" 4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come."
Good Morning my beloved,
Welcome to worship this Lord's Day!
We're so glad to have you are here with us today.
As I was preparing our last message, I was reminded of the last time I preached through Thessalonians. I recall that someone asked me after the first message "If First Thessalonians is one of the shortest and easiest books to
understand, if it only takes 15 minutes to read through, why in the world are you taking several weeks to preach through it?" I told
him that he should be glad I’m not preaching through the Book of Romans!
However, allow me to share with you the reason. The reason we are taking time to explore these letters so thoroughly, it because I believe they have a great deal to teach us. The Apostle Paul's message remains relevant for the church today.
As I am sure you will remember, in our last message, Paul, Silas and Timothy introduced us to the Thessalonian church in
verse 1. They were thankful for these believers in verse 3, because their
faith was fruitful, they labored out of love, and they had hope that
hung in there. As we come to our passage today, we’re going to do a "church check-up" by looking at how we line up with the congregation in Thessalonica. There are at least three "vital signs" that I believe should be
evident in any congregation in order to be considered a healthy
church.
Let us bow our heads.
Heavenly Father,
Father, thank You for the clear instruction in Your Word for us today. Lord, You are the living God and one true God, the only God, the God who has saved us by grace by faith in Christ. Father, thank You for the incredible work that You have done in this ministry, for those who have come to Jesus Christ from all around the world. Lord, we acknowledge there is much to be done before Your glorious return, we pray that You would empower this ministry to do even greater things in this year.
Lord, if there would be any who are among us today, who have not yet received Christ as their Lord and Savior, that You would touch their hearts and minds, that today, would be that day. All for Your glory and Christ's sake and for the increase of Your kingdom.
In Christ's precious name
Amen
Today's Message: It's Time For A Check Up
The Apostle Paul now turns his attention toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is
literally the Good News. It is the message of the
death, burial, and resurrection of Christ the Lord. The Apostle Paul well understood
the significance of the gospel, in fact, he was very passionate about it. In
Romans 1:16 he says "
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 and also to the Greek."
And in
I Corinthians 1:18 he boldly proclaims "
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
I Corinthians 9:16 says "
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel."
This is a powerful, powerful portion of Scripture. Through it, Paul speaks of the
relevance and significance of the gospel in every society and throughout
every generation. Today, we are far removed from the time when Paul penned
these words, however, the power of the gospel remains. Much like all of us as individuals, they are uniquely different in many ways. Each has its own strengths
and weaknesses. I believe that the message of Christ
is just as needful and relevant today as it was then, if not more so! It is important that we learn from this congregation on
how to behave.
Open your Bibles with me, if you will, to the Book of first Thessalonians, chapter 1. Today, we come to the final verses of this marvelous first section of Paul's letter to Thessalonica. As I was preparing today's message, I began thinking about what a blessing this ministry is and what a wonderful church it is. I was thinking about how many of you have approached at various times to me and thanked me for the messages I've taught. How some of them were so encouraging, at just the right time, how some messages have been uncomfortable for you to listen to, because it convicted you of things you were doing and that brought about change in your spiritual life. I have been deeply moved and so very richly blessed by this ministry. I am grateful for all of you, I just wanted to express that to you today before we begin.
I would like to encourage you to follow along with me as I read to you, from this wonderful portion of the Word of God.
First Thessalonians 1:4-10.
"Knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for
our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in
the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of
men we proved to be among you for your sake. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For
the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone
forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For
they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with
you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true
God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come."
From a theological standpoint, this is the doctrine of election in its encapsulated form,
which simply means that God chooses those who will be saved. Salvation
begins with God’s choice of us—not with our choosing God. In
John 15:16, Jesus put it
this way "
You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."
Throughout Scripture, it teaches that every person who comes to know Jesus Christ has been personally chosen by God.
Ephesians 1:4-5 says "just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,"
Although
we sometimes stumble at this truth, it should give us more comfort than
questions. The Bible teaches that election flows from the love of God.
That’s why Paul calls these new believers "brothers loved by God." Despite what some have claimed, election is not a means for sending people to hell, but for rescuing
them from hell. And, God continuously draws sinners to Himself. If He didn't no one else would become saved today! However, the timing of that drawing, is of His own choosing.
