00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:12.480
 Just go

00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:12.759
 to the

00:36:12.759 --> 00:36:13.519
 Psalms and

00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.960
 use those

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:16.159
 to pray.

00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:17.139
 They read

00:36:17.139 --> 00:36:18.920
 like prayers,

00:36:19.079 --> 00:36:19.279
 right?

00:36:19.320 --> 00:36:19.779
 Because that's

00:36:19.779 --> 00:36:20.539
 what they are.

00:36:20.639 --> 00:36:21.139
 The Psalms are

00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:21.519
 prayers.

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.539
 And they

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.059
 will give

00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:23.699
 you a

00:36:23.699 --> 00:36:24.500
 language of

00:36:24.500 --> 00:36:25.759
 prayer that

00:36:25.759 --> 00:36:26.519
 is so

00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:27.039
 helpful to

00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:27.460
 help you

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:28.119
 know what

00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:29.360
 to pray for

00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:30.259
 your brothers

00:36:30.259 --> 00:36:31.019
 and sisters.

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.259
 Go to the

00:36:32.259 --> 00:36:32.679
 Psalms.

00:36:33.159 --> 00:36:33.860
 And then you

00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:34.480
 can also

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:36.360
 obviously use

00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:37.259
 the Lord's

00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:37.539
 Prayer.

00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:39.059
 Use it to

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:39.639
 guide you.

00:36:40.159 --> 00:36:40.800
 It starts

00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:42.019
 with, we

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.440
 all know it,

00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:43.039
 our Father in

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.300
 Heaven,

00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:44.099
 hallowed be

00:36:44.099 --> 00:36:44.559
 your name.

00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:45.440
 And then you

00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:46.739
 can pray from

00:36:46.739 --> 00:36:48.099
 that, Father

00:36:48.099 --> 00:36:48.759
 in Heaven, I

00:36:48.759 --> 00:36:49.380
 want to

00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:50.739
 treasure you

00:36:50.739 --> 00:36:52.159
 above all

00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:53.079
 else this

00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:53.319
 morning.

00:36:53.399 --> 00:36:53.679
 I want to

00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:54.079
 honor your

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:54.399
 name.

00:36:54.579 --> 00:36:55.199
 I've got a

00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:56.179
 lot that is

00:36:56.179 --> 00:36:57.459
 competing for

00:36:57.459 --> 00:36:58.099
 my heart.

00:36:58.759 --> 00:36:59.259
 Help me to

00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:00.899
 see you and

00:37:00.899 --> 00:37:01.779
 your glory

00:37:01.779 --> 00:37:02.219
 today.

00:37:02.379 --> 00:37:02.739
 And then you

00:37:02.739 --> 00:37:03.619
 just go and

00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:04.619
 you pray through

00:37:04.619 --> 00:37:05.479
 those phrases

00:37:05.479 --> 00:37:06.719
 of the

00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:07.799
 Lord's Prayer.

00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:10.059
 So I hope

00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:10.679
 that helps

00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:10.859
 you.

00:37:12.939 --> 00:37:13.419
 Application

00:37:13.419 --> 00:37:14.099
 number three.

00:37:16.819 --> 00:37:17.419
 Faithfulness

00:37:17.419 --> 00:37:18.779
 embraces

00:37:18.779 --> 00:37:19.419
 persecution.

00:37:20.739 --> 00:37:22.679
 faithfulness

00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:23.439
 embraces

00:37:23.439 --> 00:37:24.779
 persecution.

00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:27.579
 This one is

00:37:27.579 --> 00:37:28.379
 hard for me

00:37:28.379 --> 00:37:30.399
 as I'm sure

00:37:30.399 --> 00:37:30.919
 that it is

00:37:30.919 --> 00:37:31.639
 for many of

00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:31.779
 you.

00:37:31.919 --> 00:37:32.339
 Pastor Mike

00:37:32.339 --> 00:37:32.819
 talked about

00:37:32.819 --> 00:37:33.319
 this last

00:37:33.319 --> 00:37:33.599
 week.

00:37:35.279 --> 00:37:36.179
 In our

00:37:36.179 --> 00:37:37.439
 Western

00:37:37.439 --> 00:37:38.179
 culture, if

00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:38.819
 there's anything

00:37:38.819 --> 00:37:39.399
 that we

00:37:39.399 --> 00:37:40.359
 dislike, it

00:37:40.359 --> 00:37:41.899
 is awkwardness.

