The Thessalonians

These join for wrong reasons. For example, if you ask people what kind of church they are looking for, some answers will be:

• “Well, I do not really like that church, but I probably will join the one down the street because it is convenient.”

• “I am looking for a church with a good youth program.” (To that, some may think, “Wonder why they don’t join the YMCA.? They have a good youth program.”)

• ”I am looking for a prestigious church.”

• ”I am looking for a church that has a good choir.” (Again, one might sarcastically think, “The Mormon Tabernacle has a great choir.)

I mention these few things because I want you to realize people join churches for many different reasons.

However, a church that is going to be used of God has to be one where Christians have joined for the right reason and that has many Christians who love the Lord.

• That is, they do not just say they love the Lord; they love the Lord!

• That is, they do not just love the Lord when things are going well and there is excitement in the air. They love the Lord during the hard times also.

Our church commitment is similar to the commitment expressed in the marriage vows.

Illus: One thing included in the marriage vows is, “For better or for worse.” Why? Because this is a lifetime vow. It is important to know that while romance, wedding plans, the ceremony and the honeymoon are all exciting, it will not always be like this.

Illus: This reminds us of the story Charles Swindoll tells about the guy who fell in love with an opera singer. He loved her voice. He hardly knew her since his only view of her was through opera glasses from the third balcony, but he was convinced he could live “happily ever after” married to someone with a voice like that. He scarcely noticed she was considerably older than he. Nor did he care that she walked with a limp. Her mezzo-soprano voice would take them through whatever might come. After a whirlwind romance and a hurry-up ceremony, they were off on their honeymoon.

As she began to prepare for their first night, he watched and his chin dropped to his chest as

• She plucked out her glass eye and plopped it into a container on the night stand.

• She took off her wig and placed it on a stand.

• She ripped off her false eyelashes.

• She yanked out her dentures.

• She removed her artificial leg.

• She took out her hearing aid.

• Then she slipped off her glasses and smiled at him.

Stunned and horrified, he gasped, “For goodness sake, woman, sing, sing, SING!”

Every young person should be aware that hard times will come. They may come in a week, six weeks, or even years, but they will come. They must truly love each other in order to spend a lifetime together. It is only in fairy tales that two meet, marry, and LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER! Real life is filled with difficulties. When we get to heaven we will not have all these difficulties, but remember, this is not heaven!

A person may join the most exciting church in America, but there will be times of difficulty. Christians must really love the Lord to be able to make churches survive!

If we are going to survive spiritually, we must have a sincere love for the Lord. Often people get into a relationship with the Lord without really knowing what they are getting into. Then when a few jolts come along, they fall out of the wagon never to be seen again.

For the next several messages we will be studying the church of Thessalonica so we can learn how to become everything God wants us to become as a church. We want to develop such a love relationship with the Lord that no matter what may come our way, as a church, we can stand together for Him!

Notice first the foundation this church was built upon. In Acts 17:1-3 we read, “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.”

Notice Paul. “...as his manner was...” It was Paul’s custom to attend God’s house. As he came to Thessalonica he went to the temple and he “reasoned with them out of the scriptures.” He told them how that Christ came and...