While there are a number of people, who seem not to understand the mysteries of this doctrine, it reminds us of two things. The first is, salvation is a work of God, not man. The second is, that because of that, all true believers are eternally secure.
Is it any wonder why the Church of England refers to election as "full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable comfort."
In verse 5, we see that a healthy church is filled with changed people. A healthy church is filled with changed people. Paul was sure of the Thessalonians’ election because of their response
to the gospel message. If you’ve come to know Jesus Christ, then that
itself is sure proof that God has elected you. Your conversion
demonstrates that you’ve been chosen. Allow me to read verse 5 to you.
"for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."
What a beautiful truth. God, in His sovereignty and love, He has decided to use the preaching of
the gospel to make His election effective. I don’t have time today to get into a detailed explanation of how God’s choosing of us
and our responsibility to respond all work out, however, I will say that both
are taught in Scripture. Now, let that statement lead you to read your Bibles. So, we must affirm that God is God and He does what
He wills, showing mercy on whom He shows mercy. And, at the same time, humans
have the freedom to respond. Christ died for all people without distinction. Indeed, whoever will may come. The invitation to the ekklesia is trumpeted to all.
I love Charles Spurgeon's response when he was once asked, "How do you reconcile God’s election
with our responsibility to respond?" I’m paraphrasing here, but essentially, this is what he
said and "Reconcile? Reconciliation is for enemies.
God’s election and human responsibility are friends. They’re both taught
in Scripture."
In the Thessalonians’ case, it was their changed
lives that gave evidence to the fact, that they had indeed been chosen. When the gospel came
to them, they responded and their lives were radically redirected. Beloved, that should be the response of every believer who have come to Christ. A radically changed life.
The gospel was preached verbally.
Acts 17:2
tells us that Paul "
And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures"
Though Paul and
his team used words their to communicate the truth, they recognized that it
wasn’t their eloquence that would bring people to faith. The power came with the gospel. The power always comes with the message of the gospel. And, pastors must never forget that the Word of God is filled with explosive power to change lives, not the preaching!
Again,
Romans 1:16 says "
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 and also to the Greek." When the Bible
is faithfully and effectively proclaimed, it is the single most powerful force in the world. The power is in the gospel!
The Apostle Paul is not claiming absolute ownership or some divine claim to the gospel
himself; he is referring to the gospel that he received, the one he is
sharing with all who will hear. Paul is claiming the gospel he preaches
is not in word only; it is not something he merely speaks, it is a
message that profoundly transformed his life.
Beloved, when we share words of life with someone who needs to hear them, they
are not just words; they are filled with the power that only comes from
the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 says it this way, "
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."
The
gospel message came with deep conviction. This has a dual meaning. When
we share the truth verbally with someone, we can be confident that the
Holy Spirit will give us the strength, courage, and power to do so. It also means that the deep conviction that comes over people when they hear the
gospel, it penetrates their hearts.
As
believers we’re not called to judge and condemn people, but to allow the Holy
Spirit to do His work of conviction. Too many times we go off on people, whether to their faces, or behind their backs with gossip, instead of
praying for the Holy Spirit to do His mighty work in their lives.
Many of
you have been praying for the messages preached and I am grateful for that. However, I know at least one person is praying for a shorter sermon
series! The point is that I need your prayers. I don’t want to preach some
clever words or share funny stories with you. My beloved brothers and sisters, I want to see transformed lives! I want to see lives changed.
And that, can only happen as the Holy Spirit unleashes His power as the
Word is effectively and truthfully preached and as we respond with deep conviction.
Have you allowed God's Word to radically change your lives? And I’m not just talking about conversion here, though that’s a great place to
start. But, are you allowing the Holy Spirit freedom to take the Word of God
and apply it to specific areas of your life so that you are different
today than you were last week, last month, last year? When the Bible is
read, taught, and preached, and is accompanied by the power of the Holy
Spirit, and the result is, that lives will change. It's all about the transformation of your life, through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit! A healthy church is full of chosen and changed people. Transformed lives.
