Let us turn to God's word before we turn to him again in our prayers and turn into this portion that we've just read in the opening chapter of Paul's second epistle to the church of Thessalonica and I want to direct you for a little while to the words that we find towards the end of the chapter in verse 11

In fact, according to the punctuation, as we have it in our authorised version, and I'm not saying that that punctuation is inspired, we know it isn't, but it's remarkable, isn't it? The first 10 verses form a single sentence. So verse 11 introduces us to the second sentence. Verses 11 and 12 form that sentence. And it's verse 11 that I want us really to consider for a while tonight.

And he made a long statement in that opening 10 verses, he then says, wherefore, wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power. and what we have in these words is a threefold petition and I want us to look at Paul's threefold prayer as it were.

Wherefore also, he says, we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power. But I want us to look at these different clauses in the reverse order. So to begin with what he prays here at the end of the verse where he speaks of the work of faith with power.

We pray always for you that our God would accomplish that work of faith with power. What is the work of faith with power? Surely we recognize it as the application of that great work of salvation that has been accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Often think of that little book of Professor John Murray that bears that title, Redemption Accomplished and Applied. How apt it is because what the Lord Jesus Christ literally accomplished there upon the cross when he made that one sacrifice for sins forever must of course be applied and he is certainly thinking here and praying with regards to the application because he speaks of calling there in the middle of the verse and are we not to understand that calling in in terms of effectual calling the blessed application of the salvation interesting how he goes on in the second chapter there at verses 13 and 14 to say we are bound to give thanks all way to God for you brethren beloved to the Lord because from the beginning he hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

They had known something then of this efficacious grace of God in effectual calling. But it's interesting what we have in those two verses that we've just read in that second chapter because there we see quite clearly that the salvation is in fact very much a Trinitarian salvation involving all the persons in the Godhead.

In verse 14 he speaks of what they had obtained. They obtained of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and that is the salvation that Christ accomplished for his people. But also there, he speaks previously of the Father and His great work of election, in the middle of verse 13, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. And then also at the end of that verse, he speaks of the gracious work of the Spirit, through sanctification of the Spirit, he says, and belief of the truth.

It is a Trinitarian salvation then that's being spoken of there in those two verses. And all true Christians this may boast the truth by nature never learned that Father, Son and Holy Ghost to save our souls are all concerned. We are Trinitarians in our belief. look to that God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the one who has been pleased to save those who have rebelled against Him. All the persons involved in that glorious plan that's accomplished by Christ and now to be applied by the calling of the Spirit of God.

And so, here what does he say? We pray that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power he's speaking then about that work is to be made a blessed reality in the experiences of the people of God and it is the work that involves the great power of God the work of faith with power, he says.

Reminds us, doesn't it, of those words that we have at the end of Ephesians chapter 1, which is another prayer of the Apostle really, where he speaks of the exceeding greatness of his power to us who do believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. All that very Demonstration of God's mighty power in raising the Lord Jesus to life again is what comes into the soul of every sinner who is born again by the Spirit of God. It is that faith of the operation of God. Only he that made the world can make a Christian, says Joseph Hart. How true is that statement? The Lord Jesus says through the prophet Isaiah, thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. According to the working, in the same manner, after the same fashion as that working which was wrought in Christ when he was raised again from the dead.

Again, in John 14, 19, the Lord says, because I live, because I live, ye shall live also and Paul of course was so encouraged by what he had witnessed amongst those Thessalonians when he first preached the gospel to them remember what he says there in that first letter, that first epistle in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 Verse 13, For this cause also we thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which he heard of us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

And so what did he say? Well, they turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. Their faith didn't stand then in the wisdom of men, but their faith stood in the power of God. The kingdom of God is not in word only, is it? It's in power. And it's in the Holy Ghost, and it's in much assurance. And this is what Paul is speaking of there. It is his prayer that this might continue amongst them. We pray always for you that our God would fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power. And how we stand in need of that gracious work continually.

What is our fallen nature? Our fallen nature is that that is full of unbelief. And isn't that the conflict that we feel? that the apostle can speak of there in the 7th of Romans between the old nature and the new nature how often that sin still comes and besets us and overcomes us the root of all our sinning on belief so we need to know then that God will hear and answer such a petition as this the good pleasure of his goodness, the work of faith with power.

