1 THESSALONIANS 1 - WHEN CHRIST'S GOSPEL INVADES THE SOUL

PREACHED AT GLENDALE

WE BELIEVE WITH THE HYMN WRITER THAT THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION IS JESUS CHRIST HER LORD:

BUT IT IS NOT SIMPLY THE PERSON OF CHRIST THAT MAKES HIM THE SUNGULAR FOUNDATION

IT IS ALSO, AND BY NECESSITY, THE WORK OF CHRIST THAT MAKES HIM SO

HIS LIFE

THE PAROUSIA: THE SUFFERING, DEATH, RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION: ALL OF WHICH CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AS ONE SINGULAR EVENT

THIS MESSAGE OF CHRIST CAN AND MUST NOW BE SEEN AS THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION AS IT ARTICULATE THE PERSON AND WORK OF CHRIST

THE THEME: “THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION” IS OFFERED, I BELIEVE, TODAY BECAUSE THERE ALWAYS REMAINS A NEED TO REMIND THE CHURCH OF THIE PLACE IN THE WORLD

RC SPROUL: GOSPEL NEEDS TO BE RECLAIMED EVERY GENERATION (23YESR)

ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY MIGHT MAKE THAT EVERY 23 MONTH, DAYS AND OR HOURS

THE GRAND DISPLAY OF FOOLISHNESS THAT IS PASSED OFF AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHURCH’S ONE FOUNDATION IS TROUBLING TO SAY THE LEAST

SO TODAY I WANT TO REMIND US OF THE FOUNDATION BUT, I WANT TO SHOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE GOSPEL INVADES THE SOUL

HOW CAN ONE KNOW THAT THEY ARE BELIEVING THE CHURCH’S FOUNDATIONAL MESSAGE?

SERMON;

WHEN CHRIST'S GOSPEL INVADES THE SOUL

I. THE GOSPEL CREATES A NEW IDENTITY

1 Thessalonians 1:1 ESV

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

NOTICE THAT THEY ARE NOT CALLED THE CHURCH SEEKING TO BE IN OR TRYING TO BE OR DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT IN… NO, THEY ARE “IN”

THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS REASON:

BEING IN GOD AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS YOUR REALITY DESPITE YOUR CURRENT BATTLES

THIS IS WHY PAUL BEGINS BY SAYING GRACE TO YOU AND PEACE

GRACE DESCRIBES OUR NEW STANDING BEFORE GOD

GRACE IS, BY DEFINITION, UNMERITED FAVOR

GRACE IS GETTING WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE

PEACE DESCRIBES OUR NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

WHAT ONCE USED TO BE A RELATIOPNSHIP OF HOSTILITY BECAUSE OF OUR SIN HAS NOW BECOME DEFINED EXCLUSIVELY AND ETERNALLY AS PEACE

Romans 5:1 ESV

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

THIS IS WHY PAUL SAYS IN VERSE 10 THAT JESUS DELIVERS US FROM THE WRATH TO COME

1 Thessalonians 1:10 ESV

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Romans 8:1 ESV

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

II. THE GOSPEL CREATES AN ESCHATOLOGICAL ETHIC

UP FRONT IT MUST BE SAID THAT THESE THREE VIRTUES ARE

MISSIONAL VIRTUES

PAUL IS NOT CELEBRATING THESE AS PASSIONS

o THEIR AIM IS NOT TO BE RIGHT WITH GOD (THEY ARE ALREADY THAT)

o RATHER IT IS TO BRING ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD UPON THE EARTH

NOT THREE, PER-SE, HERE, AS ARTICULATED IN 1 COR 13: FAITH HOPE AND LOVE.

INSTEAD WHAT PAUL IS SAYING HERE IS THAT STEADFASTNESS OF HOPE IS THE WHAT DRIVES THESE QUALITIES

RECOGNIZES THAT THE CHURCH IS AN EMBASSY OF HEAVEN AND, THEREFORE, ALL WHO CALL CHRIST LORD, MUST REPRESENT THE ETHICS OF THE KINGDOM THAT IS NOW, AND NOT YET (HENCE THE HOPE - THE CONFIDENCE THAT HIS KINGDOM WILL COME AND HIS WILL, WILL BE DONE, IS TOTAL FULNESS IN THE TIME TO COME

THIS IS WHY PAUL SAYS IN VERSE 10

1 Thessalonians 1:10 ESV

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

THIS GOSPEL HOPE DRIVES THE CHURCH AND IS REFLECTED IN TWO WAYS:

1. Work of Faith

ERGON - ACTIVE NOT PASSIVE:

EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE IS ENERGIZED BY AND CONTROLLED BY MY BELIEF AND CONVICTION THAT CHRIST IS LORD OF THE COSMOS - EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS IN TIME AND SPACE

IT MEANS THAT MY LIFE AND ENGAGEMENT WITH PEOPLE IS CONTROLLED, NOT BY THE MODERN ETHIC OF EARTHLY POLITICS - BUT BY, AS IT WERE, THGE POLITIC OF HEAVEN

2. Labor of Love

LABORING TO SHOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN OUR BEHAVIOR

IT’S LABOR OF LOVE BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO LOVE LIKE JESUS

IT MEANS LOVING THE SAINTS

IT MEANS LOVING NEIGHBOR

§ Faith works love (Galatians 4??)

III. THE GOSPEL CREATES AN UNSHAKEABLE CONVICTION (WITH FULL CONVICTION)

A. WITH CONVICTION THEY SHOULDERED THE JOYFUL BURDEN OF THE GOSPEL

1 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV

because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 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,

THEY BELIEVED THAT THE CROSS-LADENED LIFE IS THE CHRIST- GLORIFYING LIFE (IMITATORS)

NOT SIMPLY IMOUTED RIGHT…BUT IMITATED RIGHT…

B. WITH CONVICTION THEY SHARED THE JOY-FILLED BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL

1. THEY VISUALLY WITNESSED BY BECOMING THE GOSPEL

1 Thessalonians 1:7 ESV

so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

2. THEY VERBALLY WITNESSED BY SHARING THE GOSPEL

1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

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.

BOTH DESPITE THE KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH

IV. THE GOSPEL CREATES A CONSTANT SANCTIFICATION

1 Thessalonians 1:9 ESV

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,