1 Thessalonians 1
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1 Thessalonians 1
1 Thessalonians 1
Good morning church! Very glad to be back with our church family this morning. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! We were able to gather with all of our children which was wonderful. Would you guys join me in prayer for our service this morning.....
Now at risk of predictably doing all the things that Joe pointed out to you that I do when I teach…we are going to be beginning a new book this morning, 1 Thessalonians, as you can see up on the screens…but before we go there, I want to look at some Bible background.
So if you are already there, keep a finger in it and turn with me to Acts 17. Now just a little background to the back ground…Paul is on his second missionary journey at this snapshot in time that we are going to look at. On this journey, he travels to a place called Thessalonica.
This was the capital city in Macedonia and the time was probably early summer of AD 50 and as late as AD 51. You can see where the city is located by my big red arrow on the map on your screens. And on our map we can see that Thessalonica was a port city, major trade went through this region. Not only was it on a sea port, it was an important city—the second largest in Greece. According to Andrew Knowles in the Bible Guide, not only was it a port city, but It stands on the Egnatian Way—one of the great Roman roads. This road runs from east to west across the north of Greece, linking the Aegean Sea in the east to the Adriatic Sea in the west.
We know that Paul liked to travel to areas where there would be lots of people to hear the Gospel, and this is what took him to Thessalonica. Things did not go exactly as planned though as we will see, and he didn’t get to stay for very long. We will read this in just a moment, but he leaves Thessalonica and then immediately goes to Berea, and then on to Athens, and then Corinth. As we read Acts 17 we will see that Timothy and Silas, who had been with Paul at Thessalonica stated there when he left.
They later join Paul in Corinth where Timothy’s gives Paul a report on what happened to the church after he left. So lets look as Acts 17:1-4
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
8 And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things.
9 So when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds.
So Paul shows up in town, goes to the local Synagogue of the Jews, and starts reasoning with them from the scriptures. Listening to them, hearing them, and then giving them good reasons to believe in the Christ from the Scriptures. And we read in verse two that this went on for 3 Sabbaths before the Jews that weren't persuaded ran him out of town. So Paul was with them for only three weekends! He goes to a couple of other places. Timothy joins him in Corinth to give the good report, and then Paul writes this letter to the church that we are starting this morning. A lot of background I know, but I think important background to help us understand Paul and to help us understand this church in Thessalonica. Let’s begin.
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul greets them with his common greeting of Grace and Peace, which he does in the majority of his letters, except the pastoral epistles, the letters he writes to pastors, he includes mercy because pastors need a lot of mercy. Those things might sound the same, they are similar, but they aren’t the same things. Probably some of the best simplest explanations I have heard is Grace is God’s unmerited or unearned favor....by grace we are saved through faith. So it can be considered getting what we don’t deserve. Where mercy is also about kindness or compassion, but rather than being about what we are getting, it’s about what we aren’t getting. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Titus 3:5
5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
As you guys know Paul combines the two most common greetings of the day, something very relatable to the people, grace with the Greek population, and Shalom, or Peace in the Jewish culture. To give them greater understanding of God. It is only by the grace of God, that we can ever experience the peace of God.
But in his greeting he also tells us something about this church…1 Thes 1:1
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
it is a church founded in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…it is not a church built on a man, a personality or persona. It was not a church developed or expanded by a program, a demographic study or church planting strategy. It was the Lord’s church like we see in the book of Acts…Acts 2:46-47
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Paul goes on in his greeting...
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,
Paul doesn’t tell them we pray for you every day, all day, or more than any of the other churches, but he says were always thankful for you, and we do faithfully make mention of you in our prayers. And then he lists out three things that really stand out about them...
3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,
4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Now what stands out to me here is that Paul can say what he says in verse 4. Knowing…your election by God. That is one of my very biggest concerns about those that call this church their home…are they among the elect of God. Are they really saved. I’m accountable before the Lord for what goes on here, I’m subject to a double judgement, I’m called to be a Sheppard. And I fear for some of you, and some that aren’t with us this morning that gather with us on occasion…do they really have assurance of salvation?
