For those of you who weren’t here with us last week, we finished off the book of Daniel.
• It was a wonderful book to teach, and I hope that all of us had our faith strengthened as a result of this book. (Elaborate)
• Now this morning we’re going to start the book of Thessalonians.
• And Thessalonians is a book that will help us to see the outcome of a life lived wholeheartedly unto Jesus. (Elaborate)
• Now the book of Thessalonians will also teach us about the Rapture as we’ll see when we get to 1st Thessalonians Chapter 4.
• And I can’t wait to teach it.
• But for this morning, let me give you an overview of what we can expect to learn about from 1st & 2nd Thessalonians.
First of all we know that 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, along with Galatians were the first letters written by the Apostle Paul approximately twenty years after Jesus’ Resurrection.
• So now we know when Paul wrote Thessalonians, but why did he write it?
• Well, Paul had just been delivered miraculously from a Philippian prison according to Acts 16.
• And after he was delivered Paul heads down to Thessalonica where he starts a church, appoints elders, and helps the ministry take root.
• He did all of this in the space of 3 weeks according to Acts 17:2.
• Now some may say, “Wow! How could he get a ministry started and be an effective ministry in only three weeks?”
• Hey, when God wants something done, he can lead a person to do it in a very short time span! (Elaborate)
• In fact, let me read you a story from Calvary Chapel Pastor Jon Courson who experienced this very thing early on in his own ministry.
QUOTE: Our first youth pastor was a California-transplanted hippy who got saved and baptized at our first Bible study at Yale Creek. About two months later, he said, “Jon, I am so thrilled with what God is showing me that I want to teach the kids.” Smelling cigarettes on his breath, I said, “If you’ll never smoke another cigarette, you can be our youth pastor.” “Okay,” he said. Dave stopped smoking that day and became our youth pastor. He is now pastoring a Four Square Church in Washington State.” I look back now and wonder if I was crazy to put a guy on the ministry team who looked like Charles Manson and smoked constantly. Yet Dave was, and continues to be, an example of how the Spirit of the Lord can change a person from within and blow conventionality right out the window. I’m not suggesting we put every three-week-old Christian in a position of leadership. I am saying that in certain times and places, it can happen. END QUOTE (Elaborate: We must be led of the Spirit and not by man’s wisdom or customs)
Now when we look back at what Paul did in Thessalonica, we see that he too was led by the Holy Spirit.
• You see, the Holy Spirit knew that Paul needed to plant and nurture this church very quickly.
• But why? Because at the end of those three weeks Paul would be driven out of Thessalonica.
• But during those amazing three weeks Paul saw people saved, discipled, and ordained for the ministry.
• Today, we too as believers should also desire and long to be led in the same way by the Spirit of God. (Elaborate)
• Listen folks, don’t ever think that you’re too young in age, or in your faith to be used by the Lord.
• Jesus knows if your heart is right.
And if it is, the Lord has a place for you to serve Him! We need to believe this folks! (Elaborate)
• So after some time Paul being curious about how the Thessalonians were doing, and wanting to encourage them about the Lord’s coming,
Paul writes these two letters we’ll be studying, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
• We can learn something very valuable from what Paul does here.
• And that’s to do our best to continue to encourage those who are young in their faith and ministry. (Elaborate)
So what does Paul tell Thessalonians in these two letters? Well, let me give you an outline.
1. In 1st Thessalonians chapters 1-3 Paul shares with them about when he was with them and how he enjoyed living among them, and staying in close communion with them in the Lord.
2. Then in the first part of Chapter 4 Paul refocuses the Thessalonians present circumstances by encouraging them to love each other with brotherly affection.
3. Next in the second part of Thessalonians Chapter 4 and the first part of Chapter 5, Paul reveals to the Thessalonians the joy and expectation of heaven, and how one day the church will be caught up in the clouds to be with Jesus Christ. (Elaborate)
4. And then in the last part of Chapter 5 Paul helps refine the Thessalonians Spiritual walk through a series of practical exhortations.
5. And lastly in 2nd Thessalonians Paul reinforces his teaching about the 2nd coming, and the hope of Heaven that should comfort each and every believer. (Elaborate)
So with that let’s read our text for this morning and get into 1 Thessalonians chapter 1.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-6 (ESV)
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,
5 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.
6 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,
PRAY FOR MESSAGE
Let’s take a look at Paul’s greeting back in verse 1. “But Peter, it’s only a greeting. Let’s move on to some juicier stuff!”
• Folks, we have to remember that everything that is in God’s Word is there for a reason, even something as simple as a greeting! (Elaborate)
• So let’s read verse 1 once again.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 (ESV)
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
Now if any of you have studied Paul’s greetings from his various Epistles, than you’ll see that this introduction is typical.
• But there are some differences that we want to take a look at.
• First of all Paul includes Silas and Timothy with himself in this greeting?
• Why does he do this and why is it important?
• Well at the time Paul wrote this letter, Silas and Timothy had just returned with their report from Thessalonica. (Elaborate)
• So Paul, armed with the knowledge of what is happening with the believers back in Thessalonica decides to include Silas and Timothy in his greeting.
• You see, by Paul doing this the Thessalonians would know that all three of them are in agreement with what Paul shares in his letter.
• Why is this important?
Proverbs 11:14 (ESV)
14 Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. (Elaborate)
Also in Paul’s greeting he says, “Grace to you and peace.”
• Paul said the very same thing in his letter to the Galatians in chapter 1 verse 3.
• And Paul would later on say these same words in his epistles to the Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, and the Colossians.
