Epistles of Paul 07

Paul starts this letter to the Thessalonians, praising and thanking the Thessalonians for their dedication. And then in chapter 2, at the beginning, in verse 1, he says that as a result of their commitment to God, he sees that his trip or his visit bore fruit. You can see that in verse 1. And then he mentions how God entrusts us as ministers, in this case entrusted to Paul, with the gospel. And Yahya brings an interesting statement in verse 4 that he says, we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak. So this is a very powerful statement in which Paul says that we as God's ministers have God's special trust, or let's call it sacred trust, or any entrusted by God, to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. So we as ministers have enormous responsibility, and we are accountable to God for this specific task.

And also it says that we must be approved of God, so the ministry must be approved of God. So there are some very interesting points, Yahya, that the ministry is not self-appointed, it is approved by God, it is God-ordained. And then a little bit further, in chapter 2, Paul mentions how he treated them as a dad treats his children, exhorting them. We read that in verse 12, that he says, a paper at University 11, he says that we know that we exhausted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father as his own children. And so he exalted them, treated, sieged them, encouraged them. He also comforted them, you know, spoke calmly to one another, to consult. And he also charged them, he was affirming as a witness in a standing, he was charging them to walk or live in a manner that is worthy of God's children in his family, in his family of glory. So that is also a point that we mentioned before, but I'm just repeating it as a very salient point. And then from verse 13 to 16 of chapter 2, he is grateful that we have, that the Pthasalanis have received the gospel and are bearing fruit. And therefore, it's a good point for us to remember, are we also, have we received the gospel and are we bearing fruit? And then he says that the Pthasalanis suffered as other Christians did as well, because Satan is the one that creates problems and tries to hinder the church.

And then towards the closure of chapter 2, he says that even though we, in this case, was Paul, who we're referring to, had been separated by the Pthasalanis by distances, his hope and joy used to see them, the Pthasalanis, in the presence of Christ at his Second Coming. And this shows a very loving concern of Paul for the Pthasalanis. The Bond's commentary mentions that it appears that the Pthasalanis felt that Paul had no real attachment for them. This is Bond's commentary's perception. And Bond says that it appears that Paul had no regard for their welfare and that he had fled from them on the slightest danger and that when the danger had passed, he had not returned but had left them to bear their afflictions alone. So this is what Bond says. And Bond then adds, it appears to have been inferred from his long absence that he had no solitude for their welfare and that it brought them into difficulties to escape from a witch or to bear a witch. And he was not indisposed to render any assistance. So it's a view that Bond has here. But then Bond says to defend that, then Paul mentions the things in chapter three. So it's just a perception of a commentator. But let's now go into chapter three because that's where we stopped previously. And in verse one and the first part of verse two says, therefore, when we could no longer endure it because we far away from you, that's what Paul was saying, we thought it good to be left to be left in Athens alone. And this is basically immediately after when we look at the story in Acts. Paul had left Thessalonia, went to Berea, and from there, he went to Athens alone and he sent Timothy to be with them. That's what he says. And he sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the Gospel of Christ, and he said, sent Timothy to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith. So Paul went into Athens and from there he went to Corinth. But we can see that Paul sent Timothy to them to encourage them.

Now, it's interesting that he says, and we thought it good to be left in Athens alone. So, yeah, it shows Paul's concern for the Thessalonians because he would rather Paul be alone, but the Thessalonians not to be alone. So it shows that Paul esteemed them, the Thessalonians, about himself. Now, Timothy was somebody that Paul esteemed greatly. We see in 1 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17. 1 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17, it says, For our light affliction, I mean, 2 Corinthians, let me turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 4, 1 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 17, For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every congregation, in every church. So, yeah, we see that Paul entrusted Timothy very, very highly. Also, a little bit lighter in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 10, 1 Corinthians chapter 16, verse 10, he says, And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear. So he says, I'm sending Timothy to you, but if he comes, obviously, he sent, he would be coming, unless something would go wrong. See that he may be with you without fear, for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. So make sure that you take care of Timothy when he gets there. So he's encouraging the brethren in Corinth to look after the minister that he's sending to care for them. Also, in the instruction that Paul wrote to Timothy, in the ministerial letter to Timothy, by the way, I love to read 1 Timothy's Antietas, When I Travel to Sea Brethren in Brazil and Angola. I always like to read that, because it is a sea reminding me of my responsibility when I visit the brethren. But anyway, in 1 Timothy, chapter 1, verse 3, Paul writing to Timothy says, As I urged you, when I went into Macedonia, remaining emphasis that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. So yeah, Paul is encouraging Timothy to charge. In other words, to have a continuous instruction to these brethren to stick to the true doctrine. And then in Philippians chapter 2, verse 19 through 22, Philippians chapter 2, verse 19 through 22, then he says, specifically in verse 20, he says, For I have no one like-minded who will sincerely care for your state. And he's talking about Timothy, the listening Timothy to them. And he says, I have no one like-minded as Timothy, that he cared. And that was a proven fact that Timothy cared for the brethren. So yeah, we as ministers have a responsibility to the brethren, to the church, to preach, to teach, to care. And this is in the strong contrast that some people treat the brethren in a dictatorial way. And our job as a minister is not to treat people in a dictatorial way, but it is to encourage them, to help them. So we as ministers have a job as faithful ministers or agents or representatives of God through Christ to encourage the church. And that's our job. Now God does test us, and God tests every every person, every man, He tests. We look in Jeremiah chapter 10. Jeremiah chapter 10.

This is a very important scripture that when I do baptism counseling, I also use that scripture during the counseling. I have various sessions in baptism counseling, but one of them I do bring Jeremiah chapter 10. And let's look at verse 23. In Jeremiah 10 verse 23, it says, O Lord, I know the way of man is not himself. It is not in man who wants to direct his own steps. In other words, we have a blind spot in our own behavior and conduct, where we don't see our own mistakes. And so, Yah Jeremiah in chapter 10 verse 24 says, O Lord, correct me but of justice. So basically saying, God, guide me, teach me, tweak me. Correct does not mean obey your pardon, punish me. But think of it like you are driving a car, and it's moving a little bit out of the lane, and you need to correct it. You need to slightly adjust it to stay in the lane. That's what it is. Correct me, but of justice. In other words, in a correct way, in a loving way, in a merciful way. In other words, that's why it says, not in your anger. In a gentle, kind, gracious way, in loving kindness, correcting. Not in your anger, unless you bring me to nothing. If God was correcting us, or adjusting us, or retweeting us, or finally adjusting our direction, in anger, we would be nothing. We would be reduced to nothing. So God does correct us. Our character needs to be shaped. We need to be changed. We need to be modified, because we don't see our blind spots, and sometimes we deviate. We don't see that thing coming through, and we end up having maybe the wrong thoughts, or doing the wrong thing, and we need to be aware of it early, so we can overcome. So what do we have? We have a spirit of man in man, which has its own human nature, its own tendencies to do wrong, because it's a carnal mind, but we have received God's Holy Spirit after baptism, which is God's seed that has joined us, and has joined our spirit, so that we are now begotten children of God. And that seed of God's Spirit, working with our human spirit, it helps us to modify us to change, so that ultimately we may be perfect at the end of our life. Not that we will ever achieve perfection in this life, but at the end of our life, when we are resurrected and we receive a new body, we have done our part as far as we can to overcome. We have been working with God with the help of His Spirit, and then at the resurrection, God will then do the rest that we come to, because our intent and our desire throughout our lives have been to not love the world, but love God. Like in 1 John 2 verse 15 and 16, we are not to love the world, but to love the things of God. And then we read, for instance, also in 1 John 5 verse 18. In 1 John 5 verse 18, 1 John 5 verse 15, we know that whoever is born of God does not sin, that he who has been born of God keeps himself and the wicked one does not touch him. Now, clearly it's talking about in this society, because the wicked one does not touch him, so it talks about us as in this life. And the warrior born in Greek is Gennal, which a better translation will be begotten. So we know that whoever is begotten of God does not sin. The English Standard Version puts that as does not keep on sinning.

