Being A Right Example: Part #1

Text: I Thessalonians 1: 1-10 (Key VS. 6-10)

1 Thessalonians 1:6–10 “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 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. 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, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

There is nothing like having your child say “Mama/Daddy, I want to be just like you when I grow up.” How precious it is for your child to think so highly of you that they want to mold their life into looking like your life. Madilyn has already made it clear that she wants to run my business when she grows up. Piper tells me all that time that I’m her best friend. landry told me one time that she wants to know as much as I do about the bible. Knowing that my kids are looking at me and wanting to be just like me produces two reaction in me. First, it produces a joy that my girls are watching me and they’re actually enjoying what they see. Second, It scares me to no end that my girls view me as a wonderful example when I know just how of a terrible example that i truly am.

Tonight, as we look at God’s word we’ll see that Paul is encouraging the Thessalonian’s by letting them know that they have been a wonderful example of Christ throughout the territory. In this, let us be convicted by God’s word tonight to be right examples to our family and friends.

To be a good example, you must:

Become a Follower. Vs. 6A

1 Thessalonians 1:6 “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,”

Followers- (mimētai) is the word from which the English term mimics derives.

The transforming work occurred at the moment of salvation when the Thessalonian believers became new creations (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Of us and the Lord-Patterns of holy living immediately began replacing the old sinful ones (cf. Eph. 4:22, 24). The Thessalonians, in the middle of a pagan environment, without any veteran church leadership, had in the power of the Holy Spirit become imitators of the apostle, his co-laborers, and—most important—Christ.

Ephesians 4:22–24 “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

The Thessalonian believers’ lifestyles started becoming far different from the sordid, idolatrous paganism of their past and from the legalistic self-righteousness of the Jews in their city. They had become imitators of Jesus Christ. Paul commanded believers to pursue that reality as a way of life: “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1). He told the Corinthians that it was a progressive experience of sanctification by the Holy Spirit that moved them upward to increasing levels of glory, more and more into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

1 Corinthians 11:1 “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Our Children, our spouses, our coworkers, our friends needs to see us being imitators of Christ. It’s not always a bad thing to be a follower.

Become Joyful. Vs. 6B

1 Thessalonians 1:6 “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,”

Joy- Gladness.

In much affliction-the Thessalonians were joyful in the midst of suffering and hardship. How?

Joy of the Holy Spirit- Which translates “Gladness that comes FROM God, the comforter.”

No matter how difficult circumstances become, true Christians do not lose their ultimate joy because their joy wasn’t formed or founded in this world. Their joy is found in The kingdom of God is joy (Rom. 14:17).

Romans 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

After Paul and his company had left Thessalonica, it is likely the unbelieving Jews and pagan Gentiles intensified the persecution. Paul later reflected on that assault:

1 Thessalonians 2:14–15 “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. 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 Greek word rendered Affliction is thlipsis, which means “intense pressure,” as opposed to something mild. So the new believers in Thessalonica experienced severe persecution, but the genuineness of their salvation transcended that affliction so that they never lost their joy (cf. 1 Thess 3:4; 2 Thess. 1:4; in contrast, see Ps. 51:12).

The Thessalonians’ responding to persecution and suffering with the joy of the Holy Spirit was reminiscent of the apostles’ reaction early in the book of Acts. After the Sanhedrin flogged them, ordered them not to preach the gospel again, and released them, “they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” Acts 5: 41

Romans 5:1–4 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

Acts 16:22–25 “Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Mere human joy will die under persecution; the joy of the Holy Spirit will transcend it and grow. Yet again, though such joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), all believers are called on to pursue greater and greater joy (Phil. 4:4).

Become An Example. Vs. 7

1 Thessalonians 1:7 “so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.”

Example- is the Greek word tupos (“exact reproduction”), from which the English type derives.

The Thessalonians became like blueprints for others throughout the region to build their lives on (cf. 1 John 2:6).

1 John 2:6 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

To illustrate this specifically, the Thessalonians were among those believers Paul cited to the Corinthians as models for giving and financial stewardship. The Thessalonians were in deep poverty, likely because of the persecution they underwent. Yet they gave liberally and sacrificially to help the needy believers in Jerusalem (2 Cor. 8:1–5), thus demonstrating a pattern of godliness, and again in a sacrificial way proving the reality of their election.

Closing Statements:

Be an example to all of denying yourself and taking up your cross daily.

John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Movement)