Bible Text: 1Thessalonians 4:9-18 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1 Thessalonians | May 17, 2020
To Be Always With the Lord
1Thessalonians 4:9-18
 

Last week (1Thessalonians 4:1-8) we studied how Paul exhorted the brethren in Thessalonica to continue excelling in the way they conduct themselves, and to abstain from all sexual immorality.

He encouraged them to live as God’s people, set apart for God’s glory and honor, exemplifying the character of Christ, for this is God’s will for them; and quite frankly, this is God’s will for us as well, until such a time that we are brought into the presence of the Lord, having been caught up to be with Him forever.
Read 1Thessalonians 4:9-10…

The believers in Thessalonica are living exemplary lives, expressing continually [practicing] their love for other believers.

Paul had planted other churches in Macedonia (Berea, Philippi), and it would seem that, some how, Thessalonica had served believers in those other churches; and yet, Paul urges them to excel even more in expressing love.

Read 1Thessalonians 4:11…

Paul presents a format for living as God’s people.

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. He wants them to earnestly seek to maintain tranquil, humble, and peaceful lives, not being conflicted like unbelievers, but content..

Romans 12:9,
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”

Romans 12:17-18,
“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

1Timothy 2:1-2,
“I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.”

2Thessalonians 3:13,
“Do not grow weary of doing good.”

Back to 1Thessalonians 4:11…

So, they are to purpose to lead a quiet life and to attend to their own business. Simply put, they are to mind their own business, concentrate on their own lives, families, jobs, and responsibilities, and stay out of [do not meddle] in other people’s business. Good instruction for us all!

Meddling in others affairs can cause us trouble; in fact, in 1Peter 4:15, we are warned, “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler.”

In 1Thessalonians 4:11, after exhorting them to attend to their own business he tells them to work with their hands, just as he had already commanded them.  Note: Greeks thought hand work [general labor] should be done by slaves, not by free men. But Paul exhorts them to do their own work with their own hands and not expect for others to do the work they should do to provide for themselves.

2Thessalonians 3:10-12,
“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.”

Clearly these commendations and admonitions given by Paul (1Thessalonians 4:9-12) are directed to the believers, in order that they behave properly toward outsiders, being good witnesses of Christ, i.e., they are to exemplify a good work ethic and are not to meddle in other people’s affairs; but instead, to be good neighbors and to serve as examples in their homes, workplaces, and community.

Read 1Thessalonians 4:13-18…

Paul now speaks of the hope that they and all believers have in Christ; we are not to grieve like unbelievers who have no hope, for we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and be with Him forever!

The believers in Thessalonica were young in the faith, and although Paul had, no doubt, taught them about the end times and future events, it would seem that they were confused about the “rapture” of the church. Paul wants to set their hearts at ease and reassure them that no believer will miss the rapture, whether one of God’s children has died or is still alive at Christ’s coming in the air, we will all be changed.

You see, our eternal hope “is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

2Corinthians 5:21,
“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

1Corinthians 15:3-4,
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

John 11:25-26,

Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Later in John 11:38-44,

Jesus came to the cave where Lazarus had laid dead now, four days. Jesus told them to remove the stone from the entrance. Jesus prayed to the Father, then He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

Lazarus came out of the tomb alive, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus commanded, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Lazarus entered the tomb dead, but he came out of the tomb alive. We have no information about how long he lived, or when he went to be with the Lord, but our confidence is in the sovereign death and resurrection of Jesus Christ Himself.

Christ’s sacrificial death paid in full our sin debt to God; His resurrection from the grave demonstrates that He has authority over sin, death, and judgement.  Therefore we can trust Him to save and secure us.

Day by day we draw closer to the time when Christ will return for His people in the air; after which, dramatic events will occur in a 7 year period, called the tribulation (cf. Daniel 9, Matthew 24, Revelation 8, 9, 16): war, famine, disease, and death. *COVID-19 is a mild cold compared too what will be..

The sun will turn black, the moon will turn blood red, and the earth will be shaken like never before. In the end, peace and healing will come, but not before a time of great suffering and destruction like the world has never seen before and will never see again.

Just before the 7 years of tribulation begin, Christ will come for His people (1Thessalonians 4:14-18). Jesus will leave the Fathers’ side and descend to the clouds above the earth, at a time predetermined by the Father.

The spirit of every Christian who has died will be reunited with their original body to be “caught up” to be with Christ. Every Christian still alive at that time will be removed from the earth, “caught up” into the presence of the Lord, where all Christians will be together with the Lord forever.

This event, the Lord’s coming to get His people, is called “the rapture of the church.” The word “rapture” [comes from the Latin “raptus”] meaning “to seize” “to catch away” or “to snatch up.” And so, the earth will be emptied of all Christians.

John 14:1-3,
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Jesus is talking there about the rapture. Paul doesn’t tell us much about the rapture in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, so let’s go to another text where Paul gives us more information about this great mystery of the rapture.

Read 1Corinthians 15:50-53…

Paul says some of the Lord’s people will not have to go through the experience of death, but that they will be “changed,” “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” The word “moment,” is a word form, from which we get the word “atom,” referring to “something that is indivisible,” this speaks of the “smallest amount of time imaginable.”

When Jesus comes for us, it will be instantaneous; it won’t be a process, but will happen so fast it will be over before we even know it started! One moment we are here and the next we are gone!

It makes no difference whether our bodies are dead in the grave or alive on the earth; all of God’s people will be raptured, taken away suddenly!

When that time comes (cf 1Thessalonians 4:15-17) Jesus will call His people home to be with Him- the dead will rise first, then those who are still alive on the earth will be instantly changed, and we all will go up together (in our resurrection bodies) to meet the Lord in the air.

Read 1Corinthians 15:54-58…

Our greatest enemies will be defeated: death and the grave, sin and the Law. The Bible says “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” But, in Jesus Christ, we have victory over sin, death, and judgement.

It is no wonder that Paul closes

1Corinthians 15:58 with ,
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

God’s Word is clear that we are all sinners deserving God’s punishment; yet He loves us and wants to save us.

Romans 3:23-24,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 5:8,
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23,
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:1,
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Sin separates us from the Lord and corrupts every part of our lives; but in Jesus Christ, sin is defeated, death is destroyed, forgiveness is given, and eternal life is granted, for all those who believe in Him.

God does all this because He loves us so much and wants us to live in heaven with Him forever!

Romans 8:34-35,
“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” No!

Romans 8:37-39,
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

No wonder Paul closes 1Thessalonians 4:18 with the marvelous message,
“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God, nothing can ever separate us from the KING of Kings, and LORD of Lords, Jesus Christ: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again to take us to be with Him for eternity.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father , and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Amen.
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1Thessalonians 4:1-8 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1 Thessalonians | May 10, 2020
1Thessalonians 4:1-8
Living Apart from Pagan Culture
Last week we studied the last part of chapter 3, where Paul was praying to God while writing to the believers in Thessalonica: he wanted to go to them, to see them face to face, and to encourage them to continue increasing in their love for one another and for all people.

In today’s passage, Paul begins by encouraging the believers to continue to grow in their knowledge and expression of Christ, i.e., to live in such a manner as to please God.

Read 1Thessalonians 4:1-2…
Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from usinstruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Paul exhorts the believers to continue in their faith and practice, increasing in their Christlikeness; even though he has already commended them for their life and witness.

(see 1Thessalonians 1:2-3, 6-7)
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,

6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

Notice that Paul doesn’t “command” them, but instead requests and urges them not to be content with where they are spiritually, as if they had attained a level of completion, but instead to seek to all the more continue to grow and live in a way that pleases God.

Spiritual growth is indeed a process, just as physical growth and learned knowledge is a process. Paul desires that all believers make their life in Christ a lifelong commitment to growing in the knowledge and expression of God’s Word.

The desired result for which Paul strongly urges the believers in Thessalonica, is a life of holiness, one that is more representative of God than godless mankind.

Read 1Thessalonians 4:3…
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

God’s desire is that as Christians, we are to remain set apart from the world and culture around us that is not pleasing to God. Clearly, we are not to participate in or condone sexual immorality; but instead, we are to live in a manner that is reflective of the salvation we have received.

Thessalonica was part of the Greco-Roman culture, and was noted for allowing a wide chasm of sexual indulgences and erotic perversions. So, for new believers, who had grown up in the pagan society of Thessalonica, apart from any Christian tradition or influence upon the standards and practices of their culture, they didn’t necessarily consider fornication and adultery to be immoral; in fact it was most likely that sexual immorality was more tolerated in Thessalonica then in our present culture in America, which is hard to imagine.

The world today is intoxicated with sexual immorality, displayed in a variety of godless ways and relationships. Sexual immorality, biblically defined, is any sexual behavior and/or thinking that is outside of what God declares and ordains for marriage, i.e., a monogamous relationship between a man and a woman, committed to God and to each other.

Hebrews 13:4,
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”

Sexual immorality is a very broad category: pornography, homosexuality, lesbianism, pedophilia, beastiality, sadomasochism, etc. Fornication is any type of sexual activity outside of marriage; adultery is any sexual relationship between a married person and someone other than their spouse.

God declares His judgement upon on all forms of sexual immorality and those who live this way will be eternally condemned.

1Corinthians 6:9-11,
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

Half of that list of godless lifestyles have to do with sexual immorality. Do you see? These aren’t just sinful acts (we are all sinners), these are lifestyles that dominate unregenerate people and are opposed to God’s holiness; those who live this way will not go to heaven.

Any sexual activity outside of a God-ordained marriage is forbidden, and in fact is representative of those who are going to hell.

As believers and followers of Christ, we are to live self-controlled lives, not like those who have no morals, or ethics, or propriety or modesty. Our bodies should be dedicated to God, not to immorality, for God has mercifully granted us forgiveness and eternal life through Christ, we therefore should live to please God, and we should turn from all immorality.

Romans 12:1-2, …
“I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Read 1Thessalonians 4:6…
6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

This is indeed, at first read, ambiguous, for Paul has been talking about sexual immorality, and now he tells the believers they are not to transgress [sin against] or defraud [take advantage of] another believer [in this context it is talking about sexual sin]. This seems to imply a situation where a believer seeks to fulfill their own desires or to gain some sexual benefit at the expense of another believer. What a horrid thought!

