About missions. Little more about Christmas in a way. Really, the Christmas is just kind of the introduction to it. If you're Al or miss Barbara, you might have notes from the last time I preached this message. I tweak it a little bit each time I preach it but it's one of my favorite Christmas messages.

So, if you're Allen Barbara and you've heard it before, you've heard it before, okay? But I figure most of you have forgotten it. So, what every true or good pastor wants for Christmas? A new Bible. Isn't that what every pastor wants?

A new Bible? I I always appreciate a new Bible. I have quite the collection of Bibles. If you were here for our Tuesday Bible study or men's Bible study, you got to see some of my collection of Bibles. Obviously, if I have 20 or 30 Bibles, I don't use all of those.

There, I do use quite a few different study Bibles but in my study but this this is the one I use every time I preach. This is my preaching Bible and it's the the one that always is with me when I'm preaching the word but you know, I I really don't need another Bible, okay? And the Lord has blessed me but the word of God is is the word of God. No matter many Bibles you have, I only need one to preach from. That's not what every true pastor wants, a new Bible.

A new suit, a new suit. Good luck, good luck in finding one that fits this body. I I I have bought and I I've been working on losing weight for about the past five years. I haven't done a very good job of it. I have said I'm not going to buy a new suit till I lose weight.

So, I don't know. You might find me wearing a tattered jacket ten years from now if I can't manage to lose a little more weight but but anyway, that's that's not exactly what every good pastor wants. Money, definitely comes in handy is greatly appreciated but it's fleeting in the long run. It doesn't bring lasting joy in the ministry. The ministry of which people are the purpose, not money.

A pat on the back. You know, it's nice to feel appreciated. Do you like to feel appreciated? I'm sure you do. It's nice to feel appreciated from time to time but along with the pats on the back, you know, are the complaints behind the back as well.

Besides a pastor's work is not for the praise of men. It is for the praise of who? It's for the praise of God. A fruitcake. I've received a few of those throughout the years.

Now, I like certain sweets but what I eat sticks to me and so fruitcakes and cookies are sort of bitter weet. They don't last very long except around my middle. So, sweets are are maybe not the favorite thing I want for Christmas especially fruitcake. I did have a neighbor in Georgia whose mom lived with him and she made the best fruitcake I have ever eaten and his name was Larry. I forget her name but anyway, I really appreciate her fruitcakes but the list goes on but what does a proper pastor really desire?

Well, if you want to know, let's look at the heart of Paul. A missionary who definitely had the heart of a pastor to see what he had to say and so that brings us to first Thessalonians chapter one. First Thessalonians chapter one, we're going to look at verses two and three and then we're going to turn over to chapter two and verse 19 then over to chapter three and verse six. So, stick with me in first Thessalonians. First verses two and three.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our father. If you turn over to chapter two and verse 19, chapter two nineteen, Paul writes, for what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For you are our glory and joy.

Look if you would in chapter three and verse six, but now when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that you have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, we are comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. For now, we live. If you stand fast in the Lord. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more.

Lord, thank you for your word today and thank you for the reminder. If what is most important to you, question really isn't what every good pastor wants for Christmas but it's what the Lord Jesus Christ and our father in heaven want for Christmas. Lord, to see growth in his children. To see glory being brought to his name. And Lord we pray that that would continue here and in greater zeal in the year to come.

Lord, thank you for all that you've done for us in Jesus Christ. May we grow each day. May we grow in our faith and in our love and in our hope. May you be glorified in us. We pray in Jesus name.

Amen. In these passages we read from this letter that Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, it's abundantly clear what Paul desired most of all in ministry. It was the growth and steadfastness in the lives of those who had come to know Christ through his ministry. What what what did he desire? He desired growth and steadfastness in the lives of those who he who who had come to know Christ through his ministry.

When he ministered in the city of Thessalonica, he was not allowed to stay there very long. He was run out of town by the believing Jews and so he only had a short time, a few weeks to minister there. But in those few weeks, several people came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior and a church was started and in his absence, it continued to grow and he was overjoyed upon Timothy's return who he had sent to check on the church to hear that the church was growing, that the people were steadfast in their faith and growing in their love for Jesus Christ and in their hope and so he writes this letter of first Thessalonians back to them and he thanks the Lord again and again for what he is doing in the lives of those people despite his inability to go and to be there and to minister to them. What gave him joy? What made him happy?

What gave him fulfillment was not popularity, not power, not praise. It was not money or or material possessions. It was not even a successful ministry just in numbers or notoriety. What? Filled his heart with joy.

