Resources for Spiritual Growth: I Thessalonians 2:13-20

What this episode covers

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 Blank Outline Completed Outline 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 We’re going to read some scripture this morning and four verses from 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 17 through 20. Words are on the screen, and you can follow along as I read Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica. Paul writes, but brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time, in person, not in thought, out of our intense longing, we made every effort to see you, for we wanted to come to you, certainly I, Paul, did again and again, but Satan blocked our way. For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. Well, we have been looking at the book of 1st Thessalonians and just progressing through verse by verse, chapter by chapter. And so, this morning, we’re going to be in chapter 2, verses 13 through 20. If you were here last week, we looked at the first 12 verses and looked at Paul’s characteristics of ministry. And as Paul ministered there in Thessalonica in Acts chapter 16, there were three pictures that he writes about that we can model in our ministry. And he says, I was a faithful steward. I ministered to you like a caring or nursing mother and like a concerned father. And that was Paul’s word pictures of how he ministered. This morning, we’re going to talk about growth. We’re all interested in growth. When that newborn baby is born and you begin to take them to those regular doctor appointments, the doctor’s office will take a measurement and a weight and you’ll find out what percentile your child is in. And that’s very concerned that they continue to grow. We’re interested in this, especially rural area, agricultural growth. Spend a lot of time, the farmers do, putting in seed and planting and, yep, the corn looks like it’s doing well. And we want those fields and things to grow, don’t we? We track economic growth, don’t we? If you have investments, perhaps you look at them, perhaps you follow the stock market. You want those to grow. But this morning, we’re going to talk about an area of concern and it’s spiritual growth. And as the Apostle Paul writes to the Thessalonians, he’s going to give us some resources for us to grow spiritually. 2nd Peter 3:18 says, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That’s Peter’s parting words. Not a suggestion, it’s a command, he says, I want you to grow. And earlier, Peter writes to these believers in 2nd Peter who were persecuted and scattered throughout the Roman Empire that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life. As Peter says, God’s already given us the resources that we need for a godly life. And so, this morning, we’re going to look at six of them from 1st Thessalonians chapter 2, and they all start with the letter S to help us remember. i. Scripture And so, what are the resources that God has given us for growth? So, let’s look at the first one, and the first one, to no surprise, is the Scriptures. The Scriptures. Earlier, Peter wrote, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may what? Grow by it. And now Paul’s writing to the Thessalonian believers and he is encouraging them regarding how they received God’s word when he preached the word. So, let’s look at it in verse, beginning in verse 13, we also thank God continually because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, Paul spent three Sabbaths there in Thessalonica reasoning with the Scriptures and preaching. You accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. Paul says, when I was there in Thessalonica, when I preached from the Old Testament Scriptures, you received what I said, not as coming necessarily from Paul, although he was the human instrument. This was the word o

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