Do any other passages speak to this issue? Look at the following:

1Corinthians 5:1-2,
“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.”

1Corinthians 5:9-13,
“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”

The church was allowing a man to commit adultery with his step-mother, and the church wasn’t doing anything about it. This had to be dealt with immediately and biblically, “Remove the wicked man from among you,” i.e., he is to be put out of the church (the local family of believers), until such a time as he repents and is restored, whether he was a believer in the first place is questionable, notice Paul calls him a “so-called” brother.

Ephesians 5:25,
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.”

Ephesians 5:28-33,
“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.”

Neither a husband nor a wife should use one another for the fulfillment of their own passions only, i.e., their love for each other should willingly put the other person’s needs first; although clearly, in Scripture, the responsibility is on the husband to love and care for his wife, and for the wife to respect his leadership, for this is what God desires.

Even in church leadership we see that God has ordained qualifications for those who would servant-lead in the church of God, that they are to be known for godliness, not impurity and lust

(Timothy 3:2),
“An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife.” The phrase “husband of one wife” is actually rendered more correctly in the Greek as, “a one-woman man,” i.e., he only has eyes for his own wife, if he is married; if he isn’t married, he doesn’t have lustful wandering eyes, but treats sisters in Christ with respect and charity.

1Peter 3:7,
“husbands… live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker [as with a weaker vessel], since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

Men and women both are to respect the differences between male and female.

Genesis 1:27
“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Genesis 2:7
“Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Genesis 2:18
“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”

Genesis 2:22-24
“The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.’ For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

God made men to be stronger — physically, emotionally, and constitutionally — and clearly husbands have the responsibility to protect and provide for their wife, and to lead their families; although, in the present culture, those are words that would most likely bring strong opposition from many people.

In 1Thessalonians 4:6 b …
6  because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

Paul makes it clear that the ultimate judge and avenger concerning these sins of sexual immorality [fornication] is the Lord Himself, evidently Paul had previously warned them about the consequences.

Read 1Thessalonians 4:7-8…
7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 8 So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

God’s people are not to allow or condone incest, adultery, fornication, or any sexual promiscuity, nor misogyny (prejudice against females), misandry (prejudice against males), or any kind of sexually motivated belief or behavior, to be used in taking advantage of another believer.

Those who disobey this teaching and willfully commit sexual immorality are not rejecting man’s teaching, but that of God, who gives us the Holy Spirit so that we might live moral and holy lives, not immoral and unholy lives.

1Corinthians 6:18-20,
“Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

God’s purpose in saving us out of the pagan world we live in, is to have a people of His very own who have been made holy because of Christ and set apart for the glory of God, that we might walk in a manner worthy of the calling of which we have become recipients, witnesses, and ambassadors of the gospel of salvation.

1Peter 2:9-12,
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Pastor Mike Hale

Bible Text: 1Thessalonians 3:11-13 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1 Thessalonians | May 3, 2020
1Thessalonians 3:11-13
Paul Prays for the Thessalonians
Pastor Mike Hale
 

Please turn to 1Thessalonians 3:11-13 and read through the passage.
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Last week, in 1Thessalonians 3:1-10, we read again of Paul’s love for the believers in Thessalonica, how he was concerned for them and really wanted to be with them, while at the same time Paul expressed his great joy to Timothy’s report, after returning from Thessalonica.

Read 1Thessalonians 3:10…
10 as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?

Paul says, “we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face.” Paul has the heart of a pastor who is longing to see his brothers and sisters in Christ. If you remember, Paul, Silas and Timothy had originally spent just a few weeks with the Thessalonians, proclaiming the gospel of Christ, many believed in and received Christ, Jew and Gentile.

(see Acts 17:1-4)
Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

Back to 1Thessalonians 3:11…
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;

Paul is praying here for God’s protection and provision so that he might return to Thessalonica to see the believers there, “Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you.”

Paul is writing to the church in Thessalonica, and yet in this portion of his letter he prays to God the Father and God the Son, with an emphasis on the unity that exists and has always existed between the Father and the Son; for they are equally sovereign and they always completely agree on everything.

And let us not forget that God the Holy Spirit is also in perfect harmony with the Father and the Son

(Romans 8:27),
“He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He [the Holy Spirit] intercedes for the saints [genuine believers and followers of Christ] according to the will of God.”

The Holy Spirit knows God’s will, and He is the One who actively intercedes for us, so that God’s will may be fulfilled in and through our lives.

The members of the Triune Godhead [a Tri-unity or Trinity], i.e., the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are equally One, and yet they are three distinct persons.

This concept is difficult, if not impossible for the natural mind to conceive, but God’s Word is clear that there is only One Living and True God
(cf. Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:5-7; 1Corinthians 8:4; 2Corinthians 13:14).

The Doctrine of the Trinity is proved by Scripture
(cf. Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1Peter 1:2; Jude 1:20-21).

Divine Titles are applied to all three persons of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
(cf. Exodus 20:2; John 20:28; Acts 5:3-4).

Each Person of the Trinity is described in God’s Word, as being:

Eternal (c f. Romans 16:26; Revelation 22:13; Hebrews 9:14).
Holy (cf. Revelation 4:8; 15:4; Acts 3:14; 1John 2:20).
Omnipresent (cf. Jeremiah 23:24; Ephesians 1:23; Psalm 139:7).
Omnipotent (cf. Genesis 17:1; Revelation 1:8; Jeremiah 32:17; Hebrews 1:3).
Omniscient (cf. Acts 15:18; John 21:17; 1Corinthians 2:10-11).
Creator (cf. Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16; Job 33:4; Psalms 148:5; John 1:3)
Sanctifier (cf. Jude 1:1; Hebrews 2:11; 1Peter 1:2).
Source of Eternal Life (cf. Romans 6:23; John 10:28; Galatians 6:8).
Teacher (cf. Isaiah 48:17; 54:13; John 14:26; Galatians 1:12; 1John 2:20).
Source of Salvation (cf. 2Thessalonians 2:13-14; Titus 3:4-6; 1Peter 1:2).

Baptism is done in the name of the Trinity

(cf. Matthew 28:19),
“baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Benediction is given naming each Person of the Trinity

(cf. 2Corinthians 13:14),
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.”

You can pray equally to either the Father or the Son, although there is no single verse where prayer is offered to Holy Spirit, but clearly prayers are made effectual by the Holy Spirit

(Ephesians 6:18),
“pray at all times in [through] the Spirit.”

The Lord taught His followers to pray

(Matthew 6:9)
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed [Holy] be Your name.’”

Some believe we must direct our Prayers to the Father only; but I assure you that you can pray to the Son [Jesus Christ] just as fervently, as Scripture declares.

John 14:13,
“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

John 16:23,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.”

Acts 7:59,
“They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

1Corinthians 1:2,
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”

Back to 1Thessalonians 3:12…
12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

Paul’s desire for the Thessalonians, as he prays for them to the Father and the Son, is that God will increase their love for one another, and for all people, just as the love that Paul, Silas and Timothy have for them is increasing.

Paul exhorts them through prayer to increase their love for “all people,” speaking of those who are not yet believers, but also of those who persecute the believers, as they have already experienced

(see 1Thessalonians 2:14-16a).
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, 16 hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

Jesus commanded His disciples

(Matthew 5:44),
“love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”;

(Luke 6:27b-28),
“love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”; and Paul reiterates this in

(Romans 12:14),
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

The expression of God’s love [agape, noun] is the hallmark of true Christianity, and the verb form of this Divine love [agapao], as John MacArthur explains, “expresses the purest, noblest form of love, which is volitionally driven, not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship.” Let me simplify that by saying, true love from above is expressed as an act of will and intent to do what needs to be done, without consideration of the condition or merit of the recipient, e.g.,

John 3:16 says,
“God so love the world that He gave His One and Only Son.”

Romans 5:8 tells us,
“God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Philippians 2:8 says
Jesus “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Romans 8:1,
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

So, in 1Thessalonians 3:11,
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;

Paul is praying for God to get him back to see the believers in Thessalonica; in

1Thessalonians 3:12,
12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;

Paul is praying for the Lord to increase the love of the believers in Thessalonica for all people, just as Paul serves as an example to them by the way he loved them before they were saved, and now that they are believers.

Pauls heart motive in all of this is stated in

1Thessalonians 3:13,
“so that He [God] may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”

I believe an “established heart without blame” is the heart of a righteous person, one who has been made holy, having been justified before God through personal faith in Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected, coming again.

2Corinthians 5:21 declares, “He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son, Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The good news is that Jesus is coming back, and when He returns to get us, He will be coming (1Thessalonians 3:13) “with all His saints. ” That is speaking about what is referred to as the rapture of the church, which we will be studying when we get to 1Thessalonians 4:13-18.

But for now, take a quick look at 1Thessalonians 4:14, 17…

This is talking about a future event when God’s Son will return in the air, bringing with Him all those who belong to Him by faith, who have already died.

Paul gives us some insight in

2Corinthians 5:6-8,
“knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord” [absent from the body, present with the Lord].

Philippians 1:21-23,
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better” [absent from the body, present with the Lord].

At the moment talked about in

1Thessalonians 4:17,
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.

at Christ’s return, all those who belong to Him who are still alive on the earth will be joined with all those who belong to Him who have already died, so that all believers will receive their immortal and incorruptible bodies made for eternity in heaven.

The word “rapture” [from the Latin “raptus”] means, “to catch away,” “to seize,” “to snatch up.” This will be instantaneous, in fact Paul says it will happen, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”

(1Corinthians 15:52).
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Back to 1Thessalonians 3:11-13…
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

Paul’s desire is for all believers to be established and steadfast in their faith, belief, and practice, so that at the return of Christ they will be found blameless, ready to receive their reward from the Lord.

Revelation 22:12,
“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.”

On that last night Jesus spent with His disciples, He told them repeatedly that He was leaving to go to the Father but that He would come back to get them and take them to be where He was.

