Category: News

The Christian’s Hope, part 7

In this week’s message, MAKING OUR JOY COMPLETE (1 Thes. 3:6-13), we saw Paul’s response to Timothy’s report and his prayer for the believers there in Thessalonica.

Paul had sent Timothy to strengthen the Christians there as he was deeply concerned about their “faith” (1 Thes. 3:5). Timothy returned with “good news” that the church there was keeping their eyes on Jesus even though they had lost loved ones around them in the intense persecution they faced from the enemy (1 Thes.… Continue reading

In Sunday’s message, ESTABLISHING OUR FAITH (1 Thes. 3:1-5), we continued to look at Paul’s enormous burden for the church in Thessalonica that was ‘under fire’ by “Satan” as they stood for Christ (1 Thes. 2:18; 2 Cor. 11:28, etc.).

When Paul “could no longer endure it,” he and Silas “sent Timothy” back to the believers there to “ESTABLISH… [their] FAITH” (1 Thes. 3:1-2). Paul and Silas, after heading the missionary outreach in Thessalonica (Acts 17:4), were not able to return, but their younger “brother… minister, and fellow laborer” Timothy was the perfect man for the job as he was able to sneak back ‘under the radar’ of the authorities there with the “comfort [parakaléō] of God” (1 Thes.… Continue reading

In our message, THE WORD WORKING IN US (1 Thes. 2:13-20), we picked up our series again in the book of 1 Thessalonians after the holidays.

The Thessalonian Christians brought Paul and his missionary team joy in the way they “received” and continued to receive God’s Word (1 Thes. 2:13). “Word of God” is listed twice here for emphasis. The new believers there not only heard it with their ears but they took it to heart, welcoming it into their very souls because they knew it was “not… the word of men, but as it is in truth” from God (1 Thes.… Continue reading

In our New Year’s Eve Sunday service, we took time to SHARE THE GOODNESS OF GOD on how He is working in our lives (James 1:17). People shared a variety of themes to include trusting God when difficult things happen and listening to Him when He is speaking to us through circumstances He brings our way. Many from our church body shared, and it was a blessed time of fellowship as we looked forward to how God may lead and use us in the New Year.… Continue reading

In our Christmas Candlelight service, we looked at THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF CHRIST’S BIRTH to Mary in Luke 1:26-38. The “angel Gabriel was sent by God” to this young “virgin” lady before she had been married to her fiancé, “Joseph” (Luke 1:26-27), and he announced, in fulfillment of prophecy, Mary had been chosen by God to bear the One who would reverse the effects of sin and death brought into the universe through the sin of Adam (Luke 1:28, 31; Isa.… Continue reading

In our message, THE LABOR OF LOVE (1 Thes. 2:7-12), Paul continued to recount his visit to them, which was “not in vain.”

Paul and his team were “gentle among [them]” as they shared the gospel with the new church at Thessalonica. This “gentleness” came from God inside of them, “Christ the hope of glory,” as they abided in Jesus (Gal. 5:22-23; Col. 1:27; John 15:4-5, etc.), and it was the same kind of gentleness that “a nursing mother [would cherish] her own” baby with (1 Thes.… Continue reading

In our message, STEWARDS OF THE GOSPEL (1 Thes. 2:1-6), the Apostle Paul, after commending the church in Thessalonica for their strong witness, recounts his visit to them.

It was “not in vain” as the believers there themselves knew God had saved them and changed their lives (1 Thes. 2:1; 1 Cor. 4:1-2; 15:58). This change came about through “THE GOSPEL” when Paul and his missionary team came to them (1 Thes. 2:2). The words “coming to you” in 1 Thes.… Continue reading

In last Sunday’s message, SENDING OUT OUR FAITH (1 Thes. 1:6-10), we continued to look at the Apostle Paul’s commendation of the Thessalonian believers. Even though they were a young church (founded in less than four weeks on Paul’s second missionary journey- Acts 17:2), their love for Christ was evident to all as they sought to follow those who had led them to the Lord and Christ Himself (1 Thes. 1:6a; Eph. 5:1-7; 1 Cor. 11:1, etc.).… Continue reading

In our message, FAITH, LOVE, AND HOPE (1 Thes. 1:1-5), we started a new series on the book of 1 Thessalonians.

The Apostle Paul founded the church in Thessalonica on his second missionary journey in LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS after heeding the call from the Holy Spirit to preach in that region of Macedonia (Acts. 16:6-10; Acts 17:2). Thessalonica was the regional capital of that Roman province, numbering about 200,000 inhabitants to include Greeks, Roman citizens, and a strong Jewish minority with its own “synagogue” (Acts 17:1).… Continue reading

In our message, PRAYER AND THANKFULNESS (Eph. 6:18-24), we finished our series in the book of Ephesians.

In way of synopsis, Ephesians chapters 1 through 3 deal with doctrine showing how “in Christ” people are saved “by grace… through faith,” and chapters 4 through 6 then urge us (i.e. the church) to “walk worthy” of that truth (Eph. 1-3; 4-6; Eph. 2:5-9; 4:1-2, etc.) This is because all Christians today are also in intense spiritual warfare “against… [the] powers… of the darkness of this age” (Eph.… Continue reading