as a local New Testament church, there are some things that we have a responsibility for, a responsibility to be a part of. And so, as we consider the magnitude of that that we have, We're going to put that into practice this morning in two ways. First of all, we're going to pray. We're going to pray about two things in particular. One of them, Shannon Cunningham and Miss Annie, you'll notice they are not here and neither are the boys. Let me tell you where they are. They're over up north of Beaumont, Texas. And let me tell you what's going on. Shannon is preaching this morning there in view of a call. So they're voting on Shannon this morning. He's already been in multiple conversations with them. They've come over here. They've listened to him speak. And so, as we consider the magnitude of what that church is going to, following what they believe is God's direction in their life and what Shannon believes is God's direction in his life, One of the things that I would like for us to do is pray specifically for Shannon and Annie and the boys in this move, and it'll be a major one for them. And so we want to pray for them, okay? But here's something else I want us to pray for. I don't know how many of y'all know this, but school starts back this week. Any of y'all know that? Huh? School starts back. So guess what else is going to take place? School bus, oh traffic, I hear traffic. Okay, school buses, school bus drivers, everybody going back to school, kids back in the classrooms. We had the opportunity yesterday, yesterday morning to go pray at East Ascension High School in the hallways and pray for some of the teachers that were there. And so that was kind of a quick notice deal, but we had a great time. And I think one of the other things that we ought to do is pray for the schools and pray for the bus drivers and pray for the kids and pray for the parents and pray for all of us that don't have kids in school that have loved summertime driving. in the mornings because there's not much traffic. But starting Monday morning, things will be back. But here's what I want us to pray for. Not only that they will have a safe year, but we've got many teachers across the board in many of the schools who are believers and have an opportunity to share Jesus Christ. in the rooms and in the classes. And so I want us to pray about that this morning. So here's what I'm going to ask us to do, okay? I'm going to ask us just to spend a few moments, and here's what I want you to do. I want you to pray specifically for them, and then I'm going to close out the time of prayer in just a moment. so here's what I want us to do pray for both of those for Shannon and Annie and them preaching in view of the call as well as school starting and all of those aspects okay so I'm gonna ask you this time if you'd bow your heads and pray just yourself just pray over all of them and then I'll close the time of prayer in just a moment Father, we thank you for the privilege that we have and the opportunity that we have to come boldly with absolute confidence to your throne of grace. Father, to offer up our requests, petitions, supplications with thanksgiving. Father, may we do so with thankful hearts, knowing that you'll hear and that you'll answer our prayers. And so, Father, we bring Shannon and Annie up to you this morning. And Father, just praying that you would be with them. Father, in that church that they're at, as they seek to follow your will, Father, we just pray that you will just have your will and way there throughout all of that. And then, Father, we also pray for the school starting back. Father, we ask your protection on all of that that will take place. Some began this past Friday. Some make their way back to the classes this coming week. father in the days ahead and we think of our college students that will be returning and father just many aspects of the educational process that will begin once again and so father we just pray and ask that you would provide father protection I pray for those who are believers today who will have an opportunity to share the gospel throughout the school year. And Father, may we see your presence in many ways. May we just see your hand at work in the hearts and lives of many throughout this school year. So Father, we want to give you the glory and the honor and the praise for it all. For it's in Jesus' name we pray and ask it. Amen. All right, take your Bibles. Let's go to 1 Thessalonians. A lot of things going on. A lot of persecution. A lot of difficulties in the church at Thessalonica. Paul writing the letter to them. And it's an interesting letter when you look at it, especially in the introduction to his letter, all of chapter number one. And so as we go through it, the first 10 verses, or there's 10 verses in chapter one, we're gonna go through them and look at them in detail this morning. And so I hope and pray that you will be able to draw from it. Andrew's already encouraged you about taking notes this morning, so I'm not, I'm not going to say anything else about that, but I would encourage you to do so. And as we study the Scripture and the Word of God together, that you would take notes for the messages and then go back and study them later during the week. Well, we come to verse 1 and verse 2 of 1 Thessalonians in Paul's letter to the church at Thessalonica. We know that Thessalonica was one of the important cities in the Macedonian region. And so as Thessalonica began to grow, they were a port city. there in the region the Apostle Paul had tried to