0:05 [Music]
0:07 welcome to back to the Bible radio
0:09 featuring best-selling author and
0:11 internationally known Bible teacher
0:13 Warren where's being in the closing
0:16 verses of first Thessalonians the
0:20 Apostle Paul emphasizes for spiritual
0:23 priorities and these priorities are
0:26 important for us individually and also
0:29 collectively as a local church whatever
0:33 church you may be in verse 25 of 1st
0:37 Thessalonians 5 brethren pray for us
0:39 greet all the Brethren with a holy kiss
0:43 I charge you by the Lord that this
0:47 epistle be read to all the holy brethren
0:50 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
0:53 with you amen now what are these
0:56 priorities well prayer verse 25
0:59 Christian love verse 26 the Word of God
1:03 verse 27 and the grace of God verse 28
1:06 if we will make these our priorities
1:09 then God will be able to do something in
1:11 our lives and in our local churches
1:13 let's start with prayer in verse 25
1:16 brethren pray for us
1:20 prayer is a priority in the Christian
1:23 life and in the local church so many
1:25 churches don't do this anymore we have
1:28 plenty of time for announcements we have
1:31 plenty of time for special music but we
1:34 don't have time for prayer and we need
1:36 to take time for prayer now not just on
1:39 Sunday mornings but other times as well
1:42 the local church needs prayer you see
1:44 the church was born in a prayer meeting
1:47 in Acts chapter 1 you'll find that the
1:49 believers were in a prayer meeting I
1:51 take it that's what they were doing when
1:53 the Holy Spirit came on the day of
1:56 Pentecost they were in a prayer meeting
1:59 crying out to God and asking him to
2:03 fulfill his purposes the church expanded
2:05 through prayer that marvelous prayer in
2:08 Acts chapter 4 when the Apostles came
2:12 back from being arrested and they cried
2:15 out to God and said O God you are Lord
2:18 now bear your arm
2:21 and glorify your name the church
2:24 expanded through prayer and the church
2:26 got victory through prayer
2:29 now prayer is not only important to the
2:31 church it's important to the individual believer
2:32 believer
2:35 the Apostle Paul started his Christian
2:39 life with prayer in Acts chapter 9 God
2:43 said behold he's praying in chapter 3
2:47 verse 10 Paul says night and day praying
2:50 exceedingly now there's a statement for
2:52 you not just praying but praying in the
2:55 daytime praying in the nighttime and
2:59 praying exceedingly I wonder if I pray
3:02 like that Paul did prayer is important
3:04 to the Christian life now when they
3:05 prayed for Paul they were praying for
3:08 someone who was strategically involved
3:10 in the ministry of the gospel they were
3:13 praying for one whom God was using in a
3:17 wonderful way do you pray for Christian
3:20 leaders it's easy to criticize them easy
3:23 to find fault with them but when it
3:25 comes to praying for them that's
3:27 something else oh how you need to pray
3:30 for your pastor and for the elders of
3:33 the church and for the ministry of your
3:36 denomination and for those who are in
3:39 leadership pray that's priority number
3:43 one now priority number two is in 1st
3:45 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 26
3:49 Christian love greet all the Brethren
3:54 with a holy kiss may I remind you that
3:58 in that time in that culture the men
4:00 greeted the men and the women greeted
4:01 the women you did not have the men
4:03 throwing their arms around the women and
4:06 kissing them Paul's not talking about
4:08 something romantic here he's talking
4:10 about something very sacred in fact
4:14 Peter calls it a a holy kiss a kiss of
4:17 love a greet one another with a holy
4:20 kiss with a kiss of love I suppose we
4:23 would say shake hands all around that's
4:25 the way Phillips translates it in one of
4:28 the editions of his paraphrase Christian
4:30 love what he's talking about here is
4:32 love of the Brethren oh I'm poor
4:35 this is we know we have passed from
4:39 death unto life because we love the
4:44 Brethren first John 3:14 Jesus said in
4:46 the upper room before he went off to the
4:49 cross a new commandment I give to you
4:52 that you love one another as I have
4:54 loved you there's the measure of it that
4:57 you also love one another by this all
5:00 will know that you are my disciples if
5:03 you have love for one another now in
5:06 those two short verses he emphasizes the
5:09 meaning and the importance of Christian love
5:10 love
5:14 now all that verse 26 implies is number
5:17 one we assemble together you can't greet
5:20 each other unless you're there forsake
5:21 not the assembling of yourselves together
5:22 together
5:25 because the day is approaching that
5:27 means we assemble together it means that
5:29 we know each other we greet each other
5:32 we encourage each other we show love to
5:35 each other Christian love Paul prayed
5:37 that their love might increase remember
