Intro.

1. 2 Thss. 3:1 "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as also it is with you..."

2. What Paul wants these brethren to pray for they have already demonstrated.   

3. See how the word of God was glorified in their case.

I. THEY RECEIVED IT AS THE WORD OF GOD (1 Thss. 2:13)                                         A. Regarded as having a divine source

1. Therefore, serving a divine purpose, complete, unerring, beneficial.                             2. Source determines validity of religious teaching (Matt. 21:25; Gal. 1:11)                     3. Many err in receiving God's word as the word of men, and vice versa. 

B. Shows importance of discernment in receiving teaching                                                  1. Phil. 1:10 (Footnote ASV: "distinguish the things that differ")                                     2. 1Thss. 5:21 "Prove all things"

II. THEY HEEDED THE CALL OF GOD'S WORD (2 Thss. 2:13)                                          A. Even in "much affliction" (1 Thss. 1:6; 2 Thss. 1:4-6).                                                       B. Turned to God from idols (1 Thss. 1:9).

III. THEY LIVED BY THE GOSPEL SO AS TO PLEASE GOD (1 Thss. 4:1)

A. Thru gospel preaching they learned how to live (walk) and did so.                                   1. Shows gospel a pattern for living, not just converting (Gal. 2:14)                                 2. They turned to serve (1 Thss. 1:9; 2 Thss. 3:4).

B. Pleasing God is the aim of purposeful living

1. Such was Paul's aim and should be ours (2 Cor. 5:9)

2. We glorify the word & the God who gave it in so doing.

IV. IN IN DOING THESE THINGS, THEY BECAME GOOD ENSAMPLES TO OTHERS       (1 Ths. 1:7) 

A. Gospel teaching is best reinforced by gospel living (Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:1?)                      l. World desperately needs "salt" & "light" people

V. THEY SOUNDED FORTH THE WORD OF GOD (1 Thss. 1:8)

A. They knew that what they had received, the world needed

1. Because of sin and its consequences (2 Thss. 1:8,9); blessings of salvation.               2. Such is God's plan for evangelizing world (2 Tim. 2:2)

CONCLUSION.

1. We can not only pray for, we can glorify the word of God as chose men did.                    Dan S. Shipley