In Matthew, Jesus is the perfect man, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who took on flesh. As Hebrews says, “A body you have prepared for me.” Welcome to Advent!

Gary Haugen, CEO of the International Justice Mission, works in the darkest corners of society. He’s seen countless cases of human trafficking and violence against the poor. You might think that this burden is too heavy to bear and that he slogs along under the weight of human depravity. But Haugen is remarkably joyful and resilient. What is his secret? Prayer. He says, “Prayerless striving leads only to exhaustion.” I think that the Apostle Paul would agree. He strove, to be sure, but he also prayed. Join us this week as we overhear Paul pray for the Thessalonian church in 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, and incorporate the same pattern into our own prayers.

Do you experience joy in the realities of God’s Kingdom? Often we are head down in the daily routine, worn by the grind to provide for our future, and faltering under the weight of too many decisions and relationships, but the gospel promises a greater joy. The Apostle Paul had joy because his Thessalonian friends held onto faith in Jesus beyond their circumstances. I hope you will come to encourage others and be encouraged yourselves to see the joy in the realities of faith in Jesus. Please take the time to read 1 Thessalonians 2:19-3:13 and feel free to invite a friend to join you for worship. See you all Sunday,

Paul’s pastoral heart for the Thessalonians is expressed through his worry about how they are doing as a church. We all face struggles with our faith and can be tempted when we are challenged by persecution or hardship. Christians encourage one another to remain faith-full as we live for Jesus. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:9 - 3:13 as we prepare to hear from God’s word together. I can’t wait to be with you all.

Reading an epistle (a formal letter) is like listening to one side of a telephone conversation. In 1 Thessalonians we have heard Paul say again and again that he loves the church, was worried about them, and is relieved that they are standing firm in the Lord even in the midst of trials. We hear Paul reveal his heart, a pastor’s heart, and we ask God to bring us a pastor who will devote heart, soul, and energy into protecting and building up the flock. 

What can we expect when we engage in gospel ministry? The answer to that varies from era to era, culture to culture, and situation to situation; but 1 Thessalonians shows us two outcomes that have occurred throughout time: opposition but also encouragement. Lord, help us to share the good news in spite of opposition. Lord, encourage us as we partner with you in your work.

This week we will be gazing on the beauty of the Lord. We know that God is beautiful, but we are too easily distracted from fixing our eyes on him. Fortunately, Psalm 27 shows us a sure-proof way to find the rest and comfort offered to us in any situation.

The mission of God, sometimes called the “mission dei,” is our Lord’s plan to reach every tongue, tribe, and nation. His mission is our mission too! Join us this Sunday as we see His heart and plan in Psalm 87, and then next week as we hear from FCCH missionary Roger Lowther.

In our two-part mini-series on how to share the gospel, we will overhear Paul once again summarize how he shared it. He and his team were bold, gentle, selfless, authentic, affectionate, and blameless. Oh my. Who can live up to that standard? But don’t despair—the Spirit, Church, and role models are here to equip and inspire us.

Sharing the gospel is one of our primary missions as Christians but it can be difficult and awkward. Our mission needs to be informed by proper motive. This Sunday, we will explore how as Christians, we share the gospel as approved by God, burdened by His mission, and out of compassion for the lost.