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:43.779
 That is like

00:37:43.779 --> 00:37:44.839
 the worst

00:37:44.839 --> 00:37:45.459
 thing that we

00:37:45.459 --> 00:37:46.019
 can imagine

00:37:46.019 --> 00:37:47.739
 is relational

00:37:47.739 --> 00:37:49.979
 awkwardness to

00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:50.460
 the point that

00:37:50.460 --> 00:37:50.740
 we will

00:37:50.740 --> 00:37:51.500
 sometimes do

00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:52.000
 whatever we

00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:53.300
 can to

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:55.380
 avoid making

00:37:55.380 --> 00:37:56.219
 things awkward.

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:56.980
 And Jesus

00:37:56.980 --> 00:37:57.860
 has a way of

00:37:57.860 --> 00:37:58.639
 making things

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.900
 awkward, right?

00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:01.500
 Because of the

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.179
 claims that are

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:03.880
 made in the

00:38:03.880 --> 00:38:04.300
 gospel.

00:38:06.360 --> 00:38:07.559
 And I can be

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.219
 guilty of that

00:38:08.219 --> 00:38:09.280
 as well, of

00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:10.480
 prioritizing,

00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:11.099
 avoiding

00:38:11.099 --> 00:38:11.960
 awkwardness.

00:38:12.139 --> 00:38:13.460
 I am guilty

00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:13.880
 of that.

00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:15.720
 we can use

00:38:15.720 --> 00:38:17.260
 excuses to

00:38:17.260 --> 00:38:18.680
 justify our

00:38:18.680 --> 00:38:19.079
 silence.

00:38:19.160 --> 00:38:19.460
 We can think

00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:19.720
 I'm going to

00:38:19.720 --> 00:38:20.220
 mess it up.

00:38:20.300 --> 00:38:20.599
 I'm not going

00:38:20.599 --> 00:38:21.039
 to present the

00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:21.740
 gospel right.

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.660
 I don't have

00:38:23.660 --> 00:38:26.180
 these ten

00:38:26.180 --> 00:38:27.079
 thorough arguments

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:27.539
 for the

00:38:27.539 --> 00:38:28.160
 existence of

00:38:28.160 --> 00:38:28.840
 God in my

00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:29.380
 back pocket,

00:38:29.619 --> 00:38:29.980
 and so I

00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:30.380
 really got to

00:38:30.380 --> 00:38:30.940
 wait until I

00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:31.760
 master that,

00:38:31.820 --> 00:38:32.820
 or I've got to

00:38:32.820 --> 00:38:34.019
 master historical

00:38:34.019 --> 00:38:35.260
 arguments for

00:38:35.260 --> 00:38:36.140
 the resurrection,

00:38:36.460 --> 00:38:37.519
 and we feel

00:38:37.519 --> 00:38:39.440
 unqualified, and

00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:40.599
 so we just

00:38:40.599 --> 00:38:41.039
 never say

00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:41.420
 anything.

00:38:42.180 --> 00:38:43.000
 That can be a

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:44.480
 temptation for

00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:45.320
 a lot of us,

00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:45.980
 or maybe we

00:38:45.980 --> 00:38:46.619
 think I'm not

00:38:46.619 --> 00:38:47.280
 an introvert,

00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:47.739
 that's not

00:38:47.739 --> 00:38:48.639
 really my thing,

00:38:49.159 --> 00:38:50.179
 I'm just going

00:38:50.179 --> 00:38:51.480
 to leave that

00:38:51.480 --> 00:38:52.280
 to other

00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:53.119
 Christians.

00:38:53.400 --> 00:38:53.960
 They can

00:38:53.960 --> 00:38:54.739
 handle the

00:38:54.739 --> 00:38:56.039
 evangelism.

00:38:57.420 --> 00:38:58.199
 But what's

00:38:58.199 --> 00:38:59.400
 often really

00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:00.840
 going on with

00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:01.400
 that is that

00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:01.980
 we're just

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.579
 being fearful,

00:39:03.980 --> 00:39:04.940
 that we're

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.619
 just afraid of

00:39:05.619 --> 00:39:07.000
 how people

00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:07.559
 are going to

00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:08.059
 respond.