The NIV puts it as does not continue to sin. Or maybe a better translation is not in the practice or in the habit of sinning. In other words, if you and I are begotten of God, in other words, if you and I, after baptism and been received laying on our vans through one of God's ordained ministers that has the Jew authority from Jesus Christ, in other words, by Jesus Christ's name, by his authority, if we have therefore been baptized upon repentance and faith, and we have received God's early Spirit, God's early Spirit, which is that godly seed, has joined us, and we have now been begotten of God. We are still growing in the spiritual womb, by analogy, which is the matter of us all, the Church is the matter of us all, and we are still growing, and we will be born or begotten again, or are they born or born again, after resurrection, because then we'll see God as he is, as we read in 1 John 3 verse 2. And so, Yahweh says, whoever is begotten of God does not, said, is not in the practice of sin, does not mean that we never have a sin, because even John himself says, if you say you have no sin, you're lying. He says that at the very beginning of this book, 1 John chapter 1, if we say that 1 John chapter 1 verse 8, if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And in verse 10, if we say we have no sin, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. So what he's talking about is we're not in the practice of sin. We are trying to, we are making an effort, and so our intent and our desire is not in the practice of sin. And that's what he says, that he who has been begotten of God again now, keeps himself. In other words, he works and he tries in overcoming to be godly, keeps himself, purifies himself. And the wicked one is not touching, because we are striving to obey God. And so Satan leaves us as we read in James chapter 4. If we submit to God, and we are humble, Satan will not touch us. So we need to walk in the light, as it says in 1 John chapter 1 verse 7, he was walk in the swipe of obeying God. And so that is our job now, is to be overcoming now.

And that is how God is evaluating us. So if we go back to 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 2, he says that Paul, he says that 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 2, he says, And he sent Timothy, our bride and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you. So his responsibility is to establish us. Our responsibility as ministers is to establish us. It was to make us stronger, to confirm us, because this was a new church, just new. And our job is to establish them and to encourage them. It was to help them.

Sure, there were people with problems or with difficulties. And it's easy for people with problems and difficulties to one start criticizing the other. But yeah, we are to establish and to encourage the brethren to help one another, not to be critical of one another, but to encourage one another to be loving and therefore to encourage you concerning your faith. And then in verse 3, that no one should be shaken. The warrior could be read in two different ways, says that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. So they had trials, they had difficulties, they had pressures, all right. And normally those pressures at first come from within.

You read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 14, it says, it's talking about that you have suffered the same things from your own country man. You know, it was from your own brethren and people, and he's referring up to the Jews and in Thessalonians as well, they were their own people in the church, they were giving them some difficulties. And so we say, don't be shaken, because sometimes these stresses, pressures and difficulties in the church come from people in the church, from within. But also could imply, don't be shaken, that you start causing also troubles. Don't be moved, that you don't also start creating divisions. And that could also be read that that way, so that no one should be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. To what? To overcome through sufferings. We all appointed to keep growing, and even now in the church, there will be stresses and difficulties, and we are appointed to this. I think a part of it. James Fawcett Brown states, regarding shaken. So there's this word here, in verse 3, or 1 Thessalonians 3, verse 3, that no one should be shaken. James Fawcett and Brown, regarding the word shaken, states the following. The Greek is literally said of dogs, wearing the tail, in fawning on one.

The word fawning means displaying exaggerated flattery or affection.

A word, maybe, is being syrupy or kind of little sticky and in the appearance of love, because it's flattery. James Fawcett Brown then continues quoting Titman and says the following regarding that. He says that no man should amidst his calamities be a lure by the flattering hope or of a more pleasant wife to abandon his duty.

That's interesting. Then James Fawcett and Brown continues, in afflictions, relatives and opponents combine with his loving heart itself in flatteries, which it needs strong faith to overcome. So what do we have? It's that some people with flatteries start pulling people in the church in another direction. It can happen for instance. Some people may say, well, we are leaving the church and we're forming another little group, little group, because we want to worship in a more emotional, music-type orientated approach, some sort of a little thing that is ease-loving heart, some more exaggerated flattery, maybe.

