Model Leaders

Ready and Waiting  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  42:01
0 ratings
· 110 views
Files
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Last week we looked at “A Model Church”. Even though the Thessalonian Church was not a “Perfect Church”, they had several characteristics that we can and should be imitating. Paul, Silas and Timothy even exhorted the Thessalonian believers for imitating them and the Lord.
As we consider the social climate of our modern society, we would have to agree that we stand in desperate need of leadership worth imitating. Things have certainly changed in recent years, and much of that change has not been for the better. There seems to be a lack of godly men and women who are willing to stand for the cause of Christ and reach the world with the gospel.
Paul was called to minister at a time much like the day in which we live. The gospel was being preached, countless souls were coming to the Lord, and yet there was opposition on every hand. There was a great need for those who would rise above the challenges and serve the Lord. Paul accepted the challenge and was determined to serve the Lord no matter what oppositions came his way. Silas and Timothy were in it for the long haul as well.
Meat:
As we cover the first few verses of Chapter 2 this morning. I want you to see the (SLIDE) The commitment that these Model Leaders had to sharing the gospel.

Commitments of a Model Leader:

(Read vv. 1-3)… The first thing that I want you to see about these model leaders, was the fact that they were…

1. Committed to the Call

If you remember from the background sermon 2 weeks ago, we saw in Acts 16 the call that Paul recieved, through a vision or a dream, to go to Macedonia. It was then, that he made the commitment to travel to Thessalonica. A lot happened along the way and we will touch on that in a little bit…
In v.1 Paul mentions…

1.1 Their Arrival

v.1 “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you (or our entrance in to you or your city)was not in vain.
Paul simply reminds them of their (Paul and Silas’) initial entrance into Thessalonica. That may seem insignificant, but it serves as a reminder of their faithfulness to the call of God, and a challenge for them to continue serving the Lord in whatever capacity He chose to use them.
Remember, Thessalonica was a prominent city. It boasted a large population and great wealth. This was certainly not an easy environment in which to minister, and yet Paul was faithful to the call. He did not look at outward circumstances, but chose to follow the Lord…
Let that be a lesson to all of us... Those who are unwilling to move cannot lead. We will never accomplish anything of lasting value for Christ if we are not willing to go where He calls… Don’t believe me… look at Jonah…
Nineveh would have never been saved had he not shared the message that God had intrusted him with… Now, he didn’t share the same willingness that the Apostle Paul had, but eventually he ended up in Nineveh to encourage the city to repent.
Paul had recieved the call to go to Macedonia, he and Silas arrived in Thessalonica to share the gospel message and it had a great effect on the people...
That is the next thing that I want to look at…

1.2 Their Effectiveness

v.1 “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.
As you study the New Testament it becomes apparent that Paul, Silas and Timothy had an effective ministry in Thessalonica. The Lord moved with the power of the Holy Spirit and many turned their lives over to Christ.
The church began to send out missionaries and the gospel was taken to the world. Thessalonica was being used of the Lord because Paul had been obedient to the call. The labor of these “Model Leaders” had not been in vain. It was not “empty, false, foolish, worthless or ineffective… it was not in vain”
That ought to stand as a challenge to us. Anything done without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, is done in vain. If the Apostle Paul needed the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to be effective… Then we definitely need the presence and power of the Holy Spirit if we are going to be effective in our witness as well.
I am convinced that it was because they relied on this power of the Holy Spirit that they were able to stay…

2. Committed in Spite of Conflict

v.2 “ But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.
Remember, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica after their visit to Philippi… Paul reminds his readers “we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi...”
Let’s look briefly at...

2.1 Their Suffering

Paul said “We had suffered before...” that word “Suffered” has the idea of physical abuse… Look at Acts 16:22-23 (READ)… Stay right here in Acts, because we will look at something else as well in a minute...
But, with the verses we just read, we see that… Paul and Silas had been physically abused because of preaching the Gospel… Now, I don’t know of any physical abuse that we have suffered for the Lord, verbal abuse yes, but not physical... There are some believers in Afghanistan that have experienced some of this physical abuse this past week and others that may have even been killed…
Thankfully, it has not come to that yet, here in the U.S., but It may come to that, sooner than we realize... and we must be settled in our faith if we are to endure. That is part of our being “Ready and Waiting”… The fact that we as Christians are not yet being physically abused ought to encourage us to do more than we are doing now. We are not faced with grave adversity; so there is no excuse for being silent!
Next, I want to look at...

