Thessalonians: A Good Example

Read 1 Thess. 1:1-10

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“I want to go to a place, to a church that is real. I want to belong to a real church. I want to belong to a biblical church. I don’t want to belong to a perfect church, because they do not exist, and I would mess it up if it did exist...

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But what are we looking for? This book shows us a good example of what a church is to look like and to be.

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Who is the Author? Paul

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Who is the Audience? Church in Thessalonica that Paul founded during his second missionary journey. Population of about 200,000.

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Verse 1 - To the church among the people… To the church among the Baxley people, the Baxleites… To the church that exists within this city… Who are they?

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The real church folks that belong to God through Christ. Jesus is their Lord and Savior. He is their Foundation and Corner Stone. We do not see denominations being addressed… we only see the real church that is among them being addressed.

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And if those folks in those church buildings are Trusting in Christ alone for their salvation… If they believe that are saved alone by faith alone in Christ alone… If they believe in One God: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and they believe that God the Son has come through a virgin, died for their sins and was raised from the dead… If they are turning from their sins and are following Christ as Lord and Savior...

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Then, they are church folks. They are brothers and sisters. You are the church. This message is for you.

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This blessing be upon you…

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This is what we see first: The Blessing

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“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be upon you...”

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Church, you are a blessed people who can grow in the grace and peace of the Lord. May faith, hope and love abound in you dear church.

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Verse 2 - We see love and care here for God’s people. Church folks, church leaders, pray for other church folks. Under-shepherds pray for they sheep. We are to pray often and frequently for our brothers and sisters in the faith.

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I will pray for this church on a regular basis. I will call you out by name on a regular basis. Almost every deacon in this church has several families that they are praying for on a regular basis.

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Are you praying for your church family on a regular basis?

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What can we do? Pick someone today to pray for this week. Pick a few that you don’t like… pick a few that you like and pick a few you don’t like… and pray for them… and also give thanks to God for them.

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Church folks give thanks to God for their brothers and sisters.

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This may change someone’s life, someone’s attitude today…

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Start thanking God for that church member… Start thanking God for that teacher, for that believer… for that minister… for that aggravating brother and sister in the Lord… and see what God does in your heart and see what God does in theirs as you do...

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Now: What do we see about this great church?

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We see an Exemplary People - W see a people to imitate.

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A. They heard and received the Word, and they sought to obey the word, to live it out.

A faith without godly works is a faith that doesn’t work. It is a dead faith. Our faith moves us, changes us… Our faith does stuff… Out of a heart that has been changed.

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Verse 3-7 - Paul remembers their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in Christ… and is thankful to God… for their election by God.

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This can be a prayer guide: Pray that faith will grow. Pray that love, actions of love/service/ will grow. Pray that your church family will hang on and endure through the pain and hardships. Pray that they will not lose heart. Pray that they will make their calling and election sure… and they will hold on to the promises that are holding them...

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Pray for their Christian walk. Pray for their health and their family. Church folks pray for one another. Love your church family by praying for them.

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Lets be honest: Who needs their church family to pray for them right now? Whose faith is not solid today? Who is struggling with trusting the Lord today, and is not working for the Lord as they should today, losing sight of the Great Commission… and losing hope…?

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Who needs the church to pray for them?

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We need this. We are here for this. We are here for one another. We are not alone. We are the Church of the Living God and He has brought us together to love and support one another through this hard life.

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And so often are we guilty of coming together, meeting together… and never doing this.

We are the people of God, and as the people of God we have received the Word and we desire to obey the Word of God, to live it out

This Gospel has changed us. This Gospel moves us. This Gospel has power that continues to move, motivate and inspire.

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Verse 5 - This message does not come in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance...

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This message has changed things. It has changed me. It has changed you. We desire God. And we desire to love one another.

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This Good News of God rescuing sinners from the wrath to come, from the judgment to come… That God so loved the world that He gave His only Son… to die in my place… and to pay my debt… so that He can give me eternal life...

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This Good News changes things… It changes hearts...

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This message that we proclaim does not come from man, it does not come from us… It comes from God. The Good News of God is from God. The Good News is God. And God’s Word, God’s message moves with power.

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The message comes through words… When the message, this message, comes through words… The Holy Spirit takes the message and plants it in the heart of the unbeliever… and makes the dead come to life. And it feeds and continues to change and transform the Christian.

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These are fruits of real conversion/salvation.

‌What else do we see?

