Sermon 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 A Church centered upon God...

Last time we gathered together we discussed the differences between a church that man builds and a church that God builds.

And we zeroed in here on the church at Thessalonica and to the work that God had done in and among them.

Last time, we saw that A God-built church, has

the Spirit of God as its energy,

the Word of God as its most precious jewel, and

the Word of God as its most precious jewel, and

the glory of God as its supreme goal.

the glory of God as its supreme goal.

So, what does a God-centered church look like?

What are the hallmarks of a God-glorifying church?

What are the characteristics of a God-built church?

We saw that we needed to look no further than the opening chapter of First Thessalonians

in which Paul gives an overview of

the commendable qualities of this vibrant congregation.

Last time we saw in v1 We asked “Are there Converted Hearts in our gatherings?”

We saw in v1 that these people were placed into union with God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And we sought to compare our membership to that of this Converted group of people and ask, “Are there Changed Lives in our gatherings?”

Because only those rooted in union with Christ in salvation are going to bear the fruit of sanctification.

We said that the Scriptures do not teach salvation by works and but that salvation that works!

It was their position in God and Christ (verse 1) that empowered their work, love, and endurance (v. 3).

Then we spoke about Clear Convictions in our gatherings, concerning doctrine. Paul knew something.

— For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,

Clear Convictions about biblical doctrines produces and gives to God’s people a high view of God and a right view of themselves.

We said that the God-driven church understands that God is working out His eternal purpose within time

through the lives of His chosen ones

who are being called out of the world by the Holy Spirit.

Today, we’re just going to ask one question:

Is there Convicting Preaching in our gatherings?

Convicting Preaching

Foundational to the spiritual success of the church at Thessalonica—and, for that matter, any church—is

the primacy of preaching the Word of God.

Before hearts are converted and lives changed, there must be convicting preaching. Verse 5 says,

— because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance. You know how we lived among you for your benefit,

As the pulpit is central to the church, so the gospel of Christ is central to the pulpit.

As the pulpit is central to the church, so the gospel of Christ is central to the pulpit. The word “gospel” (euangelion) means “the announcement of good news,” specifically the truth that Christ died for sinners upon the cross, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day (). In one way or another, every truth within the full counsel of God is intimately connected to this core truth. Essential to the faithful proclamation of the gospel are four components that Paul describes in this verse.

The word “gospel” (euangelion) means “the announcement of good news,” specifically

the truth that Christ died for sinners upon the cross, was buried, and was raised from the dead on the third day ().

In one way or another, every truth

within the full counsel of God

is intimately connected to this core truth.

Essential to the faithful proclamation of the gospel are four components that Paul describes in this verse.

First, the gospel must be preached intelligently.

As the apostle writes “because our gospel did not come to you in word only,” the word “only” signifies that, in fact,

the gospel was, carefully articulated to them through the instrumentality of human words.

The apostle communicated the gospel to these people through an intelligent, factual, cognitive, straightforward, verbal presentation of gospel truth.

Preaching must appeal to the entire person—mind, emotion, and will.

It must inform the mind, inspire the heart, and challenge the will.

Nevertheless before the heart and will can be properly engaged, the mind must be taught divine truth.

Doctrinal truth, well explained and practically applied, is the first order of preaching.

Paul instructed the young Timothy, — Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Paul says (v5), “because our gospel did not come to you in word only”

For some here this morning, I know that you’ve heard plenty of words.

For most it’s a hearing towards gaining wisdom and understanding and putting the Word of God into action.

But it is to be feared for some that that’s all they’ve done is heard words.

Some only here words.

This is devastating that the life-giving Word should only be a word.

It’s a sad thing to only hear a message.

If that’s you, may it be you no longer! Not a single day longer! May the Word come to you another way.

Second, the gospel must be preached powerfully.

The apostle testifies that the gospel came not in word only, “but also in power.”

Convicting preaching is not boring rhetoric, nor endless chatter, but the dynamic power of God displayed through His chosen messenger.

This word “power” (dynamis) refers to the divine power with which the apostle Paul was energized as he delivered his message.

It was this power of the Holy Spirit released in Paul as he preached that

governed his mind,

activated his zeal,

impassioned his heart, and

directed his presentation of the truth

to the listener.

It didn’t come to these folks in word only, “but also in power” .

For others it comes with arousing power.

The gospel is the power of God (), and Jesus said his followers would be “clothed with power from on high” ().

