Sermon Central
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Entrusted With The Gospel Series
Contributed by Jon Daniels on Feb 15, 2026 (message contributor)
Summary: Based on 1 Thess. 2:1-16 - Challenges hearers to understand the importance of being entrusted with the Gospel.
“ENTRUSTED WITH THE GOSPEL” 1 Thess. 2:1-16
FBCF – 2/15/26
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Started series in 1 Thess. last week: “Handbook for Christ-followers.” Written by P to encourage & strengthen young believers in Thessalonica, warn them of dangers, & introduce them to great truths of the faith that they needed to embrace. Challenge them to break away from their old life & live for Jesus now. And to not give up hope b/c Jesus is coming again!
Today, talk about what it means to be “Entrusted w/ the Gospel.”
Olympic torch relay – Torch lit on 11/26/25 in Olympia, Greece, & concluded on 2/6 in Milan.
Imagine you’re one of the torchbearers in that relay. You didn’t start the fire & you don’t own it. Your only job is to keep it lit & pass it to the next person. You are entrusted w/ the flame for your part of the relay. You cannot stop & rest. You must not let the flame go out.
You & I as Christ-followers have been entrusted w/ the flame of the Gospel that was lit at the empty tomb. And for the last 2000 yrs, that fire has been passed from one person to another, one generation to another, & it’s our job to keep it going for the next generation to come.
EXPLANATION – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16 (p. 986)
If we are going to be entrusted w/ the Gospel, we need to understand what the Gospel is. Gk word – euangelion – “good news” or “good message.” Check out this video:
https://sermoncentral.com/church-media-preaching-sermons/sermon-video-illustrations/this-is-the-gospel-22405-detail
Romans 1:1 – Paul was “set apart for the Gospel of God”. He was a “steward” of the Gospel – Don’t use the word “steward” much. “Manager” easier for us to understand & identify with. When I think of a manager, I usually think of a retail store, a restaurant, or maybe a car dealership. If I have a problem or need some information, I usually talk to the manager b/c he/she is the person who is normally in charge of the day-to-day operations of that specific location. Or like an equipment manager for a football team – has specific duties in overseeing & caring for the equipment that the team needs to get the job done on the field. Managers are hands-on people.
That’s what P was. That’s what Timothy was (3:2). And that’s what we are.
APPLICATION – As Christ-followers, we are managers of the Gospel. So, live it out & pass it on!
WE STRUGGLE – v. 1-2 – I want people to give their lives to Jesus & get saved! Anybody else?
Sometimes in our legitimate heartfelt desire for people to come to Jesus & be saved, we water down the demands & struggles of the Christian life. We don’t want to scare people away from making the best decision of their life – the decision to believe in Jesus & give your life to Him (DO THAT NOW!). So we don’t talk too much about the struggles that will inevitably come if you strive to live for the Lord.
P definitely had his share of struggles as a Christ-follower. Most of them came from the religious crowd – people who were offended when he showed them that their way of living wasn’t the right way. They were ticked off when he told them they needed to repent & turn to God. They were furious when he basically said, “Get right or get left!” And they violently unleashed their fury on them in Philippi.
v. 2 – Words he used: “suffered” – “been shamefully treated” – “conflict” – Acts 16 – attacked by a mob, clothes ripped off, beaten w/ rod, thrown in jail & put in stocks. Then they were intimidated & threatened in Thessalonica.
“conflict” – agon – “agony” – Means intense struggle, battle, fight, competition. That’s what we will experience as we take this Gospel that we have been entrusted with into a world that is growing increasingly hateful & violent against those who name the name of Christ.
- The struggle is real. Ephesians 6:12 – “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (NIV)
- The battle is real – 1 Tim. 1:18 in TLB – “Fight well in the Lord’s battles.”
- The fight is real – 2 Tim. 4:7 – “I have fought a good fight”
- The competition is real – the competition against Satan – Only thing is WE KNOW WE ARE ON THE WINNING TEAM! None of the Olympic athletes in Italy right now know whether or not they’re going to win the gold medal until their event is over. You & I know RIGHT NOW that we are already victorious.
