07 I Thessalonians 2:17-20 Our Hope, Our Joy, Our Glory

January 04, 2026

Chris Freeman

Title: Our Hope, Our Joy, Our Glory Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 FCF: We often struggle prioritizing the gathering together of the body of Christ. Prop: The church is unlike any other gathering on earth, so we must yearn and strive to be together. Scripture Intro: NIV [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians 2. In a moment we’ll read from the New International Version starting in verse 17. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Although we’ve been away from the text of 1 Thessalonians for a couple weeks, I’ll resist the urge to review the book until next week when we begin a new chapter. Still, it is necessary to remind our feeble minds where we’ve been in chapter 2 so far. Paul is reviewing the visit that he and his companions had with the Thessalonians. Against the urgings of some of the Thessalonians church’s unbelieving friends, family, and co-workers, Paul insists that the visit was profitable. It was profitable because it was empowered by God. It was profitable because it produced a spiritual family. And it was profitable because it led to them being firm in their faith even amid persecution. Now Paul will advance the thought down the timeline to continue to inform them what love and devotion he and his companions have for them. Sadly the words he conveys may sound odd to we who have accepted something less and called it the church. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: Good and gracious Father, you have designed and built a people whose foundation is Your Son and who are empowered and led by Your Spirit, to walk circumspectly in this world as your sanctified image bearers. We hold the cross high as we bear the name of God. We are called Christians, little Christs. Not individually primarily, but collectively we are the body of Christ. We represent Him and His Kingdom on earth. And we anxiously anticipate the day He will return. But Lord we often neglect the present on the altar of the future. We hope in what is coming and forsake the gifts you have already given. Let us be a people who earnestly long and strive to be together in fellowship and discipleship. Help us Lord to see this today, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. Transition: [Slide 2] “No local church is perfect – but there is no way in which it can be improved by the absence of spiritually minded Christians.” – John Blanchard “An avoidable absence from church is an infallible evidence of spiritual decay.” Frances Ridley Havergal “To stay away from church is to spit in God’s face and despise His gift of the Kingdom.” R.C. Sproul “When we take God for our God, we take His people, for our people.” Matthew Henry “Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together.” Corrie Ten Boom. Let these ideas roll around in your mind, as we look to the Word this morning. Starting in verse 17. I.) Fellowship with true believers is desired by true believers but opposed by Satan, so we must yearn and strive to be together. (17-18) a. [Slide 3] 17 - But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. i. After proving that the evangelists’ visit with the Thessalonians was quite productive, Paul now chronologically goes forward from their visit to the time since. ii. He first references the suddenness and violence by which their time with the Thessalonians came to an end. iii. Of course, we know that Paul and his companions were run out of Thessalonica by the jealous Jews who despised the speed at which the gospel made in roads with the gentiles. iv. He actually uses the words “to be orphaned” to describe their separation. v. This provides an interesting transition between the familial language Paul has been using to describe their connection to the Thessalonian church, and emphasize the emotional and spiritual toll this separation has had on both parties. vi. There is substantial agreement among theologians that this word in Greek “to be orphaned” unlike in English, can communicate both sides of this tragedy. It can be used to describe the sudden death of the last parent alive for a child, or it can describe the sudden death of a child. vii. Since Paul most recently compared himself and his companions to both the Thessalonian church’s mother and father, it seems best to understand this as the meaning we cannot arrive at in English, and see Paul describing their forced separation in terms of a parent losing their child. viii. Paul softens this word picture by providing two caveats. 1. First, he says that this was a short separation. This could mean either the time since they’ve been separated or Paul’s hope that they would soon be reunited, or both. 2. Second, Paul clarifies that this separation was merely physical – since in thought or as other translations say, in heart, they had still been very near to them. ix. So violent was the separation that even though it has only been a short time, Paul expresses his intense longing to again visit the church in person. x. Not only do they desire to be with them, Paul says that they have made every effort to see them. xi. But to what extent did they try to come to visit, and why were they unsuccessful? b. [Slide 4] 18 - For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. i. The evangelists loved them dearly. And it was out of that love that the evangelists desired greatly to see them again. ii. Paul himself points out that several times he actually tried to execute plans to get back to see them. iii. The expression here is literally, and once and twice, but the NIV accurately translates this idiom dynamically rendering it “again and again.” Paul endeavored to visit several times… but was hindered. How? iv. Satan prevented Paul. v. I don’t want to linger long here but I do want to point out the necessary tension that must exist in the scriptures. 