2.2 Their Shame

Paul also mentioned that while they were in Philippi, they were “Spitefully treated” or Shamefully treated… this is talking about public disgrace or public humiliation… You should still be in Acts 16… look at vv. 20-21 (READ)…
The “magistrates” mentioned in these verses served as Judges of the Roman Colony. Each Roman colony had two of them. In this case, they did not uphold Roman justice. They did not investigate the charges, conduct a proper hearing, they didn’t even give Paul and Silas the chance to defend themselves… They just ordered that Paul and Silas be beaten, which would have been an illegal punishment, since there was never a trial or proper conviction.
Paul and Silas were publicly humiliated for the cause of Christ. Those who should have supported them and embraced the gospel made a mockery of them and the Lord.
As Satan’s time to wreak havoc, on this earth, dwindles and we continue to get closer and closer to the Return of Christ… There may come a time when we are faced with public mockery for our faith, but we must endure, we must be able to repeat Paul’s words...
Rom.1:16
Romans 1:16 NASB95
16 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.
While we are still in Acts… I want you to see...

2.3 Their Severance

Did God have a plan for Philippi? Yes! did he have a plan for Thessalonica? Yes!… and it took Paul and Silas being kicked out of Philippi before they headed to Thessalonica… Look at vv.39-40 of Acts 16(Read)…
Yes, there was a small group of believers at this time in Philippi, but the leaders of the city, who refused to accept the Gospel, basically told Paul and Silas to “get out of town”...
This is a tragic reality but it is not uncommon. Even today, there are places in the world surrounded by darkness because they refused the gospel. However, we need to be obedient to the call and share the gospel with all that we can... but we need to remember that we cannot force anyone to accept Christ. Ultimately, it is their decision how they respond.
These model leaders were committed to the call, they were committed in spite of conflict and even after being beaten and imprisoned… they were…

3. Committed to Continue

Back in 1 Thessalonians 2 v.2 “ But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict.
Paul and Silas had been beaten and humiliated at Philippi, yet they came to Thessalonica and preached. After that sort of treatment I am sure most of us would have taken a vacation or found an excuse not to minister… But Paul and Silas, along with Timothy continued down the road to Thessalonica…
This reveals their commitment even after much adversity… Notice, first of all...

3.1 Their Assurance

Paul said “We were bold in our God...” … They were not relying on their own strength in order to continue. Even though they had faced great opposition in Philippi, they were not deterred. They came to Thessalonica in boldness.
This speaks of their “confidence, assurance, and unhindered speech.” Philippi may have rejected the gospel, but these “model leaders” knew they had to keep preaching the Gospel. They knew that this message from God had to be shared. They were not bold in their own personal abilities, but in the power of God.
So often we try to do things on our own. We think “I got this, I can handle this, I don’t need any help...” and then when it becomes clear that we cannot do it on our own we say “God, how could you let this happen?...” we blame God when in reality we didn’t think we needed His help to begin with.
This wasn’t the case for Paul, Silas and Timothy. Their assurance and boldness was routed in the power of God. And it is because of this, that they were able to continue on in ministry.
I am sure that the words of Isaiah were at the forefront of their minds as they left Philippi and headed to Thessalonica...
Isaiah 41:10
Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
These guys were also able to continue because of...

3.2 Their Affection

They had a love for the lost. They knew their need for a Savior. They knew the Thessalonians needed Christ in their lives. They knew Jesus was their only hope and they were determined to share the gospel with all they could regardless of the cost or the danger!
This clearly reveals the compassion these Model Leaders had for those who needed Christ. they were willing to face suffering, mockery, and even death for the gospel. Really when we think about it, that is how each of us should view the call of God.
Talking the talk is easy… But walking the walk, is where the rubber meets the road. We need to focus on what Christ has done for us. His work on the Cross, everything that led up to it, everything that He endured for us…
He loved us enough to go to Calvary; surely, we ought to love Him enough to share His gospel… and we should have the same affection towards the lost that He did… this is the same affection that Paul, Silas and Timothy had, that strengthened their commitment to continue, even when they were treated so poorly.
Lastly this morning… These Model Leaders were...

4. Committed Through Conversation

Look at v.3 “3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
The first thing that i want you to notice about their conversation is...