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:11.079
 And the

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:11.760
 Thessalonians,

00:39:11.880 --> 00:39:12.900
 they stand as

00:39:12.900 --> 00:39:13.800
 a little bit

00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:14.320
 of a loving

00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:16.019
 rebuke to

00:39:16.019 --> 00:39:16.920
 us this

00:39:16.920 --> 00:39:17.500
 morning, one

00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:17.860
 that I've

00:39:17.860 --> 00:39:18.300
 felt this

00:39:18.300 --> 00:39:18.860
 week while I

00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:19.260
 was in this

00:39:19.260 --> 00:39:19.700
 passage.

00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.840
 Because the

00:39:21.840 --> 00:39:22.579
 affliction that

00:39:22.579 --> 00:39:23.380
 Paul is

00:39:23.380 --> 00:39:24.740
 talking about,

00:39:25.380 --> 00:39:26.160
 it's affliction

00:39:26.160 --> 00:39:26.960
 that's the result

00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:27.720
 of them sharing

00:39:27.720 --> 00:39:28.599
 the gospel so

00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:29.220
 faithfully.

00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:30.800
 That's why they're

00:39:30.800 --> 00:39:31.380
 experiencing

00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:32.480
 affliction.

00:39:33.340 --> 00:39:34.760
 If you look

00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:36.200
 back in 1

00:39:36.200 --> 00:39:37.119
 verse 8,

00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:38.680
 he says,

00:39:38.679 --> 00:39:40.219
 for not only

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.919
 has the word

00:39:40.919 --> 00:39:41.440
 of the Lord

00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:42.799
 sounded forth

00:39:42.799 --> 00:39:43.460
 from you in

00:39:43.460 --> 00:39:44.379
 Macedonia and

00:39:44.379 --> 00:39:45.419
 Achaia, but

00:39:45.419 --> 00:39:46.579
 your faith in

00:39:46.579 --> 00:39:47.579
 God has gone

00:39:47.579 --> 00:39:49.519
 everywhere so

00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:50.179
 that we need

00:39:50.179 --> 00:39:51.119
 not say

00:39:51.119 --> 00:39:51.619
 anything.

00:39:51.739 --> 00:39:52.199
 Which is

00:39:52.199 --> 00:39:53.179
 amazing.

00:39:53.739 --> 00:39:55.239
 These brand

00:39:55.239 --> 00:39:55.859
 new Christians,

00:39:56.099 --> 00:39:56.579
 they're not

00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:57.599
 even a year

00:39:57.599 --> 00:39:57.960
 old.

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.639
 They've become

00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:00.440
 this center of

00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:01.379
 evangelism.

00:40:01.500 --> 00:40:02.940
 They're multiplying

00:40:02.940 --> 00:40:04.739
 Christians right

00:40:04.739 --> 00:40:06.079
 there in

00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:07.179
 Thessalonica.

00:40:08.459 --> 00:40:09.459
 So, when the

00:40:09.459 --> 00:40:10.379
 Thessalonians came

00:40:10.379 --> 00:40:12.319
 to Christ, they

00:40:12.319 --> 00:40:13.679
 accepted the

00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:15.439
 fact that they

00:40:15.439 --> 00:40:16.019
 were going to

00:40:16.019 --> 00:40:18.139
 be slandered and

00:40:18.139 --> 00:40:18.519
 they were going

00:40:18.519 --> 00:40:20.019
 to be persecuted

00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:20.839
 for their faith.

00:40:20.939 --> 00:40:21.739
 And it did not

00:40:21.739 --> 00:40:23.459
 stop them from

00:40:23.459 --> 00:40:24.819
 sharing the

00:40:24.819 --> 00:40:25.159
 gospel.

00:40:27.319 --> 00:40:28.379
 So, as we

00:40:28.379 --> 00:40:29.439
 pray, remember

00:40:29.439 --> 00:40:30.159
 faithfulness is

00:40:30.159 --> 00:40:30.899
 rooted in prayer,

00:40:31.299 --> 00:40:32.059
 one of the things

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:32.939
 that we need to be

00:40:32.939 --> 00:40:34.259
 regularly asking

00:40:34.260 --> 00:40:36.380
 the Lord for is

00:40:36.380 --> 00:40:38.540
 opportunity and

00:40:38.540 --> 00:40:39.280
 courage.

