Preparing for the Second Coming - 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

1:50My mind goes to the Great Commission in Matthew chapter 28. You know it well, don't you? Matthew 28, 18 through 20, Jesus tells his disciples, Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and I will be with you always even to the end of the age. The command isn't to go, the command is to make. The idea is: as you are going, make disciples. And that's what he tells his disciples to do. And then shortly thereafter, we enter the church history book, don't we? The book of Acts. Right there in Acts chapter 1, Jesus has a conversation with his disciples. He is now the risen Christ. He's come back to give them some further instructions. And Acts chapter 1, verses, well, 4 through 11, or 11, chapter 1, 4 through 13, really, talks about Jesus sending his disciples to go and to make disciples again. And so then he ascends, and they're stuck looking in the sky.

2:55It's no different now. A lot of Christians are stuck looking in the sky, going, Come on, Jesus, come back. I used to think. In college, I kid you not, I used to pray, Jesus, tomorrow I have a major final. It would be a good time to come back and looking in the sky. It would be a great time to return. But you know what? The angel said to those men, do you remember what they said? Why are you looking in the sky? Get to work, live your Christian lives, go about making disciples.

3:26Let's read 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, and I'm just going to read verses 11, 12, and 13. I do want to give a little bit of a backdrop to how we got to this point, but let me just read the text first, and then we'll drill into some of the main points. Paul writes these words in chapter 3, verse 11. Now, may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you, and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you, so that he may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father. There it is, at the coming, the Perousia, the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

4:24That's the passage, but what's the context? What's the big picture? What's going on here? Can't go through the entire book of 1 Thessalonians to bring us up to speed, but if we don't understand what's going on in this church up to this point, we won't understand these three verses well enough. So the first church of Thessalonica, really, literally, the first church of Thessalonica is known as the model congregation with model pastors. We spend a lot of time on this in Sunday school. How could it possibly be true that a church that had only been in existence for a minimum of three months, maybe eight at most, more likely six, be the model church? How is that possible? Well, we read further into text. We see in chapter 1, verses 3 through 4 that God chose them. So their labor is loving and their hope is sure. Chapter 1, verses 8 through 9, they turned from idols, from man-made, silly things that they worshiped, to a living God, a true God who made them. And they served him. They are remarkable disciple makers. Their testimony was known throughout the land, even foreign nations, in that short span of time of probably three to six months. They knew God's word, and they eagerly await Jesus' return. We know that in chapter 1, verse 10. Chapter 2, verse 13, and chapter 1, verse 10, they know God's word. And again, I say they can't wait for Jesus to come back because they know that Jesus has rescued them from God's wrath. Chapter 2, verses 1 through 12, they are resolved. To trust the gospel. This is a group of people that were severely afflicted for their faith over a short period of time. And yet they were resolved to trust the gospel. Chapter 2, verses 14 through 16, they are thankful for their faithfulness under affliction, both the pastors and the people.

6:21Chapter 2, verses 17 through 20, nothing hinders a pastor's disciple-making enthusiasm for God's church. That's the pastors who are leading this church. Chapter 3, verses 1 through 5, loyal pastors, what do they do? Well, we see in the text, they train their people, they serve their people, they protect them, and they prepare them, and they examine them. Are they really in the faith? They love God's flock. And then, of course, chapter 3, verses 6 through 10, just the neighbor to the passage that we're looking at now, as God's people remain faithful to him. Good news triumphs over persecution.

6:59This was a hurting people, but the good news that they came back with, Timothy, came back to Paul and Silas and told them that they are walking with the Lord. That was good news for them. And it triumphed over the affliction that they were facing. That's all they needed to hear: that the people were indeed walking. They were faithful. Their love was strong. Their faith was strong. So for 1 Thessalonians 3, 11 through 13 that we just read, we asked the question, what's the end game?