More than anything else besides seeing his savior. Was seeing marked growth and endurance and the converts to Christ to whom he was privileged to administer. That was his Christmas present so to speak. That was their gift to him. Was for here for he to hear the news of what God was doing in their life and how they were growing.

Growth which assured Paul of their genuine conversion in Christ. Growth which assured him of their eternal reservation in heaven with him. Sad to say not everybody that names the name of Christ is really a Christian. There are many profess professors who are not actually possessors. Of faith in Jesus Christ.

But what a joy it is to see evidence of that faith to see Christians growing in such a way that they are testifying to others and they are a testimony to others of the grace of God that has changed their life and made them whole. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside of our heart when we trust Christ as savior, changes our desires. He changes our life. We become channels only through which he can work. And make himself known.

And what a joy it was for Paul to have this assurance that those who had profess faith in Christ had truly received him by faith. They were born again believers. They were continuing in their faith. They were growing in their faith. And that brought a smile to his face.

Knowing that if he never saw them on Earth again, one day, he would see them where? He would see them in heaven. Reminds me of the graveside funeral for miss Jesse yesterday The emphasis of the message and not only from me but from her daughters is this. This isn't goodbye. This is I'll see you later.

It's wonderful though yet sad and somewhat difficult but yet wonderful to have the opportunity, the privilege to conduct a service for somebody like miss Jesse. Knowing of her testimony and knowing that she has family members that know the Lord Jesus and are looking forward to the day when they will see her again. And that brought a little bit of joy. Yesterday. In that in that service.

And as it brought Paul joy to know that though he was separated and couldn't see this people, he knew he would see them again someday and that they were growing and that the ministry was continuing. Growth which also assured him that the churches God had established in these cities Through his ministry would continue in his absence resulting in the salvation of more lost souls to Christ. It not only brought him joy to know that they were continuing in the faith that one day he would see them again but through them, his ministry and the Lord's ministry was what? It was continuing and souls were being saved. Without him the brother David here he was involved in a ministry helping to plant a church and grow a church in Santiago but then the Lord led them to leave Santiago in the hands of was it native pastor that's there?

And to move out to Chill Chiloe. I call it Chiloe but anyway, and start a ministry there and I know they're part of their hearts still back with that congregation a little bit. It hasn't been that long in Santiago but I'm sure it's a joy for him to know that ministry is growing and continuing. While he is able to follow the Lord in starting a new work there on the island. Paul felt the same way.

It was a joy for him to know this. Just as the growth of Jesus in Luke two fifty two is depicted in three areas, wisdom, stature, and favor with God and men. So, our spiritual growth can be measured in three following areas, faith, love, and hope. Matter of fact, Paul like putting those three together. He did it several times in his books.

Another one you might remember is found in first Corinthians thirteen thirteen and now abideth faith, hope, charity. Charity, another word for love. Faith, hope, charity. These three but the greatest of these is charity or love. Paul like to put those together and the Lord inspired him to do so and here in first Thessalonians one, two, and three, he does it again.

He says here in verse three again, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and of our father. Let's just take the remaining few minutes this morning to look at these three quickly and why they were so important and why he was so overjoyed to hear of their growth in these three areas. First of all, growth in their faith, growth in their faith. He also mentions this over in in chapter three in verse six and seven. He says, therefore, brethren, we are comforted verse six but when came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity that you have good remembrance of us always designed greatly to see us as we also to see you.

Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. Now, is faith an important element of the Christian life? That's that's an obvious rhetorical question, is it not? Well, what is faith? Hebrews eleven one says, faith, let me put it up here.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith is the ability to believe in him. Whom we cannot see. I believe in miss Judy for sure. She's sitting right and there's another Judy just two pews back.

I believe in her too. I can see them. They're sitting right there. I talk to them. Miss Judy plays the organ and the the one here on the third row and miss Judy back there on the fifth row.

Do you play organ as well? No. Okay. I so not everybody named Judy plays organ. Okay, just.

But I can't see Jesus, can you? Now, there are some that they say they've seen him. I don't know about that today I know that there's several people that saw him in person walking around who recorded their witness, eyewitness testimony here in the scriptures. But I don't have to see him in physical form to believe in him, do I? And neither do you.

We can see him with eyes of what? We can see him with eyes of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It gives us the ability to believe in him whom we cannot see and trust in the promises of God which are yet to occur. I'm not yet, I'm not yet in heaven.

I'm still here but you know something? There's a place called heaven. I haven't seen it but I believe in it. I know it's just as real as the place called Missouri Avenue Baptist Church. Just as much as this building is real, heaven's real.

Just as much as you are real, people in heaven are real. God is real. And he has reserved a place in heaven for you who know Jesus Christ as savior. And it's real and someday, even though I'm not there yet, I know I will be there. How can I know that?

