1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,600 How many languages are spoken in this room? 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:11,720 If I had a guest looking around, I'm guessing 10 at least. 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,720 I'm not great at learning languages. 4 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,880 I have to confess that I've tried my hand at Spanish four 5 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,440 years. I am fluent in about four 6 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:26,760 phrases, my Greeks a work in progress. 7 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,280 I'm still trying. My Hebrew is dead and gone. 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,600 I'm taking a Latin proficiency test at the end of this month, 9 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,240 so you'll find out how good my Latin is in about a month. 10 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:43,600 How's your language acquisition? Today? 11 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,480 We're considering a biblical language. 12 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:54,920 Not Greek, not Hebrew, not Aramaic, the language of 13 00:00:55,520 --> 00:01:00,440 encouragement. Of course there are times where 14 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,160 you need a critique, but today we're talking about 15 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:07,440 encouragement. I wonder which language you're 16 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:12,160 more fluent in, encouragement or critique. 17 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,840 Who was the last person you encouraged? 18 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,640 What was the last encouragement? You gave? 19 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,800 A good encouragement, and we all know this to be true. 20 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:31,440 It is like oxygen when you're starving to breathe. 21 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:39,240 I wonder if you came here today needing encouragement. 22 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,800 Today we're beginning a new series and what I would say is 23 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,560 one of the most encouraging books of the Bible. 24 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,800 If you have your Bible, open up to First Thessalonians. 25 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,600 If you don't have the Bible, go ahead and raise your hand. 26 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,840 Somebody's in the back right now ready to bring you a Bible. 27 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:00,960 First Thessalonians, just raise a hand. 28 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:03,600 Somebody's coming to bring you a Bible. 29 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:08,120 If you're new to the Bible, just feel free to open up to the 30 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,039 table of contents. You can see where First 31 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,920 Thessalonians is there in the New Testament after the Gospels. 32 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,600 One of the last of Paul's general epistles. 33 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:22,320 It's one of Paul's earliest letters written within 20 years 34 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,400 of Jesus death. First Thessalonians is a window 35 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,080 into a newly planted church in the 1st century. 36 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,920 Thessalonica, which is modern day Thessaloniki in Greece, was 37 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:38,040 a large city with a harbor on the Aegean Sea. 38 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:43,440 During Paul's second missionary journey, Paul, Silas and Timothy 39 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:48,600 came to Thessalonica probably around 49 or 50AD and upon their 40 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:56,320 arrival there was no church. After three weeks there was what 41 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,720 happened in Thessalonica. We read the story in Acts 42 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,560 chapter 17 on three Sabbath days, so over three weeks. 43 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:08,520 Paul reasoned with them from the Scriptures, particularly the Old 44 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:10,360 Testament. He opened it up. 45 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:16,520 He proved that Christ suffered 4 sinners on the cross and he rose 46 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:20,560 from the dead. In other words, Paul preached 47 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,960 the gospel and some were persuaded. 48 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,120 We read in Acts 17. Devout Greeks leading women of 49 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:37,200 the city believed in Jesus. Now Paul and his companions 50 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,160 likely stayed for more than three weeks. 51 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,120 We know from the book of Philippians that the church at 52 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Philippi actually sent him a care package while he was in 53 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,840 Thessalonica. But either way, whatever. 54 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:50,760 Where was a few more months than that? 55 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,200 He didn't stay long because as we read in Acts chapter 17, 56 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:58,560 eventually he was driven out of town by the Jews. 57 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:04,080 They said this man Paul is turning the world upside down. 58 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,680 That's what he's been doing. That's what he's here to do. 59 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,160 And if you've received Christ, you know that's actually true. 60 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,520 That is what happens when Christ enters your life and you believe 61 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:19,640 the gospel. Your world is turned upside 62 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,080 down. You know, we can learn a little 63 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,400 bit more about this book, the historical context, especially 64 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,440 by just reading through it. So if you have your Bible right 65 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:33,800 now, open it up to the end of chapter 2 and the beginning of 66 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,760 chapter 3. A couple things to point out 67 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:37,800 that help us understand the context. 68 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,920 Look at chapter 2, verse 17. Paul referenced here being torn 69 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,080 away from the church and how he endeavoured eagerly to see them 70 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,960 face to face. Verse 18. 71 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:55,960 But Satan hindered his coming. Look at chapter 3, verse 2. 72 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,160 So Paul sent Timothy to establish and exhort their 73 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,360 faith. Verse 5 of chapter 3. 74 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:09,400 Because of their severe affliction, Paul feared that the 75 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:15,320 tempter had tempted them and his labor would be in vain. 76 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:20,920 But Timothy reported verse 6. He's returned and reported good 77 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,560 news. And Paul's heart was comforted. 78 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:29,840 And that's the context for this letter that we have Now, before 79 00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:33,000 we dive into chapter one, one more thing to point out that's 80 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,560 crucial to understanding this epistle. 