Overview of 1 Thessalonians
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Intro
Intro
In the movie Secondhand Lions, young Walter is a shy boy who is unsure about himself and life in general. To this point he has been raised by a self-center single mom, who dumps him one summer with two of his great uncles Hub and Garth McCann. Hub and Garth appear as these grumpy old men who want little to do with society and are bothered by those who show up prying for some of their supposed wealth. Yet, there is something special about these two men, that over the course of the summer young Walter would come to realize, while receiving something he didn’t even know he needed.
What was it that Hub and Garth had? What was it that Walter needed? Hub explained it to young Walter like this.
“Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that money and power; power and money mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil. And I want you to remember this...True love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. A man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in.”
What was it Hub and Garth had? They had an ethos, a code that they lived by, that was demonstrated through their character.
Christian Character Amidst Suffering
Christian Character Amidst Suffering
Our message today is titled Christian Character Amidst Suffering and if I had to give it a sub title it would be, Anchored in the Return of The Lord Jesus. This message today will be an overview of 1 Thessalonians, and while we will not be looking to a specific passage, we will be looking at select verses that will highlight the main themes that run the whole of 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians is likely the first letter that Paul wrote, expect for possibly an early date for the book of Galatians. Paul wrote this letter in most likely in AD 50 while in Corinth. We read the account of Paul and his group coming to Thessalonica in Acts 17 while on his second mission trip.
Acts 17:1–10 (ESV)
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.
And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea...
First century Thessalonica was a booming city. At Paul’s arrival it boasted a population of 100,000 people. Seated at the most norther harbor of the Aegean Sea along the Via Egnatia roadway it was a hub for all types for trades and customs. As a culture Thessalonica would be what you could call seeker friendly. They had temples for all the traditional Greek and Roman deities and even had a Jewish synagogue. At the time the Jewish religion would have been considered the conservative religion while all the others were very liberal specifically when it came to the issue of sexual morality.
Paul and his crew arrived here after the harsh treatment they recieved while in Philippi where they had been stripped, beaten with rods, and thrown into prison. As we read in the Acts account, the Jews in Thessalonica became jealous of the gospel that Paul was preaching and started a mob riot. In the end Paul and his companions had to be snuck out of the city by the cover of night. When Paul writes to the Thessalonians he describes this event as being torn away from them. His concern became so great for them that when he could no longer bear it, he sent Timothy to check on them and encourage them.
1 Thessalonians 3:1–5 (ESV)
Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
After receiving Timothy’s return report, Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonian Church.
Paul’s letter is to be read as a letter of encouragement, to a church that was no more that two years old. There are three primary themes that Paul is writing to the Thessalonians about character, suffering, and the return of Jesus.
Christian Character
Christian Character
For Paul the character of someone claiming to follow Jesus was an important topic. Each of his letters detail out instruction to help the readers grow in their Christian faith. Paul understood the necessity of growing up.
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
His greatest concern was that his spiritual children were growing in their faith and becoming more like Christ. He wanted to make sure that the work and labor he had put in wasn’t for nothing.
As parents we can understand how Paul feels. As our kids grow and mature and get closer to adulthood we wonder if we have done a good enough job equipping them for the road ahead. When they are off on their own, we worry that they are prepared for whatever may come. This is Paul’s heart for the Thessalonians. He is concerned that by having to have left them so quickly, they are not prepared and that Satan has come in and shaken them from their faith.
Paul finds out that this is not the case and rejoices. His responds by commending them for their character.
1 Thessalonians 1:6–9 (ESV)
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.
For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
The character they had shown was their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfast hope in Jesus. Their character become so profound that Paul proclaims, not only have you become imitators of me and the Lord, but you have become examples to all of Macedonia and Achaia.
Macedonian and Achaia make up modern day Greece. Greece has a land mass of about 51,000 square miles. That is about 1.5 times the size of the state of Indiana. The character of the Thessalonians was known through out that whole region so much so that Paul did not have to tell anyone about them! Their reputation had preceded them. Imagine, if the character of those who attend Burr Oak was so prominent, that we were known in Indy, or throughout the whole state?
In Paul’s next section he moves to show himself as an example. His example here is his love and concern for these believers. As you grow as a believer your character should be growing you towards leadership of some level within the church, depending on the spiritual gifts you have been given. Paul as the founder of this church continues to show the example that needs to be given. His stated purpose for sending Timothy was his concern for their walk in the faith.