And and sometimes you witness the people who who are not saved and don't know the Lord and and they're skeptics and they go, how can you believe that? How how can you know that? Well, I know it by faith. And I am certain of it. More certain than I am of many other things in this life.

I know my Lord is faithful and I can trust him. He keeps his promises. He's reserved a place in heaven for me. It is the key to salvation for by grace are you saved what? Through faith.

Romans ten nine, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Hebrews eleven six, but without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. How can you know that he is? How can you look forward to the reward he has for you?

Only through eyes of what? Only through eyes of faith. Faith is vital It is the key to salvation. It is the key to living the Christian life day by day. The just shall live by faith.

Doesn't just mean we're saved by faith. It means we continue to live out our life day by day by faith. Walk by faith and not by sight. The key to the Christian life is living by faith. It is produced and strengthen in us as we learn to rely upon God and upon his word.

So, then, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. First Peter two two, desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. As we study the word of God, as we rely upon the Lord and his word, we grow in our what? We grow in our faith. And in other ways.

Our faith is stronger we are more quick to trust him, to follow him, to give him all the praise and the glory he deserves. To trust him for tomorrow. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Faith is trusting in someone you cannot see, but trust is what it is. Paul is excited to see their steadfast and increasing faith and trust in the Lord.

To see it unwavering. He says in verse eight of chapter three, for now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. Paul says, as you stand fast in the Lord, it gives fulfillment to our life. This is my life. It's the proclamation of the gospel, the serving of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And the fulfillment of seeing God change people's lives forever and their unwavering faith brought great joy to Paul. A steadfastness of faith revealed not only in their spoken testimony but also in their what? In their works. He says here, without remembering, without ceasing your work of faith. You see, true faith produces what?

Works. James says, show me your faith without your works. I'll show you my faith by my works. And so Paul knew of their faith not simply because they said they had faith but because the report Timothy brought back demonstrated by the works they were doing that their faith was what? That their faith was genuine and that their faith was real.

If they were brought to a court of law and said, let's see here what the evidence is as to whether you're a Christian or not. The people prosecuting them would had have had plenty of evidence with which to convict them. Because of their works. Because their faith was lived out. And others could see that.

And Paul could see that. A growing faith results. In a life filled with works and fruit to the praise of Jesus Christ. And their works assured him that their faith was real and it was growing. That not only their faith but also their what?

Their work of faith and labor of love. Love. That's agape. That's the same word translated charity in first Corinthians chapter 13. It's a kind of love that gives and gives and doesn't expect or demand anything in return.

It is a unconditional love. It is a sacrificial love. It's a love that is focused on the person you love and not on self. That's the kind of love that God has for us that Jesus has for us and that's the kind of love we should have for him and Paul was overjoyed to see their love for Christ expressed in their words and in their deeds. First John four nineteen says, we love him because he first loved us.

Matthew twenty two thirty seven, Jesus said unto them, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and what? Greatest command ment. What is God desire of his children that we do what? That we love him and that we grow in our love for him every day and as we serve him and spend time with him in prayer and in his word, you love people that you spend time with.

You grow in love with people that you fellowship with, that you get to know better. And if you're spending time with the Lord, likely you are growing in love with him more and more every day and it will be seen in what you say and do. Not only our love for Christ but also our love for one another. First Thessalonians four verses nine and ten. Look, if there if you would, just turn over another page.

First Thessalonians four, nine, and 10. But his touching brotherly love, you need not that I write unto you. For you yourselves are taught of God to love one another and indeed you do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia but we beseech you brethren that you increase more and more. Paul says, I see your love. I hear about your love.

You care about others. You show it and how you treat them and your prayers for them and your giving for them. Your kindness but he said, you don't have to, you don't need to stop growing. You need to keep increasing in your love for one another. First John four, seven, and eight, beloved, let us love one another for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.

Beloved, let us love one another. John thirteen thirty five, I think I put that up here. By this, Jesus says, shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have what? Love to one another. This love was demonstrated in the early church in Jerusalem by their faithfulness to Christ in the face of persecution and also in their willingness to sacrifice for one another.

Some have pointed at Acts chapter two and said, well, look what the church did. The people sold everything they had and put it in one common pot to to disperse it as people had needs in the church and that's communism. No, that's not communism. Why? Because the people in the church weren't required to do that.

They did that what? They did that willingly. What they did was they saw that there were other people in their church that were in great need and out of a heart of love, they simply did what they could by God's grace to help them. Maybe it's just somebody that's down, that needs a word of encouragement. Maybe it's somebody that needs a prayer.