81 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:42,360 There's five chapters. At the end of every chapter Paul 82 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:50,040 points this month's old church to the end to the second coming 83 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,840 to the return of Jesus Christ. Just skim through the look at 84 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,080 look at chapter one, verse 10. He talks about waiting for his 85 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,840 Son from heaven. Turn the page if you have a 86 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,960 Bible like mine. Chapter 2, verse 19 they are 87 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,680 waiting. He wants them to be His crown 88 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:16,560 before the Lord at his coming. Chapter 3, it ends with the 89 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:21,760 coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter 4 it's all about the day 90 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,320 of the Lord, the coming of Christ. 91 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:31,000 Chapter 5 Verse 23 His aim is that they be kept blameless at 92 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,480 the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 93 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,560 What do we learn from that? Yes, Paul wants to come to them 94 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:42,600 even more. He's concerned about Jesus's 95 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,040 coming. That is what all these 96 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:51,040 exhortations and encouragements are aimed at. 97 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:56,920 The end that day when our Lord Jesus Christ will return. 98 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,880 Now, Trinity Baptist Church, we're just nine months old. 99 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,000 We're actually older than this church here in this letter. 100 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:12,400 What can we learn from the only church in the entire New 101 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:18,080 Testament that Paul says is an example for other churches? 102 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,080 And if you're not a Christian, maybe you've visited churches 103 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,080 before. Maybe you've met some Christians 104 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:28,480 and they've just rubbed you the wrong way. 105 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,600 You've looked at their lives, you've been in their churches 106 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:37,880 and thought, I don't know, these people seem just like me or 107 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,320 worse. Friend, visit the Church of the 108 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,800 Thessalonians this morning and see a healthy church. 109 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,280 If you're visiting and looking for a church, this is the type 110 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,160 of church you want to join, so let's read it. 111 00:07:53,560 --> 00:08:04,920 First Thessalonians chapter 1 Paul, Sylvanus, and Timothy to 112 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:09,880 the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord 113 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:14,480 Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. 114 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:21,440 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly 115 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:26,080 mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and 116 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:33,080 Father your work of faith and labor, of love and steadfastness 117 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:36,600 of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 118 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:43,919 For we know, brothers, loved by God, that He has chosen you 119 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:50,600 because our gospel came to you not only in Word, but also in 120 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:56,520 power and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction. 121 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:02,000 You know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your 122 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:07,320 sake, And you became imitators of us and of the Lord. 123 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:14,280 For you received the word in much affliction with the joy of 124 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:20,320 the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the 125 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,480 believers in Macedonia and Achaea. 126 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,960 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in 127 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:34,280 Macedonia and Achea, but your faith in God has gone forth 128 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:39,120 everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 129 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:45,360 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of 130 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:51,200 reception we had among you, and how you turn to God from idols 131 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:57,800 to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son 132 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:04,800 from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us 133 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:11,680 from the wrath to come. Paul's like a good coach. 134 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:18,240 This is his halftime speech. They're down, they're afflicted, 135 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:23,080 and yet Paul encourages them. It's not the end yet. 136 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:26,440 And he points out God's grace in their lives. 137 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:31,040 He says look at how God's working in you and through you. 138 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:37,520 He uses that encouragement to help them be ready for that day 139 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:43,680 when the sun will return. He wants their faith to flourish 140 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,480 even in affliction until Christ returns. 141 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:53,240 And here's how this church is an example for us today. 142 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:58,720 Here's the main point. Encourage one another towards 143 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:03,400 the end with evidence of God's grace. 144 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:10,560 Brothers and sisters, encourage one another towards the end with 145 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:15,280 evidence of God's grace. There's two points. 146 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:19,320 If you're following along taking notes, .1 sovereign grace verses 147 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:24,920 one through 4, and then .2 evident grace verses 5 through 148 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:29,040 10. So first, sovereign grace verses 149 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:33,520 one through 4. Look at verse one, Paul, 150 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:38,960 Sylvanus, and Timothy. The letter is from that 151 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:43,400 missionary team in Acts 17. Paul, Sylvanus or Silas is the 152 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,240 same person and Timothy, Paul's the primary author. 153 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,680 He mentions twice in the letter that he himself is writing. 154 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:53,720 Silas and Timothy are like his cosigners. 155 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,320 Paul the apostle was not a Lone Ranger. 156 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:03,000 He was always doing ministry that included others and Silas. 157 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,840 Back in Acts chapter 15, he was a prophet. 158 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,720 He was one of the leading men at the Jerusalem Council. 159 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,280 Timothy is Paul's protege. We know a lot about Timothy. 160 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,800 He often served as Paul's delegate. 161 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,440 When Paul was unable to go visit someone, he'd send Timothy. 162 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,680 Notice what Paul calls the church though. 163 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:28,040 Look at verse one. They are the Church of the 164 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:36,240 Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ the 165 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:41,360 the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father. 