The Communion of the Saints

1 Thessalonians 2:17 - 3:13

Today, I am returning to our study of the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians. As we said at the start, this letter to the Thessalonians was probably the first letter Paul wrote of which we have a copy. In this letter, Paul teaches the basics of the faith.

In the first chapter, Paul states the first steps of becoming a Christian. The content of these first steps as Christians are: 

1. They turned to God from idols.
2. They served God.
3. They expected Jesus to return.
4. They believed in the resurrection, which would also include Jesus’ death and burial.
5. They expected Jesus to deliver them from the wrath to come.

These five steps are a part of anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian.

Next, in the first twelve verses of chapter two, Paul teaches what to look for in those who follow Jesus. These marks are: 

1. Sincerity
2. Devotion
3. Affection

To be more like Jesus, we must exhibit these marks in our lives and find these marks in the lives of those we follow.

Two weeks ago, we looked at chapter two, verses thirteen through sixteen. In these verses, Paul teaches the two foundations that allow the Church to stand. These are: 

1. The Word of God
2. The Gathering

If we are to stand in a world of persecution, we must not forsake either of these foundations.

Today, we are moving ahead and will be covering the remainder of chapter two and all of chapter three. I have called this message “The Communion of the Saints” because, in this part of his letter, by his example, Paul teaches us that we must build each other up in our faith. This is a lesson that the Thessalonians learned early, and it is a lesson that we, the Church, must never forget. 

The Scriptures teach this in many ways. In the Old Testament, the Jewish household was to teach the children the principles and precepts of the Word of God. The king was to read the Scriptures daily. The whole society was structured to train each individual in the things of God. In the New Testament, the disciple is called upon to imitate Christ. Galatians 6 instructs us to bear one another’s burdens. 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:17 through 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul demonstrates by his efforts, his actions, his prayers, and his passion his commitment to building up the Thessalonians in the faith.

We see the efforts that Paul made in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

Look at what Paul says in verses 17 and 18.

1 Thessalonians 2:17–18 (NKJV) ¹⁷But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

From these words, we gather that Paul tried but was unable to go back to Thessalonica. Along with these efforts, Paul expresses the value of the Thessalonians. They are his hope, joy, and crown of rejoicing. They are his glory and joy.

Paul proved these words with his life. He gave his life in his effort to visit the Churches. He was traveling from church to church and place to place preaching, teaching, and building up the Body of Christ until he was imprisoned in 65 or 66 A.D. and then executed in 67 A.D.  

Paul’s words to the Thessalonians that they were his hope, joy, and crown were not empty. He lived it.

We all make time for what is important to us. Many of us are prepared to give our lives for those who are really important to us. When God examines your life and mine, what will He think is important to us? When God examines us as a local church, what will He say was important to us?

Look at verse 18 again. Do you see the words “Satan hindered us?” 

Paul’s business with the Thessalonians was important to Satan also, but not for the same reason. Satan did not like what Paul was doing. He opposed Paul’s work until God the Father allowed him to kill Paul. However, Paul’s work and writings live on, and Satan continues to oppose Paul’s work. He tries to destroy the Bible. He tries to destroy the Church. He does everything he can to hinder us, the same way he worked to stop Paul.  In the face of this opposition, we must continue to pray and seek and endeavor the same way Paul did.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:17, Paul tells the Thessalonians he was anxious to see their faces.  In chapter 3, Paul says why seeing their faces was so important, and it is essential to remember that we are to imitate Paul as he imitates Christ. In other words, this earnest desire to “see” other believers must be a part of who we are as followers of Jesus, and it must be part of who we are as a church. It is necessary, and it is essential.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, Paul begins to reveal what is so vital by the actions he takes.

In 1Thessalonians 3:1-2, he says,

1 Thessalonians 3:1–2 (NKJV) ¹Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, ²and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,

According to this, the action Paul took was to send Timothy. Since he could not go, he sent his trusted associate and disciple. He did this even though it cost him. He mentions this cost when he says, “We thought it good to be left in Athens alone.” Paul did not want to be left alone, but it was better to be left alone than to leave the Thessalonians alone. Verse 2 gives the reason this was necessary. The Thessalonians needed to be established and encouraged. Look at verses 3 and 4.

They were harassed, they were under attack, they were persecuted, and, according to verse 5, Paul was afraid “lest by some means the tempter had tempted you.” Just as Satan hindered Paul, Satan opposed the Thessalonians. Satan opposes anything the Son of God is accomplishing through His people. For this reason, believers must be established and encouraged. This establishing and encouraging requires our action. Establishing and encouraging other believers must be a part of who we are as believers. Establishing and encouraging believers is a vital part of who we must be as a church. 

