Sermons

As Paul gets ready to wrap up his second letter to the saints at Thessalonica, he reminds them to hold fast to the traditions of election, effectual calling, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is imperative for this generation of believers to understand, embrace, and pass down these traditions to the next generation in order for the church to stay true to it's mission of making disciples of all nations.

When will Jesus Christ come again? We cannot know the day nor the hour when Christ Jesus comes as the glorious King of kings and Lord of lords to destroy once and for all the Devil, Sin and Death, but we do know that two things MUST happen that will precede the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Paul teachers about those two things in today's text.

Jesus Christ is coming again! When He comes this time he will come with vengeance. He will recompense every wrong that has been committed against Christians. This truth about His righteous return should encourage the saints to persevere in faith, abound in love, and endure the hardships of following Christ as a good soldier endures hardships in the fight of faith. Take heart dear saint, be encouraged dear solider of the cross, Jesus is coming and He will make right every wrong that has been committed against you and Him.

Jesus is coming again. How should Christians live in light of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? Do we isolate ourselves and wait for His coming? A few have done that, but that is not the right response. Do we talk and anticipate His coming so much that His coming is all we talk about and think about? No, that can't be the right respone either. Paul addresses how Christians should live in I Thessalonians 5:1-11. He commands the saints to not get caught up in the times and the seasons of His coming, but to be sober minded and put on the armor of God in order to continue advancing His kingdom by preaching Jesus Christ crucified.

The second coming of Jesus Christ is a tradition that Paul passed on to the church at Thessalonica. After Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica and reside in Corinth, questions arose among the brethern at Thessalonica due mainly to some false teaching about Christ's second coming. Paul devotes a good amount of space in the first and second epistle to the Thessalonians in order to set the record straight about Christ's coming, and how the saints at Thessalonica should live in light of His second coming.

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have love one to another" John 13:35. The church at Thessalonica had mastered loving one another. They were so committed to praying for one another, helping each other in times of tribulation and persecution, and persevering in the faith, that ALL of Macedonia had heard of their deep and abiding love for Christ and their brothers and sisters in faith. What does it mean to practically to love one another? Paul spells it out in I Thessalonians 4:9-12

What is the work of the ministry? To answer the question simply, it is the work of the minister. What then is the work of the minister? He is to preach the gospel, pray, and disciple converts. Paul models this type of ministry in I Thessalonians 2:1-12

True Biblical conversion is a gracious work of the Holy Spirit. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, the Holy Spirit is able to make dead sinners alive so that they willingly repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ. The result of such an act of grace is a converted man/woman. In this passage of scripture, Paul talks about the fruits of true conversion. This helps us distinguish true conversion from false conversion.

This is the first sermon of a new series titled “Hold Fast to the Traditions”. It is an expositional series of sermons from I & II Thessalonians based on the admonition from Paul to the Thessalonicans that is found in II Thessalonians 2:15, “Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistles.”