1. Although God is sovereign, meaning He has absolute control over all things in His creation… He permits, uses, and even intentionally plans the opposition of Satan, the forces of darkness, and the wickedness of men, to accomplish His purposes. 2. Satan is given liberty in this world to oppose God’s people. But we should also recognize that if God desires us to do something and empowers us to do something, Satan cannot ultimately prevent us. 3. So, we might wonder how Paul knows that Satan is the one preventing him from going back to Thessalonica and not simply the providence of God. I see two answers to that question a. First, Paul writes under the authority and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, he knows, perhaps at the moment he writes it, that this opposition he and his companions faced, was from Satan himself. b. Second, since God does not sin, nor does God tempt anyone to sin, Paul also knows that if this opposition consisted of men sinning by lying, being violent, spreading hatred, or being jealous, then it is not from God but from the enemy. Indeed, it seems that the jealous Jews were the primary reason he left, perhaps they are the primary reason he has been prevented. vi. Does the enemy still oppose God’s people from fellowshipping with one another? Oh yes. And what do you suppose are the tactics he uses? We’ll look more into that in a few moments. c. [Slide 5] Summary of the Point: It is good that we remind ourselves that Paul had only met these believers a few months prior to writing these words. He had spent at most a month or two with them. Knowing this is quite a shock to our western sensibilities when we understand the depth of love which Paul writes to them. Paul and his companions earnestly long to be with them, to the extent that they had tried several times to rejoin them and were rebuffed by the direct opposition of the forces of darkness. This illustrates for us a dual layered truth. A truth which will be challenging for us to hear on both sides. First, that true and genuine believers earnestly long for fellowship with other believers. And second, that there is a powerful, ancient, and cunning enemy who actively opposes God’s people gathering and fellowshipping with each other. These two truths combined require us to apply this truth as an action we must pursue. In short, as Paul and his companions did, we must yearn and strive to be together. Transition: [Slide 6(blank)] But mere fellowship is not the only aspect of this thing called the church which makes it unique. Not only is it a family, but it is a family of teachers and students. Where the students are the reward for the teacher’s diligence. Let’s look at how Paul finishes up his thought in chapter 2. II.) Making growing and enduring disciples is our hope, joy, and glory, so we must yearn and strive to be together. (19-20) a. [Slide 7] 19 - For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? i. Paul ends this thought with a series of questions. ii. These questions are designed to explain why exactly the evangelists long to see them. iii. He has compared their sudden separation to being orphaned. He has expressed his deep desire to see them and indeed his efforts to do so. iv. And now, in order to explain even further his longing for them, he asks – what is our hope? What is our joy? What is the crown in which we will glory? v. It is here in the Greek sentence, before the statement about the presence of Jesus, that Paul actually interrupts his questions with the answer. vi. He inserts “Is it not you?” An answer which has an intended affirmative answer but would be a shocking answer to be sure. vii. One might expect the answer to be Jesus Christ. But Paul indicates that the Thessalonians are the evangelists’ hope, joy, and crown of glory. viii. But what does this mean and when do they become these things to the evangelists? ix. Hope here is something that is unseen, or unfulfilled, that has been promised. Joy is enduring contentment and peace based on God’s promises. And A crown of glory, or more literally a crown of boasting, has to do with the Olympic games where the winner would be given a crown of woven branches and leaves. The crown itself is almost of no value but the honor of the crown is priceless. x. They become all these things when all of them, the evangelists and the Thessalonians meet in the presence of Jesus when he returns. xi. [Slide 8] I think one commentator summarized this best when he said, xii. “Paul saw himself as bound up with his converts not only in terms of the service that he offered to Christ, but also in terms of his