“LOOKING IN THREE DIRECTIONS”
(I Thes.1:1-10)
7/15/2005
The background to this church and its beginning is found in Acts 17. Paul was humanly responsible for starting this church…and he only remained there for less than a month.
But the church with its new converts took off at record speed…and quickly developed into a “Model Church” for other churches to go by.
After a period of time…Paul wrote back to these believers…and we have this letter broken down for us into 5 chapters.
Each chapter has a Theme:
1. The Reputation of the church.
2. The Review of the church.
3. The Reassurance of the church
4. The Rapture of the church.
5. The Responsibility of the church.
The Climax chapter of this book is the 4th chapter…the Rapture of the church.
*1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
Let me point out 3 things here:
1. The FACT of Christ’s return… “The Lord Himself shall return…”
2. The FEATUERS of Christ’s return… “Shout…Voice…trumpet.”
3. The FORCE of Christ’s return… “the dead in Christ shall rise…”
Just as sure as we believe that Christ came the First time…we believe that He will Return a Second time.
With this fixed firmly in their mind…Paul immediately goes into chapter 5 dealing with the Responsibilities of the church.
(There are 4 responsibilities of the church in view of the Lord’s Return)
1. BE WATCHFUL.
*1 Thess 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
“Sleep” means to be Spiritually Indifferent. In other words…don’t let the Coming of Christ catch you off guard and unprepared.
2. BE JOYFUL.
*1 Thess 5:16, “Rejoice evermore.”
Nothing gives the believer a greator sense of joy than to know that his Lord is coming back for him one day.
3. BE PRAYERFUL.
*Vrs.17, “Pray without ceasing.”
Nothing will keep a Christian closer to his Lord than time that is spent in the Lord’s Presence due to praying.
4. BE FAITHFUL.
*Vrs.21, “…hold fast…”
I see so many Christians…start and then stop. Gain ground and then lose ground. Get on fire for God than cool off.
There has to be something that causes a Christian to maintain his walk with God on a consistent basis…and I believe the one thing that will do it is…the knowledge that Jesus could return at any moment…and then you and I will find ourselves face to face with God.
• Be Watchful!
• Be Joyful!
• Be Prayerful!
• Be Faithful!
• WHY? Because Jesus is coming back one day!
NOW…let’s go back to chapter 1 and let me show you the Reputation of this church.
#1. IT WAS AN EXEMPLARY CHURCH.
*1 Thess 1:7, “So that ye were ensamples to all that believe….”
Every church has a Reputation …a Testimony…
Every church is an Example of How to do things or how Not to do things.
A church can be a Good example or it can be a Bad example.
#2. IT WAS AN ENTHUSIASTICE CHURCH.
*1 Thess 1:8, For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad;
The Saving Grace of God stirred their hearts and Thrilled their souls so much that they went Everywhere telling Everyone about the Good News of the Gospel.
#3. IT WAS AN EXPECTANT CHURCH.
*1 Thess 1:10, And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come
They Expected the Lord to return!
They Looked for the Lord to return!
#4. IT WAS AN ENERGETIC CHURCH.
*1 Thess 1:3, Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
One reason this church was a “Model Church” was because they Worked at it!
They were Serious.
They were Dedicated to the task.
They were Committed to the cause.
They were Loyal to the Lord.
Here’s my Question:
How did thy maintain this level of commitment?
Within a matter of weeks or a month we will be moving across our Red Sea to claim new territory for the Lord.
IF we are going to get anywhere for the Lord…it is going to require Work, Labor, and Patience on our part just as it did on the part of the Thessalonians.
We are going to have to WORK…LABOR…and WAIT on the Lord .
• Its going to require a lot of Dedication.
• Its going to require a lot of Commitment.
And the Dedication and Commitment to get the job done is going to have to be Consistent!
YOU need ME…and I need YOU to be Consistent …Dependable…Reliable…!
HOW can I make sure that I remain Consistent, dependable and Reliable to do the Work of God?
3 words:
1. Faith.
2. Love.
3. Hope.
These 3 words gives us 3 directions we should be looking in.
(I). FAITH LOOKS BACK ON A CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR.
“For by grace are ye saved through Faith…”
When you got saved…you got saved by Faith.
IF you are going to be saved…it will be by Faith.
*Luke 23:34-43
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
NOW…I want you to think about something here:
Both of the men on either side of the Lord were Thieves.
Both of the men could see that the Lord was in a terrible state.
THERE WAS NO ONE THERE THAT DAY TO SPEAK A GOOD WORD FOR JESUS.
• John the Baptist wasn’t there that day saying, “behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.”
• Peter wasn’t there that day saying, “We believe that Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God.”
• There was no one Blind man there that day that had received his sight.
