************1 thessalonians 2:13-16

1 Thessalonians 2:13–16

Many people have given their lives for things in which they believed in. Some have given their lives for good causes, soldiers in wars, policemen and firemen in the line of duty and some have given their lives for their religious convictions. Just because someone gives their lives for a cause does not make it right. Members of false religions give their lives for their false gods and false teachings.

Throughout all of history God’s people have been called on to stand strong for the Lord. It’s no different for the church, throughout history the church has been persecuted, and many have sought to destroy the church.

The Lord’s people have been faithful in times of trouble. When we take a stand for the truth, proclaim the truth, live the truth, and call people to respond to the truth, there will be much opposition, much persecution, misunderstanding, and much isolation. When you take a stand for the truth you will not be the most popular. You will not make the most friends, but you will be pleasing the One whom we must give account to. Paul challenged the church with his lifestyle and now called on the church at Thessalonica to take a stand for the truth.

I. The testimony of the church. (vs. 13–14a)

(A.) About their acceptance of the Word. (13)

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.”

Paul gave thanks for the church because they believed and received the word of God. Many in our day say they believe the word of God, but their lives do not reflect their confession. Thank God for churches who believe the Bible and preach and teach the Bible. The Thessalonians heard the word of God and they heeded the word of God. Paul’s thanks for the Thessalonians were a constant recurring praise to the Father.

Many in our day have heard and heard and heard the word of God but they have never received the word of God. It is frustrating to hear people say they believe the Bible, but never have been changed by the Savior. Churches are full of people who have had a head knowledge of the Bible, but never have had their heart and lives changed by receiving the word of God into their lives.

The Thessalonians welcomed the Word of God into their lives. They came up under the authority of the word of God and they subjected their lives to the God of the Bible. When you receive and welcome the word of God into your lives, you receive and welcome the God of the word into your lives. Jimmy Draper wrote, “They heard it with their ears and responded with their hearts. But the word of God never changes our lives until it becomes subjective, until it becomes personal to us and we receive it with all of our hearts.” When the Thessalonians heard the word of God they responded by faith. When Paul, Silas, and Timothy had finished preaching they gave an invitation and called the Thessalonians to come just as they were. Surely many came and gathered around the apostles coming for instruction and coming to make a public confession.

The Thessalonians did not receive the word of men, but the word of God. We must always open up the blessed word of God and preach what the Lord says and not what we say. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “We must never treat the Bible as any other book, for the Bible is different in origin, character, content, and cost. The Bible is the Word of God. God’s word is holy, pure, and perfect.” 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” God’s word has power to change lives, save souls, lead and guide and instruct in the ways to please God. The word of men brings darkness, discouragement, despair, despondency, and defeat. The word of God brings light, encouragement, hope, life, and victory. John MacArthur wrote, “Scripture works on behalf of believers in a multitude of ways: it saves them, it sanctifies them, it matures them, it frees them, it perfects them, it counsels them, it builds them up, it ensures their spiritual success, and it gives them hope.”

Paul’s message came from the Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11–12, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Many liberal teachers, students, colleges, and churches do not believe in the infallible word of God. They cannot fathom that God is at work preserving His word and proclaiming His word. The Bible is the Word of God. God has kept His word intact and has revealed His word to His creation in every generation. The church in Thessalonica had a testimony that they received the word of God because God’s word worked in the believers lives.

The word of God worked effectively in their lives. Effectively: (energeo) means to work in, to be active and operative. We will never please God as Christians or as His church if we do not receive the word. The result of the church standing strong for the truth is seen in the testimony of the church. The testimony of the church was first of all about their acceptance of the word. The second part of the testimony was:

(B.) About their activity in the work. (14a)

“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus.”

What God had worked in the Thessalonians, they worked out in their daily living. Paul recognized the believers as saints and knew that they belonged to God because of the change in their lives. The church in Thessalonica had a great testimony because they accepted the word of God and they were active in the work of God. The church became imitators of the churches in Judea. Judea was a Roman province in Palestine. The church of Jerusalem was the first Christian assembly. Throughout the Book of Acts we see the Judean churches activity in the work of God. The Thessalonians probably didn’t personally know the believers in Jerusalem, but because they were active in the work of God, seeking to win a lost world to Jesus, Paul says that they were imitating the church in Jerusalem.

The church in Thessalonica was facing opposition just as the church in Judea. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “They obeyed the word by faith, and the word went to work in their lives. It is not enough to appreciate the Bible, or even to appropriate the Bible. We must apply the word in our lives and be hearers and doers of the word.” The church in Thessalonica became imitators of those who are in Christ Jesus. In our world today, many groups claim to be following God, claim to love God, claim to be serving God, but they are not in Christ Jesus. If we are not on mission with God, walking worthy of God, seeking to win a lost world to Jesus, then we are not imitating a New Testament church. As a church, are we active in the work of God? Have we accepted the word of God? Probing Question: If the evidence were compiled against us, would there be enough to convict us of being a Christian? Would there be enough evidence to convict us of being on mission with God? If you went door to door in your community, town, or city and asked people about the church, what kind of reputation would the church have? What would be the answer? Would some say that it’s a loving church, with godly people, it’s a friendly church, or would some say that they don’t know much about the church, or that there are unforgiving folks, ungodly folks, hypocritical folks that go to that church!

