I would ask you to open your Bibles, at least kind of to begin with, to Ephesians, and the first chapter will be coming there momentarily. Ephesians and chapter 1. But as you're turning, When we find a particular truth that is set before us again and again in nearly every one of Paul's epistles, what place should we give such a matter in our thinking? And in our practice, and I think without fear of contradiction, we would say that any note sounded so consistently by the inspired apostle, well, that must certainly be important. And as to such a matter that we now come, and that is regularly in Paul's letters, in his prayers, we find him thanking God for his brethren. When he writes to the Romans in Romans 1.8, he begins on that note when he says, first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. when he would write to the brethren in the church in Corinth. In chapter one of that epistle, he says, I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God, which is given to you by Christ. Now, let me remind you, that's the church in Corinth. We'll come back to that. But I've asked you to turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter one, and notice what Paul writes to these believers, all of those believers, those saints in Ephesus, beginning now at verse 15. Therefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease. to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. And then you've got Philippians chapter one, please come there. And Philippians in the first chapter, Paul writes, beginning at verse three now, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day. Until now and then we find also when he's writing to the Colossians in Colossians chapter 1 notice verses 3 and 4 We give thanks to the god and father of our lord jesus christ praying always for you Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints. Now, we could appeal to 1 Timothy 1, or we could appeal to the book of Philemon, and there you find Paul giving thanks to God for specific brethren by name, that is to say, Timothy and Philemon. So here's not simply churches as a whole, but he's talking about individuals and giving thanks to God for them. But I would especially direct your attention to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians, we'll appeal to 2 as well, but 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 2, we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father." And when he would write then to them his second letter, we need to turn there, but we find much the same in 2 Thessalonians 1, in verse 3, it's fitting that we should give thanks to God for you. In fact, we're bound to do so. We're duty bound, we're constrained. It's a very proper thing. But then here in 1 Thessalonians, after having said what he did at the notice in chapter three, 1 Thessalonians chapter three, and especially notice now verse nine, well, verses nine and 10. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God night and day, praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. Well, undeniably then, this is Paul's practice, right? Consistently, he's thanking God for these brethren, not simply for churches as a whole, as I've said, but even individual believers. Well, is this our church? I mean, do you thank God for your brethren and especially for your brethren here with whom you're joined in local church life? It's very right that we should thank God for a church as a whole and you on your anniversary time that you should come with great gratitude to God for the church as a whole. But what about individual brethren? Those with whom you again are joined and not just on anniversary times, but Always to be giving thanks for your brethren. Do you ever do that? You are grateful to God for one another I assume well, then do you Make that known to him, even for the specific brother, specific sister by name. And do we do so enough? Or maybe in light of what Paul has said, can we do so enough? Because as he says, what thanks can I render to God for all the joy I have because of you? Well, I hope I've carried your conscience in this brief introduction to the matter, that this is important, that this is biblical. But why would we think this important? Well, I would consider with you two reasons why gratitude to God for one another, for our brethren is indeed so important. And the first is this, it's very right that we should see God and gratefully acknowledge his work in the lives of others. of our brethren. You know, repeatedly in the Psalms, I'm sure you're familiar with this, you find reference made to praising God and giving thanks to God for all of his works. You know, Psalm 104, which traces out first God's work and creation, and then goes into God's work of providence. And there the psalmist says, oh Lord, how manifold are your works. In wisdom you have made them all. So he's seeing God at work, and these mighty works of God, creation, providence, and he overflows. Or you've got Psalm 145, the entirety of that psalm, really, but in verse 4, one generation shall praise your works to another and declare your mighty acts. Well, that's part of what praise is, of speaking of the mighty acts of God. with that, then giving thanks to his name for what he does in the earth, but also for these as expressions of his working or the revelations, if you please, of his glory, right? You've done something of that, I'm sure, where you've gone out on a starlit night and you've seen in like Psalm 8, what is man that you're mindful of, but you give thanks to him for a God so great and yet he would condescend to love us, et cetera. Well, the point is, When you contemplate God in creation and providence, it's