I’m not the judge of that, God is, but yet what evidence is there. What is your worship like? I don’t mean how loud to you sing, although singing is a big part of worship. But what is your worship to the Lord like. I don’t see what anybody gives to the Lord here, but do you worship in that way, do you worship in your service? See I was perplexed at how in the world Paul could say that after having only spent three weekends with these people. How did he know their conversion was real? How could he know that it was sincere and that it stuck and didn’t just wither away?
Because there was proof! There was evidence. The whole book of James tells us that you can’t have faith, you can’t have real faith, a saving faith, without proof spilling out all over the place. And Paul says I can know you are part of the elect of God because of your faith, your love, and your hope. You guys that were here last week. Do you remember the story that Joe shared about Paul and Silas being in Jail?
They are singing and worshiping at midnight, an earthquake shakes things up so much that the doors open and they could go free. But they didn’t and the other prisoners saw that their faith really worked in their lives and these none christian criminals who could have gone free didn’t because they saw something that was real. That story was in Acts 16, Acts 17, was the background story I read you about Paul going to Thessalonica, that that happened just before his visit here and they got to see real faith producing works.
And now Paul, hearing the testimony of Timothy about these guys, could say… you have faith that produces works, the love that you have is what produces your labor and the hope in your lives has produced patience. I can see, without doubt, that you’re the real deal and part of God’s elect. Sometimes people joke about stoic Mainers being part of the chosen frozen, but understand church there really is no such thing. A faith that saves, produces this holy trifecta that Paul talks about here and in other places,.... hope, faith, and love. People should see that in your lives, not just hear about it from you.
Notice what Paul says in verse 5… 1 Thes 1:5
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
Now don’t mistake what he is saying here. The word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. But Paul is saying you guys didn’t just receive words on a page. It wasn’t just an academic understanding of some religious documents, or parchments that he read. As I continue my studies, I am amazed at the number of men that are considered Biblical scholars, or I should say rather academic scholars that study the scriptures, but have not experienced the power in it, or the true understanding of it through the Person of the Holy Spirit.
Paul is saying that’s not the case with you church in Thessalonica, you received it in power and in the Holy Spirit and that gave you much assurance. Remember, what Jesus said to His disciples, the guys that had spent over three years with Him? Go out and tell the whole world about Me and make disciples, it’s above nearly every exit door of this church, but before you go, He said…Luke 24:49
49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Do it in the power of the Holy Spirit, or don’t do it at all! Then in verse 6...
6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
The Apostle Paul is pretty famous for saying follow me as I follow Christ. And Pastors are pretty famous for saying, could you say that? What if everyone followed Jesus like you do? What a pathetic church that would be wouldn’t it!…ok, maybe they don’t say that, but that’s what they’re saying right, or I should say, that’s what I’m hearing when they say it and I’m in the room.
Why can’t you be more like Paul? And I think which Paul, the follow me Paul, or the chief among sinners Paul, because I think I probably fall somewhere in the middle. Man that’s prideful…did I just say I was less of a sinner than Paul?…Have mercy for your pastor.
I’ll tell you what I think he’s saying here. Paul is writing to Christians in this church and it applies to Christians in our church. We should be saying this, not just saying this, we should be doing this. This is what making disciples is all about. Hey, let me show you how to follow Jesus is a way that you can see that He is real and my relationship with Him is real.
Like Paul and Silas did when they didn’t bust out of the Pokie. And everyone around them could see their faith was real and they were willing to follow Him even when it cost them something. They had faith that produced works, love for the jailer, and they had Hope in Jesus that gave the patience to just trust Him with their release. It’s not just this. This is equipping you, but it isn’t really discipling you. I’m making you students, not disciples. That comes through doing life side by side with each other.
And they didn’t just hear the Word, or read the Word, it says they received it. It landed. Verse 7 say, you guys followed us, you followed the Lord, 1 Thes 1:7
7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.