Verse 6 - These folks followed their spiritual leaders and imitated them. The church stood with the spiritual leaders, the pastors. They did not crucify them, mock them, bash them, belittle them, slander them… The church submitted to them… and sought to imitate the godliness they saw in them.

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Hebrews 13:17

- Obey them that have (spiritual) rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch over your souls as those who will give an account.

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This makes a healthy, peaceful, and joyful church… When you have godly leadership, leading by the Word of God, and everyone is submitting to godly leadership… seeking to submit, obey and imitate Christ.

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1. They received God’s Word, 2. They followed their spiritual leaders, and ...

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3. They suffered for Christ...

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Verse 9 - These church folks at one time had idols in their homes. They worshiped idols, false gods. They practiced idolatry, some of them practiced sorcery, and lived like demons...

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But God… But the Gospel… But the message was sent… the messenger was sent and gave the message… The Holy Spirit moved and hearts, lives, and families were changed...

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But what happened to others who they use to party with? What happened to the other Jewish people who did not agree with them?

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They got mad. They rejected them. Jewish unbelievers persecuted the believers. Believers got kicked out and they were treated harshly.

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Has anything changed? No. The same thing happens today: Same God. Same sinful people. Same message. And the same hate continues to be shown when we stand and say Jesus in the only way.

If you will stand with Jesus… who will be hated and despised. I f you will stand with Jesus, who will be misunderstood and mistreated… And at times you will have to stand alone with Him.

Suffering will come to those who follow Christ.

Count the cost, and ask the question: Is He worth it?

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4. Verse 7-8 -They encouraged other churches:

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Christian either encourage other Christians or they discourage other Christians. Churches either encourage or discourage other churches. What kind of Christian and what kind of church do we want to be?

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We are not in competition with other churches. It is not about the numbers. You are not a number. You are a person. You have a soul. We care about souls here. We care about people.

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Be honest: Are we looking to number today or are we looking to love the souls that are here. Are we here to brag about how many folks came today or are you looking to encourage someone here today.

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Church competition is a worldly thing.

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Perhaps, if we loved, encouraged, prayed for and strengthened the ones we have… maybe more would come.

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Don’t treat churches like numbers… treat them like people. See souls… not numbers.

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This church is an exemplary church:

In every way, we see this church being an example for us today.

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Their secret was found in the faith, hope and love that they had in Christ.

Christianity was taught and caught. Christianity was heard and seen.

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Paul followed Christ’s example and this church watched Paul and followed His example of Christ.

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But what happens when disciples don’t show Christ? What happens when our example does not match, or come close to Jesus… What kind of disciples will we make… and then what kind of disciples will they make?

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We must watch our lives and doctrine closely.

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This church modeled Christ by watching and learning from Paul and then they too became witnesses and shared the joy of the Spirit even as they suffered for Christ.

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Paul left his mark. This church will leave their mark. Paul was built up in the faith and was able to endure trials and persecution. Now, this church is built up in the faith and can endure trials and persecution...

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People are watching. Our children are watching. Babies in the faith are watching us as they listen to us… They are watching us live and they are watching us suffer...

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Do they see Christianity? Do they see a glimpse of Jesus at all?

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What are we producing as Christians? What are we producing at home? What we producing in the Sunday School classes, in and through the local church, in the work place… as we witness?

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Word got around about the Thessalonians Word got around that they have changed. Word got around from far away… that these people made some changes...

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These people repented. These people broke down and turned away from their idols. These people were living for the True God. These folks were enduring hardships, and they are going forward in faith… fighting onward.

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These Christians have a hope that has not faded. They are living for, and they are waiting on Jesus’ return.

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What an example for Christians today, for the church today.

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What an example of the power of the Gospel, of the message. What an example of faithfulness that leads others to faithfulness.

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What an example of true discipleship: Being taught by someone who teaches and models Christianity, and then doing the same for someone else...

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What an example of what to do and be.

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We are called a chosen people. We are called to be a faithful and loving people… To be a hopeful people... To be a people who do the Word of God and live it out in an enthusiastic way. To be an expectant people, people who wait on God, as they live for Him.

‌*What an example we have.

A church that blesses. We see A praying church. 2. An obedient church. A Thankful church. 3. An Encouraging church, An Enthusiastic. 4. An Expectant church.

*This is what a real church is. This is what a real church seeks to do and what it makes progress in.

*This kind of church will bless others, and glorify God.

*This kind of church will leave a holy and godly mark on the world.

*May we leave our mark as His church.

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