Being Established in Holiness (1 Thess. 3:1-13) (10/4/26)

So those of you that know that I'm a stickler

for the church calendar or maybe I should say

I rejoicingly Celebrate the church calendar you

may be asking yourself Why is he wearing a green

tie when we've changed everything to red? I like

it to say that it was a great plan, but I have

come up with an explanation for you It is the

church season the season of Pentecost and typically

it's green for six months However, in October,

we bring out the red in order to remind us to

pray for reformation, that the Lord pour out

his spirit again like he did at Pentecost, reforming

his church and adding to the church daily. So

here I am in green, but we're asking God to bless

us and bring a Pentecost movement to us. Let

us now pray and ask for the Lord's blessing.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word that

brings light and life to us. Please grant us

understanding of you and our own hearts. Now,

as we hear the word preach, let the words of

my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts

be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength

and our nearest kinsman, Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Amen. We are continuing our series through the

book of 1 Thessalonians. I want to remind you

of several things. that we already understand,

but just to help keep it in context today. There

is, of course, a central theme in 1 Thessalonians

of giving thanks, Eucharisto, in God's work in

Thessalonica. We get a constant reminder of giving

thanks to God for his work in others, and that

he makes our labors be efficacious, right? Makes

our labors able to change people and work in

people's life because of his work. He works alongside

of us and we should rejoice and be full of much

gratitude and thanks. We also know that the gospel

came to the church in Thessalonica in much assurance.

God is with them and also much affliction through

great persecution and trials. But all of these

ordeals are not random trials. Listen up. These

ordeals are not random trials and persecutions.

but they are part of God's redemptive historical

design. I want you to think about that for yourself.

All the ordeals that go on in your life are not

random trials, but rather these persecutions

and trials are part of God's redemptive historical

design. Finally, we are reminded in 1 Thessalonians,

that the gospel reigned true to them, in that

King Jesus had defeated sin and death, and consequently

they were delivered from idols to serve the living

and true God. With that in mind, let us go to

our text today, 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, beginning

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

in verse 1. Therefore, when we could no longer

endure it, this of course is Paul speaking. We

thought it good to be left in Athens alone and

sent Timothy our brother and minister of God

and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ

To establish you and encourage you concerning

your faith that no one should be shaken by these

afflictions For you yourselves know that we are

appointed to this for in fact we told you before

When we were with you that we would suffer tribulation

Just as it happened and you know For this reason,

when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know

your faith, lest by some means the tempter had

tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.

But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought

us the good news of your faith and love, and

that you always have a good remembrance of us,

greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see

you. Therefore, brethren, and all our affliction

and distress, we were comforted concerning you

by your faith. For now we live, if you stand

fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render

to God for you, for all the joy with which we

rejoice for your sake before our God, night and

day, praying exceedingly that we might see your

face and perfect what is lacking in your faith.

Now, may the God and Father Himself and our Lord

Jesus Christ direct you, and may the Lord make

you increase and abound in love to one another

and to all just as we do to you, so that He may

establish your hearts blameless and holiness

before our God and Father at the coming of the

Lord Jesus Christ with all those saints. These

are the words of Almighty God. Receive them in

your hearts. The three things that I would like

you to Use as a lens as we go through our text

today are these. Christians must be established

and encouraged in their faith. Christians must

be established and encouraged in their faith.

You don't just get saved and then, oh, don't

have to do anything else. No, you must be established

and encouraged in the faith. Second, face -to

-face relationships are better than letters.

