Faith, Love, and Hope

1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

We have been considering 1 Thessalonians, and so far, we have looked at the letter writers, how their lives were transformed, and how their relationship with the Thessalonians began. A key point is that Paul, Silas, and Timothy were in Thessalonica for a very short time. In view of the short time, the results of their ministry in Thessalonica were astounding. Many people believed in Jesus and turned from idols to serve the living and true God.

Having been forced to leave after such a brief time, the three men wrote to confirm the Thessalonians in their new faith. In verse 4, they affirm the Thessalonians and state their confidence that they were chosen by God.

Here is the question I want us to consider: How did Paul, Silas, and Timothy know that God chose the Thessalonians?

We find the answer in verses two and three. Let’s look at these verses.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (NKJV) 2 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,

They knew God chose the Thessalonians because of their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope. These three things were the evidence that showed God chose them. These three things are mentioned in other Scriptures. Let’s look at a couple of these other Scriptures.

Colossians 1:3-5 (NKJV) 3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel,

In Colossians, Paul gives thanks for the Colossians in the same manner in which he gave thanks for the Thessalonians. These three things are also listed in 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV) And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these [is] love.

Here in Corinthians, Paul emphasizes the importance of love over faith and hope. But in 1 Thessalonians and Colossians, he gives them in the order they are built. 

I want to examine the way these three things are built because, as 2 Peter 1:8 says, “if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

First, then, let’s look at faith.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 says “work of faith.” Faith is the foundation upon which our relationship with God is built. John 3:16 establishes this with the simple statement, “whoever believes in Him will not perish but has everlasting life!”

Jesus said to those who sought to follow Him,

John 6:29 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

Hebrews adds to this thought when it says,

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him,] for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Faith works. I do not mean by this that we need to work to be saved, but just the opposite. We are saved by faith. 

When we believe that God is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him, we will diligently seek Him. This belief will change our lives; the most significant change will be love.

We are talking about faith, love, and hope, and now we have come to love. The source of love is faith, and love is the source of hope. Romans 5:5 says,

Romans 5:5 (NKJV) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts. We cannot do this by concentrating on loving God. However, we can do it by focusing on God’s love for us. 1 John 4:19 says,

1 John 4:19 (NKJV) We love Him because He first loved us.

The source for us knowing the love of God is the sacrifice of Jesus. 1 John 3:16 tells us,

1 John 3:16 (NKJV) By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.

We develop faith by focusing on God's word and meditating on it day and night. 

The world understands that what we think is very important. Many teachers and counselors teach us that we must be mindful of what we think and take time to reflect. In relation to this mindfulness, we must think positive thoughts.

This principle of mindfulness and positive thinking was brought home to me when a friend suggested I recite the Serenity Prayer every day. I often hear this in connection with battling addictions. The Serenity Prayer goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

However, I was working on something else at the time and decided to recite Psalm 23 every day. Wow, what a difference it made in my life! That’s all I can say: “Wow!”

Over and over and over, the Bible tells us to meditate on the word of God. Talk about life-transforming power!—If your thoughts trouble you, if you cannot sleep at night, if you need courage to face tomorrow, if you want to know true success, if you want to be happy, if you want to have hope for tomorrow, do this! Find a Scripture that appeals to you or fits your need and recite it every day, even multiple times throughout the day.

The result of this will be:

1. Your faith will grow
2. Your love for God will grow
3. You will find hope

Hope is the third evidence that we are chosen by God. We have hope in all our labors and even in suffering that God is present with us. We have hope that, as our Father, He is taking care of us. We are certain that the future is bright even in the darkest time, even when we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death. We know that if our body is broken and we die, we will be present with the Lord and we will find comfort, peace, and joy in His presence.

This unshakable hope has sustained Christians in all ages. This hope sustains those who give their lives for their faith. This hope sustains those who suffer from incurable diseases. This hope sustains those who battle depression. This hope inspires those who serve others.

This simple plan can be implemented in your life with only minimal effort. Pick a Scripture and recite it every day. If the Spirit leads you to a different Scripture, recite that one. I find it convenient to recite my passage when I get up in the morning and before I go to bed at night.

As always, if you want to talk about this, I am always happy to make time for you.

The Brotherhood of the Saints

 The Brotherhood of the Saints

1 Thessalonians 1:1

Let’s begin with a quick review. Paul is credited with writing 1 Thessalonians, but the greeting includes Silas and Timothy. This is because these men were brothers, and as brothers, they shared in the writing of the letter.

