Sermon notes from 19 February 2017
1 Thessalonians 1 verses 1 - 10
We see here in this letter a church reaching out for God, bringing the gospel to their neighbours and friends - verse 8 "for from you sounded out the word of the Lord." Paul was speaking of every day people who had heard the message of God`s love and his death and had accepted him as Saviour and Lord. He is using the word "sounded" as in using a trumpet such as the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy describe. They sounded out to share the message of the Lord. Sounded out also in danger to warn the people of an enemy coming on them. Chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 Timothy has come back to Paul with a report from this church. I wonder if someone was to come and live in my house, then took a report back to someone else how would it read? How did that report read to Paul?
Notice the experience of their faith. Paul addresses the issue of how they came to faith in Christ. "Knowing brethren beloved your election of God." They had come to saving faith in Christ. Remember when Paul came to Thessalonia in Acts chapter 17. They began to preach the word in a synagogue and there were those who came to trust in Christ. They got together and formed a prayer meeting, then a church. That is how the church came into being. It didn`t please certain people in that city and they raised up in opposition. Paul had to leave Thessalonica and go to Berea which was 50 miles away. Some people from Thessalonica came and upset the work there, such was their hatred for the gospel. Maybe we don`t see that same hatred too much today but it is there none the less. As a result Paul endeavoured to come to them. 1 Thessalonians 2 verse 18. Paul hadn`t time to teach them but wanted to come back. Every time he tried to Come back Satan hindered him - chapter 3 verses 1 and 2. He sent Timothy with instructions to go down and investigate what was happening there. Out of that came back a report to which Paul is now responding. He saw a people with a genuine faith. There can be a false profession of faith today. Some can live in that very happily. Just like the wheat and tares growing together, they couldn`t be recognised or distinguished but had to wait until the harvest. In the last day when God calls his people to account there will be a evident separation. We cannot see that transforming faith changing lives completely. "ye received the word" verse 6 Acts 17 brings them back to the days of the synagogue when Paul preached the word of God to them. It is very serious to have a meeting without the word of God. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the preaching of the word of God. There has to be that genuine experience. Acts 17 Paul went in before the Jewish people in the synagogue and opened up the word of God. He built the truths one on another from the beginning of Genesis right to the point of Jesus` sufferings and they believed. We need to take time to point people to the scriptures. Acts 17 verse 4 "some of them believed" and Acts 17 verse 5 "which believed not".
There was evidence of their faith. What did Timothy see when he went back to Thessalonica? He saw a people who experienced saving faith in the Lord and it is now displayed. A light cannot be hid under a bushel Jesus said. "So let your light so shine before men so that others may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven." Verse 9 "and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." That was evidence of a true and saving faith. "And to wait for his son from heaven" in their hearts was instilled the word of God. They turned from idols to serve the true God. James said "show me your faith." It is no good talking about it. Ephesians 2 verse 10 "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." This is the evidence of that faith. They turned away from the books they were reading, worshipped other idols, toyed with black magic, able to do spells but when the gospel came and Paul told them to turn away from them, they realised they had to get rid of these books, bring them to the centre of the city and burn them. Their attachment to the old life was now gone. Sometimes we can get genuinely saved but there is something that we hold onto in our old life. Every time these people read these books it took them back into life they had followed before. The devil can trap us and snare us. Whenever we think of Paul there was a time when he persecuted the church of God. He thought he was doing no harm, he had everything in his power to put down the word of God, he had signed letters to ensure Christians were arrested and put in prison or killed. When Paul got saved the Bible tells us there were those who never saw his face "but they heard of him that he which persecuted the church in times past now preached the faith which was once destroyed."
There is an expression of their faith. They were serving the living God. W hen faced with the truth of Christ they realised what they believed was wrong and turned to Christ. Now they were motivated into a work of faith. Motivated by an inward change. God had a task for them. Are we holding back today? Has the Lord got our all today? Are you allowing the Lord to have full control in your life? They laboured in their faith to the point of exhaustion. Sometimes we come to that point that we are so tired and weary in telling others about Christ. Verse 3 "patience of hope" now their lives are showing.
The enthusiasm of their faith. So enthused that they were not prepared to sit back. They were enthusiastic about sending forth the message. To be prepared to spend time in prayer for individuals. Does God see that enthusiasm and expression of our faith today?
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