face -to -face relationships are better than

letters. And finally, we are raised up to service,

abounding in love. We are raised up in service,

abounding in love. After Rachel and I became

engaged, Took a semester off from Bible college

and went home to earn some money so I could return

to school and more importantly to Rachel I longed

to be Face -to -face with her and this of course

was before the time of cell phones and long distance

was very expensive Right and I longed to see

her so what I did I set out to write her five

days a week Okay And I did. My wife can tell

you, I wrote her five days a week. I only skipped

two days. Wednesdays and Sundays. Sundays, I

had lots to do with the church. I was involved

in all kinds of things. Basically, I'd get to

church at eight and go home. I'd get a brief

lunch in the middle, but I'd go home around 9

.30 or 10, Sunday night. But the reason that

I took off Wednesdays is because I was also working

three jobs, but I had them all have me off on

Wednesday. Sunday so that I could sleep but I

was working really hard but I wrote her and once

a week I made sure one of those letters was in

a card as a matter of fact I was so wanting to

be with her face -to -face that I saw this helium

balloon you know one of those metallic ones they

used to make and it had a picture of a smiling

guy in a little bow tie and it had arms and legs.

And I thought, this is a great idea, so I put

it in a box and I mailed it to her. If it can't

be me, it can be this. I didn't think about the

fact what would happen to a helium balloon as

it was shipped through the mail, but she had

something to pin to the wall. But in all of this,

I could send her all these letters, but it did

not compare to what it was like. Oh, to be fair,

she sent me letters too. But what I am trying

to tell you is that letters are not as good as

being face -to -face with someone. So being together

face -to -face with my wife is a gift and a joy.

It's a challenge. She encouraged me in the Lord,

I encouraged her in the Lord. She challenged

my selfishness, I challenged her. We could enjoy

our relationship and face the trials of life

together and so glorify God and benefit others.

God is the triune God who lives as a perfect

society of love and in service to one another

in the Godhead. As you know, God created us in

his image and therefore we are created for face

-to -face relationship and face -to -face relationships

that love and serve. one another. And in turn,

you're strengthened together to love and serve

the Church and the greater community. Paul here

in 1 Thessalonians knows that Christians must

be discipled to be established and encouraged

in the faith. This is best done not in isolation,

but face to face. Consider Proverbs 18, 1 and

2. A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire.

He rages against all wise judgment. A fool has

no delight in understanding, but in expressing

his own heart. When we isolate ourselves, it

isn't because we want to serve others. It isn't

because we want to bless others. It's because

we want to pull back. We want to serve ourselves

and our own desires. And so we rage against wise

judgment, and we don't delight in understanding.

but only in expressing our own hearts. From the

beginning, Satan has attempted to separate men

from God and men from each other. The first Adam

sinned, and what did he do? He blamed God and

Eve for his sin. Eve blamed the serpent's cunning

guile, and Satan has not changed his evil designs,

but aims to divide and isolate men from God and

from each other. Paul in verses 1 and 2, speaking

like the affectionate nursing mother and strong

admonishing father that we heard in chapter 2,

said this, that he could wait no longer to see

these children. He says this, when we could no

longer endure it. If you've ever been separated

from your children, you long to see them, they're

glad to see you. So what did they do? They had

Timothy leave them. That's Paul and Silas, and

go to see them face to face that he might establish

and encourage them in the faith. And Paul is

now writing a letter to the church in Thessalonica,

but this letter is preceded by sending Timothy.

He could just send a letter based off of the

three weeks that he was there and was doing ministry,

but he thought, I could send a letter and ask

questions, they could reply back. but nothing

is as effective as sending forth a pastoral intern

to go there in Timothy and go and find out and

firm them up and encourage them and strengthen

them. And so Paul's motive in all of this is

for his own glory, so that the church in Thessalonica

would not be shaken by the afflictions surrounding

all the persecutions and trials brought on by

the enemies of God. Right? There are enemies

you know and enemies you don't know. There are

enemies who you think are friends and there are

friends that are your enemies. And so Paul knows

what's going on and so he wants to strengthen

and encourage them and he wants them to be strengthened

in this time of trial and persecution. In Matthew

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13, Jesus teaches us by the parable of

the sower that Satan seeks to attack the hearers

of the word by snatching the word from hard hearts.