Some churches use the word ‘brother’ as a formality, but with Paul, Silas, and Timothy, it was the real thing.

Let’s look at the evidence. 

To begin, let's look at how Paul teamed up with Barnabas.

After his conversion, Paul preached for three years and then had to flee to his hometown, Tarsus. Paul assumed that because the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea knew him, they would be open to his message. Contrary to what he thought, the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea wanted their old friend and brother dead. As a result, Paul spent about 14 years hidden in Tarsus. (We know about the 14 years from Galatians 1 and information from Acts.)

Let’s fast forward about 14 years. During those 14 years, the persecution of Christians in Jerusalem continued. Acts 11:19-26 tells us what happened at the end of those 14 years.

Acts 11:19-26 (NKJV) 19 Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20 But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. 23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. 24 For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Barnabas knew about Paul because he, too, was from Jerusalem. Because he was aware of Paul’s tremendous knowledge, passion, and ability, Barnabas brought Paul to help with the teaching of the Christians in Antioch. Antioch was the first Church in which Gentiles and Jews were integrated, and the new Gentile believers needed someone with Paul’s knowledge. What they didn't need was Paul’s hard-nosed approach. Paul was a zealous personality who tended to be harsh and legalistic.

Though we often think of Paul as the leader, Barnabas, being older, was actually mentoring Paul, not in theology, but in how to lead with grace. Barnabas was gentle, even his name means encourager. Please remember, Paul started out as a bully and God shut him down for 14 years. Younger Paul had tried to lead Jews away from converting to Christ by threatening, beating, imprisoning, and killing them. 

As we follow the story in Acts, we see that Barnabas and Paul went together on a journey to preach the gospel. During this time, Barnabas continued to mentor Paul in leading with grace. 

They returned to Antioch and reported on their mission trip, but they encountered a problem in the Antioch church. Some Jewish men from Jerusalem went to Antioch and began teaching that the Gentiles had to convert to Judaism if they wanted to follow Jesus. 

Paul, Barnabas, and some others went to Jerusalem to consult with the Apostles. The counsel of the Church leaders clarified that no such thing was required. They sent a letter back to Antioch to clarify this issue. Along with the letter, they sent a mature man with Paul and Barnabas to confirm both the letter and Paul and Barnabas. That man was Silas.

When Paul and Barnabas decided to go back and visit the churches where they had been before, they had a sharp disagreement. Barnabas wanted to take along a young man named John Mark. However, Paul refused to include John Mark because John Mark had joined them on the first journey but had quit partway through. Remember, Paul tended to be hard-nosed, and Barnabas was an encourager. 

Consequently, Barnabas took John Mark, and Paul teamed up with Silas and set out on what we know as his second missionary journey. Once again, Silas was a mature man like Barnabas. Perhaps he was there to help Paul not be too severe. By this time, Paul was in his 50s. He may not have needed teaching, but he still needed partnership. This is an essential part of being brothers. There is a Proverb that says, 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NKJV) Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

In all his ministry, Paul never traveled alone, and neither did Jesus. Jesus was setting an example for us.

Never traveling alone serves any number of purposes, but I  am only going to look at three.

First, Jesus used companionship for teaching and training, and so did Paul. We should follow their example. You have much to pass on to your children and grandchildren.

Second is safety. The roads were not necessarily safe all the time. Whatever happened, they were able to help each other. It is the same for us. Cars break down, and people get sick. Stuff happens.

Third, and just as important as the others, is temptation. If you have someone with you all the time, you are less likely to do sketchy stuff or give up. Of course, this works even for those who are evil. Outlaw gangs keep each other in line, but not for good purposes.

If you are at all familiar with the ministry of Paul, you know a lot of things happened to him. He was stoned, beaten, imprisoned, and shipwrecked. And he was not alone for any of these things.

Let me encourage you. As much as possible, don’t travel alone. Many temptations can be avoided this way. For example, I might not stop as often for a milkshake if someone is with me. If a person is tempted with alcohol, having a partner helps. Of course, the wrong partner can make it worse.

