Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ. It is God’s will that has brought this to be. We wish only that God’s truth will be shared within His words as brought to us by the Spirit as it fills my heart, mind, and soul to be shared with my hands, but with His words alone.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Please pray for Evangelist Cal Jennings and family. His sister has been diagnosed with a malignant meningioma in her brain. This on top of all the issues that Evangelist Cal is already suffering with his health.
- Pray for my friend Paul, who has embarked on a long journey back to where he was born in the United Kingdom.
- Pray for my friend Mary and her family who had to say goodbye to their beloved dog due to cancer this past week.
- Pray for a high school friend of mine and family, Danny and Jane need supportive prayers for strength and healing.
- Please keep several friends and other family members in prayer for their trials and tribulations. They have each requested to remain anonymous for the time being.
One who has been diagnosed with some painful health issues.
One who just got out of the hospital two weeks ago after hip surgery.
Two who have just recently gotten out of the hospital after medical procedures, may they continue to heal.
One who has entered rehabilitation after a stroke.
One who continues to suffer a great deal of pain after a painful tooth was removed.
Another pair who have had serious issues with pain levels in recent weeks and months. May their pain ease sooner rather than later.
- Pray for the economy around this world as inflation and supply chains suffer from extremely high prices for fuel and overly high demand.
- Pray for those who have suffered from violence and died this past week.
- Pray for the survivors of violent events, that they heal and do not have scarred psyches.
- Pray for the victims of the recent hurricane here in the United States throughout Florida, North Carolina, and throughout the island countries of Bahamas, Cuba, and our own Puerto Rico as well as on the Gulf and East Coasts of the USA.
- Be thankful for each day we live as we do not know what
tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and
pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those suffering as a result of the terrors that have occurred just this past week around this world.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
- One final prayer for my upcoming surgery to remove my gallbladder this upcoming Friday. I will keep everyone posted as to whether there will be a live sermon next Sunday or not.
* Happy Birthday to my youngest brother Anthony, who celebrated his birthday yesterday.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today is to have the Spirit bring healing to each of our bodies, minds, spirits, and souls. We pray for enlightenment in the wonders that You bring each of us and understanding while studying Your Word. We thank You for the many awe inspiring gifts and the many more You have brought us. May our fears be drawn out of us. Help us to see the many gifts Your love brings and the unknown locations it might be found. May all of our pain and sorrow be eased. May spiritual, physical, conscious and unconscious peace be brought from our hearts and shared with others. May Your gifts of love shine through us toward others. We pray for the homeless, the survivors of the latest hurricanes and tropical storms. We pray for the poor, the sick, the sorrowful, the wounded, and the frightened. We pray for the soldiers, the Samaritans, the children, and the rest. We pray in thanksgiving for every gift brought us. We pray that every tomorrow would bring good things. For each of these we pray in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: Danny Gokey ~ Stand in Faith https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIREaGBN4Jw
Sermon: This week we are starting a new voyage. This one will be using yet another letter Paul wrote. The church at Thessalonica, Latin for the city of Thessaloniki in Greece, will be our next exploration. Now, like many of the other churches that received Paul’s letters, this city was located near the eastern coastline of what was once known as Macedonia. Thessalonica is known for its mythological significance, true, but it also has quite a rich heritage in Scripture as shared by Paul’s letters. This specific city went by three different names in history. Thessaloniki, Thessalonica, Saloniki, and Salonica. Let’s get started in our exploration of this specific letter to the newly formed Christian church there.
Thessalonians 1:1-2 KJV –Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
NIV –Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
As is typical of Paul, he greets the members of this church at Thessalonica with open arms, offering them grace, peace, thanks, blessings, and prayers. You see how he has influenced other authors through the New Testament. We see that in these words from the gospel writer Luke.
Acts 18:5 KJV – And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
NIV – When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
Note how the flow of the writing through the words of Luke just how similar he writes to Paul as we add this excerpt of the letter Paul wrote to the church at Rome.
Romans 1:8-9 KJV – First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
NIV – First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you
In the days of the Apostles and their spreading the knowledge and love of our Savior Jesus Christ there were huge polytheist influences. This was no different for the city of Thessalonica, part of then Macedonia. It is not easy to transform minds to a monotheistic mentality after generations of the opposite. We see some of this issue even in today’s world. Paul is remembering the fact that it takes a willing heart, mind, and spirit individually and collectively for any church to thrive. It was true in his time, it continues to be so today.
1 Thessalonians 1:3 KJV –Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
NIV – We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith, that’s something that can be built up, but it can sometimes take a good while. The hardest part for people is maintaining faith in times of trouble and terror. We’ve seen that in the midst of war. We’ve seen it in the midst of natural chaos, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, famines, as well. Paul points out that if we lose any portion of hope, prayer, petition, and patience would help rebuild it.
