The Gospel & The Church!

1 Thessalonians 1:5–10 CSB

because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance. You know how we lived among you for your benefit, and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: 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 rescues us from the coming wrath.

For the last several weeks we have been looking at, “...how the gospel creates the church and the church spreadsthe gospel, and how the gospel shapes the church, as the church seeks to live a life that is worthy of the gospel” (John Stott).

I. The Church of God - (1:1b-4)

The Church is a community which: LIVES in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; is MARKED by grace and peace; is DISTINGUISHED by faith, love, and hope – (1:3), and is LOVED and CHOSEN by God!

II. The Gospel of God - (1:5-10)

Stott: “It was natural for Paul to move on in his mind from God’s church to God’s gospel because he could not think of either without the other. It is by the gospel that the church exists and by the church that the gospel spreads. Each depends on the other. Each serves the other.”

In (vv.5-10), there are three clear stages of the progress of the gospel in Thessalonica: First, “…our gospel came to you” (v.5). Second, “…you received the word”(v.6). And third, “…the word of the Lord sounded forth from you”(v.8).

It came to you; you received it; and you passed it on!

This sequence is God’s continuing plan for making disciples of all nations!

A. PROCLAMATIAN to the Thessalonians – “…our gospel came to you” - (v.5)

Four ways the gospel came to them...

1. “…did not come to you in word only”

Certainly, it was not with ONLY IN word, but it was with words! It did require a messenger.

(Romans 10:14–17)

2. “…but also in power” - ἐν δυνάμει

Stott: “The reference is probably not to external miracles which are normally designated by the plural word ‘powers’ (dynameis), but to the internal operation of the Holy Spirit. It is only by his power that the Word can penetrate people’s mind, heart, conscience and will.”

It’s the ability or power of the Word of God to transform a life!

(Romans 1:16) (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)

3. “…in the Holy Spirit”

Gospel preaching is in vain without the Holy Spirit! – (1 Corinthians 2:9-14) (John 16:8)

It is the Holy Spirit that convicts the unbeliever!

4. “…and with full assurance (conviction)”

Conviction speaks, not to the content of the preacher’s message, but to a person’s confidence in the message! In other words, is the gospel working in the messenger’s life?

(v.5b) - “…You know how we lived among you for your benefit,”

They saw that the Gospel WORKED! The Gospel was demonstrated to them by those who shared the message of faith!

“What you are speaks so loud I can’t hear what you are saying!” “Preach the gospel at all times! If necessary, use words!”

B. RECEPTION – “…you welcomed the message (received the word)” – (vv.6-7)

Having given a description of his preaching of the gospel, now Paul gives an equally full description of the Thessalonians’ receiving of it.

1. “…and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord...”

The progression is interesting and practical. At first, you tend to imitate the person or persons who led you to the Lord—and there’s nothing wrong with that!

1 Corinthians 4:16 CSB

Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

Galatians 4:12 CSB

I beg you, brothers and sisters: Become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have not wronged me;

Philippians 3:17 CSB

Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.

Philippians 4:9 CSB

Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

2 Thessalonians 3:7 CSB

For you yourselves know how you should imitate us: We were not idle among you;

HOWEVER, as you mature as a believer, you become more of an imitator of Jesus Christ!

Ephesians 5:1–2 CSB

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

1 John 2:4–6 CSB

The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.

You must be aware that the more you walk like Jesus, the more difficult the journey!

2. “…in spite of severe persecution...”

“persecution” is from the Gr., ἐν θλίψει, which means, ‘pressure, oppression’

Thessalonica was not friendly to the gospel, or it’s messengers!

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1:6

The Jews among them must have felt the hatred of their unbelieving brothers in the flesh who, as has been pointed out, were especially antagonistic to the gospel in that city. The Gentile converts must have had to swim against the swift current of paganism that flowed like a torrent through the conduit of commercial Thessalonica. And the city’s chief men’s wives, who had become Christians, had to go home to unbelieving husbands who would not have appreciated their newly sensitized consciences.

2 Timothy 3:12 CSB

In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

The good news is, the Devil doesn’t get the last word (or emotion)!

3. “…with joy from the Holy Spirit”

The same Spirit who gave power to those who preached the gospel gave joy to those who received it!

Q: How does that work? A: Joy is the “fruit” of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22)!

Joy accompanies the work of salvation!

Luke 15:7 CSB

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Luke 15:10 CSB

I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”

Acts 8:8 CSB

So there was great joy in that city.

Acts 8:39 CSB

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing.

Acts 13:52 CSB

And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Acts 16:34 CSB

He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

4. “As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” - (v.7)

Dr. Leon Morris - “…the imitators in their turn were imitated.”

Stott: “It is marvelous to see the effect of the gospel on those who receive it. It may mean persecution and consequent suffering. But it also involves inward joy through the Holy Spirit, the imitation of Christ and the apostles in changed lives, and the setting of an example to others.”

(Matthew 5:13–16)

C. PROCLAMATION from the Thessalonians – (v.8)

“For the word of the Lord rang out (sounded forth) from you…” - (v.8)

The Greek ἐξήχηται (ex-say-ee-tai), only used once in the NT, and is from echos, (echo or noise).

According to the TDNT, it can mean to ‘sound, ring, peal or boom’. Used in the LXX of loud noises!

The POINT: the Gospel makes a loud noise!

But MORE than just the Gospel that reverberated through the hills and valleys of Greece:

(v.8b) - “…but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything.”

Whereas the Gospel needs to be rung out loud and clear, one’s faith is usually much quieter, but with no less of an impact!

It’s important to note that the impact of their faith was not something Paul had to observe and report, but rather,

(v.9a) - “for they themselves report what kind of reception we had among you:”

In this “report” we see a snapshot of Christian conversion: (1) a decisive break with idols, (2) an active service of God, and (3) a patient waiting for Christ.

1. (v.9b) – “…how you turned to God from idols”

The verb translated ‘turned’ (ἐπεστρέψατε) became an almost technical term for conversion, which is a turn from sin to Christ, from darkness to light, from lies to truth, and from idols to God.

2. (v.9c) – “…to serve the living and true God.”

Stott: “The claim to have turned to God from idols is manifestly bogus if it does not result in serving the God to whom we have turned.”

Jesus had a very clear message to Satan in this regard: (Matthew 4:10)

It’s precisely because God is “…living and true” that we respond in service! An idol is neither living, nor true, and therefore any response is futile and a complete waste of time and effort!

3. (v.10) – “…and to wait for his Son from heaven”

Whereas ‘serving’ is active, ‘waiting’ is passive!

Stott: “In Christian terms ‘serving is getting busy for Christ on earth, while ‘waiting’ is looking for Christ to come from heaven. Yet these two are not incompatible. On the contrary, each balances the other. On one hand, however hard we work and serve, there are limits to what we can accomplish. We can only improve society; we cannot perfect it.”

CONCLUSION

In this first reference to the Return of Jesus, we learn two final truths from Chapter 1:

FIRST, Jesus is further described as the One “…whom he raised from the dead.”

The consistent teaching of the NT is that the Resurrection is proof that Jesus is the Son of God!

Romans 1:4 CSB

and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.

FINALLY, Jesus is the One, “…who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

This chapter, like every chapter in this letter, closes with a reference to the Return: (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:16-18; 5:23)

The REASON we can wait patiently is because Jesus is living, and true, and He is COMING AGAIN!