own salvation. They were fruits of his labor and of Christ’s grace in his life, and Paul looked forward to presenting them firm and steadfast in the faith when Christ returned… Paul looked forward to the return of Christ …and he understood that the fruit of his salvation, the crown that he would lay before Jesus, was none other than these dearly beloved believers, who were therefore Paul’s glory and joy.” – Richard Phillips REC pg 88-89 xiii. Servants of the Lord find hope, joy, and their glory in making genuine disciples. xiv. In many ways, our hope to endure to the end, our contentment in all circumstances, and our crowns we receive when Jesus returns are all connected to the impact we have on others in this life. xv. I imagine that day when the Lord returns and assembles forever His bride, it will be a day of rejoicing. When we get to see the impact we have had – knowingly or unknowingly on other people’s lives. xvi. Of course, we will cast all our crowns at the feet of Christ – for such accolades would not have been possible if He had left us in our sin. xvii. Still – Paul’s perspective is clear. xviii. The work of ministry, the making of disciples, and the proving of those disciples to be real and genuine to the extent that they are gathered on that day – THAT is what all this labor is for. That is the joy, hope, and glory of a Christian disciple maker. xix. That should be our hope, joy, and glory too. b. [Slide 9] 20 - Indeed, you are our glory and joy. i. Here we see two of the three items mentioned in verse 19 repeated… with a tense shift. ii. In one sense, the Thessalonians WILL BE the hope, joy, and crown of glory for the evangelists on the day the Lord returns. iii. But in another sense, RIGHT NOW, they are currently their joy and their glory. iv. Right now, the evangelists draw joy from their growing faith. Right now, they draw honor from their enduring faith. v. Paul does not repeat hope. This is because hope is something unseen and dependent on their enduring faith to the end. They cannot be their hope presently because that hope only comes to glorious maturity when Christ returns and His people are gathered. c. [Slide 10] Summary of the Point: In this passage, Paul demonstrates that the church is a spiritual entity different than all other human groups or gatherings. First, he shows this by the earnest desire to fellowship with each other despite diabolical opposition. But he also demonstrates this by showing that making disciples who are growing and enduring is the hope, joy, and glory of each disciple of Christ. The true church takes seriously the final marching orders of Christ to make disciples. They strive to do this because when the Lord returns, a believer’s very salvation is validated and verified through their successful discipling of others to teach them to be growing and enduring disciples of Jesus Christ. Although it is true that the reward at the end of our Christian race is CHRIST… in another sense, Christ Himself taught us that caring for His bride is one way to love Him too. And so necessarily related to being rewarded with Christ… is also being rewarded with the spiritual success of ministry. And if we ever hope to make disciples that grow and endure… we must yearn and strive to be together. Conclusion: So CBC, what broad concepts have we learned today that help to correct or inform our belief and shape and guide our lifestyles? Broad principles of Faith and Practice: [Slide 11] Today we’ve seen how the spiritual entity known as the church, the true church that is, those who have truly received faith in Jesus Christ, this spiritual entity is different than every other human gathering or group. This is true in two specific ways from our text this morning. First, it is true in that the church longs to fellowship with one another and is prevented from this by spiritually malevolent powers. And second, that true disciples know that their reward when the Lord returns is bound up in seeing those they discipled grow and endure to the end. In this sense, the church is unlike any other group or gathering we have on earth. Because the church is so different, it is logical and even necessary that we expect the church to behave differently toward one another than any other group or gathering on earth. And specifically in this text we see an earnest yearning and striving to be together. This should be our endeavor as well. But let me get more specific. These are broad and basic concepts. But we need to specify and expand upon them. 1.) [Slide 12] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that true believers long to be together. a. Let me clearly state my aim in these applications right up front. b. I have no intention of applying a guilt trip to you for not coming to church as often as the doors are open. I do not intend to be that short sighted in the application to you this morning. c. But observe with me the deep, intimate, personal love that Paul and his companions have with the Thessalonians. They’ve known each other for at most – a year. And most of that time they have spent… apart. d. Paul and his companions were only with them for a couple of months. Still – do you see the deep connections they have formed. The familial language that is used. e. But this