Christian Virtues | I Thessalonians 1:1-4 | Pastor Jose Brevil

Alright 1st Thessalonians 1st. Thessalonians father has restated your word. Now me your word not return void. Do your work in each of our lives in Jesus name? We pray. Amen. Amen. So 1st Thessalonians as we saw last week of the book of Faith Love and Hope and as we continue from last week at the question that we asking is that how should we live as we wait? So as Christians, we are a people who are living in a land that is not ours alone. Is a temporary dwelling, but we have a home and our home is with Jesus Christ. So as Christians as we leave here on this Earth, we are waiting so we are waiting. That's why the Bible says we are ambassadors for Christ and all of us have an appointment with something we call it starts with a d it's called deaf. Can you say it with me? All of us have an appointment with deaf old or young one day. I will die and one day I guess what each one of you here will die all of us have an appointment with death whether we want it on that. That's one of the surest thing in life.

Get the slowest thing in life. Is that becoming a millionaire? The surest thing in life is not having a family that having getting married. It's not any of those things. But the surest thing in life is that all of us will die one day, please somebody said the surest things in life are death and taxes. Some people have learned how to stay away from paying taxes. Okay, but it's pretty hard to do eventually you will the government will catch up with you. But even though you might be able to escape paying some taxes for a long time, but none of us can trick there and nobody has ever been able to trick death. Only one person Jesus Christ died and rose again to never die again if it allows her words up from the dead, but what happened to Lazarus? He died again. You still has to wait. So that's Christians in our Christian experience our Christian Journey. So as we live now waiting for the big day when we Unite with Christ, how should we wait? That's the big question in the book of 1st Thessalonians 1st. Thessalonians is teaching us our Christian Journey starts with faith. It is lived in love and is kept Alive by hope. So Christian has your faith you put in Jesus and that's what makes your Christian you decide to follow Christ and by faith you live your day today and you live your day today in love because of your faith in Christ and you wait in hope. So as we started reading the text or look at the first four verses it starts the same Paul to vanish and Timothy to the Church of the testimony ins in God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ Grace and peace lily says 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 face your labor of love and your steadfastness of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ for we know Brothers loved by God that he has done what chosen you he has chosen you so this morning that's going to be our Focus this morning as we look at verse 1 2 3 and also verse 4 Let's just recap from last week. We saw there were three Christian virtues that all of us should be known for these are not things. We aspired to these are things we need to post a virtue all of us here needs to be Believers that possess those three things that we call are those Christian virtues as a result of last week. The first one was faith and we saw the Believers must be known for their work produced by faith. Not that work saves you but because you are safe, you have to produce work which we saw anniversary remembering before our father your What does it say? Work of Faith so as Believers we need to work because we are save 1st Thessalonian 5858 tales of the same. But since we belong to the day, let us be silver having put on what the breastplate of love the breastplate of faith. We need to put face though. Faith has been looked at Faith last week. We start at Faith is the Assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of Things Not Seen. We saw that Faith was acting on the word of God when you see God's word. You hear God's word. You see what it says. You need to do it. You need to walk in it again my favorite definition of Faith by Pastor 40 says faith. Is do believe so even when it is not so until it becomes so why because God said so because God never lied Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is what impossible to please God. So the only way that you can please God is if you have space and Jesus said that Jesus says this is the work of God that you do it believe or have faith in him. What he has said where she is Jesus Christ Jim's 220 through says faith was active along with works and Faith was completed by work speaking of Abraham when he bring him put his faith in God. We are not saved by faith Plus work, but we are saved by Faith that works and remember Ephesians 2 verse 8 to 10. It says for by Grace you have been spayed saved through faith. And this is not of your own doing it is the gift of God's Not a result of works. So that no one may boast for we are here. What workmanship we are his work of art. We were created for were created in Christ for good works with God prepared beforehand that we should do it walk in them. So save our faith should produce transformation in us our faith means to transform us like Pastor Lutzer put it on faith that can be tested can't be trusted. So remember we looked at three types of Faith which we had stated in the Book of James. The first one was a dead Faith member says faith without works is dead. So dead faith is useless faith. It is just intellectual you just know it and that's it. But you do nothing with what you know is simply had knowledge. You just have it so you can say that I have faith I oh, I know this I know this Bible verse but it has no transformation is Brutus is nothing in you and for that I just call it like a casual face. So pretty much the definition of dead faces that you know something in your head enough to believe it but not enough to do something about it. Then we saw demonic Faith or unregenerate face. It is the intellect plus the emotions you have the intellectual knowledge. You know what the Bible says you have the emotion that goes with it. So it affects your life in some ways but only to scare you that you don't go to hell cuz remember the Bible says about the demon even the demons believe and the what Trimble are shutter. So if your face all that it does for you is that you're scared to go to hell? That's that's your only motivation for following God and and you know, let me come to church so I don't go to hell let me do right so I don't go to hell that your only motivation. That's not really real face. That's a counterfeit face. You don't want to be known just for knowing God's word and then only living in fear. So it really is the definition. It makes you afraid enough of judgment to be a to be afraid and tremble but not enough to transform you what we're looking for is transformational Faith is what we call Dynamic Faith or what we call useful faith is committed Faith where we are truly all in where Not only we have the intellect. We have the emotions, but we also have the commitment to live it out Ephesians. 6:16 says in all circumstances take up what the shield of Faith with which you can do. I call the Flaming the hearts of the I think the God is saying if you are safe and nothing will be impossible to you when the Bible says. Bottom line your face in God must guide your decisions and your actions if faith is not the guiding force in your life. If you do not have faith if y'all save those not guide your decisions. It does not guide your actions. You do not truly have Dynamic Faith the real face because the Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:7 we walk by faith not by sight second virtue that all Christians need to live bise that it is love to believe we should be known for their labor of love labor motivated by love. So does that come naturally all the time? Let me know something you have to prove work at. You have to work hard at laboring in love first Thessalonian verse 3 again says remembering before God and the father of your work of faith. And then what does it's a labor of love 2nd Corinthians 5:14 215. This is where we left last Sunday. It says for the love of God controls also compels us as a Christian. You're the love of God is how you will hold your the love of God dictates how you work the love of God, even when you see things you don't want to do it just do the love of God takes over and makes you do you even watch you don't want to do that's what Paul is saying they're the love of God controls me. Okay. Can you say that to yourself? The love of God controls me? Because I have concluded this that one has died for all there for all have. And he died for all that? Those who live that's me might no longer live for myself. But for you for my sake died and was raised Christ died for you. Then you need to return the favor and live for him is the Premier package on love and 1st Corinthians 13 verse 1 to 8. It says if I speak with the languages of men and of angels. But have not love I am what? Noisy gun, that means nobody wants to hear that.