Satan will do everything within his power to hinder this. He will kill us if God allows it. In some parts of the world, God is allowing Satan to kill believers, and He may yet allow it in America. Paul told the Thessalonians to expect afflictions, and we should expect afflictions as well. Jesus said, In the world, you will have tribulation.”

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 informs us that Timothy returned from Thessalonica with an excellent report. Paul was so comforted by this that he said,

1 Thessalonians 3:8 (NKJV) ⁸For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

I do not know how Paul’s life was tied to the Thessalonians’ standing. I think the best explanation is that the joy of hearing the good news of the Thessalonians’ faith and standing infused new life and energy into the life and work of the Apostle. We see this in what he says about his prayers. Look at 1 Thessalonians 3:10. 

1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NKJV) ¹⁰night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

“Praying exceedingly” means that he increased his earnest petition and prayer way beyond what it had been. 

To my knowledge, Paul never returned to Thessalonica. God had other plans, and because of this, we have the letters of first and second Thessalonians. Paul constantly carried this weight of prayer and longing for all the churches and all the believers he had seen along the way. His burden and prayer were centered on what he tells us in this verse. He desired to “perfect what is lacking in your faith.”

Paul showed the value of building each other up by his efforts, his actions, his prayers, and finally, by his passion.

As we look at 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, let’s first consider verse 12.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 (NKJV) ¹²And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you,

Increasing and abounding in love is required of us. The Lord commands us to love one another. Paul is pronouncing a benediction. He starts chapter four with, “Finally then, brethren.” In this benediction, he desires that they overflow with love for one another and then continue to increase in that love. Then, he uses himself as an example. He is telling them that he overflows with love for them.

Throughout the whole passage we have looked at today, Paul repeatedly expresses his great desire to see the Thessalonians. In verse 11, he starts by asking that the Lord direct his way to Thessalonica. He expresses his great love in a great yearning to see them face to face. And once again, the reason he is praying in this way is seen in verse 13.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 (NKJV) ¹³so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Another consistent theme throughout today’s passage is this desire that the Thessalonians be established and encouraged. Paul invested his life in seeing that the Thessalonians stood firm.

His passion was the people. Seeing them face to face implies that they were not just a gathering, a church, or a flock to Paul. They were precious individuals that he loved very much. 

This is the way Jesus is. He tried to tell us that in the parable of the Good Shepherd. Jesus said that the shepherd made sure 99 sheep were safe in the sheepfold and then went out looking for one lost sheep. With this illustration, Jesus taught that each person is precious, each person is to be loved, and each person is to be cared for. To say this another way, you are Jesus’ passion. You individually, not just as a member of a body, but you individually are Jesus’ passion. He died for you, He pursued you, and He brought you to this place. He desires that you stand and that you be established and encouraged.

Paul was an example of this. He showed by his effort, his action, his prayer, and his passion that the establishing and encouraging of the saints was of utmost importance.

Jesus said:

John 13:35 (NKJV) ³⁵By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

Can we call ourselves His disciples if we do not have love for each other?

Do we show our love by our effort, our action, our prayer, and our passion?

How important to us is it that our brothers and sisters in Christ are established and built up?

Building the Body

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Paul and Silas enjoyed great success in Thessalonica, even though they were there for only a short time. In the first part of 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul expresses how affectionately they treated the Thessalonians, how hard they labored among the Thessalonians, and the appeal they made while in Thessalonica.

For Paul and Silas, their work in Thessalonica was a labor of love. The Apostle explains their labor in 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12.

 ...as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. (I Thessalonians 2:11-12 NKJV)

The Apostle and his companion, Silas, exhorted, comforted, and charged the people of Thessalonica. They did this because they loved the people of Thessalonica. Paul expresses this great affection in the words “as a father does his own children.” 

From describing their labor and affection, the Apostle transitions to expressing gratitude for the fruit of their labor. In 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16, the Apostle Paul says, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing.” The reason they are thanking God is for the results of their work. These results are seen in the statement:

 ...because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (I Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV)

The reason for their thanksgiving was the way the Thessalonians received the Word of God. In chapter one, the letter expresses the Apostle’s great gratitude for the evidence of the Thessalonians’ election by God. Next, in the first part of chapter two, Paul reminds the Thessalonians how the truth was communicated to them with great sincerity and affection. Now, as he continues, Paul gets down to the foundation of their faith. At this point, he speaks to the basis of faith rather than the content. He explains how the Thessalonians’ attitude toward the word of God and the Church became the foundation of a triumphant Church. He also speaks of how viciously the world opposed the work of the Lord and how courageously the Thessalonians stood against that persecution. 

