Good morning.
It is an honor and a privilege to be here this morning.
!
Imagine that you had come to Hilliard to start a church.
So you come to Hilliard and your plan is to share Jesus with some people and see them believe and start a new church.
And you start by going to Walmart to buy some gum.
It's always good to have fresh breath when you're going to start a church.
And so you go into Walmart and you're buying your gum.
You're talking to your cashier, Susan, and making some small talk with her.
And finally you say, you know, Susan, do you know anything about Jesus?
And much to your surprise, her eyes light up and she says, yeah, yeah.
You know what?
I've heard all about what Jesus is doing at Maranatha Baptist Church.
And it really has motivated me to try and find out more.
I bought a Bible and I've been reading it.
And you're kind of taken back.
You didn't think it would go that way, but you're happy.
And, you know, you finish talking with her.
You say, you know, that's great, Susan.
I'll be praying for you.
I'm glad to hear that.
And so you leave there and you go over to Starbucks.
And you sit down at Starbucks with your vanilla bean frappuccino.
And you're kind of sizing up the room, think, okay, I could probably meet some people here.
And there's a group in the back sitting around a table.
And you're kind of eavesdropping in on them.
And they're talking about Maranatha Baptist Church and what God's doing there.
You're kind of listening in.
You think, this is interesting, two times in a row.
But then a lady gets up from a table at the front of the store and walks back there and says,
Hey, you know what?
That's nothing.
Let me tell you this story that a friend of mine who goes to Maranatha was sharing about what God was doing there.
Again, you're delightfully surprised.
And you think, well, that's great.
That's great news.
So you leave there and you head out to the gas station.
You've got to get gas.
You're trying to share with the cashier there.
And she starts talking about what God's doing at Maranatha.
Okay?
You go to a park.
Well, maybe not a park in the winter.
But you go and you sit down.
You're trying to share.
They're talking about Maranatha.
You're kind of surprised.
You go by one of the high schools and you're talking to some students as they're getting out of class.
And they're talking about what God's doing at Maranatha.
You think, well, praise the Lord.
Guess Hilliard's okay.
You head down to Galloway and you're trying to share with people there.
And they're talking about what Jesus is doing at Maranatha Baptist Church.
Go to Lincoln Village.
People are talking about Maranatha.
Go to Grove City.
And people there are talking about what God's doing at Maranatha.
You think, okay, I just got to move out a little further.
You go out to Plain City and to Marysville, to Delaware.
And all of those places, everyone you engage and start talking to them about Jesus says,
I've heard what Jesus is doing at Maranatha Baptist Church.
I mean, that would be awesome.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
That would be amazing.
I mean, the truth is, as long as Maranatha has been here such a long time,
it would be amazing still to see that kind of influence pervading all of the people,
even in the surrounding area.
But yet, what if Maranatha was just a new church?
Let's say a year old.
How amazing would that be to see God working in that way?
And that's exactly what we're going to see in 1 Thessalonians this morning.
But before we begin, would you join me and let's pray.
Heavenly Father, we come to you.
And Father, we ask for your grace.
Lord, I pray that you would direct this time,
that you would have me speak your words,
that your spirit would come and dwell among us.
You would minister your word to our lives,
that you would challenge us, that you would convict us.
You would encourage us,
and that you would compel us to be more like Christ.
Father, we confess if you do not move in power,
then our time will be spent in vain.
So we just ask, we beg you, please,
to do a work that Christ might be exalted,
and we might love you as we should.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If you want to turn to 1 Thessalonians 1,
that's what we're going to look at.
If you're using one of the Bibles here,
it's page 986.
Page 986.
1 Thessalonians 1.
And as you're doing that,
let me give you a little background information.
Paul and Silas were in Philippi,
and you probably remember,
as things went in Philippi,
you know, God was working,
everybody got upset,
they got thrown in jail,
and you remember the Philippian jailer,
his household comes to Christ,
and then finally Paul and Silas get let out of jail,
and the brothers and sisters in Philippi
urged them to leave,
and so they do, they leave,
and when they leave there,
they end up in Thessalonica.
