Abound in Love-1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

Key verse 3:12

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you.”

What is the one thing that changes people most? Love. Jesus commands Christians, in John 13:34, to love another as he has loved us. Why is this?  A lot people say they don’t feel the love of Christ in Christians. So they don’t want to have anything to do with Christianity or with God. Then there are some Christians who say that they don’t even feel the love of Christ in their own church. Even new-comers and non-Christians say the same thing. So, they either leave the church or never come back.

In 1 Thessalonians 3:12, Paul prays for the Thessalonians’ love to increase and abound for one another and for all. The Greek word for abound is perisseou which means “to have in abundance, plentiful, to exist in large quantities.” There’s a popular song from the 60’s titled, “Love Makes the World Go ‘Round”. Christian love is what draws both Christians and non-Christians to the  love and mercy of Jesus Christ. It is love that makes them change from the inside out. This is why Jesus commands us to love one another and this is why Paul prayed for the Thessalonians’ love to increase and abound.

What are some ways that our love can abound? Why should our love abound? And perhaps most importantly, how can our love increase and abound? Today we’re going to look at 5 ways that our love can abound. Then we’re going to look at how our love can increase and abound.

I. Five Ways That Our Love Can Abound (vs. 1-10).

1:  Through Affection (vs. 1-2)

Verses 1-2 say, “Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith.” In verses 1-2, Paul lays bare his heart of love for the Thessalonians.  He tried to visit them, but his attempt had been thwarted (2:18). When he could bear it no longer, he had to send Timothy, at great cost, to find out how they were doing. Paul’s language in verses 1-2 is like that of a loving parent who has been separated from their children and who dreadfully misses them and can’t wait to see them again. I’ll never forget the day when I returned from Australia. My heart was aching to see my wife and children. Of course, my plane was delayed in California for 4 hours which made it even worse. When I finally returned home, I was so joyful and so happy to see them.

Paul’s affection for the Thessalonians was very dear to them. They could see that he really loved them. His love wasn’t fake. People can always see when Christians are forcing themselves to love and accept them. This is like a cringe factor to them. As a result, they don’t want to come to Jesus. But in only 3 weeks of time, the Thessalonians accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior because they felt the true affection of Christ through Paul. Clearly, we can never win people over if we never like them. And certainly we can never win people over we never love them. A few months after I began Bible study, my Bible teacher, Grace Sun Lee, asked me if I wanted to attend a summer Bible conference. At that time, I was on summer break from college staying at my mom’s house. Even though I wasn’t a Christian yet, I agreed to go and was planning to drive 3 hours to get there,  but on the day I was to go, I fell deathly ill. Shockingly, Grace Sun Lee and her husband got in their car, drove 3 ½ hours out of their way, almost got attacked by my 3 dogs, and drove me all the to the conference. By the time we got to the conference, I was completely healed. Her love for me, moved me to the point of wanting to accept Jesus  as my Lord and Savior. Forced affection never wins a person over to Christ. But genuine affection can easily win the most hardest of hearts over to Jesus our Lord  and Savior.

2: Through Concern (vs. 3-5)

Verse 4 says, “For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.” The Thessalonians knew what kind of persecutions Paul and his companions had faced before coming. They also knew that Paul would undergo more persecutions in Thessalonica and  they saw it for themselves. In fact, it was so bad that the Thessalonians had to send Paul and his companions away at night to Berea (Acts 17:10).  Because Paul had to leave suddenly, he was concerned for their faith wondering if they had been persecuted and thus tempted to leave the faith. Verse 5 says, “For this reason,  when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.” Here, Paul shows deep concern for the Thessalonians. When we have put the best of our hearts into something, we are anxious to know how it’s going. One good example of this is the stock market. Every day, people are so anxious to know how their stock is doing. Should they buy, should the sell?  If this is true of worldly things, then surely it is more true of people. When parents send their children off to college, they are concerned whether or not they had prepared them enough for life’s difficulties and dangers. Teachers are also concerned for their students. In the same way a Christian, whose love is abounding, is concerned with those they have led to Christ, with those who come to church for the 1st time, with other congregational members, with all people, even with people on the street. They are concerned. How are they doing? Do they need help?