We also see that others receive joy in the word,

but then it has no root. We also were told that

when tribulation and persecution arise, that

some stumble. So what is Paul doing? He's trying

to go back. Is there somebody with hard heart

that he can go and break up the soil? Are there

others that he can go to and work it in? Are

there others who are being choked out by the

trials and persecutions of life? So what does

Paul do? He sends Timothy to go and be that minister,

that farmer, that sower of the seed, that one

who knows that it is the Holy Spirit that makes

them grow. But he's commanded to bring out the

seed. He's commanded to cultivate. He's commanded

to pray that the spirit be poured out and water

the ground, that it may be fruitful. Fruitful

just a little bit? No, 30, 60, or 100 times.

We do know. that God initiates salvation. But

we are called to grow more and more into maturity

in order to produce greater and greater fruit

to the glory of God and the benefit of others.

And God has established ministers and elders

to proclaim and disciple and to teach. Now we

need to know this, right? God initiates, right?

But we have obligations. Remember conditions

by God do not nullify grace. but it is grace

that enables us to fulfill the conditions. I'll

say that one more time. Remember, conditions

by God do not nullify grace, but it is grace

that enables us to fulfill conditions. The gospel

is the good news that King Jesus has come and

defeated sin and death, and we as His people

have been delivered from idols by the living

God. But not for ourselves, but rather for the

glory of God and the service of others God raises

us up for service God transforms you and forgives

your sins sets you free from the bondage of sin

that you may serve Not just him not you in your

Bible in your prayer time, but to take that and

then go and serve others So Timothy was sent

to the Thessalonian Church to establish and encourage

them in Christ Jesus I can see Timothy reminding

them that that they were persuaded that Jesus

is the Christ and So the promises of Psalm 37

were true for them in Christ Jesus Remember what

Psalm 37 tells us do not be shaken or choked

out or without root Do not fret trust God and

do good Delight and commit your way to the Lord.

Rest and be patient in the Lord. Cease from anger.

Forsake wrath. Again, do not fret. It only causes

harm. And if you drop down in Psalm 37, you can

see it, right? Can't you see this? In the midst

of all this, he would go and grab Psalm 37. He

says all these things. Don't fret. Don't worry.

Don't be full of anger. Let go of wrath. even

though these people are coming against you. He

says this in verse 23 of Psalm 37. I could see

him saying this to them. The steps of a good

man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights

in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly

cast down, for the Lord upholds him with his

hand. Can you imagine that? You can hear that.

This is what he's doing to encourage and to hold

them up so they won't be shaken So Timothy face

to face with them set out to make them stable

Encouraging and comforting them by exhorting

them and teaching them the words of God In verse

5 Paul again speaking as a spiritual parent declared

when I could no longer endure it I sent to know

your faith In case the tempter had by some way

tempted them and they fell away or they're wandering

away or they're doubting in their faith God never

leaves us or forsakes us But God had upheld them

God had been faithful as he always is even in

trials persecutions and Troubles none of these

are random God was with them and this in fact

was part of his redemptive historical design

Now we can actually look back to that time and

understand what was happening, right? We understand

that Jesus pronounced the judgment on the temple

in Jerusalem and the whole Corrupted what had

happened to the Old Testament system. He's the

fulfillment of all things and they rejected him

And so all this persecutions happening as the

church is growing and we know because we can

look back we could see how God was blessing the

church and it's growing and growing and growing

and then the day the Lord came and Jesus from

his throne brought about the judgment on Jerusalem

and the temple. Like we can see that building.

And so for us, looking back, we can see and know,

oh yeah, God, this is all part of his redemptive

plan. Yes, for you too in your life, this is

God's redemptive plan and his design. You're

just a little part of it. You think about that

one little kid, or that teenager, or that family,

and all the persecutions going on in Thessalonica.