John 14:2-3, “I go to prepare a place for you… …I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
John 14:12, “Truly, truly, I say to you… …I go to the Father.”
John 14:28, …”I go away, and I will come to you.’ …I go to the Father.”
John 16:10, “I go to the Father and you no longer see Me.”
John 16:28, “I came from the Father… …I am leaving the world to go the Father.”
John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

John 17:24, 26
24, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me.”
26, “I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

As Christians, we are born again by God’s Spirit, as children of God the Father, and servants of Jesus Christ who died for us, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return to take us to be with Him forever.

That is our destiny, that is God’s Truth! So, what should our daily response be to the COVID-19 world around us, and to all those who live on this planet?

Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 23-24, …“do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

1Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.
Pastor Mike Hale

Bible Text: 1Thessalonians 3:1-10 | Pastor: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1 Thessalonians | 04-26-2020
1Thessalonians 3:1-10
Picking Up Where We Left Off…
As we begin today, I am reminded that it has been five weeks since we were last in our study on 1Thessalonians, back on March 15. Since then I did a couple of sermons about trusting God and finding comfort in His Word, then it was Palm Sunday and then Easter Sunday, and then one more sermon on the Father of Mercies and God of All Comfort.

God is good, all the time; all the time, God is good. That is a very catchy truism, but we all know that God is not just, “good all the time,” He is exceedingly compassionate, kind, loving, merciful, faithful, and He will see us through this time of trouble, tribulation, and affliction, just as we are reminded in His Word ;

(Psalm 46:1), “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

These past five weeks, with the COVID-19 Pandemic, have been chaotic, confusing, and very disconcerting for all of us, e.g., mandates to shelter at home, the need for continual hand washing and/or hand sanitizer use, the wearing of masks when out in public, and the order for non-essential stores and businesses to
be put on operational hold.

Let’s turn our attention to 1Thessalonians 3:1-13

Paul is using the connecting word “therefore,” which links us to the last part of chapter 2; and since it has been five weeks since we were there, we will first revisit the last few verses of chapter 2, in order to get the context for what we just read in chapter 3.

See 1Thessalonians 2:17-20

“Having been taken away,” literally means, “to be orphaned,” “to be torn away from.” Paul felt like he had been ripped out of the arms of the believers in Thessalonica. He didn’t want to leave them.

Paul wanted to be with them, to see their faces, so he says in verse 18, “we wanted to come to you,” to know how you were doing.

Paul said “we” in verse 17 and “we” in verse 18 (meaning Paul, Timothy, Silas), but then he says, “I, Paul, [wanted to come to you] more than once.”

Paul sent Timothy back, but really, he wanted to go, to be with them, he loved them and would give his life for them, just as Jesus gave His life for all of us.

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Philippians 1:21-26, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”

Why didn’t Paul go back to see them?

1Thessalonians 2:18, “Satan hindered us.”

More than once Paul had tried to return, but Satan had kept him from doing so. We don’t know exactly what happened or how he was held back, only God knows, but the believers continued to grow whether Paul was there or not.

Satan opposes God’s people, and especially those on the front lines of ministry, those who take a bold stance to proclaim the message of Christ: crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

In 1Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul tells the believers in Thessalonica that they are his hope, joy, and crown of exultation [lit. the victor’s crown, the wreath that is placed on the head of the winning contestant in an olympic event]. But Paul is talking about an eternal reward, an eternal event, for he says:

“Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”

What does Paul mean?

Well, when you and I get to glory, we aren’t going to have crowns on our heads, but our crowns will be the very presence of the people there who we had the joy to proclaim the message of Christ to, whether we planted the seed, or watered, or harvested, i.e., the people whose lives were influenced by our words, our example, and our prayers.

It is the Lord’s own recognition and reward that we seek, as Jesus says:

(Revelation 22:12), “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done,”

(Matthew 25:34), “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Paul’s greatest joy was his love for Christ, and then his love for those who belong to Christ.

Jesus said:

(John 13:35), “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Back to 1Thessalonians 3:1-4

Paul longed to be with the believers in Thessalonica, but it was just too dangerous for him to go, so he sent Timothy. Timothy was Paul’s dearest friend and his fellow missionary, and in fact, Paul had sent Timothy as his representative to several of the churches he had founded.

(cf. 1Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19-23)

Paul considered Timothy a his son in the faith, his brother in the Lord and a fellow bond-servant of Jesus Christ.

(cf. 1Timothy 1:1-2; 2Timothy 1:1-2)

Paul is confident that Timothy would strengthen and encourage the believers’ faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Paul’s desire was for the believers in Thessalonica to grow stronger spiritually and not to be hindered or sidetracked by the afflictions and tribulations that happened to him, as he served Christ, and would eventually happen to all of them, just as he had earlier told them and would later write to Timothy:

(2Timothy 3:12), “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

Jesus told this to His disciples early in His ministry:

(Matthew 5:11-12), “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you”;

and then at the end of His ministry:

(John 15:18-19), “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

When Paul first arrived in Thessalonica, he had come from Philippi, where he and Silas had been jailed and beaten for proclaiming Christ

(cf. Acts 16:1-17:15);

in fact, Paul says in:

1Thessalonians 2:1-2, “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.”

Paul’s sufferings on behalf of Christ were numerous

(see 2Corinthians 11:24-30),

and Paul knew and proclaimed that the believers in Thessalonica, along with all true believers, would indeed suffer for their faith.

Back to 1Thessalonians 3:5

Paul was concerned about the Thessalonians, so finally he sent Timothy to find our how they were doing, for Paul was fearful that perhaps Satan had deceived them or tempted them away from the truth of the gospel. Paul wanted to know that their belief in the Lord was real and that they were producing fruit, demonstrating their new lives in Christ.

See 1Thessalonians 3:6-8

Paul is elated, for Timothy has brought back a report to him in Corinth, and it is all good news; for the Thessalonians have a strong faith that is bearing the fruit of demonstrative love for the Lord.

Timothy also reported that the believers were thinking kindly of Paul and they longed to see him again. Paul suffered many trials and tribulations, yet he finds great comfort in the report from Timothy about the Thessalonians’ genuine faith.

Paul was pretty beat up physically and spiritually at this time, but the good news about the believers in Thessalonica standing firm in their faith, revived Paul, who is now feeling new life from Timothy’s report, and is now exhorting the believers in Thessalonica to stand firm in the Lord, just as Paul would later encourage the believers in Corinth.

(1Corinthians 15:58), “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

See 1Thessalonians 3:9

Paul is saying that any thanksgiving for the spiritual growth and expressed faith of the believers in Thessalonica, must go to God. Paul says he doesn’t have the words to express his gratitude toward God for all the joy this report from Timothy has brought to him. Paul is so thankful, that he just doesn’t have an adequate response in return for the blessings he has received.

See 1Thessalonians 3:9-10

Paul is saying that he wishes he could be with them, face to face, up close and personal, in order to offer any instruction and/or encouragement they might need. But since he can’t, he is praying for them constantly and earnestly, to be brought fully to maturity in Christ, just as he would later pray for the believers in Ephesus.

(see Ephesians 1:15-21)

Paul is a bond-slave of Christ, giving his life in service to the Church, for the glory of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Paul deeply loves all those who belong to God through Christ, with a sincere and sacrificial love. He did not like being separated from his dear brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who were new in their faith, for he was a caring and protective shepherd.

It is my sincere prayer that we, God’s children, brothers and sisters in Christ, belonging to the household of God, will seek to serve the Lord with the same passion, purpose, and priority expressed through the life and the words of Paul.

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Philippians 1:21-26, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”

I genuinely understand Paul’s concerns and his deep love for the church. I pray that this message will encourage you toward love and good deeds.

I miss all of you, and I’m sure that you miss having fellowship with your brothers and sisters in the Lord. So, until we meet again, it is my persistent prayer that the love of God, and the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all. Amen.
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 2Corinthians 1:3-5 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | 04-19-2020
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Father of Mercies, God of All Comfort
Read 2Corinthians 1:2-5…

It has now been five weeks, here at First Baptist Church Waldport, since we last had Sunday School, Sunday Morning Worship, Ladies’ Tuesday Bible Study, Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study, and Men’s Saturday Breakfast Study.

I really miss our gatherings for prayer, fellowship and Bible study, I miss the handshakes, hugs, and seeing your faces; I miss sharing stories and laughter, while getting caught up on what is going on in one another’s lives.

All these things that we are missing seem to be compounded by this COVID-19 Pandemic’s mandates to stay home, keep social distances, wear masks when out in the public marketplace, wash your hands constantly, or use disinfecting hand sanitizer when hand washing isn’t possible.

I’m pretty sure that no matter where you are – Oregon, California, Arizona, Minnesota, etc. – all the above sounds pretty common to you by now. So, let’s change the channel and turn away from all that is going on around us, and instead let us look to God, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Read 2Corinthians 1:3-5…

Life can be draining, exhausting, perhaps even overwhelming: when you or family members are struggling with health issues, financial problems, or just having hard times; when the present is chaotic and unsure and the future seems bleak, it is easy to become discouraged.

Discouragement robs our energy, our strength, our joy, our peace, and our contentment. If discouragement is allowed to take up residence in us for very long, we will most likely succumb to a downward spiral of fatigue, hopelessness, despair, and dysfunction.

When we continually focus on what is going on around us, instead of Who is in us, we can become spiritually discouraged. When we become unappreciative or forgetful of God’s protection and provisions in the past, we may become indifferent toward God as provider and protector in the present, leading us to become spiritually weak and vulnerable.

When we stop focusing on the God who loves us, it is easy to forget that He knows our troubles and our needs, and He wants to help us, for we are His children. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus in order to remain encouraged, experiencing God’s comfort, peace and rest.

You keep your eyes on Christ by prayerfully reading God’s Word, honoring it, and applying it to your life, for it is only through obedient faith in Christ that we receive God’s encouragement, strength and wisdom.

Read 2Corinthians 1:3…

God is the Father of mercies. The Greek word translated ‘mercies’ here expresses something that flows from deep down in the heart, and this reference is to God’s heart, i.e., this compassion comes from the very heart of God.

Psalm 86:5, “For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon You.”

God is the author of compassion and mercy, He has expressed this to us through His gift of forgiveness and salvation, setting us free from eternal condemnation and punishment, at the same time granting us everything we need for our mortal life on earth and eternal life in heaven.

Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,”

Ephesians 1:7-8, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us[,] In all wisdom and insight [understanding].”