And the question I have is, does that justify to split the body of Christ? Why do they leave us? Because we're not supposed to be splitting the body of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 11 verse 19, let's just read 1 Corinthians 11 verse 19. It says, for there must also be factions among you. So there must be divisions. There must be some people that create divisions of factions that those who are approved may be recognized among you. So there must be divisions so we can identify those that are approved. That's interesting, isn't it? Look at 1 John chapter 2 verse 19. 1 John chapter 2 verse 19.

It says, for they went out from us, but they were not of us. Interesting. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us.

Now, the danger is those that take a lead in such action. Now, some people are deceived and followed. But the warning is to those that take a lead and say, hey, come this way. This is very dangerous. And I'm reminded then of Jeremiah 23. Jeremiah 23. So let's just turn to Jeremiah 23.

And we're going to read verse 1 and 2 of Jeremiah 23.

Jeremiah 23.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture.

Says the Lord. Shepherds could be self-appointed shepherds.

Why do I say that? Because if you read in verse 21 of the same chapter of Jeremiah 23, in verse 21, it says, I have not sent these prophets, these leaders, these shepherds. I've not sent them. I have not sent these pastors or these so-called ministers. Yet they ran.

I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. They acted as if they prophets or as they are shepherds or they pastors. And so, continue reading in Jeremiah 23, verse 1, it says, woe to shepherds, woe to those leaders, probably self-appointed leaders, or maybe leaders that kind of went the wrong way. That's why Paul said in Thessalonians to them that they've been shaken. They've been pulled in different directions. So he says, don't be shaken by this.

So, continuing in Jeremiah 23, verse 2, therefore says the Lord, God of Israel, against the shepherds, against those that take a lead, or those that are inciting others to create a different group. It says, against the shepherds who feed my people, what does God say? You have scattered my flock, driven them in a way, and are attendant to them.

You have caused a vision in God's sheep. Behold, I'll attend to you for the evil of your doings, says the Lord. So it is a very powerful statement.

In John chapter 10, we also read a parable of Christ in John chapter 10 in this context about what I would call sheep-stealers. In John chapter 10, verse 1, he says, Most sure I say to you, he who does not enter the sheep fold by the door, but climbs up some other way. Where often these people go and speak to others, behind the minister's back, and things like that, in secret meetings or whatever it might be, and he says, Do not enter the sheep fold by the door, but climbs up some other way. The same is a thief and a robber. The hero enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him, the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

And then he says, And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And through shepherd is Christ, who is ministers of Jesus Christ, are just instruments in God's and Christ's hands. So continue now in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. We're going to read now verse 4. For in fact, we told you before, when we were with you, that we would suffer tribulation. Yes, there's going to be tests just as it happened, and you know, Paul was saying Christians will have challenges, problems, trials, difficulties, and particularly from within, as we saw a moment ago, and of course from without, but historically, it seems to be first from within. Then we continue in verse 5. For this reason, then, I could no longer endure it.

I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. And so Paul, being far away, he wanted to know how they were doing. And he was concerned that Satan would call them. Yes, initially, he knows that his labor was not in vain. He said that in chapter 2, verse 1 of 1 Thessalonians. You know, our labor is not in vain, but with time, Satan gets in, looks for an opportunity, and starts injecting little thoughts and things and trials and pressures, whatever they may be. And that's why he sent to Matthew to say to help them, to establish them, so that by to avoid that the tempter, which is Satan, to tempt them, to create additional problems, so as to try and help them to stay in the faith. That's why he says at the beginning to establish you and encourage you. In verse 2, our first Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 2, to establish you and to encourage you. So that's what he was trying to do, all sending Timothy to help the brave. Now, this point here about the tempter and tempted you is worthy of a little bit of extra discussion. The word tempter and tempted is the same Greek word, is pyrazo, the Greek word 3-9-8-5.

And it's a word that is also used when, for instance, you remember, when Christ was baptized and he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. Satan tempted Christ, the same word, pyrazo. You also find that word used when the Pharisees asked questions from Christ and questions to kind of test him, to maybe trick him. But it's the same word that he says they tested Christ, pyrazo, the same word as a temptation or a trick or a test with the intent to trip. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 9.