00:40:41.260 --> 00:40:42.220
 Lord, would you

00:40:42.220 --> 00:40:43.620
 give me the

00:40:43.620 --> 00:40:45.620
 opportunity to

00:40:45.620 --> 00:40:47.040
 sow gospel

00:40:47.040 --> 00:40:47.880
 seeds today?

00:40:48.660 --> 00:40:49.380
 Would you give

00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:50.120
 me the opportunity

00:40:50.120 --> 00:40:51.500
 to share the

00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:52.680
 gospel today?

00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:53.320
 And would you

00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:54.160
 grant me the

00:40:54.160 --> 00:40:54.960
 courage that I

00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:55.880
 need in order

00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:57.700
 to do so?

00:40:59.300 --> 00:41:00.160
 So, that can

00:41:00.160 --> 00:41:01.780
 be a scary

00:41:01.780 --> 00:41:04.100
 prayer to pray.

00:41:04.260 --> 00:41:05.920
 But that leads

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:06.600
 me to my

00:41:06.600 --> 00:41:07.800
 final point,

00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:09.380
 which is this.

00:41:11.220 --> 00:41:12.180
 Faithfulness is

00:41:12.180 --> 00:41:13.220
 rooted in

00:41:13.220 --> 00:41:13.900
 Christ.

00:41:16.220 --> 00:41:17.440
 Faithfulness is

00:41:17.440 --> 00:41:18.580
 rooted in

00:41:18.580 --> 00:41:19.380
 Christ.

00:41:20.440 --> 00:41:22.000
 The Thessalonians

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:23.280
 were bold in

00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:24.840
 their faith and

00:41:24.840 --> 00:41:25.600
 they endured

00:41:25.600 --> 00:41:26.560
 persecution not

00:41:26.560 --> 00:41:27.100
 because they had

00:41:27.100 --> 00:41:28.020
 greater willpower

00:41:28.020 --> 00:41:29.260
 or because they

00:41:29.260 --> 00:41:29.640
 were more

00:41:29.640 --> 00:41:31.320
 extroverted than

00:41:31.320 --> 00:41:31.860
 we are.

00:41:31.860 --> 00:41:32.780
 they were bold

00:41:32.780 --> 00:41:33.599
 and endured

00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:35.099
 because they

00:41:35.099 --> 00:41:35.960
 were firmly

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:37.099
 rooted in

00:41:37.099 --> 00:41:37.840
 their love

00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:38.820
 for Christ.

00:41:39.940 --> 00:41:40.920
 They were bold

00:41:40.920 --> 00:41:41.860
 because, as

00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:42.740
 Paul says,

00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:43.780
 they had received

00:41:43.780 --> 00:41:45.160
 the word of God

00:41:45.160 --> 00:41:46.700
 as God's

00:41:46.700 --> 00:41:47.480
 word.

00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:49.200
 In chapter 1,

00:41:49.300 --> 00:41:49.820
 Paul says of

00:41:49.820 --> 00:41:49.960
 them,

00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:51.539
 your faith in

00:41:51.539 --> 00:41:53.180
 God has

00:41:53.180 --> 00:41:54.079
 gone forth

00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:55.160
 everywhere.

00:41:55.380 --> 00:41:55.760
 That their

00:41:55.760 --> 00:41:57.099
 evangelism was so

00:41:57.099 --> 00:41:57.660
 effective,

00:41:58.099 --> 00:41:59.200
 not because they

00:41:59.200 --> 00:41:59.860
 had memorized

00:41:59.860 --> 00:42:01.079
 all these great

00:42:01.079 --> 00:42:02.860
 arguments for

00:42:02.860 --> 00:42:03.660
 defending their

00:42:03.660 --> 00:42:04.039
 faith, but

00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:05.000
 because of their

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:06.059
 faith in God.

00:42:07.860 --> 00:42:09.120
 And that faith

00:42:09.120 --> 00:42:10.000
 in God

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:11.280
 emboldened them

00:42:11.280 --> 00:42:12.220
 and strengthened

00:42:12.220 --> 00:42:13.400
 them even when

00:42:13.400 --> 00:42:14.079
 they were taking

00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:15.440
 heat for

00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:16.920
 representing Jesus.

