The Model Church

King James Version 1 Thessalonians 1

1 PAUL, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye 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, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 KJV 1900

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye 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, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

The Address to The Church...vs 1

From Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus

To church at Thessalonians which is in God

addressed as an authentic church

founded upon faith in God and Christ

Faith in Jesus is the foundation of every true authentic

Paul's Assertion about The Church...vs 1

They are the recipients of Gods Grace

Grace is a gift that must be received

God gives grace to everyone but not everyone receives it

How you response to Gods grace determines everyone future

They are the recipients of God peace

Grace is the removal of the barrier between us and God unforgiven sin

Grace facilitates restored fellowship with God.

Grace is the removal of hostility and replaces it with peace

Paul’s Action Towards the Church...vs 2

he praise God for the saints

Paul praise God for the good things happen in this church

Paul thanks God for what he’s doing in the church

he prayed to God for the saints

Paul prayed for the good things happening in the church

the flourishing of the church is alway in Paul's prayer

Paul’s Admiration for The Church...vs 3

Found Memories

of their work of faith

Their faith in Jesus motivates them to serve

of their labor of love

their faith in Jesus motivates them to serve

because of their faith they sever God patiently

because of their faith they serve God will joyful expectation

Paul’s Knowledge about the Church vs4

they are the elect of God

The people in this church chose to put their faith in God through Jesus

God comes to us, but we must also choose him

Paul’s confidence in their conversion vs5

how the gospel was delivered

in word

Paul know these are true believer because they received the word of the gospel

in power

Paul indicated that there was a powerful expression of the word presented

In the Holy Ghost

The holy spirit was involved in the way the word was presented

with assurance

Because of the truth, power, and the holy spirit the word was properly received

by men of integrity

Paul carried himself in a way that made his witness of christ powerful

Paul’s confidence in their conviction...vs6

they became followers of christ

in the face of much affliction

with Joy in the Holy Spirit

Paul’s confidence in their witness...vs7

their conduct was an example others could follow

they were an a example to fellow believers

They were an example to those close to them

Paul's confidence in their discipleship...vs8

they circulated preached the word of the lord

they spread the gospel everywhere they went

he heard how they were sharing the word

Paul’s confidence of his impact on them...v9

they turned to God from idols

they gave their lives in service to the living God

they preached the gospel and people believed

Paul confidence in their faithfulness...vs10

they will be faithful to serve until jesus return

they will continue to trust Jesus to deliver

He remembered without ceasing...

It was an Encouragement to him

It was an investment to him

It was a source of joy

the Church was established in the mist of hostility and persecution, Paul was ran out of town and the formation of the church.

Paul wrote 2nd Thess a few month later to address persecution that was growing worse 2nd Thes 1:4-5

The motivation for their work

... Faith... Is your direction and purpose, once you understand your purpose in Christ the goal is to become faithful in that task. Every believer has been called to do a work. Jesus died for us he expects us to work for him.

2 Thess 1:11; James 2:17, James 2:22

... Love... Is your motivation and inspiration

unsaved people mostly live for themselves Eph 2:1-2

True believer have a new motive for living...

Labor means to toil... Love is the reason you're willing to go through and put up with all the challenges and troubles

Heb. 6:10; 2 Corinthians 9:7

... Patience... You're endurance, my faith I'm willing to operate in God's timing I have to learn how to wait on God,

Rom 2:7

... Hope... Is your expectation, what you look forward to, I can trust that God is going to do what he said, what he showed, and what he promised, the most desperate and dangerous people are those who have no hope

Acts 2:26

Believers life by and make decision based on what we know, Knowing… means to be cognizant or aware information, to possess Knowledge

I’ve been chosen by God

I have and standard from God

I have an assignment from God

I have an obligation to God

I have a promise from God

I. The result of the Gospel presented properly

1. They became followers of us... People need leaders to follow... People need examples to follow

2.They became followers of the lord sometimes people follow the leader and stop following the Lord

3. They received the word...

How do you know when someone has received the word, they live by it, and they share it

4. They accepted the affliction

5. They received the joy of the Holy Ghost

With the Holy Ghost you can have joy even in affliction.

What happened when you turely received the Gospel

1. Because your willing to follow, you become an example otherwise known as an disciple

What kind of example are you

Can someone find their way following you

2. They demonstrated a life of faith, they were examples.

If your an example it means you a model for how to do something right

3. Their influence spread beyond their boarders

Our influence should always be directed outwardly, their was a broadcast of their faith

You will have influence or impact positively or negatively

People will look at your life and follow it the question is what kind of example will you be

Illustration: you tube influencer, they make a lot of money because they can influence people by getting their attention, and then influence what that person thinks and how that person behaves

4. They communicated the word of faith, from them the word sounded out.

These believer became influencers by sharing the word of Truth the Holy Gospel.

5. They had a good reputation, which became a testimony of their sincerity and trustworthiness.

What is our reputation as a church

What is our reputation as christians

We should follow the example of the Thessalonians church, so that we can become examples and influencers

We must adopt the teachings, lifestyle and habits that will help us become good examples

What can you do to help you become a better example,

We should pray and ask God to help us become the example

I. How The Gospel was delivered When the Gospel is delivered correctly there will be a sence of creditability and conviction

It came in word

It came with power

The word of God has power behind it

It has creative power

It has renewing power

Heb 4:12

Acts 29:32

John 8:31-32

It came with the Holy spirit

The Holy spirit is the source of that creative power

We need to make sure when we preach in under the authority and power of the Holy spirit

It came with assurance

A powerful word gives you the assurance tthatthe word is from God and that its trust wothy

It came with demonstration

They didnt just preach the word to them they lived it out in front of them he say you can know we are sincere by examining our conduct.