Sermon Tone Analysis

! 1 THESSALONIANS 2:8-9

*God’s plan for evangelism through the local church:  *

1Thessalonians opens a window on to newly planted church in the middle of the 1st century AD.

It tells us how it came into being, what the apostle taught it, what were its strengths and weaknesses, its theological and moral problems, and how it was spreading the gospel.

What is of particular interest, because it applies to Christian communities in every age and place, is the interaction which the apostle portrays between the church and the gospel.

* He shows how the gospel creates the Church [1:1-4].

* He shows how the Church spreads the gospel [1:5-10].

* He shows how the gospel shapes the Church [ ], as the Church seeks to live a life that is worthy of the Gospel.

According to John Stott, the above theme gives the following analysis of the letter:

#. *Christian evangelism*, or how the Church spreads the gospel [1:1-10].

#. *Christian ministry*, or how pastors serve both the gospel and the church [2:1-3:13].

#. *Christian behaviour*, or how the Church must live according to the gospel [4:1-12].

#. *Christian hope*, or how the gospel should inspire the Church [4:13-5:11].

#. *Christian community*, or how to be a gospel Church [5:12-28].

Paul’s brief mission to Thessalonica had been brought to an ignominious end.

The pubic riot and the legal charges against the missionaries were so serious that they were persuaded to make a humiliating night flight from the city [Acts 17].

Paul’s critics took full advantage of his sudden disappearance.

In order to undermine his authority and his gospel, they determined to discredit him.

So they launched a malicious smear campaign.

By studying Paul’s self-defence it is possible fro us to reconstruct their slanders:

* ‘He ran away’, they sneered, ‘and has not been seen since’.

* Obviously he is insincere, impelled by basest motives.

* He is just one more of these phoney teachers who tramp up and down the Egnatian way.

* When opposition arose, and he found himself in personal danger, he took to his heels and ran!

* He does not care about you Thessalonian disciples of his; he has abandoned you.

He is much more concerned about his own skin than your welfare.

Paul determined to reply to the charges which were levelled at him, not out of pique or vanity, but because the truth of the gospel and the future of the church were at stake.

!! A.      THE PRELIMINARIES

!! 1.       Transparency

*a.       **Knowledge*

The Thessalonians saw what Paul was like: “/yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you/…” [2:1].

* οἴδατε - “/know/” [2:1], perfect indicative active, ‘to have seen and perceived and hence know’.

* οὐ κενὴ - “/not in vain/” [2:1], ‘empty’; ‘without anything’; ‘wanting in purpose and earnestness’;

* The same verb is repeated later: “/you know we never used/…” [2:5].

*b.       **Remember*

The Thessalonians remember Paul’s work: “/you remember, brethren, our labour/…” [2:9].

* Μνημονεύετε – “/remember/” [2:9], ‘to exercise memory’; ‘to call to mind’;

*c.        **Witnesses*

The Thessalonians were witnesses of Paul’s behaviour: “/you are witnesses/…” [2:10].

* πιστεύουσιν - “/witnesses/” [2:10], ‘one who has first-hand information and knowledge about something’;

#. *Readiness to Suffer*

Paul and his fellow-missionaries were prepared to suffer for the gospel: “/after we had suffered before/…” [2:2].

* προπαθόντες - “/suffered/” [2:2], from /pró/, ‘before’, and /páschō/, ‘to suffer’; * ὑβρισθέντες - “/shamefully entreated/” [2:2], ‘to maltreat, mistreat’; ‘to run riot, to outrage, insult’;

* ἐπαρρησιασάμεθα - “/bold/” [2:2], ‘denotes a state of  mind when the words flow freely, the attitude of feeling quite at home with no sense of stress or strain, and attitude that includes both boldness and confidence’.

* ἐν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν - “/in our God/” [2:2], ‘confidence and strength in God’;

* ἀγῶνι - “/contention/” [2:2], ‘conflict, opposition, fight’;

*Application*

People are prepared to suffer only for what they believe in.

As Paul recalls his visit to Thessalonica he seems to depict it by four metaphors.

!! B.      THE STEWARD [2:3-4]

#. *The God-centred Stewardship *

*a.       **God-given Stewardship *

The implied stewardship: “/we were allowed of God to be put in trust/…” [2:4].