But then, secondly, in the middle of the verse, we read of the good pleasure of God's goodness, that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness. what are we to understand by the good pleasure of his goodness? well the good pleasure of his goodness is very much bound up with predestination that's made so clear in that opening chapter of the Ephesians a remarkable chapter that speaks so plainly of God's predestination.

The work of the Father there in Ephesians 1 at verse 5, "...having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will." Of the good pleasure of His will. And then again in verse 9, "...having made known unto us the mystery of His will according to the to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself. His good pleasure is that that God is pleased to accomplish even His eternal decree, that that was purposed from before the foundation of the world.

We know that some would say that divine sovereignty makes prayer meaningless. That's what the Arminian says. If God is one who is accomplishing his own goodwill and pleasure and executing his eternal predestination, what is the point of prayer? It's meaningless. However, we would say not so. The very reverse of that. Because God accomplishes his good pleasure by means. There is an end that God has in view but he has also appointed the means whereby he will accomplish that blessed end.

And we're told, aren't we, there in Ezekiel 36-37, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them. He will do it that they must come and inquire of him, that he would do that very thing. He will increase them with men as a flock. He will save sinners. But he has appointed, he has ordained the means whereby that blessed end is to be accomplished.

And it's interesting, isn't it, that in the midst of that first chapter of Ephesians, which is one that says so much with regards to God's great purpose of predestination, we find Paul making mention of prayers. Having made those statements in the opening 14 verses, he says, Wherefore also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks unto God for you, making mention of you in my prayers." He's been speaking of God's great purpose. And what is the outcome? He's persuaded that he must pray, he needs to pray for them.

Divine sovereignty was no embarrassment to the apostle, but rather it was that that encouraged him in his prayers, his prayers for the Ephesians, and here it encourages him in his prayers for the Thessalonians. The hymn writer says prayer was appointed to convey the blessings God designs to give, long as they live should Christians pray, for only whilst they pray they live. One of the blessed encouragements to us in prayer is that of God's sovereignty, that he has a purpose to fulfill. God gives us every encouragement. We have, of course, exceeding great and precious promises. We can plead the promises, but we can also plead the fact that the one that we speak to is sovereign, and he's able to do all things, and even exceeding abundantly above all that we could ever ask or think. And so here in the words of this text, wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power.

Faith originates, we know, in the Lord Jesus Christ. we have to look on to him who is the author of our faith looking away on to Jesus the author but also the finisher of our faith going to the Philippians 4 can say being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ all we are those then who are to be looking to him as that one who has a purpose to fulfill and we're to plead in terms of that that God himself has revealed to us in holy scripture with regards to that great purpose of salvation even predestination

and then thirdly coming to this petition which is the first one really in the text. We pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling. The counting worthy of God's calling. What is it to be worthy? Well, we are to walk worthy of the vocation or the calling wherewith we are called. What is God's will for His people? Paul says there in the first epistle in chapter 4 at the beginning of verse 3, this is the will of God, even your sanctification. That's the calling that God has given to His people. Their sanctification, what are the various parts of that sanctification.

Look at what he says in the opening chapter of that first epistle to them. In 1 Thessalonians 1-2, 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 Savior. Do we not here learn something of the various paths, of their sanctification, that calling that they have from God? He speaks of the work of faith. It's interesting he speaks in that way, because the same apostle says of salvation, if by grace then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. And we know that salvation is altogether by the grace of God. It's the free gift of God. By grace are you saved through faith. And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works. Not of works. Lest any man should boast, we are his workmanship. But we are created in Christ Jesus, he says, unto good works.

