THE WORK OF THE WORD-II—1Thessalonians 2:13-16
Paul was thankful that the Thessalonian Christians accepted, believed on & appropriated God’s word.
Previously....
1:1-10—A Faith that soothes the soul
2:1-12—A Ministry that Shepherds the soul
The Word of God produces an enduring work in the believer.
How is that work evidenced in the faithful?
4 evidences of work produced by the word of God in the faithful.
2—The work of the word is evidenced in
IMITATION / SUFFERAGE(:14)
—Explanation/(:14) Reproduction/
:14—“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,”
“Imitators/Followers”—???????—Mimic or imitate or reproduce certain characteristics of another in one’s self.
“Suffered the same things...”—
—The Thessalonian Christians endured the very same quality of sufferings at/in the name of Jesus.
“Just as they did”—The Jews
—Argumentation:
Jn. 17:11, 20-23—“And I am no more in the world; & yet they themselves are in the world, & I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are.”....“I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, & I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, & Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, & didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.”
2Thess. 1:3-8—“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, & the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience & faith in all your persecutions & tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, & to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, & on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—Illustration:
Franchises—Distribute a company’s goods in spirit of governing body’s wishes/Each carries same underlying philosophy/Different employees, clientele & locations—Yet same goods & purpose/IMITATION
—Application:
?You IMITATED the Churches because of the Word of God?
?The Word of God at Work in you?
3—The work of the word is evidenced in
VICTIMIZATION(:15-16)
—Explanation:(:15-16) Garnering/Attracting flak//Mission/Targeted
:15—“who killed both the Lord Jesus & their own prophets, & have persecuted us; & they do not please God & are contrary to all men,”
“Who both killed the Lord Jesus”—
Mat. 27:20-26—“But the chief priests & the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas, & to put Jesus to death. But the governor answered & said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Let Him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water & washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people answered & said, “His blood be on us & on our children!” Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified.”
“And the prophets”—
Acts 7:51-53—“You men who are stiff-necked & uncircumcised in heart & ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers & murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained by angels, & yet did not keep it.”
2Chr. 36:15-16—“And the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again & again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people & on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words & scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy.”
“Persecuted us/Drove us out”—The apostles faced attack from “the Jews” (Rev. 3:9—“Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews, & are not, but lie--behold, I will make them to come & bow down at your feet, & to know that I have loved you.”)
:16—“forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”
“Forbidding/Hindering us”—?????—To hinder, prevent, forbid; To withhold a thing from anyone; To deny or refuse one a thing.
“So as always to fill up the measure of their sins”—
—God brings judgment only when thesin has reached a certain limit—His limit!
Dan. 8:23—“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.”
Rom. 2:5-6—“But in accordance with your hardness & your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds”:”
—Argumentation:
Mat. 10:22—“And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Rev. 2:10—“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, & you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, & I will give you the crown of life.”
Mat. 24:9—“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation & kill you, & you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.”
Lk. 6:22—““Blessed are you when men hate you, & ostracize you, & cast insults at you, & spurn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.”
Jn. 15:18-19—““If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Jn. 7:2-8—“Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand. His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here, & go into Judea, that Your disciples also may behold Your works which You are doing. “For no one does anything in secret, when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His brothers were believing in Him. Jesus therefore said to them, “My time is not yet at hand, but your time is always opportune. “The world cannot hate you; but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. “Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.””
2Tim. 3:10-12—“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, & all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
—Illustration:
Armadillos/Dig up roots of plants—Natural attractants/Leave holes in garden/Easy targets for abuse/VICTIMIZED
?What is growing the world’s garden that Jesus uses you to uproot?
Magnets/Attract certain metals/VICTIMIZED
—Application:
?You VICTIMIZED because of the Word of God?
?You comfortable being VICTIMIZED for your faith?
?The Word of God at Work in you?
4—The work of the word is evidenced in
SALVATION(personal)(:15-16)
—Explanation:(:15-16)
:15—“....They are not pleasing to God, but contrary to all men,”
“Contrary(Hostile” to all men”—
—All men suffer when God’s people are kept from their God-given calling/appointment.
:16—“forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”
“That they might be saved”—
“They always fill up the measure of their sins”—
—No room for even one more sin!
“Wrath has come....to the utmost”—
Rom. 2:5-8—“But because of your stubbornness & unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath & revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory & honor & immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious & do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath & indignation.”
—Argumentation:
Rom. 1:15--16—“Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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.”
1Cor. 1:21—“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
1Cor. 15:1-2—“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”
—Illustration:
Verbal directions in loss of sight/Exiting burning building/SALVATION
—Application:
?You SALVATION thru the Word of God?
?The Word of God at Work in you?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
The work of the word is evidenced in...
IMITATION / SUFFERAGE(:14)
VICTIMIZATION(:15-16)
SALVATION(:15-16)
ACCEPTANCE(:13)
Presented 07/25/05pm to:
Richland Baptist Church
40510 Stewart Road
Zephyrhills, FL 33544
Presented 10/26/03am to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