166 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:45,560 You know, it'd be like us saying we're Trinity Baptist Church of 167 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:51,040 Chapel Hill and Durham in God the Father and the Lord Jesus 168 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,040 Christ. An interesting phrase in they're 169 00:12:55,040 --> 00:13:00,280 rooted in God. They receive their life from 170 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,440 God. He's the vine, they're the 171 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:08,280 branches. And it's astonishing that Paul 172 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,800 is the one writing this. If you remember, Paul bursts on 173 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:16,080 the scene persecuting those preaching that Jesus was risen 174 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,240 from the dead, that he was the Lord of all. 175 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:24,280 Here he is now a preacher because he had been converted. 176 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,280 You read about Paul's conversion in Acts Chapter 9. 177 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:35,400 Paul says to them, grace to you and peace. 178 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:39,560 Friends, it's so easy to skip over these phrases. 179 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,240 They're vital to the life of the church. 180 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:48,760 Grace and peace. This is a persecuted minority. 181 00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:55,320 They need grace, they need peace, Paul reminds them. 182 00:13:55,960 --> 00:14:01,840 They have them in God. Then in verses 2 and 3, Paul 183 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:07,280 pours forth the praise. He thanks God for them and he 184 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,560 tells them, look at verse 2. We give thanks to God always for 185 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:16,920 all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 186 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,880 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and 187 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:27,400 labor, of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus 188 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,120 Christ. This was a church where God was 189 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:36,680 at work, and Paul could see it. He saw it and he remembered it. 190 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:41,360 What did Paul see? Sovereign grace at work in three 191 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,480 ways. Faith, hope, love. 192 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:53,840 Their faith worked, their love labored, their hope endured. 193 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,320 You could see their faith in God growing. 194 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:03,640 You could observe their love and care for one another. 195 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:10,600 You could watch their eyes look towards heaven as they hoped in 196 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:15,040 Christ's second coming. Paul saw it and he thanked God 197 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,000 for it. He thanked God in prayer. 198 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:23,600 He prayed always, He prayed for everyone. 199 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,040 He prayed constantly. You can kind of picture Paul, 200 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,280 he's writing from Corinth with Silas and Timothy. 201 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,040 They're working through their mental membership directory of 202 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:39,720 the church in Thessalonica as they remember those Saints. 203 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:44,520 They just thank God. Lord, we're, we're thankful for 204 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,760 Brother Bob zeal to share the gospel with others. 205 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:53,800 Lord, we're, we're grateful for Susan and her gift to love and 206 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,400 care for the Saints in the church. 207 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:01,080 Oh, Lord, we're thankful for Joe and his evident care for this 208 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,240 body, his concern for the gospel to go for. 209 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:11,840 You know, the first time I heard a church pray publicly for other 210 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:16,760 Christians was 10 years ago. University Baptist Church, 211 00:16:17,080 --> 00:16:22,400 Fayetteville, AR. I was shocked, seriously, that a 212 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:27,280 church was praying for not only their own members by name, but 213 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,040 for other churches down the street. 214 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:30,840 I mean, this was unheard of to me. 215 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,560 I'd been a Christian for already 10 years at that point. 216 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,920 It was brand new to me. But it shouldn't have been. 217 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:41,120 This should have been normal practice. 218 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:45,960 That church, University, Baptist Church, they were just following 219 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:50,960 Paul's practice. Let's learn to pray like Paul 220 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,160 now. It's not wrong to pray for 221 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,600 yourself. I trust most of you do that. 222 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,200 It's wrong to pray exclusively for yourself. 223 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:08,720 When Paul prays, he constantly prays for other Christians. 224 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:14,319 When he thanks God, he regularly thanks God for other Christians. 225 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:19,079 When he remembers other Christians before God, he 226 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:27,200 reflects on spiritual fruit, faith, love, hope. 227 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:33,280 So as you spend time in prayer this week, pray for other 228 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:36,200 Christians. Have your membership directory 229 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,600 sitting right beside your Bible and use it for fodder to pray 230 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:43,520 for members of the church. Thank God for those other 231 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,720 Christians. Remember the spiritual fruit 232 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,440 that you've observed in these nine months together as a 233 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:53,320 church. And even better, do this with 234 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,600 other Christians. Paul thanks God for the 235 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:04,520 Thessalonians, and then he tells the Thessalonians about it for 236 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,680 their encouragement. One brother a few years ago, he 237 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:13,200 texted me every morning what he was praying for me for two 238 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:15,920 years. Man, that was encouraging. 239 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,920 You know, sometimes I'd skim over it, to be honest. 240 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:22,520 Other times it was like, wow, this brother's still praying for 241 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:28,200 me, Praise the Lord. Let's learn to encourage like 242 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,440 Paul. Sadly, in many churches, this 243 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,680 type of encouragement, it's like a foreign language. 244 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:39,680 It's rarely spoken. Some only dish out compliments 245 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:45,080 that are vague. Great job brother, you're doing 246 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,520 great. You're a great mom, you're an 247 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,600 awesome church member. Sometimes the comments are 248 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:54,200 false. They're not true. 249 00:18:54,760 --> 00:19:00,400 You are the best fill in the blank in the world friends. 250 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:05,080 That is so often flattery. Flattery is shallow. 251 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,000 It's self-serving. Friends don't say something to 252 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,760 someone's face that you would never say behind their back. 253 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,040 You know, you get this picture of flattery in Proverbs. 