Sermon Tone Analysis

Devotional

Motivation for our ministry

1. MESSAGE

Love God above all

a. Love God above all

Love your neighbor

b.

Love your neighbor

Three Christian “graces” to fulfill our ministry

Faith, love, and hope produces action and endurance

“Visible Christian deeds and perseverance in spite of difficulty give witness to a genuine and enduring faith.

“—New American Commentary

Work of faith

Because of our faith we work

By our faith we work

Labor of love

Labor = ...extraordinary effort expended.

extraordinary effort expended.

Thomas, R. L. (1981). 1 Thessalonians.

In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.),

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol.

11, p. 241).

Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Thomas, R. L. (1981). 1 Thessalonians.

In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.),

The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Ephesians through Philemon (Vol.

11, p. 241).

Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Coupled with the product of faith, therefore, is the wearisome toil by which love expends itself.

So great is its concern for the object that love does not stop with ordinary effort, but goes the second mile and even beyond for the sake of another.

We labor because we love Jesus Christ

We labor because we love those Jesus Christ’s loves

Patience of hope

Enduring because

he recalled the work, labor, and endurance demonstrated by the Thessalonians.

Faith, love, and hope are not the focal points in this verse, though Paul frequently cited them as prime Christian virtues (cf.

5:8; 1 Cor 13:13; Col 1:5).

As subjective genitives “faith,” “hope,” and “love” in this sentence identify that which motivates and produces Christian actions.

But the actions themselves are what is stressed.

Paul remembered the “work,” “labor,” and “endurance” of those who were in the church.

Visible Christian deeds and perseverance in spite of difficulty give witness to a genuine and enduring faith.

Thus Paul gave thanks for a faith that was shown to be real by the evidence visible in the lives of the believers.

“Work” and “labor” are synonyms.

The latter (kopou), however, is a slightly more intense word indicating strenuous work in contexts where a contrast with the former (ergou) is implied.

This verse presents no conflict with Paul’s rejection of the works of the law as a basis of salvation (Gal 3–4).

The “work of faith” lauded here is the Christian life, the deeds that result from the indwelling Spirit (Gal 5:16–26; cf.

Eph 2:10).

These are not prerequisites of salvation but the results of salvation in the lives of those transformed by Christ (1 Cor 6:1–4; 12:1–2).

Exactly which works and labors Paul had in mind is not stated at this point in the letter.

Paul also thanked God for the “endurance” (hypomonē) of the Thessalonians.

Hypomonē is often used of a church’s persistence in the faith in spite of persecutions (e.g., Rom 12:12; Heb 10:32; 1 Pet 2:20), and that is evidently what Paul had in mind here (cf. 1 Thess 1:6; 2:14).

Believers are able to endure because of the hope they have in the Lord.

“Hope” does not express a baseless wish but a confident expectation of the Lord’s future work.

That Christians live expectantly (in hope) is evidence of the genuineness of their commitment to and confidence in the Lord.

It is this proof of a genuine faith that Paul was celebrating in his thanksgiving.

When in our churches’ faith and love are evidenced in word and deed, when hope enables endurance, our leaders have cause for joyful thanksgiving and an obligation to affirm the fellowship.

So great is its concern for the object that love does not stop with ordinary effort, but goes the second mile and even beyond for the sake of another.

“Endurance” (hypomonē) is the third visible fruit that evoked thanksgiving.

This is an aggressive and courageous Christian quality, excluding self-pity even when times are hard.

Difficulties endurance must cope with consist of trials encountered specifically in living for Jesus Christ.

Endurance accepts the seemingly dreary “blind alleys” of Christian experience with a spirit of persistent zeal.

It rules out discouragement and goes forward no matter how hopeless the situation.

Such endurance is possible only when one is “inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Hope” (elpis) is the only adequate incentive for this heroic conduct.

Christian anticipation looks to future certainties surrounding the return of “our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This confidence about the future braces the child of God to face all opposition while persevering and continuing in the spread of the gospel.

Jesus’ return and the encouragement it is to believers are major themes in both Thessalonian Epistles (1 Thess 1:10; 3:13; 4:13–5:11; 5:23; 2 Thess 1:4, 7, 10; 2:16).

i. Visitors

Plan the Big Day

c. Labor of love We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,

Tonight

Decide yes or no

Set a date for reducing the risk

Set a date for the event

Set a theme

Following tonight