go another direction and the Holy Spirit would not allow him to do so and so therefore if you remember the vision that Paul had he of a vision of a man who said won't you come over into Macedonia and help us and so Paul makes his journey from Amphipolis and then all the way over to Thessalonica where we will find him at this point And so as he writes this letter to the church at Thessalonica, there are many who believe that he wrote the letter actually from Corinth. When he made his way down to Corinth, he wrote the letter to the church at Thessalonica. And so therefore, the letter that we have in front of us came as a result of Paul's heart for the church at Thessalonica. But in verse one and verse two, there are interesting verses. It says, Paul and Silvanus, or Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, In God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers. We give thanks to God always for all of you. And I will say this, one of the things about the Apostle Paul, as you read his letters, one of the things that you will notice in the letters that he wrote, you could see Paul's heart for all of the churches that he had been a part of. Not any one single church, he prayed for them all. Matter of fact, we know on occasion that Paul even shed tears over some of the churches that he had been a part of. And so he poured his life into them, and he poured all of the years of ministry into all of these different churches. So it's not uncommon for us to see, as Paul says here, that we give thanks to God always for all of you, for each one of you that is there. But what's really more interesting is in verse number one, and that is the use of Jesus Christ's full title here, or the Savior's full title. As a matter of fact, Paul is going to use all three in the title of who the Savior is. As a matter of fact, we see Lord and we see Jesus Christ. Well, what is the significance on Paul using all three of those? If we think about Lord for just a moment and consider the magnitude of the title that Paul is using for the Savior here, Lord means creator and sovereign ruler. That's what it means. The one who made us and bought us and rules over us and to whom we owe our full allegiance. And so as he begins that with Lord, and understanding who that is. And so now what he's done is he's painting a picture for us of who Jesus Christ actually is. He's God in the flesh. That's who he was. And so as he speaks about the deity of Christ and who he is, the magnitude of it ought to just really kind of get a hold of us. And then we come to Jesus. And watching as Paul paints this picture for us, not only do we see the deity of Christ, but one of the things we also see is this humanity of Christ. We see that in the name of Jesus. Jesus being his human name, his humanity as it's described here, was the name given to him in his birth. So not only do we see sovereign master, sovereign ruler, the one who bought us and rules over us, to whom we owe our full allegiance, but we also see his humanity as well and to who he was. People make this statement all the time, he was just as much God as he was man. And so when we consider the magnitude of that, that's what Paul is laying out for us here in verse number one. And then we see Christ. So we have Lord Jesus Christ. And so when we see his name Christ, it is the Greek term for the Messiah. And that's what it means, our anointed one. So we see not only as the creator and the sovereign one, Not only do we see him in his humanity, but one of the other things that we see him as, we see him as the anointed one, the Messiah, the one promised by God to fulfill the plan of redemption. So if you go back and look at verse number one, Paul and Silas and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians, and that's specific here. Let me share this with you. He's writing to a church. He's writing to the church in Thessalonica, and he's very specific and pointed when he writes to the church at Thessalonica to define for them who this Messiah is, who Jesus Christ is, as not only Lord, but as also Jesus in his humanity and as the Christ. You know, Paul thanked the believers in Thessalonica for their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope. And so, when you look at verse 1 through verse number 3, notice now as it all flows together, Paul and Silvanus, or Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians and God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, putting both of them together. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers. And then look at verse three, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father. I mean, just the magnitude of verse number three and what Paul says and what Paul writes about the church at Thessalonica. And let me tell you what he's doing. He's dealing with the very testimony of the church at Thessalonica. and who they are, and as He commends them for these aspects of their life each day, He commends them specifically for their work of faith, for their labor of love, for their steadfastness of hope. And what is the significance on the three of those? I mean, what does it mean for us today? Well, I think when we look at it in understanding, I think here's what we can draw from it. True salvation will produce and lead to holy conduct. True salvation will produce and lead to holy conduct. And so this work of faith, this labor of love, this steadfastness of hope, that is where we should move to, that is where we should go in our lives as we become a believer and as we follow