Paul Was Thankful, How About You?

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by

Robert Piña
in

Introduction: In this message we see how the Apostle Paul thanked God different things that local churches were doing. This is encouraging to see because I too am thankful to God for what He is doing in this local church through each and every one of you.  

Paul Thanked God For: 

  1. The Philippians Fellowship in the Gospel– Philippians 1:3-5 “For your fellowship in the gospel”. They too were living for God and sharing Christ with a lost and needful world.
    • The same Gospel brought them Together- The gospel according to I Corinthians 15 1-4. They live, serve, and bear witness to the same Lord.
    • The Need Kept the Gospel going Forth- there are lost people in Kingsville that are dying and going to hell on a daily basis.
      • We can have fellowship in the Gospel by:
        • Believing the same Gospel. * Praying for lost people in Kingsville. *Preaching the Gospel. *Praying for those that preach the Gospel. *Financially Supporting the Gospel, tracts/ NT Bibles. 
  1. The Colossians Love Toward Each Other– Colossians 1:3-4 “the love which ye have to all the saints”. There is nothing sweeter than to go to a church where you can feel and see the love for another. As believers, we should have two main things; faith and love. I John 3:23 “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment”. If there is love toward each other then there shouldn’t be cliques, division, envy, strife, hard feelings, criticism, arguments, etc. I John 4:7 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of god; and every one that liveth is born of God, and knoweth God”. The love of believers is based on the Love of Jesus Christ-sacrificial. The love of believers is stirred by the Holy Spirit- it is supernatural, Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love”. 
  1. The Romans Faith Being Spoke of– Romans 1:8 “that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world”. This church had a powerful testimony and that’s what Paul was hearing wherever he went. This church was focused on the gospel of Jesus Christ and living pure lives. The believers were living pure lives in the midst of an immoral and unjust society. The citizens of Rome were partying, greedy, selfish, prideful, in drunkenness, in idolatry, in sin and wickedness.The believers were serving Christ faithfully and living lives that were pleasing to God in Rome and everywhere else they went. Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of our mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God”. No matter where we are, we should keep our good testimony, we represent Jesus Christ. 
  1. The Romans Obedience to Doctrine– Romans 6:17 “but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you”. Doctrine is the teachings of the Bible. There are the right kind of teaching, from a KJB and then there are the wrong kinds of teachings. Before “ye were the servant of sin” and now “ye became the servant of righteousness”. You know what did that? obedience. “but ye have obeyed from the heart hat form of doctrine which was delivered you”. The right kind of doctrine is important because when it is OBEYED, it completely changes a person from serving sin to serve righteousness. 
  1. The Thessalonians Work of Faith and Labour of Love– I Thessalonians 1:1-3 “We give thanks to God always for you all…Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love”. Work of Faith- obedience because one believes in Jesus Christ. A strong faith stirs, activates, and energizes believers to work and carry out the mission of Christ. No one has to tell him or force him, he just does it. James 2:14-17. Labour of Love- love is the motivation for labour, or serving God. To labor is to toil to the point of exhaustion. When a person truly loves Jesus Christ he will spent for Jesus Christ. The believer recognizes that Christ paid so much for him and the believer labors in love- how can we ever repay Christ. II Corinthians 5:14-15 “constraineth”- compels, urges. There are things that don’t require money, they require a people getting them done. VBS decorating/teaching/crafts, Painting, Mowing the Lawn, fixing the hymn books, throwing the trash, vacuuming, etc. The believers labor and service is bought and paid for by the precious blood of Christ. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify god in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Corinthians 6:19-20. 

Conclusion: The Apostle Paul was tankful to God foe each one of these actions that he saw in the local churches. These are things that we should also have and strive to be.