In verses 6 through 8, we see that a healthy church is filled with charged up people. Those who not only follow Christ, but who imitate Christ. This church was not in danger of getting run over because they were on
the move for Christ! In order for us to be charged up Christians, I believe that we , as Christians,
would do well to follow in their steps. Let's take a look at verse 6, "You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,"
These new believers looked at Paul, Silas, and Timothy as worthy of
imitation. I believe that every one of us would do well to have at least one person in our life
that we can look up to, a role model, someone to model our life after. I'd like you to take note here, these new
believers observed the lives of changed believers and learned from them,
but more importantly, they tried to imitate Christ Himself.
When you
follow the example that a fellow believers sets, you will eventually
discover that even the most godly person has some areas in his or her
life that need work. I know it's difficult for some of you to believe, but this is also true of me. I am in no way perfect! The principle here is this, follow faithful mentors to
the extent that they are imitating the Lord. We should be excited about the Word of God, even when it’s tough. If you're not excited about the gospel, find someone who is, and spend some quality time with that person.
I Corinthians 11:1 says this, "
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." Only imitate those things I do that you would expect to see in Christ.
The Thessalonians experienced severe suffering and yet, were filled
with joy. The Apostle Paul and Silas definitely modeled this for them when they
preached the gospel in Philippi and were stripped, beaten, flogged, and
thrown in prison. We read in Acts 16:25 that "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." While they were locked up. It was if they
just couldn’t hold their hearts in!
Suffering and joy are mentioned
together because joy is not based upon circumstances, but upon Christ. Beloved, if you’re serious about following Jesus, then get ready to
suffer. Following Christ, is to suffer for Him. II Timothy 3:12, teaches us that "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
You may be the only Christian in your family and you wonder how much
longer you can take the mockery and ridicule. Maybe you’ve stood up for Jesus at
your job or your school and now people treat you differently. The point here is, the experiences you have had in your Christian walk in which you suffered in one way or another for your beliefs, will occur. The world will persecute those of us who faithfully follow Christ. Expect it to happen.
Jesus Christ never invites us to receive Him on a trial basis, although there are certainly some who
try to do just that. True conversion means that you
continue to follow Christ even when the going gets tough. I love how the Apostles modeled for us rejoicing, even in the midst of rejection in
Acts 5:41-42. "
So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."
Beloved, the point I'm making here is when Christ
calls a man, He essentially is bidding him to come and die.
As believers, we are to serve as a model for others. The Thessalonian believers looked up to Paul, Silas, and
Timothy and were energized by their example. Because they were so sold
out for Christ, they themselves became a model for other believers in
verse 7, "
so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." The word "model" refers to a stamp or a die that was used
to reproduce coins. These believers made an indelible impression not
just on their neighbors but also throughout the whole country of Greece.
They made a mark for their Master.
As we put verse 6 and verse 7
together, we see that we all need spiritual mentors in order to live
charged up lives and we must also become examples to those who are just
starting out in their faith. Gordon MacDonald, in his book, "Restoring
Your Spiritual Passion", urges us to have at least one V.I.P, a very
important person and at least one V.R.P, a very resourceful person in
our life. We need people around us who will pour passion into us. In
turn, we must pour our lives into at least one V.T.P, a very trainable
person.
We are to trumpet the Good News. These Christ followers were so charged up that
they couldn’t keep the good news to themselves. Let's look at verse 8,
"For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything."
I'd like you to notice that these believers had a worldwide
reputation. When Paul would travel, people would tell them about the
changed lives of the charged up Christians from Thessalonica! By the
way, I'd like to share with all of you, our church has gained a reputation like that. The Thessalonians believed the
gospel, they lived it, and they shared it. Just like many of you are
doing. I am grateful for each and every one of you!
The word picture that is used here is fascinating. The
phrase "sounded forth," is the same word used to describe the sound of a
trumpet or the booming of thunder that echoes through a valley. It’s the
picture of brass instruments sounding off and then continuing
indefinitely, like the prolonged echo, in the Grand Canyon. The Thessalonians trumpeted God’s
good news and it reverberated through all the hills and valleys of Greece,
and then picked up speed as it traveled to other countries as well.
Beloved, when we trumpet the Good News, it echoes from one person to the
next. All we need to do is open our mouths and let the words fall out. Once
the message is out, it will bounce from life to life, as it crescendos
into the sounds of conviction, conversion, and charged up lives.
One disturbing fact I have noticed about many Christians, is the longer they are a believer, the more silent they become in sharing Christ. This should never be. The more we mature and grow in our faith, the more confident we should become in sharing the Good News. We must be vigilant and fight against this pattern.
