The Most Sincere Form of Flattery
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Imitators descends from the same root from which we get mimic
Sometimes it’s not such a good thing: Billy’s “I’m a mimic”
This form can mean actor…but not in a bad sense
Sometimes it’s all good: well intended, with good result
Bill Peeler’s mini-me; started acting, talking, even dressing like him
He saw what he liked, saw what was going on with his mentor, wanted to be successful like him
Here we have imitation...
…of the lives of Paul, Silas and Timothy…by the believers of Thessalonica
A Bit of Review
A Bit of Review
Their Gospel was delivered
in word
in power
in the Holy Spirit
with full conviction
This can be seen as the proof of God having chosen the Thessalonian believers (v.4)
A variation on the theme of the proof being in the pudding....Last week’s title...
We zeroed in on two learning points last week
The hunger for the Word
The hunger for service
Concept of imitation brings up Steve Green’s song
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
May all who come behind us find us faithful
Steve Green, Find us Faithful
Imitation
Imitation
Paul and Co. were proven by their actions
They were imitating Christ (inferred by the statement in v.6)
Worthy of imitation
Thessalonian believers followed the pattern which they had been taught
…imitating Paul, Silas and Timothy
…became an example … as Paul had been to them
Greek is typos means imprint—the effect of a blow or pressure
An imprint of something made by striking is pretty-much permanent; e.g. serial number struck into the frame of a car…alters the structure of the metal
The imprint that God had made on Paul & Co. was visible
The imprint that they had made upon the Thessalonians was also visible In all the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia
Character and Integrity
Character and Integrity
We cannot over-stress their importance
We have the character of Jesus clearly laid out for us in the Gospel
…His patterns of behavior
…His patterns of action: He would teach, preach, rebuke, encourage
We see that in Paul…from his conversion in Acts to the total of the body of writing he left us
Jesus was bold—fearing no one, as was Paul, the Thessalonians, were apparently pretty good at that as well
Singularity of Purpose
Singularity of Purpose
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
He came for no other purpose
Did He do other things? Yes…but they were not his purpose; they may have been a means to achieve the purpose
Paul was much the same
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
This is what Paul sought to do in all his ministry: Proclaim the Gospel
He didn’t preach fuzzy things
Not a social gospel
Not a God wants you healthy, happy and wealthy
The Gospel of salvation
He was imitating Jesus
…who came for a single purpose
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Relied on Scripture
Relied on Scripture
Having that firm base is of prime importance
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
…explained from the Scriptures…the Emmaus Rd. experience
That made its mark on Paul;
Paul “reasoned from the Scriptures,”
Like Jesus, Paul built bridges into peoples’ lives to get the opportunity to give them the Gospel
He had an impact...made his mark...on the Thessalonians
They in turn made their mark in all of Macedonia and Achaia
Importance
Importance
It’s important to chose, and to be, a good example
Those are good examples to imitate: good preachers, teachers, writers....
Paul though by his own admission flawed, was imitating the best, the only perfect being to ever walk the earth
There are lots of bad ones as well—it all starts with deviation from the truth
…very easy to get led down the garden path
We have so-called Christians that will not be part of and accountable to a local church
Not speaking against “house-churches” we all may wind up that way at some point…but disconnected, lone-wolf Christians
…the become their own authority and go off script pretty easily
Too many bad things, bad teachers, out there for people to imitate
Main-line seminaries are turning out men—and women—with no Biblical truth
They preach with no authority, deny Scripture if they use it at all
…just saw one example of it, checking out a pastoral candidate for a friend in a church that is looking
Application
Application
…in ordination
A challenge to John: Imitate Paul as he imitated Christ
Be a man with the greatest integrity
…honest even you know nobody is looking
…you know that God always is looking
Be single-minded in purpose
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
That also incorporates boldness
Stand on Scripture; handle it well
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
May the footprints....
A challenge to the congregation
Celebrate him, he’s worked hard for this…just the time of examination is tough, the preparation process is tougher yet
Honor his commitment
…taking this step is a great leap of faith, sort of like writing a blank check
>>>no guarantee of anything for all that work
Be happy to claim him…we are the ordaining body
“THAT’S OUR MAN!”
Watch him...Imitate him; not that everyone should seek ordination, but we are all called to ministry
Encourage him and Miriam; pray for them; check up on the ministries with which he’s actively involved
Keep him accountable, be sure he is imitating the Christ who called him to this ministry