Sermon Tone Analysis

The brethren asked Abba Agathon, "Amongst all our different activities, Father, which is the virtue that requires the greatest effort?"

He answered, "Forgive me, but I think there is no labor greater than praying to God.

For every time a man wants to pray, his enemies, the demons, try to prevent him; for they know that nothing obstructs them so much as prayer to God.

In everything else that a man undertakes, if he perseveres, he will attain rest.

But in order to pray, a man must struggle to his last breath."

For the most part, prayer continues to be a struggle for Christians today.

Waaay to many distractions.

There are always things that seem to get in the way and keep us from praying or praying like we ought.

There is always a bump in our routine.

There is a major distraction.

There is some kind of emergency.

All out of wack.

But what I am finding more and more, is that a big obstacle to prayer is not understanding prayer.

And because of it, we just don’t want to pray.

The God is a vending machine prayer.

The God is an ATM prayer.

The God is a tour guide prayers.

The God is my therapist prayers.

The God is my Genie in a lamp prayers.

So much awful teaching out there concerning prayer is only making things worse, its making it irrelevant.

We gotta just stick to the scriptures.

And know that the apostle Paul inspired by the Spirit sheds some serious light on this topic.

He gives us new perspectives on prayer.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

Gratitude for Grace

Vision of Vindication

When He Comes

The first thing we will look at today is the back drop for what and why the Apostle prays for the Thessalonians.

Second we will see the reality of our values and how it affects our prayers in anticipation to the coming of Jesus.

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world cause us to have misplaced values in the material, it is the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit that will cause our treasure to be all of that which is in heaven so that there our heart will be also.

I. Gratitude for Grace

- For what do we give thanks to the Lord?

A. Before we begin… lets look forward to v.11 of this chapter

2 Thessalonians

B. Paul tell the people that he constantly prays for the Thessalonians with this in mind.

He is telling us the context of his prayer for them.

When we pray what do we have in mind?

When we pray what is controlling what we pray for?

In this passage, Paul shows us his framework of what is on his mind while he prays, the framework of what is controls what he is praying for.

C. Next month we will explore what it is that he is praying for, but before we do that, we should take time to consider the context of his prayer.

What is our motivation when we pray.

D. The first thing he does is give thanks to the Lord… But for what?

What is it that we thank the Lord for?

Think about it.

We offer the Lord thanks for our meals.

We give thanks when the loan we’ve applied for comes through, or when we first turn on the lights in a house we’ve just bought.

We may sigh a prayer of sweaty thanks after a near miss at an intersection; we may utter a prayer of sincere and fervent thanks when we recover from serious illness.

But by and large, does it not seem that our thanksgiving is tied rather tightly to our material well-being and comfort.

E.

Here is something of note.

The truth is that what we most frequently give thanks for actually betrays what we most highly value.

If a large percentage of our thanksgiving is for material prosperity, it is because we value material prosperity.

This is why what Paul says here is so striking.

His focus is not on what we normally focus on.

He thanks the Lord for signs of grace.

2 Thessalonians 1:3

2 Thessalonians 1:

2 Thessalonians

E. What is it that we thank the Lord for?

Think about it.

Carson, D. A.. Praying with Paul (p. 23).

Baker Publishing Group.

Kindle Edition.

Carson, D. A.. Praying with Paul (p. 23).

Baker Publishing Group.

Kindle Edition.

Carson, D. A.. Praying with Paul (p. 23).

Baker Publishing Group.

Kindle Edition.

F. Number 1.

He thanks the Lord that their faith is growing.

The Thessalonians are continuing more and more to rely on Christ in all things.

He is thankful that their trust in the Lord and His Gospel is increasing.

Their reliance is not in their efforts or ingenuity, but in the Lord and His Gospel.

He is thanking the Lord that he sees the grace of God evident in their lives.

He is thanking the Lord that they are maturing in their faith.

Do we thank the Lord that we see faith increasing in people?

Is faith increasing in our community?

Carson, D. A.. Praying with Paul (p. 23).

Baker Publishing Group.

Kindle Edition.

G. Number 2. He thanks the Lord that their love is growing.

This is something we should truly be thankful for.

If your love is truly increasing for each other then it shows that you are truly disciples of Christ.

H. Christian love for each other is the most incredible, excellent, and beautiful things to see.

This is one of the sad things in modern evangelicalism.

Demographic studies show that people are drawn to close knit societies… it is easy to find love in groups with shared ideas, goals, age and interest.

It is easy to find tolerance, patience, and inner cohesion.

Churches with lots of commonality among the members will always show signs of transparent love for sure.

But this shows nothing of the power of the Holy Spirit.

I.

Even non-christian groups and institutions can display this kind of cohesion and fondness for each-other.

Special interest groups, clubs, support groups, sport teams, drinking buddies, fishing buddies… is there a difference?

They all show some sorts of transparent affection for each other.

J.

But for us Christian it is to be different.

And of course those of us who are filled with the Holy Spirit are able to do more.

The church is supposed to be diverse.

And the church can be diverse.

Because of the love of Christ.