One way we are to do that is to surround ourselves with new believers. I believe this is the key is to become charged up about being
chosen and being changed. When we are around new Christians, then what we have will echo to
others. These believers didn’t launch an evangelistic campaign or hold a
revival meeting. It was their changed lives that trumpeted across the
region. Never forget that evangelism is what spills over when we encounter someone. In other words, the content of the messenger must be consistent with the content of the message.
As I speak freely and openly with believers, I carefully remind them that the voices they hear affect the choices they make. I can't help but to become teary eyed as
the words of hope in Christ begin to echo from the lives of those I have taught to others. I pray that the words I speak to you today, will
continue to echo in your hallways, homes, and hearts for years to come.
In verses 9-10, we see that the diagnostic tests become a bit more specific and
personal. In the first half of this chapter, the focus is on the health
of the church, now, in these final verses, the emphasis is on the health of
the individual Christian. I believe that these vital signs are quite easy to read. Has your life been transformed? Are you constantly and consistently serving the Lord? Or are you waiting?
Look with me at the middle phrase of verse 9, follow along as I read "… and how you turned to God from idols…" Situated just 50 miles from Mount Olympus, where the Greek
gods were said to live, when the Thessalonians turned to God and away
from idols, seismic shock waves reverberated throughout the entire
region.
I want you to notice that first of all, "they turned to God." The
word turned means to "change your mind in such a way that it leads to a
change in the way you live." Beloved, that is what repentance is all about. Turning away from the life you once lived, to a new life in Jesus Christ. I believe, this should be as evident to those outside the body of Christ, as it is to those in it! The people who you once saw they way that you were before, notice a radical change in you.
The next thing I'd like you to notice, is that "they turned to God." Their first steps forward was toward God. I believe this is very
significant and is different from the way many churches today think. Some think we
have to clean ourselves up first, and then, after we’ve become more
spiritually presentable, then we’ll get serious about our faith. I believe that these churches have
it all backwards. There is no way we can "straighten ourselves out" on our
own. People do not just one day change their entire lives on their own accord. Some of you have been trying for years to deal with some
things and you think that God won’t really accept you until you stop
swearing, drinking, smoking, gambling, cheating, lying or asking the pastor to preach shorter sermons.
I'd like you to listen to me carefully, the issue is not improving your behavior; it’s turning to Jesus Christ. The clean up time comes later. Allow me to read to you
Romans 3:28, "
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." I'd like to point out to you, that the order here is significant. We can’t leave our idols and then
try to find God. What happens is that we discover the beauty, glory and
greatness of God, as we see the radically changed lives of Christ's followers. When we
see it, we want it for ourselves, therefore, we too turn to God.
The next thing I'd like you to notice is, "they turned to God from idols." Now, some of you might check out at this
point, saying to yourselves, "But we don’t have idols on every street corner like they did
in Thessalonica." Actually, modern America is one of the most idolatrous nations in the world. I spoke with a man, who was from another country. He visited the United States and
when he returned home someone asked him if America worshiped idols.
This was his answer: "Yes they do. They have three of them. In the
winter they worship a fat man in a red suit. In the spring they
reverence a rabbit. And in the fall they sacrifice a turkey!"
Unfortunately, in this great nation, we have far more than just three idols in our culture. An idol
is really a God-substitute, which is anything that takes the place of
Almighty God! The reality is, the possibilities are really endless because every human
heart has an altar in it. We’re born to worship, whether it’s a spouse, a car, our labor, or our leisure time. I believe that the
greatest struggle of the human heart is between the One True God and his idols.
Maybe some of you have just tried to add Jesus Christ to your life, but you’ve
subtracted nothing. Allow me to tell you this, it doesn’t work that way! We must turn to God
and turn our backs on that which has been taking the place of God in our lives. You
cannot have it both ways. True conversion involves a radical transfer of
allegiance. Jesus put it this way in
Matthew 6:24, "
No
one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and wealth."
The last part of verse 9 brings us to the second question: Are you
serving? Let’s look at it: "…
to serve a living and true God." Before
we turned to God, we served sin and self, now we serve the Lord and Savior. God
is the only true living God, the only one who can give us life. The idols
we have adored are dead, therefore can only bring death and destruction. A common characteristic of
all idols, is that they promise far more than
they can deliver.
