 The fruit of the Spirit Lord will be made manifest Lord in and through us God Yes, Father God, we just want to thank you. We bless your name We give you all the praise we give you all the glory at this time and Jesus matchless name. We pray Amen Okay Okay, I don't know what happened Prince is I'm sorry Dave Somehow Prince was removed from the meeting removed. Oh, yeah, I just under Okay, can you just check with him if he can if he has any difficulty joining Yeah, just check with him I'm not sure Okay, we'll wait for Prince to join and then we'll start okay Princes okay, okay, let's Let's continue from where we stopped we stopped at first this one in chapter five and we stopped at verse eleven, right? where Paul was talking about About the coming of the Lord and how it will be and he also was encouraging the You know the Thessalonica Thessalonica believers about, you know How they should live their life Because those who do not know the Lord those who are in darkness are living a certain way and You know, they do not expect the coming of the Lord and you know It says in verse three and chapter five peace and safety when they say peace and safety then sudden destruction comes upon them You know, they're not expecting coming of the Lord at such and they're not really living a life that is pleasing so Says that sudden destruction will come upon them this day will come upon them like a thief in the night But said you are sons of light and sons of the day So, you know, you don't have to fear and your life Let it be different. Let us not sleep says as the others do. No, let us not be Meaning Yeah, let us not be unaware. Let us not be You know blind to this. Let us not be without expecting the coming of the Lord. Okay, so all that And in verse nine the assurance reassurance. He's saying God did not appoint us to wrath Because of the shed blood of Christ because of you know, what Jesus did for us on the cross Now the thing whole thing has changed because you have accepted the Lord now you have not been appointed for wrath Meaning you've not been appointed for condemnation There is things that have happened to you and so you're not heading in that direction. Okay therefore Comfort one another and edify one another just as you also are doing. Okay, so So he's saying this whole You know, this whole truth that he's presenting about the coming of the Lord what what will happen, etc And he's saying, you know, we use you with these words you comfort and edify one another You know comfort and console one another Because the comfort is for those who who are Who have passed away, right? So that is something that something that he addresses also in 1 Thessalonians 4 And those who have passed away, you know, how what will happen to them and and all that so saying, you know to comfort one another and Also edify build up one another using these words. Okay, so let's move on to verse 12 says and we urge you brethren to recognize those who labor among you and Are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love For their works sake be at peace among yourselves Now we exhort you brethren want those who are unruly comfort the faint hearted uphold the week be patient with all See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone But always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all Rejoice always pray without seizing in everything give thanks But this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you do not quench the spirit Do not despise prophecies test all things hold fast. What is good? abstain from every form of evil and and then the final blessing and Greetings, right? He says after that. He's giving some instructions to the church and he's saying now we We exhort me we urge you he says and the word urge meaning, you know the siege or entreat and saying I urge you to recognize to esteem highly To recognize and esteem highly those who labor among you. He's talking about the the leadership Who are there those who are laboring who might be visiting also and Who are ministering to them, right? So you saying those who labor among you the brethren who are there? And who are over you in the Lord, you know who are maybe more mature and you know, they You know the labor among you and then they also admonish you meaning they you know, they correct you They warn you alert you now all that is happening you know, so They're doing that One second, sorry. Yeah, so they're also alerting you and warning you and So He's saying you esteem them highly Verse 13 esteem them very highly in love for their for the sake of their work for the sake of the kind of ministry that they do and You be a piece among yourselves. Okay? So first verse 12 he says we beseech you we urge you Meaning it was almost like, you know, we beg you You respect those who are there You esteem them very highly for the sake of the ministry that they do because they are handling the word of God They're ministering the word of God in verse 14. He says now we exhort you Okay, so again that word there exhort mean means we encourage you now. This is how you do We encourage you now He's shifting the focus. It's not on the leadership, but it's about, you know, the church itself Whoever's there. It's and and he's actually warning is saying warn those who are unruly Okay, so that word unruly meaning subordinate rebellious insubordinate. Sorry insubordinate rebellious. Okay, warn them Those who are unruly. Okay, so if people are there who are unruly, they need to be warned Want that they're their behavior and their lifestyle is Is not good. Okay, so they need to be warned then There is a second category of people who are these people. They are faint hearted They are fearful. Okay, so which means that they are fearful of maybe Persecution, you know, that was the real challenge that they were facing So they were facing persecution. So He's saying those were faint hearted. Okay, so who are feeble minded faint hearted What do they need he's saying you Comfort them It's comfort the faint hearted you console them So warn a certain group of people because they are living in an unruly manner disorderly in subordinate They're not listening to whatever the instructions are So you warned them to change their ways secondly There are people who are faint hearted or feeble minded comfort them and then those who are weak need to be upheld uphold the weak Okay, so so that is the third