Now, at that time,
Thessalonica is the largest city in Macedonia.
They estimate about 200,000 people.
I don't know how they know that,
but about 200,000 people at that time,
and the majority of those people are Greek,
and a large population of Romans,
but even there,
a strong minority of Jews are also living there,
and as Paul normally does,
he comes in,
and Acts 17, 2 says that for three Sabbaths,
he's ministering to the Jews.
So some people think Paul's ministry in Thessalonica
was only three weeks.
Other people say,
no, no,
that probably was just his ministry to the Jews,
but you know how he is.
He goes to the Jews first,
then he goes to the Gentiles,
so, you know,
maybe he was there longer,
but the bottom line is,
everybody agrees he was in Thessalonica
a short time,
several weeks,
several months,
but again,
as God moves,
and the church is started,
the Jews get jealous,
and then persecution begins again,
and the church encourages them to leave.
So Paul and Silas leave,
they travel on from there,
ending up in Corinth,
and in Corinth,
eventually,
sometime later,
Timothy comes and meets them in Corinth,
and brings a report to them about the church in Thessalonica,
and after he gives them that report,
how the church is still facing persecution,
and what's going on with them,
Paul writes this letter back to the church at Thessalonica,
and so that's the background of what's happening,
is Paul writes to them,
to this young church,
in the middle of persecution,
and if you would,
follow along,
I'm going to read to you,
really the whole first chapter,
starting in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1,
starting with verse 1,
and it says,
Paul,
Silvanus,
and Timothy,
to the church of the Thessalonians,
and God,
the Father,
and the Lord Jesus Christ,
grace to you,
and peace.
We give thanks to God always,
for all of you,
constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
remembering before our God and Father,
your work of faith,
and labor of love,
and steadfastness of hope,
in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know,
brothers loved by God,
that he has chosen you,
because our gospel came to you,
not only in word,
but also in power,
and in the Holy Spirit,
and with full conviction.
You know what kind of men we prove to be among you,
for your sake.
And you became imitators of us,
and of the Lord,
for you received the word in much affliction,
with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
so that you became an example,
to all the believers in Macedonia,
and Achaia.
And for not only has the word of the Lord
sounded forth from you into Macedonia and Achaia,
but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere,
so that we need not say anything.
For they themselves report concerning us
the kind of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols,
to serve the living and true God,
and to wait for his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead,
Jesus,
who delivers us from the wrath to come.
So did you catch it?
Did you see it in there?
Paul talking about this church,
this young church,
and he says,
you've become examples to all the believers
in Macedonia and Achaia.
Now, Macedonia,
just to give you kind of a frame of reference,
is about the same mass,
land mass size,
maybe as the state of Vermont,
a little bigger than that.
And so,
he's saying,
you've become an example to all of them,
but also,
notice he says,
the word of the Lord
sounded forth from them
into Macedonia and Achaia,
and that everybody has heard
about the faith in God.
So Paul's trying to share with them,
trying to talk to these new people
about what God's doing
and Thessalonica,
and they're saying,
no, wait, wait, no,
we know,
we know how this story ends.
We've heard.
And so Paul is encouraging them.
And in short,
what we see
is this young church
has already made
an eternal impact
on its community
and on really
much of the known world
at that time.
The gospel's spreading out from them.
Well, if you're like me,
at this point
in the story,
you start going,
wow.
Wow,
how is that happening?
How is this young church
making such a big impact?
How are they having such influence?
And that's what we're going to look at.
I think we see here
in verses 2 and 3,
Paul lay out for us
three characteristics
that God was using
for them to impact eternally
their surrounding community
and country.
Look at verses 2 and 3 again.
