Be Thankful for God’s Continual Work (2 Thessalonians 1:1-4)

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Sunday School 9:30 AM Morning Service 10:45 AM Afternoon Service 2:00 pm Wednesday Night 7:00 PM

by: Pastor Cameron Rankin

05/27/2026

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Since wrapping up our series in 1 Thessalonians, it is now time to dive into 2 Thessalonians. Keep in mind, like 1 Thessalonians, the book was written to the Thessalonian church by Paul and Silas as they traveled. Also, like the first book, it was written with a purpose in mind: to encourage and comfort the people in their trials. As we open 2 Thessalonians, we first find the authors expressing thankfulness for the persevering persecuted believers. The church is struggling and toiling, yet Paul rejoiced in and with them for several reasons. In these same reasons, we can find cause for gratitude for how God is working in ourselves, our church, and believing friends and family – regardless of what circumstances we may be facing. Therefore, in this first entry, we learn that we must be thankful for God’s continual work in our lives and the lives of others.  

1. We can be thankful for growing faith. 

2 Thess. 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly.

The Thessalonians were not stagnant, but were seeking the Lord, wanting to know Him better. This would have been incredibly difficult as they were persecuted for their newfound faith (persecuted to the point of danger). They had little teaching and little support which are important for new believers. They faced a great number of challenges; and yet their faith in the Lord continued to grow and increase. We don’t have these excuses to keep ourselves from growing as they did. We are not generally persecuted here in 21st century America, and we have easy access to plenty of strong biblical teaching and support in the local church. Hopefully that means we can look at each other’s lives and rejoice in the growing faith we find! When we see such growth, we ought to seek to be thankful to God. 

2. We can be thankful for increasing love. 

2 Thess. 1:3 And the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth. 

Paul specifically notes and rejoices that they have specifically obeyed his instructions from his last letter to love one another. We don’t know how exactly this increased love was exhibited, but there was likely great opportunity to show love (ex: coming along side families of those who have been persecuted, showing unity during hard times, or caring for one another in the midst of persecution). When Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and instructed them to increase in love for one another, they accepted his correction and instruction and sought to humbly follow what they knew was God’s desire for their lives. We have received the same instruction. We are commanded over and over again in Scripture to love another; to increase in love; to abound in our love for one another (Matthew 22:39; I John 3:10). The proof of your faith is in whether you love others like Jesus has loved you. So, keep growing in this love! Don’t grow complacent for a “half-way decent try” at showing Christ-like love. Rejoice in what God has done and is doing to grow your love for your fellow believers and remember that growing love is the result of God working in your life. 

3. We can be thankful for patient endurance. 

2 Thess. 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. 

Here Paul goes so far as to say they “glorying” in their patience. He boasts about how they have endured, despite the difficulty of their trials. Probably, he has even praised them to other churches as a model of godly patience. This bosting isn’t like what we might think – “Hey, look at what a great job they are doing” – but rather “Look at how powerful God is, to strengthen these people that they might live with patient endurance during their trials”. We can still learn from their example of gratitude for steadfast endurance, and, by God’s grace, we can live with the same patience. Even without persecution, there are times where we may be tempted to give up on our faith. Maybe you feel that way today. In these times, we must keep our eyes on our Savior! It is He that sustains us. We can be thankful for the strength God gives us to endure in whatever life bring our way. 

Conclusion

We must be thankful for God’s continual work in our lives and the lives of others. God is always working and there are no times when His good and mighty hand stops working. So, when the pain of losing a loved one is refreshed in your heart, when the gut-wrenching temptation rears its head once more, when Thursday afternoon rolls around and you suddenly hate your job, or when you try to share the gospel, but no one wants to listen. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And praise Him for giving you strength for every major event and mundane moment. 

