Last Sunday we began looking at the characteristics of a group of believers in a community called Thessalonica. In a personal letter to them which we've come to call I Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul extols this small, newly born congregation as an example for other churches to follow. His goal is not to simply give praise, but to encourage them on in doing more of the same. Paul had become head yell-leader for the Thessalonian church.

In verse 3 we see that these believers are praised for their Christians virtues--faith, hope and love. In verses 4-8 he moves on and commends these Christians and lifts them up as examples in discipleship. Once again the emphasis is on the quality of their performance in being followers of Christ.

They were exemplary in three areas: [1] They were exemplary in their spiritual assurance; [2] They were exemplary in their spiritual appearance; and [3] They were exemplary in their spiritual accountability.

I. THE THESSALONIANS WERE EXAMPLES IN THEIR SPIRITUAL ASSURANCE

vv. 4-5 "Brothers loved by God, we know that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simple with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction."

the Thessalonian believers had received the gospel message of salvation by grace through Christ as preached by Paul

it was a gospel not just of slick words and tantalizing philosophies
it was a gospel that was backed by the power to change the lives of those who had received it

"When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath day he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. 'This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,' he said." (Acts 17:1-3, NIV)

some Thessalonians had joyfully received the gospel message and joined together in forming a Christian community

the Thessalonian believers knew who they were and to whom they belonged

they had believed upon the name of Jesus
they had become a community of saints
they knew they were the children of God and they acted accordingly

Paul looked at their works of faith, their labor of love, and their patience of hope and concluded; "Yes, these people really have been called and chosen by God."

the quality of the Christian virtues of faith, hope and love were unmistakable signs of the new life apparent in them

A. VIRTUOUS CHRISTIAN LIVING LEADS TO SPIRITUAL ASSURANCE

Paul looked at the abundant evidence in these people's lives and knew beyond a shadow-of-a-doubt that they were true believers

accordingly he calls them beloved brothers
because of their mutual faith in the risen Lord they now have a kindred spirit with Paul

Paul seeks to assure them of their assurance in the Lord " ... we know that he [God] has chosen you ... "

the Thessalonian believers could have assurance of their eternal security
why?

because the gospel had come to them in power and in the Holy Spirit v. 5
like Paul, these believers could proclaim with confidence: " ... I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (2 Timothy 1:12, NIV)

a Christian's eternal security does not rest in our choice to follow Christ, but in God's decision to choose us in Christ

"You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you." (John 15:16, NIV)
"We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19, NIV)

Paul uses a wonderful phrase in I Thess. 1:4

it is has chosen us
it is one Greek word which takes three English words to translate

the word is verb tense we do not have in the English language

it means a transaction, which when completed, is irreversible and irrevocable

when Paul writes, He has chosen us it means God has chosen you once for all, & He will never let you down & never let you go!
brothers and sisters; that's security!

God wants each of His children to experience the assurance which comes from knowing our eternity is secure in Christ because God has chosen us in Christ

ILLUS. Too many Christians have the "Little Engine that Could" mentality when it comes to facing the "mountain of eternal security." They look at it and say, "I think I'm saved: I think I'm saved: I think I'm saved." God's goal for the believer's life is to boldly proclaim, "I know I'm saved: I know I'm saved: I know I'm saved."

the Christian does not have to worry about trying to hang on to God because God is hanging on to me and His grip is a lot more sure than mine
the Thessalonian believers were examples in spiritual assurance

are you?

II. THE THESSALONIANS WERE EXAMPLES IN THEIR SPIRITUAL APPEARANCE

now, what do I mean by their spiritual appearance
I mean, "Just what does a Christian look like anyway?"
Paul gives us a clue in verse 6 "You became imitators of us and of the Lord ..."