On the day of Pentecost, sure enough, “suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind” ().

That power didn’t come from the pastor, the people, or the praise band.

It came from heaven, suddenly, without explanation except that God was in it.

How can we take up the name of Christ without the power of Christ?

If our purposes rise no higher than what we can attain by our own organizing and thinking,

then we should change our churches into community centers.

But if we are

weary of ourselves and our own brilliance,

if we are embarrassed by our failures,

then we are ready for the gift of power from on high.

Too often we regard God’s power as an added ingredient that turbocharges our own efforts.

The early church didn’t think that way.

They thought of God’s power as a miraculous intervention without which they were dead in the water.

The church hears the word “eternity, eternity, eternity!!” ringing in their ears and it awakens and startles them.

Ortlund, R. (2014). The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ. (M. Dever & J. Leeman, Eds.) (pp. 104–105). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

They hear the word “eternity, eternity, eternity!!” ringing in their ears and it awakens and startles them.

Remember dear brothers, how you couldn’t be at ease while you knew that you were at war with God?

The Word came to you in power! It had a crushing effect. The Word had smitten you and dashed all your hopes in yourself!

Third, the gospel was preached “in the Holy Spirit”.

The Holy Spirit bears His testimony by attending God’s Word

read,

heard, or

preached,

blessing it to our souls and, in particular,

blessing the divine promises that are shown to belong to us.

The apostle (in a similar fashion to the Thessalonians) reminds the Corinthians

that his preaching among them was “in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” that is,

the Holy Spirit powerfully proved that the gospel was indeed true, “that [their] faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God,”

meaning that, with such an experience, their faith might appear produced by God’s efficacious power (, ).

Ah, here is the blessed way because if the Word comes in any other way, it comes in vain!

Watts, M. H. (2012). The Ordinary and Extraordinary Witness of the Spirit. In J. R. Beeke & J. A. Pipa (Eds.), The Beauty and Glory of the Holy Spirit (p. 195). Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books.

Ah, here is the blessed way because if the Word comes in any other way, it comes in vain!

But if it comes in the Holy Spirit it will show you a 1,000 truths that you never saw before.

Those who’ve had the Word come in the power of the Holy Spirit are those who’ve entered into a whole new world, passing from darkness into marvelous light.

The Spirit empowered Word has a purifying effect.

It purges sin from your life, refines and renews your soul, bringing comfort, joy, and peace, uplifts them above their cares.

Fourth, the gospel must be preached confidently.

Paul’s preaching was not only powerful, but confident in its delivery.

The text says in v5, “with full assurance”.

He was sure of the truthfulness and relevance of his message and, consequently, was bold in proclaiming it.

Yet this confidence and courage is what many modern preachers seem to lack.

This assurance is not self-generated “positive thinking.”

Rather, it is a God-given certainty,

fortified in the preacher’s heart

by the Holy Spirit,

as a result of saturating his life with prayer and the Word of God.

After all, how can one preach with confidence until he has experienced the authority and power of the message himself?

"full assurance” is an even greater degree of Spiritual power!

Then is when the Word is received and accepted as a matter of

firm,

solid,

indisputable fact and

they grab it with an iron hand.

They know in Whom they have believed and are persuaded that God is able to keep that which has been entrusted to them.

May there be many more; for you that possess full assurance are the men that are strong for service.

Having the joy of the Lord in your own souls, it becomes your strength

as you go forth to fight the Master’s battles,

because you feel the Master’s love.

The Lord give us many, many such in the church, to whom the Word of God shall come

with the Holy Spirit and with much assurance.

Fifth, the gospel must be preached incarnationally.

That is to say, the preacher must model the message.

There must be a consistency between what he preaches and how he lives.

This is what Paul meant when he wrote, “Just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

(read 2:4-8)

Humbly pointing to his own life as an authentication of the message he brought,

the apostle, as well as every preacher,

must model the message if there is to be power in the pulpit.

The preacher’s message and life cannot be separated.

This perspective is remarkably different from much contemporary preaching.

Rather than modeling the message,

the preacher discloses his own faults and weaknesses

in order to identify with his audience.

Granted, it is necessary to express that one has “not arrived,” but

preaching will have power only to the extent that one has personally obeyed the message, not neglected it.

Sadly, many preachers today want their congregation to identify with them by repeatedly sharing their “struggles” when,

in reality, much of it is sheer disobedience that should be confessed, not showcased.