is not peculiar to this book. Generally speaking, in every book written by New Testament authors, we see their care and love for the people to whom they write. f. We see them express their desire to visit, to be among the people to whom they write. g. So my friends, observe, that the true and genuine Christian intensely desires to fellowship with other genuine Christians. h. Real Christians, who are not merely Christians in name only, earnestly desire, they LONG to be with each other. i. They often try to be together and make plans to be together. j. They execute their plans with precision to ensure that they CAN be together. k. They do all they can in wisdom and forethought to make sure that they can be with one another for fellowship and for discipleship. l. The heartbeat, the passion, the intense spiritual need of true believers is to be with, among, around, alongside, in front of, and bound to other believers. m. And so… if you lack any such zeal, passion, or longing, the application is not… start longing this. n. The application is, examine your heart. Are you truly a child of God? Are you really a Christian? o. You say – “you can’t be serious Chris! p. You doubt my salvation just because I don’t particularly look forward to being with God’s people? Because I can think of things I’d rather be doing with my time than hang out with other believers, you doubt my salvation?” q. Yes. That is exactly what I am saying. r. Read the words of the New Testament earnestly and devoutly and tell me you do not arrive at the same conclusion. Can you find real and genuine Christians who would rather not fellowship and disciple each other in the pages of the New Testament? s. I challenge you to look – because you will not find them. t. If you do not earnestly desire and make plans and execute plans to be with God’s people with zealousness and sincerity… then yes, I do doubt your salvation. And you should too. u. We are the bride of Christ. You can’t have the bride without the groom, but you also can’t have the groom without the bride. v. You will spend all of eternity with the bride of Christ… If you don’t desire them now, what makes you think you will desire them then? w. But this leads me to another point that needs to be shown to you. 2.) [Slide 13] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that it is purely earthy barriers that prevent us being together. a. The devil often disguises himself as an angel of light. b. He is a liar from the beginning. c. And he is a murderer. d. If you are God’s child, he hates you, he hunts you, to destroy you. e. Why do you suppose when the alarm clock goes off on a Sunday morning that you feel so tired? f. Monday you wake up on time, go to work and get there on time. Tuesday too. In fact, you don’t have any trouble at all waking up and getting to your job on time. You make plans to do so and there are repercussions for not doing so. g. Saturday you even wake up without the alarm because you are so used to getting up at the time necessary for work. h. But Sunday. Oh Sunday is always the day that you wake up and feel so very tired. It is the day that the kids move extra slowly. It is the day that everything moves at a snails pace. i. Saturday evening you always stay up a little later than you intend. You always watch one more show than you normally do. j. Why? k. Why do you seem to hit every red light on the way in to church? l. Why do you find it so hard to arrive to church on time? m. Why does it always seem that your heart is not prepared to worship the Lord or see His people? n. Why does it always take so long for you to settle into your pew and adopt a posture of listening and learning? o. Why do the songs never seem to resonate? p. Why do thoughts of the outside world keep interfering. q. Why do you seem to focus on everything under the sun but what the text of scripture is saying and how it applies to you? r. Why, although you have had 6 cups of coffee, although the temperature is set to an icy 67 degrees, and the preacher is NOT as boring as he could be 😊 Why oh why do you struggle to stay awake? s. Why does the technology for the service work perfectly throughout the week but on Sunday it gives us fits? t. Why do you hustle out of the service as soon as the benediction is done? Or why do you linger after the service and discuss everything under the sun but the Lord and His glory? u. Why do you go home from Sunday and never speak of the sermon to your family? v. Why do you forget about the details of the text but can remember every stat of the game that happens that afternoon? w. Why do country songs on the television fill your heart but the worship songs of the Lord seem dull and boring? x. MY FRIENDS! y. Do you not know that your enemy stalks you and hunts you like a roaring lion? Do you not know that he seeks to devour you? z. Do you think that all that I have mentioned is merely earthly roadblocks? Strange coincidences? aa. The devil has opposed you… TODAY. He has sought to steal your joy, hope, and glory of worshipping God and serving each other. And he has done it… today. bb. If you think you can treat Sunday like any other day… then you are a fool. cc. The bible commands us to be vigilant. Sunday may be a day of rest for God’s people but you can bet your bottom dollar that the devils that fill the world WORK HARD on Sunday. dd. And the sad thing is… that they are quite successful at their occupations. ee. We would do well to remember that our fellowshipping and discipling each other is not opposed by flesh and blood, nor circumstances, but by ancient, powerful, and intelligent evil that loves to deceive us. ff. Which means most of what you have believed as acceptable reasons for forsaking the fellowship and discipleship of God’s people are no doubt… a lie which you have happily believed. 