It says,
we give thanks to God always
for all of you,
constantly mentioning you
in our prayers,
remembering before our God
and Father
your work of faith,
your labor of love,
and steadfastness of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And those are the three key points
that I think Paul's bringing up here
and in many ways
lays out the outline
for the rest of the book
of 1 Thessalonians.
He talks about their work of faith,
their labor of love,
and their steadfastness of hope
in Jesus Christ.
And let's look at these three things.
First, the work of faith.
The work of faith.
I think we see a picture
of what Paul is referring to
lower in the chapter
where he talks about
in verses 4 through 6.
We know, brothers,
loved by God,
He's chosen you
because our gospel came to you
not only in word
but in power
and in the Holy Spirit
with full conviction
that you knew
what kind of men
we proved to be among you
for your sake,
you became imitators of us
and of the Lord
for you received the word
in much affliction
with joy of the Holy Spirit.
We see his talking here
is reminding them
of how they had heard
the truth about Jesus
but that not only
had they heard it
but they believed it.
That in faith
they accepted
what Paul had told them
about Christ
and grasped onto it.
They held to it in faith.
And if we look down
in chapter 2
he says it a different way.
Chapter 2 verse 13
says,
We also thank God
constantly for this
that when you received
the word of God
which you heard from us
you accepted it
not as the word of men
but as what it really is.
The word of God
which is at work
and you believers.
And so this work of faith
he talks about
this first step is
they had heard
the word of God
and they'd received it
in faith.
They believed it.
You know they had no
definite assurances.
They just had to accept
in faith
what the Holy Spirit
was bringing about
in power in their lives.
And they believed
what God had said.
They believed
who Jesus was.
But not only
do they believe it
it's not an intellectual pursuit
but you remember
in verse 6
it said
you became imitators
of us
and of the Lord.
They just
weren't saying
oh yeah
I think
you know
Jesus
son of God
I think that's true.
No
they had accepted it
in faith
such that it was
changing how they lived.
They were walking
in obedience to it.
And
in verse 9
it said
they themselves
report concerning us
the kind of reception
we had among you
how you turn to God
from idols
to serve
the living
and true God.
You know
their acceptance
in faith
was changing
how they lived
their lives.
It wasn't just
an intellectual knowledge
it wasn't just
doctrine
it was about life.
Their theology
their beliefs
about God
was compelling
them to live
in a certain way.
If we look down
in chapter 4
verse 1
Paul says it
this way
finally then
brothers
we ask
and urge you
in the Lord Jesus
that as you receive
from us
how you ought to walk
and to please God
just as you are doing
that you do so
more and more.
So this work of faith
hearing the good news
about Jesus
hearing all that
Paul was teaching them
from the word of God
and believing it
accepting it in faith
and living it out
is this picture we have
where he says
I remember
the work of faith
among you.
Now that brings me
to the first point
of application.
The first point
of application
is this
has there been
a work of faith
in your life?
Has there been
a work of faith
in your life?
Now most importantly
have you believed
what the Bible says
about Jesus?
Have you turned
from your self-centered life
and set your heart
on living in a way
that honors him?
You see
the Bible is
very clear.
There is a God.
He's the creator
and the sustainer
of all things
and your sinful
self-centered heart
that you were born with
and the selfish way
you have lived your life
has shattered
your relationship
with the God
who made you.
But God
in his grace
and his mercy
and his love
has made a way
to forgive you
and restore
or renew
that relationship
with you
through Jesus.
Now this
this new life
in Christ
this new life
through Jesus
is a free gift.
There's nothing
you can do
to earn it.
There's no way
you can do anything
to deserve
this new life
but it also
costs you everything.
You see
you have to be willing
to give up
your self-centered life
and live a life
that's focused
on reflecting
Jesus' love
and grace
and mercy
and beauty.
Now of course
if you truly know Jesus
it's a decision
that you're more
than willing
to make.
you know
the first step
towards making
an eternal impact
is realizing
the universe
isn't all about you.