5:40 that chapter 3 verse 12 and may the Lord
5:44 make you increase and abound in love to
5:46 one another there's that river
5:48 overflowing again well God answered that
5:51 prayer 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1 verse
5:55 3 we are bound to thank God always for
5:57 you brethren as it is fitting because
6:00 your faith grows exceedingly and the
6:03 love of every one of you all abounds
6:07 toward each other oh do you pray for
6:09 more love do you pray that the river of
6:12 love in your heart might overflow and
6:16 just touch more people Christian love
6:20 now the third priority is given to us in
6:24 verse 27 that's God's Word I charge you
6:26 and that's one of the strongest words he
6:30 could have used I adjure you I charge
6:33 you by the Lord that this epistle be
6:35 read to all the Holy brethren he's
6:38 talking here about the public reading of
6:40 the word of God now allow me to say this
6:43 not only are we neglecting pastoral
6:45 praying in our church services
6:48 we are neglecting the public reading of
6:50 the word of God in many churches the
6:54 only scripture you hear read is the
6:57 short text that the pastor is using for
7:00 his sermon now Paul said I'm charging
7:03 you that the scriptures be read publicly
7:06 in your assembly I think we ought to get
7:08 back to that the Thessalonians had a
7:10 marvelous relationship to the Word of
7:12 God they had received the Word of God in
7:14 much affliction and joy of the Holy
7:17 Spirit they appreciated God's Word Paul
7:19 said I thank the Lord that you don't
7:21 receive the word of God like the word of
7:24 man chapter 2 verse 13 you receive it as
7:26 it really is in truth the Word of God
7:29 they were sharing the Word of God
7:33 finally verse 28 priority number for the
7:35 grace of God all of this depends upon
7:37 God's grace the grace of our Lord Jesus
7:40 Christ be with you now this was Paul's
7:43 signature in his letters if you look at
7:48 2nd Thessalonians chapter 3 verses 16
7:50 and 17 you'll find Paul saying an
7:52 interesting thing about his signature I
7:55 once received a letter from a listener
7:57 who complained about my signature and I
7:59 wrote back and said I don't blame you
8:01 for complaining about it but it right
8:03 now it's the best I can do
8:06 second Thessalonians chapter 3 verses 16
8:11 and 17 now may the Lord of peace himself
8:13 give you peace always in every way the
8:16 Lord be with you all the salutation of
8:20 Paul with my own hand which is a sign in
8:23 every epistle so I write and here it is
8:26 in verse 18 the grace of our Lord Jesus
8:28 Christ be with you all amen
8:32 Paul often dictated his letters and when
8:34 the letter was completed he would read
8:36 it and then he would add with his own
8:38 signature so they would know that the
8:41 letter was not a forgery apparently
8:44 somebody had tried to get a forgery into
8:48 the church in Thessalonica a chapter two
8:51 of second Thessalonians tells us about
8:55 that in verse two not to be soon shaken
8:58 in mind or troubled either by spirit or
8:59 by word or
9:02 by letter as if from us somebody had
9:04 forged a letter Paul said you can always
9:07 tell that I wrote the letter here's my
9:10 signature and I always tie into it the
9:13 grace of God now think about that the
9:16 Word of God is the word of His grace
9:20 acts 20:32 when you minister the Word of
9:23 God you're ministering God's grace the
9:25 throne of God is a throne of grace
9:28 Hebrews 4:16 let us come boldly to the
9:31 throne of grace so when you pray you are
9:35 coming to God access to the throne of
9:39 grace to get the grace of God first
9:42 Peter 5:10 tells me that our God is the
9:46 God of all grace there's more than one
9:49 kind of grace they're saving grace for
9:51 by grace are you saved through faith or
9:53 suffering grace my grace is sufficient
9:57 for you there is singing GRA singing
10:00 with grace in your hearts there is
10:03 speaking grace let your speech be always
10:06 with grace seasoned with salt as you go
10:07 through the Word of God you find all
10:09 kinds of grace our God is the God of all
10:12 grace so when you come to the word of
10:16 His grace and to the throne of grace you
10:20 come to the God of all grace about whom
10:25 James says he gives more Grace and more
10:30 and more and more James 4:16 and the
10:32 last word in this letter is a man now
10:35 can you say Amen to these priorities
10:39 Paul did prayer Christian love the Word
10:42 of God the grace of God Oh from our
10:52 as we review first Thessalonians let's
10:55 look at chapter 1 now these people's
10:59 lives had been transformed verse 9 they
11:01 turned to God from idols to serve the
11:04 living in the true God so many people
11:07 who profess to be Christians have had no
11:10 transformation in their lives my Bible
11:11 tells me that if any man is in Christ
11:14 he's a new creation old things are
11:17 passed away and behold all things are
11:20 become new well they weren't elect