254 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,080 The Proverbs say that if you're flattering someone, it's like 255 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,240 you're actually taking a net and spreading it out for their feet. 256 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:31,240 You're laying a trap for them. It's not for their good, it's 257 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,400 for your gain, Paul says in First Thessalonians chapter 2. 258 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,920 I did not come with words of flattery. 259 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:45,560 That's not what He's doing here. He's encouraging them, but still 260 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,880 others. Others of us withhold 261 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,560 encouragement because we're fearful. 262 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:55,480 We don't want to puff someone up with pride or worse. 263 00:19:55,480 --> 00:20:00,720 Some of us have no encouragement to share our eyes are blind to 264 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,200 God's grace in the lives of others. 265 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:08,160 Or even worse, some of us don't have any praise for others 266 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,320 because we're too busy praising ourselves. 267 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,280 We're too focused on our own hearts. 268 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:24,040 Instead, Paul models for us, giving thanks to God and then 269 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:28,720 telling others about it. In other words, telling others 270 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,680 what you're thankful to God about in them. 271 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:36,120 Of course, we know First Thessalonians 514 Paul cares 272 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:39,200 about admonishing the idol. He has that tool in his tool 273 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:41,280 belt. But if you've mastered the 274 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,680 surgeon's scalpel, don't forget the other tools in your tool 275 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:51,720 belt, like your pom poms. You know you want to be a 276 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,200 cheerleader for someone else standing on the sidelines going, 277 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,440 hey, you got this. Keep going. 278 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,720 Here's specific ways I see God working in your life. 279 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:07,480 That puts wind in our sails. So how can you begin? 280 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:13,200 How can you begin to fan the flame of God's grace as He's 281 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,040 gifted others in the church? A couple things. 282 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:22,360 One, pray for humility. You can't see what God's doing 283 00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:24,840 in someone else's life if all you're concerned about is your 284 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,200 own life. Pray for a humility that would 285 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,520 be able to catch others doing spiritual good, that you can 286 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:35,640 actually see it and give thanks to God for it. 287 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:40,480 Then plan to share it with them. Maybe you're brand new to this. 288 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:42,640 It's not just going to come out of you. 289 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:44,440 You're going to need to plan to do this. 290 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:46,720 Next time you meet with a brother and sister in the 291 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,440 church, write down a few things that you think of. 292 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:51,760 OK, I've been reflecting on them. 293 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,760 I've been remembering them. Here's what I'm going to share 294 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,200 with them for their encouragement. 295 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,640 Share specifics. Specifics are always helpful. 296 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,400 Point out exactly what you see and how you see it as God's 297 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,640 grace in their life. And then eventually pray for 298 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,920 this to be your posture, your default, that you just shout 299 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,240 them out, shoot them out every time you see them. 300 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:19,840 Who does it Need more encouragement? 301 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,640 Name one person. I don't know of anyone. 302 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:28,000 Let you let it be that you're the one who's encouraging them. 303 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:33,520 Pray that you are someone who is easily edified and edifies 304 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,600 easily. And brothers and sisters, I 305 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:44,000 thank God for His sovereign grace at work in you. 306 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:47,360 And just to be clear, that's y'all. 307 00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:50,160 That's a plural. I had that my spelling of y'all 308 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,120 corrected a week ago by a church member. 309 00:22:52,360 --> 00:22:55,560 I'm new to the South, OK? This is new to me, y'all. 310 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,920 This is you guys. God's work in you. 311 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:03,120 I'm thankful for the Jamesons. I'm thankful for their work of 312 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:08,160 faith to sacrifice for the Kingdom, leave the comfort of 313 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,840 their home and family, and help plant this church. 314 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:15,160 I'm thankful for the Guidrys. You know, we had so many 315 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:18,200 meetings in their house. They had like 100 people in our 316 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,960 informational meetings, kids running around everywhere. 317 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:23,400 And they did that for the sake of this church plant. 318 00:23:24,360 --> 00:23:27,440 I'm thankful for Eric Beach. I remember after one of our 319 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:31,120 first informational meetings, Eric came up to me and he said, 320 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,120 man, if you're not encouraged after that, we better take you 321 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:35,760 to the hospital and check your pulse. 322 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,520 And I was already encouraged, but that just shot me right back 323 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:40,640 up. Even more. 324 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:45,360 Encouraged, Man, I'm thankful for the lay elders of this 325 00:23:45,360 --> 00:23:48,760 church for Ashok Najshani and Brandon Haas. 326 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:52,800 They are excellent at shepherding this flock. 327 00:23:53,120 --> 00:23:58,880 I've experienced their own care in my life, and I wish I could 328 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:03,840 work through all 65 members of this church right now, but I 329 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,400 have to preach the rest of the sermon. 330 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,680 But how edifying would that be if we just did that with one 331 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:11,200 another? How are you thankful for Bridget 332 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,640 Johnson and Krista Cam and Wilson Cam? 333 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,480 That would be so encouraging. We should do that. 334 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,160 Paul has so much to thank God for. 335 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:30,480 It's abundantly obvious to Paul that God loves this church, that 336 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:32,440 he had chosen it. Look at verse 4. 337 00:24:34,360 --> 00:24:39,880 For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you. 338 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:44,760 And here's where some of us start to get uncomfortable. 