You know
and let me
just add
a loving warning
at the end of this
if you choose
to not make Jesus
the center
of your life now
if you prefer
to live your life
without Jesus
now
God will give you
what you want.
You can have life
without Jesus now
but you will also
have eternity
without Jesus
after you die.
So you won't
be looking forward
to heaven
spending eternity
with him
but only towards
having to face
the eternal wrath
of God.
So if you haven't
had this experience
if you haven't
had a life changing
experience with Jesus
don't leave
here today
without talking
to somebody around you
or to one of the pastors
or to me.
You know
there's no better way
to start a new year
than with a new life.
So please
please hear me.
That's the first
important question
to ask.
Now assuming
you have had
this new experience
this new life
that you've received
in faith
what the Bible
says about Jesus
the next question is
are you an imitator
of Christ?
And if you are
an imitator of Christ
in this coming year
what's your plan
to become
a better imitator
of Christ?
or as it says
in chapter 4
how are you going
to live
or walk in a way
pleasing to God
and do so more
and more
in this coming year?
Now the only way
I know
to be a better
imitator of Christ
is spending time
with Him.
And I'm
going to
make a confession
to you guys
you might as well
know this now
sometimes when I'm
studying I kind of
get caught
on a rabbit trail
and I go off
and something
sparks my thinking
and I read
some more on it
and as I was
reading about this
I kind of started
thinking about
Elvis impersonators.
I know you might
not see the connection
but you're talking
about imitating
and you know
and so I started
reading on that
what does it take
to be a good
impersonator?
And there's really
a lot of information
out there
if you need to know
but I'm just
going to give you
one quote
that I thought
was a good summary
of the things
I read.
This was the
expert advice
on being an
impersonator.
It said
listen to recordings
obtain recordings
of those celebrities
and public figures
you are learning
to impersonate.
If possible
watch videos
to learn mannerisms
listen for tone
and inflections
in specific words.
keep practicing.
Becoming an impersonator
takes repeated practice.
Try out new voices
to determine
which ones
sound the most authentic.
Record
and listen to yourself
and to your impersonations
to determine
what areas
you need to work on.
Now folks
if it takes
that much work
to become
an Elvis impersonator
how much more
work
should we be
putting into
being imitators
of Christ?
How much more
should we be
spending time
listening to him
studying him
looking at how
is our life
a reflection of him?
What areas
do we need to change?
What is it that we're saying
that's not a proper
imitation of him?
What is it we're doing
that is not a reflection
of his love
and his grace
and his beauty?
And how should we be
laboring
to become
a clear reflection
of Christ?
And so this year
as things are starting
you know
I'm sure you guys
have already thought
through this
it's a good time
to start a new
Bible reading plan
you know
read through the Bible
this year
or you know
start a new
prayer journal
start a new time
you know
your old time
for spending time
with Jesus
wasn't good
maybe you need to
change your schedule
some
and I'm confident
you've thought
through those things
but let me challenge
you to step further
than that
and realize
it's not just
about checking
the box
off of your
Bible reading schedule
it's about being
with Jesus
you see
you want to be
in his presence
you want to take
time with him
you want to make sure
just like the other
relationships in your life
that it's a priority
to spend time
listening
talking
intimately with him
with his word
with his people
you know
it makes perfect sense
if I talked about
my relationship
with my wife
and that
you know
this new year
I've worked out a plan
I'm going to spend
30 minutes a day
I'm going to sit down
with my wife
I'm going to tell her
what I need