Ephesians 2:7, “so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

1Peter 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

2Peter 1:1-3, “To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

Isaiah 49:13, “Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted.”

God is merciful, the God of all comfort. The Greek word translated ‘comfort’ here (2Corinthians 1:3) implies exhortation and encouragement given by coming alongside someone; another form of this word is used for the Holy Spirit, the Helper [Comforter, Counselor], Who is called the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth.

John 14:16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

(ref. 1John 5:11-13) “And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.  This Is Written That You May Know these things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

John 14:26, ”But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Read 2Corinthians 1:4…

God says He comforts us in all our affliction. The Greek word translated ‘affliction’ here can mean any kind of trouble [illness, burden, persecution, disease, suffering, discomfort].

Trouble arrives in many forms, e.g., wayward or despondent children, sickness, financial hardship, family conflict, or perhaps the loss of a loved one.

Trouble seems to come at the most inopportune times, e.g., it is bad enough to be in a global pandemic and to be sequestered in your own home, but then to lose your employment, and to struggle to pay the rent/mortgage, the utilities, to put food on the table. All of this can easily overwhelm us and cause us to become fearful, confused, angry, discouraged, and even hopeless.

We are being confronted more than ever with the reality that we live in a fallen world, where some of the consequence of sin’s curse is clearly making itself known, and our world seems to be more harsh and difficult then we have experienced in a long time, as daily we are confronted with the reality that bad things happen, and we aren’t immune just because we belong to God.

But, God is merciful and He wants to comfort us, to care for us.

Psalm 119:50, “This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me.”

Isaiah 51:12, “I, even I, am He who comforts you.”

Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’”

We can be assured that God wants the best for us, He loves us, and when we suffer, whether it is our own fault, someone else’s, or just the consequence of living in a world that rejects its Creator, Savior and Sustainer (ref. Hebrews 1:1-4, 10-12), God wants to use whatever happens to us in this life for His own glory and to our own benefit.

James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

So then, trouble and afflictions can actually work to make us better, even strengthening our faith through the comfort and mercy we receive from God.

Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

But, how do we receive this comfort from God? The easy answer is, through faith, for we must believe that what God tells us is true, and therefore we can trust Him for whatever comfort He provides.

Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God is ever-present in our suffering, for He is helping us, walking with us, leading us, providing for us, comforting us.

God sometimes provides comfort to us through other believers, perhaps an encouraging word, a helping hand, a listening ear to hear our troubles, or maybe even someone to cry with.

God mostly comforts us through His Word, when we read it or hear it; for it provides encouragement and hope, as well as instruction and guidance; it is made effectual by the Holy Spirit, the One who lives in us, our resident Helper, Comforter, and Counselor from God.

God comforts us so that we may bring that same comfort to others; and therefore, God allows us to go through hard times and struggles so that we will call upon Him for help; and then having received help from God we are then able to encourage others who find themselves in need of comfort, by urging them to also call upon God, who loves and cares for them.

In a way, we should be thankful for trouble, for through it we are drawn closer to God, Who helps us in our time of need; and then sends us to help others on His behalf. We aren’t comforted by God just so that we might be comfortable; but so that we will become comforters ourselves, in the service of God..

Read 2Corinthians 1:5…

May we never forget the suffering our Lord went
through for us, whatever comfort, encouragement and hope we receive, whether it comes through people, God’s Word, or whatever circumstances, it is ultimately brought through Jesus Christ, who suffered once for all to the point of death, in order to take our sin punishment and condemnation, that we might live for Him.

2Corinthians 4:7-10, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

(ref. Galatians 2:20)

God is in the midst of our suffering, in order to bring us comfort. God’s comfort is merciful and loving, and we receive it spiritually by faith, as a children of God.

God the Father loves you so much that He sent His One and Only Son to save you. God the Son loves you so much He laid down His life for you. God the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Comforter, lives in us to protect and provide for us, to give us purpose and power, to know the very presence of God, and to have intimate fellowship with Him now and forever in Christ who said,

(Matthew 11:28), “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.”

The God of all mercy, the God of all comfort, desires to show His lovingkindness and compassion to each one of His children, i.e., to anyone and everyone who trusts and believes in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior: crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

2Thessalonians 2:16-17, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”

Pastor Mike                   >’(((><

Bible Text: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | 04-12-2020  EASTER SUNDAY
The Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ…
Opening Prayer
Hymn:
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
Christ the Lord is risen today,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Sons of men and angels say:
Al – le – lu – ia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Sing ye heav’ns, and earth reply:
Al – le – lu – ia!
Lives again our glorious King,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Where, O Death, is now thy sting?
Al – le – lu – ia!
Dying once He all doth save,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Where thy victory, O Grave?
Al – le – lu – ia!
Love’s redeeming work is done,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Fought the fight, the battle won,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Christ hath opened Paradise,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Foll’wing our exalted Head,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies,
Al – le – lu – ia!
Today is the Day of Good News, the Best News! Jesus Christ was crucified on a
Friday (paying the penalty for our sins); and on the following Sunday, He rose from
the grave (demonstrating His authority to provide eternal life).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event in all of Christianity,
actually, it is the most important event in the history of the world. Without the
resurrection of Christ, we have no hope of forgiveness or eternal life, for there
would be no proof that Jesus’ death really freed us from sin’s condemnation.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus saying to His disciples, He [the Son of
Man] would be rejected by the religious leaders, betrayed and delivered and put to
death, but He would rise from the grave on the 3rd day.

Matthew 17:22-23, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of
men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.”

Matthew 26:45, “‘Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being
betrayed into the hands of sinners.”

The resurrection is central to Christianity – you cannot be a Christian and not
believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your
heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

The biblical and historic record concurs, that Jesus of Nazareth died on a Friday
afternoon and was placed in a tomb, but Sunday morning His body was missing!

Read Matthew 28:1-15… If Jesus’ body was missing, either He did rise from
the dead, as He had said He would, or someone took His body away:

1. The Jewish Leaders didn’t want Christ’s body removed from the tomb; a
missing body could be a resurrected body, that would look bad for the Religious
Leaders; for this reason, they pressured Pilate to put a seal on the tomb and a
Roman guard unit there to keep the body in the grave (see Matthew 27:62-65),
for Jesus had said (verse 63), “After three days I am to rise again.”

2. The Roman Guards were stationed at the tomb to make sure Jesus’ body
stayed put; moving it or allowing it to be taken, was punishable by death;
therefore, they made sure Christ’s body remained in the tomb, at all costs, against
all foes, but it is very doubtful that any of these soldiers had ever faced one of
God’s angels before (Matthew 28:2-4, 11-15).

3. Jesus’ Disciples wouldn’t dare move His body and falsify His resurrection; for if
they knew Jesus did not rise from the grave, they had no hope of eternal life, and it
would have been better for them to get out of town as fast as they could, and never
tell anyone that they had been followers of Jesus.

So, why did the Disciples continue to proclaim the risen Lord? And why did the
Jewish authorities bribe the Roman soldiers to spread the “stolen body” story?

There can be only one explanation: Jesus Christ rose from the grave, just like
He said that He would. And everyone who believes in Him, repenting of sin,
confessing Him as Lord, will receive eternal life, just like He said that we would.

Read 1Corinthians 15:1-2… Paul is not saying anything new here, but is
restating the gospel he had already preached to them, the gospel of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, for it is by this gospel that they [and all true believers]
are saved.

Our faith in Christ is based on the fact that He not only died for our sins, but He
sovereignly rose from the grave by the power of God to prove He has authority over
sin’s penalty and death itself.

Read 1Corinthians 15:3-4… Of first importance is the fact that Jesus had to
die for our sins, and this was according to the Scriptures; that He would be buried,
and on the third day He would come out of the grave alive, according to the
Scriptures.

Repeatedly in the OT (Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Hosea) the death, burial and
resurrection of God’s Son, the Messiah is foretold. In the NT, Peter, Paul and Jesus
all quote from those OT passages, i.e., “according to the Scriptures.”
Hymn:
Christ Arose!
Low in the grave He lay,
Jesus, my Savior!
Waiting the coming day,
Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose!
He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Vainly they watch His bed,
Jesus, my Savior!
Vainly they seal the dead,
Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose!
He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Death cannot keep his prey,
Jesus, my Savior!
He tore the bars away,
Jesus, my Lord!
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose!
He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
Read 1Corinthians 15:5-7… Eyewitness testimony is considered to be the
most reliable testimony in a court of law. Here we have the recorded testimony of
those who saw the resurrected Christ.

Jesus’ first appearance was to Cephas (Aramaic) or Peter (Greek). He was the
leader of the twelve, the main preacher at Pentecost, and the leader of the church
in its early years; Peter was a prime witness for the resurrection.

Paul tells us Jesus appeared to the “twelve” next, although there were only
eleven, as Judas had already died and a replacement hadn’t been selected yet; it
would seem that the eleven were still referred to as the twelve.

Paul records that Jesus then appeared to a group of more than 500 brothers
(and sisters) at one time. This is awesome, as Paul is now writing 20+ years after
that happened, and he is saying that although some of those witnesses have died,
most of those who witnessed Christ’s resurrection were still alive, able to testify to
the resurrection.

Paul then tells us Jesus appeared, “to James [most likely the Lord’s half
brother], then to all the apostles.” We know that Jesus, between His resurrection
and His ascension back into heaven

(Acts 1:3), “presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days
and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ sovereignly demonstrates and declares that
Jesus, through His own shed blood on the cross, did in fact take our punishment for
sins upon Himself; therefore, we have forgiveness and eternal life!

1Peter 3:18, “ For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so
that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made
alive in the spirit.”

Read 1Corinthians 15:8-9… Paul says, “last of all [Jesus] appeared to me
also, as to one untimely [abnormally] born.”

All the others to whom the Lord appeared, had seen Him before His death,
and then again after His resurrection; but the Lord appeared to Paul on the
road to Damascus, several years after the Lord had ascended back into heaven.

For Wednesday’s Bible Study this coming week, I want to take you through the
Biblical accounts of Jesus’ post resurrection appearances, it will be a great study;
but for today, let’s keep our attention on the Resurrection of our Lord.