Very interesting, this section, 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 9. He says, nor let us tempt Christ, in other words, let us not tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. So what he's talking about, yeah, is the Israelites, they were going through the wilderness.

You read the section 9, 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and you read, for instance, yeah, look in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and they drank of the same spiritual drink, and they all drank of that same spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ, Christ at that time, the world. He was the one that received the delegated mission by the Father to create sons of God. He had God delegate this mission, this task, of creating sons of God, all through God's power, all under the Father's authority, all done through Christ.

So Christ, therefore, was the one that created mankind under the instruction of our Father, and according to his rule, we read that in 1 John chapter 1, verse 2, verse 3, and other scriptures, and then it was Christ, the one that led Israelites out of Egypt, and that's why it says, and it says in verse 5, 1 Corinthians 10, but with most of them, God was not aware, were pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

You see, because that spiritual rock that led them was Christ, and that's why it says in verse 9, nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents in those 40 years in the wilderness, and they died in those 40 years in the wilderness. So yeah, in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, we've got this word tempt again, which is the same word, parazzo, and look at verse 12 and 13 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

Therefore, let him who thinks, who stands, take him, let his default. No temptation has overtaken you, except such as is common to man, but God is faithful. God is faithful. It says here, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation that you're having with the trial that Satan brings upon you to trip you, right?

God will not allow you to be this trial, this temptation, to be greater than what you're able to overcome, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it. So we'll provide you a way of getting some relief, some encouragement, so that you can bear this cross. You know, you know, Luke 14 says, as we come to Christ, we ought to count the cost and we're going to bear the cross.

We're going to carry this cross, whatever cross each one of us has when we have walked through this life. So God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able. Now, this word, tempting, is basically, if we look at the definition of this word, pyrazo means to attempt to endeavor, to try to make a trial of, a test, for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself. Phrases, Phrases, gold, tribe, in the fire. It's that sort of thing to test the quality where it's really golden.

Now, this word can be used in two possible ways, in a good sense and in a bad sense. In a good sense, it's to test the quality, like a quality test. Like, for instance, cars go through a certain quality test, a safety test, to see, to ensure that they meet the right standard of quality. So it is in a good sense, it's like children go through an exam or a test, at the end of a term or a year, to help them to become better, so that they move to a higher grade.

So that is a test in a positive good sense. There's also a test in a bad sense, which is to test one maliciously, craftily, to put to the proof his feelings with the intent of causing him to fail. To fail. Now, what does God do with us? He allows our character, our life, to be tested, but God does not test us in a malicious way.

God does not test us in a way that is for you to fail or me to fail. It tests, it tries, it tests our hearts, our character in a positive way. Look in James chapter 1, James chapter 1 verse 13. Let no one say, when he is tempted, I am tempted by God.

It was, don't say that I'm tempted to fail by God, because it says, for God cannot be tempted by evil. The warrior, God cannot be tempted, is the Greek word 551, by Ratsus.

God cannot be by Ratsus. In other words, God is untempedable by evil. God cannot be tempted.

God is not attempt, and attemptable to sin. He cannot sin. Right?

I'm reading here in verse 13. It says, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he, God, himself tempt anyone. God does not tempt you to fail. God allows you to be tested to develop your character, to test your heart, but it is with a positive intent for you to succeed and to maybe even give you a better reward.

12. All right, let's continue now with 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. We are in a read now, verse 6 through 8. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, so Timothy has returned with a good message about you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have a good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, in all of our affliction and stress, we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. So he was encouraged by the estate forceless, and he says, now we live. In other words, our happiness and joy is that you are staying in the faith.

You see, my purpose in life, my satisfaction in life, is because you're staying in the faith. Now I live. I'm happy with that if obviously we continue and remain in the faith.

If you stand fast in the Lord. And now we read verse 9. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God?

So this joy is not self-seeking, it is for all the joy we rejoice for your sake before God.

So what joy it is to see that you're standing fast in the faith? And let it continues.