There is a direct connection between the foundation the Thessalonians built their faith upon and their ability to stand in the face of opposition. Today, we are considering the foundation that enabled them to stand. As our world opposes the Church more and more, we need to stand, and to stand, we need a firm foundation. We need what the Thessalonians had, and we have the same foundation if we hold onto it. 

The first part of the foundation the Thessalonians built on was the word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 says:

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (I Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV)

The Thessalonians received the word of God, which they heard from Paul and Silas. There are several examples in the New Testament, where people received the word of God.

When Jesus walked with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the book of Luke tells us:

“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27 NKJV)

Jesus, the Son of God, used the Scriptures to expound the things concerning Himself. Every word spoken by Jesus was the word of God, and yet He used references to Moses and the Prophets.

When Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch on the road in the wilderness, Acts tells us:

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. (Acts 8:35 NKJV)

The Scripture referenced here is Isaiah 53, which is one of the most explicit passages in the Old Testament telling us about Jesus.

Jesus and the Apostles used the Old Testament Scriptures to teach and to preach. When Paul says they received the word of God as the word of God, He is referring to the Thessalonians receiving the message of Scripture. This is consistent with the way Paul and Silas presented the gospel.

Acts 17 tells us:

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures... (Acts 17:1-2 NKJV)

The people Paul and Silas went to were in the synagogue, and so they were familiar with the Scriptures and considered the Scriptures to be the word of God. Thus, it was natural that Paul and Silas reasoned with them from the Scriptures.

Acts 17:4 tells us that a great multitude of the Greeks who were in the synagogue were persuaded along with a good number of the leading women. However, the Jews who were not persuaded were the ones who stirred up trouble and forced Paul and Silas to leave Thessalonica. From Thessalonica, Paul and Silas traveled to Berea, where Acts tells us:

These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11 NKJV)

The teaching of the Apostles and even of Jesus was based on the Scriptures. Basing their teaching on the Scriptures gave those they taught an objective source that they could examine for themselves to check the truth of what they were being told. This is what the Bereans did. They searched the Scriptures to see if the things taught were so.

At the time of Moses, those who were at Mount Sinai had no question as to whether or not God was speaking because they could see the presence of God. Even so, some of them rebelled and died for it. So, when they received the Scriptures, they accepted them for being the word of God.

This is a distinguishing mark of all Scripture. To be included in the Bible, one of the tests a book has to have passed is that it had to be accepted and recognized as the word of God from the moment it was written. For every book of the Bible, we have historical evidence of its acceptance as Scripture dating back to ancient times. The historical evidence for the reliability of the Scriptures is overwhelming. No other book in the world can make the historical claims that the Bible can make. 

However, the historical evidence is not the only evidence the Thessalonians had. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 also says:

  which also effectively works in you who believe.

The word of God changes lives. Reading “Moby Dick” or “Gone with the Wind” may be entertaining, but it will not change a person’s life like the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 tells us:

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV)

Other books claim to be life-changing. For example, the “Book of Mormon” and the “Koran” claim to be life-changing.  And they may be life-changing. However, they do not have the historical backing of their veracity. Quite the opposite, they contradict recorded history. So, although they have subjective evidence, they lack objective evidence. 

The Bible is the only book of its kind. No other books claiming to come from God are supported by evidence in the same way.

The Scriptures are the first foundation mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 2. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 gives the next foundation.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, (I Thessalonians 2:14 NKJV)

Saying that the foundation of the Church is the Church, but underlying the imitation of the churches of God is the principle of gathering together. The word used in the New Testament for “Church” means “the gathering.” The strength of the Church is found in this gathering together. We know that there is strength in numbers, but many who claim to be believers do not gather with other believers. Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us to gather together to strengthen each other. Then it tells us not to forsake the gathering as some do. Here is exactly what it says:

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV)

Even in the earliest days of the Church, for whatever reason, some stopped gathering with other believers, and Scripture explicitly says DO NOT DO THIS!

Not every gathering is good. Even in the earliest days of the Church, the New Testament warned of those who preach the gospel for gain and those who seek to lead others astray for one reason or another.

Some gatherings do not preach the gospel and thus lead people astray. The way to distinguish which gatherings are good and which are bad, we need to be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures to make sure that the teaching is true.

There is only one Church, but there are many denominations. Generally speaking, the denomination does not determine if a gathering is good or bad. Denominations exist mainly because, as humans, we have differences. 

