Introduction:     If ever there was an example of someone who did something great for God it would have to be the Apostle Paul. Amidst great persecution Paul left behind in Thessalonica a strong church. (Illus: Fame is fleeting…Frank Sinatra died May 14, 1998 . Legend has it that Sinatra was buried with some of his favoriot things - a flask of Jack Daniel's whiskey, a roll of dimes (in reference to the kidnapping of his son), a lighter (which some take to be a reference to his mob connections) and a packet of Camel cigarettes. This man’s life reduced to a pocket full of memories.) Beloved, you can life and die better than that. This passage gives us the description of one who would do something great for God – the kind of person each believer should be. What does it take to do something great for God?

I.          HOLY BOLDNESS (VV.1-2)
If you attempt great things for God there will always be opposition and negativity. But, if you have Holy Boldness, you can do great things for God.

            A.        That Will Not Quit (v.1)

·        “vain” = worthless.

·        Paul had just come out of a tuff experience (Acts 16).

·        People had done all they could to keep Paul from preaching the gospel but he never quit! (Illus: Not even in jail – if you give up every time someone is mean to you or talks bad about you, you’ll spend your life backing up and giving up.)

            B.         That Will Not Be Quiet (v.2)

·        “contention” = opposition

·        Paul did not give up the ministry because he was persecuted.

II.         HIGH MOTIVES (VV.3-4)
Paul’s motives were questioned.

            A.        Sharing A Pure Gospel (v.3)

·        “deceit” = error – The critics claimed he preached the wrong message (faith in Jesus alone & the grace of God in salvation alone). Share the true gospel (1 Cor.15:3-4).

·        “uncleanness” = impure - Paul’s motives were pure and never to take advantage of another.

·        “guile” = a bad or deluded method – never water down God’s truth and always have the right motives.

            B.         Sharing To Please God (not man) (v.4)

·        “allowed of God” = put to the test and proved – God tried and approved His messenger.

·        “put in trust” = deposited with – this gospel is not mine; it’s God’s and I’ve got to tell it just as it is in the Book!

·        You will never do anything great for God if you try to please people. Your motives are to please God! (Illus: violinist looking only for the approval of the master – he wasn’t playing for the people, he was playing for the maestro). Don’t live your life for a person, or for popularity, but live your life for the approval of God.

III.       HUMBLE SERVICE (VV.5-6)

            A.        Not Out For What They Could Get (v.5)

·        Users are losers

·        Help people and never use people for personal gain.

            B.         Not Looking For Glory (v.6)

·        “burdensome” = to have weight – he is saying I am an Apostle of Christ and I could have thrown my weight around. I have position and I could have gotten credit. Paul never saw himself as a big-shot or tried to pull rank.

·        You’ll never do anything great for God if you are power hungry – have to have the credit – are infatuated with rank and title. God never uses people that are full of themselves – God uses humble people.

Conclusion:       God does not use human ability. God uses humans that are available. God delights in using people that everyone else says are failures. Do something for God! Everything you do for God is great!