Or a clanging cymbal and if I have prophetic Powers, I speak and understand all Mysteries and all knowledge and if I have faith so as to remove mountains that have love I am nothing how much you claim to speak for God but it does no love in your life. You will then see it if I give away all I have and I deliver up my body to be burned but haven't had love that game. So you can give as much as you want Breaking Bad will get you into heaven that will gain your favor from God you get from it. If you do not do everything that you do if it's not motivated by love love is what patient

So if we ready to blow up every second what's lacking in our life?

That is that that's why it's called a labor of love. That means we need to work at it and we need to work hard at it love is patient and kind love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way. Oh Lord. It is not irritable or resentful. It does not rejoice at wrong doing but rejoices with the truth. It says love bears all things believes all things hopes all things love and Deuce all things and it what does it say love never ends as for prophecies. They were passed away as for tongues. They will cease as for knowledgeable passed away, but love will never passed away and inverse 13 of chapter 13 chapter. It says now faith hope and love remains, but the greatest of these is what Is love so as Christians we have to be known by our love Jesus in John 14:15 says if you love me keep my Commandments cigar obedient faith and love it. If you laboring in love it is a love that is obedient because it says if you love me you will keep my commands. In 1st John 5:3 says for this is the love of God that we keep what his Commandments and what does it say on that burdensome? So that means when you acting in love, it will not be burdensome because you acting more like Jesus and Jesus is transforming you more and more into his likeness. And here's the bottom line. Love must be our mothers open remedy of the believer, which means that's how we