category of people Support them uphold them support them. Okay, too. It really means to to hold back or hold You know to lift up and hold support them to to kind of You know to be so that they can actually lean on us, you know, that's the picture so that We can give them our strength When because they do not have their own strength, right? So support them. So who are them? These are the weak and uphold the weak and be patient with all Okay, so the reality of church life yeah, so the reality of church life and Talking about the kind of, you know, the make different mix of people who will be there in a typical Church in a typical assembly or gathering you'll have all these kinds and For all these kinds of people, you know, you need to Minister to them in a different way. You need to address their needs differently So he's he's he's talking about the different kinds of needs that are there, you know For some it is warnings for some it is encouragement for some it is comfort For some it is, you know, it is to give them support and first and for all He says you be patient be patient with all because that's something that is required because there, you know, when people are there together, there is a need for patients because they might say things they might do things and And And which might stir us up to to for us to behave in an impact in patient manner Right. So So Paul very clearly says be patient with all First 15 see that no one renders evil for evil, you know because of persecution because of some of the things that People are doing or don't retaliate don't give them back evil So see that no one renders so he's saying, you know, let this be something like a like a Culture of the church Right. So let it be a common understanding and expect and teaching that no one will render or Deliver or to give right like a Like a wage that is promised No one will render evil for evil. Okay, so That word evil Meaning something that is worthless Something that is depraved something that is bad Okay, so evil can have many forms right Some evil need not be always physical in nature like a danger to the body or You know something that people might do physically against No, it need not be evil can have different faces and different expressions, right and In all those expressions of evil Right. So Paul is saying no one let no one render evil or give back In the same manner Okay, let no one end the evil but but pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all Okay, so the opposite is opposite of it Is it what needs to be pursued or we need to go after? Like go after these things Make sure that we have those in our lives Make sure that we express that In our interactions with people. So this is all, you know, the church setting. This is all among people with people so while Because of the work of the flesh or because of the works of the enemy There could be evil which is done to us and again the evil is not just physical harm or physical persecution It could be very many other things whatever, you know ways in which evil can be done But don't do the same thing pursue what is good. Okay now again Just like how he wrote in Philippines He writes here rejoice always In all circumstances in all situations rejoice Because the Lord God is the Lord of all. That's one reason why He's able to say, you know rejoice for he himself as Experience that truth and the comfort of the Lord and the grace of God. So You know and so he is able to impart that and and share that with others and saying rejoice always So it is possible In whatever circumstances and just like how they, you know, what we see in Acts chapter 16 and how they were in prison and how they You know worship so it's not something that is not known It's not something that You know that they that they did not know or that they did not live in Practically, right? So they they actually live that out. So Saying rejoice always pray without ceasing. That's another interesting thing. No pray without ceasing Which means pray without stopping and the word used there is Adeleptos in Greek, which means To continue on To continue to pray to pray without without a break continue on and and the usage of that word was really For in the Greek it was used for someone who was coughing You know, like someone is just coughing and we say, you know, that person is coughing continuously But actually that person would cough for some time and then they'll be a you know Short boss and again that person will cough again. That's how somebody was suffering from some kind of an infection and they are coughing So that would that they will say, you know, he's coughing continuously a coughing Adeleptos, right? So here Paul is saying pray without ceasing pray Adeleptos Okay, and So he's saying this is how let this be the lifestyle of a believer okay to pray which means it's petition and supplication Pray without ceasing pray Adeleptos. Okay In everything give thanks for this is the will of God The will of God in Christ Jesus for you do not quench the spirit again The Holy Spirit is Leading us the Holy Spirit is bringing the church to a place of perfection. Don't quench. Don't put It's like throwing Or pouring water on the fire to put out the fire. So don't quench the work of the spirit in your life, whether it could apply whether it is individually or You know in a group in a corporately Don't quench the spirit So maybe the gathered together the Holy Spirit is leading in a certain direction in order to do things in a certain way and You know, it is not done. So Don't quench don't stop The work of the spirit Then some more instructions do not despise Prophecy so obviously he's taught them about the gifts of the spirit. He's taught them about prophecies and prophecy and everything and Just like how he has taught the Corinthian church here also, you know, it has it has been taught. So obviously they know about it What is interesting is, you know in in a very short time All seems to have just laid, you know, all these things as important all the spiritual Realities and a baptism of the spirit and gifts of the spirit and and all that is is really necessary for the church I have to hear the now word of God and to speak for the now word of God is prophecy Right and prophecy brings edification exhortation and comfort for the believer. And so he You know knows the importance of that. He knows the importance of being led by the