They couldn't see the big picture. They didn't

have the ability to look behind. What'd they

do? They had the Word of God to stand on. And

they needed to be reminded that it was Christ

Jesus, and that He was the Messiah. He is the

King overall. And He had redeemed them from death

and sin. And so... They're being called up to

be steadied and to serve one another. So we know

that God and His providence and sovereign plan

for His glory and for the salvation of all His

people. You can turn and look at Zephaniah 1

Zephaniah 1:15–18

verses 15 through 18 and you see how God works

in hard circumstances very clearly to redeem

His people. This is His plan. So Timothy came

back to Paul and Silas and reported the good

news of their faith and love and that the church

there, they were remembered there, Paul and Silas'

work and word. And then he told them, hey, look,

the Thessalonica church, they want to see Paul,

right? And they want to see all in his company

again. This is quite amazing, right? We say,

well, why is this amazing? Well, think about

this. For many of us, we might like certain people,

but we don't like how they stir things up when

they come around. We're glad to have met them,

but we don't like the chaos that happens when

they're around. So we can say, so nice to have

met you, but don't come back. These saints understood

that Paul's preaching was out of his determination

for them. Right that it and we see in first Corinthians

the same thought here that anything among you

I didn't preach anything among you except for

Jesus Christ and him crucified and that's what

brought every brought chaos to their town to

their city and Some were arrested and some had

to pay fines and they were being stirred up stirred

up against them for following God So so they

longed for him to come back even though they

knew that if Paul returned It's likely to be

trouble. There's likely to be problems. There's

for me and for my family Don't deny Christ for

the problems that it looks like it's gonna happen

in your life dearly beloved if you have friends

or are that friend who always brings chaos is

it because You or they are speaking with the

excellence of speech or great wisdom about the

things of God for your own glory or Following

or does the chaos come from declaring Jesus?

Do you bring chaos does your friend bring chaos

because they're pointing to Jesus is Jesus at

the center Or does the chaos come? for discussing

things. They might be good and biblical things

in a sense, but the question is, is Jesus at

the center? Not just of your motives, but does

every discussion lead back to obedience to God's

word in King Jesus? One is centered on attention

to oneself, even in Christian topics, and the

other is centered on Jesus the King, Redeemer,

and Deliverer of sinners unto salvation for good

works. If we talk about everything and it never

spurs us on to good works, Hebrews tell us, right?

Spur one another on, right? Under faith and good

works. Faith comes out in actionable items. Returning

to our text in verses seven and eight, Paul continues,

therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and

distress, we were comforted concerning you by

your faith. for now we live if you stand fast

in the Lord." So Paul, Silas, and Timothy, even

in their afflictions, because they didn't just

leave Thessalonica and everything was hunky -dory

everywhere else, they went, no, they still had

struggles and difficulties while they proclaimed

the truth, right? But they are comforted by the

Thessalonian church's faith, so much so that

they live, that they're so blessed that that

they are actively changed in their thoughts,

in their life, and they are endlessly blessed

if the Thessalonian church continues in the kingdom

of God by standing fast. As your minister, or

if you've ever discipled somebody, or if you've

ever trained your children in the Lord, discipled

your children in the Lord, you are endlessly

blessed when you see those disciples, those children,

Those people, right? Standing fast in the Lord

Jesus Christ. Every parent in this room knows

that all the afflictions and trial of life are

worth it if our children stand fast in the Lord.

And this is what Paul is feeling towards the

Thessalonica Church. So life, right? If God raises

up our children for service across God's kingdom,

we give thanks for all the trials and difficulties.

And as James 1 says, count it all joy. All those

trials, it's all joy. Now Paul here teaches us

how this thankfulness, this Eucharisto should

be. He says, for what thanks can we render to

God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice?

for your sake before our God night and day praying

exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect

what is lacking in your faith." Right? So he

yearns to see them learn and mature and be settled

in holiness. For every one of us in this room,

we need to be subject to God's Word and the authority

and power in it and grow into maturity. being

settled in the holiness and confession of our

sin when we recognize that we have faltered.

