"The Supreme Receiver of Thanks"

These are my notes from Rob's sermon at Apex.
We sang 2 Brooke Fraser songs.."Hosanna" and "You'll come"..(Chains be broken..lives be healed), "Wonderful Maker" and "Revelation Song".

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

We don't have to rely on circumstances to be thankful. For some here things are good and for others...they may feel there is no hope.

The reality of the cross is always there. We can always say thank you

"Feelings are real...they just aren't authoritative" Jeff Cook ..Cedarville professor

We all express things in different ways.

Rob told a funny story about a guy in Alabama who loves ribs and when he took a bite used the expression "Smack your momma" to mean they were good.

Paul was always thankful. Are you this way?

He was thankful for the whole church, not just the leaders.

What does "church" mean?
In our culture, "Christians" have given the impression of it being an elitist system. This is wrong.

Paul always mentions them in prayer.

Thessaloniki have :

1 A work of faith. Faith changes you. They had mission work. They turned from idols.

2 Labor of love. This is hard work. It takes God to love people who are not like you.
People in our lives can be inconvenient and interfere with our lives.
If you aren't in the vine of Christ..you run from this..you are not a true disciple of Christ. Love is irrespective of what we get back.

3 hope. Unmoved and unrelenting.

Romans 5:3-5 Suffering..endurance....character....hope.

John Ortberg talked about a medical study of 25 men who were pessimists. 21 of the 25 died within 8 yrs. "It's better to eat twinkies with hope than broccoli with despair."
Where are you in this story?