Mommy, it's somebody that needs a dinner. Or a card or maybe they need their car fixed Our love can be demonstrated in many ways. And it should be growing and increasing for one another each day. Paul was excited to see that And the people in Thessalonica. And I'm excited when I see that at Missouri Avenue Baptist Church and I'm excited when I see people growing in their faith and trust and knowledge.

Of the word of God. And then there's the last one, the growth in their hope, in their hope. Looking to the what? To the future. It says here, again, in chapter one and verse three, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

You know, it's not all about the here and now, is it? No. It's about eternity that's that's out there. Eternity to come. Why are we here today worshiping and praising and serving the Lord Jesus Christ?

Because this life is not all there is, is it? No, it isn't. There is an eternity. There is a heaven and a hell. For the Christian, there is a place reserved in heaven for us who have eternal life in Jesus Christ our savior and while others around us are in despair and suicide rates have gone through the roof with COVID.

They've done so because people are without what? Hope. They've been told they're animals. They don't have a soul. That this life is all there is.

That there's no purpose. There's no reward. There's no eternal meaning to life, and so they are without hope. But it bought brought such joy to Paul. To hear of the growth and their faith and their labor of love for one another and their patience of what?

Their patience of hope. And that should be true in the life of every child of God. Our assurance, our faith, our hope, and the Lord Jesus Christ and the place he has reserved for us and the rewards he has for the righteous. That assurance should only get what? Stronger and stronger and stronger.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. First John five, John wrote this, and this is the record that God has given to us eternal life and this life is in his son. He that hath a son hath life and he that hath not the son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the name of the son of God. John said, I wrote you this book not to discourage you, not to make you doubt.

I wrote you this letter so that you might what? Know. Know that you have eternal life. And that your faith in Christ might grow more and more each day and in that hope of eternal life, that certain hope knowing Paul was excited to see that their hope had not diminished. No, their hope had only what?

Increased. The book of the letters in Thessalonians are largely about the return of Christ and as Christians, our hope should lead us to look for the day, to anticipate to the day, to long for the day. When Jesus Christ comes again. And he will. How do I know?

Well, he's promised me in his word. John 14, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me and my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself.

That where you are, there I may be also. God says, blessed are those who look for that day. They shall receive a crown. What a joy it was for Paul to see that. A patient hope which does not falter when light gets bleak.

And for some people, life has been a bit bleak this year. But you shouldn't have lost your hope. Our hope in Christ as Christians should only grow. A hope which results in endurance. Knowing that the reward that awaits those who have put their trust in the Lord.

There's a reward waiting us. That reward first of all is simply heaven. Simply heaven. The presence of Jesus Christ, our savior. And yet, by God's grace, even more that we don't deserve.

But crowns we will have to lay at his what? To lay at his feet someday. Do you have that hope? Are you here today and you don't have that hope? You don't know what I'm talking about this morning?

Because you've never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. You've made that, never made that decision to come home humbly before God and repentance and call on Jesus Christ as Lord. To forgive you of all your sins. To give you eternal life. If you haven't done that, I plead with you, I beg with you.

Best presence you can give God or this pastor today is to trust Jesus Christ as Lord. We'll give a hymn of invitation in just a moment. That hymn of invitation is for you. If you come. But Christian, before we sing that hymn of invitation, this is for you.

How are you doing? How is your faith? Your love, your hope? Is it growing? Is it increasing?

If it isn't, should be. As God told the church in Ephesians when it says, they had lost their first love. He told them they need to repent and do the first works. Draw close to God. Draw nigh unto God and he will draw what?

Nigh to you. Seeing people saved and growing in their faith in Christ, their love for Christ, and one another. Their hope and assurance of eternal life in Christ's return is all this pastor really wants for Christmas. And then in the ministry throughout the year. But it's also more importantly what Christ wants and what he deserves.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word today. Thank you, Lord. The apostle Paul and his ministry and the joy that we read in this letter back to the Thessalonians. As he rejoices in what God is doing in their life and their growth and Lord, I pray that we would see that here in abundance in this coming year.

Lord, we have seen that and I thank you for it but Lord, as Paul said, may it increase more and more. And Lord, if there's some area in our life that we're just not growing in. There's something we're holding back. If we're unwilling to trust you in some area of our life, Lord, if we're just not spending the time in your word, we should have spent this year. I pray next year might be different.

I pray Lord that we would give you the gift you deserve. I'm spending more time with you and trusting you with our todays and our tomorrows. As you build that assurance in our heart. Knowing that we have a home in heaven awaiting us and Lord, if there's one here today that's never trusted Christ, I pray. As we give this hymn of invitation that they might come today and trust you as Lord and savior.

In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.