7:30What's the goal? What does he want them to get out of this passage? What does he want them to know? What's the pinnacle of life for them? Christians, we dare not miss the message of this passage. One day, the final curtain will come down on your life and my life. And the Bible says, as believers, we will stand before the Lord at the Bemis seat judgment. That's a judgment of believers. It's not a judgment to condemnation. It's a judgment to commendation.

8:02And we will sit on that seat, and there's going to be a question probably asked, the question that you probably will probably have to answer: to what will you point? There's the question: to what will you point as your greatest achievement when you're face to face with God upon Jesus' return? You most certainly won't point to your works, right? You can't say, I was such a good person, Jesus. Here's why you should let me in. No, this is assuming they're already saved.

8:352 Corinthians 5:10 says that at the Bemis seat, the judgment seat of Christ, you will be repaid. You will be recompensed, rewarded for the works that you did in the body. So the message today is: I want you to be found blameless, to be found blameless in God's presence upon Jesus' return. And I think that's what this text is. Addressing. In this text, you're going to see three model prayers, three model prayers with one perfect purpose and preparation for Jesus' coming.

9:16Think about your prayer list. What do you pray for as you wait for Jesus' coming? When you pray, look at your prayer list. What's at the very top? What's most important as you prepare for his return? Again, we're looking at three prayers, three petitions, making a beeline directly to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ with one perfect eternal result at Jesus' second coming. Look at the text again. I want you to focus in on verse 3.

9:51I'm going to talk about these prayers here. Excuse me, verse 11. These prayers and these perfect purposes, really, they stick out like a sore thumb, like a sore thumb. They're in the text. Verse 11, prayer for direction. In verse 12, prayer for increased love of one another. Again, verse 12, prayer for an increased love for the unbeliever, the lost. In verse 13, prayer with a perfect purpose. Let's start off with verse 11. Just take a look at the verse here. Prayer for direction.

10:28Wednesday night, I had a. Great time with many of you. You came down to Conroe, to Lakeside Bible Church, and you got to see an astronaut, right? Who was there? That was terrific. That was a memorable event. And I was thinking about this astronaut, Jeff Williams, a man who'd circled the earth every 90 minutes. And he talked about dates, right? I'm thinking, is it a different date for him every 90 minutes? My mind doesn't go in that way. So Debbie sent me straight. She used to work for NASA. I think I got it now, but probably not. But he circled the Earth and the space lab. We saw pictures of God's creation, both Earth and space. But what stuck out to me most was that volcano. Do you remember the volcano and the plume going up? What about the rivers in Madagascar? That was amazing. Sorry if you weren't there. I'm sure there'll be other times to see it. But what impressed me most about Jeff Williams, astronauts, testimony, he missed his family. He's only 250 miles away from them. But he missed his family. He got to talk to them on the phone.

11:42But I was sitting right behind his wife. And I could see him. When he would say he missed his family, he was looking at her. He wanted to get back to her. He wanted to get back to his kids, maybe his grandkids. He missed her. He was gone for six months. As much as he was thrilled about being in space and how thrilling that would be, he wanted to go home to be with his family. That paints a picture here. Paul wanted to be with his family, too.

12:16He planted this church, spent probably three months there, and was whisked out of town when it became very apparent that if he didn't leave, they would kill him. He wanted to be with his family, his church. We see his prayers in verses 11 through 13. I would say this prayer is instructive. This prayer is instructive for all shepherds. And as I said this morning in Sunday school class, if you're a believer, you ought to be shepherding somebody, watching out for somebody. You are your brothers and sisters' keeper.

12:48The prayer is instructive for all shepherds, and it comes in the form of a sort of a wishful hope, a kind of wishful prayer, a kind of hopeful petition to God. There's some doubt in his voice as he prays these prayers. It's really fascinating to read it through. And I want you to think about your prayers. Think about your prayers as you wait for Jesus' second coming. Again, when you pray, what do you see at the top of your prayer list as you wait for him? A model shepherd longs to be in the presence of God's people. This isn't something. One-time meet-and-greet preacher that shows up and is seen long enough for people to think that he's there the whole time.

