Let's read from God's Word, First Thessalonians chapter 2,
and we're going to read verse 13 right down to verse 20.
Once again, First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the
Thessalonians, chapter 2, and we'll read from verse 13.
Let's hear the Word of God reading from the Authorised
Version. The words will come up on screen
for those online. We've said many times for those
who don't have a copy of the Bible, if you would like a copy,
contact us and we'll happily send you one free.
Wherever you're tuning in from, please have a desire to read the
Scriptures. That's your God's word.
First Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 13.
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when
you received the word of God, which you heard of us, you
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the
word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe. For ye brethren became followers
of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus.
For you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen,
even as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us.
And they please not God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved to fill
up their sins all way. For the wrath has come upon them
to the uttermost. But we brethren, been taken from
you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great
desire, Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul once
and again. But Satan hindered us.
For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?
Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ that is
coming, for ye are our glory and joy.
Amen. We know the Lord will stamp with
His own approval and blessing this reading of His own precious
and infallible Word this morning as we continue with our series
of expository sermons in the book of Thessalonians.
My text today is taken from First Thessalonians chapter 2,
verses 14 through to 16. Let's read it together.
For ye brethren became followers of the churches of God, which in
Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews,
who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets and have
persecuted us. And they please not God and our
country to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that
they might be saved to fill up their sins always, for the wrath
has come upon them to the uttermost.
Now that's my text for today. First Thessalonians chapter 2
verses 14 through the 16. And here's the theme the Saints
perseverance despite suffering persecution.
The Saints perseverance despite suffering persecution.
Now, if you look carefully at this text of Scripture, you will
notice a number of important things.
One, the suffering Saints being persecuted.
If you look with me at verse 14, it says the be part of the
verse, for ye also have suffered like things of your own
countrymen. And then we'll come into verse
15 and it says and have persecuted us.
Notice the 2 words here. Verse 14 suffered and then the
word 15 persecuted. The suffering Saints being
persecuted. You see, this is a reference to
the personal experiences of the Christian in the church at
Thessalonica. So we'll ask the question, what
does it mean to suffer like things?
What does it mean to be persecuted?
Now you think of the reality of this persecution.
It means to suffer and experience the common trials of
life. All men and women experience
trials and troubles on life's journey, no matter who they are,
no matter what they do or their station in life.
It's the common lot of us all what we'll call normal human
suffering. Sickness times.
You get the flu and the cold. Pain, illness, disease,
bereavement, disappointments, hurts.
Who amongst us hasn't suffered hurts, Depressions, many of
God's people are suffering mental anguish, Tragedies that
come into your life that devastate us, Calamities and
even death. These things that I've mentioned
suffered like things. These things are all part and
parcel of living and being in a fallen, sinful humanity.
And these trials and troubles can all be traced back to Eden,
traced back to the fall of man into the state of sin and
misery. Now everybody has to deal with
trials and troubles. Everybody has to learn to face
them, to to cope with them on the journey of life.
Listen to what Peter says there in first Peter chapter one that
says for N ye greatly rejoiced, though now for a season, if need
be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, That where
temptation means trials, that the trial of your faith be much
more precious than of gold that perisheth, that will be tried
with fire, might be found unto prayers and honour and glory at
the appearing of Jesus Christ. Now let me say this, I'm
repeating something. Trials and troubles are part and
parcel of the Christian life in this world.
There will always be trials and troubles in this life.
They're not done away with when you become a Christian.
There's no such thing as a trouble free life.
And those who preach and teach you can do away with all trials
and troubles in this life. You can have a trouble free
life, especially after you become a Christian.
Well, they're not living in reality, they're not living in
the real world. They're they're really living in
cloud cuckoo land. Listen carefully.
They will always be trials and troubles in this life.
Trials and troubles in this life are the common lot of men and
women, and they will continue until I believe the Lord Jesus
Christ returns in power and in glory and removes these common
ills from us. Now that's one shade of meaning.
That's what the word suffered like things means and have
persecuted us. But there's more.
Look again at the words suffered like things and have persecuted.
See, it's more than suffering the common trials and troubles
of life. The context here is important.
It's wider. It's broader, you see, to be
exact, suffered like things and have persecuted us.
It is being persecuted because we are Christians, because we're
born again of the Holy Spirit, because we are saved, because we
belong to the Lord. And in this sense, suffering
like things and purse being persecuted is unique.
It's different. You're talking about the
suffering and persecution of the Christian and that's unique and
that's different. So that's the reality of the
persecution. Notice secondly here, the reason
for this persecution. Notice the word in verse 15 and
have persecuted us. The verb persecuted stands out,
but what does it mean? If you look at the margin, it
actually literally means chased us out.
Now, what do you think of Paul preaching?
And Paul comes in to certain towns and villages and he starts
speaking to certain Jews. And these Jews react, not them
all, but some of them. And Paul says they chased us
out. Notice verse 15 for the context,
who both killed. He mentioned the word Jews in
verse 14 who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own
prophets and have persecuted us. That means chased us out, driven
us out of the towns and villages we were in, put us to flight.
