Our Christian Journey | 1 Thessalonians 1:1-4 | Pastor Jose Brevil

Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love and thank you for your mercy. Thank you for the opportunity to study your word this morning and father as we study your word that your word not return void in Jesus name we pray amen. So 1st Thessalonians. So 1st Thessalonian is a book about faith love and hope so hope all is writing this book to those Believers that he had just met when he was in two side. 09 calf Paul. Was there only 43 Sabbath day. That means Paul was only there for three weeks. So it was three weeks when Paul was there Paul build relationship and Paul started that church we call Tessa leoneans. And now later on as Paul was in Corinth and Paul was writing a letter to them to commend them for their face for your love. In in what they do and also to tell them I got to believe in the hole. So you live in hope in Christ. Literally the book is a book about encouragement. It's about encouraging the Believers just like those of you were coming Wednesday night talking about Philippians. These are two churches that Paul really loved and Paul really wanted them to grow for Christ. And Paul was encouraging them as we go to the text that you will see soap or try to encourage them. But also at the same time there were also some misunderstandings about the resurrection about the return of Christ and because of that Paul wanted to also correct this misunderstanding but also calling the testolone Ian's to continue to live their life for Christ. This is one of the book Too many Corrections for them like it's not like a you messing up get it together. Like when you read Corinthians, which was a church with problems been here and in catalonian Laughlin Philippians, it's more about encouragement. It's more about love than we will see. I want to talk to you this morning about our Christian Journey that were Christian experience. So all of us are going to a Christian Journey, so if we are believers the Bible says that we are ambassadors for Christ. That means we are God's representative. That means we represent Christ in everything that we do. So the question is, how should we live as we wait to as we wait for Christ to return. How should we leave as Believers? How should we leave as Believers? So here's the Message in one sentence the message in one sentence. Is that our Christian Journey starts with faith? It is live out in love and it is kept Alive by hope say it with me our Christian Journey starts with faith. It is lived out in love. It is kept Alive by hope so our Christian experience is one of Faith love and hope so let's read the text. Let's read the first 10 versus but this morning we only going to look at verse 124, but let's read from verse 1 to 10 so we can have an idea what the book is all about verse 1 says Paul silvanus and Timothy to the Church of the tessalone Ian's in God the Father. And the Lord Jesus Christ grace to you and peace. That was a common greeting in in in those days when there would be greeted with grace. That means he's addressing his Greek audience which will be compared to us addressing us. We are here by Grace by the grace of God and also peace talking to his Jewish audience because they understood. Peace cuz if you go that's kind of how they grow they greet each other the green each other with peace with Shalom. So it says we give thanks to God when always for all of you all of them region pics to God always for all of you the probably saying 8, I am grateful for every single one of you and I give thanks to God for you. when Constantly always mentioning you in my prayers. So not only does Paul love them all constantly praying for the employees. Not only giving thanks to God for them. But God Paul is also praying for them. You know, if you pray somebody for somebody's because you care about them. If there's anybody you have any problems with right now it does anybody that you cannot stand, you know, how you can change your heart. Start praying for them. Start praying for them that God will change their heart or God will change you so that you can be a source of joy in their life. Once you do that. You cannot hate that person any longer. I guarantee it.

So anybody who is a source of pain for you start praying for them and you will start to love them you be here as soon as we give thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning you in our prayers remembering before our God and Father. Your work of faith. Your labor of love and your steadfastness of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ will expand on that more later for window Brothers loved by God. Do you know that God loves you. He has frozen you got him picked you because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, you know, what kind of man we proved to be among you for your sick and you became emitters us and of the Lord for you received the word in much Affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit. So that you became an example to all the Believers in Macedonia and a kaya or not only has the word of the Lord sounded for from you and Macedonia and I Kaya but your faith in God has gone forth. Where Everywhere, you see why we have to share the gospel. So we probably leave or we never share the gospel if we're believe are we still in the closet if we're believer? Nobody knows that we are believing there's a problem with our faith. You see you. That's why Paul was so enamored with this church is so loved them. He always thank God for them because they were living the gospel. Nothing Diva Pastor moments. Joy to see when people are walking in the truth. And that's what Paul was experiencing with that church. Is this like those people you share the gospel with them only in 3 weeks. Those people were living it out. It doesn't take millions of years. You're not to say the same message over and over but in three weeks he shared the gospel and they said they were living it out. They were living as example so that we need that to stay.