13:41This is a longing to be with them. Paul risked his life to be among God's people. Repeatedly, his passion to be around them is evident through the scripture. We see in Acts 16:6 that Paul tried to visit Asia, but he admits the Holy Spirit stopped him from going, but he wanted to be there. 16:7, Jesus prevented Paul from going to Bithynia. In Romans 1, God refused to let Paul go to Rome. He didn't give up. He finally made it.

14:12Not being ashamed of the gospel, he was desperate to come to them in Rome because he simply wanted to preach the good news to the people that we are very familiar with in chapter 1. Why? Because it's God's power. It's the power of God for what? What is the gospel? It's the power of God for salvation for all the believing ones, Jews and Gentiles alike. Again, in Romans 15, 23, Paul mentions his desperation, saying, For many years I've been longing to come to you. Why do I say all this? Because it's built in his character. He wants to get back to the Thessalonians. He wants to be with God's people.

14:55It's a passion for them. He wants to see them. He wants to be around them. He. Wants to encourage them in Acts 17, which is where the church was planted. Acts 17, the new believers seen that Paul was about to be killed, they whisked him out of town. He hardly had time to say goodbye to them, to give them more instruction. 1 Thessalonians 2.17, he tells them, he tells them, here's the quote, he says, he's eager with great desire to see your face. It's an exceedingly great desire to be in front of you, to encourage you. In 2.18, he wanted to come to them not once, but more than once, several times, but Satan hindered him. Chapter 3, verse 1 and 2, Paul settles with the fact that only Timothy, out of the three of them, Paul, Silas, and Timothy, only Timothy could come. And so he himself remained behind with deep concern for their well-being. He's praying for them. As you wait on Jesus' return, what's the most critical item on your prayer list?

16:12We've all read stories about families with missing children, seeing pictures of loved ones on milk cartons and billboards. Do they do that on milk cartons anymore? They're all over the place. We hear the story. They're desperate to come. Come home. They would want nothing more than to hold their son or their daughter just one more time. This is Paul's desperation. He's got to be with them. And Timothy's come back with a great report, but he still wants to be there. In chapter 3, Timothy returned to Paul with good news that the model church was standing firm in the Lord. They had increased faith and increased love. They hold fast to the faith of the gospel of Jesus. They hold fast to the gospel of his death, his resurrection, and his subsequent return. They hold fast to their love for one another. As comforting as this good news is, a model pastor prays in verse 11. Do you see what he prays in verse 11?

17:19Here it is. Now may our God and Father Himself, Jesus our Lord, direct our way. The word is Hadas, from which we get the word Exodus, the Bible Exodus, Haddas, that He would direct our way to you. Our direction, it's a road. In Exodus, it's the road out, ex Haddas. It's the road away from Egypt. But he's praying just the opposite. He's trying to get the road back to Thessalonica in the face of death to be with these people.

17:55Paul expresses no concern for his own neck. He simply... Wants the Father and the Lord Jesus to blaze a trail for his entrance back into Thessalonica. Why? To shepherd and disciple this flock. So important. I'll ask it again as you wait for Jesus' second coming. What's on the top of your prayer list? Do you see your prayer list? What did you pray for this morning? Are you praying? to shepherd Jesus' flock, to disciple them so that they're equipped to make more disciples here at Emmanuel Baptist Church. You will be equipped to make more disciples in other parts of the world. There's a second petition. It's like a lightning bolt straight to the Father, straight to the Son. It instructs us how to be prepared for Jesus' second coming. Are you patiently awaiting his second coming?

19:01Here's what should be on the top of our prayer list, and it's in verse 12. Here it is. I love this. It's two prayers in verse 12. May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another. It's a hopeful prayer. There's a little bit of doubt in his voice when he says this. May the Lord cause you to increase. I'm hoping your love will increase and abound for one another. The model pastor expresses his hope in the form of another prayer. He longs for the Lord Jesus to increase. You hear the word increase, think cause to grow. He wants their love to grow for one another, and he wants it evident within that church. You shall know them by your love for one another.