So let's link it up Now. Verse 14 suffered like things of
your own countrymen speaking to the Thessalonians.
That goes beyond the trials and troubles of life.
It is being persecuted and made to suffer because you're a
Christian. You see, true believers are made
to suffer, persecuted because of the simple fact that they are
Christian. It means God's people are hated,
despised, not wanted in the world.
Think of the suffering as a true believer.
You're not wanted. Family disowns you.
You're put out of the house. The Reverend Larry Parr,
remember, that's what happened to him down in the South of
Ireland after he got converted. Family cuts you out of the will.
You're bypassed for promotion in your job.
The boss has a particular problem with you, you see, and
these experiences are real. These experiences hurt you, lose
your job. Think of those that have been
published school teachers and dismissed from teaching because
they're Christian, because of their Christian views and
beliefs, or or it has happened to lectures in the Christian
college. Think of being businesses
dragged to court because of alleged discrimination against
LGTE Plus because you refuse to recognise and accept
transgender. Think of those who've been
arrested in the street for preaching the gospel.
Think of those who've been arrested in the street for
silently praying outside so-called abortion clinics.
Think of being threatened as we have as a church with losing tax
exemption status and gifted. Think of those who've been
denied the use of a particular venue to host a Christian event.
You see, this persecution is real.
Here's the reason for it. It has always existed and now
it's began in earnest in real minor ways and it's going to
grow. It's going to intensify.
And and we get asked the question, what will happen to
the church, the true Church of Jesus Christ, when it faces real
intense persecution, Persecution that's life changing,
Persecution that's life threatening.
Being gaoled for being a Christian as they do in foreign
fields, homes repossessed, children taken into care because
the authorities say you're not fit to look after them because
you're influencing them for God. And the gospel church is closed.
You're told you can't publicly attend worship.
See, the apostle Paul is reminding the Christians at
Thessalonica of what happened to him and his team.
And because of this persecution, they were chased out of the
territory of Judea. The unbelieving Jews did this.
Look what they did to the Lord Jesus.
They killed the Lord Jesus. Look what they did to their own
prophets. If you come to Hebrews Chapter
11 with me for a minute, look at Hebrews Chapter 11 and it says
there, if we read from the verse 32, Hebrews Chapter 11 and it
says in verse 32 these words, And what shall I more say?
For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barrack,
and of Samson, and of Jephthah, of David also and Samuel and of
the prophets. They listened to these words,
who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, stunt the mouths of lions, quenched the
violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of
weakness were made strong. Wax, valiant in fight, turned to
flight. The armies of the aliens.
Women received their dead race to life again.
And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they
might obtain a better resurrection.
And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging, Yeah,
moreover, of bonds and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were soaring asunder, they were
tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in
sheepskins and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented,
of whom the world was not worthy, they wandered in deserts
and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise. God having provided something
better for us that they without us should not be made perfect.
We could ask why? The answer is this.
The lifestyle and presence of the true Christian in the home,
in the workplace, in society is a condemnation of the sin of the
ungodly. The experience of the Christian
life being born again is a big exposure to the sin of the
ungodly, and therefore they do not want the true Christian
around them. Their godliness is an exposure
of their sinful lifestyle. And that's exactly what Paul
emphasised to young Timothy. He says to young Timothy in
Second Timothy chapter 3 and in the verse 10.
But thou has fully known my doctrine, manner of life,
purpose, faith, long-suffering, charity, patience, persecutions
and afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at
Lystra, what persecutions I endured, but out of them all the
Lord delivered me. Think of Paul and his team now,
and they suffered for Christ's sake.
In fact, he tells us they are in Acts 14, and in the verse 19.
And there came hit her certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people of having stoned Paul, drew him out
of the city, supposing he had been dead.
Can you think of these unbelieving Jews coming to
Thessalonica? And they persuade the people,
let's stone Paul. They stoned him that they
thought he was dead. They dragged his body out of the
city. They were ruthless, they were
mad, they hated him. They supposed he was dead.
You see, there was an intense hatred to Paul and his team.
Let me just point something out that this is not a new thing.
Remember what we read in first John chapter 3 and in the verse
12? Not as Cain who was of that
wicked 1 and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him
because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous
marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you see, it's not a
new thing. It's been around from the
beginning. Cain was of the wicked one.
And what did Cain do? Cain slew his brother.
Why? Because his brother was godly,
godly Abel and the godly life of Abel exposed the evil lifestyle
of his brother Cain. And another reason was because
of the the nature of Cain's offering.
Read Genesis 4 see it's connected to the context of
worship and and offering to the Lord.
Evil offered according to divine revelation.
He offered the blood of the Lamb.
God was pleased with his sacrifice.
God testified of his gift. God accepted as as Abel offered
the Lamb. God accepted.
And and that offering of the Lamb was a gospel offering.
It pointed to Christ. It pointed to the cross.
We could say thank you, Lord, for the cross.
But Cain's offering was rejected by God.