3.) [Slide 14] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that making growing and enduring disciples is connected with our hope, joy, and glory at Christ’s return. a. Many Christians are happy to talk about going to heaven. b. They even are happy to discuss the wonder and glory of fellowshipping with believers there and even meeting the Lord in the air at his coming. c. But my friends – what a sad and terrible state it will be when we arrive at that meeting and find no one there who is your hope, joy, or glory. d. All your labors were wood, hay, and stubble and had ultimately been burned up. e. All the time you spent at our job, working on your cars, hunting that giant buck, watching hours of sports, playing hours of video games, all the efforts you put into keeping your house clean and building your sheds… it will all burn up. What will be left? f. Paul made tents. He had a job. A pretty good one too. He understood the games, so one has to believe that he attended a few. g. Yet his glory when Christ returns… his hope… his joy… is seeing the people he had ministered to, there with him. Strong, steadfast, with true faith. h. The list I mentioned – none of these are inherently sinful. None of them must be quit or forsaken entirely. i. But my friends – Who will be your hope, joy, and glory, when the bride of Christ is gathered together in the clouds? When the Lord returns and you look around… who will be there that validates your faith and is the fruit of the labor you gave to the Lord Jesus? j. When the crowns are handed out – and you realize they are handed out based on who you discipled to grow and mature and endure in Christ… and sadly you have no crowns to cast at the Savior’s feet… what will you do then? k. Do not displease your master in this way and so dishonor yourself. Do not rob the joy you could have on that joyous day. l. You must be busy about the business of discipling others. 4.) [Slide 15] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the number of professions of faith is what ultimately matters. a. Admittedly this is somewhat of a pet peeve of mine. So, I’ll try to state it succinctly and with grace. b. Notice how Paul does not put his hope, joy, and glory in the number of people he had personally led to Christ. Notice Paul’s honor, his joy, his hope is in believers who are vibrant, growing, and enduring believers. c. My friends, do not track the number of people who you have personally led to pray a prayer. d. Instead, track the number of disciples whom you are personally mentoring to be Christlike. e. For they, and they only, will be your hope, joy, and honor. 5.) [Slide 16] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” We must yearn and strive to be together. a. All these rearrangements of our beliefs have led to this one conclusion this morning. b. If God’s true people earnestly long to be together and to disciple each other, yet are actively prevented by an ancient, intelligent, and powerful enemy – then being together is going to be work. It is going to be a goal we strive to attain. c. Christian fellowship never has been and never will be just rolling up in your car to hang with God’s people. I’d wager that someone who approaches fellowship and discipleship in this way is allowed to do so, without diabolical opposition, since they are no real threat to the plans of the enemy anyway. d. But someone who earnestly loves God’s people and desires to disciple others and be discipled… That person will need to STRIVE to be with God’s people. e. It will take effort. It will take work. It will take sacrifice. f. Every time the people of God gather… it is a sacrifice. g. The Old Testament believers met and offered an offering from their own wealth to worship God and fellowship with His people. h. The New Covenant operates similarly. But our sacrifices are not from a herd or a spice rack. They are time, energy, indeed they are our very lives. We offer living sacrifices to God to be with and disciple His people. i. It takes WORK. j. So… 6.) [Slide 17] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop allowing earthly and avoidable barriers from coming between us. a. Once again, think to Paul who earnestly yearned to be with the Thessalonians and made several plans to join them but all were thwarted by Satan himself. b. Now compare that reason to the last reason you didn’t come to fellowship with God’s people. c. You should go to bed an hour early on Saturday. You should keep yourself from any substance that might interfere with a good night’s sleep. d. You should wake up an hour earlier than you do for work, and seek the Lord in prayer. e. You should wake your children with twice the time they normally need to