spirit of God So it's not just some dead Theoretical, you know, some principles that that you just talk about and go back or some Intellectual exercise where we, you know, learn it and then we critique it and you say, oh, that was a good thing And oh, this is bad and then go back home. No, it's not like that. So he's saying, you know, the spirit of God is alive Spirit of God is You know real the spirit of God wants to do certain things. So let him have free reign So he's saying don't quench don't stop don't hold back and rein back the work of the the Holy Spirit And, you know, he's saying, yeah, do not despise prophecies. Hey, so don't despise prophecies because You know, there could be many reasons why prophecies could be displaced because despised right Dispise meaning, you know, you know people hating prophecies Now, is it possible? Yeah, it is possible because when there's an abuse of it Right when there's an abuse of any spiritual gift It is possible that people get turned off or put off completely By anything to do with the work of the spirit, you know, and even in today's, you know, if you look around you see that There are people who've been hurt There are people who've been hurt by The abuse of the gifts the way they were ministered to by you know, maybe they were put down They were embarrassed, you know, they were humiliated Like people can do that, you know with the not being Not being not giving honor not ministering in a spirit of gentleness Right, so you be harsh and you know, you Minister the gifts in in that manner without love Right because Paul writes again 1 Corinthians 13 this entire thing is about love meaning that Hey, you need to minister from a place of love motivated by love Okay So all this creates If it is not there then this creates a This creates a problem this creates a problem for the believer They are they don't want to have anything to do with the work of the spirit though That is something that is very necessary That is central important for the church so saying Maybe you might have come to a place of despising this so he's is warning or he's encouraging him saying Do not despise Prophecies yes, the gift is good Well, the messenger is not perfect. The gift is perfect So What is the solution test all things? Hold fast. What is good? abstain from every form of evil Okay, so he's saying test all things as This is a very important guideline as new state new testament believers We are not to despise The gifts we are not to despise especially prophecy. We're not to Quench the work of the spirit It needs to be there in the church But you test all things Test if it's genuine test if it's from God test if you know, whatever is being Directed or brought in is from God And hold fast to what is good Okay, so meaning if it is not good It's okay. Don't don't hold on to it. Just let it go right, so when you test There is every possibility that you find that Some things are good. Some things are not maybe some things are of the spirit. Some things are of the flesh Hold fast to what is good Okay, and uh and that word good Uh, it's it's it's also important that we look at that and hold fast. What is good? So It means something that is beautiful something that is fair something that is virtuous valuable Um, so it's good in quality Right. It's good to look at It's excellent. So all this is there So if it is not so The the thing is very simple You don't have to hold on to it Right. You don't have to hold fast to it You can actually let it go so So the thing is to you need to test all things exam, which means to examine Um Spend sometimes scrutinizing investigating You know, is it so Is it according to the word of god? Is it according to truth? Uh, is it in line consistent with the nature of god character of god? Okay Um, all those things now that is our responsibility as the new testament church. So you now a lot of things happen Damage happens when we don't take that responsibility ourselves Right. We or we skip that's that step And so there is a lot of Lot of damage that happens now this instruction is for the church now What happens if we don't carry out this instruction? Obviously There's a lot of damage. There is a lot of hurt That happens So saying test it test all things investigate discern analyze Right. Use your judgment And hold fast to what is excellent. What is virtuous? What is truthful? What is beautiful hold fast to it? Okay, let it be part of your life Um, you I mean, let it be deeply rooted In you Okay Okay abstain from every form of evil every form of evil, you know It might be You know, uh So the the thing is to see all appearance every form in whatever way Evil, you know comes Okay So the thing is this That with every day passing day You realize that that evil is packaged in a different way Okay, maybe for one generation It's packaged in a different way. It's for another generation. It's the same evil, but it's packaged in a different way Right. It's presented in a different way So he's probably saying abstain from all appearance Okay, it might be it might Show up in a different way. It might be packaged in a different way For a particular generation for a particular season but You're going to be testing all things you're going to be investigating Approving discerning all things Therefore you abstain you keep away from all forms of evil Okay, then finally now may the god of peace himself Sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless by the coming of our lord Jesus christ He who calls you is faithful who also will do it Brethren pray for us greet all the brethren with a holy kiss I charge you by the lord that this episode will be read to all the holy brethren The grace of our lord jesus christ be with you all Okay, so So he's saying may the god of peace Sanctify you and that word there meaning set you apart completely Because he's talking about Evil things he's saying abstaining from all form of evil. So he's saying may the lord himself Set you apart completely And may your spirit soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our lord jesus christ So here we learn about how we are You know as human beings What we are composed of right how we are put together what we are made of Spirit soul and body. So it's not just a physical which is the body goes beyond that It's not just the emotional It's not just the soul Right, so it is it goes beyond that it is also of the