00:42:18.880 --> 00:42:20.820
 So, if you're

00:42:20.820 --> 00:42:21.340
 feeling any

00:42:21.340 --> 00:42:22.079
 conviction this

00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:22.640
 morning, whether

00:42:22.640 --> 00:42:24.140
 it be over maybe

00:42:24.140 --> 00:42:25.059
 a lack of love

00:42:25.059 --> 00:42:26.940
 for others in

00:42:26.940 --> 00:42:28.120
 your church or

00:42:28.119 --> 00:42:29.500
 about your

00:42:29.500 --> 00:42:30.699
 prayer life or

00:42:30.699 --> 00:42:31.859
 hesitancy to

00:42:31.859 --> 00:42:33.679
 evangelize, the

00:42:33.679 --> 00:42:34.559
 answer to that

00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:36.339
 conviction is

00:42:36.339 --> 00:42:37.759
 not to sit

00:42:37.759 --> 00:42:38.500
 in shame.

00:42:39.739 --> 00:42:40.380
 Right?

00:42:40.480 --> 00:42:41.119
 The answer to

00:42:41.119 --> 00:42:42.239
 that conviction is

00:42:42.239 --> 00:42:44.119
 not to sit in

00:42:44.119 --> 00:42:44.380
 shame.

00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:45.779
 The answer is

00:42:45.779 --> 00:42:47.799
 to look at

00:42:47.799 --> 00:42:48.539
 your Savior.

00:42:50.119 --> 00:42:51.699
 The answer is

00:42:51.699 --> 00:42:52.819
 to go to your

00:42:52.819 --> 00:42:55.039
 God and to

00:42:55.039 --> 00:42:56.639
 stand fast in

00:42:56.639 --> 00:42:57.299
 Him.

00:42:59.000 --> 00:43:00.699
 It's to pray

00:43:00.699 --> 00:43:02.199
 like Paul did

00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:03.099
 and ask the

00:43:03.099 --> 00:43:04.179
 Lord to make

00:43:04.179 --> 00:43:04.940
 you increase

00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:06.199
 and abound

00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:07.500
 in love and

00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:08.420
 holiness and

00:43:08.420 --> 00:43:10.319
 continue asking

00:43:10.319 --> 00:43:11.639
 Him for that.

00:43:12.819 --> 00:43:13.599
 We should

00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:14.839
 strive to

00:43:14.839 --> 00:43:15.759
 live with a

00:43:15.759 --> 00:43:17.099
 faith like the

00:43:17.099 --> 00:43:18.159
 Thessalonians and

00:43:18.159 --> 00:43:19.119
 recognize that

00:43:19.119 --> 00:43:19.719
 that kind of

00:43:19.719 --> 00:43:20.099
 faith is

00:43:20.099 --> 00:43:21.059
 ultimately a

00:43:21.059 --> 00:43:21.920
 gift from

00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:23.179
 our God.

00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:24.539
 And that

00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:25.319
 doesn't mean

00:43:25.320 --> 00:43:25.940
 that we do

00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:26.660
 this whole

00:43:26.660 --> 00:43:27.800
 let go and

00:43:27.800 --> 00:43:28.519
 let God

00:43:28.519 --> 00:43:29.600
 theology.

00:43:29.800 --> 00:43:30.640
 We go to

00:43:30.640 --> 00:43:31.160
 our God

00:43:31.160 --> 00:43:32.340
 asking Him

00:43:32.340 --> 00:43:32.980
 for strength

00:43:32.980 --> 00:43:33.539
 and then we

00:43:33.539 --> 00:43:34.019
 act.

00:43:34.960 --> 00:43:35.160
 Right?

00:43:36.059 --> 00:43:37.080
 We stand

00:43:37.080 --> 00:43:37.840
 in the

00:43:37.840 --> 00:43:39.440
 Lord like

00:43:39.440 --> 00:43:40.460
 Paul says

00:43:40.460 --> 00:43:40.820
 and the

00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.680
 standing that

00:43:41.680 --> 00:43:43.080
 we do is

00:43:43.080 --> 00:43:44.660
 real and the

00:43:44.660 --> 00:43:45.400
 Lord Himself

00:43:45.400 --> 00:43:46.820
 sustains that

00:43:46.820 --> 00:43:47.420
 standing.

00:43:48.680 --> 00:43:49.820
 We have

00:43:49.820 --> 00:43:51.280
 faith in His

00:43:51.280 --> 00:43:52.180
 grace of

00:43:52.180 --> 00:43:53.180
 forgiveness and

00:43:53.179 --> 00:43:53.579
 we have

00:43:53.579 --> 00:43:54.779
 faith in

00:43:54.779 --> 00:43:55.639
 the grace of

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:56.619
 His transforming

00:43:56.619 --> 00:43:57.139
 power.

