Grace Be With You

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the sermon's text, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, as the conclusion of a three-year study. He describes the Thessalonian church's challenging context: recent converts…

Martin contrasts Paul's blessing with a mere formal letter ending like 'sincerely yours,' emphasizing that Paul poured his entire expectation into this benediction.

Well, our hope is the hope of the Thessalonians, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with us. That's the setting of the text. Coming not just as something the apostles scratched off in order to formally end his letter like ours sincerely yours or very truly yours, yours or yours sincerely. No, no.

6:14 - 6:36 Read in full sermon

The point: At the start of the new year, look at this blessing and consider it a call to once again reflect upon the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ, having the same high estimation of Him as Paul did.

He uses the analogy of someone handing out blank checks from a friend named Harry, promising financial help, to illustrate Paul's immense confidence in Christ's infinite supply of grace and unwavering disposition.

the blessing the meaning of the blessing now we come to what I trust will be the heart of its application to us what are the directives of this blessing when the apostle says to the Thessalonians and when the spirit says to us through these words the Lord be the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you what does this call us to I would suggest that in the first place it is a call to consider the Lord Jesus in his glorious person you ever think what this meant the apostle dared to go on record as promising this blessing or pronouncing this blessing on the saints here at Thessalonica the saint...

24:29 - 25:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Whatever the need or circumstance, there is plenteous provision in the Lord Jesus for the meeting of that need.

Martin recounts Paul's experience with his 'thorn in the flesh' (2 Corinthians 12) to demonstrate that Christ's grace is sufficient not only to remove suffering but to empower believers to overcome weakness in the midst of it.

with a specific need he thought his need was for some kind of release from physical suffering that he thought was an impediment to his service for Christ and so convinced as he was that this was a legitimate need in terms of a legitimate goal I want to be unhampered with this physical impediment that I might serve my God better he goes to the Lord Jesus with the need convinced that the grace of Christ was sufficient he goes to him in prayer he gets no answer he gets no release he goes a second time he goes a third time and after the third time he gets a word from God and I read now 2 Corinthia...

28:52 - 30:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Whatever the need or circumstance, there is plenteous provision in the Lord Jesus for the meeting of that need.

Martin quotes a commentator who vividly describes the early Thessalonian church's challenges and Paul's sublime confidence in Christ's grace to sustain them, reinforcing the plenteous provision of Christ.

thinking of this young church and coming back to its more immediate context this is what this commentator said speaking of this blessing he excludes no one from his blessing not even those who've been walking disorderly this is commenting from the blessing at the end of the second epistle where he speaks of some who've been lazy and disorderly etc and setting it not the tradition they receive from him their need is the greatest of all if we had imagination enough to bring vividly before us the condition of one of those early churches we'd see how much is involved in a blessing like this and wh...

31:48 - 33:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider your relationship to Jesus Christ: are you under the canopy of grace or the canopy of God's wrath?

He uses the terrifying prospect of a national nuclear holocaust with a named date to illustrate the far greater terror of living under the abiding wrath of God, urging unbelievers to flee to Christ.

wedded to your sins still under the wrath of God still indifferent to the claims of Christ instead of pronouncing a blessing I must be faithful to the whole tenor of scripture and say not the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you but the curse of God is upon you and what a frightful thing wouldn't it be terrible if by some valid authority those who are projecting into the future could say on a program nationally televised and out over the radio station during this coming year America will be found beneath one massive mushroom cloud of nuclear holocaust what a terrible frightful prospect m...

37:41 - 39:03 Read in full sermon