The Qualities of a Great Church: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 by Dr. Rod Mattoon

Scripture

• 1 Thessalonians 1:3

About this sermon

In this message, we will examine the faith, hope, and love of this great church. We exercise faith every day. The key is what you place your faith in, especially for your eternal salvation. Faith is only as valid as the object in which it is placed. If your faith is placed in something that is dead, non-existent, or powerless, then your security is in essence, insecure. Idolaters trust in idols, the humanist trusts in himself, the philosopher trusts in human reasoning, the religionist trusts in his own deeds or works for deliverance, yet to no avail. All these things are ineffective, powerless, or dead. Christian faith, however, is a response to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s tug. It is acting and believing in God and His Word which are very much alive and very powerful. Faith in God accomplishes things because there is power in the Word of God, as illustrated by the Creation. God spoke, and it was done! God still speaks to us. When we believe what He says, the power of the Word accomplishes good changes in our lives. The same Word that acted in the old creation at the dawn of the universe acts in the new creation, the Christian. Love always pays a price. Love always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits accrue to another's account. Love is for you, not for me. Love gives, it doesn't grab. That is the way the church at Thessalonica lived and Paul never forgot it. Hope causes us to have: * an expectation for the exciting and eternal. * a desire for deliverance and a dream for the desired. * aspirations for our aims and anticipation for an arrival. * a longing for life and for love. * a wish for the wonderful and security in the statements of others. * a reliance in the reliable and faith in the faithful. Hope is very important to any person. Hope drives the fisherman to fish all day, even without a bite because he is still hoping to land a big one. Hope motivates the athlete to push himself in training in hopes of becoming a champion. Hope drives the prisoner of war to dig tunnels at the risk of being caught, tortured, or killed because he hopes to escape. Hope inspires the patient inflicted with disease to get medical help in order to be cured. Hope causes people to be religious and do good works because they are hoping these things will get them to Heaven. Unfortunately, this kind of a hope for Heaven is a false hope because they are placing their hope in the wrong thing. The Christian has hope because the source of his or her hope is genuine and real. It is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. This message was preached on Sunday night, November 8, 2020 at Lincoln Land Baptist Church in Springfield, Illinois.

Topics

• Church & Fellowship
• The Church