Sermon 4. A Church Centered upon God (1 Thes. 1:8)

Brothers and sisters, when facts are vividly brought before our minds, they are going to greatly influence your speech.

Are you ever touched in the heart when you see a sinner that’s lost?

When you sing of Jesus being crucified, does that jolt you?

Imaging seeing someone, a poor woman hanging out of the window in the midst of the flames, which are licking her back because a town didn’t have the proper apparatus to reach her.

Now imaging leaving that scene and going to the town council meeting the same evening and it’s your turn to discuss whether the town can get proper apparatuses or not.

Any man who had that fresh site on his mind would plead from a different energy and passion.

His whole soul would burn as he thought of the poor perishing woman in the midst of the fire.

So to, you come fresh from talking with God in His Word.

You been staring at this truth all week and by grace, you see the vivid pictures in your mind and there is an awe upon you.

A holy zeal and a sacred a devotion inflaming your heart.

If you dwell at a distance from God, you won’t feel nor understand the value of the gospel message.

You won’t sense the weight of the souls of men.

The grandest of all truths loose their force when you don’t realize them for facts.

Oh may it not be among us! May the power of those truths return and we come again under their actual influence!

The men and women of Thessalonica had had the gospel come to them with such irresistible force that they had to ring forth the gospel!

Last time we considered that a persons assurance of faith, as we followed the flow of the text, comes from being united to the God-head (v1).

This of course, being united to the living God, the new life that is produced by being joined to God (by faith) is seen in

— We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

So working, laboring, and enduring (not quitting) are all divine works of grace graciously given to those dearly loved and chosen by God (v5).

It’s part of how the gospel was recieved.

When the gospel comes the way it’s described in v5, it’s going to have powerful, life altering effects.

True grace is going to produce people who imitate others, who will then become the examples to the church.

We asked the question, if I were to follow your life and imitate your life, would it lead me and teach me how to

complain and murmur,

how to gossip, and

how to be stubborn?

(which is poison to the church and will kill her)

For others, if I followed and imitated your life,

I’d be led and taught how to follow Christ and love Christ and others more.

(which bring the life of Christ coursing through the church.

So these saints, received the gospel in such a way that they began to forsake their old way (in repentance) and imitated Paul, Silas, and Timothy, as they imitated the Lord.

This happened under severe persecution, as they welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit.

Suffering and being happy in God is how we display the infinite value of and the supremacy of Christ in all things and above all things.

They would go from being imitators to being the leaders. The examples for the others to look at.

What are the examples doing? Well, regardless of this mounting persecution,

these first believers remained faithful in their witness for Christ.

In spite of the opposition they faced, they could not be silenced.

They had to share the gospel wherever they went.

— As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything,

These words show how the word of God, once received, then advances through those who received it.

This was so evident in the Thessalonian church where the word was

DeYoung, K. (2011). Review of Paul’s Understanding of the Church’s Mission by Robert L. Plummer. 9Marks Journal.

at work in the believers (), the word was

running ahead (), and the word was

ringing and sounding forth ().

We can certainly make a convincing case that this language indicates evangelistic activity!

Remember, this is the church that God builds!!

The gospel message “sounded forth” loud and clear from these faithful witnesses.

This word “rang out”, means literally, to blow a trumpet.

They trumpeted a clear, definite note of the good news to the world.

Think of how this would serve the Apostle Paul so well.

When traveling to these places, Paul didn’t have to start from scratch in his evangelistic efforts.

These Thessalonian converts imitated his faith to such an extent that Paul was greatly aided by these brothers and sisters.

So let’s look at this text together.

“For the word of the Lord rang out from you”.

Let’s see the SERVANTS in this ringing out of the gospel.

“For the word of the Lord rang out from you”.

Who are these SERVANTS from whom the word of the Lord is ringing out?

First of all, these were People who were possession of those three central graces.

We read earlier — We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith, hope, and love had linked hands in their lives.

These graces were upon them when their faith was working, their love was laboring, and their hope was enduring.

