Electing Love of God
1 Thessalonians: Steadfast • Sermon • Submitted
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Wow after 2 weeks of going online, we are so thankful to be able to gather back together again today. It’s a beautiful day outside!
1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 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, 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. 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, 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 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
神所愛的弟兄們，我們知道你們是蒙揀選的，因為我們的福音傳到你們那裡，不單是藉著言語，也是藉著權能，藉著聖靈和充足的信心。為了你們的緣故，我們在你們中間為人怎樣，這是你們知道的。你們效法了我們，也效法了主，在大患難中，帶著聖靈的喜樂接受了真道。這樣，你們就成了馬其頓和亞該亞所有信徒的榜樣。因為不單主的道從你們那裡傳遍了馬其頓和亞該亞，就是你們對 神的信心也傳遍了各處，所以我們不用再說甚麼了。他們都述說你們是怎樣接待我們，而且怎樣離棄偶像歸向 神，要服事這位又真又活的 神，並且等候他的兒子從天降臨。這就是 神使他從死人中復活，救我們脫離將來的忿怒的那位耶穌。
INTRO
Growing up, I remember, at night when dinner was over, you had only one option of what to watch on TV. Whatever dad wanted. This was before Netflix, YouTube, smartphone, IPAD. The only choice you had was to watch whatever was on at that time. I watched so many episodes of this Western TV show called “Gunsmoke” I had no other choice. As humans we love the power to choose. We like the freedom to choice what we eat, what we wear, even where we live, who we are going to spend the rest of our lives with. We understand that there is power in a choice. But when the bible talks about the power of choice, the most powerful choice the bible talks about, is not a choice that you and I make, it’s not a human choice, the powerful choice is the choice that God Himself makes.
PREINTRO(Context)
If you’ve been followed with us we have just started this incredible short book of 1 Thessalonians. It’s a call for us to remain steadfast in Christ. Last week we looked at how Paul was thanking God for the incredible reputation of this small church that was started in suffering and in controversy. As Paul continues his thanksgiving, he is going to begin to talk about, how is he is thankful that he knows that God has chosen these believers for salvation. The election of God.
SAVES US拯救我們
SAVES US拯救我們
RECEIVED THE WORD
1.Loved by God(even in the midst of persecution!)
1.Loved by God(even in the midst of persecution!)
Brothers and sisters: occurs 21 times in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians reflecting on the close intimate relationship he had with this church(We will see later)
For-WE KNOW, He HAS:
Chosen: Elected:deliberately selecting someone or something. This is not by chance not random, but a deliberate choice that God makes. I know this topic can bring so many questions in our minds but Paul wants us to see something about the deliberate choice(election), of God
God’s election is out of his love-connection here and in
But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
主所愛的弟兄們，我們應該常常為你們感謝 神，因為他從起初就揀選了你們，藉著聖靈成聖的工作，和你們對真道的信心，使你們可以得救。
Election is intimately linked to God’s love. The election of the Thessalonians, was out of God’s great love. God’s love and God’s choosing are not at odds. They work together.
Election in the New Testament is not sentencing people to eternal punishment but rescuing them from it.
“The Lord had his heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors, he brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
耶和華喜愛你們，揀選你們，並不是因為你們的人數比別的民族多，其實你們的人數在萬族中是最少的；而是因為耶和華對你們的愛，又因為他遵守他向你們的列祖所起的誓，他才用大能的手把你們領出來，把你們從為奴之家，從埃及王法老的手裡拯救出來。
Anyone ever been picked last in a sports game? We choose based upon how it will benefit us, this is not God’s election. God chooses even His own enemies to rescue.
Now before we move on to the next point, I want to mention one important thing: In most religions outside of Christianity, you stand before the god or the idol, and you begin to tell them all the reasons why they should bless you, why you deserve their peace, why you should be chosen. But that is not the God of the Gospel: Paul says that God’s election, His choosing of these Thessalonian believers of me and you, IS NOT BASED UPON OUR GOODNESS, BUT BASED UPON HIS!
2.Something happened in us(Paul,Silas, Timothy)vs5: Gospel came in power
2.Something happened in us(Paul,Silas, Timothy)vs5: Gospel came in power
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,
因為我們的福音傳到你們那裡，不單是藉著言語，也是藉著權能，藉著聖靈和充足的信心。為了你們的緣故，我們在你們中間為人怎樣，這是你們知道的。
most of Paul’s letters he focuses his thanksgiving on the people he’s writing to, but here he begins to focus on himself.
Election did not stop Paul from evangelism, but only encouraged him to do it more. This is an important point.
Gospel did not come in word only(not simply in word)
In word: Still needs to come in the word! But it wasn’t just that-there was power to it. There was an anointing to the preaching of Paul,Silas, and Timothy.
Now where did Paul get this power? Was it his communication skills? Was it his knowledge of philosophy.
No Paul said this power, was a power that came from the Holy Spirit and full conviction.
In: power What kind of power? Holy Spirit power/conviction power
First, the gospel “came … with power.”
when the gospel is preached, God is there and God is working. The gospel is power. Whenever the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, there is power. Not simply exhortation but power, and that power can break down resistance.
Holy Spirit: not an evil pagan power, but a power of the Holy Spirit
Paul is defending his preaching, and he’s saying it’s not just me that defends my preaching, but there is another witness, that witness is the Holy Spirit himself.
This is what we need in Taiwan church. For me and women to be anointed by the Holy Spirit and preach with power. To exegete life in a culture of death, to preach freedom in a culture of bondage, to preach the victory of Christ in a culture of fear.But we also know it wasn’t just power in word, but also an experiential power of miracles. See Romans 15:18-19. It was anointing in preaching but also evidenced by signs and wonder.Hebrews 2:4 says that God gave witness to the preaching of the word by signs and wonders: that word “witness” is like someone being called up to a witness stand. So if you can imagine, you are sharing the Gospel, we are preaching the Gospel as a church, and the Holy Spirit comes up to the witness stand to give testimony to the word we are preaching, and He does so by a manifestation of His power through miracles!
And Full assurance/conviction: linked to power
On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition.
我們從前在腓立比雖然受了苦，又被凌辱，可是靠著我們的 神，在強烈的反對之下，仍然放膽向你們述說 神的福音，這是你們知道的。
Are you convinced? This power was not only Holy Spirit, but also Paul’s own conviction. Do we have this same conviction? Do I fully believe what I am preaching?
So Paul says that God has chosen these Thessalonian believers:
3. Because: Something happened IN YOU!(vs 6)
3. Because: Something happened IN YOU!(vs 6)
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.
你們效法了我們，也效法了主，在大患難中，帶著聖靈的喜樂接受了真道。
YOU: Paul is now moving to what happened in the lives of the Thessalonians.
This is now evidence in THEM of God’s election.
when: in spite of severe persecution:
This picture is a picture of when you make wine, you are pressing down on the grapes until they burst-intense persecution
Opposition to the word: rememeber Paul preached to a lot of people for those 3 weeks and there was a lot of opposition to the Gospel.
This was persecution that was coming from their own family members, from their own friends. Many of you have experienced this. This week especially as people go back to their families for CNY we need to pray for our Taiwanese brothers and sisters who might experience some opposition to their being a Christian.
With:received message
Joy!
(parable of the sower)
And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
那撒在石地上的，就是人聽了道，立刻歡歡喜喜地接受，可是他裡面沒有根，只是暫時的；一旦為道遭遇患難，受到迫害，就立刻跌倒了。
Many people hear the word spring up with joy but fall away because of what? Persecution.
But when we receive the word of the Gospel, when we continue to live faithful lives in the midst of persecution, Paul says that is evidence in us, of our election of our salvation!
Source of Joy?:The joy that the Thessalonian Christians experience originates from the Holy Spirit.
Huge point:joy in the midst of affliction in the midst of suffering
The Holy Spirit allowed the Thessalonians to believe that the joy of knowing Jesus was more to them than the joy of not being afflicted(the joy of knowing Jesus was better than the joy of the acceptance of their friends, the joy of knowing Jesus was greater than the joy of being recognized in the community, the joy of knowing Jesus was even greater for them than saving face. )What an incredible joy!
Joy From the Holy Spirit(source)
This is a beautiful picture that Paul is describing here. God choosing them, but He does that by God working in them to receive the Gospel with joy. A gift of the Holy Spirit!
The bible says that Holy Spirit is like a down payment in your life of what is to come.
When I asked Allison to marry me, I knelt down on one knee and gave her this engagement ring. What does that ring represent? It is a symbol of my promise, a guarantee of what is to come. If Allison had doubts, or worries about our relationship, that ring would give her the assurance of my promise to her. The presence of the Holy Spirit is the same for you too Christian. God says that it is the evidence, the promise of what is to come! So church, don’t look at your experience for evidence of His grace in your life, don’t look at your feelings for evidence of His sustaining of you, LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURES AND THE EVIDENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU! Look at the Spirit of God.
Sustains Us 支持我們
Sustains Us 支持我們
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,
這樣，你們就成了馬其頓和亞該亞所有信徒的榜樣。因為不單主的道從你們那裡傳遍了馬其頓和亞該亞，就是你們對 神的信心也傳遍了各處，所以我們不用再說甚麼了。
(Living out the word)
As a result of them receiving the word with joy. Because they received the word with joy, this happened...
Became Example to all believers In:Macedone And Acacia.(ALL OF GREECE)
Thessalonica was the capital city, but the region that Paul describes here in a region the size of Greece. So it’s like saying a small baby church in Taipei, within a short period of time, their reputation had grown so much that they became an example to all the believers in Southeast Asia.