And then again we're told, aren't we in Galatians 5,6 that faith worketh by love faith worketh by love and there is such a thing as the obedience of faith the obedience of faith where there is faith it will go hand in hand with obedience to all the holy precepts of the gospel of God Dr. Gill says faith has a deal of work to do. It has its hands full and is employed about many things. No antinomianism there in Dr. Gill. Others might accuse him of being a hyper-Calvinist and an antinomianist and yet that's what he says. Faith has a deal of work to do. It has its hands full. and he's employed about many things and we're all familiar with the language of the epistle of James that speaks of the importance the importance of faith faith that worketh by love because those works justify the faith in that the faith is seen to be a genuine faith he says here in chapter 2 and verse 17 even so faith if it have not works is dead being alone yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works show me thy faith without thy works and I will show thee my faith by my works

so there is the work of faith and isn't that part and parcel of the believers sanctification. Nothing is more industrious than saving faith. Says one of the Puritans, Timothy Taylor. Nothing more industrious than the work of faith. But then, back in those opening verses of the 1st chapter of the 1st epistle, Paul speaks also of the labour of love, the work of faith, the labour of love. What is the labour of love? Well Christ said to his disciples, if you love me, keep my commandments. If we love the Lord Jesus, we will embrace all his commandments. We delight as much in the commandments, in the precepts of Christ, as we would in the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we've said, we're not to be partial with regards to the Word of God. We're not to be always harping about the promises and forgetting the precepts. Each of them are important. and what is the labour of love? well Christ says a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another there in John 13 34 and we know what John goes on to say in his first epistle we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren oh if we if we're troubled, if we're troubled about the matter of assurance and we're to give all diligence to make our calling and our election sure. How we can deduce that we are those who are in a state of grace because we have a love for the brethren. We know. We know that we pass from death unto life because we love the brethren.

But what does he go on to say there John writing in that first epistle, that first general epistle, he goes on to say verse 17, We do so have this world's good, and see if his brother hath need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him. Out dwelleth the love of God in him, my little children. Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, and in truth, indeed.

the labour, the labour of love and God takes account of these things God takes account of these things what a word is that in Hebrews 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love which you showed to his name in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister He's not unrighteous, he takes account of these things. The work of faith, the labor of love. And then also there's the patience of hope. All part and parcel of what it means to be walking worthy of this calling.

We're walking in that manner that is pleasing to God, They'll not only be the work of faith and the labor of love, but also the patience of hope. And what we have there in that third verse, in that opening chapter of 1 Thessalonians, as patience, is more literally the endurance, the endurance of hope. Enduring all those various trials, and those troubles and those tribulations that alas are part and parcel of the good fight of faith

look what Paul says there in verse 6 of chapter 1 he says he became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction they received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost and then he goes on Chapter 2 and verse 14, Ye brethren became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.

This seems to be the common lot of God's people there in the New Testament. In chapter 3 and verse 3, that no man should be moved by these afflictions, for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto for verily when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as he came to pass and you know no endurance no necessary patience, endurance and so here in this opening chapter of the second epistle verse 4 he says so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience again it's the same word endurance really and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure it is the trial of faith more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried in the fire that it might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Peter says, doesn't he, beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you? There's nothing strange. This is the way. that the people of God have to walk. This is the way whereby God is purifying them in the furnace. Trials, temptations, tribulations.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye faithful, he says to the Corinthians, always abounding in the work of the Lord. for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. But we have here, of course, the patience of hope. It's the work of faith, the labor of love, the patience of hope. And what is their hope, ultimately? Well, we have to take account of the context. the context in which this 11th verse is set.

And so the previous verses, what's he speaking of there from verse 7 following? To you who are troubled, he says, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day, the day of his coming again.

This is the hope, you see. that the Lord is to return in power and glory wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of fighting with power all preparing them for that blessed day that glorious appearing and it's not only here is it that he speaks of Christ coming again, we have it also there in the first epistle at the end of the fourth chapter. And how does that chapter conclude? Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Or the prospect of the Lord's coming again. Here is the patience, the endurance of hope. counting them worthy then of this calling. The words that we have before us. Oh the Lord help us to pray even as Paul would pray. We have these records in the epistles of his many prayers for those churches that he was so instrumental under God in first establishing as we have the record throughout the Acts of the Apostles of all those many journeys and so to these Thessalonians wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, the Lord be pleased to bless his words to us.

Well, before we turn to the Lord in prayer, let us further sing God's praise in the hymn 228. The tune is Irish 160.

Faith owes its birth to sovereign grace and lives beneath the throne, where grace maintains her dwelling place and reigns supreme alone. Faith yields to grace the glory due, nor dares assume her place, but owns all doctrines must be true that spring from sovereign grace.

Let us sing from verse 3, hymn 228 and the tune 160.