Inspiration To live By

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 (NIV)

13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

I.                   Introduction:

II.               The Word of God Is Received by the Believer: Hear God

A.                 The Word of God Heard

B.                 The Word of God Accepted

1.                  Not Received as the Word of Men

2.                  Truly Accepted As the Word of God

III.            The Word of God Is Effective in the Believer: Live Strong

A.                 Finding A Power Within

B.                 Following a Pattern of Faithfulness

C.                 Facing the Pressure of Hostility

1.                  From Those Who Reject the Word of God

a)                 The Living Word: Jesus

b)                 The Prophetic Word: Old Testament

c)                  The Apostolic Word: New Testament

2.                  From Those Who Oppose the Work of God

a)                 Keeping God’s Word from being Spoken

b)                 Keeping Men’s Souls from Being Saved

3.                  From Those Who Incur the Wrath of God

a)                 They Are Displeasing to God

b)                 They Are Hostile to Men

c)                  They Are Heaping Up Sins

IV.             Conclusion: