A FAITH THAT SOOTHES THE SOUL-IV—1Thessalonians 1:1-10
The faith of the Thessalonian Christians brought a thankfulness to God’s apostles, Paul, Silvanus & Timothy.
A church’s faith can soothe the souls of God’s apostles/messengers/delegates.
The faith of a body of believers can soothe the soul of God’s apostles/messengers.
What kind of faith soothes the apostle’s(those accountable for keeping watch) soul or give him absolute freedom in which to operate?
A faith that soothes the soul is a faith that....
1. Receives the Sent(:1)
2. Churches(:1)
3. Requires God’s Grace & Peace(:1)
4. Inhabits Prayers(:2)
5. Works(:3)
6. Loves(:3b)
7. Hopes(:3c)
8. Forges Family(:4a)
9. Chooses(:4b)
10—A faith that soothes the soul is
A faith that SPEAKS(:5a)
—Explanation:(:5)
“for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power & in the Holy Spirit & with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”
“Not...in word only”—
Obviously came minimally by word!
Tied in with the choice which God made in choosing you.
—Argumentation:
Rom. 10:13-17—“for “WHOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!” However, they did not all heed the glad tidings; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” So faith comes from hearing, & hearing by the word of Christ.”
Acts 4:18-20—“And when they[Council of religious leader] had summoned them[Peter & John], they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter & John answered & said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen & heard.”
—Illustration:
Mr. Layne—Tech School professor/Aids the studen’s understanding of radiological technology/Explains practicalities ‘nuts-&-bolts’ of radiology/SPEAKS to divulge his wisdom
—Application:
?Your faith SPEAK?
?Your faith soothe the soul of those whom God has placed over you?
11—A faith that soothes the soul is
A faith that ENABLES(:5a)
—Explanation:(:5a)
:5—“for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power & in the Holy Spirit & with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”
*The “word” of the Gospel came coupled with something else ot bolster that word—The testimony of two witnesses!....
Jn. 5:31-38—“There is another who bears witness of Me, & I know that the testimony which He bears of Me is true. “You have sent to John, & he has borne witness to the truth. “But the witness which I receive is not from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. “He was the lamp that was burning & was shining & you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. “But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. “And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. “And you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.”
“But also in power”—
dunamiV—Having to do with an inherent or ‘natural’ ability.
1Cor. 4:16-20—“I exhort you therefore, be imitators of me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved & faithful child in the Lord, & he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, & I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power.”
—Argumentation:
Eph. 3:20-21—“Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church & in Christ Jesus to all generations forever & ever. Amen.”
2Cor. 9:8—“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;”
Eph. 6:11, 13—“Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”....“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, & having done everything, to stand firm.”
Jas. 3:2—“For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.”
—Illustration:
Spudzooka/PVC pipe—Hairspray & electric spark/ENABLEd
—Application:
?Your faith ENABLE?
?Your faith soothe the soul of those whom God has placed over you?
12—A faith that soothes the soul is
A faith that IS REPRESENTED/ADVOCATES(:5b)
—Explanation/Argumentation:(:5b) Stands Alongside/Befriends/
:5—“for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power & in the Holy Spirit & with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”
“& In the Holy Spirit”—
Jn. 14:16-17—“And I will ask the Father, & He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, & will be in you.”
“Helper/Comforter”—paraklhtoV—One called alongside as an aide; One who pleads another’s cause; An advocate.
—Illustration:
Highway patrol pulls me at gunpoint—accusing me of having a stolen vehicle/Car is registerd in my name—Registration is my ADVOCATE—Backed up by that which is greater than the HP’s power!
—Application:
?Your faith have God’s ADVOCATE?
?Your faith soothe the soul of those whom God has placed over you?
13—A faith that soothes the soul is
A faith that CONVICTS(:5c)
—Explanation:(:5c)
:5—“for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power & in the Holy Spirit & with full conviction;...”
“Full Conviction/Much Assurance”— plhroforia—Full assurance or a most certain confidence.
—Argumentation:
Rom. 1:15-17—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first & also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
—Illustration:
Steel worker—Skyscraper girder-framer/Building chicago’s Sears Tower—110 stories-1,450 ft./Absolutely CONVICTED of his safety at that height.
Christian Faith is to be likewise!
—Application:
?Your faith CONVICTING?
?Your faith soothe the soul of those whom God has placed over you?
14—A faith that soothes the soul is
A faith that APPRECIATES/GROWS(:5d)
—Explanation:(:5d) Modeled/Improves
:5—“for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power & in the Holy Spirit & with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”
“What kind of men we proved to be”— Integrity-Consistency-Conviction-Settled.
“For your sake”—Give that others may prosper!
—Argumentation:
2Cor. 10:13-16—“But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we shall be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, & not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.”
—Helping others grow in Christ, blesses the giver.
Acts 20:34-35—“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs & to the men who were with me. “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak & remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
—Illustration:
Feeding birds in winter/No naturally occurring food avilable to them/You sacrifice for their survival/
Adoption/Child in need/No one loves them/You adopt that child/ Does that child APPRECIATE your loving effort?
—Application:
?Your faith APPRECIATE ?
?Your faith soothe the soul of those whom God has placed over you?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
A faith that soothes the soul is a faith that....
SPEAKS(:5A)
ENABLES(:5A)
IS REPRESENTED/ADVOCATES(:5B)
CONVICTS(:5C)
APPRECIATES/GROWS(:5D)
RECEIVES THE SENT(:1)
CHURCHES(:1)
REQUIRES GOD’S GRACE & PEACE(:1)
INHABITS PRAYERS(:2)
WORKS(:3)
LOVES(:3B)
HOPES(:3C)
FORGES FAMILY(:4A)
CHOOSES(:4B)
Presented 05/25/03am to;
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