get ready to go somewhere. f. You should be getting in the car with twice the time in would normally take you to arrive to church. g. You should be here for foundations. h. You should linger long and speak with God’s people long. i. You should be at every single thing the church offers if it is within your power to do so. j. And you should NOT forsake the assembling of the body of Christ and the opportunity for discipleship for anything less than something that is an absolute necessity. k. I am not a strict Sabbatarian. I do not hold to the belief that Christians are somehow sinning if they work or engage in normal recreational activities on a Sunday. l. But when Christians easily, with barely any thought, and with little consideration for their covenant obligations, with little consideration to their own guilty conscience, with little consideration to the need for them to fellowship and disciple others – so carelessly and effortlessly choose earthly things over the fellowship and discipleship available to them in the body of Christ… I wonder if it would have been much easier if God did keep the Sabbath in full force. m. What could possibly be so important that gathering with the body of Christ is cast aside so frequently and so easily? n. Are you sure it is a necessary task and not simply a lie from the Evil One to keep you apart from God’s people? o. How can you consistently arrive late and leave early to something that is so important and that happens at the same time every single week? p. The fact of the matter is, that if you did earnestly desire and heartily strove to be with God’s people … You would do so. q. But you are losing the battle to Satan’s lies. All the excuses are simply lies you have believed. And they are preventable. r. Paul pursued the Thessalonians as if his life depended on it. Ultimately, he did not join with them because Satan himself prevented him. s. It is a sad state of affairs that Christians today give up fellowshipping with and discipling other believers, and Satan doesn’t even break a sweat to prevent them. 7.) [Slide 18] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” The Body of Christ is a bit of Christ on earth. a. The Spirit of Christ dwells in us. The Word of Christ dwells in us. b. We are the body of Christ. c. My friends… if Jesus Christ were here every Sunday, would you be late? Would you do something else instead? Would you come early? Would you linger long? d. Granted, not one person here is like Christ in this way… e. But we are all of us the body of Christ. We are His bride. And to love, cherish, care for, and disciple His people… is to do these things, even the least of them… unto Christ Himself. f. Do you not see the blessing that is available to you in the body of Christ? g. Take comfort, people of God, that He has given us His church. 8.) [Slide 19] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Being a true disciple of Christ means you will grow and endure to the end. Are you still growing? Are you still enduring? a. Paul makes it plain that at the end, he will be joyful and honored by those who endured in their faith. b. The bible as a whole makes it clear that it is only those who are growing in the knowledge of Christ and enduring in their faith and trust in Him… it is only those who will enter the kingdom of God. c. In Hebrews it says that without holiness… no one will see God. d. Being a Chrsitian is not a declaration of a religion… it is the change of a life. e. Everything about being a follower of Jesus Christ demands our highest priority. f. Everything takes a back seat to following Jesus. g. So if you have professed Christ… but you are not growing in your faith… if you are wavering in doubt and have been for some time… h. Are you sure you are of Christ? If His Spirit is in you – can you have grieved Him for so long without Him convicting and changing you by His grace? i. Examine your heart. Perhaps today, you will receive true faith and begin to grow and endure. [Slide 20 (end)] Let me close with a prayer from the ancient Apostolic Constitutions Our Father, we thank you for the life you have made known to us by Jesus your Son. By him you made all things, and by him you take care of the whole world. You permitted your Son to suffer and die, then you raised him up and glorified him, setting him down on your right hand. By him you have promised us the resurrection of the dead. Lord Almighty, everlasting God, gather your church into your kingdom from the ends of the earth, as grain was once scattered, and has now become one loaf of bread. Father, we also thank you for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed for us, and for his precious body, the church. We celebrate this representation, as Scripture tells us, "to proclaim the Lord's death" (1 Corinthians 11:26). For through him glory is to be given to you forever. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Benediction: May the same God who delivered David from the paw of the lion, the paw of the bear and the hand of the Philistine, deliver you from our common enemy. So that you will have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but rather know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he or she does. Until we meet again, go in peace.