that's how we I yell I dad. That's how we roll as a Believer. That's how you roll you roll in love. You got to love by love and then Lastly lastly the last virtue that all of us needs to be to live by is hope not only we live by faith not by sight we labor in love, but we also need to be people of Hope see believer should be known for their endurance which is inspired by hope a lot of things that you are able to and do in life is because of the hope that you have in Christ and Believers must be people will never get into the spare. Okay, we might go for suffering we might go for difficulties but never in despair because we always have hope even in the face of death. We still have hope as believer. That is what the Bible calls on student without hope we have nothing. Without hope we will fold the verse again says remembering before our God and Father your work of Faith labor of love and steadfastness of hope. She not only we need to have hope but the object of our hope is important. What is the object of Our Hope Jesus Christ? That's why we need to Hope in the right thing see a lot of people have hold but they hoping the wrong thing. They hoping government that always fail they might hoping somebody else the person but God calls us to Hope in him. So people disappoint as we all know our hope needs to be in something that is always stable, which is Christ Jesus. I know Romans 12:12 says this rejoice in help The reason for your rejoicing it is that because of your circumstances, but it's because of the hope you have in Christ. So when things are going well, I can rejoice and even when they're not going. Well also I can still Rejoice because I'm rejoicing in the hope that I have in Christ and it says be patient in Tribulation and be constant in prayer here are some quotations about how the philosopher is a Scottish philosopher says man has no other possessions, but Hope man has no other possessions, but hope you have no hope you got nothing prisoners-of-war. The reason why they get out was because of hope that one day they will get out sofocles says this hope menton's most of mankind see all those big things were accomplished in life going to the moon was because somebody had hope and trusted that we can do it in the believe that one day we will do it. And then because of Dad. Hope produces What patients and actions to do those things that needed to be done Martin Luther put it this way everything that's done in the world is done by Hope I remember that the architect who did most of the skyscrapers in Chicago. He said pretty much it's because of hoping that you know, you have a gold you pursue it and you know, that egg is going to come to pass see all the great things that have been done in life. They have been done because of hope so that's why I hope in Christ is very important in Scripture A confident. Hope is a confident expectation. That means you can count on it for the future describing both the act of hoping and the object hope for when grounded in God. Hope provides the motivation to live the Christian Life. Even in the face of trouble The Hope gives you the motivation to keep going. Isn't that saved job? Despite all his trouble losing all his wealth losing all his children in one day. He's wife turn his back on him. His friends misunderstood him. Here are the words of Jobe and Jobe 19254. I know that my redeemer lives, that's the Old Testament. He's already talking about Jesus. He said I know that my redeemer lives and at the last he will stand up on the earth is talking about last day. So this is no joke you when Christ says he will return You better count on it that Christ will return When you either when you have your appointment with death you get to see him or when Christ return at the last trumpet at the Rapture. Jesus will come back again, just as he said that he will come back again. amen Here's the bottom line change is the only constant today never lose. Hope despite whatever you might be facing. Change is the only constant today never lose. Hope despite whatever you might be facing in life today. And then we're going to look at today, which is a reminder of what God has done for us in verse for it says for we know Brothers. What is it? Love by God that he has chosen you. Do. You know that you love by Guy. See some of us want to beat ourselves up. We have low self-esteem. We think that we don't do anything right? We're thinking nothing goes in our favor. We think everything is all battle battle battle bad. But we have to remember that we are loved by God, even when nobody else love us, but who loves us God loves us and God not only loved us God hand-picked you. Got him pick me when people make look down on us. I'm not going to worry about that because I know that God had picked me see those of you would never pick play pickup basketball, you know, I did as a kid playing pickup basketball my brother and I would go but he would always get pick before me cuz you was pretty good me it was always a 50-50 chance. Where do I get picked on that? And those were playing pickup basketball know when you get pick first, man, you feel so high. You know your shoulder bride. Yeah. Yeah. I got this i got. This is the same thing. God has picked each one of you if you have put your faith and trust in him you have become one of his God has chosen you because in some 139 it says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in his sight no matter what people's opinion about you might be no matter what people might think about you no matter how people might look at you but you can always count on God's love and always know that he has hand-picked you he has chosen you set a reminder is that you can live out this virtues of Faith Love and Hope Cuz you have been chosen by him. Good. See John 15:16 says you did not choose me. But I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide remains so that whatever you ask the father in my name he give it to you.

Did you read that part?

It is yours. When you abiding in God God says hey. Because it's in your way in his will do whatever you ask in the father's name. He will give to you. See those of us with parents will understand. There's a lot of things we want to give to our kids but often they not ready for it because they're not ready for it. You don't give it to them. That doesn't mean that you don't we will not give it to them in the future or you don't want to give it to them. But you just beg you just praying that they will do right so you can give them some things. It's the same thing. It's God's joy to give us good things because even when we put our faith in God, it was gone already leading us to putting our faith in him because he had Frozen us before the foundation of the world. This is incomprehensible. How much did God love us and how God has chosen us Romans 5 verse Aces God shows his love for us. That worried while we were still sinners Christ died for us. It was not when you had it all together that Christ died for you, but Christ died for you. Even when you were messing up even when you were not doing anything right Christ still got you.

You see I love the way that Warren wiersbe puts at The Parson will claims to be one of God's elect chosen one, but was life has not change is only fooling himself. Those whom God chooses what does it do? He changes. If you see anybody claiming God, but their lives have not been changed. They just fooling themselves because at the last day it will show for what you really are. Because the Bible says in Romans setting in Matthew 7 Jesus will see a lot of people will say we cast out demons in your name. We did this and we did that in your name, but Jesus will say I never know you you workers of iniquity.