Paul asks what Eucharisto, that giving of thanks,

can they bring before God for that church? Paul

describes the memorializing of thanksgiving for

them, and he does so with all joyful and gladness.

which causes Paul to rejoice, which in the Greek

means, like when we hear rejoice, I'm going to

challenge us right now, right? Because the word

of God says that we should rejoice. Sometimes

we sing it in our songs, right? What is rejoicing?

It is this. In the Greek it means being cheerful

and having a calm happiness. Being cheerful and

having a calm happiness. That is to say, for

us, for all of the saints sitting out there,

are you cheerful? Are you calmly happy? Right?

There's persecutions, there's trials, there's

difficulties of life, there's all kinds of troubles

that go on. Are you cheerful in the Lord? Are

you calmly happy? How can you be calmly happy?

Right? There's this thing going on, and that

persecution, and this trial, and these people

rising up, all these things going on. No, no.

Be cheerful, because God is sovereign. Jesus

is king. And praise God. He has redeemed us and

set us free from the bondage of sin and death.

Do we have anything to not be cheerful about?

Right? Parents. You're walking out the door,

especially on a Sunday morning. I know how this

works. Your littlest one has a blowout. Of course,

you know what they do. They wait till you got

them fully dressed for church, and you're walking

out the door. It happens, right? Are we cheerful?

And you go, how can I be cheerful about that

foul odor? Ah, praise God. Their digestive system

is working, right? Some children don't have that

ability, OK? All of the things, what can we be

cheerful? Lord, you can even say, if it is just

beyond you, say, Lord, I don't know what you're

trying to teach me, but help me to learn faster.

Be cheerful. Why? Because in all that you're

doing, you have the forgiveness of sins. You're

set free from that bondage, the glory of the

gospel. So the way that we are to memorialize

what God is doing in our lives and the lives

of our family and church even in the midst of

trials and cheerful and Tribulations is with

cheerful and calm happiness Remember the gospel

the good news Here's here's what we don't understand

We go to our little Greek dictionaries and we

say Okay, that word that Greek word. It means

this right But don't miss out on the fact of

how people in the day would have heard that word.

In the first century there, it was clear to everyone

when you said gospel, this is good news concerning

the birth of a king, the coronation of a king,

or a king's great victory, right? We have all

three of those in Jesus Christ. He came down

to earth for us. He was coronated at the ascension

and He set us free yet a great victory over sin

and death Can we be cheerful about that? We don't

have any smiles not very many of them out there

All right, can we be cheerful about that even

when the hard things happen in our lives? This

is the gospel part of our maturing in Christ

Jesus is that when we come to realize in a most

profound way that our King was born in the flesh,

that He was crowned King in His ascension and

has in fact defeated sin and death by the cross

and His resurrection. Are you hearing? God in

His infinite wisdom and glory has left the church

to finish pressing Jesus' crown rights to the

ends of the earth. You want to know what makes

the enemies of God tremble? God's people worshiping

Him. with joy and humble gratitude. And we do

that. And every time we worship God, the gates

of hell, keep hearing this boom. What's going

on at the gates? Why are the gates of hell shaking?

Because the people of God are in His throne room

worshipping Him. And then, when we are commissioned

to go out in the world to press the crown rights

of Jesus, we go rejoicing and we're cheerful.

We're calm and happy despite the roaring of God's

enemies For all of us our wives our children's

and all the saints in this church and all the

husbands our Church is revived daily in our Thanksgiving

calmly and cheerfully lived out in the world

It's one thing you know we get in here, and let's

be let's be honest. How's it going? We get two

responses of that. Oh, man. It's all bad Or we

get, it's all great, right? What we should be

saying is, God has blessed me with the trial

and I give him thanks for it. And yes, please

pray for me, but I give him praise and glory

because he's working in me so that I may be reconciled

to God and serve others. And all of this is to

be done joyfully. cheerfully and calm. Not a

false laugh, but a good laugh. Paul tells the

church that they are praying night and day exceedingly

that they may see them face to face to perfect

what they're lacking in their faith in Christ

Jesus. This word exceedingly in the Greek means

super abundantly. So they're praying night and

day super abundantly to see them face to face.