And when a pastor can get a congregation like that, his life is cool. He doesn't need anything else for today themselves report concerning us the kind of reception. We had among you and how you turn to God from items to serve the Living God pillar people instantly got the message and those three weeks and they turned like no, I'm not playing Church call. Just trying to do you know that like pretending giving excuses, but they turn to told him what was wrong in their life their Idols, whatever their Idols was the gave up their idols and they turn to who They turn to God they're not playing Church. And to wait for his son from heaven when he raised from the dead Jesus who delivers us from the Wrath to come that means they are safe from hell as believers. They don't have to worry about the RAF to come so that the book now, let's get to our message this morning support this morning. We're going to look at verse 3 and 4 really really a 37-0 review three Christian virtues as you've already seen we should be known for 3 Christian virtues. We should be known for what we should be known for when people talk about us. They need to say that we are people of Faith people will love There's and people will live in hope you see it and attacks were already talked about that Faith love and hope so first one Believers should be known for their work produced by faith. Do you say says work of faith in verse 34 says they're remembering before our God and Father your work of Faith. So it's not saying what does it say since we are saved by faith our faith need to produce what? work Okay, people will know that you are saved by what by how you live by what you do? So that's why it says pulse is a remembering before God our Father your work of face. You see all of us our journey in the Christian Life starts with faith. Cuz the Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God. You cannot be a Christian and do not really have faith in God. You know that doesn't does a lot of people they say that they go to church, but they have no faith in God.

It doesn't work that way but it says here those believers they were commended for their work of Faith. He said the same thing again in in in verse five in 5:8 this bird sings We Belong to the day, let us be sober having food on the what breastplate of faith and then you see that same thing again and love and then for the helmet the hope of Salvation, that's why I read the book is a book of Faith and Hope. So what is Faith what is faith? You all should know this verse. What does it say? Faith is the evidence Assurance of things hoped for the conviction of Things Not Seen. And I love the way the verse starts. What does it say? What's the first word there? Is it faith. So what's your name is now Faith cake, that's yesterday's face you need now face. That means it should always be a present. It should always be a concert in your life as a Believer. You cannot say I had for yesterday. And then today I don't have any face. It says now face. It's a present if it's an active Faith now Faith is the Assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not saying that's why I told faith comes by hearing hearing the word of God stuff where we constantly have to hear the word of God. We constantly have to read the word of God so that we do not lose Faith. The only way you keep Faith up is if you stay in hearing and reading the word of God says now Faith your face needs to be present now Faith is the issue. Sense of things hoped for the conviction of Things Not Seen cuz you came to God how by Faith by putting your face in here. I'm here talking about. Is it the workout face just the pass? How are you come to Christ? You see Faith equals acting on the word of God. The faith is not just had knowledge faith is active faith is not just had knowledge faith is active. So if you say you believe something you need to act on what you believe if you say you believe in something you have to act on what you believe. So if you say that you want to become a lawyer, but you never go to school and you never take the time. You never go to law school. You never go take the bar exam. You never do whatever it takes to the bar exam. Would you become a lawyer? You don't really have faith. It's just a wish you never wish that you were to become a lawyer, but you not willing to pay the price for what it will take to become a lawyer, right? See the person who really have faith is going to become that lawyer. They going to go to the college steady pre-law political science, whenever they need to study then they're going to take their their their their their their ass. You know to get into law school then they going to go to the way do the assignments even when they get tired they going to still do it because they have a goal to have a purpose they're going to take the bar exam and they're going to find a job or strike their practice and make that dream become a reality see faith is active faith is acting on the word of God. It would never believe God's word and we just read God's word and then we do nothing about what Riri you do. We hear guys when we do nothing with it, is that face No, it is just had knowledge. I love the way to Pastor James Ford Jr. In Chicago puts it says faith is to believe so even when it is not so until it becomes so because God said so sad With Me Faith is to believe so even when it is not so until it becomes so because God says so sometimes you might be in a very difficult situation and you don't see any life out of it. You don't think that you're going to make it out and what you face? But because God's word says I know the plans I have for you. They are placed a price for you not to harm you they are places give you peace to give you a whole bunch to give you a future. Guess. What are you going to do? Shake it off. Whatever you're facing in that moment. You have to shake it off because of faith. Because God says you that's the way that you have to live. God says this too shall pass whatever you face-to-face in this life. It is just temporary and even even if it doesn't come to an end that deliver what the ultimate hope. her room So even when we die of the liver we have not lost. Because we are in a much better place. The Believers can never be victims Believers are always Victor's. Whatever you face in life. You always win as a Believer just like even if you win you win even when you lose you all so well as a Believer because God works all things together for good to do his will love him to do his work all according to his property with your believer. There is no losing in life. Whatever you might be facing. Isn't that good? Faith is to believe so even when it is not so until it becomes so because God said, so does that mean that we need to be foolish now? Okay that we don't do our part. We just saying our God's is going to do it. We still need to do our part because it says work of Faith. Okay, we're going to believe God but we going to do our parts. Amen. Look at Hebrews 11:6 it says without faith. It is impossible to please God for whatever would warn you to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him but if you don't have faith You can be pleasing to God.