I'm going to ask her
if she needs anything
maybe we can have
some quick conversation
and then I'm
going to check that off
did wife today
done
there would be
some discussion
about that
in my house
okay
but so often
that's how we approach
this work of faith
is that we can just
schedule it
and check it off
and we don't take
the time
like Jesus
is a live
living person
and coming into
his presence
and being with him
so this year
let me challenge you
you know
the first thing to do
if you want to
impact eternity
is be with Jesus
accept his word
and faith
and let it change
who you are
that's the first point
the second thing
that we see Paul
say here is
he remembers
the church at
Thessalonica's
labor of love
now
I want you to
turn with me
to this passage
I think it's one of
the most amazing
descriptions of a church
in the Bible
it's in chapter 4
1 Thessalonians
chapter 4
verses 9 and 10
I just want you
to see it with your own eyes
I'm going to read it
but it's such an amazing
description of the church
I want you to see it
for yourself
okay
1 Thessalonians
chapter 4
verses 9 and 10
it says
wouldn't that be
an amazing thing
to have written
about Maranatha
as far as loving each other
I really don't have
anything to say
from the Apostle Paul
you know
you guys
have been taught
by God
to love one another
just keep going
you're doing it
just keep doing it
more and more
I mean
how amazing is that
when I got to this point
in Thessalonians
I thought
surely
this is the key
surely this
is why
the church
at Thessalonica
was making
such a big impact
because not only
is it talking about
them loving each other
but loving all the
brothers in Macedonia
they just didn't love
their own church
but every opportunity
they were loving
those around them
and
you guys know
John 13
34 and 35
says
a new commandment
Jesus speaking
a new commandment
I give to you
that you love one another
just as I have loved you
you also are to love
one another
by this all people
will know that you're
my disciples
if you have love
for one another
so it's not really
surprising to think
as the church
at Thessalonica
was loving each other
in such a powerful way
it was impacting
their community
and their world
but I think
we need to stop
and define love
you see
because in our culture
love is a very
loosely
used word
I can love my wife
and I can love my car
and I can love pizza
and if my wife ever thinks
I'm referring to her
in the same manner as pizza
there's going to be
another discussion
right
and so
let's talk about
what does it mean here
when Paul is talking
about their labor of love
I think
the first thing
we can do
to define that
is look at the ways
Paul has loved them
how has Paul shown love
to the church
at Thessalonica
because we know
he's already said
they're imitators of him
and Paul's very clear
in chapter 2 verse 7
Paul describes his love
for them
like a nursing mother
in chapter 2 verse 8
he says
being affectionately
desirous of you
we were ready
to share with you
not only the gospel
of God
but also our own selves
because you had become
very dear to us
chapter 2 verse 11
he says
like a father
with his children
chapter 2 verse 12
he says
we exhorted each of you
and encouraged you
and charged you
to walk in a manner
worthy of God
so we see
Paul is talking about
a very passionate love
it's very heartfelt
it's the kind of love
that explodes out
like for your children
but we also see
Paul talking about
very practical things
if we were to turn down
to chapter 5
1 Thessalonians 5
starting in verse 12
1 Thessalonians 5
12
Paul says
we ask you brothers
to respect those
who labor among you
and are over you
in the Lord
and admonish you
to esteem them
very highly in love
because of their work
be at peace
among yourselves
we urge you brothers
admonish the idle
encourage the faint hearted
help the weak
be patient
with them all
see that no one
repays anyone
evil for evil
but always seeks
to do good
to one another
and to everyone
and so we see
this description
of love
that is both
passionate