For example, I like bacon. Now, I am not sure whether or not to believe it, but I have heard that people exist who do not like bacon. So naturally, I attend a church that does not forbid bacon. 

All joking aside, it should be evident to us why a person who only speaks Spanish would find it difficult to attend this church every Sunday. Language and culture influence our choice of which gathering to attend. However, differences in language and culture do not have anything to do with whether a group is good or bad. A church, or gathering, is measured by its faithfulness to the word of God and the gospel.

Language and culture are not the only ways in which we differ. Some churches have a liturgy, and some do not. Some churches have loud celebrations on Sunday mornings, and others have quiet celebrations. Some of these differences are based on doctrinal issues. We may interpret Scriptures differently in places than our brothers and sisters. However, they are our brothers and sisters. As long as they preach the death, burial, resurrection, and return of our Lord Jesus, and salvation through Jesus alone, they are our brothers and sisters. 

And we all share this in common, we gather.

When the Thessalonians believed, they gathered together. That is what we do. It happens all over the world. It happens in secret when governments forbid it. It has happened throughout history. It started with Jesus gathering His disciples and continued through Acts to this very day.

Some stop gathering because of bad experiences. If you are one who has stopped gathering with other believers, may I address you directly? Find a different place, but do not stop gathering. I am going to say something judgmental and harsh. I know it is judgmental and harsh. For two thousand years, believers have found a way to gather even under the severest persecution. So, if you cannot find a body with which to gather, you need to seriously examine where you are in your relationship with God.

The word of God and gathering together served as foundations for the Thessalonians and enabled them to stand despite persecution. The word of God and gathering together still serve as foundations that allow us to stand despite persecution. 

We must hold on to both if we are to stand.

Followers

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica for a short time before they were driven out by persecution. After making their way from Thessalonica to Corinth, Paul and Silas wrote a letter to the Church in Thessalonica to encourage them. The message starts with an expression of thankfulness for the testimony of the Thessalonian believers. Reports of the work of God that occurred in Thessalonica had spread wherever Paul and Silas traveled.

The Apostle Paul makes special mention of the fact that the Thessalonians became imitators, or followers, of Paul and Silas. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, he says,

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit... (I Thessalonians 1:6 NKJV)

Paul was especially thankful for this evidence of the work of God in the lives of the Thessalonians. 

We call the process of learning to walk as a Christian “discipleship.” Discipleship involves learning to imitate Christ. Learning to imitate Christ starts with following the examples of those who follow Christ. Today we are considering 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12. This passage is about the process of learning to follow, in other words, discipleship. 

Discipleship, or learning, is essential to the Christian life. Another name for Christian is Christ-follower. In the gospels, those that followed Christ were called disciples. Jesus singled out twelve of His disciples and called them Apostles. These twelve were entrusted with passing on the teachings of Jesus through the process of discipleship. This process has continued down to the present day. Therefore, we are still called Christians or Christ-followers. Our mission as a church is to make disciples.

Who we learn from and what we learn are crucial. It is essential that we follow sound teachers and teaching. If we follow the wrong leader, we will end up in the wrong place. If we learn the wrong things, we will end up confused, confounded, and deceived. 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers what and who they imitated and reassures them that they have not been deceived or tricked. 

In today’s world, it is as important as it was back then for us to be careful of who and what we are imitating. Today, in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, we are going to see the marks of a good leader or teacher.

The first mark that Paul and Silas modeled is sincerity. 

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, Paul writes that the Thessalonians themselves knew that Paul and Silas’ coming to them was not in vain. Vain means empty. Vain can have two meanings in this context. One meaning is that the teaching produced no results. The other is that the teaching had no value or purpose. While the first meaning is undoubtedly true concerning Paul and Silas’ ministry; from what follows, we can see that Paul means the second. Their teaching had purpose. The results produced were not useless or meaningless, but rather the results produced were of eternal value. Paul says their coming to the Thessalonians was not in vain and he begins speaking of the purpose and character of the ministry that he and Silas did in Thessalonica.

One of the first things that can be said about empty or vain ministry is that it lacks sincerity. When a ministry lacks sincerity, it produces vain or meaningless results. A lack of sincerity can also be called hypocrisy and people hate hypocrisy. We even hate hypocrisy when we see it in ourselves.

The sincerity of Paul and Silas’ ministry is first seen in their willingness to suffer for the cause. This is the first proof that Paul points to in telling the Thessalonian believers that their ministry was not in vain. He says, “You yourselves know...” They saw Paul and his companions mistreated and slandered for their faithful proclamation of the truth, and they heard the news and saw the evidence of their mistreatment in Philippi. This demonstration of sincerity is why the saying came into existence: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” 

Paul explains this sincerity by saying:

“For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. (I Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV)

Having the certainty that what one is teaching is true, being confident one is not working from hidden motives, and knowing that one is not lying are what sincerity is.

