Fellowship Bible Church - Mullica, Hill N.J.
The Response to Persecution (1 Thessalonians 3:1-13)
Our Vision: Together, strengthening you to change your world for Christ.
Locations & Times
Fellowship Bible Church
590 Jackson Rd, Sewell, NJ 08080, USA
Sunday 9:15 AM
www.aboutfbc.org/groups
The Response to Persecution...
Practice faith (3.5-7; Rom 5.3-5)
My confidence in the reality of Christ’s saving work grounds me in hope.
It is not my faith that is strong, but the object of my faith Who is strong.
Faith is exercising confidence in the promises of God, which might not be realized in this world (Heb 11)
Practice faith (3.5-7; Rom 5.3-5)
My confidence in the reality of Christ’s saving work grounds me in hope.
It is not my faith that is strong, but the object of my faith Who is strong.
Faith is exercising confidence in the promises of God, which might not be realized in this world (Heb 11)
Practice love (3.6, 12)
“Increasing” & “abounding” in love is only possible by God’s strength and conscious effort to pay grace forward: other people don’t deserve my love, but neither did I deserve God’s love
Respond to persecutors with gentleness (Rom 12.17-21; 1 Pet 2.23).
“Increasing” & “abounding” in love is only possible by God’s strength and conscious effort to pay grace forward: other people don’t deserve my love, but neither did I deserve God’s love
Respond to persecutors with gentleness (Rom 12.17-21; 1 Pet 2.23).
Practice thanksgiving and heartfelt joy (3.9)
The only way I may maintain this type of attitude in the midst of persecution is by aligning my values with the Lord’s (i.e. sanctification, spreading the gospel, growth of disciples, anticipation of Christ’s return)
Thanksgiving and joy are the direct counters to bitterness.
“Kind remembrance” of those who have invested in us (3.6)
The only way I may maintain this type of attitude in the midst of persecution is by aligning my values with the Lord’s (i.e. sanctification, spreading the gospel, growth of disciples, anticipation of Christ’s return)
Thanksgiving and joy are the direct counters to bitterness.
“Kind remembrance” of those who have invested in us (3.6)
Practice blamelessness (3.13; 5.23)
“Blameless” (amemptous) = without blame, blemish, or rebuke; above reproach; no accusation may stick; unblameable.
Separate from and different than the world -- holiness. No cause for doubt in my character or grounds for accusation. Sin has no foothold in me; mistakes are infrequent, not habitual.
Believers are called to distance themselves from the ways and values of the world, which can be dishonoring to God and destructive to obedience to him.
“Blameless” (amemptous) = without blame, blemish, or rebuke; above reproach; no accusation may stick; unblameable.
Separate from and different than the world -- holiness. No cause for doubt in my character or grounds for accusation. Sin has no foothold in me; mistakes are infrequent, not habitual.
Believers are called to distance themselves from the ways and values of the world, which can be dishonoring to God and destructive to obedience to him.
Acknowledge distress and affliction (3.7)
Never does the Bible assume that the exercise of faith must pretend that living for Christ in this present reality isn’t hard
Never does the Bible assume that the exercise of faith must pretend that living for Christ in this present reality isn’t hard
Evaluate what is “good news” to you (3.6)
My hope is not necessarily that persecution/suffering will temporarily end, but that God has eternally delivered me from sin and death.
My hope is not necessarily that persecution/suffering will temporarily end, but that God has eternally delivered me from sin and death.
Serve others (3.10; 2 Cor 8.1-5)
Macedonian churches = Berea, Phillipi, Thessalonica.
Nothing changes my focus like putting others’ needs before my own
Macedonian churches = Berea, Phillipi, Thessalonica.
Nothing changes my focus like putting others’ needs before my own
Pray for desired outcomes (3.11; Phil 4.5-6)
Praying according to the will of God = conforming my desires to His
Praying according to the will of God = conforming my desires to His