spirit A spirit and soul eternal body Not internal temp not eternal temporal so it has a lifespan and Goes it's buried or it it seizes but the spirit and soul Eternal like emotions Memory recognition everything We carry it with us into eternity right, so the spirit Which is the eternal part of us. So we realize, okay, this is spirit soul and body now Saying may the god of peace himself Sanctify you completely And may your know the way you are composed spirit soul and body You be preserved blameless Okay, let nothing taint you in any aspect Of your of your you know, how you are Be it spirit be it soul be it body May a whole spirit soul and body be preserved blameless About approach blameless At the coming of the Lord. So till the coming of the Lord May it be preserved blameless So he who calls us faithful and also the Lord will do it. He will do it Um, so because he's saying may the god of peace Sanctify you and may he preserve blameless, but of course What is not mentioned there is that it requires our cooperation Right, we cannot say that I will live however. I want to live and may the god of peace You know sanctify me completely And preserve me my spirit soul and body And keep it blameless at it till his come till he comes at his coming Well, it requires me to cooperate. It requires us as believers to cooperate. Okay Fine finally says Pray for us greet all the brethren with the holy kiss which was their, you know, customary traditional way of greeting one another The men would greet one another the same manner As the women would also do that. So greet all with a holy kiss I charge you by the Lord that this episode will be read to all So the same instruction which he gives the collusion church also that they read it in the in the other Places. So he says, you know Let it be read To all let it be given to all And the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Okay, so with that we come to the end of this first Thessalonians And now let's move on to uh, second Thessalonians Okay, um, let me just project. I realized that I hadn't uploaded the Notes, so I'll do that both first Thessalonians and second Thessalonians. Um, I'll You know, put it up Okay Um, let me just project the notes for now Okay, so we're looking at uh, second Thessalonians, so Paul writes And again here in the second Thessalonians also is addressing the coming of the Lord Okay, he's addressing some things about the coming of the Lord and also here addresses, uh, you know some um, some teachings or some kind of a thought Conversations that's been happening in the church Saying, uh, the coming of the Lord has already come The coming of the Lord has happened. It's already there and so on. So he's setting right those things as well and he also Gives some instructions and that is towards the end in the chapter three. So um, so this seems to have been written um Very soon after first Thessalonians the episode of first Thessalonians was sent Written and sent right. So this seems to have been written in quick succession. So around maybe 80 50 or so Um, and scholars say it could have been, you know, maybe a few weeks after he wrote and sent Uh, first Thessalonians right so in in quick succession not too much of time Between the two episodes so Yeah, so let's look at So these are some of the things that he is addressing Right in the in this episode um, that about the judgment of God when Christ returns um, that We will how as believers we will share in the glory of the Lord Jesus and uh, and when he uh, when he comes back or before he comes back um, he talks about the antichrist the man of lawlessness uh, and so on Right and uh, and then finally some instructions about some some practical life applications for the believer in the church Okay so He he talks about all this. Okay, so let's let's read Okay, chapter one verse one paul silvanus and timothy to the church of the thessalonians in god our father and the lord jesus christ grace to you and peace from god our father and the lord jesus christ We are bound to give thanks Sorry, we are bound to thank god always for you brethren As it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all abounds Towards each other so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of god for your patience and faith in all of your persecutions and tribulations with you in your Which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of god that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of god for which you Also suffer persecution Since it's a righteous thing with god to repay with tribulation those who trouble you And to give you who are troubled rest with us When the lord jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know god And on those who do not obey the gospel of our lord jesus christ These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord and from the glory of his power When he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints And to be admired among all those who believe because Our testimony among you has been it was believed Therefore we also pray always for you that our god would count you worthy of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness And the work of faith with power that the name of our lord jesus christ may be glorified in you And you and him according to the grace of our god And the lord jesus christ Okay, so Paul starts by saying is you know, he wishes them in the traditional or the customary manner and also In a manner that he always does to the churches about grace and peace from god And so he also says that you know He always give thanks to you give thanks to god for you because Two things right the faith grows exceedingly. He's heard of faith of the tislonians, which is you know, which is growing and Their love for one another also abounds, you know, so this faith and love seems to be the hallmark of Or the or the pillar of This church or something that is very very expressive Something that really sets them apart so they have their faith in god seems to be growing And it is put on display their love for one another is also something that is growing and abounding And which is also something which is very noticeable, right? So he's saying, you know, we boast of you among the churches of god we boast of you and We also boast about your patience and faith in all your tribulations persecutions which you endure so And all these other places churches