Read 1Corinthians 15:20-23… Jesus is the “first” fruits of those who have
died – meaning, there will be more “fruit” after Him; just as He was raised, so all
those who believe in Him, will also be raised to new life [eternal life in a new body].

John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live
even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

Christ was raised first, all those who belong to Him will also be raised, according
to Scripture

(1Thessalonians 4:16-17), “For the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we
shall always be with the Lord.”

Although we die, we will be raised in a new body like Jesus was, a perfect body
that will last for eternity; we are presently in our earthly bodies, but we will be
given our heavenly bodies to enjoy forever..

1Corinthians 15:50-53… Paul reveals that before Christ’s return, some of the
Lord’s people will not die from physical death, but that they we all will be
“changed,” “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye,” at Christ’s return in the air.

When Jesus comes for us, we will be changed instantaneously, all those who
have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation will be given their eternal
heaven bodies, i.e., Jesus is coming for those who belong to God, God’s children,
those who have been

(cf. John 1:12-13; 3:3-7) “born again,” meaning, “born from above,” “born of the Spirit of God,” “born of God.”

If you are not sure that you have received forgiveness for sin and eternal life, if
you are not sure that you are saved — you need to get right with God, right where
you are, right now!

Every person who has been or ever will be born, is a sinner (we all are); and the
penalty for sin is death [an eternity of being tormented in the darkness of Hell apart
from all things God]; but Jesus Christ, the Savior, offers forgiveness and eternity in
Heaven with all God’s Blessings [Life, Light, Love, Joy, Peace, Happiness, Hope and
Family] to all who believe in Him

(Romans 6:23), “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is absolutely and verifiably true, and He alone
has the authority to save you, so, what must you do to be saved?

ASK God to forgive you

(Romans 3:10-12), “There is none righteous, not even one…    …There is none
who seeks for God…    …There is none who does good, …not even one.”

(Romans 3:23), “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

There is no other way, He turns no one away

(Acts 2:21), “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [for the forgiveness of sins] will be saved.”

BELIEVE that Jesus died for your sins

(Hebrews 9:26) “Jesus appeared once for all… to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

He wants to be your Savior but you have to trust in Him.

CONFESS Jesus as Lord

(Matthew 10:32), “Those who acknowledge Me before men, I will also
acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”

Ultimately everyone is going to bow and confess Jesus Christ as Lord; but
only those who do so willingly are saved and granted eternity in heaven with God.

DEMONSTRATE your new live in Christ

(John 3:6-8), “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know
where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

(2Corinthians 5:17), “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature;
the old things passed away; behold, new things have come,”

(Galatians 2:20), “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by
faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Everyone who is genuinely saved, born again into God’s family, will demonstrate
this new life in Christ, as they are nurtured by, grow, and obey God’s Word.

God’s Son came down from heaven, put on flesh, lived a perfect life, died on a
cross, was buried, and rose from the grave on the third day, just like He said He
would. He conquered all our enemies – sin, death, and judgment – victoriously
demonstrating His power and authority by His resurrection from the grave.
Hymn: 
Because He Lives
God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus;
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon;
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives.
How sweet to hold a new born baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives.
And then one day I’ll cross the river;
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain.
And then, as death gives way to vic-t’ry,
I’ll see the lights of glory—and I’ll know He lives.
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow;
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives.
 

Today is the day of Good News, the Best News! Jesus Christ has risen from the
grave, and He has granted eternal life to everyone who believes in Him, and
although He is now in Heaven, He is coming back to take us to be with Him forever.

Christ is Risen! I know many of you are responding, He is Risen indeed!
That is the Good News of Easter Sunday!
“Good news, good news, for you and for me:
Jesus arose and He lives; don’t you see?
Good news, good news, let’s tell it to others;
That they too may know, of this wonderful Savior Who loves us all so.”
 

(John 20:30-31), “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Closing Prayer
Pastor Mike      >’(((><

Bible Text: Matthew 21:1-17 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | 04-05-2020

Jesus’ Last Trip to Jerusalem Before His Death

Matthew 21:1-17

Today we begin what is called Passion Week, for it was on a Sunday that Jesus
rode into Jerusalem. The Biblical narrative records many of the events of the
following days leading up to His death, as He shared God’s message of love and
forgiveness with those in and around Jerusalem on Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday’s narrative in the Gospel accounts is basically silent, for it seems
that Jesus stayed outside the city, resting, preparing for the next two very long
days.

Thursday was Passover, when Jesus taught His disciples that He would be God’s
Sacrificial Lamb, and that His blood, shed for them, would be the new Covenant.

On Friday, Jesus was arrested, and subsequently He was put to death on a
cross; at the end of the day, His body was taken down and placed in a tomb, where
it remained until Sunday morning, when Jesus came out of the tomb alive!

Next Friday I will share a message with you about the events that occurred
during Passion Week, on a day that we call Good Friday. But for today, let’s turn to
Matthew’s account (Matthew 21:1-17) of what occurred when Jesus entered
Jerusalem.

Read Matthew 21:1-7… Jesus and the 12 approached Jerusalem, coming to
the village of Bethphage, on the SE side of Olivet [Mt. of Olives], just east of
Jerusalem, a short distance from Bethany (home to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus).

Jesus sends two of His disciples into Bethphage to find a young donkey that is
tied there with its mother. The disciples find the donkey, and when they are asked
why they are untying the colt, they responded as Jesus had told them, and so
received permission from the owner untie it and bring it to Jesus.

The people in that area knew Jesus as “the Lord,” and His disciples as “the
Twelve,” for they visited there many times during the time of Jesus’ ministry.

Look again at Matthew 21:4-5, “This took place to fulfill what was spoken
through the prophet: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold your King is coming to
you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a beast of
burden.’” This prophecy had been proclaimed by Isaiah and Zechariah, and was
now being fulfilled:

Isaiah 62:11, “Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth, say to the
daughter of Zion, “Lo, your salvation comes; behold His reward is with Him, and His
recompense [punishment for the guilty] before Him.”

Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter
of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with
salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Read Matthew 21:8-11… This display of praise and honor (on the part of the
people) was normally reserved for royalty, and was an ancient practice of showing
homage to a new king (2Kings 9:12-13). The people here are recognizing Jesus
as the long awaited Messiah, the King of the Jews (cf Matthew 2:1-2; 27:11).

The people in Jerusalem were excited, as is seen by their display of praise and
honor, even throwing down their outer garments and fresh cut branches (according
to John 12:13, these were palm branches). Note: That is why we call today Palm
Sunday. The people are directing their praise toward Jesus, expressing their hope
and desire for their Messiah-King to save them, to free them.

The people are shouting

(Matthew 21:9) “Hosanna! to the Son of David;
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!”

Hosanna comes from the words save and please, and so this is an expression of
desire, adoration, praise, and joy, it it comes from

Psalm 118:25-26, which says,
“O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from
the house of the LORD.”

Jesus’ Hebrew name [Yeshua] means “God’s salvation.” The people call for
God’s Son, the Messiah [the Holy One] to save them. The Jews had been waiting
centuries for the Messiah to come, but they wrongly believed He would liberate
them from Roman [Gentile] oppression and prosper them; they didn’t understand
that He was coming to free them from the penalty of sin (as Jesus made clear
during His last Passover meal).

Matthew 26:26-28, “While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a
blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My
body.’ And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying,
‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for forgiveness of sins.’”

1Corinthians 11:23-26

Back to Matthew 21:10… Many of the people are asking, “Who is this?” And
yet, many seem to be aware (Matthew 21:11) that, “This is the prophet Jesus,
from Nazareth in Galilee.” Why the confusion (cf. Mark 4:35-41).

The OT foretells the arrival, the suffering, and the death of God’s Son, the
Servant of God, the Messiah [Holy or Anointed One] Who fulfills God’s purpose and
plan by providing forgiveness for sin and eternal life to all who will receive Him.

Zechariah 9:9… He will enter Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt.

Zechariah 11:12… He will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.

Psalm 22:16… He will be pierced for our transgressions.

Psalm 16:10… He will rise from the dead.

He will ascend back into heaven.

Everything God said, happened just like He declared it would. His Word is
Divine and Sovereign Truth, bringing either the Reward of Eternal Life, or the
Judgement of Eternal Death, to all the people of the earth.

Read Matthew 21:12-13… Jesus enters the Temple and begins to clear out
all those who are desecrating the House of God.

The Outer Court of the temple had become a market place and stockyard;
worshippers had come long distances, some from outside of Israel, in order to offer
sacrifices and pay their temple tax. These believers in God were being forced to
pay high exchange rates (as foreign coins had to be exchanged for Jewish
currency); and also, high prices for sacrificial animals (which had to be approved by
the Priests, who were getting kickbacks from the market vendors).

The Outer Court, where all this was taking place, was for the Gentiles; they were
not allowed to enter any other part of the Temple, and so, this area was set apart
for Gentile converts to Judaism to pray and worship.

It is here that these vendors, under the supervision of the Jewish religious
leaders, had turned a place of prayer and worship into a robbers den, where
criminals were being protected by the Chief Priest and Teachers of the Law, who
should be arresting them and bringing them to judgment (cf. Jeremiah 7:11).

These Religious leaders were members of the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court of
Israel presided over by the High-Priest), it met daily in the Temple to pronounce
judgments in all matters of Jewish Law.

In Mark’s narrative of this event we are told (Mark 11:17-18), He began to
teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of
prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a robbers’ den.’ The chief priests
and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were
afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.”

The crowds had been amazed of Jesus teaching since the beginning of His
ministry (Mark 1:22), “They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching
them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Jesus’s words were the
words of God, not men!

Jesus taught as one with authority, where as, knowledge, like that held by the
scribes, doesn’t equal authority; for authority is granted, not acquired.

Read Matthew 21:14-16… The blind and lame came to the Temple to beg
for money and to seek healing; they were ignored and despised by most people,
especially the religious leaders, who considered their infirmities and ailments to be
the result of sins either they or their parents committed.

The religious leaders showed very little, if any, mercy toward the poor and
afflicted; where as Jesus healed all who came to Him and and even received the
praise of children; this infuriated the religious leaders who had earlier (cf Matthew 12:24)
accused Him of casting out demons by the power of the devil.