• And what Paul is doing in his greeting is linking Grace with peace. “What do you mean Peter?”
• Listen again to what Paul said. “Grace TO YOU ‘AND’ Peace.”
• You see folks, we can’t experience true peace until we receive God’s grace.
• Why? Because true peace is the result of an understanding that our salvation is solely a free gift because of what God has done instead of what we have to do! And that is Grace, and that is what brings true peace. (Elaborate)
• Next we see Paul giving thanks in his letter in verses 2 and 3.
1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 (ESV)
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul mentions four characteristics that the Thessalonian church had.
• And they are:
• Thankfulness,
• The Work of Faith,
• Laboring in Love,
• And Patiently Hoping For The Lord’s Return.
Now we know that Paul was thankful that the Thessalonian church had these characteristics.
• And even today, a mature strong church should have the very same characteristics.
• You see, a mature church must first be a thankful church.
• How can we continue on in ministry and servant hood to the Lord if we don’t have a grateful and thankful heart? (Elaborate)
• Secondly a mature church will demonstrate the work of faith.
• What does that really mean practically?
• How can I actually do this as part of a body of believers?
• Well, let’s read John 6:29.
John 6:29 (ESV)
29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
You see, in order to do the work of God, to be a mature believer, which makes up a mature church, we must first believe in Jesus!
• You see, so many people will say, “Oh I believe in God.”
• I believe that there’s a higher power.
• But Jesus specifically says here that you must believe on him whom he has sent!
• And that is Jesus! (Elaborate)
• Thirdly a mature church will “Labor in Love.” So what does that mean?
• It means that we love others, not just ourselves. (Elaborate)
• Listen folks, whenever a true believer begins to comprehend how much the Lord has done for them, then they can’t help but love others.
• Let me illustrate this with a true story.
QUOTE: During a visit to the Boys’ Town orphanage in the 1940s, a reporter for Life magazine observed a ten-year-old boy carrying a much older boy on his back. “Isn’t he heavy?” asked the reporter. “He ain’t heavy,” replied the younger boy. “He’s my brother” – giving rise to the song that would later be written about this true story.” END QUOTE (Elaborate)
You see folks, just like this young boy, a mature church will say that it’s not a burdensome obligation, but a labor of love that says, “God’s been so good to me that I can’t help but carry someone else who needs to be carried.” (Elaborate: Outreaches)
• Fourth, a mature church patiently hopes for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Let's read John 13:3 to see this truth.
John 13:3 (ESV)
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
Listen, Jesus said this on the night before his crucifixion.
• He just told his disciples that He would be betrayed, and then he stands to his feet, wraps a towel around his waist, and washes the feet of his disciples, including those of Judas Iscariot! (Elaborate)
• But what I want to focus on is what Jesus said after he washed their feet.
• He knew that He was going to go back to His Father.
• And that is what a healthy mature church also believes.
• We believe that we will one day live in eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
• You see, knowing that we’re going to heaven is a key ingredient of maturity because heaven alone allows us to see the big picture.
• Only heaven puts everything into perspective! (Elaborate)
• Next in verse 4 Paul speaks about the election of God.
1 Thessalonians 1:4 (ESV)
4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,
• Paul is letting the Thessalonians know that each and every one of them who believes was chosen by God.
• But what does that really mean? Let’s read Ephesians 1:4.
Ephesians 1:4 (ESV)
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
Listen, God elected you and me before the foundations of the earth apart from anything we have or haven’t done.
• How do I know this?
• Because I wasn’t born before the foundations of the earth, so He had to choose me apart from anything I have not done! (Elaborate)
• I like what D.L Moody said about election.
QUOTE: “I’m glad the Lord chose me before I was born. I don’t think He would have chosen me after I’d done some living!” END QUOTE (Elaborate)
• Too often we fight over election, but if we take the full council of God, (The sum of thy word is truth) then it’s not so difficult to grasp. (Elaborate)
• Let’s end this morning in verses 5-6.
1 Thessalonians 1:5–6 (ESV)
5 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.
6 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,
In Acts 1:8 Jesus told his disciples that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
So what is this power and don’t I have it simply by believing in Jesus?
• IOW “I’m saved so the Holy Spirit is in me.”
• And because He’s in me, don’t I have this power spoken of in Acts? (Elaborate: Difference between in and upon)
• So now that we know what this power is, we can understand in a greater way what Paul is telling the Thessalonians.
• He’s reminding them that not only did the Gospel come to them in word, but also in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• He’s reminding them of the power they were given by the Holy Spirit, and that they were full of conviction. (Elaborate)
• Paul stated that they also had much affliction.
• But how can there be joy in the midst of affliction?
• Let me illustrate with a true story from Pastor Jon Courson of Applegate Christian Fellowship.
QUOTE: When Cascade High School played football against St Mary’s High, the guys were battered—as evidenced by the teeth, hair, and blood left on the field. Yet even though bones were cracked and bodies were bruised, there was great joy at Cascade because of their victory. END QUOTE
Listen, even though this team was beat up, lots of pain in this game, they still were astatic because they won that game!
• Folks, doesn’t the same thing really happen to us spiritually?
• Sure we get beat up. Yes there are trials and tribulations in life.
• We get laughed at, made fun of, persecuted, and some even killed for their faith in Jesus Christ.
• But when we start to look for and actually see the Lord’s presence in the midst of all these different trials, we find joy in the big picture don’t we?
• We take joy in the fact and the hope that we’re headed to heaven. (Elaborate: How would I feel if I knew that I was going to die?)
CLOSE WITH WHAT THE LORD GIVES ME.