* δεδοκιμάσμεθα - “/allowed/” [2:4], the stem word is δοκή, ‘watching’; ‘to accept as proved’; ‘an object which is tested, genuine, and valuable’ as in coins and people;   * The /perfect/ tense signifies not only a past approval but one that continues into the present.

* πιστευθῆναι - “/put in trust/” [2:4], aorist passive infinitive, ‘to believe, trust’; ‘to put something into the care of another’;

* εὐαγγέλιον - “/gospel/” [2:4], from eu, ‘well’, and aggelw, ‘good news’;

*b.       **God-glorifying Stewardship *

The motive of the missionaries: “/even so we speak; not as pleasing men/…” [2:4].

* λαλοῦμεν - “/speak/” [2:4], ‘to talk’ with the semantic focus on telling’;

* ἀρέσκοντες - “/pleasing/” [2:4], present active participle, ‘to make one inclined to’; ‘to soften one’s heart towards another’;

* δοκιμάζοντι - “/tries/” [2:4], present active participle, the stem word is δοκή, ‘watching’; ‘to accept as proved’; ‘an object which is tested, genuine, and valuable’ as in coins and people;

* καρδίας - “/hearts/” [2:4], ‘centre of being’; ‘mind, will, affections’;

#. *The Faithful Stewardship *

*a.       **The Message *

The message of the missionaries: “/for our exhortation was not in deceit/…” [2:3].

* παράκλησις - “/exhortation/” [2:3], from para, ‘to beside’, and kalew, ‘to call’; ‘a call to one’s aid’; ‘encouragement’; *                                                                                                         i.

**The Truth *

Paul’s message was biblical: “/not in deceit/…” [2:3].

* ἐκ πλάνης - “/deceit/” [2:3], ‘wandering out of the right way’; ‘deceptive belief’; ‘delusion’;

!!                                                                                                        ii.

The Pure Motive

Paul’s motive was pure: “/nor in uncleanness/…” [2:3].

* ἐξ ἀκαθαρσίας - “/uncleanness/” [2:3], ‘impurity’; ‘unclean things’; ‘sexual immorality’;

* An allusion to such evils as ‘ambition, pride, greed, popularity’;

*                                                                                                     iii.

**The Methods*

Paul’s methods were above board: “/nor in guile/…” [2:3].

* ἐν δόλῳ - “/guile/” [2:3], ‘to catch fish by means of a bait’; metaphorically and generally ‘fraud, guile, deceit’;

* There was no attempt to induce discipleship by ‘tricking them’; for example, by concealing the cost of discipleship or by offering fraudulent blessings.

*Application*

The “stewards” of the gospel are primarily responsible neither to the church, nor to its synods or leaders, but to God himself.

* To be accountable to God as a merciful, impartial judge is marvellously liberating;

* To be accountable to Him is to be delivered from the tyranny of human criticism.

!! C.      A MOTHER

!! 1.

The Denial of False Methods

*a.       **The Flattery *

!! Paul denies that he ever used flattery: “/for neither at any time/…” [2:5].

* ἐγενήθημεν - “/used/” [2:5], aorist passive indicative, ‘come to exist, happen’;

* ἐν λόγῳ κολακείας - “/flattering words/” [2:5], ‘flattery, adulation’; ‘the tortuous methods by which one man seeks to gain influence over another, generally for selfish ends’;

* The Greek term has the idea of ‘using fair words as a means of gaining one’s own ends’.

*b.

**The Mask *

!! Paul denies that he ever covered up what he was doing: “/nor a cloak of covetousness/…” [2:5].

* προφάσει - “/cloak/” [2:5], ‘pretence, show, cover’; from /prophaínō/ ,’ to appear before, be apparent’; which is from /pró/, ‘before’, and /phaínō/ , ‘to appear, to shine before’;

* ‘an outward show or appearance, a pretense or pretext put forth in order to cover one’s real intent’;

*                                                                                                         i.

**Pride *

Paul did not preach with a cloak to cover his pride: “/cloak of covetousness/…” [2:5].

* πλεονεξίας - “/covetousness/” [2:5], denotes more than ‘love of money’; ‘greediness’; ‘exploitation’; ‘striving for material possessions’;

* The concept exalts self to the highest position; it regards self with the veneration that amounts to worship: “/covetousness, which is idolatry/” [Col.3:5].