You heard it, you saw it in us, you received it with power and the Holy Spirit, and assurance, and then you lived it out loud in front of the whole land! How long had Paul been with them? Three weekends! Do you think they knew the Bible cover to cover? No, it wasn’t finished yet, this was probably only Paul’s second letter. But they believed! And they lived like they believed! IT amazes me as we go through this short letter all that Paul did teach them. About the rapture of the church and the second coming of Christ. It is an exciting little letter.
But they believed... and they really were new creations in Christ. And they knew that Jesus could come back at any second, that He had come and suffered and died for them, so they could be saved. AND it changed the way that they worshipped! They sang like they believed what they were singing, they lived like they understood that their gifts were supposed to be for the benefit of the whole. They came alongside those that were struggling and said, hey follow me, as I follow Jesus, I used to really struggle with that too. Verse 8 tells us that their witness went far beyond those that believed.
8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
From you the word of the Lord has sounded forth! Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words describes sounded fourth as "to sound forth as a trumpet"
The Bible Sense Lexicon describes it as
To Circulate ⇔ Ring Out
That sounds like a trumpet. Powerful! A trumpet can sound the alarm, it is heard above other instruments. We had a young lady that attended here for awhile that had some interest in playing her trumpet on the worship team. I’m sure she was very talented, but the trumpet make everything around it be muted. Paul said that’s like you church, you sounded forth the Word of the Lord!
Now I don’t have a trumpet. To show you what I’m talking about....But, But, most of you know that Nicole and I went on a trip to Nashville, TN to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. I didn’t buy a trumpet there, but we did go on a tour of the Ryman Auditorium, they call it the Mother Church, because it used to be a church and because it was the original Grand Old Opry! To commemorate the occasion, I wanted to spoil myself with a souvenir. Nicole got herself a tee-shirt, and I went for the $9.99 Ryman auditorium Harmonica, sometimes called the mouth organ.
I’m going to try to sound forth with it....now, I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to be honest with me…do you think that is what Paul is describing to us here? No way! That was more like sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. It was just noise! Lets look again at what Paul says here, the word of the Lord has sound forth, but also your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. Jesus is so real in your lives, you’ve put us out of a job around here.
Sometimes I hear people complain that WE don’t do enough about outreach, we don’t do enough outreach in the community. Let me take you back to our first slide...
1 Thessalonians 1
1 Thessalonians 1
Like the church in Thessalonica, our community outreach program is YOU! According to the Word of God, my job is Eph 4:11-12
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
So gang, you and me, need to be looking for opportunities to be like Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy was to this church and then to become like the church of Thessalonica was not only in Macedonia and in Achaia and everywhere they went. Lets look at it again, verse 8, 1 Thes 1:8-10
8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.
9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
It wasn’t just words, their faith toward God went out too…and the people, the witnesses to this declare, look at verse 9. They turned away from idols, everyone could see they were serving the living and true God. The change in them was so great it had to be real. Vs. 10
They lived with expectation, waiting for Jesus’s return…and don’t miss the end of this.
In the church we talk a lot about being saved, but we aren’t always good about explaining what we’re saved from. The bondage of sin, yes. A lack of peace, by the grace of God, yes. The the real thing we need to be saved from is the wrath of God on a Christ rejecting world. Paul talks much more about this in our little letter. Spoiler alert though in the last chapter he tells us, tells Christians that God did not appoint us to wrath, and we will talk about what that means in the weeks to come.
So, for Joe’s sake, I’ll close with this....How do we know if this is real in our lives or in the lives of others?...
We should see things like...works of faith, labors of love, and patience that produces hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
We should look for opportunities to be discipled and to disciple others. We sometimes call it having a Paul in our lives pouring into us and having a Timothy that we can pour it back out into so we don’t just get fat and bloated. Looking for opportunities to say, follow me as we follow Jesus.
We should be sounding forth the Word of God, in a way that is ringing out, sounding out like a melodious trumpet, that is pleasing to the ear, because the truth of the Word, is seen in the power of your testimony. Because you’re living it out in a way that people can see your faith, and can’t help talking about the change in us. As they see us turning away from idols, or things that we have put above God, to now serve the living and true God, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are the outreach plan. Let’s join together and reach our community. Let’s pray. Father help these to not be just words....
Grace and Peace!