Such transparency in the pulpit may yield sympathy in the pew, but not spirituality.

I’m not here to get you to identify with me. We’ve been brought to this place to hear from God in His Word and to allow Him to address us!

Despite all the modern technological advances, God is still pleased to use the foolishness of preaching as the primary means to build His kingdom.

A holy man who is gifted to preach the Word of God by the Spirit of God has no equal in a powerful presentation of the truth.

All other means of propagating the faith are subordinate, even inferior, to gospel preaching.

Various other means of presenting the gospel may have their place—i.e., drama, musicals, pageants, films, and the like—but they will never replace a powerful pulpit.

The God-driven church has a

God-anointed,

God-empowered man in the pulpit

who communicates a timeless truth that transcends the centuries.

His preaching must be

biblical,

articulate,

powerful,

compelling,

bold,

confident, and

personally modeled.

Where there is a strong pulpit, a strong church will be raised.

Please pray for the faithful preaching and teaching ministry of the local church.

Paul’s theology of success is evident in his letter to the Romans (1:16) and Thessalonians (1:5–6; 2:13).

He relied on the Holy Spirit and the truth of the gospel for success,

not on particular methods or best practices.

His was a God-centered ministry and he knew his success depended upon his God, as do we.

Paul does not advocate new best practices or methods guaranteed to succeed.

He doesn’t encourage Timothy to study the approach of these “winners.”

Instead, he says, “Continue in what you’ve learned. Persevere in all good work!” (; ; ; cf. ).

A biblical doctrine of success will clearly state that faithfulness is success.

That does not render

accountability,

evaluation, and

adjustment

unnecessary,

but it does remind us that our responsibility is to be faithful in our life and doctrine.

Roberts, E. (2009). Missions Partnerships from a Field Worker’s Perspective. 9Marks Journal, 6(4), 35–36.

Let’s pray...

Roberts, E. (2009). Missions Partnerships from a Field Worker’s Perspective. 9Marks Journal, 6(4), 35.

Flowing out of a biblical pulpit is the direct influence of the preacher’s life upon a congregation. He so embodies the message that to follow him is, in actuality, to follow the Lord. His whole life is engaged in living what he preaches, influencing his congregation to pursue a Christlike walk. Thus Paul commends them, “You also became imitators of us and the Lord” (v. 6a). In this verse, the word “also” is very important—“you also became imitators of us”—because it connects everything that preceded with this phrase. In other words, all who are converted (v. 1), changed (v. 3), and chosen (v. 4), will become Christlike (v. 6). Election, conversion, and sanctification are inseparably bound together. They are like golden links on the chain of salvation that cannot be broken, each one inseparably forged together by God Himself upon the anvil of His eternal decree ().

The word “imitators” is a Greek word (mimetes) from which our English word “mimic” derives. Upon being converted to Christ, the Thessalonians became mimics of Paul, Silvanus, Timothy, and, ultimately, Christ Himself. As he writes, “You also became imitators of us and the Lord,” the apostle was commending their humble emulation of him as he followed the Lord. That is to say, they followed Paul as he followed the Lord. To the Corinthians, he would later write, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” ().

We are all subject to the influences of people upon our lives, whether they be for good or ill. Thus, it is critically important that we allow ourselves to be shaped and molded by those who are in closest pursuit of Christ Himself. In the case of the Thessalonians, they were imitators of the apostle Paul, mimicking his walk in Christ. The model of Paul’s life influenced the Thessalonian believers, so that they too became imitators of Christ.

God’s eternal purpose for every believer is Christlikeness. So certain is this purpose, that our sovereign Lord causes all things to work together for our good; that is, our conformity to Christ (). Consequently, the chief pursuit of every true Christian must be to become like Christ. This is God’s master plan for all believers. The apostle John adds, “The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (). Christ is the original, pastors are the models, and all believers are the copies, each being shaped into the image of Christ.

A God-driven church must have godly leaders whose personal lives are worth emulating and following. Jesus said, “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher” (). With the exception of Judas, this was certainly true with the original Twelve. They became like Him as they were under His influence. And it was true with the church in Thessalonica. As they followed Paul’s example of personal godliness, they grew in the grace and knowledge of Christ. So it will be true in our churches as well. To the extent that there exists holiness in the spiritual leadership, there will be holiness in the people.