The word "serve" used here is the same word used for a
slave, and it is in the present tense to show that service is a continual
activity, not a once in-awhile action. Servanthood is a lifestyle. It's the way of our new life in Christ. A
slave served at all times, always eager to obey the Master and to do his
will. When we come to Christ in salvation, our lives come under another Master. Jesus Christ.
Beloved, if you’re saved, you should be serving Christ. In fact, we
could put it this way: you are saved to serve. Serving is our calling,
our purpose, and it's why we are still here on earth.
It’s interesting that we’re to wait, even while we work. After turning,
we serve, and while we serve, we wait. Let's look at verse 10. "and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead,
that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come." These new believers waited with a sense of
expectancy! They waited for Jesus to return to earth.
When they worshiped idols they
had no hope for the future, but now they had hope that Christ would return and make
everything right. The word translated "wait" here means "to await
someone with patience and confident expectancy."
It hearkens us to
Acts 1:11, "…
They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven."
This passage is a precursor to the teaching of the Rapture, which we
will study a bit later, when we get to chapter 4. These believers were waiting for
Jesus to rescue them from the coming wrath. The word rescue points to
Jesus Christ doing the action and the phrase "coming wrath" refers to
something that is yet to come. Allow me to point out something here, that this is not a hope that
their present sufferings will end, though they would. This is also not
referring to being rescued from sin and avoiding the fires of hell,
although that too, would happen as well. This phrase is pointing to something
yet in a future day, it points to a time of unprecedented tribulation. Those who have been
changed by true conversion will be rescued, taken away from this time of
wrath.
I believe that one of the greatest influences of modern Christianity is the genuineness
of its believers. The world and especially the younger generation, are
desperately seeking something that is genuine.
In Closing....
Life is not always easy. Serving the Lord is not without difficulty or
controversy. But when adversity comes, we can rise above through the
presence and uplifting of the Spirit. It is hard to be discouraged and
want to quit when you are filled with joy!
While most people in America today, don’t want to hear anything about God’s wrath, it doesn't change the reality of it's coming. Many Christians, and I personally know a number of them, would
rather focus on God's love. But, we cannot escape from the fact that the "
The sun will be turned into darknessAnd the moon into blood. Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes," as mentioned in
Joel 2:31,
this is a time when God’s judgments will rain down upon the earth.
If you’ve
been reading the "Left Behind" books, or have seen the movies, this is a reference to the seven year
period of tribulation that will be ushered in immediately after believers are
raptured.
While the Old Testament is replete with references to
God’s wrath, it’s helpful to remember that the New Testament contains
many verses that deal with this topic as well. Allow me to share a few of those with you.
John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Romans 1:18, " For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,"
Revelation 14:19, "So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered
the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God."
I want you to understand, that this is in no way an exhaustive list, but merely a few of the critical passages in the Word of God.
If you know Jesus Christ, if you have turned to God and away from
idols and your life has been changed by His power, then you will be
rescued from this coming wrath. If you have never been converted, then
you will be left behind when Christ returns and you will have to face
the terrible day of the Lord. This is real stuff.
Church, it’s time for a check up. How are we doing? Is your life filled
with chosen, changed, and charged up Christians? I'd like to think so, but the
only way to really know is for each of us to take an individual inventory of our
own lives.
Beloved, it’s time to get off the fence and check your
spiritual vital signs. Have you turned and are you serving and waiting? It’s time
to allow Christ to radically transform you so that you can live a changed, charged up life
for Him, as you spill the gospel message into the lives of those who
do not yet know Jesus Christ.
If you’re not sure you’re saved, I'm speaking to you now, I beseech you, by all means, turn to Christ and away from the sin in your life which has
been controlling you. It’s time for a check up. What idols have you been
worshiping? I encourage you today, to receive the free gift of eternal life by putting your belief and complete trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins.
I want all of you to know just how important it is for us to live like a Christian, to imitate Christ 24/7. When we do, the
message of the gospel will go out like a trumpet, calling people to
faith in Christ.
When the gospel message comes to town and transform lives, the world can only stand back and say
these believers in Christ "turned the world upside down!"
May it be so...
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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