Post by Cindy on Nov 14, 2017 9:36:11 GMT -5
“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:3)
‘Your Work Produced By Faith.’ Faith without works is dead and leads nowhere. There was once a Scotsman who rowed people across a river. On one oar he had carved the word ‘faith’ and on the other oar he had carved the word ‘works’. One day as he was rowing, one of the passengers noticed the carvings and asked him about them. The Scotsman did not reply but pulled in the oar marked ‘works’ and started to row with only one oar. The boat went round in circles. He then pulled in the oar marked ‘faith’ and started to row only with the ‘works’ oar. The boat again went round in circles, but this time in the opposite direction. He then rowed with both oars and reached the other bank safely. Before his passenger got off the boat he said, ‘A Christian must row his life using both oars, faith and works. Only then will he reach heaven’s shore.’ True faith influences the heart and life so that we obey God and serve others. The Thessalonians were acting out their faith in works of compassion and mercy. Here Paul is probably referring to their fearless preaching of the gospel in the midst of persecution. ‘Your Labour Prompted By Love.’ Faith works by love. In Galatians Paul said, ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love’ (Gal. 5:6). A Christian’s heart must be filled with a self-denying and sacrificial love for God and others (agape). The Thessalonians were demonstrating their love for God and for their neighbours by practical acts of service. The apostle John said, ‘Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth’ (1 John 3:18). ‘Your Endurance Inspired By Hope In Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Hope has been compared first to a soldier’s helmet, because it protects the mind, and then to the sailor’s anchor, because it steadies the heart on the stormy seas of life. Our hope of the final victory, that is assured at Christ’s second coming, enables us to persevere through the good times and the bad. The Thessalonians had a well-grounded hope of eternal life and the glory that accompanies it; therefore they could be patient in bearing hardships. Opening up 1 Thessalonians
‘Your Work Produced By Faith.’ Faith without works is dead and leads nowhere. There was once a Scotsman who rowed people across a river. On one oar he had carved the word ‘faith’ and on the other oar he had carved the word ‘works’. One day as he was rowing, one of the passengers noticed the carvings and asked him about them. The Scotsman did not reply but pulled in the oar marked ‘works’ and started to row with only one oar. The boat went round in circles. He then pulled in the oar marked ‘faith’ and started to row only with the ‘works’ oar. The boat again went round in circles, but this time in the opposite direction. He then rowed with both oars and reached the other bank safely. Before his passenger got off the boat he said, ‘A Christian must row his life using both oars, faith and works. Only then will he reach heaven’s shore.’ True faith influences the heart and life so that we obey God and serve others. The Thessalonians were acting out their faith in works of compassion and mercy. Here Paul is probably referring to their fearless preaching of the gospel in the midst of persecution. ‘Your Labour Prompted By Love.’ Faith works by love. In Galatians Paul said, ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love’ (Gal. 5:6). A Christian’s heart must be filled with a self-denying and sacrificial love for God and others (agape). The Thessalonians were demonstrating their love for God and for their neighbours by practical acts of service. The apostle John said, ‘Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth’ (1 John 3:18). ‘Your Endurance Inspired By Hope In Our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Hope has been compared first to a soldier’s helmet, because it protects the mind, and then to the sailor’s anchor, because it steadies the heart on the stormy seas of life. Our hope of the final victory, that is assured at Christ’s second coming, enables us to persevere through the good times and the bad. The Thessalonians had a well-grounded hope of eternal life and the glory that accompanies it; therefore they could be patient in bearing hardships. Opening up 1 Thessalonians
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