WOULD PAUL GLORY IN BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH?
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: (2Th 1:4)
In the First letter to the church of the Thessalonians Paul says:
"We give thanks to God always for you…"
In the Second letter to the church of the Thessalonians Paul says:
"We are bound to thank God always for you …"
In the Second epistle Paul says "…we ourselves glory in you …"
Now as we look at BOTH epistles we see why Paul was always thanking God for them, and what it was about them that Paul gloried in . . .
There were three things that this church excelled in. FAITH, LOVE, and PATIENCE
This church had a reputation in Macedonia, Achaia, and spread abroad!
LOOK at 1 Thess. 1:3
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
LOOK at 2 Thess. 1:3-4
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
I - FAITH
Their FAITH grew exceedingly!
Paul DID NOT glory in or thank God always for their …
growing attendance; buildings; large offerings; numbers of missionaries supported; etc.
He gloried and thanked God that THEY WERE GROWING IN THEIR FAITH.
We cannot be satisfied that our attendance has jumped.
We cannot be satisfied that our offerings have jumped.
We cannot be satisfied that our missions program is respectable.
We cannot be satisfied that we are seeing people saved & baptized on a regular basis.
ARE WE GROWING IN OUR FAITH? Or are we stagnant?
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. (Job 17:9)
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; (Psa 92:12-14)
And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. (Luk 17:5)
The NUMERIC & FINANCIAL GROWTH OF BETH HAVEN IS NOT NEARLY AS IMPORTANT AS THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS IMPORTANT.
Could Paul glory in Beth Haven? Would he see us growing in FAITH?
II - LOVE
Not only did Paul glory in them because of their growing FAITH, but he also gloried in them because of their abounding LOVE.
We don't read anything about increasing attendance, increasing offerings, increasing lands & buildings, increasing missions, increasing prestige, etc. These are things that men glory in today. These are things that get noised abroad today. These are the things that get noticed today. These are the things that make a pastor popular. These are the things that bring the church special status among it peers. These are the things that give the pastor & church a national name.
BUT … these are not the things that impressed Paul. Paul gloried in the church of the Thessalonians because their FAITH was growing, AND their LOVE for one another was increasing!
But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; (1Th 4:9-10)
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (sincere) love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (1Pe 1:22)
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (2Pe 1:5-9)
What about Beth Haven? Are we known for our growing spirituality? Are we known for our growing love for one another?
What do the visitors that have been visiting our church think? Do they walk away thinking we are a spiritual bunch? Do they walk away thinking we are a loving bunch?
What do the other churches in Morgantown think of us? What do they hear of us? What do our neighbors think of us? What do they hear of us?
Do you love the brethren? Do you even KNOW the brethren?
III - PATIENCE
Paul also gloried in this church because in spite of their persecutions & tribulations they CONTINUED to be FAITHFUL. Not only did they grow spiritually, not only did they increase their love for one another, they hung in there … when times got tough!
They were not quitters.
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; And sent Timothy, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain. (1Th 3:1-5)
But now when Timothy came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: (1Th 3:6)
Is Beth Haven comprised of a bunch of quitters? Or is Beth Haven made up of people that keep going, and stay faithful when things go wrong, even very wrong?
Would Paul glory in our PATIENCE, in our STEADFASTNESS, in our STICK-TO-IT-IVE-NESS?
Would Paul thank God always because we PLOW AHEAD no matter how tough it gets?
Or would Paul be ashamed because we have a revolving door?