A. CHRISTIANS BEGIN BY MIMICKING CHRIST BY MIMICKING OTHER CHRISTIANS

that word imitator is the Greek word mimetes and is the root of our English word mimic
the Thessalonian believers, though their salvation was of Christ, became mimickers of the Apostle Paul's lifestyle

Paul's life presented the Thessalonian believers a consistent, spiritual pattern for them to model their lives after
Paul told the Corinthian believers much the same thing

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, NIV)

that's pretty heavy when you think about it

it leads me to wonder about the impact my pattern of Christian living has on others
it needs to make each of you wonder about the impact your life has one those who are watching you

every believer begins their Christian life by modeling themselves after the significant Christians they see around them

if they are dedicated, committed, loving, Christ-honoring Christians, then chances are good we will be also
this is what the Thessalonians found in Paul and it is what they became

but and this is an important point--they eventually moved beyond that and as they discovered more about the Lord Jesus Christ who indwelt them through his Holy Spirit, they began to pattern their lives after the Son of God and not merely a Godly man

B. CHRISTIANS SHOULD BECOME IMITATORS OF CHRIST

"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;" (Ephesians 5:1, NIV)

there comes a time in a Christian's life when we stop looking at others as our examples and begin looking at Christ

people even good Christian people will disappoint us

they will not always live up to our expectations

ask those who looked to Jimmy Swaggart as their spiritual example
ask those who looked to Sandy Patty as their pattern for Christian living
ask those who looked to the Apostle Peter as their standard for Christ-like living

Christ will always live up to our expectations and is the perfect example for us to follow in action and thought

how do we know when we are mimicking Christ?
we are mimicking Christ when we abide in Christ this means putting ourselves at the center of the cross

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5,NASB95)

abiding in Christ requires four disciplines in the believer's life

Live in the Word

"So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32,NASB95)

the way to have Christ in you is to have His Word in you
the Word is a indispensable part of the Christian's diet
you cannot grow closer to Christ unless you read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it
it is by immersing ourselves in the Word that we learn the mind of Christ
living in the word eventually leads to a Ministry of Teaching or Preaching

Pray in Faith

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." (John 15:7,NASB95)

part of life in Christ and of having a relationship with Him is praying in faith
Christ was a man of prayer and we mimic Christ by being a man or woman of prayer
praying in faith eventually leads to a Ministry of Intercession

Fellowship With Believers

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ""By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35,NASB95)

mimicking Christ means that you life in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ
Jesus said the way to show that you are His disciples is to love one anothers
God has provided the ideal place for Christians to grow c-h-u-r-c-h
a committed, growing Christian stay in fellowship with a body of believers in order to grow in Christ

Witness to the World

"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." (John 15:8,NASB95)

mimicking Christ means witnessing to others
witnessing is merely sharing with others about Christ and your relationship with Him
if you're abiding in Christ you will eventually bear fruit
that fruit is exemplified in two ways

developing the Fruit of the Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, "gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23,NASB95)

reproducing Christians

"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. "To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; "to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some." (1 Corinthians 9:19-22,NASB95)

the Thessalonians began be mimicking Paul and ended up by imitating Christ
they were examples in their spiritual appearance

III. THE THESSALONIANS WERE EXAMPLES IN THEIR SPIRITUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

v. 7 "And you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia ... For from you sounded out the word of the Lord ... in every place your faith toward God is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything."

the church at Thessalonica made themselves accountable for spreading the gospel message which they themselves had so recently received

A. THE THESSALONIANS "LEFT THEIR MARK" ON THEIR COMMUNITY

the word model or example in v. 7 is the Greek word typto meaning to strike

it refers to the pattern left behind by the mark of a blow

what's the point?

you and I are examples or patterns for others to follow

we are to leave our mark on everything and everyone we come into contact with
our church must leave its mark upon this community

the mark we leave behind is the presence and proclamation of Jesus

the Thessalonians left their mark upon an entire region by thundering forth the gospel

that's what the word sounded (KJV) or rang out (NIV) literally means

their example in virtuous living and Christian discipleship was such an example that Paul says of them: " ... your faith in God has become known everywhere ... "

here is the dynamic power of personal influence by people filled with the Spirit and on fire for Jesus
in a short period of time the news of the Spirit's movement in Thessalonica was spreading rapidly
travelers on the Roman highway that ran through town carried the news east and west
sailors who docked in this harbor city gossiped about it in ports throughout the Mediterranean

the Thessalonian believers had become examples in spiritual accountability

they felt indebted to carry the gospel of salvation in Christ to all who would listen

do we have the same sense of accountability in our lives?

CON. The Thessalonian congregation is an example for our modern-day church. They were exemplary in their spiritual assurance, their spiritual appearance and their spiritual accountability.

Are you? Or is their room for improvement in any or all of these areas in your life? If so, you need to make a decision this morning. Others are watching you. Can you say with sincerity of heart, that if others patterned their life after yours that they would be a model Christian?

A Model Example for Modern Churches Part 2