Christmas time is filled with wonder and excitement as we celebrate the birth of our Savior. R.K. Hughes writes, “Without a doubt we could spend our lives searching the literature of the world for a story as beautiful as that of the Nativity and never find it. The narrative of Christ’s birth is especially piercing…
As followers of Christ we are encouraged to not only walk in holiness, in love, and honesty; but we are also to walk in hope. To have hope is to have a confident expectation. We are to live with the confident expectation that we will be reunited with believing loved ones at the return of…
Years ago when I was in middle school, I had a teacher that made us write 1 Thessalonians 4:11 repeatedly as a punishment. Needless to say, 1 Thessalonians 4:11 is a verse that I know all too well. The exhortation that we are given in these verses is to walk in honesty. In verse 12…
“The early Latin writer, Tertullian of Carthage, declared that the one thing that converted him to Christianity was not the arguments they gave him, because he could find a counterpoint for every argument they would present. But they demonstrated something I didn’t have. The thing that converted me to Christianity was the way they loved…
In the first three chapters of 1 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul joyfully reminds the church of their foundation in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we come to chapter four, we see a very direct appeal to not just know the Gospel but to also live the Gospel. Those who are truly born again will…
One can never underestimate the importance of the local church. It is through local churches all around the world that God carries out His purposes in the world today. The church is the vehicle through which God’s Kingdom purposes are advanced. As Paul expresses his love for the church at Thessalonica we learn how Paul…
There is nothing more glorious than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Martin Luther said, “The true treasure of the church is the most holy Gospel of the glory and the grace of God.” Paul states that the church at Thessalonica is his ‘glory and joy’. Why does he make such a statement? It is because…
I have served in full-time ministry all of my adult life and grew up in a pastor’s home. There are many things that I have experienced, witnessed, and learned over the years. One interesting thing that has always dumbfounded me is that most problems that a church faces very seldom originate from attacks outside the…
There are many things throughout our lives for which we have been trusted. We all have various responsibilities and people that we are accountable for. However, as important as our responsibilities are, there is no greater task to be entrusted with than the task of preaching the Gospel and helping believers grow in their…
The term ‘Christian’ basically refers to a follower of Christ. It should be the desire of every believer to follow Jesus. As Paul continues to express his thankfulness for the believers at Thessalonica, he highlights what it looks like to truly follow the Lord. Like the Thessalonians, are you known as one who follows the…
Pastor Chris Noland 