11:23 people secondly they were an exemplary
11:27 people verses 6 & 7 you became followers
11:30 of us and of the Lord verse 7
11:33 you became examples to all in Macedonia
11:36 and Akaya who believed oh how we need to
11:39 be an exemplary people receiving the
11:43 Word of God becoming imitators of the
11:46 Lord becoming examples for others to
11:49 follow they were enthusiastic people
11:52 verse 8 your faith toward God has gone
11:55 out so that we do not need to say anything
11:56 anything
11:59 enthusiastically they were sounding
12:01 forth the Word of God they were winning
12:05 people to Christ in Thessalonica and in
12:09 Akaya in Macedonia and wherever the Word
12:12 of God went there they were sharing the
12:15 message of the gospel and elect people
12:18 and exemplary people and enthusiastic
12:21 people and finally an expectant people
12:25 to wait for his son from heaven whom he
12:28 raised from the dead even Jesus who
12:30 delivers us from the wrath to come
12:35 looking for the Lord to come again no
12:37 man knows the day or the hour it might
12:42 be today we'd better be ready chapter 2
12:45 Paul looks back and remembers how the
12:47 church was nurtured now we have Paul the
12:50 pastor and Paul pictures himself in
12:53 several different ways here he starts
12:57 off as the athlete verse 2 of chapter 2
13:01 we were bold in our God to speak to you
13:02 the gospel of God in
13:05 much conflict now that word conflict is
13:07 the translation of the Greek word that
13:10 gives us our word agony or agonize it's
13:13 a picture of the runner the athlete
13:17 running in the race just agonizing
13:20 striving enduring that he might reach
13:22 the goal wall so Paul said when we left
13:23 Phillip I it would have been easy to
13:27 quit Paul said we need the toughness of
13:30 the athlete but don't stop there in
13:33 verses three through six he compares
13:36 himself to a steward for our exhortation
13:39 did not come from deceit or uncleanness
13:42 nor was it in guile but as we have been
13:45 approved by God to be entrusted with the
13:48 gospel even so we speak not as pleasing
13:52 men but God who tests our hearts the
13:55 trustworthiness of the steward Paul's
13:58 message was right our exhortation did
14:01 not come from deceit that means error he
14:03 had the right message and he had the
14:06 right motive his motive was right and
14:09 his method was right nor was it in guile
14:12 Paul was a faithful steward and those of
14:14 us who minister the Word of God had
14:16 better be faithful because that's what
14:17 God is looking at it is required among
14:20 stewards that a man be found faithful
14:24 not necessarily popular not necessarily
14:26 successful in the eyes of men but
14:29 faithful to the Lord
14:32 thirdly he was a loving parent in verse
14:35 seven he was gentle as a nursing mother
14:39 and down in verse 11 he comforted and
14:42 exhorted and encouraged them charged
14:46 them implored them as a father he was
14:49 ministering to them as a spiritual
14:51 parent that is a tough job
14:54 Paul had time for individuals I
14:58 appreciate the burden he had he nurtured
15:02 them he nurtured them as a brother who
15:05 loved them verse 17 but we brethren
15:08 having been taken away from you the
15:10 Greek word means orphaned bereaved he
15:14 said I feel like an orphan separated
15:16 from my family
15:19 I was - you a father and a mother but
15:21 now that I'm separated from you Paul was
15:24 driven out of town was not allowed to
15:26 come back Paul said I feel like an
15:28 orphan out here and then he had to send
15:31 Timothy back to encourage them so he
15:33 remembers chapter 1 how the church was
15:36 born he remembers chapter 2 how the
15:39 church was nurtured pray for your pastor
15:43 pray for your spiritual leaders it is a
15:47 tough job to be faithful in spiritual
15:51 ministry at all how we need it today to
15:54 watch for souls to take time to comfort
15:57 people personally to exhort them
16:00 personally to implore them personally oh
16:04 that takes time takes energy chapter 3
16:06 he remembered how the church was
16:09 stabilized the key word here is stand
16:13 established verse 2 we sent Timothy our
16:15 brother and minister of God our fellow
16:17 laborer in the gospel of Christ to
16:20 establish you get you on your feet why
16:23 because in chapters 4 & 5 they have to
16:26 walk the church is born in Chapter 1
16:30 nurtured in chapter 2 stabilized in
16:33 chapter 3 so it can walk in chapters 4
16:37 and 5 well he looks back at the work
16:39 described in chapter 3 he said I
16:41 couldn't go back so I sent Timothy
16:43 there's the ministry of our presence
16:45 Timothy just being there was an
16:47 encouragement to the people he shared
16:49 the Word of God with them he'd go back
16:53 and take this letter and Paul prayed for
16:56 them here are three ways we can help
16:59 people stand we can go to them the
17:01 ministry of our presence we can share
