Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body...

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God...

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God

Paul is writing this letter to encourage the Thessalonians as they face persecution for the gospel.

Paul undoubtedly had many reasons for writing to this young church, all coming out of his concern for the congregation from which he had been separated. This sermon takes a brief look at two of those reasons.

The Apostle Paul sounds like a spiritual failure, rather than down playing his past, rather than refusing to confess what and who he was; Paul uses his sinful history as an example of God’s grace.

"Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?"

"So the last will be first, and the first last.”

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?"