339 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:50,440 Chosen by God. Chosen is literally the Greek 340 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:55,800 word for election. What's the basis for God's 341 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,280 election? In other words, why did God 342 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:04,480 choose them as we just confessed in our statement of faith, not 343 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:09,480 human merit. Meaning God didn't choose you if 344 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:14,560 you're a Christian because of the good things about you, it's 345 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:20,200 because of divine love. Notice in verse 4, the love of 346 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:25,280 God and the election of God are tied together. 347 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:30,840 Paul grounds God's choice in God's loving. 348 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,280 We heard this idea already in Deuteronomy Chapter 7. 349 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:41,440 You can see it there on page 8. The Lord your God has chosen you 350 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,960 to be a people for His treasured possession. 351 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:50,520 Out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth, why? 352 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:57,280 It was not because you were more in number than any other people 353 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,800 that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were 354 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:08,200 the fewest of all peoples. But it is because the Lord loves 355 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:13,400 you. A farmer plants his seed in the 356 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:19,280 ground. Only some spring up and grow 357 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:25,880 into a plant. Who decides which seed lives, 358 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:29,800 Friends? It's God. 359 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:34,040 It's God alone. Church. 360 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:39,080 God chose us because he loved us. 361 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:48,360 He loved us because he loves us. How does it all work? 362 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:55,640 We're approaching a mystery that's to be received by faith. 363 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:03,840 If you're in Christ, you are chosen by God. 364 00:27:04,120 --> 00:27:08,360 When did he choose you? It depends how far back you can 365 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:12,720 go. Before you were born, before the 366 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:17,200 earth existed, before God spoke and the sun created and the 367 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:22,160 solar system came to being. Before Ephesians 14 says the 368 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:29,640 foundation of the world he chose you and friend, if you struggle 369 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:33,000 to understand that if you're a Christian and you see it in 370 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:38,600 Scripture it's there first Thessalonians one verse 4 chosen 371 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:40,120 you. If that's something hard for 372 00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:41,240 you. Let me encourage you. 373 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:46,320 Let your posture be one of faith that seeks understanding. 374 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,160 This is true. Believe God's word, and as you 375 00:27:51,160 --> 00:27:56,040 struggle to understand it, ask God in faith to help you. 376 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,480 Now, some worry. They worry that the doctrine of 377 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:05,160 election will endanger duties like evangelism. 378 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:10,440 But friends, sound doctrine always produces good fruit. 379 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,400 Far from hindering evangelism, election actually fuels our 380 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,040 evangelism. It fueled pulse. 381 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,320 Here's Paul at the end of his life to Timothy. 382 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:29,520 I endure everything for the sake of the elect. 383 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:37,640 All the suffering, the sleepless nights, the beatings, being 384 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:43,480 chased out of Thessalonica. He does it for the sake of the 385 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:47,120 elect. So friends, as you declare the 386 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:55,320 gospel boldly to your neighbors, to your Co workers, to your 387 00:28:55,320 --> 00:29:04,640 family, to your own children, preach the gospel, leave the 388 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:10,560 results to God. Who are you proclaiming Christ 389 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,000 to in the power of the Holy Spirit? 390 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:19,520 And who have you given up on for? 391 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,080 And only God knows which seed will shoot up. 392 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:28,040 Your job is to sow the seed. And as you do, you can be 393 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,600 confident that our shepherd has sheep throughout the world. 394 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:37,280 And as we preach, they will hear His voice. 395 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:44,280 Sovereign grace was at work in this congregation. 396 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,400 They they were chosen and loved by God. 397 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:52,680 Now how did Paul know that? How did he know that about this 398 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,080 church? Was this some special word from 399 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:58,400 the Lord that's only given to apostles? 400 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:04,040 Did Paul have exclusive access to the Lamb's Book of Life? 401 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,680 Did he get the preview? Here's the names. 402 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,720 No friends he knew. Because if we've been elected, 403 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:18,200 there will be evidence .2 evident grace, verses 5 through 404 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:26,920 10 evident grace. How did Paul know that they were 405 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:31,440 loved and chosen by God? Look at the first word of verse 406 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:38,160 5. Because Paul has proof and 407 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:43,120 verses 5 to 10 he lists 4 evident aspects of God's grace 408 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,360 in their lives. He gets specific verse 5 409 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:52,640 conviction, verses six to seven imitation, verse 8 evangelism, 410 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,840 verses 9 to 10 conversion. He starts with conviction. 411 00:30:56,840 --> 00:31:01,000 Look at verse 5. Because our gospel came to you 412 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:07,080 not only in Word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, 413 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:13,960 and with full conviction. What happened as Paul preached 414 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:20,200 in the synagogue, some were persuaded he used words. 415 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,040 It's not possible to preach the gospel without words, but it 416 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:29,040 takes more than words. Accompanying his preaching of 417 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:33,600 the Word was the Spirit. Maybe it wasn't the first 418 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:38,760 Sabbath day, maybe it wasn't the second, but eventually they 419 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:42,920 believed. Full conviction and friends. 420 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,360 Isn't that so many of your stories? 421 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:49,680 You came to church to investigate Christianity. 