The person who claims to be one of God's elect, but it was life has not change. Is only fooling himself Those whom God chooses. He changes does that mean that they are perfect but they are possessors of a new life that cannot be here then. so the bottom line is if you are save your life should reflect a life of faith. Love and Hope because you are loved by God and you have been trosen by him. The Bible says in John 3:16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have what? Eternal life the Bible says whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The God wants you to be safe. God wants you. The inherit eternal life God wants you to walk with him in faith. She wants you to live your life out of love and God wants you to keep hope alive in everything that you do make you some questions do you act on the face that you claim to have do you act on the face that you claim to have to claim to have faith in Christ do you act on that faith in your day-to-day activities? Are you acting on that face you make decisions in light of your face, or do you just make your own decisions? You're just go with your your own way or do you make decisions in light of your face? Do you strive to act in in love in everything that you do? Do you strive to act in love in everything that you do? How are you doing in this? and lastly Do you easily fall into despair? Or are you consumed by the hope we have in Christ. Do you easily fall into despair or are you consumed by the hope we have in Christ? Father thank you for your grace. May you help each one of us today? If we don't have faith in you to put our faith in you. If we say that we have put our faith in you may you help us to labor in love. And help us look. to live in the hope of your salvation But we pray let God. When does wonderful day when we come to meet you face to face?

That you will say to us. Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in the little things come now. Enter the joy of the Lord.

Colossians 1:27 says too. Damn good shows to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is what Christ in you the what? hope of

Christ in you the hope of glory. Do you have that hope in you regardless of what you might be facing in this life. Do you have that hope in you knowing that Christ in you the hope of glory you never have to live in the spare? Because God is in control. The Bible says it is appointed for man to die. How many times? 1 and after that comes what? Judgment for those who do not believe that would be punishment eternally in hell. And for those who believe in him, it will be just coming dacian. Well done come into the joy of the Lord. So that's why we don't think faith. We take things seriously. The Christian life is not something to be touring wave to be playing with because it's a matter of life and death. It's a matter of you spending eternity in a place where you burning and not dying. Or you spend eternity with Christ enjoying all the great things that he has for you. A lot of us have forgotten. You know what he'll feels like, you know, sometimes you might want to take a lighter and then just kind of like just put some fire in our body and see how long we last. It's from both of us the moment. We touch our body. We just take it off, right? But that's why the Bible says for those who do not believe they will be in Eternal punishment having that sensation of burning every single day every single hour every single minute. And not die. That means you will be tormented all the time. That's why you should not want that for yourself. And neither. Do you want it for anybody else? And that's why we all should be about the gospel and sharing the gospel with everybody we come in contact with for it is appointed for men to die. Once once somebody died then their Eternal decision is made way to heaven or hell there are no purgatory.

That's why you have to cease today today. The Bible say is the day of salvation.

Because tomorrow is not promised I might be speaking to you right now. And then today I'm no longer here. And it's the same case for you. So that's why we have to take God's word. Seriously when it says it is appointed for man to die once Then after that is George judgment laughing else. So Christ having been offered once to Bear the sins of many will appear a second time not to deal with sin, but to save those who are Eagerly waiting for him a question for you today is are you eagerly waiting for him? It will show up in your actions your decisions the way that you act the way that you live the things that you prioritize in life. That's what will show whether you are eagerly waiting for him or you are being sucked into this life. That is only a dress rehearsal for the real life. The God is saying as Believers those window him we need to eagerly wait for him. And if you don't know him you want to give your life to him so that now your future can be secure. So as Christian you can really live with that. Hope no fear of death because even when I die, I still win because I belong to Christ because I will enter his rest for the rest of my life and the life the good things. I enjoy here will be nothing compared to what we will have in heaven father. Thank you for your grace this morning. May you help each one of us Lord God to live with that confident. Hope that we have in you. And father I pray for each one of us here. If any of us here in this room right now anybody watching or whatever come to listen to this message? If they do not have that confident hoping you are pray father right now. They will choose you. To look for you and for your glory that you will be the top priority of their life just like you said Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and then it says everything. Welcome after. So father may we not live in the delusion of this world may we not be conformed to this world? But may we be transformed by the renewing all of our mind? Our will that we will give our body entirely for you? Walk by faith not by sight labor in love and live father in The Confident. Hope Be magnified. Oh God be glorified. 4 ND there is none. like you none Like You

we will come and Bow Down. It's your feet Lord Jesus. In your presence there is fullness of joy.

There is nothing there is No One Compares with you. We take languages in worshiping we take place and worship. We take Lane and worshipping. You love.