and practical
it's not just
emotional
see we
we have a tendency
in our culture
to use love
in that way
it's a feeling
you know
I just
I have this feeling
young people
have that feeling
and then they want
to get married
because they have
this feeling
it is passionate
but it's also
very practical
it's about how
you live your life
love is a verb
it's an action
and so
Paul's description
here
in talking about
the church at Thessalonica
gives us that view
passionate
and practical
love
and so
the second point
of application
is
how is your
labor of love
how is your
labor of love
now
if you
are like me
we'll just
I'll take all the
blame in this
sometimes
you may think
and maybe
even say
I love them
I just don't
like them
now I'm not
going to ask
for a show
of hands
but I'll
confess
there have
been times
in my life
where I have
had those
thoughts
and probably
have said
them out
loud
I do that
often
I love
them
I just
don't
like
them
and we
think
that somehow
we can
have this
intellectual
love
for each
other
and we're
fulfilling
the biblical
mandate
what God
is asking
of us
but that's
not the
picture
that we
see here
when Paul's
talking about
like a nursing
mother being
very desirous
of you
you know
there's a
passion
it's not
just
intellectual
assent
okay I
have to
love them
it's a
heartfelt
explosion
that I'm
committed
to them
I will
give of
myself
to them
I will
open my
life to
them
you remember
Paul says
that we
didn't share
just the
gospel
but our
very
selves
and that's
the view
we're called
to in the
body of
Christ
how is
your labor
of love
are you
loving
passionately
the challenge
is it's
inconvenient
it's hard
to deal
with
matter of
fact
I would
say for
us to
genuinely
love each
other
is not
just hard
it's
impossible
it's
impossible
but I
think
that's
why we
read
in chapter
4 verse
9 where
Paul said
you yourselves
have been
taught by
God
to love
one another
you know
we
need
an
external
influence
to love
the way
we're
called
to love
God
has to
do
a work
the
Holy
Spirit
has to
move
in our
hearts
if we're
really
going to
love
each other
and not
just
each
other
you know
we've
been around
since
Thursday
and we've
gotten to
be with
many of
you
and hear
your
stories
and everybody
constantly
talks about
how much
you guys
love each
other
that's
awesome
we love
that you
love each
other
that was a
lot of
loving
but
you know
that's
great
but remember
the picture
that we
see here
is not
just that
it's not
just a
love for
each other
but it's
a love
for those
outside
the walls
here
it's in
our
communities
it's
our
neighbors
it's
the
brothers
and
sisters
at
other
churches
throughout
Columbus
and
throughout
the
world
and it's
not
just
oh yeah
we should
help
them
out
but it's
this
passionate
love
and so
how are
you doing
we need
the Holy
Spirit
to do
that
and I
would
I challenge
you this
year
okay
this year
try
I'm trying
I'm not
doing very
well so
far
and I've
had more
time to
practice
than you
guys
but trying
every day
to pray
this simple
prayer
okay
it's a
very simple
prayer
I tried
to make
it simple
so I'd
remember
it
but I
still
forget
it
says
father
help me
to overflow
with love
for you
and for
your children
and for
all those
around me
and let
me challenge
you
you don't
have to
pray those
exact words
it's not
a magic
formula
or anything
but that
concept
that every
day
you are
coming
before
God
and you
are asking
him
through
his
spirit
to give
you
supernatural
love
if we
know
it's
impossible
for us
to do
it
then
we
also
need
to
realize
that
we
should
be
diligently
asking
him
to do
what
we
can't
do
you
see
so
first
let me
challenge
you
in your
labor
of love
pray
daily
for
his
work
of love
in your
life
the
second
thing
as I
worked
through
this
and
contemplated
how
does
this
need
to
work
out
in my
life
is
I
thought
about
one
of the
ways
I
need
to
help
myself
love
this
way
is
regularly
reminding
myself
of how
God
loves
me
and
we
see
throughout
the
Bible
many
ways
that
God
talks
about
his
love
for
us
many
ways
that
God
shows
his
love
to
us
we
see