00:43:57.399 --> 00:43:58.079
 Both of those

00:43:58.079 --> 00:43:58.699
 things are

00:43:58.699 --> 00:43:59.000
 true.

00:44:01.699 --> 00:44:02.779
 So be

00:44:02.779 --> 00:44:03.379
 encouraged

00:44:03.379 --> 00:44:05.159
 brothers and

00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:05.739
 sisters because

00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:06.679
 the God who

00:44:06.679 --> 00:44:08.319
 sustained the

00:44:08.319 --> 00:44:09.699
 Thessalonians is

00:44:09.699 --> 00:44:11.159
 the same God

00:44:11.159 --> 00:44:12.159
 who sustains

00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:12.899
 you.

00:44:14.799 --> 00:44:15.819
 Keep standing

00:44:15.819 --> 00:44:16.379
 fast.

00:44:17.619 --> 00:44:18.839
 Keep encouraging

00:44:18.839 --> 00:44:20.379
 your brothers and

00:44:20.380 --> 00:44:20.740
 sisters.

00:44:22.260 --> 00:44:22.920
 Keep your

00:44:22.920 --> 00:44:24.160
 eyes fixed

00:44:24.160 --> 00:44:25.820
 on Jesus

00:44:25.820 --> 00:44:28.539
 and let's

00:44:28.539 --> 00:44:29.380
 not do that

00:44:29.380 --> 00:44:29.640
 alone.

00:44:29.740 --> 00:44:30.420
 Let's do that

00:44:30.420 --> 00:44:32.140
 together as a

00:44:32.140 --> 00:44:32.460
 family.

00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:33.780
 Amen?

00:44:34.460 --> 00:44:34.880
 Amen.

00:44:35.180 --> 00:44:35.599
 Let's pray.

00:44:39.800 --> 00:44:40.640
 Heavenly Father,

00:44:40.720 --> 00:44:41.220
 we ask that

00:44:41.220 --> 00:44:41.460
 You would

00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:42.220
 strengthen us,

00:44:42.780 --> 00:44:43.260
 the people of

00:44:43.260 --> 00:44:43.760
 Christ the King

00:44:43.760 --> 00:44:45.700
 Church, that You

00:44:45.700 --> 00:44:46.440
 would embolden

00:44:46.440 --> 00:44:49.280
 us, that You

00:44:49.280 --> 00:44:50.880
 would help us not

00:44:50.880 --> 00:44:51.960
 to shrink back

00:44:51.960 --> 00:44:52.880
 from declaring the

00:44:52.880 --> 00:44:53.500
 good news of

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:54.260
 Jesus Christ.

00:44:55.780 --> 00:44:56.580
 Would it

00:44:56.580 --> 00:44:58.240
 register deeply

00:44:58.240 --> 00:44:59.160
 in our hearts

00:44:59.160 --> 00:45:00.280
 that what every

00:45:00.280 --> 00:45:01.980
 lost person needs

00:45:01.980 --> 00:45:02.800
 the most above

00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:03.780
 everything else is

00:45:03.780 --> 00:45:04.560
 to have their sins

00:45:04.560 --> 00:45:06.160
 forgiven and be

00:45:06.160 --> 00:45:07.200
 born again and to

00:45:07.200 --> 00:45:08.920
 know You as

00:45:08.920 --> 00:45:09.980
 their Savior and

00:45:09.980 --> 00:45:10.880
 Lord, to be in

00:45:10.880 --> 00:45:11.960
 relationship with

00:45:11.960 --> 00:45:13.840
 You, Lord God.

00:45:13.960 --> 00:45:14.640
 That's what every

00:45:14.640 --> 00:45:15.680
 person needs the

00:45:15.680 --> 00:45:16.100
 most.

00:45:16.099 --> 00:45:18.259
 Christ, and

00:45:18.259 --> 00:45:18.659
 Father, You

00:45:18.659 --> 00:45:19.679
 have graciously

00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:21.319
 provided a way

00:45:21.319 --> 00:45:22.059
 through the death

00:45:22.059 --> 00:45:22.659
 and resurrection

00:45:22.659 --> 00:45:23.440
 of Your Son.