But you have to act on what you know, cuz if you don't act want to let you know you are not bringing pleasure to Christ. It says without faith without acting on what you know, it is impossible to please God for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those with the Kim. Is it when you have faith, is it going to be

Is it not going to work out for you?

That God exists in God does what? We're Ward's the who's we speak him the face? It's always beneficial for the believer. I got John 629. Jesus said this is the work of God that you do what believe in him when he has said you think we are not saved by work, but because we are say we will work in Jesus is saying this is the work of God the work of God is what you believe in Jesus in whom he said that because you believe in him then it transform your life and you have to act on what you know and live it out that James 222 says you see that Faith was active along with his works when Faith was completed by his Works talking about Abraham. See Abraham had to believe God and do what God asking to do sacrificing his son Isaac to really prove that he really believed what he said that he believed you see I love the way that Erin look sir puts it. He says a faith that can be tested can't really be trusted a faith that can be tested can really be trusted if you had some problems in life for you in never been in situations where you had to depend on God. We don't really know if you have to face. Easy if you have never been tested in the moment, we're like you didn't have to believe that it was easier not to believe then yeah face may not be as strong as you think that it might be a faith that can be tested can really be trusted. So that's why it's Believers when we Face problems. It's an opportunity for us to do I show hours for if it's an opportunity to show what we truly believe. It's an opportunity to show that we live it out, even though it is hard. It is difficult, but I'm going to trust in God and I'm going now. Let God Work It Out you think we are not saved by faith plus works, but a faith that works. Our faith needs to produce work Ephesians 2 verse 8 to 10 size for by Grace are we saved by grace? God did that for you? You have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing it is a gift. Can you buy a gift? I know some people go back gift for themselves, but you're not supposed to work a Gently Weeps to be given guess this to be received K. You get a gift of God now that's not a result of works. So that no one may boast. See if you're able to work for your salvation. You will be boasting cuz God knows you that's what we do whenever we do something that we feel like we've accomplished. And I look at verse 10 for we are what his workmanship God saved us so we can work God saved us so that we can work. It says for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. Which God prepared beforehand that we should do what walk in them. So God is saying a wise Believers. You need to have a faith that produces work. You see Faith produces transformation Faith produces transformation. That means you no longer living the way that you once live.

