Sermon Tone Analysis

Gratitude for This Church

I’m praying for This Church — I’m praying that God would make us a church like the church in Thessalonica.

We could say that Paul celebrates this church.

He couldn’t say that about all the churches, but he does this church.

Some of the churches needed rebuke, some encouragement to grow.

But this church — This Church was much the model church.

This was how a church is to be.

And Paul celebrates This Church.

Look at it in verse 2.

He expresses thanksgiving to God for This Church.

And notice — Who does Paul Thank?

He thanks God, right?

I thank God for all you.

He thanks God not them!

Why is this important?

It’s for the same reason I told you what I am praying for This Church to be like the church in Thessalonica — because we need the marvelous sovereign grace of God to work in This Church to be like This Church in Thessalonica.

What

So let’s begin and we’re going to break this up in two sections:

First — the Priorities of the Pastor

and then Second — the Priorities of the Church.

The Priorities of the Pastor and the Priorities of the Church.

If This Church is to be like This Church, then we need the Priorities of the Pastor and the Priorities of the Church to blend in perfect accord with the Word of God.

It’s not important how we think things should be but how God says they should be.

The Priorities of the Pastor must be what the Word of God says they should be and the Priorities of the Church should be what the Word of God says they should be.

And they must be in perfect accord together each doing their own but both in accord with the Word of God.

You can’t have one doing something according to some marketing group or something like that, but always — Always in Accord to the Word of God.

So, let’s look at both of these beginning with the Priorities of the Pastor.

And I’m praying the Lord move mightily to His glory in us.

I.

The Priorities of the Pastor

I must tell you.

This has been the most convicting week for me personally.

When I preach to you about the Priorities of the Pastor — I want you to understand that this is primarily for me.

I’m preaching to myself this morning — have been all week.

Although this is primarily for me — there is something of great benefit to you — and that is you really know how you’re to pray for me.

I need you to pray for me in this.

If we’re going to be This Church, then as your pastor I need to have these priorities.

The Pastor has a priority to Pray

First comes prayer.

This puts the Pastor in the role of a priest who takes the People to God.

He lifts the people to the presence of God.

He bears with them with all their needs to the throne of Grace.

Look at verse 2

Paul was always praying for them.

This was the Pauline Pattern to Pray.

Colossians

He prayed for them.

And it’s not just Paul but he says “We.”

This means that the elders were praying.

A team of men committed to pray for the people — regularly, personally, and individually — an intimately concern about the spiritual well-being of the people.

What did he pray?

Not so much for the physical, but the spiritual needs.

He prayed for their spiritual strength and spiritual mastery.

In other words, that they would match their lives with their calling.

He prayed their practice would be like their position in Christ.

So, what do you pray whey you want someone to be strengthened spiritually and spiritually mastered?

Spiritually strength and spiritually mastery.

What does that mean?

It means to be controlled by the Spirit of God, to have victory and not be defeated, to has mastery over the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Look at what he prays.

First, he prayed that their faith would be complete.

And as he stated in the verse before — this church brought much joy.

The second thing he prayed for was in verse 12 that their love would increase for one another.

The third thing he prayed is in verse 13 — He prayed that their hearts would be blameless in holiness before God.

Finally, he prayed in 5:23 that they would be consistent.

Sanctify you completely — This is that God “make you wholly holy.”

And he continues — “may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Every aspect of who they are — spirit, soul, and body.

So, that’s a priority of a pastor — to first and foremost pray for the church.

The Pastor has a Priority to Preach

A church that is going to be like This Church is to have the Word of God preached to them, to teach them to encourage them, to rebuke them, to establish them, to settle them, to perfect them.

But this is not a lecture, or a speech, or just a sermon.

It’s not academic, dry, or dead.

It came — “In power, in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance.”

It came with dynamite, you might say.

Let me illustrate what I mean.

Look at 1:9.

The message Paul preached was one that turned them from idols to serve the living and true God.

If anything the word of God does, it should never bore someone.

Pray that your pastor preaches not with a false or worked up excitement.

Anyone can get excited.

Pray that I preach with power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance.

Assurance that this is God’s Word.

This is the power from God, not me.

Here’s what I want you to hear every Sunday.

This is God’s Word, now hear it.

Obey it.

Walk in it.

Live it.

Turn to Him. Trust Him.

Never let it be that I ever deviate from the Word of God and that I ever preach without the power of the Holy Spirit — that God’s word doesn’t come to you with full assurance.

The final Priority of the Pastor is to be a Pattern

Look at verse 5 again.

The phrase — what kind of men we were among you.

And then watch verse 6.

So, “you know what kind of men we were among you for your benefit, and you became imitators.”

Beatrix Potter, author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit once said this:

“I hold that a strongly marked personality can influence descendants for generations.”

This has some similarities to what Paul was saying.

Paul presented himself a pattern.