Thankfulness for the Church10/11/2024 ![]() 2 Thessalonians 1:3 ~ “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” As the Apostle Paul considered the church in Thessalonica, remembering them in his prayers, he is moved to tell them of the gratitude he holds for them. There is much for which we ought to give thanks to God. His salvation, providential care, instruction and discipline, His enduring love and forgiveness are just a small sampling of reasons to give thanks to the LORD. Here in our text today, we find the apostle openly proclaiming his thanks for the church. Paul writes, “we ought always to give thanks to God for you.” There was a deep and abiding gratitude in Paul’s heart for the church. And this should move us to consider the church with the same disposition of thankfulness. First, the Apostle Paul gave thanks for the church because their, “faith is growing abundantly.” As the church grew in understanding of Christ and His word through the apostle, they also grew abundantly in faith. Lest we forget, “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). There will be no increased faith and no growth in the LORD without an increased understanding of God’s word. And in their faith, Paul could see that his efforts in sharing God’s word had produced its fruit, and he gave thanks to God. It is God who brings the increase through the faithfulness of His servants who will plant and water The illustration Paul gave in 1 Corinthians 3:6 states, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” Not only was their faith growing, but it was growing “abundantly.” This denotes an exceedingly great increase. Dear reader, do you see faith growing in the lives of God’s people? We do often not see what we are not looking for, but if you are in the work of sharing God’s word with your brothers and sisters in Christ, keep your eyes open to the increased growth of faith. For as the church increases in knowledge of the Word, so should it also increase in faithfulness to Christ. As we look at our text for today, we next see the Apostle Paul gave thanks for the church because, “the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” Such a small word, “increasing,” when it conveys such a large condition. The term in our text means “an overabundance or an abounding amount.” Paul considered the church in Thessalonica and bore witness to the truth that they had an abundance of love. And this abundant affection was placed rightly. For they did not have a love for worldly things or personal successes, but they had an abundance of love for one another. Our LORD Jesus told us, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). This, beloved, is the outgrowth of true faith in Christ. Religious regulations do not mark a believer, nor does strict adherence to man-made rules. Paul would say in Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.” As I have warned time and again, do not use worldly standards to measure Christian love. If, however, you see such love growing in the lives of God’s people, let it move you to give thanks to God who brings the increase in our lives. So, dear ones, do you give thanks to the LORD for the church? And if so, are the above two reasons the cause for your gratitude? Many will give thanks to the LORD for the church because the fellowship of God’s people has done something benevolent toward them. It is good to give thanks to God for that. But when you look at the church, do you see the increase of faith in the body of Christ? If God’s word is being taught and received, faith will increase. Can you see the love that is growing because of the increase of faith? The love that is poured out into the heart by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 5:5) will overflow in the life of the church, spreading to one another and increasing abundantly. Let us give thanks to the LORD for the faith and love He poured into the church. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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