Here's the really like three types of Faith three types of Faith. We're send that in the book of Jim's we saw we have theirs Dead face. Where is this is faith without work is dead. Faith without work is dead. That was Jim's that's the last book was standing right there. Remember dude, is that your friend? Okay. Jeff says faith without work is dead. So you have dead Faith all that. It is just intellect is just had knowledge. Some people just want to fill their minds and just say that all I know this I know this and all that really for this is just like a casual fade for you don't really act on what you believe is all intellect. You just know it and that's all but you see that kind of Faith all that it does it's kind of like, you know something in your head enough to believe it. But not enough to do something about it when you only have had knowledge, you know it but you won't do anything about it. It is just so I know. Oh, yeah, I know. God says not to lie, but I'm lying every day. Anyway, I don't even think about it. Oh, I know what God's word say about this time, but I'm just going to leave my own way. It's all in the head. It's all up there in your head. You just you have enough to believe it but not enough to do anything about it. And in the lot of our people are in the world, that's how they're living. They have the intellectual knowledge. They know the Ten Commandments in the white guy says, but they live as if the Ten Commandments don't even exist.

See all that is simply had knowledge if it doesn't transform you. It's no use to you. Then the next type of Faith James tells us is that it's demonic fence. This one blows my mind. It's demonic think it's it's only you not only you have the intellectual but you also have the emotions. It's like man, I know this and I even feel it. Seeing if it's the Demonic five-member. This is what does it say about the devil the devil believes? And it what does the devil do? Let me transform him. the devil believes in the devil trembles that face only scares you What that place is best for you is that it makes you afraid enough of judgment afraid enough of Hell to be afraid and then you just tremble. But not enough to transform you. All that the Demonic Faith does it scares you you know judgment is coming up on you but not enough to transform you. You're still going to live your same old way you still going to do things your same old way. It just scares you from time to time cuz you know judgment is coming. But that's all he does then it doesn't transform you but God doesn't call us to dead faith. It doesn't call us. If God doesn't call us like the counterfeit do to demonic thing. But what God calls us to is dynamic Faith. That's when we are useful. Our faith is useful that we are really committed to God and unfortunately too many people today and not only that they they just they just leaving in bed face and and and many Christians Oh people who profess to be Believers all that they really have is just demonic thing. They just have the head knowledge and then they have the emotions that come with it because they're fearful for their life that they going to someday go to heaven for the way go to hell for the way that they have live. But God is saying this kind of faith is not what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for dead. Faith. I'm not looking for demonic Faith. What I want from you is dynamic face a face that is useful. If a that produces transformation of faith that produce work a faith that shows commitment in me. Then we have something to talk about look at it season 6 verse 16 it says in some circumstances Oh, some people are awake to say it with me in all circumstances that does that mean my bad relationships. Does that mean when when I'm stressed financially does that mean went when I faced an illness that might take my life does that mean then when nothing is going my way. Does that mean when people are mean to me at school does that mean that went went went went when everything is going bad in my life?

What does it say in? some circumstances Do you really believe it does in all circumstances take of what? Shield of faith I do believe it's an oxymoron to not have faith. First is your shoe or she'll protect you. Your favorite actress is in all circumstances take up the shield of Faith with which you can extinguish all the Flaming darts of the devil. That's what we were just talking about this morning. We do not wrestle with flesh and blood but we wrestle against principalities. You see the problem that you might have with that person. You think that it's just that person but it's really demonic Howard's really demonic activity. Is he... Constant? You do financial burden your might be demonic power in the word you are not able to get out of it works. You not really just taking that responsibility or whatever that you need to do to get out of it. See we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but we wrestle against principalities. This is in all circumstances take up the shield of faith and a lot of us are just stuck and we stuck like in the same cycle over and over and over and over. We keep repeating that same cycle when we were teenagers when we're in our twenties when we are in 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s and 80s. We keep repeating the same cycle over and over and never break out of it. But you know, the Bible says in all circumstances take up the shield of Faith so that you can guard against the darts of the devil. Whatever comes your way. And that's why we need to take prayer seriously and fight. All the things that are coming our way really the bottom line is your faith in God was guide your decisions and your actions your faith in God must guide your decisions and your actions. Look at 2nd Corinthians 5:7. What does it say? We walk by what by faith and not by sight the thing. What did I do? It creates Dao.

When we see our problems, what does it do? Homepage on how am I going to get out of this? It's too big for me.

But God says we walk by faith not by sight.

That's why when you pray you close your eyes.

You think we really need to seriously take the the spiritual world. Things we see are not necessarily the real thing, but the things we can't Steve. I like really the real things.