For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
This here is insight to what Christian accountability should look like. For anybody who has taken apart in an accountability group, you know how they generally worked. You get together once a week or so, and everyone ends up sharing how they failed this week. Heath Lambert, the author of Finally Free, states, “Many accountability groups function as an opportunity for a delayed confession of sin…You will not experience dramatic change in your struggle as long as you use accountability to describe your sin instead of declaring your need for help in the midst of temptation.”
Where is it that this help comes from? Lambert suggest from a more mature Christian that has some level of spiritual authority over your life. Like Paul they need the ability to reach into your life at their concern to see how you are doing.
Pastor Mark is the lead pastor here at Burr Oak and I serve as the associate pastor. I operate under his spiritual authority. I am fully accountable to him, he has access to every part of my life to ensure that I am maturing as I need to as a fellow brother in Christ. He checks in with me weekly if not more to see how I am doing. As Christians we need this. We need this so much that God in his goodness has design both the church and family life with such a structure. For the church the pastor-elder sits at the head as the spiritual authority. Within the family it is the husband and father. We need those people there to help encourage us in our walk. Paul felt so strongly about this in his final instructions to the Thessalonians he says to them,
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (ESV)
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
And yet Paul, carrying the authority that he did, he sets the example for the leaders, showing them how they ought to lead and from where they should lead from. Paul says that they did not come with words of flattery or demands as apostles of Christ. Rather they came like a mother to her nursing child. They were gentle and kind. They operated as a father with his children, encouraging and exhorting them. Paul, like Christ did not come in power, but in meekness.
Why was he able to come that way? Why was he able to write to them they way he did? Because of his deep love for them. Paul again and again states how much he desired to see them face to face.
To describe how he feels, Paul uses a word in this letter that is used no where else in scripture. Homeiromai…say that after me homeiromai. It means to long for. With the tense that Paul uses the ESV translates it as “affectionately desirous.”
1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
When was the last time you were affectionately desirous to meet with the church family? Each week when I give announcements at the start of service I mention how good it is to be with you all. That is not just politeness, I mean it, I am so glad to be meeting with my brothers and sisters in Christ. However, it wasn’t always that way.
I was raised in the church. My family was at church 3-4 nights a week when I was a boy. I loved it, it felt like a second home. Until it didn’t. In the denomination I grew up in pastors rotated every 3-5 years. When I was around 16-17 my church got our next pastor. In the beginning things were great, most of this was due to the fact that all the ministries ran because of the church members rather than the pastor or council. About a year and half to two years in things began to change. This pastor began to play favorites with certain families in the church. One thing led to the next and before long the church was going through a split. My family was one of several to leave, I was 18.
My life was changing drastically. I had just finished high school, I was getting ready to go to college, which I did not want to do, and the church that had felt like a home was no more. I was angry. I was very angry. And I knew where my anger laid. I was angry at the church. After going through that event I wanted nothing to do with the church. If these were God’s representatives I wanted nothing to do with them! And I spent the next 8 years trying to run my own life. I had become a prodigal son.
But then an amazing thing happened. God got a hold of my heart. Through several major life events God brought me back to him, and on November 26th, 2011 I gave my life back to God. As God worked several thing out inside of me one of the things he helped me to understand was the purpose and intention for the Church. His call on my life was to go and protect his people. Over the course of about 3 years I learned that meant he wanted me in pastoral ministry. Have things been smooth and easy, no far from it. Have they been worth it? Yes, 100% yes!
My story is not unique to me and in today’s culture it seems more and more of these stories are coming out. Just about every month we hear of a prominent Christian who is going through “deconstruction.” I got to be honest, I hate that word. With my background it makes me think of the Barbra Mandrell song, “I was country when country wasn’t cool.” I deconstructed when deconstructing wasn’t cool.And it is still not cool, yet many people are being deceived. Many people are coming out as giving up their faith and walking away from the church. Saying they are deconstructing or have become exvangelicals. Some of the more well known are Joshua Harris, the author of I Kiss Dating Goodbye, one of the founding members of the worship group DC Talk, and one of the most influential Abraham Piper, son of John Piper.