For your sake before our God, night and day, praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. In other words, praying constantly to see you, that we may be able to come and see you to help you grow in the faith. In other words, and perfect you in what is lacking in your faith. In other words, there are some areas that need improvement, some areas that need correction, some areas that need that little tweaking, that growth, because it says what is lacking. So there is something, there are some points that require some instruction. And some of those is what Paul addresses in the next chapters. So in a sense, he is laying the foundation to what is coming. This little instruction, because there is something that is lacking in your faith. And that is kind of a breach towards what he's going to cover in the next two chapters. So now, in verse 11, he says, now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you. So now he is basically saying a prayer to God the Father and to Jesus Christ, because he says, so in a sense, now may our God and Father himself and Lord Jesus Christ direct you. So he's saying, in a prayer, may God and the Lord Jesus Christ direct you. Now Paul clearly believed that Jesus Christ therefore has the power to direct our steps. That's why he says, and the Lord Jesus Christ direct you. Direct your way to you, our way to you. So he believed that. Now it's interesting, and I want to draw a parallel with a few scriptures here, because it is important for us to see this. Because, as I mentioned here, he is a prayer to God the Father and to Jesus Christ.

Now let's read John chapter 20 verse 28. John chapter 20 verse 28. Now we see, this is the section about what we call doubting Thomas, and then he says, Christ said to Thomas in verse 27, reach your finger, yeh, and look at my hands, and reach your hand, yeh, and put it in my sight. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered, and said to Christ. Thomas answered, and said to Christ, my Lord, and my God.

Now this is not a mere expression, because Thomas said to Christ, and Christ did not reprove Thomas. Christ, in fact, in verse 29, he commands Thomas for believing. Read Jesus Christ said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me yet have believed. You see, otherwise, if it was just a statement, it would have been profaneness, and Jesus would have not commanded him for believing. You see, now look also at Acts chapter 1 verse 24. Acts chapter 1 verse 24. And this is when they selected a disciple to replace Judas, and Matthias was chosen.

He says, and they prayed and said, you, O Lord, know the hearts of all. Show which of these two you have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas, by translation, fell that he might go to his own place.

The name Lord is the common name that they have given to Christ. Right? Look at Acts chapter 1 verse 6. Acts chapter 1 verse 6. It says, therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? So they are talking about Christ and its Lord. Right? Look at chapter 2 verse 36.

This is Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, soon after, a few days after this situation, where they are selecting somebody to replace Judas. And in Acts 2 verse 36 says, therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ. So it is very clear that the name Lord is the common name they gave to Christ. So going back to Acts 1 verse 24, it says, and they prayed and said, you, O Lord. So they were praying to Christ. And it says, they prayed and said, you, O Lord, who knows the hearts of all.

They are giving Christ the capability of knowing the hearts of all.

This is clearly understanding that it's a matter pertaining to the church.

It's a matter pertaining to the church. Christ is the head of the body of the church, the church which Christ has redeemed. Christ had chosen the apostles and fixed their number. You read that in Luke chapter 6, 12 through 16. It was Christ that chose the apostles and decided it would be 12 and fixed the number. It was Christ that gave the church a commission. You read in Matthew 28 verse 18, it says, all authority has been given to me, and you go out and preach the gospel and make disciples and baptize them into the family of God. So it was Christ that gave them the commission to the church, and it was Christ that knew them ultimately as he lived with them and knew their qualifications. And so Yah is an interesting situation in Acts 1 verse 24. Now also look at Acts chapter 7 verse 59 and 16. Acts chapter 7 verse 59 and 16 says, and they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus received my spirit, and he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

So we can see us, Stephen prayed to the Lord. In Luke chapter 24 verse 52, Luke 24 verse 52, it's talking about when Christ ascended to heaven. And then, and he says, let's start reading from verse 20. And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And now it came to pass while he blessed them that he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him Christ and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. So yeah, we can see a number of interesting scriptures that quite often are not highlighted in this context.