Concern for others  reveals the deep concerning love that Christ has for us. When God sent his Son Jesus to save us from our sins, he didn’t just say, “Okay, accept him. I’ll see you when you do.” But God is concerned for us, wanting us to accept Jesus. So he calls Christians to tell others about him. And when we accept Jesus into our hearts, Jesus doesn’t say, “Okay, I’ll see you when I return. Be good and stay out of trouble.” But rather Jesus sends us his Holy Spirit to encourage us, to guide us, and to help us. We need Jesus all the time, perhaps even more as Christians. In the hymn song, “I need Jesus”, the composer writes, “I need Jesus, I need Jesus, I need Jesus every day; Need Him in the sunshine hour, Need Him when the storm-clouds low’r; Every day along my way, Yes, I need Jesus.”

3: Through Help (vs. 6)

Verse 6 says, “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of  your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you.” When Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians, it wasn’t only to see how they were doing, but it was also to help them (2). Today, it doesn’t seem like too many Christians want to help others. Instead of helping, they only want to point and condemn. They condemn for the way others dress, for they way they live, whether or not they come to church, go to a church conference, or whatever. But a Christian who is truly abounding in love, should never condemn others for their faults, mistakes, and sins. This only makes people mad. But rather they should gently help them to repent and to come back to God. Once on a very hot day, when Jesus was passing through Samaria, he stopped by a well to get a drink of water. While resting, a Samaritan woman came up to him to draw some water. This woman was living in a lot of hurt and pain. Of course, Jesus knew her sins and knew why she was in pain, but instead of pointing his finger at her and condemning her, he showed great love for her and helped to see her sins, repent and come back to God.

Perhaps the best way to help someone is to first  realize that we too are forgiven sinners who also continue to live in sin. God could easily come down and condemn all people for the way they live. Romans 3:10 says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Today, so many people are giving Mel Gibson, a proclaimed believer of Jesus, a lot of  heat because of the way he’s living. But I know for a fact that his accusers are also sinners. In fact, we are all sinners. But instead of condemning us, as God has every right to do, God helped us and saved us by giving us his one and only Son Jesus who came to die on the cross for our sins and who rose again from the dead. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have been forgiven of all of our sins. This is the gospel. The Christian’s attitude toward the sinner and struggler must never be that of condemnation but help. Condemnation destroys, but truth and grace saves.

4: Through Joy (vs. 7-9)

When Paul heard from  Timothy that the Thessalonians’ faith had not been shaken, he was full of gladness and joy and thanksgiving to God. In fact he said in verse 8, “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.” Before knowing what had happened to the Thessalonians, Paul felt like he was dead. But after hearing about their faith and love, he said he was now  really living. Great joy had filled Paul’s heart that he felt like he was really living. Paul continues in verse 9, “For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God?”  A lot of Christians get jealous or envious of other Christian’s growth and success.  But Paul was very glad and very proud that the Thessalonians were growing and standing firm in their faith. He had the joy of Christ for them. There is no joy like that of a parent who can point to a child who has done well. And there is no joy like that of a child who hears from his parents, “I’m proud of you.” Imagine how the Thessalonians felt when they read this part of the letter. About a year ago, after writing an email to my dad about my life in Christ, he wrote back to me saying, “I’m so proud of you son.” That was the first time I ever remember him saying that. Those simple 4 words lifted my spirit and really spoke to my heart. Why should we abound in joy for others? Because a Christian’s joy resembles God’s joy for us.  Jesus said in Matthew 25:23, “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” When joy is genuine, real change can happen in a sinner’s heart.

5: Through Prayer (vs. 10-11)

Verse 10 says, “As we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.” What is the one thing that people love to hear? “I’m praying for you.” Prayer for both believers and non-believers has a great affect. Paul prayed for the Thessalonians night and day.  He prayed that they may see them face to face. And he prayed that they may supply what was lacking in their faith. What exactly was lacking in their faith? Because Paul had to leave so quickly, he wasn’t able to complete his instruction about Jesus’ 2nd Coming and the final resurrection. As a result, the Thessalonians didn’t know what to do until Jesus returned. They thought he would return soon, so a lot of them quit their jobs and sat around their houses waiting for Jesus to come again. So Paul earnestly prayed for them day and night. Prayer for others is most important. A Christian can abound in love by having affection, concern, by helping others, and by having  joy. But without prayer, it is almost impossible to help someone to accept Christ into their hearts. God is the only one who can change a sinner’s heart. He is the only who can lead others to Jesus and is the only one who can open their hearts to him. Prayer is a means of asking God for help. For many years,  I struggled hard to help one boy. Almost every time I saw him, I felt like choking him. And others times I loved him and wanted to help him. After trying to help him in all the ways that I knew how, I realized he wasn’t changing. Finally I came to God in prayer asking for God to change and open his heart. About a year ago, he started attending a church very faithfully. And just this past year, he told me he was baptized. When I heard this, like Paul, I too was filled with great joy and thanksgiving to God. Prayer is the 5th,  but not least, way for our love to abound for each other.

II. How Our Love Can Abound (vs. 12-13)

I personally know that abounding in love isn’t easy to do at all. It’s easy to preach and teach, but to actually do, that’s another story. And quite honestly, I despair because of my lack of love for others. So how can we abound in love? Verse 12 says, “…and may the Lord  make you increase and abound in love  for one another and for all, as we do for you.” According to verse 12-13, there are three ways that our love can abound for others. 1st, Realization. 2nd, Ask. 3rd, Hope.

First, we must realize that God has already given us a heart of love for others. Paul says, “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love…” Paul doesn’t say, “May the Lord give you love”, but he says “May the Lord increase your love”.  God demonstrated to us his greatest gift of love ever by sending his only Son Jesus to die for our sins (Romans 5:8).  The cost of God’s love was abounding. When we  realize the grace and abounding love of God upon our own lives, then we can love for others. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” When we accept Christ into our hearts, God give us his love for others. I know some Christians who despair because they feel that they don’t love others. I’m one of them.  But this is not true and I repent of this sin. God has given us his love for others through his son Jesus Christ. If we want to abound in love for others, we must realize this and believe it.

Of course, our love may not be as much as we want it to be or that is should be. That’s why Paul also adds in verse 12, “May the Lord make you”.  Here, Paul uses the word “make”. The word “make” means “to cause to exist or happen” God can make us increase and abound in love for another and for all people. He can make us. This is who God is. God is our creator. God wants us to be like him. God wants us to increase our love, for love is an attribute of God. Paul prays for the Thessalonians’ hearts in verse 13 to be “blameless in holiness.” This means that love is holy. According to 1 Corinthians 13, love is the very attribute of God. It says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Cor 13:4-7). If you want your love to increase, then ask God to make your love increase and abound.

Finally, Paul concludes this chapter with Jesus’ second coming. While on earth, we will never have perfect love. We will still get angry, bitter, become jealous, and even get upset with others. We’ll yell at our kids, spouses, families, friends, and then feel really bad for doing it. But instead of despairing, we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). When Jesus comes again, we will be made perfect in holiness and righteousness. We will be made perfect in love. This is our hope.

Today we studied 5 ways that our love can increase and abound for others  – Through Affection, Concern, Help, Joy, and Prayer. True love can win the hardest of hearts over to Christ. Finally we looked at how our love can increase and abound for one another and for all.  First, we must realize that God has already given us his love for others. 2nd, we must ask God to make our love increase and abound. As Paul concluded his chapter in prayer, so I would like to conclude the same way. Paul says in verses 12-13, “…and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”