Paul begins to introduce a pattern of discipleship here that he will revisit later:
Paul shared the Gospel傳福音
lived among them跟他們住在一起
they imitated Paul他們跟著保羅
now they others are imitating them.然後別的教會在跟著他們
Jesus耶穌
shared the good news of the Kingdom傳福音
lived among us住在我們當中
disciples imitated Jesus門徒跟隨了耶穌
now others imitate them然後其他人跟隨了耶穌的門徒
This is what God desires for every believer in the church. To be discipled(imitate) then to disciple others(be an example for others). We all need someone in our life that we are looking to teach about Christ, and someone we are showing how to follow Christ. Do we all have that?
Now how were they being an example?
For-word of the Lord rang out(how they became examples)
“Word of the lord” “faith in God” what’s been celebrated here? What’s been shared around the region? The glory of God. The fruit in the Thessalonians church was pointing others to God. Paul says that as the reputation of the church grew, so did the fame of Jesus. As the Thessalonian church produced more and more fruit, who was receiving the praise? Jesus:the word of the LORD rang out!
This is our prayer for CityLight, for the church in Taiwan, that we would be an exemplary church. But that our reputation wouldn’t point people to ourselves, but would cause people to glorify Christ! Would cause the WORD OF THE LORD to increase. Unfortunately we know this is not always the case in the church. There are some churches and pastors who more concerned in their own fame than in the fame of Jesus. But Paul says here, the Thessalonians changed life resulted in the glory of Christ!
It’s not about us it’s about Jesus.
In 1994, Scottie Pippen, the famous basketball player, was playing for the Chicago bulls. With 1.8 seconds left in the game the coach called a play for someone else to take the last shot. Scottie was mad that he wasn’t the one taking the last shot. He thought he deserved it. So in a playoff game, with 1.8 seconds left, he sat out. He quit. Because it wasn’t about him. It’s so easy to get caught up in this. Worrying about when we will get recognized, worrying about when we will get credit, but what resulted from the Thessalonians reputation was the fame of Jesus, not their own!
Are we more concerned with our own reputation than Christ’s? Are we more concerned with our own glory than His? Paul says that not only were the Thessalonians and elected church, but they were also an exemplary church.
Secures Us保持我們
Secures Us保持我們
(Trusting the Word)
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 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
他們都述說你們是怎樣接待我們，而且怎樣離棄偶像歸向 神，要服事這位又真又活的 神，並且等候他的兒子從天降臨。這就是 神使他從死人中復活，救我們脫離將來的忿怒的那位耶穌。
All three of these verbs used by Paul are active, meaning that Paul is saying it’s not just something that the Thessalonians did ONE Time, but he is describing a lifestyle of turning, serving, and waiting. This is the Christian life. We are called to turn from what we want to worship instead of Jesus, serve Him as Lord, and wait expectantly, to be awake, to look out, for Jesus to come and rescue us.
To God
Becoming a christian always involves a “turning away of some sort) turning away from sin, from ourselves, from idols
Jesus + buddha, NO! Not Jesus + praying to the temples: Only Jesus.
To Serve
To serve(purpose)A new master(douleuo). His choosing of you was to give you a new purpose to serve Him a master.
To Wait
Son From Heaven
Wait(purposeComing of the Lord (once every 13 verses mentions the return of Jesus
Rescues us from Coming Wrath
Will save usTwo things Paul says are coming:JesusWrathBoth of these things are sure. As sure as Jesus is coming back, so is God’s wrath
Paul says Jesus is the only one who can rescue us from the coming judgement of God.
There was a dad named Thomas. One morning, Thomas and his son, who was disabled, were in the yard when the son fell into a broken septic tank(化糞池), this deep hole, which, at 8 ft 250cm deep, was extremely dangerous. Thomas tried to grab his son, but it was useless. Immediately, he lowered himself into the tank, into the disgusting filth, because his son had no way of saving himself. He couldn't keep sons head above the water line, decided to hold his breath, dive under, and put his son onto his shoulders to keep him breathing. By the time the rescuers arrived, Thomas had died saving the life of his son. That is incredible love. But Paul says here the election love of God is even greater because God rescues us from the wrath to come even while we were His enemies!
God’s electing love, saves us, sustains us, and secures us eternally.
In Taiwan, I know for many of you, you never know how the gods feel about you. You never can be sure that they love you, they they are for you. You might constantly be wondering, will I go to heaven, will I go to hell, which hell? There is no security. But that is not the God of the bible. God’s decisive choice, His loving deliberate choice, which calls you to salvation, will never let you go. Never. It’s not dependent upon your feelings, not dependent upon how good you are, salvation does not rest upon the power of YOUR CHOICE, it is secured in the power of God’s choice. Not your work, but His.
CONCLUSION
So why do I tell you this?
