Series: Continued Encouragement [#1]
SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
Introduction:
One thing I talk about often is the success of our children. While they are all grown, I love talking about what they are doing and how they are doing. Paul continues in the same theme in 2 Thessalonians as he had in the 1 Thessalonians. This letter was another letter of encouragement. While the Bible teaches us not to boast about ourselves, it never tells us not to encourage one another.
2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 (NIV)
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Paul greets them, he reminds them where the grace and peace that we all need comes from. It is through Jesus Christ that we have been shown grace and because of that grace, we can have peace.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 (NIV)
3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
Max Baxter used to tell me all the time that if he didn’t like something I was doing, he would tell me; but if I was doing something he liked, he would tell everyone else. So often we do the opposite; but in this passage we find Paul bragging about this Church. Imagine how our Churches would be changed if only the people bragged about their Churches to others instead of putting them down. Why would anyone want to attend a Church when all the members do is tell them how bad everything is? We should want a Church that people could brag on; not for our glory, but for God’s glory. So, what type of things could be said?
A Church worth bragging on is…
1. Growing spiritually.
Most of the time, when people talk about Church growth, they are talking about numbers. I am not saying that statistics don’t matter; but compared to spiritual growth, they mean nothing. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul wrote to them about spiritual growth and how to accomplish that. Now, he is bragging on them because they were following what he said to do.
A Church worth bragging on is…
2. Increasing in their love for one another.
The longer they worship and work together for the Lord; the closer they become. You cannot really minister to people effectively until you have been through some tough things with them. Your love for one another should be growing each day.
A Church worth bragging on is…
3. Persevering through persecutions and trials.
This is done through faith. We all go through tough times and at some point, we will face some persecution for our faith in Christ. Paul was bragging on this Church to other Churches in how they were persevering.
Conclusion:
Is Bel Aire a Church worth bragging about? Are we growing spiritually? Is our love for one another increasing? Do we persevere during the difficult times in life?