of god You know, there is we we boast Because we boast about your patience and faith and your patience and faith when you're going through Lot of persecutions lot of tribulations. So this is something that is happening in tislonica and even in the you know, the previous episode Paul talks about that talks about the You know the kind of tribulations that is happening and we we see that right he's saying, you know Your faith your hope your labor of love and and so on and he talks about About the suffering their suffering and we also he also, you know talks about The way they went through and saying, you know We went through all this it's like an example for them, right? So we see that in first tislonians and here Um, so he's saying that you are enduring this and which is which itself is an evidence Of the kingdom of god that you are chosen For worthy counted worthy of the kingdom of god for which you also suffer persecution Okay, and and one thing which he mentions is this that no don't forget that god will repay Oh god, it is a righteous thing. No, it is not something unrighteous. It's a righteous thing for god To repay those who trouble you Okay, so he'll bring about that It it is not, you know, in case you wonder, you know, is somebody noticing all this is their justice in all this uh, you know People are just continuing to do these things and evil seems to be increasing well Just remember that it is the righteous thing with god to repay with tribulation those who trouble you so God is watching. He is in control. He is definitely aware of all this And it is something that is righteous for him to pay back Like to repay All those who are troubling you right now Okay, he says in verse eight in um And to give you sorry verse seven and to give you what troubled rest along with us Then the lord is revealed In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know god And on those who do not obey the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ. So so this is the reality of not Uh, not being saved Okay, so those who he says those who are ignorant of god, you know, despite all the opportunities that god brings their way despite, you know, all that if they continue to be ignorant because of you know, their own decision Right, so that is what romans also talks about that they willingly exchange the truth for the lie Right, we read about that. They exchange the truth for the lie And uh, they did not want to retain the knowledge of god In their hearts and minds. So it's a it's a choice conscious choice So here saying that, um You know on those who do not know god There is a flaming fire Uh taking vengeance on those who do not know and on those who do not obey the gospel Of the lord the gospel is that salvation is in christ alone. The gospel is that So christ jesus carried the sin and the consequence of it And every curse upon himself on the cross and those who believe in him should not perish Those who believe in him put their trust in him should receive everlasting or eternal life Now that is the that is the gospel now those who do not obey the gospel also position themselves to You know to experience this wrath of god to experience the vengeance of the lord So That's the reality Um, that is something that's that that is unchanging unchangeable This is something that will happen As much as god is a god of love as much as god is a god of patience god is also the god of truth and holiness And this is something that he has put down It's not before he extends grace Right. He extends grace He gives opportunities, but if people would reject and then They face the consequences of that rejection Okay of not acceptance of not accepting Right Okay, so Verse nine these I'll be she shall be fun punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the lord and from the glory of the lord So this is what will happen And when he comes in that day to be glorified in his saints and to be admired Among all those who believe whereas those who believe and those who accept the lord for them It's a different thing the the coming of the lord is something that they're looking forward to they are admiring um, the lord they're worshiping they're admiring and and doing all that and Because the apostles Testimony or whoever testified about the jesus was you know, they believed that So Paul is saying, you know, we also pray for you That our god would count you worthy of his calling that You know in in previous episodes, he said, you know walk worthy of the lord Who has called you walk in a manner? Which means live in a manner conduct your life in a manner that is worthy of the lord Worthy of the call of the lord. So here on a similar lines is saying, um That That you would We always pray for you that god would Count you or god would count you worthy of this calling Or is that god that god would say yeah This person is living a life that is in line with the call. It's worthy of the call You know of the call that I actually extended. He's living. He or she's living a life Which is worthy of the call Okay, and And also fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power That the name of a lord jesus christ may be glorified So this is this is god's desire that his name will be glorified Right his position his play his power Everything will be glorified in us and we in him Okay, um according to his grace Which is the grace of the lord jesus christ Okay, let's look at chapter two Okay, so chapter two He's talking about you know, it's again You know the paul's way of addressing different topics, right in current things we see now now concerning spiritual gifts Now concerning food offer to idols right now concerning sexually morality and then he talks about these things Right, he addresses these things. So here he's saying now brethren concerning the coming of our lord Jesus christ and our gathering together to him We ask you Not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled Either by spirit or by word or by letter as if from us As through the day of christ had come Okay, okay, so um, so he's addressing this whole thing about the coming of the lord and And there seems to be some kind of a Letter going around Some kind of communication that is going around that the day of the lord has already Come so he's going to be addressing that issue Correcting that wrong teaching. Okay, okay, so we'll take a break here and come back in 10 minutes