so that they can encourage them and settle them

and ground them in Christ Jesus. When I was apart

from Rachel, I too prayed super abundantly to

see her face to face. Of course, my motive was

to marry and to be with her. Paul here wants

to be with them to perfect them, to build them

up, to settle them. And of course, when the Bible

speaks of perfection, it means to be mature.

or to complete fully. So Paul is praying super

abundantly that they, that's Paul, Silas, and

Timothy go and help them mature by teaching them

what they lack in their life in Christ. Paul

understands that his letter may be good, but

it is not a replacement for a face -to -face

relationship. To cultivate something, one must

be present, right? The digital world is not present.

with you. It's all around you, but it cannot

cultivate you. The Lord certainly can use the

digital world by His Spirit to help you see or

understand something, but it's just like a letter

in another form, right? We know this. It came

up last night, actually, at our Circle of Wisdom.

God's ordinary means of sanctification is through

the Lord's day service and other people. face

-to -face in our lives, in our face -to -face

relationships, our selfishness is confronted.

And being conformed to Christ, Jesus, means that

we live not for ourselves but for the glory and

honor of God through the sacrificial service

to the benefit of others. I just want to pause

for a second and explain this. I can't, to be,

cultivate something you have to be present. I

can, you know, back in the old days, say, go

read a book, right, most of you. Go Google. Go

Google how to make a plant. Where's the place

that has the best soils? What tools and equipment

do you need? I can study it to all depths, right?

But if I live in a concrete city, I'm not cultivating

a farm. I have to be physically present where

the land is, where the seed is. where all of

the irrigation equipment is. I have to be there.

And then I got to go to work because I could

also move there and study it and look at all

these things and have all the best equipment

out there and still do nothing. You see, the

digital world is not face to face. Forgiving

and being forgiven can only be tested when we

are with the person which we have had a broken

relationship with. It is only face -to -face

where broken trust can be restored so we can

see the fruit of forgiveness. Covering over a

multitude of sins for the sake of Christ and

not be in the presence and confronted with it

is no benefit to ourselves. Much like a letter

in the mail, the digital world does not actually

confront us and as one commentator put it, In

the digital world, it is not love covering a

multitude of sins, but rather it is distance

that covers a multitude of sins. So again, just

to explain this a little bit, right? If I send

a letter or an email or a text message or a signal,

whatever you're using, right? Because I have

some sort of spat with somebody or disagreement

and I realize I was sinful and whatever. I can

say, I forgive you. But if that person never

comes in my life, or if I'm never in that person's

life, when is that forgiveness tested? It's not.

It's not. What's the hardest thing? Right? Who's

the person closest to you? Your spouse? Maybe

your children? Maybe a really good friend? If

you're not married? Right? You can say, oh, we

got an argument. I forgive you. But men, if you

never again saw your wife again, right, is she

ever confronted with what her forgiveness works

out in the life? No. Are you confronted? No.

Right? It's face to face where we're confronted

in true service, in true forgiveness, in true

restoration with others. Now, to be clear, let

me make this part clear. Right? Forgiveness doesn't

always equate to immediate trust. And, say, in

a marriage relationship, if adultery happens,

they'll never again have virgin trust. Can trust

be restored? Most of the way, but there'll always

be a little inkling there. And they'll just have

to trust Jesus in it. But, ultimately, for all

of us, we must understand the importance of being

face to face. Finally, Paul turns to a written

petition of prayer in verse 11. May our God and

Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct,

that is to guide and make straight, our way to

you, that the Lord may make you increase and

abound in love to one another and to all, just

as we do to you, so that he may establish in

your hearts blameless, deserving, that is blameless

is deserving, no censure. It's not perfection,

it's confession of sins, it's restoration, but.