19:54He's hoping, he's praying that the Lord will cause the model church to grow in their love for each other. I experienced that kind of love this week at Emmanuel Baptist Church, and it felt good. Just a few days ago, I got a letter from Pastor Tom, and I have his approval to read this. I didn't want to put him on the spot, but Pastor, you made my day. Here's what he said. I told him I might not make it, so let's see if we can do this, okay? If I can't make it, then you've got to come up and read it. Your dad wrote it. All right, okay, here we go. Dear Eric, my feelings are very mixed upon receiving your resignation. On the one hand, I'm saddened. It seems like we just started getting to know each other. Your smile, disposition, and kind words are always an encouragement to me. He puts it in quotes: Your outside perspective on Emmanuel has been very helpful to me as a pastor. And to us as a body, getting to know you and Debbie has been a privilege and a joy.

21:00After our TMAI Advance Team meeting in November, we both, Tom and Nancy, commented on what a fun couple you all are to hang around with. Both of you will be missed. On the other hand, I'm very excited about what God has in store for you. I believe God has great things in mind and will use you incredibly. What a great opportunity at a great time in history. Please keep me posted on the happenings at TMAI, rest assured.

21:32I'm very thankful that God gives us a little window of time to labor in ministry together. Go get him, boss. He always calls me his boss. But he never let me demand that he do something. But he did listen to me. That's right, boss. He says, close us a letter. Best blessings to you and Debbie, Thomas. P.S. Enjoy that, granddaughter. That's love. This man loves me. Thank you. Again, it made my day. And I say that because I want you to get that feeling that Paul has to be with these people, even if it means he's going to die. Paul's hope-filled prayer isn't just that they love one another. Clearly, they already love each other. That's the good news Timothy's talking about in verse 6. Considering Jesus' second coming, The model pastor prays that their love might abound. Think, proliferate, think, multiply for each other. Like an overflowing glass of water, or perhaps an overflowing can of Dr. Pepper.

22:49Paul tells how this model church has room for improvement. Do you hear that? The model church has room for improvement. Doesn't that encourage you here? I don't take minute encouragement from others' misery. There's no misery here, but they had room for improvement. You know what? We have room for improvement. Where does it start? It starts with you. It starts with you. This is encouraging. We can improve in our love. But what does increased love for one another look like? Is it just some sort of a touchy-feeling thing? Or do we see things in the New Testament that talk about real ways on how to love each other? Well, you know this already. I mean, the New Testament, these letters that Paul writes and others write, give us realistic, specific examples on how to love the flock better. Romans 12, 10, be devoted to one another. Romans 12, 10, again, highly esteem one another. Romans 12, 16, be like-minded. Romans 14, 19, build one another up in the faith. Romans 14. 14, 19, be at peace with one another. Comfort and admonish one another. Care for one another. 1 Corinthians 12, 25. Serve one another. Galatians 5, 13. Carry your burdens. Carry the other burdens of others. Galatians 6, 2.

24:17In Ephesians, be patient. Be kind. Submit to one another. Highly esteem one another. Philippians chapter 2. I love this one. Colossians 3, 13. Forgive one another. This is how the model church does it. They seek the good of others. 1 Thessalonians 5:13, same book. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Hebrews chapter 10. Confess your sins to one another. James 5. Be hospitable. Be humble. 1 Peter 5:5. As we wait for Jesus' return, there's some great advice there.

25:01So we wait for Jesus' return. Let's hope and pray that these kinds of love overflow here at Emmanuel Baptist Church. After hearing all that, as you open up that prayer list and you gaze at the top of it, what's at the top? Lord, I need a new car. Come on, give me a break. Lord, I need this. Give me that. Do this. Do that. Demand the Lord to do whatever. No, love one another. Pray for the salvation of the lost. Pray that those who are walking with Christ would have a deeper walk with Christ. That's at the top of your prayer list. As you wait for the second coming, what about the unbeliever? What about those who are living in a high-handed rebellion against the Lord? How do we treat them? They need prayer too, don't they? Who prayed for you when you weren't walking with the Lord, didn't know the Lord? They loved you, they cared for you, they prayed for you, and God rescued you. So the third petition, like a rocket straight to the Father and the Son, is a prayer that they would love the unbeliever in preparation for the second coming. Do you see it in verse 12 again? He prays for increased love of the lost. I'll read all verse 12. And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and what?

