1 Corinthians  1:18                   

¹⁸ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

TIMOTHY’S GOOD WORD
1 THESSALONIANS 3:6-13

But now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— ⁷ therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. ⁸ For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.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, ¹⁰ night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?¹¹ Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. ¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³ so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

Vs. 6-7 But now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you—⁷ therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. Not only did Timothy’s return bring great comfort to Paul, but it also was the occasion for the writing of this epistle. His good tidings on his return cleared up the apostle’s lack of comprehension and that at once. The apostle had sent Timothy back to Thessalonica, his report was that their faith remained firm in spite of trial and suffering. Their love had not grown cold and they desired to see all of them soon, Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you. Paul’s labors along with Silas and Timothy had not been in vain, their faith was strong, and a mutual attachment exists between them. Now such a report as this concerning they’re in Christ, their fervent love to one another, and their fervent regard for ministers of the gospel was good news or glad tidings to the apostle and those with him. The Thessalonians unshaken faith, their fervent love, and their continuous desires to see the apostles face to face spoke great comfort to Paul who had been praying over the matter, but now had comfort from God’s gracious providence, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. Paul uses the term brethren as he addresses the Thessalonians, confident they were truly born again and they were all members of God’s family.

Vs. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord The language in this verse is very strong. Necessity and distress had brought a form of death over the apostle, but he came out of it just as soon as he heard of their firmness in the faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.      The apostle now assumes as a fact that they will stand fast because the element of their stability is union with the Lord and in fellowship with Him. Paul had been in some hard and heavy circumstances which had weighed him down to death. Opposition, unbelief, peril, disappointment, physical labor (preaching during the day and making tents at night to support themselves) and weakness so preyed upon him that he felt as if he were involved in the shadow of death; but Timothy’s report from Thessalonica revived him and lifted him out of the gloom and he was alive again and his soul rejoiced over the news that his converts were hanging in there.

Vs. 9-10 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, ¹⁰ night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith? The apostle had given thanks for their conversion, had given thanks for the manner in which they received the word; and now he knows not what amount of thanks to give for their stability under persecution and suffering. This gift of life in the midst of death, and this fullness of joy were of God; therefore, to Him thanks of no common depth and passionate feeling are due in return. What thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice 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? The intensity of the prayer to revisit them and perfect their faith was in proportion to the thanksgiving for the gladness which in the interval Timothy’s report had produced. Night and day is a form of expression of speaking of profoundest love and longing. Then the purpose of prayer is given that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. It is to fill up, to supply, or finish thoroughly because their faith was not perfect, it was lacking in some elements. It needed to grow and embrace more elements of doctrine, and have a harmonious hold of truths already taught, such as the second coming of Christ. Their faith was also lacking in power; it had not led them to a universal obedience or given them strength to overcome all heathen propensities and impurities as we shall see in the next chapter DV. Nor had its influence descended to every-day life in nonreligious aspects, enforcing honest industry and give dignity to it. The visit Paul desired would have improved to give them careful and honest teaching and guidance on all points in which their faith needed enlargement. Confirmation was a work the apostle loved, and it is so necessary and beneficial.

Vs. 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. Paul’s prayer is to God Himself—He and none other—for He alone can fulfill such a prayer. The apostle had wanted to visit them, and Satan had hindered him, but if God Himself would be pleased to direct the way to them no hinderance would occur. Believers have a community of Fatherhood in Him God and Father Himself they are His children, bearing His image, enjoying His guardianship, and being prepared for His house with many mansions. To the mind of the apostle, God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ were so one that the same prayer is presented to both without distinction—there being, as the singular implies, quality of power and unity of operation, or unity of will. But equality of power and unity of will imply a higher unity—even unity of essence or regard for peripherical details for only one possessed of divinity can the worship of prayer be presented. The Lord Jesus Christ, though man, as the name Jesus indicates, is also Lord—at the right hand of the Father—and Governor of the universe; but this government is proof of His possession of supreme divinity, as it necessitates the possession of omnipotence and omniscience, attributes which no creature can be endowed. Who but God can roll on the mighty and mysterious wheels of a universal providence without halting or confusion? –-who but He can know all hearts in their complex variety of motive and purpose, so as to be their Judge?

Vs. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, this prayer implies that the Thessalonians love needed to be enlarged. If one is enlarged in any Christian grace, he abounds in it, enlargement and abundance being varying aspects of the same blessing. His prayer had been that defects in their faith might be filled up, and now it is specially that their love may be augmented—first to one another, in the same believing community, and then to all men—men made in the image of God are to be loved as God has loved them. Our love to men, as children of a common Father, should be a likeness of His man-love, having its wider circle of objects in mankind, irrespective of creed or character; while Christian love—brother-love—has its immediate objects of attachment in the Church. Love is the fulfillment of the law.

Vs. 13 So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. The purpose of prayer is to confirm your hearts unblameable in holiness before God and our Father. The purpose of this prayer is that the Thessalonians might grow and abound in love. Love tends to confirm—for it is the bond of perfectness. When the heart is filled with love to the brethren and to mankind, it becomes established; it rises above the sphere of doubts and oscillations, for it is fulfilling the law, and growing in holiness which such love sustains and develops. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise

on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:44-48).   At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. BE READY!!!

Catechism Question 57

Q.  What are the reasons annexed to the second commandment?
A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment are:  God’s sovereignty over us, His propriety in us, and the zeal He has to His own worship

Psalm 95:2-3

² Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. ³  For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.