I'll have you turn in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and our text today will be verses 4 through 7.

I'll ask you to stand if you're able. If not that's all right but you can follow along as I read.

The Apostle Paul is writing to the church in Thessalonica and by the Holy Spirit says verse 4,

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 you verse, verse 6, 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.

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and a K.I.

Let's pray if you would join with me. Thank you, Lord. We're here today in this beautiful church building that you gave us because we're hungry

and we're thirsty and we know that only you can satiate that hunger and that thirst that we

have.

So Lord, it's with great anticipation that we look to you to speak into our lives in

and through your word.

And Lord, as you do, we want to have ears to hear and hearts to receive.

And we ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen and amen.

You can be seated.

Thank you.

I made the decision to only take and tackle these four verses today, because to me, the text before us answers a very important question concerning the trials that we face in our lives as Christians.

And it's the question of how it's actually possible to truly have joy in the midst of not just suffering but severe suffering.

I think if we're all honest with ourselves, we would have to readily admit that this notion of having joy in the midst of severe suffering seems unrealistic,

unattainable, unreachable. I mean, truth being known, we're just trying to get through

...