422 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:54,520 At some point you realized someone was investigating you, 423 00:31:55,520 --> 00:32:00,080 the holy God of the universe. He was inviting you and calling 424 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:04,080 you to turn from your idols. And do trust in His Son. 425 00:32:06,440 --> 00:32:13,320 One of the brothers from our church attended church for five 426 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:17,520 years straight, Sunday after Sunday. 427 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,800 And then the Spirit gave him life. 428 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,720 Friends, that is the power of the gospel. 429 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:32,760 And Paul's gospel was confirmed by his life. 430 00:32:32,760 --> 00:32:39,440 He says, verse 5, you know what kind of men we prove to be among 431 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:44,600 you. For your sake, friends, that's 432 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:48,840 what you should pray for the leaders of your church, for the 433 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:51,880 members of this church. You should pray that for Ashok 434 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,960 and for Brandon and for Bobby and for myself, that there's 435 00:32:55,960 --> 00:33:02,000 harmony between our preaching and our living, our life and our 436 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:03,480 doctrine. And that's what you should 437 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:08,400 expect from any man that you choose to be an elder of this 438 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,200 church. Coherence. 439 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:19,320 Not perfection, but harmony. You listen to them preach, you 440 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:23,120 watch them live. And brothers, so many of you 441 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,720 aspire to be in ministry yourselves. 442 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:30,800 I'm so thankful for that. What a gift to have men who 443 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:34,600 aspire to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. 444 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:43,480 For you, what's under the hood? What kind of man are you? 445 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:51,160 Focus on your character in these seasons of training. 446 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:57,560 You know, many profess faith, they show immediate conviction, 447 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:02,080 but there's no follow through, there's no imitation. 448 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,520 That's what the Thessalonians did though imitation In verses 6 449 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:12,880 and seven, Paul says, and you became imitators of us and of 450 00:34:12,880 --> 00:34:16,080 the Lord. In other words, Paul's example 451 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,560 rubbed off on them. As they followed Paul, they 452 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:24,560 followed Christ. How you might think, well, did 453 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:28,360 people start dressing like Paul? Did they start going to the same 454 00:34:28,360 --> 00:34:32,159 restaurants as Paul? Paul specifies here verse 6 for 455 00:34:32,159 --> 00:34:40,320 you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the 456 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:46,600 Holy Spirit. They received the preaching in 457 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:53,800 the context of persecution. Their best week ever conversion 458 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:59,960 may have just been their worst week ever Affliction. 459 00:35:01,320 --> 00:35:10,840 The Spirit came, they suffered, but their joy didn't much 460 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:16,120 affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit. 461 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:20,040 Paul doesn't say they were joyful about their 462 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:23,200 circumstances. You do not have to love the 463 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:27,000 trials that God sends you. He says. 464 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,600 They were joyful in their circumstances. 465 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:37,600 You have to learn to be joyful in any circumstance. 466 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:41,760 The other night it was pouring rain. 467 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,040 I looked outside and the sun was shining. 468 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:52,440 Blue skies, pouring rain, blue skies. 469 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,560 Friends, that is the paradox of the Christian life. 470 00:35:55,720 --> 00:36:01,000 Suffering yet rejoicing. Just one chapter before Acts 17, 471 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:05,640 Paul, before Thessalonica was in Philippi, him and Silas were 472 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:09,080 thrown in prison. What were they doing there? 473 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:13,600 Joy in their circumstances. They're praying in prison, 474 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:18,160 they're singing hymns in prison. All the prisoners are listening 475 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,000 to them. What is going on in that jail 476 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:25,880 cell over there? That's joy and affliction. 477 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:32,040 Brothers and sisters, do you believe that God has good 478 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:36,240 reasons that not only Christians should suffer, but that whole 479 00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:39,560 churches should face persecution? 480 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:48,720 Do you even believe that you can face your hardest days with the 481 00:36:48,720 --> 00:36:55,440 joy of the Holy Spirit? It's the Spirit alone that can 482 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:58,160 do this. The Spirit alone can protect 483 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:01,000 your joy in the soil of hardship. 484 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,440 It's the Spirit alone that can even cause your joy in hardship 485 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,640 to bloom. It's a joy that's only produced 486 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:16,560 by the Spirit, but it's also a joy that's observed through 487 00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:20,080 faithful Christians. The Christian life as you know, 488 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:22,840 it's not just taught, it's caught. 489 00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:26,360 And I'm stealing this question from a brother in the church. 490 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:34,280 What would everyone in your orbit say if you asked, what is 491 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:40,920 my life taught you? You could even ask more specific 492 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,720 to this passage. What has my life taught you 493 00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:53,880 about joy in affliction? Look at the result of their 494 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:56,080 imitation of Paul in verse seven. 495 00:37:57,080 --> 00:38:02,680 Look at verse 7. You became an example to all the 496 00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:06,560 believers in Macedonia and Achaea. 497 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:13,840 They became an example. It's the Greek word tipos, a 498 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,640 pattern, a type. You could translate it as mold. 499 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:23,920 The NIV says a model. Paul doesn't say examples 500 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:31,360 plural, but singular exam pull. Because the whole church, not 501 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,360 just a few members, were to be imitated. 502 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:39,160 They function like the mold that you use for your Christmas 503 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:41,840 cookies so that they all look the same. 504 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:46,640 Christians throughout Macedonia, which is modern day northern 505 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:50,040 Greece and Acadia, which is modern day southern Greece 506 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:53,840 followed their example. This few month old church. 