Standing Fast in the Lord

for what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting or rejoicing before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you, Thessalonians, are our glory and joy.

The word coming used for the second coming of Christ is the Greek word used for an official visitation, either from a God or a high government official. And in 1 Thessalonians 1.10, Jesus' arrival is tied to wrath. The previous two sections we looked at in the previous sermons ended with wrath. At 110, Jesus delivers his people from the wrath to come. At 216, wrath has come upon those who have rejected Christ and persecuted his people. The second coming will be very different for those who are in Christ and those who are not in Christ. Here, however, Jesus' coming is not described as a time of wrathful judgment, but as a time of glorious judgment. A judgment not of the wicked, but of the righteous. Paul, who has led these men and women to Christ through his teaching, through his evangelism, through his living and laboring among them, sees them as an offering to be presented to the Lord, showing his faithfulness and fruitfulness in the responsibilities that he was given. Their faithfulness and their perseverance will be a joyous heavenly reward for Paul. Again, he heaps up words.

Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

Note, they are not just his future glory and joy that he will receive at the return of Christ, but it already is them. They already are in the present his glory and joy. The faithfulness and fruitfulness of the Thessalonians already manifest what will be validated by God on the judgment day. Elsewhere, Paul makes it very clear that both teacher and student, leader and follower, brother and brother, will boast in each other on that day. In 2 Corinthians 1, 12 through 14, Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

for our boast is this. the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God, and supremely so towards you. For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand, and I hope you will fully understand, just as you did partially understand us, that on the day of our Lord Jesus, you will boast of us, and we will boast of you.

Brothers and sisters, how are you living? What are you doing? How are you being faithful in a way that will allow your leaders, who as Hebrews 13, 17 tells us, must give an account, to see you as their hope and their joy and their crown? That they watch over your souls with joy and not with groaning. How have you built up and encouraged and held accountable leaders and teachers so that you can boast of them in that day? What will your brothers and sisters in Christ boast of you? Have you spoken the words of scripture to a brother over coffee or in a late night phone call? Or helped out a dear sister in need? Have you shown integrity and godliness in front of your children in a difficult circumstance? gently corrected someone who is in sin or misguided by false doctrine. Romans 14 12 also challenges everyone,

so then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

What will you be able to say on that great day, not to justify yourself, but to glorify God by how his works have been manifested in you through the work of the Holy Spirit. Brothers and sisters, live as someone who will be a joy and a crown on that day. Secondly, stand fast in the Lord. Chapter three, verses one through 10. Since he is unable to go himself, Paul sends Timothy and his place back to Thessalonica to establish and exhort the Thessalonians in their faith. Timothy is serving as God's coworker in doing so. Paul knew that the Thessalonians would face afflictions, he knew that they would be tempted, and he wanted to see the results of his, Silas's, and Timothy's missionary labor. Beginning in verse one.

Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker, in the gospel of Christ.

Again, Paul expresses his deep affection for the Thessalonians. Twice, in both verse one and verse five, he says he could bear it no longer to be separated from them. That is, he couldn't endure the separation and lack of contact with these believers. Even though Paul is unable to come himself for some reason, he sacrifices by sending his closest coworker, his son in the faith, while he, Paul, is left alone doing gospel work in Athens. But Timothy is not just Paul's coworker. He is God's coworker in the gospel. He's not just a letter carrier or a report maker. This is a high valuation of Timothy's ministry to many believers, including those in Thessalonica. Paul frequently uses the phrase fellow worker or coworker for his colleagues. For example, in Romans 16, 21, he calls Timothy his fellow worker. But elsewhere in Scripture, the phrase, co-worker of God, is only used of Apollos and Paul himself in 1 Corinthians 3, where Paul is talking about those who work in the field, knowing that God is the one who accomplishes the work. From 1 Corinthians 3, 5 and following.

