By Pastor Jimmy Abrams

I am thrilled to talk about something very dear to my heart: the church. Now, I have many favorite things, but apart from Jesus and my family, church is at the top of the list. I’m a self-proclaimed “church junkie.” If it were possible, I would volunteer in every area of the church on a Sunday morning. From greeting people at the doors, to serving tea, to working with kids, and being part of youth ministry—I love it all. But the most important part of church is not just attending it but being the church.

This sermon isn’t just a personal message; it’s meant to address us collectively as a body, as a church family. Today, I want to talk about what it looks like to be a church that God blesses—a church worthy of God’s favor. As we look into 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul gives us a powerful description of a church that God blesses, and today, we’ll unpack those elements.

The Church is God’s Explanation of Himself to the World

One of the most impactful things about the church is how it reflects God to the world. Irwin McManis once said, “The church is God’s explanation of Himself to the world.” So, I wonder, when people look at our church, what kind of God do they see? Are we showing them a God of love, grace, and transformation?

Bill Hybels famously said, “The local church is the hope of the world.” This powerful statement reminds us that it’s through the local church that the message of Jesus is shared—not only through words but through how we live our lives. The hope of the world rests in the church living out its faith every day.

A Church Worthy of Blessing

Like any pastor, my desire is for our church to be blessed. But in order for a church to be blessed, it must be worthy of God’s blessing. In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, and in his words, we find a model for what a blessed church looks like. This wasn’t a perfect church, because no perfect church exists, but it was a great church—one that stood out and set an example for believers everywhere.

In verse 3, Paul highlights three key characteristics that defined the church God blesses:

Work produced by faith
Labor prompted by love
Endurance inspired by hope in Jesus

These three things are crucial, and if we want our church to be one that God blesses, they must be at the core of everything we do.

1. Work Produced by Faith

The first thing Paul mentions is a “work produced by faith.” This speaks to the continuous effort and ministry that comes from our trust in God. Faith should drive the work of the church, not familiarity. It’s easy to get comfortable doing what we’ve always done, but that doesn’t require faith—it requires routine.

Faith pushes us beyond ourselves, into new territory where God is calling us. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that we are God’s handiwork, created to do good works that He has prepared for us in advance. We were made for more than mediocrity; we were made to live by faith, stepping into things that might seem risky or unknown, but trusting in God’s power to carry us through.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” It’s about stepping out when the path isn’t clear, believing that God will provide. Are we, as a church, ready to do something we’ve never done before? To step out of our comfort zones and believe God for bigger things?

2. Labor Prompted by Love

The second characteristic of a church God blesses is “labor prompted by love.” The labor of the church—the effort and ministry we do—should come from a place of love. Jesus did everything He did out of love, even when it required discipline. The same should be true for us. When we serve, we serve out of love for God and love for people.

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few (Matthew 9:38). The world is full of people who are hurting, hungry, and helpless, and it’s our labor, prompted by love, that reaches them.

In our journey as a church, it’s crucial to recognize how loving people within our community impacts our ability to love those outside of it. A lack of love within the church weakens our effectiveness beyond its walls. The labor of the early church was driven by love—love for God, love for one another, and love for the lost. As we read in Scripture, when Jesus saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. This same love should inspire us to act. It’s a love that compels us to good works, to labor for His Kingdom.

But here’s the challenge: the greatest enemy of compassion is complacency. One of the worst things we can do as a church is nothing. How many times have we done nothing? It reminds me of a humorous example from the classic VeggieTales episode, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. The song goes, “We are the pirates who don’t do anything, we just stay home and lie around. And if you ask us to do anything, we’ll just tell you we don’t do anything.” It’s funny, but also convicting. How many of us in the church have become like those pirates?

We might not say it aloud, but our actions—or lack thereof—reveal it. Some of us might even think that showing up, paying our tithes, and sitting through a service is enough. But if that’s all we do, we risk becoming just like those pirates—sitting around, doing nothing. The church in Thessalonica wasn’t like that. They were known for their work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope. They were a model church because they loved Jesus and loved each other. Their love fueled their labor.

Do We Love Enough to Act?

Jesus once asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter’s response was, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus didn’t tell Peter to go home and relax. He said, “Feed my sheep.” He called Peter to action. If we love Jesus, we must do something. The call to action is clear—labor for the Kingdom, be about His business. Love is not passive; it requires movement, sacrifice, and work.

The reality is that church life can be challenging. Church is hard work. There will be times when we don’t get our way, when things don’t go as we expect. But quitting is not the answer. When we stop doing the work of the Lord, we remove ourselves from His blessings. We aren’t hurting the pastor, the staff, or the ministry—we’re hurting ourselves. The blessings come from our labor for the Kingdom, not from simply showing up.

3. Endurance Inspired by Hope

This brings us to the final key point—the church in Thessalonica had endurance, inspired by hope in Jesus. Endurance is the ability to keep going despite challenges, fatigue, or adversity. It’s about where we place our focus. If we lose sight of Jesus, we will lose the strength to continue. But if we keep our eyes on Him, we can endure anything.

Our church vision is centered on Jesus. He is the head of the church, not the pastor, not the staff. As your pastor, I made a commitment when I arrived—to lead in a way that honors God, even if it doesn’t please everyone. My job isn’t to make you happy; it’s to please the Lord. I lay awake at night asking God if what we are doing pleases Him. That’s my heart.

Some might think that following Jesus means everything will go our way. But when we get sidetracked, when we lose focus, we end up complaining instead of contributing. Complaints about the music, the service structure, the coffee, the decisions being made—they become distractions. The truth is, our eyes are on the wrong things. Jesus didn’t wear a suit and tie, and He’s not concerned about the small details we often argue over. What matters is our heart—are we serving Him with love? Are we enduring for the sake of His Kingdom?

Keep Your Eyes on Christ

If we want to be like Jesus, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. The church in Thessalonica didn’t get distracted by the things around them. They kept their hope in Christ, and because of that, they continued to work, love, and endure. The same must be true for us. Our endurance is fueled by our hope in Jesus, not in ourselves, not in our preferences, and not in others.

As we continue to grow as a church, there will be changes. Growth requires adjustment and flexibility. When we added children’s ministry to the first service, it was to create more space for our growing congregation. But even with that blessing, some people hesitated or complained. Growth is a sign of God’s work, and we must embrace it.

Whether it’s changes in ministry, shifts in focus, or decisions that challenge our preferences, the key is to stay focused on Jesus. He is our hope, and when our eyes are on Him, we can endure anything. We must stop getting sidetracked by offenses or personal preferences and start focusing on the bigger picture—His Kingdom.

The Work is the Lord’s, Not Ours

The church belongs to the Lord. We are simply stewards of what He has given us. So, let’s serve Him with passion. Let’s labor with love. Let’s endure with hope. In doing so, we will reflect His image to the world, and we will become the church He has called us to be.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, and let’s continue the work He has set before us—together.