Entrusted With the Gospel

The Thessalonians were little children in the faith at that time that Paul wrote this. But he would have them to grow up to be fathers in the faith. He is going to show them how Christ’s grace had built certain strengths and qualities into his and Silas and Timothy’s lives; graces which had allowed them to have to confidence to persevere in their faith, even when they were persecuted; to grow even stronger in their ability to impart not only the gospel, but also their lives to these believers. This is the thing that I think will be important for us to consider this afternoon. How can we make progress in this way? How can you and I become stronger in not only imparting the gospel, but also in giving our lives to each other? That is the question which is answered in these verses. So what I want to show you this afternoon is what it means to be approved by God so that we might be entrusted with greater efforts and greater results for Christ’s kingdom. Paul had firsthand experience of this, and he would pass it on to them.