Rev. David Holwick ZK
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
November 7, 1999
1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
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I. Does distance make the heart grow fonder?
A. In college I had to take one quarter off.
My girlfriend - not Celeste - wrote me every day.
Then every week. Then maybe once a month. Then not at all.
I got a final letter, "Dear David..."
B. Not knowing can be the hardest part of separation.
1) Paul is cut off from his beloved churches.
2) He knew what they were up against, and he feared for them.
a) Would they think Paul sold them some "bum goods"?
b) Would they abandon the faith to save their lives? 3:5
3) He sent his closest friends to find out.
a) Fortunately, he got better news than I did.
b) They had kept the faith, and they still liked Paul.
C. What we should look for in our faith.
II. A faith that can endure trouble. 3:3
A. Real faith will attract trouble.
1) If your spiritual life is placid and uneventful, it may be
fake.
2) Real Christianity is a lightning rod for persecution.
B. Real faith stands firm in spite of everything.
Graham Staines and his family answered God's call to be
missionaries to India.
He and his two sons visited a city and slept in their car
while doing their mission work.
It was a time of turmoil for different religious groups and
Christians became a particular target.
A mob surrounded the missionary's car and set it on fire.
Graham and his two sons burned to death.
Gladys Staines was left all alone in a strange and hostile
land.
What did she do?
She went on TV and openly forgave the murderers of her husband
and two young sons.
Her action is piercing the hearts of millions in India.
Hindus see forgiveness of such brutality as a sign of "true
spirituality" and they find it very appealing.
India is not alone in this.
Many in the United States are looking for "true spirituality."
They are looking for truth that is lived out with conviction,
passion and changed lives.
Those who live it must be prepared to pay a price.
After the murder of her husband and two sons, Gladys Staines
said:
"The thought of getting up and leaving has just not
occurred to me once.
I just feel that this is where God has called me."
#4687
C. Could your faith survive tragedy?
1) Anyone can believe when it "works."
2) The best faith comes out of the hardest experiences.
3) Ask God to give you the strength to hang on and overcome.
III. A faith that is characterized by joy. 3:7-9
A. Their faith encouraged Paul.
1) When we hang on, we encourage others to hang on.
2) Their is comfort in knowing others share our convictions
and experiences.
B. Their faith brought the apostle joy.
1) Christians are "blessed" people.
2) Our attitude can rise above our circumstances because
our destiny is secured by God.
C. You are not just living for yourself.
1) We are having an impact on others, either good or bad.
IV. A faith that has room for growth.
A. What is lacking in their faith. 3:10
1) Does not mean they are not yet Christians.
a) "Faith" here is not the initial commitment to Jesus,
but living out the faith everyday.
b) There may be a hint their initial understanding of
salvation is lacking.
1> The word justeremata means "deficiencies" and
katartizo signifies "mend."
2> Note that Paul thinks he can bring it up to par
with a visit.
2) They still have more to learn, more to do.
a) Christians never "arrive" until they are glorified.
b) Until then, our faith can always grow - and shrink.
B. What is lacking in YOUR faith?
1) Areas of weakness or ignorance.
a) What are you doing about it?
b) What are the trends in your spiritual life?
2) Many are stagnant and satisfied to be so.
V. A faith that loves more and more. 3:12
A. Love is the ultimate sign of a genuine Christian.
B. Love for each other.
1) There should be a closeness among Christians.
2) It should grow and increase.
3) It should have an overflowing quality that others notice.
C. Love for everyone else.
1) Jesus says love for families and friends is expected.
2) Love for outsiders and enemies is exceptional.
a) Who is the hardest person you have loved?
VI. A faith that is strong enough to last till Jesus comes back. 3:13
A. Our personal morality matters.
B. Jesus is coming - perhaps soon.
1) Will you be ready for him?
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SOURCE FOR ILLUSTRATION USED IN THIS SERMON:
#4687 "God's Glory Among the Nations: What Is It Worth To Us?" by Rick
Wood, managing editor, Brigada-pubs-missionfrontiers@xc.org
(mf99.03-04.07-wood), June 3, 1999.
This and 4,900 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
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Other relevant material:
BSac_V109 #435_Jul 52_256
Department of Hermeneutics and Apologetics
Paul's Use of the Word Faith
Part 3
Martin O. Massinger
We note finally that there are degrees of faith in the Christian life.
Whether this means that the faculty of faith itself increases, or simply
that the use of the faculty which resides in every believer varies, would
be an interesting philosophical question. The Bible seems to indicate
that faith is itself capable of both deficiency and abundance. Paul says
in 1 Thessalonians 3:10 he is praying for the Thessalonians night and day,
that he might see them and "perfect that which is lacking in [their]
faith." The word Justeremata means "deficiencies" and katartizo signifies
"mend." The faith of the Thessalonians seems to be like a net with holes,
which needs to be patched by a pastoral visit. On the other hand, there
are passages which speak of growth and abundance of faith. In 2
Thessalonians 1:3 Paul thanks God that their faith "groweth exceedingly"
(Juperauxanei). Also in 2 Corinthians 10:15 Paul makes reference to the
growing of the faith of the Corinthians (auxanomenes tes pisteos Jumon),
and in 8:7 {2 Cor 8:7} he says that they abound (perisseuo) in faith.
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ETS 17:2 (Spring 1974) 67-73
The Problem Of New Testament Exegesis
I. Howard Marshall
University of Aberdeen, Scotland
This problem of dialogue between a modern reader and an ancient text is a
complicated one, but the effects of the process need not necessarily be
harmful; the significance of the doctrine of inspiration is surely that
the message of the New Testament rings true in every generation. Certain
situations, however, may enable us to feel its impact in a more telling
manner. I have long had a theoretical knowledge of 1 Thessalonians 3, and
could expound it to a congregation. But something happened to that
chapter for me on 24th January, 1959. The visiting preacher that day in
Christ's College, Aberdeen, was the aged Professor Josef Hromadka of
Czechoslovakia, and as he read those verses I saw how he felt himself to
be in Paul's situation, normally prevented by Satan from visiting his
friends in the west, and longing both to draw comfort from them and to
know that they (i.e. you and I) hold fast to their faith.
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