That God may establish your hearts blameless

and holiness before our God and father at the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints

so that's speaking of the last day the last day

ever the great white throne judgment Paul prays

for God the father and our Lord Jesus Christ

to direct God and make straight There that's

Paul Silas and Timothy's way to them, but in

the meantime He's asking God that they would

increase and abound in love to one another and

to all did you notice that it wasn't just the

one another of the Saints but to all Just like

Paul Silas and Timothy that's how they acted

preaching the gospel to all persecuted by all

but loving one another the brethren first But

then the world were raised up to service abounding

in love One would think that a group of Christians

would not have to be encouraged to love one another.

Imagine that. Christians have to be encouraged

to love one another. If we're all honest, we

know that that's very true. Jesus loved us while

we were his enemy. Therefore, we have to love

our enemies. We receive this command to love

one another and all and you accept and so in

here this when you accept all these gifts God

is giving you You accept the gift of God's gracious

and undeserved mercy and forgiveness for his

good pleasure You accept the gift and then it's

given to you for God's good pleasure is it God's

good pleasure that you take the good gift of

the gospel and the forgiveness of sins and Hold

it in your coat not sharing it with anyone withholding

forgiveness and restoration? To please God and

to honor Him, Jesus said in Luke 6, But if you

love those who love you, what credit is that

to you? For even sinners love those who love

them. And if you do good to those who do good

to you, what credit is that to you? For even

sinners do the same. And if you lend to those

from whom you hope to receive back, what credit

is that to you? Are you getting it? If you love

people for what you get out of it, that's not

love. And it says this, even if you lend to those

whom you hope to receive back, what credit is

it to you? For even sinners lend to those to

receive as much back. But love your enemies,

do good, lend, hoping for nothing in return,

and your reward will be great, and you will be

sons of the Most High. So to love one another

and to love others, even in persecution, even

your enemies. Even when you're not going to get

anything back, this work of Christ in your life

is for us, declaring to the world we are sons

of the Most High. And this is Jesus again, for

He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Wait,

what? Jesus says that God is kind to the unthankful

and evil. What separates us from the world? We

are kind even to the unthankful and evil. Now

kindness, right? That's not flattery. That's

not niceness. Kindness is telling the truth firmly

and love and willing to stoop low and serve and

help and lift up. And so Jesus says there in

Luke 6, therefore be merciful just as your father

is merciful. Paul acknowledges that the primary

way that young converts will be rooted steadfast

in God is face -to -face relationships so they

can do just as Paul and his team does. Paul asks

God to establish their hearts blameless. That

is, deserving no censure in holiness. So that's

confession of sin and restoration of relationships

before God and Father and of course for the very

last day. in Christ Jesus and all his saints.

Dearly beloved, we are in Christ Jesus and we

are to mature and be fruitful, abounding in love

towards one another. To think that out, I'll

close with this. Relations 422, you know this

passage. But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

joy, peace, long -suffering, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness. self -control. Against

such, there is no law. And those who are Christ

have crucified the flesh with its passions and

desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also

walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited,

provoking one another, envying one another. Jesus

has set us free from the bondage of sin and death.

We've been raised up in our baptisms in Christ

Jesus into steadfast, joyful, and cheerful service.

abounding in love. Let us pray. Heavenly Father,

please help us we pray that in our weakness to

turn and to look, to believe and follow Jesus,

who trusted you in your divine plan to redeem

men from all nations through persecutions and

trials and even unto death, we ask you to grant

us the gift to abound in love to one another

and face to face Until and unto the great and

precious day that we see you face to face We

ask all this for the sake of Jesus Christ our

Lord who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit

forever and ever amen Let us continue our worship

by giving of his ties and our offerings in these

ties and offerings forward It is representative

of all that we have done. We bring it up as a

tribute offering to the Lord. Let us pray Blessed

are you, O Lord God, for through your goodness

we have these gifts to share, accept and use

your tithes and our offerings for your glory,

for service in your kingdom. Blessed be God forever

and ever. Amen.