1 Thess 1:1-5 Living the Gospel
We are starting on a new book today – 1 Thessalonians. We will be looking through this book from now until May this year.
• This is a letter Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, a young church he founded a few months ago.
• Paul has now come to Corinth but he was very concerned about the church and had been praying for them.
• Timothy came back from Thessalonica and updated Paul about the situation. 1 Thessalonians was the letter Paul wrote back.
To understand the context, let us read how this church was founded in Acts 17:1-10.
• 17:1 When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
• 17:2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,” he said.
• 17:4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
• 17:5 BUT other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.
• 17:6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”
• 17:8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
• 17:10 As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.
It was a tense situation. Paul and Silas were forced to flee the place.
• They went to Berea (W), and then Paul went alone to Athens (S) and Corinth.
• He was at Corinth when he received news about the church.
Now we know why Paul was concerned. There was opposition against the Gospel when he left them. The young church was under pressure and facing persecution.
• Can they stay strong? Or will they give in? Can they withstand the trials without Paul and Silas?
• These are real concerns but Paul and his companions had been praying. They had been “constantly mentioning them in their prayers…” (v.2).
To Paul’s great relief, and by God’s grace, the Thessalonians stood firm in their faith despite the difficulties. They did not waver even under pressure.
• Not only did they remain faithful, but their newfound faith in Jesus became well-known in the region. What can we learn from them?
Paul highlighted 3 things he saw in them:
• 1:3 “…remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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Paul sees three evidences of their transformed life – their work of faith, their labour of love and their steadfastness of hope.
• He wasn’t talking just about faith, love and hope but their actions of faith, love and hope. Their faith, love and hope can be seen in their lives.
• NIV: “… your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
They showed EVIDENCE of life change, SEEN in their actions and behaviours.
• They bear the FRUIT of a new life. It shows that their faith in Christ was genuine.
• They are brothers and sisters “loved by God” and “chosen by God” (cf. 1:4).
• Their lives are transformed and evidenced by their acts of faith, love and hope.
1. THE WORK OF FAITH
Faith isn’t passive. They trust God and it shows, despite the persecution.
• Their faith in Christ shapes the way they live.
• Paul says, “…our Gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” (1:5a)
• 1:9b they “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God”. That conviction comes from the Holy Spirit.
True faith works. It can be seen, in their obedience to Christ, their faith and hope in God, and their love for one another.
• Their faith is anchored in the Word of God, which Paul had explained and proven to them from the Scriptures (cf. Acts 17:3).
• Both the Jews and the Greeks believed in the Gospel and when they received Christ into their lives, God transformed them.
1:6 Paul says, “…you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit…” (1:6)
• 1:7-8 “7…you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.”
• Their faith is not a passive belief but visible in their life change. Everyone can see their faith.
APPLICATION: May our faith in Christ be seen too in the way we live.
• James wrote, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” (James 2:18)
• Let our obedience and trust in God inspire others to put their faith in Jesus.
2. THE LABOUR OF LOVE
Paul saw a second evidence of their new life – “labour of love”.
• Interesting, he puts LABOUR and LOVE together. Love is best expressed through our LABOUR - sacrifices for others.
• Paul saw their LABOUR of love ?? – the work put into loving someone.
Love is the hallmark of the Christian life.
1 John 3:16-18 16By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
• We know God loves us today because He did something - He gave us His Son. When Jesus loves – He laid down his life for us.
• For the Thessalonians, their labour of love has become a mark of the church, seen and felt by many, to the glory of God!
APPLICATION: May our labours of love be seen and felt.
When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment, he summed it up this way:
• LOVE GOD with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength.
• And the second is this: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF. No other commandment is greater than these. (cf. Mark 12:30-31)
• The way Jesus puts it means we need to give it a higher priority. Loving others is important. If we claim to love God, we love people. It is not optional.
SERVING GOD WITH OR WITHOUT VISION
William Booth was a British Methodist pastor and founder of the Salvation Army. It started when he was moved by the needs of the “undesirables” in London – the drunkards, addicts, prostitutes and the poor. He set out to reach them with what he called the 3 S’s: soup, soap and salvation. Many were saved through his labours of love.
In his 80s, Booth’s work began to be hindered by blindness. He briefly lost his sight and then recovered it, but later he lost his vision permanently.
When his son came to bring him the bad news that he would never see again, Booth replied, “God must know best, son. I have done what I could for God and the people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God and the people without my eyes.”
He would not stop.
Let us love, not in words but in deeds. We love because God first loved us. We are most like Him when we love.
Finally, Paul noticed a third characteristic of the church:
3. THE STEADFASTNESS OF HOPE
Hope is the confident trust in what God has promised.
• This hope does not fade because God’s Word is true and it does not change, even in changing circumstances and difficult times.
• God can be trusted. Our hope is in the unchanging promises of God.
Despite the persecutions, the Thessalonians know that Jesus, their risen Saviour, is with them and one day He will return for them.
• Their hope is anchored in Jesus Christ and “nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus; not tribulation, distress, persecutions or danger.” (using the words of Paul in Rom 8:35-38).
• They persevere because this hope is sure and cannot be changed.
We share the same hope today. Nothing can separate us from His love.
• God will sustain us through trials and suffering. Our afflictions are but temporary because Jesus will return one day and make all things new.
CONCLUSION:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not merely a set of words; it changes us. It shapes our lives, just as it did for the Thessalonians.
• In a world where everything is shaky and uncertain, let us live the Gospel and show the world the faith, love and hope we have in Jesus Christ.
• May we live wholeheartedly for God and be an inspiration and encouragement to one another.
Let me share a word with friends who are not Christians. Salvation is a gift of God.
• Eph 2:8-9 “8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
• Jesus Christ is our hope of knowing God. We are saved and reconciled to God through faith in Jesus.
• He is our Saviour who died for our sins and rose again for our salvation.
• Hope you can receive Jesus into your lives too and be blessed.
PRAY:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and the example of the Thessalonian church. May the power of the Holy Spirit continue to transform our hearts.
May we live the Gospel and be faithful testimonies of Your love and grace.
Help us live like Christ and be a blessing to one another through our work of faith, labour of love and our steadfast hope in You. This we pray in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
