Psalm 9:10 -- "And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You."
John 14:1 -- "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me."
Psalm 56:3 -- "When I am afraid, I put me trust in You."
Thank you for reading the sermon this week. I was not able to post anything for awhile due to the fact that I've been very sick. I thank the Lord that I am doing much better now. I hope that you are all doing well.
Before I had to take a break due to illness, we had been in the midst of a study in the book of I Thessalonians. We made it through the first chapter, and we will cover most of chapter 2 in today's message.
One of the things we learned is that Paul's ministry to the people in Thessalonica is covered in the book of Acts. As he mentions in our text today, Paul and his ministry companions faced opposition in their ministry in Thessalonica. However, there were people in the city who were receptive to the message Paul was bringing, and they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
What I want to focus on today is how Paul speaks about the way that he and his companions ministered to the people. It is a pattern for those in ministry to follow today.
First of all, Paul said that they were working to please God and not people. That should be the first priority of anyone who is preaching the Gospel. Those of us who preach and teach are called by God to bring His Word to others. We have the obligation to preach as we are led by the Holy Spirit. We are not simply to preach what people want to hear.
I have an example of this from my ministry here on the blog. Some of you may remember that a couple of years ago I went through a series of messages on the book of Malachi. Malachi has some hard things within it that some people don't want to hear. I lost a lot of sermon readers while I was going through that series. However, I knew then that God wanted me to bring those messages at that time.
In verse 5, Paul said that they were not ministering out of greed. This is very true of the Apostle Paul. He worked as a tent maker in order to support himself in the ministry. He wasn't preaching in order to enrich himself. He knew that this world was not the place in which to lay up treasure. He was more interested in laying up treasure in heaven as we are instructed by the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.
In our day and age, many Christian ministers are giving the church a bad reputation because they are seen by those who are not in the church as being motivated by money. This is really causing a lot of people to not want to become Christians. It needs to stop.
In verses 7 through 12, Paul tells of how he cared for those in the church in Thessalonica as a parent would care for their children. Part of his ministry was to encourage the people to keep living for Jesus in the midst of hardships and persecutions. His ministry included comforting the people in times of sorrow and loss. That is a big part of what a good minister needs to do today. We have to be there when people need us. We have to provide the comforting words of the Savior to those who are going through difficulties. Also, Paul urged the people to live for Jesus. He wanted their lives to count for both time and for eternity.
The people responded positively to Paul's ministry. They imitated the life of Christ even in the midst of persecution. That is what it truly means to be a Christian. It means that we imitate what Jesus did. We seek to follow His teachings and commandments and to be His light to illuminate the darkness that is in this world. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I am doing a lot better, but I am still very fatigued. Please pray that I will continue to feel better in the coming days.
Please continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus and monkeypox outbreaks. Pray that those who are sick will recover quickly.
We need to pray for those suffering as a result of the floods in Pakistan. Pray that they will receive that aid that they need. We also need to keep praying for those in Kentucky who are still dealing with the aftermath of the floods.
Continue to pray for peace. Libya, Ukraine, Ethiopia and Yemen all need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in the nations of Mauritania and Uzbekistan. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue in our current study. I will post the verses on Monday, and I hope to post something midweek. May God bless you all.
I am sure that you have noticed that I haven't posted the sermon or verses. I have been very sick. I am still not well. I will try to post the sermon this week on Saturday. Please pray that I will start doing better.
Here is a poem that I had published in Mid-America Poetry Review several years ago.
Ebony-flecked wings
crest a thermal
trill the music of wind.
II Corinthians 12:9 -- But He said, ' My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
Nahum 1:7 -- "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him."
Thank you for reading the sermon this week. I hope that you are doing well and that everyone is in good health.
Last week, we began a new series of messages on the book of I Thessalonians. We dealt with an introduction to the book, and then we studied the first few verses of this epistle. Today, we will finish up chapter 1 of this book.
The first thing that Paul points out in our section today is that when he and his companions preached to the people in Thessalonica, the message came to them with the power of the Holy Spirit. The people of the city heard the message of the Lord, and they felt a deep conviction of sin within their hearts. Our section tells us in verse nine that they abandoned the idols that they formerly worshipped, and they turned to the worship of the Living God.
What I would like to point out is that the only way that a person can have a successful ministry in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to preach in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are called by the Lord to spread His message. According to the Bible, some people plant the seed. Others water. But it is God who gives the increase. Only the working of the power of the Spirit bringing conviction within a person's heart will bring that person to salvation. As the Word says, it is not by might, nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord that anything is accomplished for the glory of the Lord.
Paul goes on to say that after the people came to faith in Jesus Christ, they became imitators of Paul and companions and the Lord. They followed Paul in what he taught and in how he lived because he was follow in the path and in the teachings of the Lord Jesus. This is one thing that we must always keep in mind. We must ultimately always keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus. He is our ultimate example of how to live in this world. He is the author and the perfecter of our faith. If we get our eyes off of Jesus, we will end up in trouble.
We should only follow a person as an example of faith if that person's actions line up with the life and teachings of Jesus. Many people put their trust in and look to a person. When that person falls by the wayside so to speak, many leave the faith because they become disenchanted. If we keep out eyes on Jesus and follow Him, we will never be disappointed, and we will never be led astray.
The way that we follow Jesus is to do what He did in the Gospels. We need to practice His way of living and follow His commandments and teachings. We must always consider what Jesus would do in the situations that we encounter in this life.
Because of the way that the Thessalonians lived in keeping with the Word of the Lord, their lives became an example to others throughout the region. People saw their faithfulness to the Lord, and they were encourages to live for the Lord and serve Him. Our lives are to be lived in such a way that we are an example to others. When people see us, they need to see Jesus living in us. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, that others are to see our good works and give glory to the Father in Heaven.
Finally, Paul commends the people because they are waiting for the day when Jesus will return. That is the blessed hope of all of those who put their faith and trust in Jesus. One day He will return, and He will make all things new. Let us all look to Jesus and live for Him until that great and glorious day. Amen.
Prayer Requests.
I am doing somewhat better with my health, but I am still having a lot of pain. Please continue to pray for me. Thank you for your prayers.
Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus and the monkeypox. Pray that those who are sick will make a speedy recovery.
Pray for those affected by the flooding in Kentucky. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need.
Let us keep praying for peace in Israel, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Ukraine and the other areas of the world where there is conflict.
For our prayer focus countries, let us pray for those in the nations of North Korea and Ivory Coast. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue in our study of I Thessalonians. On Monday, I will post the verses. I hope to post something midweek. May God bless you all.
This is a poem I wrote that was published in a literary journal a few years ago.
The Barn
Ragged and torn,
the vestiges of time
took their toll.
Crooked and bent,
wind whipped
by a mighty gale.
Faded and peeling,
scorched dry
waiting for the end.