As I hear these stories what I come to find is that anger towards the church is a big factor. According to a
2014 Barna study, 59% of Millennials that were raised in the church have left.
Trying to bring some understanding to this Sam Eaton wrote an article on
faithit.com listing 12 reasons why millennials are leaving the church.
Their input is not asked
Preaching more about the church’s vision rather than God’s
Wrong priorities - self-edification over serving
Too much focus on cultural issues rather than issues in the church
Churches are too cliquey
Lack of financial transparency
lack of mentoring
They feel devalued by the church
lack of addressing controversial issues from biblical perspective
Poor public perception of the church
Talk without action
The “We’ve always done it this way” attitude
One reasons I believe this doesn’t get enough attention is the general societal belief that Millennials are still kids. All Millennials are of leagal age to vote. The oldest of Millennials can legally run for president. For the church Millennials ought to be tapped into as the work horse, yet they are undervalued and untrained.
If you notice in that list, Millennials are leaving the church over character issues, not theology issues. They want the truth, but they want your actions to match your words.
Now I will fully admit that this issue with Millennials not being in a church is a two way issue. There is a lack of spiritual maturity that causes them to not see past these issues. Most all of the deconstruction stories I have read or watched have all been based in character issues not theology. That character runs both ways. In one video they lady indicated that she loved Jesus but was just taking a break from his church.
Let me ask you something, how many of you have had a dispute with someone else’s spouse? What happens to your relationship with the other person? It affects it doesn’t it. When you are mad at one person, the relationship you have with their spouse is tainted.
Would you all say you love Jesus? Now how many of you would admit that you are upset with the church or have been at on etime? Who is the church? The bride of Christ. When you have issues with the church, whether global or local, your relationship with Jesus becomes tainted. Millennials (and this really goes for anyone) if you are mad at the church you are not walking as close to Jesus as you think. If you do not like the current characteristic of the church, them do something. Get involved, volunteer, live how Jesus is calling you to live. Do not put the blame of your inaction onto someone else, that is yours to own.
Our character matters. Continuing in his letter Paul includes these instructions,
1 Thessalonians 4:2–8 (ESV)
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Our character, the way we live is our testimony. What was it that pleased Paul about the Thessalonians? He had to tell no one about them. Their character preceded them. How we walk around those in our lives, especially those who are non believers matters. What was the new commandment Jesus.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Did you catch that? What does our love for each other do?
By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Our character as Christians is everything, we are to be imitators and exemplars of our Lord Jesus Christ. This includes in our times of suffering.
Suffering and the Christian Character
Suffering and the Christian Character
Several times throughout this letter Paul mentions the affliction either the Thessalonians or himself are experiencing. There are a few things that need to be understood about this affliction. First and foremost affliction is a sign of following Jesus.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,
Let’s just face the plain fact. Regardless of what faith you follow, this life will leave you at some point experiencing pain and affliction. The Christian faith is no different. Yet, because of the ethos of the Christian faith, there are certain things you may suffer for that others faiths don’t, yet the Christian ethos is the only one that can provide a proper understanding and response.
Now at the time Paul wrote this, mass sanctioned persecution had not started yet. While there were isolated instances of severe affliction up to martyrdom, the Thessalonians for the most part, would have experienced a rejection or disassociation from non believing friends and family and issues related to sickness and grief. Yet, these experiences are hard enough to go through.
I can remember when I first gave my life back to Christ and began to pursue ministry. I was working at a fruit production plant as a welder fabricator and general maintenance personal. There were 7 of us that worked together year round and I was related to 4 of them. At that time I had been working there for about 6 years. In that six years very few of our daily conversations would have been dinner table appropriate. The last year I worked there while taking ministry class through Liberty University, the conversations changed. As in I was not included in as many and when I was around things were relatively quiet. Would I call this affliction, no, but it was a disassociation.
For the Thessalonians life had drastically changed, Paul wanted to encourage them and wanted to let them know to continue on despite their afflictions. What Paul does is encourages them to do more of what they have been doing.
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.
for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,
So if affliction is a guarantee, how is it eased? In the midst of Paul’s suffering the Thessalonians brought him comfort. His comfort did not come in the form of food or financial gift but rather in the receiving of the good news of their character.
for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.
How is it this works?
For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
As Christians, our faith, hope, and love, our ethos brings joy to our spiritual mentors. It becomes a fruit that they can present to Jesus.
