Untitled Sermon

(ESV)

[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul is writing here to the Christians in Thessalonica the Roman metropolis, the bustling 1st century capital city of Macedonia located on the beautiful shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Due to its excellent location with a sea port, major inland roads, political power and industry. Thessalonica had become a place of opportunity, and compared to the surrounding rural town and areas, Thessalonica was a wealthy place, a diverse place – people from all over - a mix of nationalities/trade guilds/and religions.

Paul on his missionary journey, months earlier had come to Thessalonica, had preached among the Jews and gentiles there, (), planted a small church and many had come to believe.

Paul now writes back to this young church, he wants to encourage them, he wants to exhort them, and he wants to impart to them a real strengthening in their faith.

You see the church had its list of problems, just as we do today, the believers in Thessalonica had to deal with difficult issues.

· You see, no matter how nice the weather, no matter how good the economy, the fishing, the harvest, freedom, your health, your family, your friends, your career.

· There is, and always will be issues to deal with until the Lord returns

o Struggles to overcome, constant attacks from a darkened/unbelieving world

o sins to conquer, and spiritual victories to be won

The major issues before the Thessalonians, are Fear and Grief

· Fear and Sorrow, those old foes/those ancient adversaries

Fear: for the Thessalonians because of a persistent and ugly persecution that had been the cause of Paul being driven away from the city.

· Paul says in that they had indeed received the word of God despite and even through great affliction

o There was persecution coming from unbelievers, questioning and scoffing at their new belief in a man who is God, who died but now is alive

o Persecution from the unbelieving Jews who out of jealousy and hatred continually spouted threats and lies against the church

Grief: because Paul, , tells us that some of the believers in Thessalonica had now died.

· Fear/grief, sorrow/loss

o Real struggles, real attacks, real pain, real heartache

It’s the same spiritual battles that I know we are still fighting to this day in the hearts and lives of believers

· The same battles fought in the pews of our churches, in our prayers,

· in our dreams, in our thoughts.

But Paul writes to them in our text today: [16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul says here to Rejoice! When? Always… Well that’s just un-natural because we can only rejoice when something good has happened to us. Right?

· “Yes I know, they are persecuting you, “

o “yes I know about those among you who have died. “

§ “But God’s will is for you to be rejoiceful!”

Paul says here to pray without ceasing! When is that? Always – to live your life in a prayerful attitude

· Not just when you are in need, when times are tough, when in desperation

· But a life of prayer, when you rise, when you eat, when you lay down to sleep.

o Yes, pray for all those things you need but don’t neglect to say prayers of thanks to Him to whom we owe our lives/our being/ our very existence.

Paul says here to give thanks in all circumstances! That is also when? Always!

· Now Paul, you are saying to be happy even though we from all accounts should be sad?

· Always in Prayer? Even when we don’t need anything?

· Being thankful even when bad things happen

o Or are happening to us now?

Paul, really, come on Paul…What planet are you from? Can you really expect rational people to go for this? YES!

Yes and not only that, but Paul tells us it is the will of God for us. God commands it, he wills it, he desires to instill this heart of rejoicing/prayer/and thankfulness in His people.

· For a purpose:

o To make you/to form you (as a believer) into the image of Jesus.

o To be more and more like Him each day/sanctification

· And as a witness to the unbelieving world. What better proof of the power of God in our lives but to live in a way that makes the world around us say:

o Wow! What has gotten in to them?

§ How can they rejoice at a time like that?

§ How can they be thankful in the face of the most difficult of times/trials of life/situations?

Paul in this letter, lays out for them and us today real/absolute/and concrete reasons that we, in fact, CAN live a life of rejoicing, prayer, and thankfulness.

· EVEN when all things considered, may appear to be falling apart all around us.

What is the answer? It’s the GOSPEL!

· But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep (meaning believers who have died), that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

· Did you catch that?

o We don’t have to grieve as ones who have no hope:

§ But we can instead rejoice!

· Because we believe in Jesus, we will rise again just as He rose again.

o Death for the believer is no longer the bitter destroyer

§ but instead, an ushering into the presence of our Almighty God, our loving Savior

· Though we die, yet we will live!

§ One moment your eyes close here, your last breath is drawn and breathed out

· The next moment your eyes open to behold the LORD Jesus Christ

o Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians of the coming Day of the Lord,

§ Do not despair about the enemies of the Lord, those who would persecute the church…

§ For that day is coming when the wrath of God will be fully and finally poured out on that last day against the wicked, against his enemies

§ Justice will be done, the Judge of all the world will set all things right

The scripture teaches that even a life full of hard times is but a momentary blip in the grand scheme of things

§ When compared to timeline of forever and ever with Christ – and being welcomed into the heavenly kingdom

o These things that grieve us now says are [17] For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

o In other words, God is working/preparing all things for the good of his people

[16] Rejoice always, [17] pray without ceasing, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So we can rejoice always! Not because of the bad, but actually because of the far greater good that we are promise in Christ Jesus.

We can through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, stand firm on this promise and live a life of prayer.

And we can give thanks in all circumstances because we know that he is working all things for our good.