Says we walk by faith. That's why when the Bible keeps talking does it say like, you know yet you got to see it. Now. It says faith comes by what? Did the Saints faith comes by seeing whatever you see, what does it create?

Let me help you whenever you're facing a bad situation. I'm going to do something about it today. And then the moment you were about to do something about it like you guys have no problems.

You know, all right. Let me be clearer. Can you have that family member you haven't talked to in years and then tomorrow I'm going to call him and then when you pick up the phone you start thinking about it good if I want to call.

So you had somebody had a problem with you going to come for them today and then and then and then and then as you getting closer and you see that face and you just don't know.

anybody

The Bible says we walk by faith not by sight be a lot of you have dreams to start businesses. You've never started and why? I don't have enough money. Oh, I do have the skill set to do it. Oh, I will see how it's going to be possible. Oh, no, that is support to me.

Why?

Go to Bible says you don't walk by. We don't work right side, but you walk by faith and how do you build safe? Is it by seeing? By hearing the word of God, see whatever you want to do today. You just need to start. And as you do what you take that step of faith and more faithful comes more faith will cause more faith will come as you keep taking steps of Faith. What does it says it says Walk by faith to that means if you just sending you doing nothing you are not acting in face-first is action, whatever you're facing right now that you want God to move. You need to start doing what Start moving when you start moving and you realize the first step that you took it was God taking it with you the very first time. We walk by what space not by sight if there's anything that you want to do today start when you start and then you will see it happening. But if you just stand in the corner you just having a pity party you just grumbling and it's saying how nobody cares about you. Just having a pity party or it's everybody else's fault about you. Maybe it's just going to be a pity party today tomorrow next week next month next year 10 years from now going to be that same pity party because you never want because God calls you to walk by faith and not by sight and the second thing that the Bible tells us is that delivers should be known for their labor of love. Believers should be known for their labor of love. So not only we go by faith. We believe God we should do what God says. We live it out. We don't stay idle. We live by God's word by what it says, but also we need to be motivated by love. This remember before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love? Look at 2nd Corinthians 5:14 through 15. What does it says for the love of God control? So far and deliver, that's how you roll.

Bar, I love everything that you do you need to do it out of what? Out of Love For the Love of Christ controls us it don't like you cannot help it but helping other people like you cannot help it but be kind you cannot help it but to be patient with people you you cannot help it but to be gentle with others you cannot help it but to love the love of Christ controls us haven't you seen that does if you want walking or cry sometimes you do things for people you feel like they don't deserve it, but that's how you roll.

So you just do it because the love of Christ controls everything that you do because it's his because we have concluded this one has died for all therefore. All have died and he died for all that those who live might. no longer live for themselves, but they should live for who for him would died and was raised in life of faith. And the Christian Life is a life of love. I think we're going to stop here today and then we'll pick it up next week as we continue looking at love and then looking at Hope in the Christian life. Amen. Father thank you for your grace. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your mercy that you help us today, Lord, whatever you've been stirring and are hard to do and you helped us to just go ahead and do it right now. But you give us the faith to believe that you are able to do what you have promised to do. That you say father you have plans and purpose for our lives you say that you will lead and guide us wherever we go. You say you are Our Shepherd and we shall not want that we use we shall not like anything. So father I pray for each one of us your lord God, whatever dream that we have whatever plans that we have in mind. May they come to fruition today. May you help us look God to take steps of Faith take steps of faith. And help us Lord. God could just live in love. Live in love in everything that we do. How many you help each one of us here today? To live by faith and not by sight. What if you go at him pray right now about anything that you have in your heart any dream that you've always dream for but you don't see any possibilities anytime you've been trying to walk with God but you you feel weak. Why don't you go in and give it to God right now and ask God to transform your life and help you to start walking in faith today.

Father you heard our dreams we can meet them all into your hand. And father, we know that our prayers are just like incense going up to you. So father I pray that you that all our prayers this morning might be on offering to you. That smells good. That you would approve. And that you would make come true in our lives today. Be with us father. We love you. We praise you. And we magnify your name. In Jesus name we pray. Amen, so we're going to walk by faith not by sight. All right, let's sing just like so why don't you spend together as we sing?