507 00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:59,480 You could say that those churches ran the Thessalonian 508 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:02,360 playbook. When people from the surrounding 509 00:39:02,360 --> 00:39:05,760 areas asked those churches, where did you guys come up with 510 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,920 this stuff, they said, have you heard about the church in 511 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:12,280 Thessalonica? We're following their example, 512 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:15,800 friends. That is a good aspiration to 513 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,800 have as a church, that we be a church. 514 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,360 That's an example to other churches. 515 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,760 The church Father John Chrysostom said this about verse 516 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:30,880 7. He said admirable men do not 517 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:35,320 shut up their virtues within themselves, but by their good 518 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:41,360 report benefit many and render them better. 519 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:44,720 That should be the desire of our church. 520 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,560 It should be the desire for us, for our own lives. 521 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:56,680 Parents, do you render your kids better because of your example? 522 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:03,680 Older siblings If you're a Christian, is your example 1 You 523 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:09,040 want your little brother. Or your little sister to follow 524 00:40:10,480 --> 00:40:17,880 suffering St. Are you an example for members 525 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:25,880 in this church to imitate? And if you're not, who are those 526 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:30,160 examples that you can follow? Who are those Saints that you 527 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:33,920 can see walking in the midst of trials and troubles? 528 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:41,640 With the joy of the Holy Spirit, we can at least imitate the 529 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:46,480 example of the Thessalonians. Imitation is inevitable. 530 00:40:47,840 --> 00:40:51,360 If you have kids, you know this. I remember the day when my 531 00:40:51,360 --> 00:40:54,960 oldest daughter started using my very exact same facial 532 00:40:54,960 --> 00:40:58,560 expression. It's like, that is me right 533 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:00,520 there. Who taught her that? 534 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,200 I didn't tell her to do that. She just started doing it. 535 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:08,720 That's what imitations like. We want to be good examples. 536 00:41:10,280 --> 00:41:14,320 There was evidence of grace all over Thessalonica, and it spread 537 00:41:14,560 --> 00:41:17,480 by example into Macedonia and Achaea. 538 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:20,000 In verse 8, though, it goes even further. 539 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:23,480 Look at verse 8. Their faith had gone forth 540 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:28,080 everywhere. Your faith in God has gone forth 541 00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:29,760 everywhere. Paul says. 542 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:33,800 So much so that we need not say anything. 543 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:37,800 Now. Thessalonica had that strategic 544 00:41:37,800 --> 00:41:41,840 port at the Aegean Sea. It was also situated on the East 545 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:46,000 West highway, the Via Agnesia. Meaning that people from all 546 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,320 over the place came through Thessalonica. 547 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:52,320 And when they came through and they heard about this church, 548 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:58,760 they carried the gospel with them, N to Macedonia, S to 549 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,480 Arcadia, all directions, everywhere. 550 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:05,200 Paul says the word sounded forth. 551 00:42:05,720 --> 00:42:10,600 It was like a clap of Thunder, a boom that echoed through the 552 00:42:10,600 --> 00:42:13,080 valleys of Greece. And think about it. 553 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:19,840 This was all without a media campaign, no viral marketing, 554 00:42:20,880 --> 00:42:24,800 without any programs. It was organic, it was 555 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:32,080 inexpensive, it was evangelism. It was so effective that Paul 556 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:35,200 met people in the surrounding regions, and when he brought up 557 00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,000 this church and their faith in God, they said, oh, Paul, we've 558 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:41,440 yeah, we've heard about the Thessalonian church. 559 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:46,040 Thank you, friends. Every local church is charged 560 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:50,640 with this task of receiving the gospel and sending it on like a 561 00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:55,240 telecommunications satellite. You know, the Gospels received 562 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:58,880 and then the message needs to be transmitted back out into the 563 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:03,040 earth. This is God's plan for the 564 00:43:03,040 --> 00:43:06,520 evangelisation of the entire world. 565 00:43:07,760 --> 00:43:11,240 That the gospel creates the local church and then the local 566 00:43:11,240 --> 00:43:14,440 church spreads the gospel and that new churches are birthed 567 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:16,600 and that the cycle repeats itself. 568 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:21,480 That is it, the plan for the salvation of the world through 569 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:27,080 the local church. You know, by God's grace, we can 570 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:31,960 already see examples of the gospel sounding forth from our 571 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:34,200 congregation. Tonight we'll have a sister, 572 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:38,160 Cher, who was only a member with us for three months, and she's 573 00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:41,320 doing gospel ministry across the ends of the earth. 574 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:46,960 You know, by God's grace too, we have a deep bench of gospel 575 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:51,360 preachers in our church already. I don't know, another church, 65 576 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:54,600 members. We have so many brothers who can 577 00:43:54,600 --> 00:43:58,360 faithfully preach the gospel. You hear them every time you 578 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:01,360 come in an evening service. A different brothers up here 579 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:05,800 preaching the same gospel. And Lord willing, over time 580 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:09,560 we'll start to send some of those brothers out, maybe to 581 00:44:09,560 --> 00:44:15,840 Raleigh, maybe to Mebane, maybe to Indonesia, to the ends of the 582 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:19,160 earth. This is God's plan, but it's 583 00:44:19,160 --> 00:44:23,080 also through just ordinary members who are sharing the 584 00:44:23,080 --> 00:44:25,680 gospel in their spheres of influence. 585 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:29,800 So often when I ask a member of this church, how can I pray for 586 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:35,400 you, one of the requests is for boldness as I'm sharing the 587 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:40,840 gospel with my neighbor, with my Co worker, with my family. 588 00:44:41,680 --> 00:44:45,400 This is sign of God's work in our midst. 589 00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:47,840 But it wasn't just their evangelism. 590 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:53,280 The last evidence of grace, he points out, is something he 591 00:44:53,280 --> 00:44:56,560 actually heard from others. Look at verse 9 and 10. 592 00:44:57,440 --> 00:45:00,160 What's the chatter about the Thessalonian church? 593 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:08,000 It's their conversion, for they themselves report concerning us, 594 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:12,000 the kind of reception we had among you and how you turn to 595 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:19,000 God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait 596 00:45:19,360 --> 00:45:25,960 for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who 597 00:45:25,960 --> 00:45:29,080 delivers us from the wrath to come. 598 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,240 Friends, that is a summary of two things. 