Sincerity is the first mark of gospel ministry we must find before we follow. The next mark we need to look for is devotion. What are we and our teachers devoted to?

The Apostle shifts to talking about their devotion to God when he says:

But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. (I Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV)

Their devotion began with the conviction that they were called, or as Paul says, “approved” by God to be entrusted with the gospel. This truth has far-reaching implications for the life and practice of the servant of the Lord.

Paul’s calling was unique. Jesus met Paul on the road between Jerusalem and Damascus. At the time, Paul was a violent persecutor of the Church. Jesus told Paul that he would serve Jesus. This call was unmistakable.

Even though you and I will not meet Jesus on the Damascus road, our calling is just as sure. If you are a believer in Christ, you have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. The gospel is what we believe and confess. If one does not have the gospel, that person is not saved. There is only one name given by which we must be saved. My calling is different from your calling. Each person’s calling and gifting is unique. Some people are gifted in ministering to children. Others are gifted with construction and buildings. Devotion to God shows itself in devotion or faithfulness to the calling that He gives.

Since God gives the calling, it follows that one must work to please God, not men. Working to please men is idolatry and pride. It is devotion to one’s self and not to God. Devotion to God is to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and strength and to love one’s neighbor as one’s self. Loving someone does not necessarily mean pleasing them. When it comes to a choice, devotion calls on us to please God, not men.

This is basic Christianity. If we are to follow Jesus, we must live to please His Father.

The Apostle Paul’s devotion also showed itself when he said:

For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness— God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. (I Thessalonians 2:5-6 NKJV)

Covetousness, glory-seeking, and making demands will always signal that a person is devoted to his or her self and not to God.

Devotion grows out of sincerity. Conviction without hypocrisy leads to service without reservation.

This leads us to another mark we must look for before we follow.

Before I name this third mark, I want to point out a truth about God, our Father, the One to whom we are devoted.

Jesus told us:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 NKJV)

It should shock us to think that someone sincerely devoted to God would not share in His affection for the world God so dearly loves.

The third mark we must look for in those we follow is affection - love.

Look at what Paul says about their affection for the Thessalonians.

But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. (I Thessalonians 2:7-8 NKJV)

In this text, the Apostle expresses great affection, and then he says that he and his companions were pleased to give even their own lives for these people. Just as God was willing to give His own Son, they were willing to give their lives, which they did.

I understand how people can get disillusioned with church. I have been disillusioned with church at times. 

Let me share a story with you. When I was working as a missionary in Japan, I was pastor of a Japanese church. One night I was riding back from an outing with a group of Japanese pastors, and I was asking for advice on helping a couple of people in the church with a couple issues. I made some comment lamenting the fact that churches always seem to have problems. One of the pastors quoted a Proverb to me. I had read it. I had read the Proverbs numerous times. However, I had never really noticed it, but when I heard it in Japanese, it struck me with the force of truth I will always remember. The Proverb is:

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Proverbs 14:4 ESV)

Wherever people gather regularly, there will be messes, but if we stop gathering because of this, we miss out on the harvest, the blessings, and the riches that others bring with them.

Are we willing to impart our lives to our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Every problem is an opportunity to grow and to learn. We are all broken, and broken things can be frustrating. When things do not work as they should, and when things are not done the right way, we tend to get frustrated. What we do with our frustration says a lot about us.

I have a strong tendency to try not to stir things up. Often I do not say things that need to be said. I have been rebuked many times by meditating on Leviticus 19:17. It says:

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. (Leviticus 19:17 ESV)

The Lord is clear. When someone offends us, we are to go to that person and let them know. To not do this is to hate that person and to dismiss them as unworthy of our time. However, there are times when we are on the other side, and we have offended someone. In that case, the Lord is clear. We are to go to the one we have offended and make it right. To not do so is to hate that person and discount their feelings as unimportant.

Ephesians 4:15 tells us to speak the truth in love, and Ephesians 4:29 says:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

Affection is an essential part of being a Christian. Affection is a mark we must look for in those we follow. Where love is lacking, we must repent.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, the Apostle Paul teaches us what to look for in those we follow. To be more like Jesus, we need to exhibit these marks in our lives and find those to follow who show these marks in their lives. These marks are:

1. Sincerity
2. Devotion
3. Affection

How are we measuring up?