Study 4 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:13
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 35 viewsNotes
Transcript
Recap
Recap
Study 1 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
Study 1 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
Work of Faith
Labor of Love
Steadfastness of Hope
In our Lord Jesus Christ
Study 2 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Study 2 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
The Gospel came to them
Not only in word
but in power
with full conviction
in much affliction
with joy of the Holy Spirit
5b Paul talks of their character
Then Paul talked about in V6 “imitators” will come up again today
V8, they sent out missionaries and their reputation is impeccable
Then the 5 Taboo’s in our culture
turned to God from idols
serve the living and true God
wait for His Son from heaven
whom He raised from the dead
who delivers us from the wrath to come
Study 3 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Study 3 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Their efforts were not in vain, a thriving church exists
Paul recounts and differentiates their gospel motives
does not spring from error
not with impure motives or desires
not an attempt to deceive
not to please men
not with words of flattery
not with greedy desires
not for their own glory
They shared their lives with them, worked with them and continuously shared the gospel with them in word and deed
They have been approved by God, entrusted with the Gospel
They cared for them like a mother, gentle and nurturing and like a father, they exhorted, encouraged and charged them to walk in a manner worthy of God, of His name and His character.
Study 4
Study 4
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!
1 Thessalonians 2:13-
Paul informs them that he thanks God constantly for this;
That when they heard and received the Word of God, which they heard from Paul and friends, they accepted it not as word of men, but as what it really is, the Word of God.
What does he mean by this? They received this word and instruction, as if from God Himself, even though shared by men.
They accepted it means they received it, believed it, and trusted in it as the Word of God to them.
Paul continues, “which is at work you believers” The Word of God is living and active, working in us so it can be worked out of us.
How does Paul know this? They became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.
How did they imitate?
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among 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, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 1:6-
V6 is the key. We talked last week about the way we live matters, that our lives line up with our profession. That our lives draw people to Jesus, not push them away.
How we live in the midst of suffering reveals a lot about our faith. It’s easy to be a “Christian” when life is good and easy, but what does our Christian life look like when things are tough??
They remained true in the face of persecution, how and why?
because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
What role did Paul play in this? 1:6,
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
and also
What role did Paul play in this? 1:6,
But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
12:2He preached the true Gospel, which comes with persecution and suffering
He preached the true Gospel, the one which comes with persecution and suffering and not one that portrays the Christian life as easy, problem free, and fulfills all your dreams.
Not a false reality or false gospel, but the one where what really matters is not what God can do for us, but what God has done for us.
We need to be aware of our desperate situation, hopeless situation, that we need rescue, and that’s what God in Jesus has done.
If He never does another thing for us that’s ok, because He’s done the only thing that ultimately matters already.
But this young church is suffering persecution from their own people, as did the churches in Judea.
It’s the same story, those opposed to God and what He’s doing will continuously kill and try to stop the advancement of His message. It happened with the prophets, it happened to Jesus, it’s happening to Paul, and it’ll happen to the Church.
Why
Paul desire is clear, to continue to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved, it’s what he’s been commissioned for.
But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
1 Thessalonians 2:17-
Like a mother, who’s child is taken from them, that is how strong Paul’s desire is to be with this young church.
Their example and display of young and eager faith are reception of the gospel is what excites Paul and what he brags about, not himself.
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
Why did Paul send Timothy back? To establish (or strengthen and establish in Thessalonica) and exhort (encourage or spur on).
What was Paul’s fear? That the afflictions that had come upon them had caused them to turn back from following Jesus, to return to their former life in Judaism or paganism. The easy way out of persecution and affliction.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
In verse 3b Paul reminds them of his teaching, that we are destined to for this affliction.
Remember above, Paul clearly taught them ahead of time that the Christian life is not easy and it comes with suffering, not just worldly suffering as everyone else, but added suffering because of our faith in Jesus.
Is it suffering or the devil who would cause some to turn back? Both, maybe the devil is the cause. He’s the one moving in the son’s of disobedience.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
Ephesians 2:1-
1 Thessalonians 3:6-10
Good News
Chapter 1, works of faith, labors of love, perseverance or steadfastness of hope in Jesus.
This report has brought Paul great comfort, mom and dad now know their kids are doing alright.
That they have their own genuine faith, not a hand me down, but theirs. Life and difficulty has brought it out.
We as parents try to spare our kids from all kinds of suffering and pain, thereby stunting their growth and delaying their realization of how broken they are, this world is, and their desperate situation.
Not only that, but because Paul preached the true Gospel to them, they were prepared, could endure, and still remembered Paul fondly.
What if Paul had left out the part about suffering, persecution and affliction, how do you think they would view him?
They didn’t believe the lies of the enemies of Paul and the gospel, they truly know Paul and love him.
Now he just wants to go back and see them again, and maybe help them grow some more in some way or teach them something new.
Then he breaks out in a prayer,
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
As good as they are doing, they haven’t “arrived” yet. There is still room for growth, still work to do.
Increase and overflow in love-it’s there, but it can always grow and be more
establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God-may the center of their being, mind, soul, will, strengthened to be dedicated to God and His service alone, separation (holy, sanctified) from all that would hinder and defile.
This process, salvation sanctification, is ongoing until our glorification and we stand in the presence of God with His “holy’ ones.
We all need this prayer, we all need this to be our desire.