Paul's Longing for the Thessalonians

Driving home: Now, when a man is involved in such a prayerful concern for something even when he rises from his knees or is not consciously praying that longing does not leave his heart and prayer for an object will deepen one's longi…

Prayer deepens longing, and longing triggers prayer, creating a cycle where one feeds the other, explaining why Paul's prayer leads to an expression of longing.

Now, when a man is involved in such a prayerful concern for something even when he rises from his knees or is not consciously praying that longing does not leave his heart and prayer for an object will deepen one's longing for the object and the longing in turn will trigger prayer and so you have this cycle of the one feeding the other and so it's not surprising then that having recorded the substance of his persistent prayer for the Thessalonians he then tells us his deep longing for them in verses 11 through 13 so we move from the record of his prayer on their behalf to this expression of hi...

1:33 - 3:00 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Now, when a man is involved in such a prayerful concern for something even when he rises from his knees or is not consciously praying that longing does not leave his heart and prayer for an object will deepen one's longi…

The Word of God is so rich that digging into it reveals depths not apparent in a cursory reading, explaining why a short passage requires multiple sermons.

I said Lord how can it be that there would be enough substance here to feed your sheep on a Lord's day morning and as has happened so often I've had to break it down into at least two messages and possibly three. So rich is the word of God that when we begin to dig into the statements of Holy Scripture we find that they break open in ways that we have never thought in just a cursory reading. Now this longing of the apostle as recorded here breaks down very naturally into two divisions for those who are in the church who are bound by preachers that have to have three I'm sorry to disappoint you...

3:00 - 4:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Remember the practical lesson about the power of God: though Satan is mighty, God is almighty and can overcome any satanic obstacle.

The book of Job illustrates that Satan must ask God's permission for his actions, reminding believers of God's ultimate sovereignty and power over the devil.

Is Satan so powerful that he must wait for some kind of a disposition in the devil to clear away the blockage to his return? Not at all. He says in this expression of his longing something concerning the power of God that is very practical though Satan has hindered in the past if God the Father and the Lord Jesus are pleased to direct our way to you then nothing can stand in the way. And oh how we need to remember this practical lesson about the power of God that though Satan is mighty there is one who is almighty though that wicked one is powerful there is one who is all powerful and we need ...

7:13 - 8:42 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Paul's understanding of the relationship of the Father and of Jesus was one in which though there was identity of person the Father is not the Son the Son is not the Father there was unity of essence one God though there…

The distinction between singular and plural verbs in Greek grammar, contrasted with English, highlights Paul's intentional use of a singular verb for God the Father and the Lord Jesus, demonstrating the unity of the Godhead.

Now in English we don't have what they had in Greek we can use the same verb whether it's with a single or a plural subject we can say John came John and Mary came we use the same verb even though we have a plural subject but it's not that way in the Greek language. If you were saying in the Greek language John then you'd use the verb that has in it the he John he came and if you were saying John and Mary then the verb would be different it would have in it the they John and Mary they came so the singular or the plural the first person second person or third person are all bound up right in th...

10:07 - 11:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Paul's understanding of the relationship of the Father and of Jesus was one in which though there was identity of person the Father is not the Son the Son is not the Father there was unity of essence one God though there…

The historical example of Athanasius using this very passage to refute Arius's heresy about Christ's divinity demonstrates the passage's theological weight regarding the Trinity.

but that Paul's understanding of the relationship of the Father and of Jesus was one in which though there was identity of person the Father is not the Son the Son is not the Father there was unity of essence one God though there is distinction in persons this argument and demonstration of the biblical doctrine of the Trinity of God one God in three persons is so forcibly taught in this passage that when the heretic Arius who tried to say that Jesus Christ was not the eternal Son of the Father he was the first created being but he was something less than God the Father when he came and sought ...

11:33 - 13:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: he is not simply Jesus who died on the cross to whom I look for forgiveness but he is the Lord upon a throne to whom I bow in submission and that's the essence of the saving relationship that we have in Jesus the God man…

What one says in unguarded moments or casual references reveals deep-seated convictions more powerfully than formal statements, illustrating how Paul's theology of God's essence breaks out in his expression of longing.

but informally assumed and that makes them all the more powerful well you see what you say in your unguarded moments is a revelation of what you say what you really think on the issues that are not in focus when you're talking when you're talking about a given issue you can say well now the people I'm writing to obviously think this way and they expect me to say it this way so you can consciously frame your words but when you're talking about something over here and they're just a casual reference to something over here your real deep-seated understanding and conviction about that issue over h...