Look at John chapter 5. John chapter 5 verse 23. John chapter 5 verse 23. Well, let's read from verse 22. And the Father, for the Father judges no one, but he has committed all judgment. He delegated all judgment to the Son, in other words, to Christ. And that all should honor the Son, that's Christ, just as they honor the Father. And he who does not honor the Son, that's Christ, does not honor the Father who sent him. So it's also a powerful statement. And if we're reading Hebrews chapter 1, in Hebrews chapter 1, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 5 and 6, Hebrews chapter 1, verse 5 and 6, and he says, yeah, and he says in verse 5, For to which of the angels did he ever say, You are my Son, today I begotten you. And again, he says, I'll be to him, that's Christ, a Father, and each Christ shall be to me a Son. And then in verse 6, that when he again brings the first born into the world, in the words, he, the Father, brings the first born into the world, that's Christ, he says, Let all the angels of God worship him, Christ. Let all the angels of God worship Christ. So, very powerful statements, really, and then even in verse 8 and 9, he says, To the Son, he, the Father, says, You are throne of God. So the Father calls Christ, O God. And look at verse 9, he says, You have loved righteousness and ate of lawlessness, therefore God, that's Christ, your God, that's the Father, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions.

So let's continue now in 1 Thessalonians 3 verse 11. So now we have a prayer, and look at verse 12, 1 Thessalonians 3 verse 12, And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, and may the Lord. So Yah is in this prayer and giving and asking the Lord, which is Christ. So it clearly appears to be referring to Jesus Christ, comparing that with verse 11, as we just mentioned. And therefore, this seems to be a prayer to Christ to make us, to make them, in this case, them make you increase and abound in love. And this can be applied to us as members of God's Church, that Christ has that power, that capability to make us increase and abound in love. In other words, to help us to grow in love. And so young, we have a ministerial prayer by Paul about the Church. And it says that abounding love, increasing love to one another. So it's love from brethren to brethren in the Church to one another. And then it says, and to all. In other words, love to others, not in the Church, to mankind, to all, to all people in the world, which means some of them are our enemies, and therefore love our enemies, just as we do to you, just as as we care for you. So even absent, Paul cared for them more and more. And so, verse 13, so what? So what? So that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, so that he may establish our hearts.

So he has a prayer and the outcome of this prayer, the desired outcome of this prayer. So what? So what? So that he, Jesus Christ, may establish our hearts. Why? Well, we just have to read Jeremiah 17 verse 9. Well, let's just look at it very quickly. Jeremiah 17 verse 9.

And it reads, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?

And so our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful above all things.

But the prayer is, yeah, that Christ may establish our hearts. Obviously, the Father threw Christ and this is the responsibility that the Father has given to Christ, has delegated to Christ. And it says, therefore, our hearts have to change. You and I have to change from this heart of stone to a heart of flesh and of feeling, of mercy and kindness. And then it says, in verse 13 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness.

Blameless in holiness. Now, naturally, we're not like that. But at Christ's coming, that's what it says, in holiness, before our God and Father, so that we are blameless and holy before our God, so may he establish us before our God, right, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with his saints, so that our hearts may be blameless in holiness by the time Christ comes with his saints. And we know in Matthew 25 verse 31, it says, his holy angels will also be within. So, what do we have? Is Christ the one that establishes our hearts? But we also read in 1st Thessalonians 3 verse 2, it says, it says, I'm standing Timothy to establish you. Now, who establishes our hearts, establishes us, is Christ under the authority of the Father, God the Father, through his power, through the Holy Spirit, but it's all Christ doing. Christ is the executive doing everything under the Father's authority because all power has been given to Christ, as we read in Matthew 28. And so, what do we have is we as ministers are merely instruments in God's hand or in Christ's hand in establishing your faith. So, up to you, brethren, all has been encouraging. And now he gently turns and addresses some areas that need correction. And in this section of 1st Thessalonians 3 verse 11 to 13, it's like a little prayer, it's like a little link step from the area of encouragement to say, all right, now we pray that God may help you. And then in chapters 3 and 5, he's going to address these areas which, quote-unquote, are lacking or they need additional growth so that they may be blameless and holy before God. And that we will address in a future Bible study.