Apostolic Joy

Northwest Bible Church – June 4, 2023 – 1 Thess. – Alan Conner
1 Thess. 3:6-10
Apostolic Joy

Intro

A. GOOD NEWS and GODLY GOALS (1 Thess. 3:6).

1. Good news of their faith and love (1 Thess. 3:6a).

2. Good news of their longing to see the missionaries (1 Thess. 3:6b):

3. GODLY GOALS of ministry: faith and love (found 25 times in Paul). Cf. 1 Tim. 1:5, 14; 1 Thess. 1:3; 5:8; 2 Thess. 1:3; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:15; 3:17; 6:23.

B. APOSTOLIC COMFORT (1 Thess. 3:7-9).

1. Comfort in their distress and affliction (1 Thess. 3:7).

2. We really live if you stand firm in the Lord (1 Thess. 3:8).

C. APOSTOLIC JOY (1 Thess. 3:9).

1. Thanksgiving to God for their faith and love (1 Thess. 3:9).

2. Thanksgiving for the strong bond of Christian fellowship, cf. (1 Thess. 3:6).

3. This joy was the fruit of the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the word.

D. APOSTOLIC DESIRES AND METHODS (1 Thess. 3:10).

1. Desires: to see them and complete their faith.

2. Methods: Praying earnestly night and day, and resume the ministry of the Word.

Conclusion

Discussion questions:
Note the close bond of love between Paul and the Thessalonians. What causes us to “really live”? What do we live for? Are we joyful when we see others standing firm in the Lord, and do we grieve when we see people falling away? Or, are we disconnected from the spiritual journey of others? How can we better promote this depth of fellowship and love within this church? Do we see the vital importance of the word to grow our faith? Does your life reflect a commitment to Scripture to help your faith mature?