many
ways
that
Jesus
loves
others
and
I
think
that
I
need
and
I'll
just
be
bold
and
say
I
think
you
need
it
too
how
do
we
live
that
love
out
so
spend
time
reflecting
on
the
love
of
Christ
and
on
God's
love
for
you
so
you
can
love
in
that
way
and
look
for
practical
opportunities
to
express
that
love
I
started
a
list
for
you
things
that
you
can
do
number
one
notice
when
people
aren't
here
and
contact
them
okay
that's
good
you
probably
do
that
okay
number
two
make
a
schedule
to
connect
with
a
different
person
and
family
each
week
you
could
do
that
look
for
those
with
a
need
and
secretly
meet
it
okay
that
one
might
be
harder
plan
ways
to
show
hospitality
several
times
a
week
now
I
was
making
a
much
longer
list
and
I
thought
nobody
is
going
to
listen
to
your
stupid
list
and
they're
not
going
to
remember
that
stuff
so
I
thought
I
better
summarize
it
so
I
got
something
quick
and
easy
for
you
Romans
chapter
12
verse
10
Romans
chapter
12
verse
10
you
can
turn
there
if
you
want
but
it's
short
you'll
remember
it
says
love
one
another
with
brotherly
affection
outdo
one
another
in
showing
honor
when
I
got
to
that
point
I
had
to
take
a
few
minutes
and
ponder
that
could
you
imagine
try
to
imagine
with
me
what
the
body
of
Christ
would
be
like
and
our
communities
if
we
really
came
to
each
situation
actively
trying
to
out
love
each
other
I
mean
really
think
about
it
if
that
was
your
intentional
goal
when
you
came
to
your
small
group
when
you
got
together
with
somebody
else
from
the
church
when
you
were
with
your
neighbors
when
you
were
in
your
community
that
you
were
actively
looking
to
outdo
them
and
honoring
them
if
you
are
looking
to
love
them
passionately
and
with
your
brothers
and
sisters
to
out
love
them
I
contend
that the
church
would be
transformed
and along
with it
the
community
if we
merely
did
that
one
thing
if we
loved
the way
Jesus
loved
us
and
sought
to
out
love
everybody
else
that
was
our
goal
whenever
we're
going
to
get
together
I'm
going
to
out
love
that
guy
our
lives
would
be
changed
our
churches
would
be
changed
our
communities
would
be
changed
people
really
would
know
we
are
disciples
of
Christ
because
of
our
love
for
each
other
so
you
can
make
your
own
list
I
don't
need
to
do
that
you
just
remember
that
this
challenge
is
in our
new
year
to
out
love
each
other
and
through
that
labor
of
love
to
make
an
eternal
impact
number
three
Paul
talks
about
remembering
their
steadfastness
of hope
in Jesus
Christ
their
steadfastness
of hope
in Jesus
Christ
I think
we need to
stop for a second
as well
and define hope
because it's also a word
that has gotten
diluted
and we talk about hope
in our culture
in our ways
as kind of like a wishful
thinking
you know
I'm
not sure
what's for lunch
but
I hope
it's
cheesecake
you know
what I'm saying
if it's not
cheesecake
it's okay
but
man
if it's
cheesecake
that'd be
great
you know
and we
think of
hope
that way
it's kind
of this
wishful
thinking
I hope
it works
out
probably
won't
I hope
it happens
if it
doesn't
it's
okay
but
biblically
that is
not the
way
the word
hope
is
used
you need
to
understand
that
you probably
know
that
but let
me
just
remind
you
in
scripture
hope
is a
much
stronger
word
it's
this
sense
of
trust
it's
this
sense
of
eager
longing
it's
this
expectation
that
something
will
happen
it's
far
stronger
than
our
use
of
the
word
hope
now
and
so
when
Paul
talks
here
about
their
steadfastness
in
hope
it's
not
like
they're
sitting
around
going
man
I
hope
everything
works
out
no
they
are
set
they
know
everything
is
going
to work
out
and
see
the
foundation
of
their
hope
you
remember
we
read
in
1
Thessalonians
1
9
and
10
it said
they
themselves
report
concerning
us
the
kind
of
reception
we
had
among
you
and
how
you
turn
to
god
from
idols
to
serve
the
living
and
true
god
and
to
wait
for
his
son
from
heaven
whom
he
raised
from
the
dead
Jesus
who
delivers
us
from
the
wrath
to
come
you
You see, the foundation of their hope is clear.
Their eyes are set on Jesus.
Their eyes are set on eternity.