Faith w/out works is dead.

Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Volume 3 Contagious Faith

The gospel message “sounded forth” loud and clear from these faithful witnesses. This word (exechetai), means literally, to blow a trumpet. They trumpeted a clear, clarion note of the good news to the world.

The Thessalonians’ faith prompted them:

To works of faith and labors of love (v. 3)

• To works of faith and labors of love (v. 3)

To proclaim the gospel (v. 8a)

• To proclaim the gospel (v. 8a)

To serve the true God (v. 9)

• To serve the true God (v. 9)

To wait for the return of Christ (v. 10)

• To wait for the return of Christ (v. 10)

But our faith isn’t left to work alone, it’s joined by love. Love sweetens and brightens everything.

Jamieson, B. (2012). Built upon the Rock: The Church. (M. Dever, Ed.) (p. 52). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

But our faith isn’t left to work alone, it’s joined by love. Love sweetens and brightens everything.

They loved Jesus, as the eagerly waited for Him to return.

Then there’s the bright-eyed grace of hope which looks and sees behind the veil.

It’s reality of what’s hoped for.

This hope would enable them to endure their sufferings with joy because they had their hope set on eternal things. Not the temporal.

These are the worthy fruits produced by God’s electing love.

Gratitude for sovereign grace and eternal love should operate upon us mightily.

Let those enslaved to the bondage of the law go to their tasks with a lash at their backs!

But those chosen in Christ, will serve Him with delight, and do ten times more from love than others who hope to be paid back for “all they do for the Lord.”

None can show forth the praises of God like those who taste His special love, and know the unspeakable sweetness of it.

Remember how these SERVANTS had the gospel come to them.

— because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance.

— This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works effectively in you who believe.

Oh to feel the power of the Word coming from the hand of the omnipotent Lord, so as to have your heart smashed by it and then be healed by it.

To receive it, NOT because you think a certain way, but because it carries conviction with it, and

bears you away by its irresistible force;

this is to receive it in its power.

Brothers and sisters, I do not believe a person will spend their life in spreading a doctrine which has never yet mastered them.

But when the truth takes possession of a person, and holds them by force,

as a strong man armed protects & keeps his own house,

then he will raise up the banner of Christ and openly acknowledge the Mighty One who reigns within.

We saw how these SERVANT’S devotion to Christ was already proven.

— and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit.

Again, brothers and sisters, if we cannot hold on in rough weather, and bear up under opposition, we’ll do very little in ringing out the word of God.

I told you that the word “rang out” means literally ‘to blow a trumpet’.

Trumpets are a type of metal and those who sound them forth must have a bit of hardness as well, or little will come of it.

These SERVANTS who rang out also really and lovingly served God.

— for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

Idol worshipers love their idols! Anything that we place above or have affections more than for God is our idol.

So we love to serve ourselves. We love ourselves and seek to do what’s best for ourselves more than we do for God at times.

It’s amazing what we do our our deities! But these People, they turned from idols and began to serve God!

It wasn’t their opinions that turned, but in a practical manner, they began to serve God!

What a pity, that to many, their profession of faith is just their opinion.

And their conversion is reduced down to a feeling.

Many professing Christians live as though God were a myth, which is seen in how people view serving.

It’s like serving God is a sham! There’s nothing in it for me...

But if God be God, then serve Him! Service is due to the God-head!

Oh that to us, serving God is delightful.

Then serving Him will be as natural to us to ring out the word of the Lord, as it is for the birds to sing!

This is the SERVANTS.

Then, what was the SOUND that came ringing out, which was the gospel?

I said earlier that Greek word “rang out” means to blow a trumpet.

Trumpets (for example) in were used to assemble the people to either worship the Lord or move out to make war.

In the NT, the idea is for us to let our trumpets ring forth the call for people to assemble to our Lord Jesus, the true Shiloh!

A trumpet was to SOUND forth in for the Jubilee.

Early in the morning there was proclaimed a clearance of debts, release from bondage, and restoration to their lost clans.