Jesus condemns these self-righteous hypocrites (who are indignant that the
children are praising Him and He is receiving their praise). Jesus says to them,
“Yes; have you never read, i.e., don’t you teachers know what the prophets have
written (Psalm 8:2), ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have
prepared praise for Yourself’?”

God knew full-well that unbelieving mankind would reject His Son, that the Jews
would show contempt for Him, and that evil men would seek to kill Him; but
according to God’s sovereign plan, Jesus would lay down His own life as payment
for our sins (at the time He chooses), after which, He would rise from the grave (by
His own authority) proving He is both Lord and Savior, as we will study next week
(cf Isaiah 53:3-6; John 10:17-18).

The Jewish Religious Leaders and the majority of His own people (the Jews)
would not believe in or receive Jesus as their Messiah; for they were were waiting
for a Messiah-King to enter Jerusalem on a white stallion, a war horse, not a
donkey’s colt (a beast of burden). They wanted a Messiah who would destroy
Rome’s army, freeing Israel from Gentile rule, not this Jesus who allowed Himself to
be captured and crucified like a common criminal.

Read Matthew 21:17… Jesus came to offer full payment for the penalty of sin
and eternal life in heaven with God; but the Jews adamantly rejected Him and His
offer, and so Jesus “left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the
night there.”

Do you remember who lives in Bethany? Jesus’ dearest friends – Mary, Martha,
and Lazarus who Jesus had recently raised from the dead. Jesus left those who
rejected Him, in order to be with those who received Him, those who believed in His
name; and He continues to give Himself to anyone and everyone who trusts and
believes in Him for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Only a born-again believer and follower of Christ is able to genuinely
understand, experience, and celebrate eternal life.

John 1:11-13, “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive
Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of
God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the
will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

John 3:1-8, “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that
You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do
unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus *said to
Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into
his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I said to you, You must be born again.’ The wind blows
where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from
and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

So, as we begin Passion Week begins please consider the following:

When Peter was proclaiming the message of Christ to those in Jerusalem, on the
Day of Pentecost, the people realized that Jesus was God’s Son, the Messiah, and
that they had rejected their only hope of salvation.

Acts 2:36-38, “‘Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has
made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they
heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, in the name of
Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit, and each of you be baptized.’”

If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ, asking God to forgive your sins and
save you, please consider doing that right now, right where you are; there is no
better time to make things right between you and God.

2Corinthians 6:2, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of
salvation I helped you. Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day
of salvation.’”

Admit to God that you are a sinner, for we all are (Romans 3:23).

Ask God to forgive your sins, for He loves you and He turns no one away
(Romans 5:8; 6:23; 10:13).

Confess Jesus as Lord, for He alone conquered Sin, Death, Judgement
(Romans 8:1; 10:9-10)

Demonstrate your New Life in Christ (2Corinthians 5:17)

1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything
give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

If you belong to God through Christ, praise the Lord by telling others about Him.

(Matthew 28:16-20)

Let’s pray…

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: assorted passages | Pastor: Pastor Mike | note:

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the sermon notes and bulletin / news letter.

March 29, 2020

How Should God’s People Respond in Perilous Times?

(Assorted References)

Good Morning to you on this Lord’s Day.

Be assured that God is in control and He will get you through this trying time of COVID-19, with the
mandatory stay-at-home order, and the prohibition of people gathering together.

With no end to this pandemic in view at this time, I’m sure some of you are
having a hard time trying to find something positive to think about. all the unknown
God does, at times, allow pain and suffering into the lives of His people.

Well, first and foremost, if you have repented of your sin, believing in God’s Son
as Savior and Lord, then you belong to God and He promises to never leave you or
forsake you for all of eternity, and nothing visible or invisible can ever separate you
from His unconditional love.

Romans 8:37-39, “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him
who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor
depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It is true that Christians are forever protected and provided for by Almighty God,
the Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything in them. But it is also true
that we will most likely experience pain and suffering in this life.

2Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed,
but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

2Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man
is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light
affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.”

Revelation 21:3-4, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold,
the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall
be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every
tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be
any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

God can and does heal miraculously, but not always; God will eventually heal all
His children, although for a time, we will most likely have to suffer through things
like COVID-19, with the possibility a recession, even a depression, as a result of
this pandemic.

At times like this it is very reasonable for us to ask God why? But you know,
most likely, the answer from God is going to be silence. Why is that? Well, let’s
consider Job (4,000 years ago), he asked God 16 different times “why” bad things
were happening to him and his family. And even though Job had been an honest,
moral, and kind man, God never answered his “why” questions; instead, God
reminded Job Who he was talking to, and the great power and wisdom that belongs
to God, alone.

Have you ever asked, “Why me, God?” or “Why them?” or more currently, “Why
COVID-19?” “Why now?” “When will it end?”

Sometimes we can answer the “why” questions ourselves. Perhaps we are sick
because we failed to eat, exercise, and rest properly. Maybe an accident, incident,
or bad situation, was the result of our own carelessness or worse, our sin.
Our present struggle may be the result of God’s own loving discipline, trying to
get our attention before we get ourselves into more severe trouble.

Hebrews 12:5-7, “you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you
as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you
are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He
scourges every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God
deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not
discipline?”

Hebrews 12:10-11, “For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to
them, but [God] disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All
discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who
have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

Instead of asking why, perhaps we ought to view our current suffering as an
opportunity for God to demonstrate His sovereign love, protection, provision, and
power in our lives.

Yes, God may heal us or those we are praying for, perhaps He will remove the
trial or struggle; but then, He may allow us to go through it, while at the same time
providing His divine grace in the very midst of it.
And although it is not necessarily a pleasant thought, there are some good
things that can come from our suffering:

Suffering can cause us to grow in our faith…

James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have
its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing..”

Suffering can prepare us to show empathy toward others…

2Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so
that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with
which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Having suffered ourselves, we are able to reach out with God’s comfort and
encouragement to others, just as we ourselves have received it from God.

Suffering can both humble and strengthen us…

2Corinthians 12:7-10, “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,
for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the
flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has
said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power
of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with
insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for
when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Suffering allows us to share in Christ’s suffering…

1Peter 4:12-14, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you,
which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were
happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep
on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with
exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the
Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Suffering will be fully rewarded in heaven…

1Corinthians 2:9, “just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear
has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has
prepared for those who love Him.”

Matthew 25:34, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world.’”

God is sovereign in our suffering, and we are eternally secure in Him!

Psalm 139:13-16, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s
womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful
are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You,
when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your
eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days
that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

Ephesians 1:1-14, “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the
saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of
the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined
us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind
intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely
bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He
lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His
will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an
administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all
things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have
obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who
works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first
to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after
listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also
believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a
pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession,
to the praise of His glory.”

Many unpleasant things will occur in this life that frustrate us, hurt us, even
tempt us to forget God’s marvelous blessings, His unconditional love, and His
eternal faithfulness.

I am convinced that we must walk through our trials, not around them, and we
must stand firm when attacked by the Devil. the World, and our own flesh; for it is
through God’s power, God’s plan, and God’s purpose, that we bring glory and honor
and praise to Him.

Paul is an amazing example of one who suffered tremendous trials and
hardships.

2Corinthians 11:24-27, “Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine
lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I
was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on
frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my
countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the
wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor
and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without
food, in cold and exposure.”

God didn’t remove Paul’s trials, but instead gave him the grace to bear up under
and to have victory through them.

2Corinthians 12:7-10, “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,
for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the
flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!
Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has
said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most
gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of
Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults,
with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am
weak, then I am strong.”

Paul found his strength and his comfort in Christ.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also
know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the
secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering
need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:19-20, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His
riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and
ever. Amen.”

Suffering is part of life for those who seek to honor God…

2Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted.”

Satan, sin, as well as many natural factors are the direct agents in most human
suffering, but not without God permitting it to happen.

Matthew 10:28-31, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the
soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not
two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart
from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear;
you are more valuable than many sparrows.”

How should we then respond during hard times, trials, and tribulations?

1Peter 5:6-11, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that
He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He
cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your
faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by
your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the
God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect,
confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever.
Amen.”

When we or those we care about experience pain and suffering, we should
immediately turn to God. Our first response must be to pray, not to worry or
become anxious, but to turn to our heavenly Father and put the matter in His
hands, for He is the Almighty, He alone is sovereign.
Prayer activates the power, purpose, plan, and provision of God, for those who
believe and trust in the Word of God.

Ephesians 6:10-17, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His
might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against
the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness,
against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up
the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having
done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with
truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your
feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the
shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the
evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the
Word of God.”

It is through the power of God’s Word and lovingkindness that our anxiety is
replaced with peace, our grief is replaced with comfort, and our despair is replaced
with hope.

(Hebrews 4:12-13), “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is
hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of
Him to whom we must give account.”

Instead of asking why, worrying, becoming anxious, getting angry, blaming God
or others, let us direct ourselves to prayer, through which God will impart His
sovereign, gracious, bountiful and merciful love to all who belong to Him.

We must trust God to see us through everything, and that includes our new
normal of being mandated to stay at home, and not being allowed to be with our
church family, because of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, known as COVID-19.

God can put an immediate end to this pandemic, but most likely, He will not. By
the way, do you know why it is called the “Novel” virus? The noun form of the word
novel is usually associated with a book, story, or other work of fiction; but the
adjective form of the word novel (as used in naming the Novel Coronavirus) means,
‘something new, not resembling something formerly known or identified.”

COVID-19 may be new to planet earth, but it is not news to God, He wants us to
trust Him and to glorify Him through this present “Novel” situation, but we must
focus on Jesus Christ, Who endured more trials, pain, and suffering then we can
ever imagine.

Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and
being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross.”

Hebrews 12:2-3, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who
for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat
down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured
such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose
heart.”

God knows ahead of time the trials and tribulations we will face, and God alone
is able and willing to provide for us, to protect us, to lead us, walking hand-in-hand
with us, and at times, even carrying us.

God loves us more than we can ever imagine; therefore, we ought to turn to
Him, as dearly loved children would turn to their own father; we should call out to
Him

(Psalm 9:9), “The Lord [is] a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in
times of trouble,”

(Psalm 46:1), “God is our refuge and strength, a very present
help in trouble,”

(Psalm 62:8), “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your
heart before Him.”