4.1 They Spoke the Truth

V. 3 says “For our exhortation did not come from error...
They did not seek to lead people astray with a false message or a false doctrine. They sought to lead them in the true ways of God.
So many people today are searching for the truth. They hear and see conflicting stories each and everyday… Someone says they will do one thing and ends up doing the complete opposite and when they are called out on it, the person who called them out is considered a “hater”....
This happens, probably, on a daily basis and people no longer know who to trust or who to believe… They are seeking the truth… We as believers have the source of absolute truth… (Hold up the Bible)… Not everyone will accept it… but that is between them and the Lord… Paul instructs us in Eph. 4:15 to “Speak the truth in Love”… That is our part… we do that and let God take care of the rest.
And that is exactly what these “Model Leaders” did… but they didn’t just talk the talk… they also walked the walked…
They didn’t just share the truth of the Gospel through their words… they also conversed through...

4.2 Their Lifestyle

I have said it before… and again I am not the originator of this quote… but…
Your talk talks...and your walk talks… but your walk talks… louder than your talk talks
For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness...
As these men ministered and preached the gospel, they did so in an upright manner. They were pure in their lifestyle and in their motives. Unfortunately, some people in Paul’s day used religion as a means for making money… Thankfully that doesn’t happen today… (LOL!, I was just making sure y’all were still awake)… because, again, there is nothing new under the sun. Satan still uses the same tactics, just different vessels and tools.
But Paul, Silas and Timothy were not guilty of filth and reproach… That is not to say that they were perfect… but they lived their lives, in a way, that was pleasing to God.
God desires that we live lives that are clean and upright. I know that we can’t live a perfect life, but there is nothing wrong with striving for perfection.
These Model Leaders were Committed through their conversations by speaking the truth, by their lifestyle and lastly, by...

4.3 Their Methods

For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.”… This last word “Deceit” kind of sums up the other two… some versions use the word “guile”… It literally means “a fishhook, a trap, dealing with trickery.”
This term is used throughout the NT to describe deceitful means to trick a person. For example, Mark 14:1 claims that the chief priests and the scribes sought to arrest Jesus “in trickery” (or deceitfully) in order to kill him. They were trying to come up with a special, secret plan to murder or assassinate Jesus…
This clearly shows that they had no idea who they were dealing with… How can you trick someone who, literally, knows everything…? … You can’t and they didn’t…
Paul, Silas and Timothy were not seeking personal gain or glory. They did not seek a ministry that glorified the flesh, but their main objective was to glorify Christ.
They were not seeking to manipulate men for a dishonest gain. They were not seeking to trap them in a false doctrine that offered no hope. They were not adding anything to gospel.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of so-called ministries today that are guilty of this. Some seek to keep people bound by their religion. They are taught that a certain amount of works must be performed if they are to be acceptable to God. Some are made to feel that financial contributions to the ministry are imperative to righteousness… These are deceitful ministries…
Should your Faith in Christ produce works? Absolutely! But do works provide or guarantee your salvation?? Absolutely not!… Should you joyfully give to the ministry? Absolutely! Does your giving of your time, money or other resources provide or guarantee your salvation? Absolutely not!
These Model Leaders preached the true gospel and they did it without and form of trickery or deceit… They preached Jesus crucified, buried, and risen. They preached that Jesus was the only way of salvation. They preached salvation is by Grace alone, through Faith alone, in Christ alone… nothing more… nothing less…
They did not try to trap anyone into salvation the way a sly salesman tries to trap people into buying his product. They just “spoke the truth in love” and let the Holy Spirit do the rest!
Closing:
You may be here this morning and say “Pastor Tom, that was a great message”… “A great message for you and the deacons… as you are the leaders of this church...” Maybe, you are here this morning and you say “sorry pastor, but I am not a leader”… If that is you this morning, let me ask you this...
Do you have siblings?
Do you have children… grandchildren… nieces… nephews?
Do you have friends or coworkers that do not know the Lord?
Are you a follower of Christ? Have you accepted His free gift of Salvation?… If the answer is “yes”, then you are a leader…
1 Peter 4:10 says...
1 Peter 4:10 NASB95
10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
As soon as you accept Christ as your personal Savior, He gives you at least one spiritual (or Special) gift that you are to use to lead others to Him.
You too can be a Model Leader if you
Stay Committed to whatever God has called you to do...
Stay Committed in spite of conflict
Stay committed to continue on, no matter what comes your way… … And…
Stay committed through Conversation, in the things we say, the lifestyle we live and methods that we use.
I pray that this message has helped you in your journey with the Lord. It stands as a challenge for all of God’s people. We are called to serve the Lord and proclaim the gospel. There will be times when that is difficult, but we must continue the race.
We need to live lives that are pleasing to the Lord and above reproach. I pray that we will all seek to be more like Christ.
Prayer:
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more