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

So Timothy has a ministry where he is to go and plant and water and serve the people there, trusting that God will provide the growth and do the work to save. Paul sends Timothy to do four things as part of his work alongside God, and we see these in verses 2, 3, and 5. First, he is to establish them in their faith, to strengthen them in their faith, language that is later used of what the Lord will do for us in verse 13. Secondly, Timothy is called to exhort or encourage the Thessalonians in their faith, to build them up, to be like the Holy Spirit. The word there is where we get the word for the Spirit's work as our comforter and our advocate, as our paraclete. Timothy is to paracleo the people in their faith in Thessalonica. Third, he is called to see that no one will be moved by afflictions. That even as they suffer persecution, even as they go through hard times, they will not be moved. They will not be shaken. They will not be disturbed, but they will stay fast in the Lord. And fourthly, in verse 5, Timothy is going to learn about their faith, to learn whether or not they have stayed faithful even in the absence of the personal presence of the missionaries. We know from chapter two, verse 14, that Thessalonians had been suffering as the believers in Judea had, suffering persecution that started while Paul and his team were there among them and continued after the missionaries were forced to leave. The Thessalonians may have been confused and concerned that the troubles that led to Paul's departure and had dogged them ever since were a sign or an indication that Paul's message wasn't true. that this crucified Jesus that he preached wasn't really the living Messiah. But Paul had warned them beforehand and all believers that they were to expect afflictions. In verse three he says,

for you yourselves know that we are destined or appointed for this. 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.

He sent Timothy to see how they had responded to these afflictions and to build them up, to establish them and strengthen them, exhort them, encourage them, comfort them, to build them up in their faith. This is because Paul feared that somehow his labor might have been in vain and their faith might have failed. Now, I think as we read this, this is clear that this is not something that he actually expects to be possible, that people's faith would fail, but it is a warning to us, just as Jesus warned the elect that they should be careful about what they do, even though the elect cannot go astray. As Jesus says in Matthew 24, 24,

for false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Paul says in verse five,

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.

Paul had already told the Thessalonians in chapter two, verse one, that his initial work had not been fruitless.

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

As he goes on to describe his hard work among them. His fear of potential failure was because the tempter had tempted them. One of the continued afflictions that we have while waiting for Christ's return is the temptation to continue in sin, even as we have been saved from it, as Satan continues his futile, already failed battle against God and his people. Paul repeatedly informs believers that they need to be prepared to fight Satan. In 2 Corinthians 2.11, he said that

we should not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.

We should be expecting his attacks. And in Romans 16.20, Paul reminds them that the attacks of the tempter will not succeed.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

We were reminded at the beginning of the great plan that God has had from the foundation of the world to fulfill his promises to bring us a savior who will keep us and take us to be with him forever. The flip side of the plan is the utter defeat of Satan. Satan was defeated when God cast him out of heaven. Satan tempted God's people in the garden and succeeded. But Satan was defeated by Christ's birth. Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness, but he failed. Satan was defeated by Christ's death and resurrection. Satan continues to tempt God's people, and sometimes he succeeds, temporarily. Satan will be ultimately and eternally defeated when Christ returns and casts him into the pit. Timothy returns to Paul from Thessalonica with good news. a Greek word usually referring to the gospel itself, but in this case referring to the news of the Thessalonians' faith and love and their kind remembrance of their Christian leaders and teachers. The fact that they are standing fast in the Lord, God is faithfully preserving them, provides Paul comfort in all affliction, and leads to his thanksgiving to God. And Paul still wants to come to see them and continue to encourage them in the faith. as Paul writes beginning in verse six.

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, for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction, we have been comforted about you through your faith.

The good news from Thessalonica is that their faith and love have endured. They long to see Paul as he longs to see them. He is suffering distress and affliction, just as they are. But word about their continuing faith has comforted him and encouraged him, the same word used as exhort above with Timothy's work. And again, his words are effusive and his care is clear. In verse eight,

for now we live if you are standing fast in the Lord.

For now we live. It is as if Paul had metaphorically been dead, waiting to hear about their state, but has now been revivified, has renewed life in mind and spirit. This restoration is due to and will continue if the believers stand fast or firm in the Lord. Elsewhere, the same word is used by Paul as a command to the believers in the many cities where he has ministered. In 1 Corinthians 16.13 he writes,

be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

In Galatians 5.1,

for freedom Christ has set us free, stand firm therefore and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

And with many striking echoes to our current passage, Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter 4, verse 1, Paul is restored by the news that the believers in Thessalonica are standing firm. They're standing fast in the word, in the faith, in the spirit. And he is so overwhelmed by this affirmation that he's compelled to give thanks for them. This is the third time in the book that Paul gives thanksgiving for the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica, and it is thanksgiving for the same faith, love, and steadfastness he praised them for earlier. In chapter one, verse two, he wrote,

we give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work. of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus.

And then again in chapter two, verse 13,

and we also thank God constantly for this, that when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

We see here he lifts up thanksgiving again in verse nine.

For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you? For all the joy that we feel for your sake before God as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.

The thanksgiving that Paul is feeling is not to the Thessalonians themselves, but to God. What can we return or render to God for you? God is the source of everything good and righteous and faithful in the Thessalonians, and it is to God that the thanks are due. In addition to thanksgiving, Paul again says that he feels joy for their sake before God now, even as he earlier said he would have that joy on account of them before Christ at his coming. His care for them continues to overflow as he indicates that he prays most earnestly, indicating it's almost beyond measure how often he prays, night and day, just as in chapter two, verse nine, he wrote of working night and day for them. Paul says he has two goals in mind when he is praying. First, his repeated desire to see them face to face, and secondly, to supply what is lacking in their faith. The word translated supply here is translated in Galatians 6.1 as to restore. And the word can also mean to complete or to strengthen. Lacking doesn't mean they don't have any faith or that their faith is non-existent, but rather they have something there that can be built upon or improved. Perhaps the message of this letter itself, or even better in Paul's mind, his presence among them in the future, would be that additional encouragement to the Thessalonians, just as Paul's visit had been. These would be opportunities, the reading of this word, the visitation of the missionaries for maturing and growing the faith of these only recently converted believers and in their godly living. Brothers and sisters today, are you standing fast in the Lord or are you moved or shaken by daily afflictions? When facing difficulties, do you respond with faith and love or with fear and grumbling? When tempted, do you think about temporary worldly pleasure or about the glory that awaits in eternity? Do you respond as one who's been freed from sin by a perfect savior, by one who has defeated not only the tempter but sin and death? Or do you depend on your own power instead of trusting in God's power to keep and preserve you? Do you seek to surround yourselves with those who strengthen and encourage your faith? Those who stand alongside you in suffering? Those who are willing to be with you face to face in the daily struggles and help supply what is lacking in your faith at a trying moment? Do your love and faith and steadfastness encourage and strengthen others in their faith? Brothers and sisters, stand fast in the Lord. Stand firm. Finally today, point three in verses 11 through 13, be prepared for Christ's coming. Finally, Paul prays that the Father and the Son will direct him to the Thessalonians, And in the meantime that the Lord will continue to grant them love and holiness in order to prepare them for the coming of Jesus. Beginning in verse 11.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all. as we do for you, 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.

" This is a prayer. God is, of course, the only proper object of prayer. And this prayer is addressed to both the Father and to the Son, establishing that they are one and worthy of all honor and praise and petitions. This letter is either the earliest or second earliest of Paul's writings, and he is very clear that Jesus is God himself. Paul asked the father and the son to bring to fruition his repeatedly expressed goal to revisit the Thessalonians, which is in contrast to and would be victory over Satan's interference in that effort. We should never be afraid to pray for God to remove the trials and temptations that are in front of us, even if he does not always respond in the timing and the way that we might want. Paul asked the Lord Paul asks of the Lord that he would make the Thessalonians increase and abound in love. They are already expressing and living out their love, but Paul wants God to give them even more, that that love would overflow. This love that they are to have is for one another, representing the command of Jesus that the brothers and the sisters would be known by their love for one another. But, It's also for all, including non-believers as well. We are to show our love, not only for those who have been found, but for those who are lost. Notice also that Paul asked that his love for the Thessalonians be increased and made overflowing by the Lord as well. This love that Paul is praying about is not a non-demanding feeling of affection. It is actually the source of the believer's holiness. In verse 13, we are told, so that, the increase in love is so that God may establish or strengthen your heart blameless in holiness. Just as Timothy worked to establish and strengthen their faith, God is using the love that he gives believers to make them holy and pure, set apart and obedient. As Jesus said in Matthew 22, beginning in verse 37,

you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.