17:03 the Word of God with them and we can
17:08 pray for them now in chapters 4 & 5 we
17:11 have a second focus he looks within and
17:14 he admonishes them he could see the
17:16 problems they were facing and the
17:19 emphasis here is on their walk verse 1
17:23 walk and please God how do you do that
17:26 by obeying the commandments that have
17:27 been given through the Lord Jesus the
17:29 word Commandments
17:32 verse two means a military order handed
17:36 down from an officer Paul looked upon
17:38 the church as a family but he also
17:41 looked upon the church as an army and
17:43 here he says I've got some Commandments
17:45 for you and if you want to walk straight
17:50 and walk right and be in step then you
17:52 will obey these Commandments he
17:56 describes here a four fold walk first he
17:59 tells us to walk in purity verses 1
18:01 through 8 this is the will of God even
18:03 your sanctification that you should
18:07 abstain from sexual immorality God
18:10 commands it the Word of God demands it
18:12 we should learn how to possess our own
18:16 bodies and sanctification and honor God
18:18 did not call us to uncleanness he called
18:22 us in holiness walk in purity walk in
18:25 love verses 9 through 12 brotherly love
18:29 a love for God a love for our brethren
18:32 in our fellowship and then let that love
18:35 spread out verse 10 he says all the
18:39 brethren who are in all Macedonia we
18:42 urge you brethren that you increase more
18:44 and more and then love those outside the
18:48 fellowship well love walking in love
18:51 walking in Hope chapter 4 verse 13
18:54 through chapter 5 verse 11 the day of
18:57 the Lord means comfort and blessing and
19:00 victory for the saved and it means
19:04 judgment and sorrow and agony for the
19:08 lost and he exhorts us to be alert to be
19:11 awake and to look for the coming of the
19:15 Lord he closes the chapter by telling us
19:18 to walk in harmony a series of
19:21 exhortation he exerts the leaders and
19:23 then he exhorts the people now you love
19:25 your leaders and you follow them as they
19:27 follow the Lord that's one the best ways
19:30 to have peace in the church follow the
19:32 leaders and be sure that they follow the
19:34 Lord and then he has a series of
19:36 expectations to the problem people in
19:38 the church the unruly the faint-hearted
19:41 the weak then he talks about our
19:42 relationship to
19:45 everyone be patient don't pay people
19:49 back no retaliation and remember you
19:53 should pursue what is good he closes
19:54 with our relationship to the Lord
19:58 I'm 18 rejoice pray give thanks be
20:01 joyful be prayerful be thankful that's
20:03 your inward relationship to the Lord and
20:07 then 19 through 21 our public worship of
20:09 the Lord don't quench the spirit don't
20:13 despise prophecies test all things don't
20:15 be afraid of what the Holy Spirit may
20:18 have to say to you and finally he closes
20:20 with this great prayer benediction of
20:24 sanctification now his third focus is on
20:27 the coming of the Lord and then he looks
20:31 up and he rejoices he says Jesus is
20:34 coming again every chapter in first
20:37 Thessalonians ends with a reference to
20:39 the coming of our Lord and it's
20:42 important that we see this in chapter 1
20:44 verse 10 he connects the coming of our
20:47 Lord with salvation these people had
20:49 turned to God from idols they were
20:51 serving the living and true God and
20:54 therefore were waiting for his son in
20:56 chapter 2 he connects the coming of our
20:59 Lord with service verses 19 and 20 what
21:01 is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing
21:04 is it not even you in the presence of
21:07 our Lord Jesus Christ yet is coming for
21:10 you are our glory and joy your your job
21:12 may be tough today you may be having a
21:15 rough time today but when Jesus comes
21:18 all that toil will be turned into joy
21:21 all that sacrifice and suffering will be
21:24 turned into glory chapter 3 he connects
21:26 the coming of our Lord with stability
21:30 verse 13 so that he may establish your
21:34 hearts blameless chapter 4 he connects
21:37 the coming of our Lord with sorrow that
21:40 you sorrow not as others who have no
21:43 hope we do have hope we are going to see
21:45 the Lord we are going to see our loved
21:48 ones we are going to be caught up to be
21:51 with the Lord and the Saints in the
21:55 clouds and we are forever to be with
21:58 therefore don't sorrow as though you
22:01 have no hope chapter 5 he closes the
22:03 chapter in the book by connecting the
22:07 coming of the Lord with sanctity the God
22:09 of peace sanctify you that you might be
22:14 blameless at the coming of our Lord and
22:17 that's what we're looking for today lift
22:19 up your hearts your redemption is
22:23 drawing near we're glad you joined us
22:25 today if you missed part of the program
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22:37 forward in your relationship with Jesus Christ
22:39 Christ you
