Dynamics of God’s Good News
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Intro: Have you ever felt like a failure in something you were trying to accomplish or be successful at? Sometimes we feel discouraged in our life roles (as a student, as an athlete, as a friend, as a parent, as a husband or wife, as a role model, as an employee or tradesman, etc.). If you are a Christian and have committed your life to Jesus, to love and follow Him, I have no doubt that you’ve felt like a failure at one time or another. The reason I can say that with confidence is because I know a little bit about our common enemy. His name means adversary (aka the accuser, aka father of lies). He would love nothing more than to take the same Bible you read for encouragement and spiritual growth and give you a smack down with it, accusing you of failing God in so many areas. I am very grateful for verses like Romans 8:33-35 33 “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died-- more than that, who was raised to life-- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” If God is for us, who can be against us!
-The world often fails to recognize true success. In 1902, the poetry editor of Atlantic Monthly returned a stack of poems with this note, “Our magazine has no room for your vigorous verse.” The poet was Robert Frost. In 1905, the University of Bern turned down a doctoral dissertation as “irrelevant and fanciful.” The writer of that paper was Albert Einstein. In 1894 an English teacher noted on a teenager’s report card, “A conspicuous lack of success.” The student was Winston Churchill. Another student once graduated 42nd out of a class of 58 at military school. This student with so little potential was named Napoleon Bonaparte. The world often fails to see the potential for success that God has placed within a person. But God Himself knows us and He sees our true potential (Steven Dow, sc.com). And when we open our hearts to Him and receive His grace, that is the beginning of a life of lasting success. All other success will be left behind when we leave this earth. But knowing Jesus and making Him known is something we can take with us!
-Today we want to look at what made Paul and his team successful as they traveled around sharing the good news about Jesus. Several dynamics emerge from these verses in 1 Thess. 2 that will help us become more effective in sharing God’s grace with others. Let’s take a look at these dynamics of the gospel, the good news about Jesus.
1. It is often met with opposition
1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.
2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
-Paul’s visit to Thessalonica was possibly only a few weeks in length. Acts 17 tells of the strong opposition they faced there, causing them to move on the Berea. Still, Paul was not ashamed or afraid to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in spite of all the opposition he had faced not only in Thessalonica, but also previously in Philippi. The suffering in Philippi that he alludes to here is detailed for us in Acts 16:16-40. In Philippi there was a slave girl who was possessed by a demon and she made a lot of money for her owners through fortune-telling. The girl was following Paul and Silas around shouting and detracting from the gospel, and one day Paul cast the demon out of her. Her owners were very angry because now they couldn’t make any money off of her anymore. So they took Paul and Silas to the magistrates who had them stripped and severely flogged and thrown into prison. During the night their chains fell off during an earthquake and their jail door was opened. But they remained there and were able to lead the jailer and his entire family to Christ. The next day they were released, said goodbye to their friends, and headed for Thessalonica.
-In spite of this harsh treatment in Philippi they still dared to proclaim the gospel to the Thessalonians even though they were facing opposition there too. Acts 17 tells us that the Jews in Thessalonica became jealous of Paul’s ministry so they formed a mob and started a riot in the city. Jason, the man in whose house Paul was staying, was arrested and later released on bond. So that night Paul and Silas left for Berea under the cover of darkness.
-Some might think that Paul had failed to establish the gospel in Thessalonica, but even in such a short time, the power of the gospel cut its way into that city and produced a group of people who put their faith in Christ and began to follow Him!
-Opposition will come whenever we set out to accomplish something significant for the Lord – like sharing the good news and helping people grow in their faith! This is warfare on a spiritual level, and the enemy will stir up as much trouble as he can to discourage us and immobilize us from sharing God’s grace with others. But, we are not alone! Just as Jesus told His disciples He would be with them always, so He is with us. And He will help us accomplish what He calls us to do!
2. It is delivered with Divine assistance
1 Thessalonians 2:2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
-It would have been the most natural thing in the world for Paul and his team to call a timeout and take a little break. Leave it to me to bring football into this message, but there are some comparisons. Paul decided not to be a whiner when he was not treated fairly. After the beating they received in Philippi, a flag should have been thrown for unnecessary roughness. As they passed God’s grace on to everyone they met, the result of their efforts was roughing the passer. God, didn’t you see that? How could you miss that call? They deserve a penalty!