very right, I trust that you do adore him. And again, give thanks to him, especially for these revelations of his glory in creation and providence, seeing him in his work and his goodness, his character. But now all of God's mighty acts, No work of God is more mighty or more glorious than his work of saving sinners. He spoke worlds into existence, ex nihilo, that is, out of nothing. Oh, but wait, these sinners he saved, they're his new creation or creatures. And not now out of ex nihilo, but rather he makes them out of totally depraved and hostile rebels. That's a true work of God, isn't it? Of his grace, but also of his sovereign power, very supernatural. Remember when the Lord Jesus was asked, who can be saved? And he said, with men. It's impossible. Now, bless God, he didn't stop there because he went on to say, with God, all things are possible. But the point is, what's he saying? Except that which Paul wrote in Ephesians chapter two, you are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus, or what Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians one. It's of him that you are in Christ Jesus. It's his doing. It's his mighty work. Well, dear brother, dear sister, this speaks of you. It speaks to you. You are a living monument of God's powerful and sovereign grace. Well, I guess I could put it another way. You are a walking, breathing, real life testimony to the power of God in making new creatures, in changing lives and giving everlasting life. Well, do you see yourself as that? Do you actually see yourself as his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that he has prepared beforehand? Again, to refer to Ephesians chapter two. Do you see God's power and grace revealed in you? And in seeing that, well, do you thank him for it? Well, what you have done? Well, let me ask you this. Do you see that in your brethren, each of your brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those with whom you're here joined, do you see that in them? That this is what they also are, a walking, breathing, real life testimony to the power and grace of God. That is what they are, right? That's what explains them. They are new creatures in Christ. And I say, this is why we find the Apostle Paul giving thanks for brethren. In fact, perhaps you noted when we read in Ephesians one, we read it also in Colossians chapter one. He says, when we heard of your faith in Christ and of your love for the brethren, Well, we've not ceased giving thanks to God. Why did he pick on those two things in particular? Well, they're the evidence of regeneration. They are the outworking of God's work of grace and making a new creation. Remember how Paul writes to the Philippians and says, to you, it was given to believe. It's not something that you mustered up within yourself. No, faith is a gift given by God. It's his work. So when Paul would think of those believers in Ephesus or Colossae or elsewhere, and he would see their true faith in Christ. He'd say, ah, I know who did that. That's the work of God. I thank God for that. Or when he goes on to say, and your love for the brethren. Well, again, that's a mark, an evidence, outworking of regeneration. You remember how John put it? Here's how we know we pass from death to life. We love the brethren. It's the result of that workmanship of God in making a new creature. Well, in seeing these indispensable evidences of salvation, Paul saw God at work. This is God's doing. That's what explains you, your faith in Christ. That's what explains your love for the brethren, is God's power as well as God's grace. And that's why we find Paul, I heard about this and I've not ceased giving thanks to God because this is what you are. You are a testimony of his work. He's recognizing God is the responsible party here for your faith in Christ, for your love for the brethren, in each and every case, and therefore, well, God be praised. He thanked God for them. not simply that, well, initially, that beginning work, okay, we'll thank God for that, but after that, you're on your own. No, this applies not just to the initial, but no less to that ongoing work in us, these various facets of God's work of salvation. You remember how Paul puts it right into the Philippians, the one who began a work, that good work, he's gonna complete it until that day, which means that he continues it all day, every day, all the way to the end, as Paul went on to write to the Philippians about God works in you to will and to do of his good pleasure. Or earlier in Philippians 1, he talks about the fruits of righteousness, there by Christ Jesus, it's his work. Much like when the Lord Jesus said, without me you can do nothing, like a branch broken off from the vine, just some dead twig. No, you abide in me, I in you, you bear much fruit. Well, Paul recognized not simply that initial work, regeneration, faith and repentance and love for the brethren. Not only was that the work of God, But so too, every step along the way in your life as a Christian, that too is the work of God. We call them the fruits of the Spirit for a reason. Not the fruits of a Christian, but it's that which God, the Holy Spirit works in Christ's people. And so they bear fruits. But it's the Spirit who's at work in this. Or when Paul would write to the Thessalonians and he's thinking, he's speaking of their work of faith and their labor of love and their patience of hope. He saw this is God at work. In each of those cases, I thank God when I see these things. Here's the point. What you are as a Christian, what every Christian is in the ongoing Christian life, it's God at work. Well, let me put it this way. How about the Apostle Paul, right? We