Jesus Christ and we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. One of the things that it ought to do, it ought to produce and lead to holy conduct. And here's one of the things that Paul also writes, works flow from a saving faith. Now make sure you catch that, works flow from a saving faith. Matter of fact, James wrote extensively about this in James chapter number 2 and in verse 14. And when you look at what James wrote in James chapter 2 and verse 14, here's what he said. He said, in this discussion between works and faith, the two of them go together. But also, let me be careful with something else this morning. Works do not bring us salvation. Our salvation is not brought about in our lives by works. Faith is necessary, and we see that in Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. Faith is necessary. But he ties work and faith here together in 1 Thessalonians. Let me tell you why. Because our salvation in our life as a believer should bring forth works in our lives. In other words, works that we do because of our faith. As a matter of fact, here's what James said. Well, I'll tell you what, let's do this. Let's go to James chapter number 2. Let's turn to James chapter 2 and let's just look at verse 14. James chapter 2 and verse 14. We won't read all of it this morning, but we'll go specifically to verse 17. James chapter 2 and verse 17. And so notice what it says, even so faith, if it has no works, is dead being by itself. Verse 18, but someone may well say, you have faith and I have works. Show me your faith without the works and I will show you my faith by my works. And I want you to notice what Paul writing to the church at Thessalonica said. He said, your works of faith. So in other words, what should be seen, let's go back to first Thessalonians chapter one. What should be seen in our life is what we claim that we are. If we claim to be a born-again believer, then here's what ought to happen. As a born-again believer, then we ought to show that, we ought to live that out. The actions of our life ought to speak that we're a believer. And that when it comes to the work of ministry, when it comes to discipleship, to following Jesus Christ, to sharing the gospel, to living the way that we ought to live, our faith ought to produce in us works that are a part of our lives. But there's a second element that Paul talks about in verse number three, and that is their labor of love. So as you move from the progression of works and faith into this labor of love, let me say this about it. You know, works and perseverance, in spite of difficulty is evidence of our faith, of an enduring faith. Let me say that the perseverance in the times of difficulty. It makes absolute sense why Paul is writing this letter to the church at Thessalonica, because what I want you to understand is they're attempting to live out their faith, to work out their faith, their labor of love, their steadfastness in this hope, underneath significant suffering and persecution. And one of the things that is really is evident in the church at Thessalonica is the way that they held to what they believed and from the scriptures, even in light of the difficult place that they found themselves in. And so for us. Do we face difficulties? We do. Do we have a place in our lives where we go through difficult times and difficult things? We do. And I will say this to you, when you look around the world today and the world that we live in today, you know, sometimes if you allow yourself and you allow your mind to absolutely center on all of that, let me tell you what happens. You can get sideways real quick. But notice next is labor of love. A desire to serve is motivated by our love for others. To share what? To share the gospel. To be concerned about them. Was Jesus Christ concerned about those during his earthly ministry? We see that he was. Matter of fact, we know on numerous occasions that Jesus himself, matter of fact, on one occasion before he went to the cross as he was coming into the city of Jerusalem, He stopped in the Kidron Valley on his way into the city of Jerusalem. And what did he do? The scripture says he began to weep. And he began to weep over the city of Jerusalem. And his concern was about where they were and understanding the significance of the day and the time that they lived in. I will say this to you today, it's been interesting to see the amount of numbers of depression that has only increased, the amount of anxiety that's only increased today, the amount of uncertainty, the amount of those looking for a hope of something, some purpose, something somewhere that would give them stability in their life. Let me say something to you this morning, you're not going to find it apart from Jesus Christ. If you want the stability and the purpose and understanding where life is today, you're not going to find it apart from Jesus Christ. Well, what about this labor of love? Work of faith, labor of love, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, and faith. You know, all of those components, Paul deals with them here. He deals with that steadfastness or endurance. He deals with the subject of love. He deals with the subject of faith. Let me say, let me just share this with you. Those are all evidence of something. Those are evidence of something with inside of us. What are they evidence of? They're evidence of the fruit of the spirit. And so here's what Paul writing to the church at Galatia said. He said, if you live in the spirit, then one of the things you ought to do then is you ought to walk in the spirit. So if you claim that you're a believer, then you ought to walk that way. And so Paul, giving his commendation to the church at Thessalonica is, he said, it's amazing your work of faith, your labor of love. And that labor of love, we're going to see a little bit later in chapter number one. But these are not prerequisites of salvation. Now watch this. They come as a result of true salvation. That's what they are. So they should come from our lives every day as we live out life every day. It ought to come from our lives. There's something else interesting that Paul did. Paul also thanked them for their steadfastness of hope. Steadfastness of hope for what reason? Well, look at verse six of chapter number one. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord. Having received the word in much tribulation, you ought to underline that, receiving the word in what? In much tribulation. Go to chapter number two and look at verse 14. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you also, now watch this, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews. So the church at Thessalonica was undergoing significant persecution and suffering. But let me say one thing to you this morning, but they kept at it. And that's what Paul said, your labor of love, your work of faith, your steadfastness in hope, that steadfastness that is there. You know, as believers, as born-again believers, we're able to endure because our hope is in Christ. What keeps us going? Even in the times of difficulty, what keeps us going? What keeps us pressing forward? What kept Paul moving forward? What kept Paul pressing forward? What kept Paul pressing toward the mark? I'll tell you what it was. It was their steadfastness of hope in who? Themselves? No, in Jesus Christ. That's who it is. Verse 4 through verse 7. As Paul continues to write, here's what he said, knowing, brethren, beloved by God, his choice of you. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. Just as you know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake, You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit. so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. I want to give you just kind of from verse six down through verse 10, I want to give you just a quick outline of these verses. In verse six, we see persecution. and suffering that they experienced. When you come down to verse number seven, in spite of the persecution and the suffering, what we find in verse number seven is their example. The example of their testimony. And you find that on down in verse number eight. Verse eight is their testimony. Their testimony of what? In spite of the suffering, in spite of the persecution, in spite of everything that was going on, one of the things that they still managed to do and continue to do was to share the gospel. And then when you come down to verse number 10, it's looking for the blessed hope, the return of Jesus Christ. So from persecution to looking for that blessed hope is all found in this next section of Paul's letter. It's an astounding letter. Those who received the gospel in Thessalonica also received a spirit-inspired joy. And I've said this before. Are we always happy? No. Can we always have joy? We can. Why? Because that joy that I'm talking about this morning is a Spirit-inspired joy. Let me tell you why. Because it comes as a fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, and peace. That joy that's there, that joy that is a part of our lives and who we are comes as a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Because I can tell you now, there's a whole lot of folks out there today that aren't joyful. And they're seeking something. There's this emptiness there. They're seeking something to fill it. My dear friend, the only one that can fill it, the only way it can be filled is through Jesus Christ himself. And so Paul said, it's been amazing as we've watched your journey. They became messengers of the gospel. The gospel was at the top of the list, great opportunity. And let me tell you something, it's a great opportunity for Thessalonica. Let me tell you why. They were a port city. They had people coming in and out of the port city of Thessalonica over and over and over again. So guess what they had? They had a great opportunity to share the gospel. How many of y'all this morning are familiar with the seafarers ministry here in Ascension Parish and in Louisiana? Okay. How many of y'all have never heard of them? Oh, wow. Let me share this with you. It's a ministry that we have underneath the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, which is a part of the association of what all of our churches are associated with. Let me tell you what the Seaman's Center does. Guess where they go every day, just about, every week at least. They are down at the docks as ships come in. They board those ships, they take the mariners, they take them off, they spend time with them, they take them shopping. But not only that, but they also have opportunities to lead them through Bible study and share the gospel with them. And we have seen many of those from across the nations have come into the port city of Baton Rouge and New Orleans and all up and down the Mississippi, okay, and come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Thessalonica was one of those port cities. And so they had the opportunity to be able to share the gospel with many. And Paul said, it's amazing to me when you look at verse number eight, for the word of the Lord is sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth so that we have no need to say anything. Let me tell you why. The gospel was important to them and who they were. And so the great opportunity that they had to share the gospel, especially because of their location as a port city. And then we come to verse nine and verse 10 as Paul ends this first portion of his letter. The believers of Thessalonica had this testimony. And here's what their testimony was, to serve and to wait. To serve and to wait. Does that mean anything to us today? It does. To serve and to wait. To serve and to wait what? To be serving as we await the return of Jesus Christ. That's why we serve. What are we looking forward to? Let me ask you a question this morning. What are you looking forward to? The return of Jesus Christ should be what we're all looking for. But as we await the return of Christ, what should we be busy at, be busy doing? Serving. Sharing the gospel. Understanding that one of the things and responsibilities that we have today is to redeem the time because the days are evil. Understanding and realizing that judgment is coming. And at the end of the day, what is going to matter? There's only one thing that's gonna matter at the end of the day, and that's what you've done with Jesus Christ. Do you know Jesus Christ is your personal Savior? It was important to the church at Thessalonica. Is it important today to Ascension Baptist Church that the gospel have a priority in all that we do? Everything that we do here, regardless of what it is, any activities, any outreach, anything, the very sole purpose of doing that should be what? To serve and to share the gospel. Not only is it serving, but we should also be sharing at the same time. Sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ. And so here's what Paul said in verse 9 and verse 10 as he wrote to the church at Thessalonica. He said, for they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you and how you turned to God from idols. to serve a living and true God. Let me tell you what Paul said. He said, repentance is very evident in your life. Repentance from what? They turn from idols to serve a living and a true God. That's what repentance is about. It's turning. It's a change of mind. It's a turning around. And so they turn from these idols, they turn from worshiping these idols to worshiping the true and the living God. And then we come to verse number 10. And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is Jesus. Let me share this with you. That sets Jesus Christ apart. Jesus Christ rose from the grave. Listen, if he's still in the tomb, then all of us in this building this morning have no hope at all. But as a result of his resurrection, Paul wrote this to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians. He dealt with that whole subject of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not raised from the dead. And in chapter 15 as well, if he didn't rise from the grave, we have no hope. And so he makes that clear in verse number 10, and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. What were they doing, looking and living each day in light of the return of Jesus Christ? Let me ask you a question, how do you live each day? Do you live each day as if it could be today that he would return? It's the way we should live. You know, this expectation is a great motivation for evangelism and just our endurance and perseverance, knowing that He's coming back. Let me ask you a question. How many of y'all are looking for His return? I am. Are you? I'm looking for His return, for Jesus Christ to return one day. for that blessed hope that is spoken of in the New Testament, understanding and realizing the significance of what it means for Jesus Christ to return. And here's something else it is. You know, the return of Christ also has a great truth here. It is our comfort and sorrow. Knowing that even in light of difficulty, even in light of persecution, even in light of suffering, Just knowing that Jesus Christ is going to return, let me tell you what it does. It is our comfort in the midst of the difficulty. And then finally, it is a great encouragement for living a holy and a godly life each day. So let's read his opening as all one portion here of his letter. OK. And let's read it together now after what we've just talked about. So Paul writes he says Paul and Silas and Timothy. Keep in mind, he left Timothy at Thessalonica, okay? Paul and Silas, Paul wound up in Corinth, okay? After coming through Athens, made his way down to Corinth as he writes the letter we feel like that the letter to the church at Thessalonica was written from Corinth, okay? Timothy was in Thessalonica. But Paul and Silas and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians and God, the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ and the presence of our God and Father. knowing, brethren beloved by God, his choice of you. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction, just as you know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord is sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turn to God from idols to serve a living and a true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. Quite an introduction to a letter, isn't it? To the church at Thessalonica. May it be so with us. May it be so with who we are. May it be so with what we're about here, with that work in faith, that work of faith, that labor of love, that steadfastness and hope. Let's bow our heads together as we pray.