-But Paul didn’t blame God or feel sorry for himself. He knew what he had signed up for. The Lord told Ananias in Acts 9:16, “I will show [Paul] how much he must suffer for my name.” Instead of complaining, Paul received strength, encouragement, and help from the Lord. Sometime later in Corinth, after facing opposition at nearly every turn, the Lord encouraged Paul in a vision. Acts 18:9-10 9 “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”
-Here’s the lesson to remember: We can withstand any opposition the enemy throws at us because our God is with us! “With the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.”
-So when we are doing what God has called us to do and we face opposition, God is with us and will help us carry out His plan! Next, as we share we need to be sure that we are doing it for the right reasons.
3. It should have proper motivation
1 Thessalonians 2:3-5 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed-- God is our witness.
-In Philippians 1, Paul said that some preached Christ for the wrong reasons (envy, selfish ambition), but he was okay with it, because even with wrong motivation, at least the gospel of Christ was bring preached. However, the Lord wants us to examine our motivation and make sure it aligns with who He is.
-Not from bad theology (or pop theology) Anything that makes us think wrongly about who God is and/or who we are.
-Not from impure motives
-Not to trick the listeners (manipulation)
-Not to please men (seeking their praise, v.6)
-Not using flattery
-Not out of greed
-Positively, to please God!
-We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. The proper motivation for sharing the gospel with others is to please God! It pleases God because He does not want anyone to perish without Him, but for everyone to come to repentance. If we are using our faith to impress others or get something that we want for ourselves, then we are misusing it! We need to pray the prayer of Psalm 139:23-24 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
4. It is characterized by giving, not taking
1 Thessalonians 2:6-9 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
-Paul could have asked the Thessalonian Christians to take care of them, providing housing, food, and other needs. But he wanted to take care of them, not the other way around – much like a mother takes care of her children. Paul spoke of being gentle, not demanding. He nurtured them and helped them grow while he was there. His love for them was so strong that he said he was delighted to share not simply the gospel, but his own life. He worked day and night to avoid being a burden to them while preaching the good news to them.
-How was Paul able to do all of this? Because that’s what Jesus did! He came to serve, not be served. He came to give, not take! Giving is the truest expression of love. God so loved that He gave…. Jesus loves the Church and gave Himself for her.
-So the question, “What’s in it for me?” was not foremost on Paul’s mind. He knew his reward would come later. Now was the time to serve, not be served.
5. Its effects are seen in those who share it
1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
-Paul knew they needed to practice what they preached! And it’s not like he had to do anything different, just to set a good example. The good example flowed out of a life that was sold out to Jesus! We might call this modeling discipleship. Paul was showing them how to live by being honest, hardworking, holy, righteous, and blameless. He was simply being a follower of Jesus, and they got to witness it.
6. Its effects are discipled into those who receive it
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
-There is immediate transformation when a person receives the good news about Jesus, but there is also a lifelong process. The spiritual growth process requires encouragement, comfort, and urging – that’s what discipleship is all about!
-Most of us are okay with the encouragement and comfort. It’s the urging that might irritate us at times. Urging someone to live a life worthy of God means that they can’t get too comfortable and satisfied. Growth requires effort and sometimes pain. Spiritual growth requires self-denial. A follower of Christ cannot give in to every whim or passion or desire that floats through their head! Titus 2:11-13 11 “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope-- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
-So, we are to be like parents to new believers, as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging them to live lives worthy of God, who calls us into his kingdom and glory. Sharing the good news with an individual does not end when they accept Jesus as their forgiver and leader. It is an ongoing process of discipleship where the life of Jesus is imparted to them through relationship.
Conclusion: So, as we share the good news, realize that it comes with opposition, but can be done with the help of our God. Our motivation should be to please God, not people. It is about giving, not taking, and it changes us so we can help reach and disciple others. This is what God wants us to be about as part of His church, as His people! The good news about Jesus is the power of God leading to salvation for everyone who believes. If you have not yet received the good news about Jesus by trusting Him for forgiveness and committing to follow Him, I pray you will today. If you already have, then let it transform you! Share it and disciple those who receive it!