These are the glad announcements of the gospel! May we rush to sound forth the trumpets of the gospel!

Also, prominent in the OT was the SOUNDING forth of the trumpet at war time.

Oh, that the church of God may boldly sound the war-trumpet, at this time, against carelessness, coldness, false doctrine, and unholy living, and lukewarmness!

Our Lord has come to send a sword upon earth, in these matters.

Oh that from each one of us the war-blast may be sounded, without fear or hesitation!

Certainly we would we also earn the name given to the apostles, “They that turn the world upside down”; because at this present time everything is wrong-side up.

Also, trumpets SOUNDED for musical purposes.

And the testimony of the church to her Lord Jesus should be the most melodious sound the ears of man have every heard!

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus (what?) sweetest Name I know! Fills my every longing, keeps me singing as I go!

Spurgeon, C. H. (1889). Sounding out the Word of the Lord. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 35, p. 162). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

There should be no Sound like the sound of a congregation singing to the Lord and about their Lord!

The last verse in the book of Psalms read:

— Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

Every individual should sound forth their best sound! Both great and small, young and old! No one is to be silent!

The Lord of hosts is with us; let us life up the shout of a King!

He is all in all to us; let us make Him known!

Let’s think for a moment about the means by which these great brothers and sisters made the gospel to sound out!

Think of their remarkable conversions which happened among them.

These people had fallen prey to a variety of passions which were common in those days.

Paul’s preaching made this remarkable change, that no one really thought to be possible.

They had been brought to worship the true God, and to look for his Son from heaven, and to walk worthy of their high calling.

Everybody asked, “Why, what has happened to these Thessalonians? These people have broken their idols: they worship the one God; they trust in Jesus. They are no longer drunken, dishonest, impure, contentious.”

Everybody talked of what had taken place among these converted people.

Oh, for conversions, true, plentiful, obvious; that so the word of God may sound out!

True converts are our advertisements and arguments.

Their conversions where mere words (as many prove to be) but the evidence of conversion was further secured by their unmistakable and unquestionable character!

They became Godly. They became saints.

Their whole lives were affected by their faith!

Their whole lives were so complete and publication of the gospel, that Paul didn’t need to even say anything!

Look at v8 again. — For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything,

It’d be like walking into our neighborhoods and pointing the the peoples lives in our church gatherings!

For the Thessalonians: they’d speak for themselves!

Nobody stands, on a summer’s day, and points upward, saying, “There is the sun.”

No, the great light sheds its radiance everywhere, and nobody mistakes it for the moon.

Spurgeon, C. H. (1889). Sounding out the Word of the Lord. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 35, pp. 162–163). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

Oh, that all of us were of such Christ-like character, that none should mistake us!

Until we have more grace in our heart, and more holiness in our lives, we shall lack the greatest means of making the gospel known!

Oh, what a sounding forth of the Word will your holy lives be! Without these, all is vain.

If the life contradicts the voice, it will be as when a trumpet is stopped up, and then, blow as you may, no sound is heard.

Let me close us this morning with a PLEA for the ringing out the gospel.

Brothers and sisters the Word of the Lord ought to ring forth and sound out because it is the Word of God!

We’re not really concerned to spread the word of man. Let him spread it as he can.

The word of man comes from a dying source, and it will return to it; but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.

The Word of the Lord is so all-important, that it should have

free course,

run, and

Spurgeon, C. H. (1889). Sounding out the Word of the Lord. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 35, p. 164). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

be glorified.

When He gives the word, all of us ought to make it known!!

If you believe the gospel to be the divine word, you dare not withhold it.

With many of us, this is a matter of solemn obligation.

The Word of God has been to us

life from the dead,

deliverance out of bondage,

Spurgeon, C. H. (1889). Sounding out the Word of the Lord. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 35, p. 165). London: Passmore & Alabaster.

food for our hunger,

strength for our weakness,

comfort for our sorrow,

satisfaction for our hearts.