00:45:24.920 --> 00:45:27.019
 You have made a

00:45:27.019 --> 00:45:28.599
 path of salvation.

00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:31.920
 Help us to grow

00:45:31.920 --> 00:45:33.579
 in sharing that

00:45:33.579 --> 00:45:34.219
 good news.

00:45:35.420 --> 00:45:36.400
 We thank You for

00:45:36.400 --> 00:45:37.699
 the faithfulness of

00:45:37.699 --> 00:45:39.360
 the Thessalonians so

00:45:39.360 --> 00:45:40.279
 many years ago, for

00:45:40.279 --> 00:45:41.099
 the witness that they

00:45:41.099 --> 00:45:42.579
 still are for us

00:45:42.579 --> 00:45:43.299
 through this letter

00:45:43.299 --> 00:45:43.980
 and Your Word.

00:45:43.980 --> 00:45:45.179
 Thank You for the

00:45:45.179 --> 00:45:46.240
 beauty of the

00:45:46.240 --> 00:45:46.579
 Scriptures.

00:45:47.960 --> 00:45:49.260
 We are so grateful

00:45:49.260 --> 00:45:50.119
 that we get to read

00:45:50.119 --> 00:45:50.960
 these Scriptures that

00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:51.800
 have been breathed

00:45:51.800 --> 00:45:53.159
 out by Your Spirit.

00:45:53.300 --> 00:45:54.400
 That is an amazing

00:45:54.400 --> 00:45:54.820
 thing.

00:45:57.019 --> 00:45:58.019
 Would You encourage

00:45:58.019 --> 00:45:59.059
 us, Father, with

00:45:59.059 --> 00:46:01.219
 the reality that You

00:46:01.219 --> 00:46:02.260
 are ultimately the

00:46:02.260 --> 00:46:02.960
 one who changes

00:46:02.960 --> 00:46:05.320
 hearts, that You

00:46:05.320 --> 00:46:06.320
 are the one who

00:46:06.320 --> 00:46:07.400
 brings the dead

00:46:07.400 --> 00:46:11.139
 to life, that You

00:46:11.139 --> 00:46:12.159
 are the one who

00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:13.679
 causes lost

00:46:13.679 --> 00:46:14.559
 sinners to be

00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:15.419
 born again.

00:46:17.159 --> 00:46:18.199
 And may that

00:46:18.199 --> 00:46:19.559
 confidence in You

00:46:19.559 --> 00:46:21.659
 make us more and

00:46:21.659 --> 00:46:23.059
 more faithful in

00:46:23.059 --> 00:46:23.659
 our witness.

00:46:25.339 --> 00:46:26.539
 We ask You to

00:46:26.539 --> 00:46:26.940
 work in our

00:46:26.940 --> 00:46:28.059
 hearts, O Lord.

00:46:29.859 --> 00:46:30.699
 Would You give us

00:46:30.699 --> 00:46:32.339
 a passion for the

00:46:32.339 --> 00:46:33.299
 gospel that pushes

00:46:33.299 --> 00:46:34.980
 past the

00:46:34.980 --> 00:46:36.099
 awkwardness and the

00:46:36.099 --> 00:46:37.619
 fear of shame?

00:46:39.359 --> 00:46:40.159
 And I know that

00:46:40.159 --> 00:46:40.699
 that is something

00:46:40.699 --> 00:46:41.559
 that I need in

00:46:41.559 --> 00:46:42.599
 myself, Lord.

00:46:42.599 --> 00:46:44.179
 And you are the

00:46:44.179 --> 00:46:44.799
 God who is able

00:46:44.799 --> 00:46:45.460
 to give that.

00:46:47.420 --> 00:46:48.119
 Thank you for

00:46:48.119 --> 00:46:49.019
 Your patience with

00:46:49.019 --> 00:46:50.719
 us and for Your

00:46:50.719 --> 00:46:51.079
 mercy.

00:46:52.599 --> 00:46:53.440
 It's in Jesus'

00:46:53.619 --> 00:46:54.000
 name that we

00:46:54.000 --> 00:46:54.299
 pray.

00:46:55.299 --> 00:46:55.619
 Amen.

00:46:55.619 --> 00:46:55.739
 Amen.

00:46:55.739 --> 00:46:56.919
 Amen.