If we look down in chapter 5, 1 Thessalonians 5, 8 through 11, we see it again.
1 Thessalonians 5, 8 through 11 says,
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
For God has not destined us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us,
so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
You see, their hope is set on Jesus.
Their eyes are set on eternity.
Remember, we talked about they're in the middle of persecution and affliction right now,
but they know that there's something good coming.
Or as 1 Peter 1, 4 says,
They have an inheritance that's imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven for them.
Their eyes are set on eternity.
And that's the foundation of this steadfast hope.
So whatever's happening, they look beyond it to Christ and know there is something more.
So that's the foundation of their hope.
But what we also see here is the fruit of their hope.
The fruit of their hope.
You've read already, we've read it several times.
1 Thessalonians 1, 6.
He said,
You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction,
with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
You see, they were in the middle of affliction, but their hope enabled them to have joy.
They could face this trial, this trouble, this hurt, this brokenness, this persecution,
and still be rejoicing because they were waiting for something more.
They knew something good was coming.
Something else we see as a fruit of their hope is in 1 Thessalonians 4.
I didn't tell Pastor Andrew that we were preaching all of 1 Thessalonians.
I thought he cut me off, but I just said the first chapter, but it's all connected.
1 Thessalonians 4, 13 through 18 says,
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep,
that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,
we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command,
with the voice of an archangel, with the sound of the trumpet of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,
so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
You see, their hope was set on the foundation of Christ,
and the fruit of it was that they could endure all of these things that were happening
with a sense of joy, with an awareness that good is coming.
At the very worst, it could only hurt for a lifetime.
And so, they were able, even in that, to grieve with hope.
So, third point of application is this.
How is your hope?
And what is it set on?
If it's set on worldly things, your new job, your new car,
the house you always wanted that you now have,
all of those things are going to disappoint you.
They're going to let you down.
If they're set on Jesus, though, then nothing can take away your hope.
Your hope becomes indestructible.
Whatever happens in your life, in your family,
you can step back and say, yeah, this is really bad, but Jesus still wins.
Because, see, we know the end.
Jesus wins.
And it gives us the ability to endure everything with joy.
Now, I know I'm already too long.
Thank you for your patience.
I have to add this point.
Hope is not fake.
And what I mean by that is sometimes we get the idea that Christian hope,
being a Christian, being a good Christian,
is putting on this facade that we're okay.
You know, come to church.
How you doing?
I'm okay.
Because you don't really care anyway.
You know, and we just have this sense that we have to be okay on the outside.
But notice, here it talks about grieving with hope,
and that presumes we grieve.
We can't grieve with hope without grieving.
And I think one area that we make the mistake in
is not suffering together,
being open, being transparent,
and being willing to admit our struggles
so we can grieve with hope
so the world can see it's different than what they have.
So, here's the challenge for hope for this year.
This year, let me challenge you.
Find one person in the church
that you are going to be transparent with,
with your struggles,
and together seek to grieve with hope.
But let me give you a further challenge
and find somebody in your life,
could be a co-worker,
could be a neighbor,
that you are going to prayerfully seek
to open up the struggles of your life to
so that they can see you grieve with hope as well
and know that you serve a living God.
Here's three things to change the world.
A work of faith,
a labor of love,
and a steadfast hope in Christ.
I pray that you will commit with me this year
to pursue those things
until all the world has heard
that Maranatha has a living God.
Let's pray.
Father, we thank you.
We thank you for your word
and that by your word you bring life.
Father, we thank you that you have given us faith,
that you have shown us your love,
and that you have given us something to hope in.
Father, I pray
that by your spirit
we would live those things out
and show the world
that we serve
a living God
and that we have
a risen Savior
who is worth it.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Let's stand together.
Sing together.
I am thine, O Lord.
I have heard your voice
and it told your love to me.
But I long to rise
in the arms of faith
and be closer drawn to thee.
And you are holy holy