Romans 15:4 KJV – For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
NIV – For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Paul, as Jesus before him, knew that it is a choice to be made, to hold God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit as the sole spiritual influence for the masses, can take patience to understand. In his day, it was sacrilege for many of the population to worship Jesus. It was dangerous because the Jews, the Romans, and many others were adamant that any worship of Him was strictly forbidden. It is why people were instructed to pray, preach, worship Him behind closed doors and in secret. Paul recognizes how difficult this is for the newer churches, like the one at Thessalonica.
1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 KJV –Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
NIV –For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
The gospel writers all knew just how dangerous it was to put anything regarding the Savior and Salvation in writing. Yet, they did it anyway. We see that in these two excerpts from Mark and Luke.
Mark 16:20 KJV – And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
NIV – Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Luke 1:1 KJV – Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
NIV – Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
Philosophers, Prophets, and teachers all kept the faith alive after the resurrection. We see that in these verses, including early Christian Hebrews and citizens in the churches at Colossae as well.
Hebrews 2:3 KJV – How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
NIV – how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
Colossians 2:2 KJV – That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
NIV – My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ,
Sharing faith, this is what Jesus was teaching His Apostles and Disciples. True faith in God takes work and understanding of exactly who God is for each of us. Like we are unique one to another, so faith is the same. This is something that can confuse those who are being transformed from whatever they started out as to a true Christian. God doesn’t want confusion. Jesus doesn’t either. That’s why we go through these letters together in depth.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 KJV –And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
NIV –You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
The New International Version considers the word “followers” as “imitators”. In today’s world too often people think of imitators to fit in one of two categories, flattery, or fake. God doesn’t want flattery, or fake. Jesus didn’t either. Remember, both God and Jesus warned us about soothsayers. Jesus gave parameters for followers, disciples and apostles. Here is how He describes the walk of faith. We see this with the Gospels of Matthew and John.
Matthew 16:24 KJV – Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
NIV – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
John 8:12 KJV – Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
NIV – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
In the days and weeks following the death and resurrection of Jesus there was a lot of emotion on all sides. There was even more going on all the way around, even above and beyond the terrible and traumatic end of the short life Jesus Christ managed here on earth. It is something that some of the Apostles never recovered completely from. This challenge became a mission for most of the twelve and the disciples beyond them. We see that in the words of Paul, Luke, John the beloved, and Matthew at the beginning. Paul, Luke, and John carried on through what remained of their lives here on earth. That’s why we have these observations to share today.
Acts 13:52 KJV – And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
NIV – And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 3:12 KJV – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
NIV – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Paul’s words here in the first letter to the church at Thessalonica has a whole lot to say in just a few verses. Let’s see how he provides more support for their newly found faith in God and Jesus as well as the Holy Spirit. He gives them guidelines to maintain their faith, and spread it toward the many as opposed to the few.
1 Thessalonians 1:7-8 KJV –So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
NIV –And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,
Then, as it is now, it was important to help these new believers that their land, their homes, also were a gift of God to each of them. In doing so, all of those who proved their belief in Jesus and His Word risked life and limb in the pursuit of His truth. Paul was no stranger to prison bars. John the Beloved, Peter, and most of the others were all persecuted for their beliefs and sharing them. We see this with these words through the writings of Luke during the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s letter to the Romans.
Acts 18:12 KJV – And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
NIV – While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment.
Romans 15:26 KJV – For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
NIV – For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.
In the last two verses of the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians Paul is pointing out that we all have different paths, and yet they all lead to the same light of life and love. That point of contact is the way, the truth and the light as Jesus considered Himself and portrayed to His Apostles and disciples.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 KJV –For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
NIV –for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
There is quite a lot of foreshadowing throughout Scripture in regard to us fulfilling the path of Christ in the here and now. One of those premonitions came through the work of the prophets Joshua, Jeremiah, and Isaiah as well as the first King of the Jews, David.
Joshua 3:10 KJV – And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
NIV – This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.
Psalm 42:2 KJV – My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
NIV – My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
Isaiah 2:17-21 KJV – And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
NIV – The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. People will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from the fearful presence of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. In that day people will throw away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from the fearful presence of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth.
Jeremiah 16:19 KJV – O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
NIV – LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress, to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, “Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.
Even today we should be wary. We should take care how we portray our own paths toward the life and light everlasting our Savior Jesus Christ. This is one of many warnings He gave to the Apostles and disciples who knew Him during life here on earth.
Matthew 16:6 KJV – Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
NIV – “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Even today, we should also be careful, we should be aware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing, the soothsayers, the enemy of eternal life. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: David Ashley Trent ~ Mustard Seed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS6Er6I2nbM
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2022 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the bringers of the light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
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