26:33For all people, for the love of all people, just as we, there's an example there, just as we do for you. If we must increase our love for the lost, shouldn't we know some lost people? Shouldn't we know who they are? The lost. Are those who haven't done what the Thessalonians did in Acts chapter 17, verse 3? They heard the gospel that Jesus had to suffer, die, and rise from the dead. They heard in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 10, he's coming back to save them from God's wrath.

27:20How should we express our overflowing, over-the-top love for the lost? Look at verse 12 again. Just as. Do you see the words? How do you do it? Just as. Paul says, just as we expressed our love for you. Again, this takes us back to the founding of this church in Acts 17, 1 through 4. They were just beaten to a pulp in Philippi, put in prison, let out. They're not done. Afflictions don't stop them. They have a gospel to give out. They love the lost, and so they give the lost the gospel, and people turn to Christ.

28:02Turn over to 1 Thessalonians 2. I just want to point out a few things about their love for the lost. 1 Thessalonians 2, 3. Exhort them. Who? The lost. Exhort them to do what? Exhort them without error or deceit. In other words, give them the word of God. That's how you love a lost person. You give them the word of God. You can fill their bellies all day long with food. You can heal their wounds. But unless they hear the truth of the word, Christ and repent and turn to Christ, they'll go to hell, excuse me, hell with a full belly and a patched-up wound. We love them with the truth, without error or deceit. Verse 4 and chapter 2, speak to them in a way that pleases God, not men. That's how they love the lost. Chapter 2, verse 5, don't flatter them. Tell the whole truth.

28:55Verse 8, impart God's gospel to them because why? He says it in the text. They're dear to you, they're important to you. That's how you love the lost. Verse 12, exhort them and implore them like a father would his own children. I love that word picture. A father sits down with his children and exhorts them and teaches them. What does he exhort them? You exhort them to, well, exhort them and implore them like a father would his own children to walk in a manner worthy of God who is calling them into his kingdom and his glory.

29:32I fear for the church. Many churches box themselves up in their own little enclaves. They circle the wagons as if to shoot down the Indians and get away from us. We don't want any part of you. Don't mess up our club, you see. Some churches are like tombs filled with aesthetic spirituality where the lost aren't even welcomed. Emmanuel is a place that welcomes the lost. Do better, can't we? The lost need to be sought out, or the lost are hated. Sometimes they're considered the enemy rather than those made in God's image. They're made in God's image, they need the truth. That's how Paul loved the lost. He says, Love the lost like we love the lost.

30:29They're like we once were, dead in our sins and our trespasses, but God made us alive in Christ. He will make them alive. So, in preparing for the second coming, how shall we love the lost? Well, we give them the gospel. We give them the gospel. We love them. We care for them. We give them the gospel and hope and pray that the Holy Spirit convicts them of sin and righteousness and judgment, John chapter 15 and 16. As you prepare for Jesus' return, again, as you glance at that prayer list of yours, that prayer journal, what do you see?

31:11If you don't see the names of people at the top of that list, add them. Specifically, names of people who don't know Christ and pray for them. In preparation for Jesus' return, pray for them. Well, there's a fourth prayer in preparation for. Jesus' return. It's in verse 13. And it's another prayer that's directly launched at the Father and the Son, and it has a flawless objective, a real purpose behind it. Prayer with a perfect purpose. That's number four. Prayer with a perfect purpose. Verse 13, here it is. So that he may establish your hearts without blame and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.