Love of God and love of neighbor is the summation of the law, the commands of God. A right and godly attitude of love toward God and toward people leads to holiness. Obedience flows from love. Love does not set aside obedience. In chapter two, verse 19, Paul spoke of being before our Lord Jesus at his coming. And in 3.9, about being before our God. Now in 3.13, he writes of being blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. The image from verse 19 of believers being presented as a perfect offering to the Lord is repeated. And again, Father and Son are both described in the role of God. We are reminded of what we heard earlier in the thanksgiving of 1 Thessalonians 1, verses 2 and 3. that he is giving thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning them in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. They are reminded that the steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is going to lead to his coming with all his saints. Some translations have that as holy ones. Who are these saints and holy ones? Most often this word is used in the New Testament of those who are believers, but some people think that these are angels. I think it is correct to embrace the power of both and. It is clear from scripture that believers, both those already dead and those still alive, will be gathered to Christ at his coming, as Paul will tell the Thessalonians later in chapter four.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

All the saints, all those who have been saved, those who are dead, those who are alive, will be gathered to the Lord at his coming and will be there with him. But I think it is also clear here that Paul is alluding to Old Testament prophecies where the holy ones accompanying a returning God are his holy angels. An example of this is from Zechariah 14.5.

And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Jordan.

This is Zechariah prophesying what will happen at the end of time.

Then the Lord my God, Yahweh, will come and all the holy ones with him.

Zechariah tells us that at the end of time, Yahweh himself will come with his holy ones. Now Paul tells us the exact same thing, that Jesus is coming with his holy ones. Again, emphasizing the full divinity of Christ and his identity with the Father. As we have said before, we are in a time of waiting. Before Jesus's advent, before he was born as a baby, the Jews were expecting a Messiah. They were expecting God's anointed to come. When Keith began his series in Luke a year ago, we heard the people literally waiting in the temple, waiting for the Messiah to come. We also know that they did not receive the Messiah they thought they were going to receive. And even after they received a Messiah who came meek and lowly to die for his people and was raised again, early Christians were confused by the second coming. When is this great and glorious victory going to come? In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, there appears to have been confusion about the second coming. We've already looked earlier in the book, and I'll be talking about it later. There seems to be confusion. They seem to think that maybe they missed it. Maybe it already happened, and they weren't part of it. They think that maybe if it hasn't happened already, but if they die before it happens, they won't be included. But the word from Paul is intended to be comforting. At Jesus' first coming, his people did not receive them. I'm sorry. But Paul's word to them is intended to be comforting here in this last verse with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all of his saints. It's supposed to confirm for them that Christ is coming and his people, whether dead or alive, will not be left behind. At Christ's first coming, his people did not receive him. However, at his second coming, his people will be the hope and the joy and the crown of boasting for those who spread the gospel. and after lives of affliction and joy by faith, they will be loving and holy and by his side. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Believers who are here today, are you ready for the judgment day? Are you standing fast in the Lord? Are you living in love and holiness in a way that's possible only because God has generously and abundantly given it to you? Do you love and serve one another to build up one another in faith? Do you love the lost by sharing the good news of salvation in Christ? Are you seeking to live lives wholly and set apart, directed by scripture? Are you expecting to hear

Well done, my good and faithful servant.

While awaiting Christ's return, God's people are called to live faithfully while enduring affliction and temptation. Non-believers here today, are you ready for the judgment day? Why are you still refusing to receive him? Those who die in rebellion to God, refusing to acknowledge their sin is deserving of death and refusing to trust in Jesus, who paid the penalty for that sin, reconciling those who believe with the Father, you will not experience glory and joy at Jesus's coming. You will experience wrath and misery. Non-Christian, I beg of you to talk to somebody today about the good news of Jesus Christ, whether it is me or any of the many people around you, that you could learn more about the good news of Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge the righteous and the dead. Let's pray. Father, we praise you again for your perfect plan to save a people for yourself. Father, we thank you for preserving your people through times of difficulty, keeping us steadfast and firm in the faith, preserving us to the end so that we will be sealed to that day, that we will be raised and judged, not on our own merits, but on the righteousness of Christ that we might live forever in your perfect presence. Father, we pray even today that you will draw more and more of your people to yourself from every city, and country, and nation, that we will be able to gloriously sing together of your kingdom forever. We pray this in the name of our dear Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.