"Abound in Love"_I Thessalonians 3_Oct 04 2020

The Text

Thank you for praying for my wife...

Continuing our series: "Becoming a Church of Faith, Hope, and Love"

Bibles: I Thess 3

Today, we’re going to look at I Thess 3

Then we’re going to look at the historical background to Thessalonians

Then we’re going to wrap it up with love - specifically, the love God wants us to have for one another

In fact, the title of my sermon is “Abound in Love”

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Timothy’s Encouraging Report

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Pray...

Important we understand the background and context of when this letter was written

Gene Green - scholar & NT professor, Wheaton College:

My thirteen years spent in Latin America before coming to Wheaton provided abundant opportunities to learn how to read another culture. The first hurdle was learning survival skills in the new environs. How do buses work? Where do I get our bills? How do I go about paying them? How can we avoid getting parasites? The multitude of adjustments to the culture provided constant adventures.

The next valley was learning the language. Ten months of intensive daily training were just enough to bring me up to a basic level of comprehension. After gaining sufficient proficiency to understand most conversations, newspapers and broadcasts, a whole new world of confusion opened up. I could not understand the humor. Historical allusions were opaque. Reactions to some comments mystified me. My life became a repeated refrain from a Dylan tune, "There's something happening here and you don't know what it is, do you, Mr. Jones?"

Gradually, with a little help from my friends who served as informants, I was able to crawl into the culture and begin to understand its intricacies. The moments of understanding were thrilling as each new piece of the complex mosaic fell in place.

And now I come to Scripture, fully aware of how difficult it is to comprehend another person's communication. I am overwhelmed by the enormity of the task of hearing the message across the temporal, geographic, linguistic and cultural gulf that stands between me and the authors and first readers. I also wonder how my understanding of Scripture is informed theologically by the people of God who have interacted with these texts for thousands of years. They have left an interpretive heritage.

Haddon Robinson once said that the preacher lives in three worlds:

World of the Bible

Modern world

World of his church...

It’s important to understand the background of Thessalonians

At one point of their development - there was a separation between Paul’s team and this church

End of last chapter: I Thess 2:17 “Since we were torn away from you”

V. 18 “We wanted to come to you - I, Paul, again and again - but Satan hindered us”

And now, Paul begins this chapter with “Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone”

But then Paul tells us that he sent Timothy to be with them

Paul was in anguish

He loved & nurtured them like a mother - and instructed them like a father

A letter, or email, or text, or video chat is not the same thing...

Paul establishes that he was being persecuted - as well as his church - everyone was afflicted

A picture of discipleship - ‘Paul the shepherd’ was now separated from his sheep

In the meantime - everyone was experiencing affliction

Satan may have prevented him from returning to that church - but this series of events gave US two great NT books

Satan intended it for evil - but God intended it for good

Since Paul and most of his team were in danger of more persecution - they sent Timothy back to be with them

Timothy - was junior member of that team...

But verse 2 says this about Timothy: He is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ

Verse 2 goes on to give us the reason why they sent Timothy to be with them: to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions.

“Moved by these afflictions” - Paul didn’t want them to be shaken from their faith...

Paul was prevented from being with them - so he sent Timothy

Paul also says in verse 2 that he was afraid that the “tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain”

Remember back in chapter 2 - Paul said he was like a “nursing mother” to them? ... (He almost seems like an over-protecting parent)

He was concerned that all of their labor (preaching the gospel) - would have been in vain

Verse 5 says Timothy was sent to learn about their faith

Paul wasn’t happy he couldn’t be there - so he sent Timothy - and he wrote them this letter

Paul wanted to make sure - even though afflictions - their faith was still on track...

Persecution and affliction wasn’t a surprise to anyone

Paul makes this clear in 2 Tim 3:12 Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

Over and over, the Bible literally promises us that we will endure persecution

Persecution happens to every believer - directly or indirectly (tortured for Christ - or car breaks down)

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that Jesus is there to take away all problems from your life - and that problems = lack of faith...

So Paul was concerned for them

But the good news came from Timothy’s report about them

Verse 6 says that he “brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you”

And look at this wonderful statement in verse 7: for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.

And then he sums it up in verse 8: For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

I love how the NLT has it: It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.

Despite all that has happened...

Isn’t this the picture of Christian fellowship?