God allows times of testing and suffering into our lives in order to strengthen us
and to stimulate spiritual growth among the family of God, for we are members of
the body of Christ, who is the Head over all.

But above all, I believe the most important reason that God allows trials and
tribulations into the lives of those who belong to Him, is so that He might receive
glory, honor, and praise, as we trust Him to protect and provide for us through this
life, at the end of which He will bring us into heaven to live with Him, so that God
will be worshiped forever.

Revelation 21:3-4, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold,
the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall
be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every
tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be
any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Revelation 22:12-13, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me,
to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

Revelation 22:20-21, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming
soon. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.
Amen.”
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Matthew 6:25-34 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | note:

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the sermon notes and bulletin / news letter.

03-22-2020

Don’t Worry! God Provides Peace, Hope, and Comfort.

Matthew 6:25-34

These past few weeks have turned ‘normal’ upside down.  Some people have gone
absolutely bonkers, others have turned into something rather frightening, while many, it
would seem, have become contestants in what I will call, an international contest for
extreme worrywarts.

Yes, life can be hard and, at times, dangerous; but in the end we all die.

John MacArthur was being interviewed on the Larry King Show after 9/11, and he
was asked, “What is the lesson here.” John said, “The lesson is that everybody is going to
die and you’re not necessarily in control of when.”

Everyone dies, that’s inevitable; but there are things that occur in our world that
frighten us far beyond any normal acceptance of the fact that we will each someday die,
for instance, last year: 1.25 million people died from car accidents. 5.6 million children
died (mostly from preventable causes). 17 million people died from heart disease. 10
million people died from cancer. 60 million people died worldwide.

The current Coronavirus pandemic, at of the time of this writing, has recorded
270,270 cases, of which 168,391 are currently infected, 90,603 have recovered, and
11,286 have died. The 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic killed more than 50 million people; but
the worst of all time was the Black Death in the 1300’s that killed 75 million people.

Those who do not belong to Christ have good reason to be concerned about death;
everybody dies, but those who die apart from Christ are condemned to an eternal hell.

But how should the family of God respond to these things? How can we be a
messenger of hope and a helper to those around us? How can we encourage those who
are anxious and disheartened? Well, first of all you must have God’s hope yourself.

The Psalms are full of God’s promises which are meant to give us peace, hope, and
comfort, for example: “The Lord is our stronghold in times of trouble,” and so, “I will sing
praises to the Lord.” “He is my hiding place; He preserves me from trouble.” “I seek the
Lord and He answers me, and delivers me from all my fears.” “Those who seek the Lord
shall not be in want of any good thing.” “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves
those who are crushed in spirit.” “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble. Therefore I will not fear.” “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you,
and you will honor Me,” says the Lord. “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will
sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

God’s protection and provision is promised over and over again to God’s people.
Please turn to

Matthew 6:25-34, and follow along as I read it aloud from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Three times in that passage Jesus commands us not to worry. First, if you are already
worrying, stop!  Second, if you haven’t started worrying, don’t start! And third, as an
overall attitude, don’t worry, i.e., don’t be anxious, don’t be afraid.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which
surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

We are admonished (Matthew 6:25), not to worry about our life, our temporal biological-physical life. That is what is in view, i.e., what we eat, drink, and wear. Jesus tells us not to worry about such basic needs.

That may not sound so profound to us today, but in context, to the people of Jesus’
day, many would of had nothing except what was on their back, and perhaps didn’t know
if there would be anything to eat the next day; not to mention that the small streams and
shallow wells in Israel would often go dry in the summer heat, making it difficult to find
water to drink.

The Lord is saying, “Don’t worry about those things.” Why shouldn’t we worry? Because God is our
Father and He will care for us; and also  because life is so much more than food and drink,
and the body is much more than the clothing we put on it.

I don’t know how many of you have had to experience the recent craziness of going
into a Walmart, Fred Meyer’s, WinCo, Smart & Final, Costco, etc., or perhaps have seen
a video clip on YouTube or a News feed, showing the bare shelves in these stores, the overloaded
shopping carts, or people fighting over a bag of toilet paper, a gallon of bleach, or a
jar of peanut butter. Some people have gone absolutely nuts!

But we as God’s people can’t be consumed by this pandemic; I mean being
inconvenienced or deprived of this or that, must not drive us to be like the people who are
greedily or fearfully acquiring and hoarding supplies.

See Matthew 6:26-30: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap
nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more,
much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do
not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed
himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today
and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little
faith!”

Israel is full of birds, and yet those birds don’t worry, nor do they store up goods for the
future; but neither do they just sit around in their nests waiting for God to drop food down
to them.

In the same way, neither are we to sit around waiting for the Lord to deliver our food.
The birds have to hunt and search for it continually. God has provided for them what they
need, but they must go out and get it themselves.

Jesus is saying, God cares for the birds, do you think He cares less for you, i.e., do
you need to worry about food for tomorrow and beyond? Do you need to stockpile
and hoard, or will you trust in God’s provision?

God gave you life in order that you might obey and honor Him, do you not think He will
also sustain you, for His own purpose, that He might receive honor and glory and praise?
He will provide what you need.

In Matthew 6:11 Jesus teaches us how to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
How do we get that bread? God gives us strength, knowledge, and he ability to work, for He is a
loving Father who has filled the earth with good things that are accessible to those who
are diligent and thankful.

Ecclesiastes 2:24, “There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell
himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God.”

Back to Matthew 6:27, “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his
life?”

The Lord basically tells us that we cannot add to the length of our life by worrying.
In fact, worrying is a sin, and you can actually shorten your life by worrying, because it
affects your attitude, your nervous system, and your heart.

See Matthew 6:28-30… Jesus says, “Why are you worried about clothing? Observe
[look at] how the lilies of the field grow; they don’t toil nor do they spin.”

God has provided clothing for the flowers, that when placed alongside the regal garments of
Solomon, make Solomon’s clothing look like rags.

If God is takes care of the flowers in the field, that are here today and gone tomorrow,
don’t you think He’s going to take care of you, who will live forever?

Ecclesiastes 3:11, “[God] has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set
eternity in [our] heart[s].”

See Matthew 6:31… Do not worry about what you will eat?, or what you will drink, or
what you will we wear for clothing, for your heavenly Fathers knows that you need all
these things. “But first seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will
be added to you.”

Those who do not have God as their Father have reason to worry, especially at times
like this, for they are on their own, without a sovereign provider/protector. Unbelievers
are sustained, in a general sense, for the rain falls on the believer and unbeliever alike,
through God’s universal providence and common grace; but unbelievers have no claim to
any provision from God, for He is not their Father, instead, He is their Judge.

Those who reject God are outside of God’s kingdom and God’s blessings; they are
dead in their sins, and they most definitely should be afraid during times like now.

See Matthew 6:32-33 Gentiles [unbelievers] are consumed with the material world
and the gratification of their own felt needs. They are wrought with worry about these
things. But God assures those who belong to Him that He is a loving Father who knows
what we need, and therefore, we shouldn’t be anxious or fearful about these things, for
God is a protective, attentive, loving and faithful Father.

Look! While everybody else is looking for a tangible visible means of supply and support during
this crisis, we can find peace, hope, and comfort in the invisible means of our supply and support,
because our heavenly Father knows and supplies what we need,

(Philippians 4:19), “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

We should not react like those who do not belong to God. When things are difficult
and unsure, we should react as those who have confidence in God; even when life turns
out to be dreadful and/or deadly, God’s children should have the same perspective as Paul
expresses in

2Corinthians 4:18, “We look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things
which are not seen are eternal.”

COVID-19, it would seem, is holding the world hostage, and yet, it is just a virus, it is
a living thing, just part of the temporary world that God will one day do away with when
He makes all things new, at which time there will no longer be any crying or mourning or
pain or death (cf Revelation 21:4).

See Matthew 6:33… Our heavenly Father knows what we need, and all these things
will be provided to us; but we must first seek His kingdom and His righteousness.

We must get our eyes off the visible, physical, temporal world at times like this and recognize
that we belong to the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in them. He is
the Almighty, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the Great I AM! The
One who was, who is, and is yet to come, the Almighty!

See Matthew 6:34… “So do not worry [lit. do not start worrying] about tomorrow;
for tomorrow will care for [lit. worry about] itself. Each day has enough trouble of its
own.”

We should not start worrying about tomorrow, today; but let me also say that providing
for tomorrow, today, is prudent and wise to do so; but it is not to be done out of worry.  We must always remember that God is the God of tomorrow, just as He is the God of today and yesterday.

In Lamentations 3:22-23, Jeremiah says: “The Lord’s loving kindness will never
cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your
faithfulness.”

The Lord’s mercies are new every morning. Why would you worry about
tomorrow when the Lord’s mercies will be provided again, brand new, so that you will
become consumed by worry.

Worry is a powerfully destructive force. It can rob your joy and fill you with anxiety and
fear. To worry is to sin, if God is your Father, for you are His child and a member of His
eternal family, and your future is completely guarded and guaranteed in Christ.

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel
of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of
promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of
God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Let the unbelievers and those who reject Christ worry; for they have no protector, they
have no promises, they are spiritual orphans and they are spiritually homeless. They
need what God has provided through His own Son: the forgiveness of sin and eternal life
through Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.

Let’s review what we have studied today:

Pandemics and other world crises (like COVID-19) most assuredly cause heightened stress, confusion, chaos, anxiety, and fear which can shake the very foundations of our lives.

Times are indeed hard and difficult, and they may get worse before they get better.
There are good reasons for us to be concerned and there are precautions that we can and
most assuredly should take.

But honestly, although we may become personally affected by COVID-19, it is more
likely that we will be inconvenienced and perhaps even deprived of certain things for a
time. But the truth is that we who belong to God are a blessed people, for our God is a
loving, merciful, and faithful Father.

Don’t worry, for God will give you peace, hope, and comfort during this time.

Don’t worry about food, drink, clothing, or other basic needs, for God knows what
you need and He will provide it.

Don’t worry about tomorrow, but instead, let tomorrow worry about itself.

Instead of worrying, which is at its best useless, and at its worse destructive, do the
following:

Seek to know more intimately the God who saved you and loves you.