13:01 - 14:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if Jesus is truly 'your Lord' and if you can speak of Him in those terms, knowing what you're talking about in the full light of Scripture.

Believers must allow Scripture to shape their understanding of God as 'Father,' rather than projecting their own perverted notions of fatherhood onto Him.

in this sense until he has experienced what Paul writes about in Galatians 4 6 where he says because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into our father as many as received him to them gave he the right to become the sons of God indicating that those who have not received him have the right to be called the sons of God even to them that believe on his name and so until we have come as conscious sinners in need of the saving work of Jesus Christ and approach God and be God when we have come through Jesus Christ then this great infinite God is not only the transcendent majestic...

15:59 - 17:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Reflect on what you would prioritize as your deepest longing for your fellow church members if you were suddenly separated from them.

Martin asks listeners to imagine being suddenly separated from their church and what they would prioritize in a letter, prompting self-reflection on their own longings for others.

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men even as we do also toward you to the end that He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now let me ask you a question this morning. If you were severed very suddenly from the people of the Trinity Church, or the church where you attend, and you were thinking about that which you would long for them to have, what would you write in the letter? If you were writing something that you wished God would do for those people who remain ...

22:25 - 23:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Reflect on what you would prioritize as your deepest longing for your fellow church members if you were suddenly separated from them.

Our longings for others often project our own values, goals, and idea of 'the good life,' revealing the true state of our hearts.

In many ways, our longing for others is one of the most clear revelations of the state of our own heart. For generally, we project to others our own values. Our own goals. And our own idea of what is quote, the good life.

23:14 - 23:33 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Here's his prayer. Here's his longing. Here's the passion of his heart. That they be established in holiness and in sanctification.

Paul's longing is not for 'busy, little busy beavers, activist Christians,' contrasting mere activity with true holiness.

This is the focal point of his longing. To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness. The greatest longing Paul has for others. For the people at Thessalonica is not that they be very busy, little busy beavers, activist Christians running around like busy beavers doing something in the name of Jesus.

24:18 - 24:44 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Here's his prayer. Here's his longing. Here's the passion of his heart. That they be established in holiness and in sanctification.

Paul's longing is not for Christians with 'big, outsized, overstuffed heads full of Bible facts,' contrasting mere knowledge with true holiness.

That's not his longing. His longing is not that they be primarily well-instructed Christians with big, outsized, overstuffed heads full of Bible facts so that they can hardly keep their equilibrium with the Bible. For the weight of their noggins. That's not his longing.

24:45 - 25:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Biblical sanctification or holiness which is the end and goal of God's redemptive purpose is that kind of sanctification of which God himself is the author. It is not mere self-reformation mere imitation the pulling in a…

The Pharisees, appearing outwardly righteous but inwardly corrupt, illustrate the difference between external conduct and true, heart-seated sanctification.

We read in 1 Timothy 1 I believe verse 5 the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart of a good conscience and faith unfamed. The goal for which God has given us his truth is that our inner life might be renovated not like the Pharisees to whom people would look and say ah look at Pharisee Jones or Pharisee Smith his life is impeccable. Christ said you appear like unto whitewashed sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful unto men.

31:57 - 32:29 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin details four aspects of this holiness: God is its author, the inner life is its seat, the whole heart and life is its extent ('unblameable'), and the coming of Christ will…

A personal anecdote about discussing the long wait for Christ's return with his son highlights the human perception of time versus God's perfect timing.

I remember speaking with my son some weeks ago as we were having devotions together and one of the thoughts was the long period of time 1900 years seems to us. His promise as he left this earth was I will come again. The last word the angels spoke as he was enveloped in the clouds this same Jesus who is taken from you into heaven shall so come that when you come we think of the patriarchs. The promise given originally to Adam and passed on no doubt to his posterity and then to Abraham and how for four thousand years at least they waited.

35:56 - 36:38 Read in full sermon

Driving home: there's a day when all that talk will be changed at the coming of the Lord Jesus men will see only one thing that's important have I been made holy and if not I'll hear the words depart from me ye cursed then what will t…

The disinterest of the 'average man in the street' and 'students on campuses' in holiness, preferring 'real problems' or 'pie in the sky' pietism, contrasts with the ultimate necessity of holiness at Christ's coming.

Nobody's concerned whether man's holy in this biblical sense now. If God is working in him in his inner life to make him into the likeness of Jesus Christ by nature men are concerned with success and pride and the giving them to their passions and the gratification of lust. You come to the average man in the street of Caldwell today and say look I can tell you a way that you can be made holy. And he says get with it Mac I'm not interested.

38:04 - 38:31 Read in full sermon