 

 

Questions for Discussion: 

  1. How have you seen growing faith in your own lives or in the lives of the believers around you? How often do you take time to praise God for that growth? 
  2. How have you seen God increase the love in your own heart? 
  3. How have you seen yourself or other believers endure through trials? 
  4. How do faith, love, and endurance prove the reality of Christ’s work in your heart? How does thankfulness help to keep your mind focused on Him in every moment? 
Blog comments will be sent to the moderator

Since wrapping up our series in 1 Thessalonians, it is now time to dive into 2 Thessalonians. Keep in mind, like 1 Thessalonians, the book was written to the Thessalonian church by Paul and Silas as they traveled. Also, like the first book, it was written with a purpose in mind: to encourage and comfort the people in their trials. As we open 2 Thessalonians, we first find the authors expressing thankfulness for the persevering persecuted believers. The church is struggling and toiling, yet Paul rejoiced in and with them for several reasons. In these same reasons, we can find cause for gratitude for how God is working in ourselves, our church, and believing friends and family – regardless of what circumstances we may be facing. Therefore, in this first entry, we learn that we must be thankful for God’s continual work in our lives and the lives of others.  

1. We can be thankful for growing faith. 

2 Thess. 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly.

The Thessalonians were not stagnant, but were seeking the Lord, wanting to know Him better. This would have been incredibly difficult as they were persecuted for their newfound faith (persecuted to the point of danger). They had little teaching and little support which are important for new believers. They faced a great number of challenges; and yet their faith in the Lord continued to grow and increase. We don’t have these excuses to keep ourselves from growing as they did. We are not generally persecuted here in 21st century America, and we have easy access to plenty of strong biblical teaching and support in the local church. Hopefully that means we can look at each other’s lives and rejoice in the growing faith we find! When we see such growth, we ought to seek to be thankful to God. 

2. We can be thankful for increasing love. 

2 Thess. 1:3 And the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth. 

Paul specifically notes and rejoices that they have specifically obeyed his instructions from his last letter to love one another. We don’t know how exactly this increased love was exhibited, but there was likely great opportunity to show love (ex: coming along side families of those who have been persecuted, showing unity during hard times, or caring for one another in the midst of persecution). When Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and instructed them to increase in love for one another, they accepted his correction and instruction and sought to humbly follow what they knew was God’s desire for their lives. We have received the same instruction. We are commanded over and over again in Scripture to love another; to increase in love; to abound in our love for one another (Matthew 22:39; I John 3:10). The proof of your faith is in whether you love others like Jesus has loved you. So, keep growing in this love! Don’t grow complacent for a “half-way decent try” at showing Christ-like love. Rejoice in what God has done and is doing to grow your love for your fellow believers and remember that growing love is the result of God working in your life. 

3. We can be thankful for patient endurance. 

2 Thess. 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. 

Here Paul goes so far as to say they “glorying” in their patience. He boasts about how they have endured, despite the difficulty of their trials. Probably, he has even praised them to other churches as a model of godly patience. This bosting isn’t like what we might think – “Hey, look at what a great job they are doing” – but rather “Look at how powerful God is, to strengthen these people that they might live with patient endurance during their trials”. We can still learn from their example of gratitude for steadfast endurance, and, by God’s grace, we can live with the same patience. Even without persecution, there are times where we may be tempted to give up on our faith. Maybe you feel that way today. In these times, we must keep our eyes on our Savior! It is He that sustains us. We can be thankful for the strength God gives us to endure in whatever life bring our way. 

Conclusion

We must be thankful for God’s continual work in our lives and the lives of others. God is always working and there are no times when His good and mighty hand stops working. So, when the pain of losing a loved one is refreshed in your heart, when the gut-wrenching temptation rears its head once more, when Thursday afternoon rolls around and you suddenly hate your job, or when you try to share the gospel, but no one wants to listen. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And praise Him for giving you strength for every major event and mundane moment. 

 

 

Questions for Discussion: 

  1. How have you seen growing faith in your own lives or in the lives of the believers around you? How often do you take time to praise God for that growth? 
  2. How have you seen God increase the love in your own heart? 
  3. How have you seen yourself or other believers endure through trials? 
  4. How do faith, love, and endurance prove the reality of Christ’s work in your heart? How does thankfulness help to keep your mind focused on Him in every moment? 
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