Read God’s Word daily and obey what you understand.

Talk with God moment by moment, throughout your day, through prayer.

Love the family of Believers and treat all people the way you want to be treated.

2Thessalonians 2:16-17, “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who
has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and
strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.”

1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give
thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

2Thessalonians 3:16, “May the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in
every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!”

Pastor Mike                >’(((><

Bible Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20 | Pastor: Pastor Mike | Series: 1 Thessalonians | 03-15-2020

Paul’s Love for the Believers in Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

Two weeks ago, I shared with you several of the metaphors used in Scripture for
those who servant-lead the Church of God: 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, steward;
1 Timothy 2:7, preacher; 2 Timothy 2:2, teacher; 1 Peter 2:16, slave; 1 Peter
5:1-4, shepherd.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 Paul writes, “we were among you, as a nursing mother
who tenderly cares for her own children,” but then in verse 11 he says, “we were
exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own
children.”

Paul loves the believers in Thessalonica, and in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul
says he came exhorting, encouraging, and imploring them, “so that [they] would
walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and
glory.”

Thessalonica was located just W of the Aegean Sea, along the well traveled
Egnatian Highway, which ran east and west between Greece to Turkey. Going north
from Thessalonica, all Europe could be reached with commerce, and every kind of
philosophy and teaching (most of which, at that time, were false and/or satanic in
nature). Thessalonica thrives today, and is said to have one of the oldest Christian
churches still in existence.

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20… Paul can’t help but again give thanks for the
Christians in Thessalonica, as he did already in chapter 1:2, “We give thanks to
God always for all of you.” Paul says, “when you received the Word of God which
you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but for what it really is,
the Word of God which also performs its work in you who believe.”

As Paul previously mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 1:6, “They received the
Word,” i.e., their hearts were cultivated and ready to receive the truth of God in
Christ for salvation. The phrase in 2:13, “you received from us,” cites the fact that
they listened to, heard, and accepted the Word of God being preached to them as if
the message came from God through the apostles.

Paul says, what he preached 2:2, is “the gospel of God,” again in 2:8, “the
gospel of God,” and in 2:9, “the gospel of God.” Paul’s preaching wasn’t his own
thoughts, nor was it something he had received from someone else; this was the
sovereign, inerrant, infallible, eternal Word of God breathed out from and
originating with God (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).

In Acts 8: 14, “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received

the Word of God they sent them Peter and John.” Those preachers who went out to Samaria, including Philip, didn’t preach their own message; they preached the Word
of God, from God. In Acts 13:44, “The whole city assembled to hear the Word of
God,” from Paul and Barnabas.

Notice that God’s Word (last part of 1 Thessalonians 2::13), “performs its work
in you who believe,” i.e., when you hear, believe, and respond to God’s message
with your heart, that is a definite act of saving faith. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith
comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of Christ,” but verses 10:9-10 declare,
“You must believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead and confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,” in order to be saved.

So, those who genuinely repent and believe in Christ have the supernatural work
of the Holy Spirit in them.

Let me be very clear that God’s Spirit doesn’t work in the lives of
unbelievers. The only thing the Word will do in an unbeliever is convict them of
rejecting Jesus Christ.

God’s Spirit performs His work in us: He prospers us (Joshua 1:8), “This book of
the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and
night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then
you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” He restores
our soul (Psalm 19:7), “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” He warns
and rewards us (Psalm 19:11), “By them Your servant is warned; in keeping them
there is great reward.” He counsels us (Psalm 119:24), “Your testimonies also are
my delight; They are my counselors.” He strengthens us (Psalm 119:28), “My soul
weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word.” He makes us wise
(Psalm 119:98-100), “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for
they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies
are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed
Your precepts.” He guides us (Psalm 119:105), “Your word is a lamp to my feet and
a light to my path.” He revives us (Psalm 119:154), “Revive me according to Your
word.” He blesses us (Luke 11:28), “Blessed is the one who hears the Word of God
and obeys it.” He purges us (John 15:3), “We are cleansed by the Word.” He sets
us apart (John 17:17), “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” He teaches,
reproves, corrects, trains, and equips us (2Timothy 3:16), “All Scripture is inspired
[breathed out] by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for
training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for
every good work.” He saves us (1Peter 1:23), “You have been born again not of
seed which is perishable, but imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of
God.” He grows us (1Peter 2:2), “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the
word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” The Word performs Its
work in us.

See 1 Thessalonians 2:14… The Thessalonians had become imitators of the
churches of God and Christ Jesus in Judea, in that they had suffered at the hands of
their own countryman, as did those believers in Judea.

The original church in Jerusalem was persecuted. Stephen was martyred in Acts 7, after which persecution broke out, led by Saul (Paul), against the followers of
Jesus, and so the churches were scattered. Just like the Judean church was
persecuted by the Jews, the Thessalonians underwent the same kind of suffering.
In fact, we are told in Acts 17:5, “But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along
some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an
uproar.” The Jews got people all stirred up into mob, and then hired some Gentile
thugs in the market place to beat up those who were believing in Christ.

So, in 1 Thessalonians 2 Paul is expressing his joy for these believers who
genuinely heard and responded to the gospel of God, and although they are a very
young church, they are being persecuted like the much older and more established
churches in Judea.

Paul says the new believers in Thessalonica are already enduring persecution by
the unbelieving Jews.

1 Thessalonians 2:15-16, who “both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and
drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us
from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they
always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”

The Jews persecuted Christ and the prophets, and hinder the Gentiles from
being saved, in by doing so they heap judgment upon themselves forever!

In less than 40 years from the death of Jesus Christ, Jerusalem was devastated,
the temple was torn down, 1,100,000 Jews were put to death by the sword and
those who survived were taken as slaves for the Roman Empire and/or sold as
slaves on the world market.

Those who do not please God by continuing to reject Christ as Lord; those who
hinder the proclamation of the gospel of God, will indeed suffer the ultimate wrath
of God, being condemned to an eternal hell where they will be tormented day and
night, and there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth, forever and ever (cf.
Matthew 5:18; Revelation 20:10).
John 3:36, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey
the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

See 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20… “Having been taken away,” literally means, “to
be orphaned,” “to be torn away from.” Paul felt like he had been ripped out of the
arms of the believers in Thessalonica. He didn’t want to leave.

Remember in verse 7 he had talked about himself as a nursing mother who
cares for his children, and in verse 11 as a father who encourages, exhorts, and
implores his children. He had that parental heart and now he feels like a parent
who has been torn away from his children.

That’s the feeling Paul has, even though he hadn’t known them very long, in fact
only a few weeks; and yet, he loved them so deeply, and was now suffering their
loss, like a shepherd without his sheep, a mother or father whose children had been
forcibly taken from them.

Paul wanted to be with them, to see their faces, so he says in verse 18, “we
wanted to come to you,” to know how you were doing.

Paul said “we” in verse 17 and “we” in verse 18 (meaning Paul, Timothy,
Silas), but now he says, “I, Paul, [wanted to come to you] more than once.”

Paul had sent Timothy back, but he wanted to go, to be with them, he loved
them and would no doubt give his life for them, just as Jesus gave His life for all of
us.

Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live,
but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Philippians 1:21-26, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to
live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to
choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart
and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is
more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and
continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud
confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”

Why didn’t Paul go back to see them? 1 Thessalonians 2:18, “Satan hindered
us.” More than once Paul had tried to return, but Satan had kept him from doing so.
We don’t know what happened or how he was held back, perhaps, because this
little church had so quickly matured and were promoting the gospel of Christ,
maybe Satan was afraid of what would happen if Paul was allowed to return and
spiritually energize these believers even more. Or maybe Paul would have been
killed by those who had persecuted him there. Only God knows, but these
believers continued to grow whether Paul was there or not, and they represent
what a church should look like and act like in service to the Lord.

Satan opposes God’s people, and especially those on the front lines of ministry,
those who take a bold stance to proclaim the message of Christ: crucified,
resurrected, and coming again.

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20… These are marvelous verses, pregnant with
meaning and overflowing with encouragement exhortation to make a difference for
Christ.

Paul tells the believers in Thessalonica that they are his hope, joy, and crown
[lit. the victor’s crown, the wreath that is placed on the head of the winning
contestant in an olympic event] of exultation! Ultimately Paul is talking about an
eternal reward from an eternal event, for he says, “Is it not even you, in the
presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”

What does Paul mean? Well, he wrote something similar to the Corinthians
believers (2 Corinthians 1:14) “We are your reason to be proud as you also are
ours in the day of our Lord Jesus.” I believe that is synonymous with
(1 Thessalonians 2:19), “in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming.” Paul is
saying, ”I’m going to boast about you in the day of the Lord Jesus, as His coming,
when I see Him, you are going to be what I boast about!”

Listen! When you and I get to glory, we aren’t going to crowns to put on our
glorified heads, our crowns will be the very presence of the people there who we
had the joy to proclaim the message of Christ to, whether we planted the seed, or
watered, or harvested, i.e., the people whose lives were influenced by our words,
our example, and our prayers.

Our reward, Paul is saying, is from the Lord’s own recognition, “Well done, good
and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master.” For the faithful who obey,
honor, and serve the Lord with their lives, in order to bring people to the knowledge
of Christ, this is the victor’s crown.

Revelation 22:12, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to
render to every man according to what he has done.”

I believe the time of rewards is after the rapture of the church, at the same time
period as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. So, at the time of the rapture when
Jesus comes, there will be a great time of rewards in heaven, and it will be Jesus
Christ bringing all those who had already died in the faith with Him.

What will be your most glorious joy at the rapture, aside from being in the very
presence of the Lord? While you are considering that, look again…

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it
not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our
glory and joy.”

Paul emphatically says, “You are our hope and joy and crown in the presence of
our Lord.” Paul was motivated by his anticipation of the Lord’s return, although he
loved the believers, he loved the Lord more; but he anticipated the Lord’s return,
when all believers would be together forever. Paul’s greatest joy was his love for
Christ, and his also his love for those who belong to Christ.

May we all imitate Paul’s example by showing our love for the Lord, by the love
we continue to express toward all those who belong to God.

John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love
for one another.”

Pastor Mike        °°° >’(((><