What is the reputation of the church? What is the testimony of the church? When a church stands strong for the truth, they will build a strong testimony. Next we see in verses 14b–16:

II. The trials of the church. (vs. 14b–16)

(A.) The struggle is evident. (vs. 14b–15)

“For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,”

The church’s struggle against ungodly men was evident. The apostles knew what it cost to follow Jesus and they knew that the Thessalonians were paying the cost as well. The Thessalonians were persecuted, ridiculed, ostracized, doubted, and diminished. Many gave up position, power, and possessions to follow Jesus. Some gave up wealth, honor, and prestige to follow Jesus. They were known as a sect, mocked, and made fun of because of the truth. What have we given up to follow Jesus? What struggles have we faced because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

The Jews stirred up the Gentiles against the church. The Thessalonians received from their own countrymen what the church in Jerusalem received from the Jews. Countrymen: The word refers to a fellow tribesman. Neighbors, friends, and family all persecuted the church. Has your family ever ridiculed you because of your faith? Have they slandered the Lord in front of you because they know you love Jesus? Have they called you crazy, cursed you out, and distanced themselves from you because of your love and stance for the truth? John 15:18–20, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘a servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” Jimmy Draper wrote, “In some form, persecution will always come to the Christian. There will always be opposition to the working of God through us. When we are persecuted, they are not persecuting us, but Him. Wherever opposition to the truth of God expresses itself, it is always an expression of the age old conflict between evil and God.”

The hatred against the church is revealed in their hatred toward the Savior. Paul says that these killed the Lord Jesus. That was the intent of their hearts. They had murder in their hearts and they plotted and schemed against the Lord Jesus. Killed: (apokteino) means to slay, to kill outright, to destroy. They slaughtered the perfect Lamb of God on the tree. Jesus died at the hands of sinful man. This verse does not imply that they took His life against His will. John 10:17–18, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Jesus gave His life as a ransom. The Bible clearly teaches us that He laid down His life for us so that we can be saved. Jesus subjected Himself to sinful man and sinful man crucified the Lord of glory. Paul is saying that these have found themselves against God and was now against God’s church.

They not only killed Jesus, but they killed the prophets that came before Jesus. Matthew 23:31–34, “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city.” Paul goes on to say that these men not only persecuted the Thessalonians, but they persecuted the apostles.

Satan is always at work where God is at work. Satan was at work in Thessalonica trying to under mind the word of God and disrupt the work of God. Please: (aresko) word means to be acceptable to. In no way do these men please God, because they were against God. The church today is persecuted in countries and nations that suppress the word of God and seek to stifle the work of God. Those who do these things cannot please God. If you are not serving Jesus then you are serving against Jesus in some form or another. When we serve against the Lord we cannot please God. Those who persecute the church of Jesus Christ are contrary to all men. That means that ultimately they are against all men. Because those who persecute the church are in bondage to sin, they try to suppress the truth and keep every man in bondage to sin. Jesus came to set us free from sin and the only way we can be set free from sin is by faith in Jesus Christ. The only way we can have faith in Jesus Christ is to hear the gospel message, be convicted of our sins, and repent and turn to Jesus and trust in His sinless life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection. When people persecute the work of God, try to hinder the saints of God from proclaiming the word of God, then they are doing the work of Satan and they are indeed contrary to all men.

That is exactly what Paul is saying in the first part of verse 16. “forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved,” Forbidding: (koluo) means to hinder, restrain, withhold, or forbid. These people wanted to hinder the gospel, restrain the gospel, withhold the gospel, and forbid the gospel from being preached. After 20 centuries there are still men that seek to hinder, restrain, withhold, and forbid the gospel of Jesus Christ from being preached. We are in a struggle and if we are going to make a difference in this world for Jesus Christ we must stand strong for the truth. 2 Timothy 2:8–9, “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.” That’s a good word! We can have confidence even in the midst of the struggle knowing that the word of God is not chained. Amen! Paul teaches the church that the struggle is evident. In the last part of verse 16 we see:

(B.) The sentence is imminent. (16b)

“so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”

Those who persecute the church of God will not escape the coming wrath. Paul says that they fill up the measure of their sins. Fill up: (anapleroo) W.E. Vine says, “it means to fill up, adequately, completely. It speaks here of the Jews who persisted in their course of antagonism and unbelief.” This means that they went all out against God, against His word, against His work, against His church. They did not leave anything on the playing field. They gave 100% against the work of God and they filled up the measure of their sins. The persecutors were filling up the measure of wrath to be heaped on their heads. Marvin Vincent wrote, “Always blind and stubborn, the Jews filled up the measure of their sins by their treatment of Christ and His apostles.” Great Theological Truth: When you rise up against Jesus, Jesus will rise up against you.

The wrath of God will come upon all those who deny the truth, suppress the truth, reject the truth, and work against the truth. Are you standing strong for the truth? John MacArthur wrote, “God’s judgmental wrath has come upon the Jews to the utmost. The verb translated ‘has come’ is in the aorist tense, which affirms that Paul was so certain that divine wrath would come that he expressed the notion as if it had already occurred.” The wrath on unbelievers will come completely and totally. The sentence on the ungodly and persecutors always looms over their heads. It is a sentence that is imminent and it is a sentence that is permanent. When you stand strong for the truth you will build a testimony in this world. Your testimony will include your acceptance of the word and your activity in the work. How’s your testimony today? When you stand strong for the truth you will face various trials because of your faith. There will be persecution and a struggle against evil when you stand strong for the truth. We need to ask ourselves daily this question, “Are we standing strong for the truth?”