VITAL SIGNS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

The Apostle Paul went on his second missionary journey to plant new churches. He takes with him Luke, Silas and Timothy. In Acts 16, we read that Paul wanted to continue his journey to Asia Minor, but the Holy Spirit stopped him. While in Troas, he gets a vision at night and there’s a man from Macedonia who says come and help us.

They go to Philippi first (thrown into jail). They go to Thessalonica (they faced great persecution there too). They go to Berea, Athens then finally Corinth. They stay in Corinth for a year and a half. While there, Paul has great concern for the Christians in Thessalonica. They had a rocky start there, and he was wondering how they were doing. He sends Timothy back to Thessalonica to check on the young church.

The church of Thessalonica was made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. It was quite remarkable for Jews and Gentiles to be in church together. When Jesus comes into your life… culture, race and class don’t matter any more. In heaven… every nation, tribe and tongue will all be together…

Timothy comes back with a report of persecution and some minor issues in the church, but overall it was a good report. Now Paul writes a letter.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 KJV 1900

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These people are his converts… like a proud father he is thanking God for his children… He intercedes for them…. Notice that is isn’t just Paul praying… He wrote (We always, Our prayers)

1 Thessalonians 1:2 KJV 1900

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

Paul’s prayers were filled with thanksgiving. It is interesting that Paul hardly ever thanks God for things or experiences… He mostly thanks God for people. We’re just the opposite. One of the gods of America is materialism. American Christians see God as their ticket to more material things. We’re to thank God for our food, our clothes… and everything we have.

We get excited about material blessings, but those can come and go. Yet, the closer you walk with God you will begin to realize how important other Christians are to you. You will begin to value them and thank God for them.

When you’re praying, season your prayer with thanksgiving lest it becomes very dry. Don’t just ask, ask, ask. THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO THANK GOD FOR.

When we think about you we don’t think about how much money you make… We think about your faith which produces works / fruit, your love which produces labor and the hope in Christ which produces endurance.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 KJV 1900

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

1. The first vital sign of a healthy church is works produced by faith.

Work of Faith - This did not mean that their works produced faith, but rather their work proved they had faith. Real faith in Jesus produces works… work for God. When the Thessalonian Christians got saved, they stopped doing other things. They used to worship idols. Now they are singing praise to the Lord. They used to be selfish, now they are taking the Gospel to others. They used to lie, and now they are preaching the Word. They used to steal, and now they are giving to the needy. They used to get drunk and now they are providing for their families. I thank God that your faith produced works! James said - Faith without works is dead. Someone who has faith - their life changes… they aren’t perfect, but they’ve changed!

1 Thessalonians 1:4-6, 9

1 Thessalonians 1:4–6 KJV 1900

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1 Thessalonians 1:9 KJV 1900

9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

There are churches filled with people who come for praise and worship and a vibe… a feeling… yet they’re still sleeping around, they’re still stealing, they’re still doing all the things they’ve always done… There’s no change… They have Jesus… but it’s not the Jesus of the Bible.

There are Christians who have made a lot of outward changes, but they haven’t changed a bit on the inside. Real faith produces a life with lasting changes that are evident to all. One of the greatest evidences of our faith is love.

2. The second vital sign of a healthy church is labor prompted by love.

Labor of Love (exerting to the point of sweat of exhaustion). This was a willingness to roll up your sleeves and work through the hard stuff together. They preached the Gospel in their town in spite of the persecution that had already come. Thessalonica was a commercial city, and a sea-port. It had contact with all the other parts of Macedonia, with Greece, and with Asia Minor. This is partly why the church at Thessalonica’s influence was felt in Macedonia and Achaia, essentially all of Greece.

Their acts of kindness toward the lost in preaching the Gospel everywhere they went showed that they loved the souls of men. Erros, Phileo (loving someone because of the attributes you see in them.) Agape is the kind of love that is without condition. It does not matter who they are or what they have done. That’s the love that was shown on Calvary… “Father forgive them…”

1 John 3:18 KJV 1900

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

It is a love that is not only expressed in words, but seen in actions.

John 13:35 KJV 1900

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

3. The third vital sign of a healthy church is endurance inspired by hope.

Paul had taught the Thessalonians that Christ had not only come once, but was coming back. Not to die on a cross, but He was coming back to settle everything. The hope Paul is referring to here is literally the hope of Christ’s return where he’ll make everything right and make everything new.

All the God haters, all the people who mock Him, all the blasphemers, all those who are persecuting Christians, all those who are cutting off heads, all those who are cursing God and cursing those who serve Him, all those who are doing terrible things, all the things that make us say “that’s not right… how can you let that happen God?” There’s a day coming when it all will be stopped… and it all will be made right… and the Christians who are mocked and ridiculed and persecuted will meet Him in the air and will be with Him forever and ever. The reward for us is not here… we have death and disease and pain and the Devil here… All that we do… all the pain and self-denial… all of the money all of the time and labor… It will not be forgotten… Jesus will have a reward for you…. He’ll say, well done thou good and faithful servant.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV 1900

2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

A thief doesn’t text you and say, “I’m coming tomorrow about 4 p.m.” He will come suddenly, and this church understood that. They endured with hope of the Lord’s return! They were encouraged!

1 Thessalonians 5:8–11 KJV 1900

8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Let’s not change what we believe to fit in. Let the world mock us. Let the world laugh. They won’t be mocking when Jesus comes. Let’s not live in sin.

Don’t let your garments get dirty. Jesus is coming!