599 00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:38,720 One, conversion, how someone becomes a Christian, and two, 600 00:45:39,240 --> 00:45:44,800 the gospel, how someone saved. It's beautiful. 601 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:47,240 It's the story of the Thessalonian Church. 602 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:51,760 It's the story of every true Christian. 603 00:45:51,760 --> 00:45:58,520 You are not a Christian unless this has happened to you, that 604 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:01,800 you've turned from God to God, from idols. 605 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:04,160 In Thessalonica, the idols were many. 606 00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:08,080 They were visible. They were made by hand. 607 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:13,320 They were dead. They turned from those idols. 608 00:46:13,640 --> 00:46:15,400 There were social consequences there. 609 00:46:16,360 --> 00:46:18,200 There were economic consequences. 610 00:46:18,840 --> 00:46:22,400 But they knew they were turning from the dead to the living. 611 00:46:22,560 --> 00:46:27,200 They turned from idols to serve the living and true God. 612 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:32,880 They exchanged their loyalties. They didn't place the living God 613 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:35,320 alongside their pantheon of gods. 614 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:41,160 They rejected their dead gods and devoted themselves to the 615 00:46:41,160 --> 00:46:45,120 one true God. And they waited for his Son. 616 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:49,680 Did you notice how Paul describes Jesus four ways? 617 00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:55,480 He's godson from heaven, whom he raised from the dead. 618 00:46:56,880 --> 00:47:03,000 His name is Jesus. He delivers us from the wrath to 619 00:47:03,000 --> 00:47:05,800 come. Friends, that's the gospel. 620 00:47:06,600 --> 00:47:12,160 If you're not a Christian, there was Someone Like You sitting in 621 00:47:12,160 --> 00:47:17,240 the synagogue on the Sabbath in Thessalonica, and they heard 622 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:22,960 that message and they were persuaded, and they were born 623 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:28,160 again. They went that day from dead to 624 00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:31,360 alive. They heard the news that there's 625 00:47:31,360 --> 00:47:37,200 only one true and living God, and that we were made to worship 626 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:42,880 Him and Him alone. And yet all of us have hearts 627 00:47:43,320 --> 00:47:49,240 that are bent towards idolatry. We worship created things, stuff 628 00:47:49,960 --> 00:47:53,320 people, rather than the living God. 629 00:47:53,720 --> 00:48:00,000 And therefore wrath is coming. It's certain. 630 00:48:01,160 --> 00:48:05,520 The day of the Lord is when Christ returns from heaven to 631 00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:10,680 judge the living and the dead. And the only way, friend, to 632 00:48:10,840 --> 00:48:17,600 escape that wrath is to have Jesus himself bear that wrath in 633 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:20,560 your place. And that is what Jesus did on 634 00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:23,760 the cross. He took the wrath of God on 635 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:30,480 himself so that sinners could receive grace and peace. 636 00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:36,600 And if you've trusted in Christ, if you yourself have turned from 637 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:41,280 your idols, repented of your sins, believe that He is alive 638 00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:47,000 today and will return, you too have the same story as the 639 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:51,640 Thessalonians, and you have life in God Himself. 640 00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:57,680 Brothers and sisters, in light of this good news, in light of 641 00:48:57,680 --> 00:49:01,480 the fact that Jesus is coming back again for those He loves 642 00:49:01,640 --> 00:49:06,720 and has chosen, in light of that day, friends, let's keep turning 643 00:49:07,160 --> 00:49:11,840 from idols to serve the living God until He comes. 644 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:17,600 Now the Christian life begins when we turn from idols. 645 00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:26,160 It continues as we keep turning, keep serving, keep waiting for 646 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:29,240 Christ's return. Idols are set before us in our 647 00:49:29,240 --> 00:49:33,440 culture. They demand our obedience, our 648 00:49:33,440 --> 00:49:37,600 allegiance. They promise us everything and 649 00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:43,680 they crush us in the process. They have no life for us, but so 650 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:48,520 many of us. We know we all have idols, but 651 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:50,760 we're not all aware of our idols. 652 00:49:51,240 --> 00:49:54,200 We need the help of brothers and sisters in the church. 653 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:58,200 Meet with a member of the church that you trust and ask them. 654 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:04,920 Help me see my idols so you can keep turning from them. 655 00:50:05,760 --> 00:50:07,360 That's what the Thessalonians did. 656 00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,200 It's what Paul encouraged them to continue doing. 657 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:17,000 Trinity Baptist Church. Imagine if we got a letter in 658 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:20,320 our mailbox. It showed up in the Jameson 659 00:50:20,320 --> 00:50:21,840 house because that's the church office. 660 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:27,560 We opened it up and it was Paul describing our church. 661 00:50:29,960 --> 00:50:33,200 What if this was our letter? Would that not encourage you 662 00:50:34,760 --> 00:50:36,880 that he sees so much grace in our church? 663 00:50:38,720 --> 00:50:41,440 By thanking God for the Thessalonian church in their 664 00:50:41,440 --> 00:50:45,040 hearing, Paul piles on the encouragement. 665 00:50:46,000 --> 00:50:47,640 And in their affliction, they needed it. 666 00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:53,440 He means to inject their hearts so that they're ready for 667 00:50:53,440 --> 00:50:57,160 Christ's return. He's not afraid to point out 668 00:50:57,160 --> 00:51:01,320 every evidence of God's grace in that church. 669 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:08,640 So, friends, Are you ready to speak the language of 670 00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:13,840 encouragement? Our youngest, Piper, she's going 671 00:51:13,840 --> 00:51:16,480 to turn 2 next month. She's learning right now to 672 00:51:16,480 --> 00:51:20,280 speak the English language. Now, we're at the stage now 673 00:51:20,280 --> 00:51:24,040 where if you came over and you heard us talking to her, you 674 00:51:24,040 --> 00:51:25,680 would think this is just gibberish. 675 00:51:25,760 --> 00:51:27,480 But we we can already pick up words, you know? 676 00:51:27,480 --> 00:51:29,840 Oh, you want more oatmeal? OK. 677 00:51:30,040 --> 00:51:31,800 You'd be saying, like, how did you hear that? 678 00:51:32,360 --> 00:51:36,040 She actually strung together her first sentence a couple weeks 679 00:51:36,040 --> 00:51:39,760 ago. No, that's mine. 680 00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:42,400 I'm not kidding. You know, at the same time, 681 00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:46,800 Hannah and I were like, wow, we are sinners, we need Jesus first 682 00:51:46,800 --> 00:51:49,080 sentence. But we're also proud of her. 683 00:51:49,360 --> 00:51:54,200 It's her first sentence. How can we learn the language of 684 00:51:54,200 --> 00:51:58,200 biblical encouragement? There's only one way to learn. 685 00:51:59,600 --> 00:52:04,600 It's to listen. Then it's to start babbling, to 686 00:52:04,600 --> 00:52:09,440 just try to speak it. And friends, Paul was pretty 687 00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:12,640 good at it. It seems he had some practice. 688 00:52:13,200 --> 00:52:16,520 So brothers and sisters, let's practice ourselves. 689 00:52:17,320 --> 00:52:19,680 Let's do that today. Let's pray. 690 00:52:27,600 --> 00:52:32,840 Father, we are eternally grateful that you sent your Son 691 00:52:32,920 --> 00:52:40,080 Jesus, the one who delivers us from the wrath to come. 692 00:52:40,080 --> 00:52:47,720 We have every reason to be encouraged, and we pray that as 693 00:52:47,720 --> 00:52:51,120 our own hearts are encouraged by the good news of the Gospel, 694 00:52:51,560 --> 00:52:55,320 that we would in turn encourage one another. 695 00:52:56,120 --> 00:52:58,680 We pray in Jesus name, Amen.