32:00This is a perfect purpose. This is a flawless objective. It's really a concluding statement to the prayers mentioned in verses 11 and 12. Specifically, it's a prayer for direction. We've got to get back. It's a prayer for the love of one another within the church, and it's a prayer for the lost. Paul says, at the coming of our Lord Jesus in that section of Scripture in verse 13. This is the model shepherd. This is the kind of shepherd I long to be. He prays that the flock will be ready for that Bama seat judgment. Again, it's not a judgment of condemnation, it's a judgment of commendation.

32:47That's Jesus' seat of judgment for established, blameless, holy believers in God's presence upon Jesus' return. Judgment of reward. In chapter 1, verse 10, again, I say, Jesus already rescued us from wrath. Our genuine hope is the good news that Jesus is coming back. Why do we argue over when he's coming back? Get to work. Love the brother and sister in Christ. Love the unbeliever. Our genuine hope is the good news that he is coming back. Model pastors want to be with the model church, and Jesus wants to be with his flock at the second coming.

33:41The model pastor's hope for the model church is that their hearts may be established, think strengthened, think confirmed, secure, confident, blameless at the presence, more precisely, in front of God the Father. The model pastor longs for believers' hearts to be blameless, holy, set apart, think flawless upon Jesus' return. So when you pray, what do you find at the top of that prayer list? Can you think of maybe some adjustments you can make even tonight? Notice the model pastor's consistency. If you flip over to chapter 5, verse 23 of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5, 23, 23 prays really the same thing. This is a common theme on his heart and his mind. I had several of the passages I wanted to mention, but we just simply don't have time. But this one is appropriate. 5:23, he says this: Now, may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete. Here it is, without blame. When? At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is a tender prayer. The model pastor wants the flock motivated for holy living because they will stand before God, the Father, at the coming of his Son, with all the saints, with all the holy ones, with all the believers. So, in light of all of this, in preparation for the second coming, how are you praying for others? Are you looking in the sky for God to give you your next need? It's not wrong to pray for our needs. That's certainly appropriate.

35:36We're called to love one another. How can we pray for increased love for others, for the unbeliever? So, as we leave this passage, I would say my exhortation for you is this: to carefully consider how you can more effectively serve the Lord in your prayers. Are you looking for that path? Pray for that path to direct your way to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible calls this, it's not very profound, shepherding. God wants you shepherding. Pray for the Lord to cause your love for other believers to overflow as evidenced by how you treat them in God's presence.

36:30Pray for the Lord to give you an overwhelming love for the lost by taking advantage of the model shepherd's prayer for them. Clearly articulate the gospel so that they're poised to come to Christ, so that they too may stand blamelessly before God face to face upon Jesus' return. How do you prepare for Jesus' return? This, my friends, is how you prepare for the second coming. Question is, are you prepared? Yes? Praise God. Question is, are you ill-prepared for Jesus' return? If yes, it's very simple. It's time to love God's people by discipling them through his word, not your opinions, his word. It's time to love the unbeliever by telling them the truth of the gospel. Jesus had to suffer, Jesus had to die, Jesus rose. From the dead. He calls for repentance. He's coming back to save us from God's wrath. That's the gospel.

37:38My hope is that you'll put those on the top of your prayer list as you await Jesus' second coming. Father, we're grateful for this evening. So grateful for Emmanuel Baptist Church, that this is a church that proclaims the gospel as a pastor who spends hours and hours poring over your word to give the sense of the truth. Father, I pray for the shepherds here, our elders, that you would continue to instill in them a love for you and a love for your word and a love for your people as expressed through the way they disciple them and shepherd them.

38:18Father, I pray for the people that you would give them a greater heart, a greater desire to learn more of your word so that others are prepared to teach Sunday school classes, others are prepared to lead prayer sessions, others are prepared to serve in Pioneer's Friday church, others are theologically equipped and biblically sound to disciple women in Elm. Lord, we plead for you in this way that you would make us a people after your own heart, as evidenced by our love for others, whether they're believers or unbelievers, Lord, use this body for your glory. And it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. And have a great evening.