Faith, Love, and Patience
1 Thessalonians 1:3-10 KJB Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; (4) Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. (5) For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. (6) And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: (7) So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. (8) For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. (9) For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; (10) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
INTRODUCTION: In my studying for future Sunday School lessons I have discovered a new verse pairing for me. I have found in these verses how you and I should treat and relate to God; with our Faith, our Love and our patience.
I. OUR WORK OF FAITH (v 3)
Revelation 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
A. I Know Your Works
Psalm 1:6 …the LORD knoweth...
Revelation 2:2 ... I know thy works, …
1. Your Labor
a. You have held fast to my name.
Revelation 2:13 …and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith,…
b. And you who have not denied my faith
B. You Do Not Tolerate Them Who Do Evil
Revelation 2:2 … how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
1. You have tried them who call themselves apostles, which are not.
a. You found them to be liars.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 …and how ye turned to God from idols …
C. Now We See Our Work Of Faith.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
1. It is Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
II. OUR LABOR OF LOVE (v 3)
1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
Revelation 2:2 …and thy labour…
A. You Have Obeyed The Truth
1. Through the Holy Spirit
a. With an unfeigned (sincere) love
1 Thessalonians 4:9b … for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
b. Unfeigned, because God taught us sincerity.
1.) Incorruptible
2.) By the Word of God
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
1 Thessalonians 1:9 …to serve the living and true God;
B. Is To Serve Jesus Christ
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
1. Serve Him, Be Where He is.
2. A service of love
III. OUR PATEINCE OF HOPE (v 3)
Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
A. Written For Our Learning
1. That we through patience have hope.
Romans 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
B. For Our Sakes
1 Corinthians 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1. No doubt
a. We that plow, plow in Hope
b. Be a partaker of His Hope
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven…
C. Let Us Wait With Patience
Conclusion: We can see one more step these verses display:
The Past, The Present, and the Future.
The Past = We turned to God = Salvation
The Present = Serve The Living God = Sanctification
The Future = Patiently Waiting for Jesus’ return = Glorification
Is Your Present, the now, a time of service to Jesus Christ?
Has Your Future been sealed, by your past acceptance of Jesus Christ?