We are called a brotherhood for a reason. We are to encourage each other and lift each other up. To do this, we have to be together. Older men as much as possible can take younger men with them so that the young ones can learn. How else are we going to help our teenagers grow? Of course, this is a father’s job, but what if the father can’t be there or isn’t there at all? Yes, it takes effort and can be inconvenient. But real brotherhood was never meant to be easy. However, if Jesus is our example, it is the way to be fruitful as far as our faith is concerned.

The Seventieth Week

 The Seventieth Week

Daniel 9:24-27

Daniel 9:24-27 (NKJV) 24 “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 “Know therefore and understand, [That] from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, [There shall be] seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it [shall be] with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

We previously examined the significance of this prophecy regarding the Messiah being cut off and the completion of 69 weeks. This timeline aligns remarkably with historical records, affirming that Jesus, who fulfilled this prophecy, was crucified around 33 AD. The evidence is compelling and reinforces the extraordinary nature of this prophecy.

Now, consider verse 26. Two things stand out. First, “The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” The prince who is to come is the Antichrist. However, be sure to note that it is the people of the prince and not the prince who destroy the city and the sanctuary. Second, war and desolations are determined until the end.

(The NKJV that I have quoted says it differently, but almost all translations have something more like what the NIV says, “The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”)

The phrase “The people of the prince who is to come” points to the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD and Israel in 135 AD. And as for the statement, “War will continue until the end,” Throughout history, from the time of Christ to the present day, we have witnessed an unbroken chain of wars and desolation. Not a single year has been free from conflict. This is exactly as Gabriel’s words said it would be.

Having established this context, let’s focus on the word “then” that opens verse 27. The wars and desolations precede the events prophesied in verse 27. These desolations have filled the 2,000 year “gap” that we have been living in while the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy waits to be fulfilled. Theologians call this “gap” the Church Age, while the Bible calls it the time of the Gentiles (Gentiles means Nations so another way of saying it would be the times of the Nations).

Let’s revisit the insights from verse 27, specifically what follows the word “then.” Gabriel states, “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.” To clarify this, let’s examine how the New Living Translation (NLT) interprets verse 27.

Daniel 9:27 (NLT) The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”

The ruler (prince) who is to come is the one the world knows as the beast or the antichrist. This person will make a seven-year treaty with Israel (the people). These seven years are the seventieth week of Daniel. The terrible deeds spoken of make up the Great Tribulation also known as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble.”

Both the Old and New Testaments contain many details about these seven years. Chapters 4 through 19 of the book of Revelation are about these seven years. The signing of the treaty that Daniel speaks of will mark the beginning of the seventieth week and will also reveal the “Beast.”

Over the centuries, many people have panicked, thinking this period of time had already begun or that we were in it. This happened with the Church in Thessalonica. Paul wrote to them to address this issue and we find his words in 2 Thessalonians 2.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-8 (NKJV) 1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains [will do so] until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Let’s look more closely at verses 6 and 7. First, verse 6 says that we know what is restraining him. And then, verse 7 says “He who restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

Wait! How do we know? Think with me. Jesus told us that we are salt and light. The Bible tells us that the world hates us because we reveal that their deeds are evil. Now, combine this with what we know of the Christian life. Romans 8 tells us if we walk by the Spirit we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Romans and Corinthians make it clear that we are made part of the Body of Christ by His Spirit. Combining these truths and others like them, it becomes crystal clear that the One who restrains is the Holy Spirit working in the Church.

Now consider another truth. Let’s review what Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 2 verses 2 and 3. 

We ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for [that Day will not come] unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed,

This letter was addressed not only to the Church in Thessalonica but to all believers, including us today. Paul assures us that we can be confident the Tribulation, known as the Day of Christ, has not yet arrived. But how can he convey this certainty to future generations? The answer is clear: the Day cannot occur until the Holy Spirit withdraws, and the Holy Spirit will only depart when the Church is taken away. This assurance underscores the vital connection between the Church's presence and the unfolding of God's timeline. This is why in 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul says:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (NKJV) 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

This does not speak of Jesus coming down to earth to set up His kingdom. This speaks of Jesus coming to gather His Church, His Bride, to Himself. He meets them in the air, not on the ground. He meets them in the air and takes them to be with Him. Later, at the end of the Tribulation, He will come down, defeat the Beast and set up His kingdom.

A chart of the timeline goes something like this:

I got this image of the internet and then lost the information on where I got it from. If it is yours, I apologize for not giving credit, and would ask you to let me know if it is okay to continue using it.

This is why we know that if we are still here, Jesus has not returned yet.