• There was no one Cripple there that day that had been made whole.
• There was no one single person there that day that would testify on the Lord’s behalf.
All he saw and heard was…
• Pharasees Mocking Him.
• Soldiers Cursing Him.
• And a fellow Thief Railing Him.
BUT IN SPITE OF IT ALL…look what he said;
*41, And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
#1. He Saw His Own Sin.
He didn’t say he was as good as the next guy.
He didn’t say there were others worse than him.
He cried out, “GUILTY!”
#2. He Saw The Sinlessness Of Jesus.
“This Man has done nothing amiss.”
(NOW…I’m going to tell you something here…that statement can not be made about another Living or Dead individual.)
“ALL have Sinned and come short of the Glory of God.”
NOW…here’s what I want you to think about:
He sees his won sin
He sees the sinlessness of Christ.
HE’S MINUTES AWAY FROM ETERNITY!
He’s about to die!
He’s about to leave this old world!
He doesn’t have time to Amend his ways.
He doesn’t have time to turn over a new leaf.
He doesn’t have time to join a church.
He doesn’t have time to break off his bad habits.
HE’S ABOUT TO DIE!
HE’S ABOUT TO GO OUT INTO ETERNITY!
HE’S ABOUT TO GO AND FACE GOD IN ALL HIS SIN!
All he has time to do is…turn to Jesus and say, “Remember me.”
All he has time to do is…Trust Jesus by Faith!
And the minute he did…Jesus saved him on the spot!
• Faith looks Back to a Crucified Saviour!
(II). LOVE LOOKS UP TO A CROWNED SAVIOUR.
FAITH deals with our PAST.
LOVE deals with our PRESENT.
*1 Thess 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
The wording here is Crucial.
“Turned TO God from idols.”
I don’t know the number of times I have witnessed to a person only to hear them say, “Well, preacher, I’m going to get saved one day…but first I’ve got to break away from my sinful ways.”
That’s like saying…you are going to get well First…then go to the doctor.
You don’t get well…then go to the doc.
You go to the doctor…then get well.
• Notice again the words of vrs.9, “…ye turned to God…”
I personally have never regretted the day that I Turned to God.
When I turned to God is found Someone that Loved me and Cared for me and One who had my best interest at heart.
…and it didn’t take long before I fell in love with Him!
I have found that…Being a Christian…and Living the Christian life…and being involved in Christian service is best fueled by my Love for the Lord.
• I come to church because I love my Lord.
• I give my tithes and offerings because I love my Lord.
• I serve Him gladly because I love my Lord.
Do you know what I have come to learn?
Your enthusiasm, your Zeal, your Commitment…is in direct proportion to your Love for the Lord.
• You don’t have to work at being Zealous.
• You don’t have to work at being Committed.
• All you have to do is concentrate on Loving Him with all your heart.
FAITH looks back on a Crucified Saviour.
LOVE looks Up to a Crowned Saviour.
(III). HOPE LOOKS FORWARD TO A COMING SAVIOUR.
*Vrs.10, “And to wait for His Son from Heaven…”
My Crucified Saviour…the One I placed my Faith in.
My Crowned Savior…the One who won the love of my heart…
Is my Coming Saviour…the One who will take me to my Eternal Home.
*1 Thess 4:13, But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
The last 5 words in this verse form one of if not THE saddest, most depressing sentences in the entire Bible; “…Others which have no hope.”
I witnessed to a young man in the Bay Medical Center in P.C. one night about his soul.
He was lost, he knew it, but showed no concern whatsoever about his lost soul.
In fact, he told me he just didn’t have time to talk about it.
Before the week was over, I preached his Mother’s funeral.
I saw him sitting there in that little fold up medal chair underneath the funeral tent.
His face was white.
His eyes were wet with tears.
And he set there with no Hope of ever seeing his mother again.
Praise God, the believer that has placed his faith in the Crucified Saviour…has HOPE of a Coming Saviour!
My Faith looks Back…
My Love looks Up…
My Hope looks Forward…
• Time permitting: “What are your Spiritual Plans?”
Plan for this plan for that…what about spiritual plans?
If it’s the Lord’s will…I plan on staying here for a long time.
I’m looking forward to getting in to our new building.
I’m looking forward to getting children’s ministries started.
I’m looking forward to getting our teenage ministry running full steam.
I’m looking forward to filling up that building for the Glory of God.
Let me ask you a question: What are your plans?
Do you see yourself still in church 5 years from now?
Do you see yourself serving the Lord 5 years from now?
ARE YOU PLANNING ON THAT?
If so, then let me tell you how you can see your plans come to pass:
1. Keep looking Back at a Crucified Saviour.
2. Keep looking Up to a Crowned Saviour.
3. Keep looking Forward to a Coming Saviour.