all admire the Apostle Paul, right? Such a godly man, such a lover of the Savior. Well, how do you explain the Apostle Paul? Ah, well, he must have had good parents, you know? Good upbringing, a good Jewish boy. No. Paul said in Romans chapter seven, in me, in my flesh, me considered just as me. He wrote this as a Christian. Me, just considered as me, in my flesh, there dwells zip, no good thing. That same man had to write in 1 Corinthians 15, 10, I am what I am by the grace of God. That's what explained Paul. Not because of a good Jewish upbringing or anything else, but rather it was God's ongoing work in his life, producing those fruits of the spirit, producing that godliness. Much like when Paul is writing to Titus in Titus chapter two, and he says, you know, that grace of God that brings salvation, it's appeared to all kinds of sinners, young, old, men, women, slave, free. And when it does, here's what happens, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, repentance, no to sin, but it doesn't stop there, and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the glorious hope, sorry, the glorious spirit and blessed hope of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming. The idea of, all throughout the Christian life. It's God's grace at work, not just informing us, teaching in that sense, hey, you ought to do this, but rather that internal work in us, just as surely as he worked in us to the grace of repentance, so also that soberly, righteously, godly, in this age, as we're looking beyond this age, even to that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, our Lord Jesus. So the point is, when you see this in each Christian, You're seeing God at work in each and in all. Again, all rights to the Thessalonians. Your work of faith, labor of love, patience. I know who did that. It was God that did that. He's the responsible party. When you see in writing to the second Thessalonians, where it's fitting and we're bound to get thanks to God. We've seen how you're growing in faith and your love for one another is abounding. Well, you know what? He'd prayed that for them in first Thessalonians. Well, it's very right then, this is God at work in you, that stronger faith, that abounding, that growth and grace in love. Well, so too, when you see brethren who are loving and kind or patient. When you see a dear brother, a dear sister with manifest zeal for our Lord Jesus Christ, or very self-giving, or maybe it's in the area of child rearing, and you see they're so exemplary in this, whatever the virtue, whatever the godly outworking. Brethren, don't just see that brother, that sister. See the cause, see who's at work. See God's hand in this. and therefore take care to give him his due. That is to say, Lord, you did this and what a marvel it is. And therefore, I thank you for that brother, for that sister, for not only God's initial work, making the new creatures, but then his ongoing work in them. Let me approach it slightly differently. Maybe you've read the words of Moses there in Exodus 33. After all he had seen of God's glory, remember he says, Lord, show me your glory, right? Maybe you've read that and your heart has been quite lifted for that very prayer of Lord, show me your glory. To see your character, to see your power and your grace, your glory revealed, a right prayer. Can I say to you that every time you see a Christian, a true believer on Christ, you got it. You're seeing God's glory revealed. You are what you are by the grace of God. That initial and ongoing work, all God's grace. So when you see in one another godliness, when you see righteousness, When you see that love for Christ, when you see that love for the brethren, when you see that faith in Christ, what are you seeing? That's God at work, right? I hope I'm carrying your conscience. Okay, then who should be thanked? Who's the responsible party? God is. I imagine today after the worship service, I understand that people bringing food, there's going to be a meal together. It would make absolutely no sense for you to come to me and say, thank you for that lovely meal. I'm not the responsible party. I had nothing to do with it except for enjoying, right? But on the other hand, our dear sisters, especially, and their work in putting these things together, it would be very proper to say to them, thank you for that lovely meal, right? Because they are the responsible parties. So too, the apostle Paul recognized both the beginning and all the way through to the end. This is God's work of grace, God's power, and therefore he saw God at work. And that is what caused him to thank God for them, and he did that even though he could see the problems. He could see the issues. I've already made reference to 1 Corinthians chapter one, and how Paul there is thanking God for those believers. You're familiar with 1 Corinthians, I'm sure. and how problem after problem after problem that Paul has. There's divisions among them to begin with. They're kind of treating the different men, different preachers of the gospel as if they had their own school of philosophy. And so very worldly of them, their cultural background. But then also here they're tolerating a man who's guilty of gross sexual immorality that would cause the pagans to cringe. And they're letting him say that. They're taking one another to court. Paul repeatedly has to address the abuse of Christian liberty. Throughout, he's really having to deal with their pride and their abuse of the Lord's Supper. And then you come to the end of it, and lo and behold, some are holding a rather dangerous error. They weren't denying the resurrection of Christ, but they were denying the resurrection of believers. The bodily resurrection of believers. Paul could see all of that. Paul was to address all of that, as you know, that's why we have 1 Corinthians. And yet he begins by saying, I thank God, I see the evidence of his grace in you. He didn't only see their problems. Let me give you another case in point. That text we read in 1 Thessalonians chapter three, please come there now. 1 Thessalonians chapter three. And verse nine again. For what thanks can we render to God for you for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before God? Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. Paul recognized there was some lacking in their faith and it was of a serious enough nature that he's praying night and day to get to complete that work. You guys have some growth and grace desperately needed. There's that which is lacking in your faith. I'm praying night and day to be there, to bring that to completion. But that didn't negate what he said in verse nine. What thanks can I render to God for all the joy I have because of you, seeing God's grace at work in them. What the Lord had done, he saw that and would give God his due. He wouldn't be blinded by the fact that you guys got some lacking here. Writing to the Corinthians, he wouldn't let all their problems rob God of the gratitude that was due him for his work in the Corinthians. How much better for us as the Lord's people that this is how we looked at one another, that we don't just see the problems, we don't just see the hangups, we don't see foibles, sins, but rather we see bigger picture, I see God at work though, and therefore we will not rob God of the thanks. that he deserves, even when we see problems. Bigger picture, Lord, but I see what you're doing and what thanks can I give you for that brother, that sister, and your work of grace, not just focusing on the issues of, well, your faith is lacking and you've got all of these problems. Well, why did Paul thank God for his brethren? Well, because he saw God at work and he would not rob God of the glory that he is due for his work in saving sinners. Brethren, how right we should learn the lesson. But now I did say there are two matters in particular and I hasten to the second. It's also important and fitting that we should give thanks to God for our brethren because they are, or at least they should be, dear to us. Gratitude to God for our brethren as the result or the expression of our love for them. that we are truly grateful that they are our brethren, that we cherish them. Maybe I could illustrate it by way of, we as parents with our children, or even more, those with miles on the odometer with our regard to our grandchildren, right? And I dare say, we're very ready to thank God for them. Now there might be some times of teen years, we might stumble a bit at that, but nonetheless, you know what I'm saying, that we are truly grateful to God, for our children, and again, for our grandchildren. Well, why is that? We love them. We love them. We recognize this is a gift from God that I have this relationship with this little one or now this adult child or whatever the case might be. Well, so it is with our brethren and our relationship to each one of them. As we've seen, Paul repeatedly thanked God for the Thessalonian Christians more than once in verse Thessalonians comes back to it in a second letter to them. And he actually tells them something of his regard for them. In chapter two, he talks about how we are among you as a nursing mother cherishing her child. And then he shifts the analogy a bit and says, oh, we are like a loving father exhorting you. And he then goes on to speak of you are our glory and our crown. He speaks of longing for them, praying for them more than once. He talks about that, wanting to see them. And then there's that which we've read in chapter three, what thanks God. give to God for all the joy I have because of you." How do you explain that disposition? Well, that was Paul's love for them. And his thanksgiving to God for these brethren was, it grew out of that intense love. And therefore he says, chapter two and verse eight in 1 Thessalonians, so affectionately longing for you, We were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives because you have become dear to us. We loved you. Brethren, I would say to you that these repeated thanksgivings to God for those believers and for the joy he had because of them was no small part of his expression of love for them, the outworking of the, you're dear to us. And just like that parent with a child or grandchild. Oh, this child, Lord, I thank you for this person, for this baby, for this. Well, so too, Paul, seeing these brethren, I thank God for you. You have become dear to us. I don't rest that only on what we see in 1 Thessalonians, coming into Philippians, Philippians chapter one. Here in Philippians chapter one, you find the Apostle Paul, I've already read beginning there at verse three, I pick up there again. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always and every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. That cannot be divorced from what he went on to write in verse eight, for God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And it could well be saying with that same kind of affection that Christ has for you, so I. have that affection and longing. Brethren, you can't divorce his thanksgiving for them from that great love that he had for them. It was the expression of it. Let me further buttress that by coming to chapter four of this very letter. Philippians chapter four, as he's kind of bringing it down to a close, he says in verse one, therefore, my beloved and long for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord. Beloved? How many times you gotta say beloved, Paul? Surely they got it. Well, whether they got it or not doesn't matter. Here's the expression of his love for them. When we read at the outset, I thank God for you, every remembrance upon you, I'm thanking God. Well, why, Paul? You're my beloved. I love you. Well, brethren, that's why it was important. And so, with us. Can you identify with this, especially? with those whom you're joined in local church life, that you do love them, and you are grateful to God for them. After all, you're joined together as a body. Scripture speaks of that, of the local church in those terms, more than once. Well, do you regard each member of the body as an expression of God's kindness to you, to you? like Paul regarding the believers in Thessalonica and Philippi. And as you reflect on one another, you're spending a bit of time thinking about what emotions arise in your heart. I hope your love for them, your joy in them. Okay, but what about gratitude to God for them? Lord, I thank you that you have brought this person, this brother, this sister, I suspect, I don't think I'm in fear of contradiction on this one, that when you think of your pastor, you find yourself giving thanks to God for the ministry of your pastor and God's goodness to you as a gift, Christ's gift to this church. Okay, but is he the only gift? Is he the only one that Christ has given to this church? What about that other brother, that sister, that, right? In other words, it's the Lord in kindness who's knit you together in love in this congregation. Mind you, for 60 years, not that all of you have been there that long, obviously, but still, for this church and its ongoing testimony to God's grace and really the testimony of his blessing and preserving power. So the point is, Shouldn't we be giving thanks to God for each other because we love them? Thank you for this brother, this sister, and for your kind providence in knitting us together. Or even, could you identify with Paul's words? What thanks can I render to God for all the joy I have because of you before the Lord. That's the expression of brotherly love. Isn't it God's goodness that has knitted your hearts together, that brought you together as providence and now so worked in you, causing you to love one another and to have such joy together in biblical church life? It is, right? Well, what return do you make to God for this? And how important it is then that your prayers for one another should be full of thanksgivings to God. And in that connection, how about when a brother or sister has been a real encouragement to you? Maybe it's a word of exhortation. Maybe they've simply said, I want you to know I'm praying for you. Expressions of their love. I would dare say you thank them for that. And that's proper. Oh, but wait a minute, wait a minute, don't stop there. Don't just thank them. Remember whose grace that displays. Remember whose work they are. And for those kindnesses, the example that they are or whatever, then be quick to give God thanks for what he has done. And so there are two reasons. Perhaps we could come up with more, but why is it important that we should follow Paul's example in thanking God for our brethren, especially those with whom we're knit together in local church life? Well, because they are each living trophies of God's power and grace. They are his workmanship revealing him and therefore thanks be to God. But then also because we love and value our brethren and they are indeed Dear to us. Isn't it so? Well, how grateful to God are you? And how much do you express that gratitude? Have I carried your conscience? Is this biblical? We're gonna do it? Regularly? Paul did it very regularly. How right, not just now at your anniversary time. but day by day, giving thanks to God. One more note in this connection, but also follow Paul's example in this. Who's he telling about all of this? Okay, it's written under inspiration to all of the Lord's people, but he's telling those believers, I thank God for you. And how right that we should do the same. It's proper and important that we should thank God for each other, especially, again, in local church life. But Paul's example is, let that brother know, let that sister know, by the way, I am praying for you. I'm giving thanks to God for you. I'm truly grateful. That is biblical. Well, might God help us to be biblical in this and in all of life, to the praise of the glory of his grace. Amen. Brothers, let's close in prayer. Be proper. Okay, let's pray. Oh, Father, we do thank you for your work of grace, the lives of your people, for what you've done in this body, this church now for decades, and what you've done in bringing these brethren together and how you truly knit their hearts together in love for the kindness that displays towards each. Well, Father, grant that we would recognize your hand at work every time we see a Christian, that we would see you at work and your glory, your power, your grace revealed. And Grant, we would give you your due. We thank you also for that love of the brethren, the love that we have for one another, and especially here at this church, their love for each member. Well, Grant, Lord, that that too would be recognized as your work of grace and of your kindness. And there would be that ongoing thanking you And we now would ask your blessing upon this day, the remainder of this day, that you would help us in the next hour to draw near to you and to come with thanksgiving for all of your gifts, the gift of one another, but especially for Christ Jesus, our savior, in whose name we pray, amen.