These are new Christians - once pagans

Paul preaches the gospel - with the power of the Holy Spirit

Paul disciples them as a nurturing mother & a protective father

They all go through affliction - and they’re separated

But in the end, their faith stands firm...

Last chapter, we saw how Paul charged them to “walk in a manner worthy of God”

Standing firm in your faith - despite affliction is walking in a manner worthy of God

But then Paul ends verse 11 with this: that we may see you face to face…and supply what is lacking in your faith

What could be lacking in their faith?

Can ask - what is lacking in your faith?

Do you ever pray that? Do you ever ask the Lord “What do I lack?”

Do you know that God wants you to grow more in your faith?

Or do you assume that you have no more spiritual growth?

My motto: The learning never stops (the growing never stops)

You’ll never walk in a manner worthy of God - until you realize that God wants to supply you with what is lacking in your faith (repeat)

If you remember last time - key verse - in the epistles

In my opinion - it’s in this last section of Chapter 3 (verse 12)

English Standard Version Chapter 3

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Notice it’s not an imperative - not a command for us to increase our love

It’s a prayer, really - “may the Lord make you increase and abound in love”

Don’t get me wrong - the Bible does tell us to love one another

But this isn’t a commandment - it’s all about the Lord increasing their love

BTW, one reason I see this as the key verse: Paul follows up in II Thess 1:3 because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing

You ask: How can I increase in love if it’s up to the Lord?

Simple: Pray it & let it...

Notice where this increasing love is aimed at: “increase and abound in love for one another and for all”

I can say, “I love you Lord” all I want - but how does the Lord want me to show my love for him?

By loving others - with his love!

Is it possible - that in your Christian faith - that you need God to increase your love for others?

Is it possible that this is where your faith is lacking - and that you need God’s help?

I’ve noticed that the topic of “love” is now popular in our society

People talk about it

People wear t-shirts, etc

It was popular in the 60’s and 70’s - and it went out of vogue in the 1980’s

But now it’s coming back

It’s very trendy to be kind, and to not judge, and to accept everyone’s belief

Do you think…that there is a difference between worldly love and godly love - and that if we want godly love, we need to ask the Lord for it?

Godly love is more than being nice to everyone

And do you think that one hallmarks of godly love is to love others through affliction?

Especially when we make disciples?

Did it ever occur to you that a main component of God’s love is sharing his gospel, and making disciples?

That when we make disciples - and set an example to those disciples - that it’s all through the kind of love that Paul expressed

Look what Paul went through:

Paul declared the gospel to them in much conflict and suffering - but declared it in the boldness of God (2:2)

He declared it with the right motive (2:5)

He didn’t seek glory from people (2:6)

He was gentle with them like a “nursing mother” (2:7)

He exhorted them and charged them to live a worthy life like a father (2:11)

He shared not only the gospel - he shared himself (2:8)

Chapter 3: When he was separated from them, he agonized over them, and still cared for them, and sent Timothy to them

And he did all of these - even though they faced affliction - because he did it with God’s love

Notice that Paul said for the Lord to increase their love for others - he then said, “as we do for you”

All that Paul did was an example to them - and to us

Every example he displayed - was leading up to this one prayer

That God would increase their love for one another - and for all - just as Paul did for them

So that…so that God can establish their hearts “blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (v. 13)

Jesus is returning soon - and all of this leads up to that day

As we close - I want to give you three practical ways to ask the Lord to increase your love for others

Love unbelievers

Love, with the right motives

Love, encourage, and instruct other believers

Let’s break that down -

Love unbelievers

When we share the gospel - we are loving unbelievers

Everyone of us should be praying for those who are without Christ

I also think we should do our best to show them love: outreach

But our love for unbelievers should always be motivated by the gospel

Col 4:5-6 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Jesus in Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Love, with the right motives

Paul made it clear that he didn’t seek glory from people [I Thess 2:6]

Never seek man’s approval - always seek after the Lord

In other words, the Lord should be your motivation to love others

Paul said, “so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts” (2:4)

Care about the One who can test your heart...

Love, encourage, and instruct other believers

Notice how Paul cared for these people like a shepherd cares for his flock

At times, he was gentle - like a mother

And other times, he was firm as a father - and gave them the truth

In Matt 28 - when Jesus commands us to “make disciples” - he also said to teach them to observe all of his commandments

We are to teach other disciples to follow Jesus

Love unbelievers

Love, with the right motives

Love, encourage, and instruct other believers

Pray...