To all members of PaRD.

Grace and peace to you from CPK001. Tonight is the fourth of many series of the book of Thessalonians that we are studying at Church. I have been taking notes and I am going to try and portray what I heard at Church onto here.
The main theme of the book of Thessalonians is Standing Firm and hold fast to the teachings.

1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

With Christianity there is a real temptation to not stand out and be distinctive. This is the mark of a Christian - opposed faith. Christians will suffer persecution for their faith. This was true more than 2,000 years ago and this is true to this very day.

1 Thessalonians 3:1-4

1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

Bit of historical background, Paul went and visited the Thessalonians but then he got kicked out and moved to Berea. Then Paul was kicked out of Berea and so he moved to Athens.

1 Thessalonians 2:2

We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

Everyone knew that Paul had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi. There was a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. When Paul commanded the spirit to come out of her, the owners realized that their hope of making money was gone. Anything that incurs back pocket will produce rage. You can read about this in Acts 16.

Acts 17:4-5

4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

Acts 17:13

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

As you can see, the Jews were so jealous that they rounded up back characters and formed a mob. Yet they didn't stop at Thessalonica, they moved onto Berea when they learned that's where Paul had went. This made it hard for Paul to go back and visit the Thessalonians.

There is no doubt in my mind that would have been part of that mob pursuing Paul.

Thessalonians 3:5

5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

There are ongoing conflicts which stirred up the crowd enough to riot. This in turn puts a temptation to be safe, to not stand out.

Let's see what the Lord says to the Church in Sardis.

Revelation 3:1

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

These are scary words. Here is a Church that isn't getting persecuted, they are going well and they are self sufficient. Yet they are dead. Safe Christianity doesn't exist. We are destined for these trials but at the same time we must not hold back.

1 Thessalonians 3:6

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

At this point in time Paul is in Corinth when Timothy returns with his report.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-12

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Paul's response is to pray. What Paul prays for is for a solid faith, a faith that is a united faith. Paul has been showing the Thessalonians what love is like. Make your love increase and overflow...for each other and everyone else!

1 Thessalonians 2:17

Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.

Paul is using relational language, like father and son. Paul, as the father, is devastated at the loss of his child Thessalonica. Paul is longing to go back and see them.

1 Thessalonians 3:1

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.

As a result Paul sends Timothy as he was not being chased by the mob.

1 Thessalonians 3:6

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

This works both ways. This is a community of love, both longing for each other. This is all family language, stuck together with bonds of love.

Hebrews 3:12-13

12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

The book of Hebrews is very apparent in community. See to it that "none of you", "encourage one another daily".

Paul's prayer is to be united in love.

It's we who survive, along with the person sitting next to you and behind you.

1 Thessalonians 3:13

13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

When Paul talks about strengthen your heart he talks about what you choose, how you move from what you know to what you do.

1 Thessalonians 3:7-8

7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

We are called to stand with Jesus even though it's not a very popular decision.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-10

9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Knowing that the Thessalonians stand firm.

Ephesians 4:14

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

The New Testament NEVER disconnects what we believe and how we act. A faith that is solid and grounded in who the Lord Jesus is.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

We are called to stand firm in a world that hates Jesus.

Tune in next week for the next part of Thessalonians.

To all members of PaRD.

Grace and peace to you from CPK001. Tonight is the fifth of many series of the book of Thessalonians that we are studying at Church. I have been taking notes and I am going to try and portray what I heard at Church onto here. This will be shorter than normal since we had a different preacher this week.
The main theme of the book of Thessalonians is Standing Firm and hold fast to the teachings.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Living to Please God

1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

We are called to lead a life pleasing to God but how do we do that?

The Thessalonians received instructions for how to please God back in Chapter 1. What is this message? This is the message of the Gospel. They received Christ in faith and Paul is calling them to continue to live out in faith. We too are called to receive the good news and be reconciled before God.

We are made to the likeness of Christ and so we are set apart, or sanctified.

Paul calls the Thessalonians to control their bodies and to not look to the world for how to live. It's not easy though as the body has sinful desires as we see in Romans 7.

Romans 7:14-20

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Although we desire to do God's will we can't due to our sinful nature.

Romans 12:1-2

A Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

All we can do is to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. How do we do this? Live a life of abiding in Christ, this is in Relationship. Look to Christ to see how to live and do not look to the world.

Tune in next week for the next part of Thessalonians.

This post was edited by CPK001 on Sep 24 2023 03:05am

Two posts above summary:

**Summary**

The document is a summary of a series of sermons on the book of Thessalonians. The main theme of the book is standing firm and holding fast to the teachings of Christianity, even in the face of persecution. The author emphasizes the importance of choosing to live out one's faith and encourages the community to support and encourage one another in their faith. The document also touches on the idea of sanctification and controlling one's body to live according to God's teachings. Overall, the document highlights the importance of faith and community in the Christian life.

What is the main theme of the book of Thessalonians?

The main theme of the book of Thessalonians is to stand firm and hold fast to the teachings. This is mentioned in both 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 and 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

This is on hold for the time being as there are some Holidays being taken over the next few weeks.

Christ is King

of zombies

you going trigger treating?

A few of us are going on Holidays so we'll return when the Thessalonians series resumes.

have a good time

He was the only zombie though