This morning we begin a study of Paul’s letter to Titus, one of his last letters, a letter that is one of three referred to as Pastoral Epistles, letters written to young pastors, namely Timothy and Titus.

(There is a brief audio cut out near the beginning of the video)

A proper understanding of the second coming of Christ and its bearing on our behavior while awaiting His coming is the driving force behind Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica. The young church had some fundamental misunderstandings about the second coming and it was affecting not only their confidence in what they had been taught but their witness in the community.

If a church is a praying church, it can handle whatever might come. Especially if it’s praying for others, and it’s praying for strength and direction.

When a good church, one that’s growing in faith and love, comes under persecution, it doesn’t make sense. Especially when the attacks come from people who claim to know and love God and from the community in which the church is seeking to minister.

The young church in Thessalonica was a good church. One for which the Apostle Paul could be thankful, one of which he could speak proudly, and one for which he could confidently pray. It was not, however, a perfect church.

This morning we begin a study of Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians and find out how they were doing.

What is it you want to ask Jesus when He comes back?

It's been nearly 2,000 years since Jesus left this world and promised to return... So where is He?

We are coming to the close of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. At first glance it looks like he is simply closing with a series of unrelated admonitions and instructions for the church in Thessalonica.

If you drove home for Christmas with your kids, you probably heard, “Are we there yet?” And if their phones died, you no doubt heard an anguished, “How much further?” That might give you some idea how Paul must have felt when the Thessalonians started quizzing him about the second coming.