I like to listen to sermons by Adrian Rogers. He has a saying he likes to use, “What’s in the well comes up in the bucket.” If you have faith, hope, and love, in your well, that’s what’s going to come up in your bucket. You have anger, envy, jealousy, and disdain in your well, guess what is going to come up. Now, what do you do with what comes out of a well? You use it to cook, to clean, to water your plants, to feed your kids…you spread it around don’t you? What is it you want to be spreading?
As you spread faith, hope, and love you bring joy and comfort to those in affliction.
The suffering we experience is not for nothing. Ten years after this letter Paul would write to the Romans. This is what he had to say about suffering to them.
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
Christian Character and the Return of The Lord Jesus
Christian Character and the Return of The Lord Jesus
Besides learning how to suffer well, besides bringing comfort to others, why does this matter? Paul grounds all of this in the return of the Lord Jesus.
For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and 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 delivers us from the wrath to come.
For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.
and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Paul concludes each section with the reminder of Jesus’ return. His teaching on this culminates in chapters 4 and 5 where he informs the Thessalonians on what the coming of the Lord will be like.
I cannot stress how important of a point his is. Jesus is coming back! Does that excite you, or does it scare you? I have found that as a Christian if that scares you, it is because you are operating with misinformation. I get it, I was a product of the Left Behind generation and never even watched the series or read the books. I was scared to death to be left behind. Family let me tell you something, if you have accepted Christ as your Savior that day, when ever it comes will be glorious! This is what Paul said,
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
Plus for believers there is no reason to be anxious about it. Even though it comes like a thief in the night, or labor pains on a pregnant women, Paul tells us we know it is coming.
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
And there you have it, the plain and simple difference. The Kingdom of Light vs. the kingdom of darkness. Do you know which one you are operating in? Which kingdom’s ethos are you functioning out of? If you have accepted Christ as you Lord and Savior, but this day gives you anxiety, Pastor Mark or myself would be more then happy to talk with you.
If you have not given your life to Christ, and this day scares you, it should. I would be doing you no favors by saying otherwise. Peter describes the wrath that is poured out on that day as like nothing that has ever been experienced. Where God destroyed the world the first time through water, this time it will be through fire. The heavens will vanish with a roar and the stars and planets will be burned up and dissolved.
For those who are in the kingdom of darkness, this day will catch them off guard and forever alter everything they ever thought they knew, and their chance to change their mind will be gone. For those in the light it will be a glorious reunion with both Jesus and the brothers and sisters that have went on ahead. And we will be together forever and ever, amen!
In the mean time we have been called to grow in our Christian character here in this life. Yet, this is not something we do of our own power. Where Hub told young Walter that these are the things a man should believe in whether they are true or not, we do not need to wonder if they are true or not. We can know with a certainty that Jesus is the way, they truth, and the life. We can find faith, hope, and love , in his steadfastness, not ours.
As I am bringing this message to a close would everyone close your eyes where you are sitting please? We are to walk in a manner that is pleasing to God. Our character is to grow, but it only grows because Jesus establishes our hearts as blameless and holy before God. He who is above all, who created all things, and in whom all things are held together, humbled himself and became a man and died a criminals death so you may be reconciled to God and become a child of the Kingdom of Light. Choose today which kingdom it is you want to serve.
If you feel you have been living in the kingdom of darkness but want to come to the kingdom of light please pray silently with me. Lord Jesus, forgive me of my sin. Forgive me of my rejection of your Lordship over my life. I submit my self to you. Thank you for loving me and paying the debt that I owe. If you prayed that pray, please follow up with me or Pastor Mark after the service so we can talk with you on the next steps needed for growing closer to Jesus.
If you are part of the Kingdom of Light but realize that your character has not been maturing as it should please pray silently with me. Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins. Forgive me for when my character has not properly represented you and your Kingdom. Please continue to mold me as I submit my will to yours. For your word say that it is God’s will for me to be sanctified. I trust in the good work that you have started in me and believe that you will finish it. Thank you Lord Jesus for your loving kindness.
Lord we ask that you continue to show us how to walk in your ways. Lord we thank you for your goodness and the love you have poured out on us. As we go about this week ahead, please oh God, keep us united in Spirit and centered on your Son. Amen and Amen.