Why? Because it was bloodless,
Because it was not according to divine revelation.
Because it was not acceptable to God.
You see, here's the heart of the religions of the world.
It's a workspace righteousness. It's a place for man's good
works and religiosity and ability.
A man to have prayed in his work.
And yet the Bible says for by grace you see it through faith
and not not of yourselves. It's not of works lest any man
should boast. It's not the church that see us,
it's Christ. And yet how many thousands who
profess the name of Christ have pride in a certain lifestyle,
pride in their own ability, pride in their works, pride in
their church? But that's not the true ground
of salvation. The true ground is the personal
work of Christ. The true ground is the shed
blood of Christ. Godly living always exposes sin
in a fallen world. I remember when I got converted
at the age of 18. Workmates.
They refused me to be in their company.
We run a boat in a gang of fellas.
There's about 20 of us, and we did a lot of things together
that I would be ashamed of now. But after I got converted, they
didn't want to know. When I was in one side of
Coleraine Street, they crossed to the other.
McLaughlin has got good living or McLaughlin has saw the light.
You got to think this morning the reality of this persecution.
You got to think of the reason for it.
You got to think of the root of this persecution.
Notice verse 15, 16, preventing us to speak to the Gentiles that
they might be saved. Here's the deep root of it all.
It was to prevent the preaching and proclamation of the gospel.
The gospel is seen as a threat. It was in the 1st century and
the gospel is still seen as a threat to an ungodly world.
He says here in the text and have persecuted us.
Remember what that means? We were forced to flee.
Cast us out. It goes together.
This is real and here's the reason.
Godly living exposes their sinful life.
And here's the root that they might not preach in His name.
That's the ultimate agenda to stop the preaching of the
gospel. It's universal.
A sinful, ungodly man does not want the gospel preached.
That's why John says the whole world lies in the lap of
wickedness. The devil's at the back of it.
Notice the unbelieving Jew and Gentile coming together to
display a united, universal, unique opposition to what?
To the gospel, to prevent the preaching of the gospel.
And it's not what's happening today.
The abortion lobby, the LGBT plus lobby, the transgender
lobby, the loony left, the woke lobby, all backgrounds, all
beliefs coming together. And they've got a common agenda.
And what is the common agenda to to stop the preaching of the
gospel, to stop the exposure of a sinful lifestyle.
Notice who killed the Lord Jesus?
Notice who killed the prophets? And as they've done this to
Christ and to his prophets, then Paul adds and have persecuted
us, they've cast us out too. They go after his people.
This persecution, it flows out of an intense hatred for the
gospel and the Lord Jesus. Notice also quickly the results
of this persecution to fill up their sins always.
That's one of the reasons for the wrath has come upon them to
the uttermost. God waits and the Sinner rebels.
God watches as the Sinner fills up the sin bin in their life.
God's wrath to the sinners appointed by God.
The sinners storing up wrath against the day of wrath.
And the true believer has to learn to trust that God will
judge those who persecute His people.
The suffering sins being persecuted.
Notice quickly the suffering Saints believingly persevering.
You see, these suffering Saints were not alone.
It's true we suffer because we're true Christians.
It's true we have trials and troubles that hurt us.
But we're not alone. We're all in this together.
How do we endure persecution? Look at verse 13 for a a a a
link up. It says which he effectually
worketh also in you that believe, for ye brethren became
followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in
Christ Jesus. The word of God continues to
work. See the word of God not only
converts us, but the work of God.
The word of God continues to work in our heart.
The word worketh this present continuous sense for ye
brethren. See the word of God doesn't work
in a vacuum, it goes on working. It not only converts the Sinner,
but it continually and effectively goes on working in
the soul, drawing the centre more evidence of the power of
the word of God in his life. And here's the ultimate evidence
for you became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea
are in Christ Jesus and the word followers there means imitators.
That's a reference to a mimic or a main actor.
You're in the world of theatre now.
A mimic sets out a story using bodily actions as hands, as
feet, his his body, his his fears.
But he does not resound. Now the word followers doesn't
just mean to copy, it's more it means to to imitate, mimicking
behaviour, mimicking speech, mimicking actions.
The word follower here is not a hypocrite.
A hypocrite's a different word. A hypocrite's a play actor.
He's acting out a part. He's putting on a show, but
that's not real. It's not genuine.
He's just playing a part. He's pretending to play a
particular role. The word follower doesn't mean
that The word follower doesn't mean he's acting out a role.
No, a true follower means he's imitating.
It means a a true likeness of another person.
The follower takes on the nature of that person.
The follower takes on the speech of that person.
The the follower takes the lifestyle of that person that
he's imitating. Notice followers of the churches
of God in Judea. Where was the churches of God in
Judea? There were 1000 miles and more
from Thessalonanka. There's one new church in
Thessalonanka and they followed and imitated the churches in
Judea. You see, it's a reference to
their spiritual life. It's a reference to their
spiritual beliefs. It's a reference to their
spiritual behaviour. We have believers in Mexico,
Reverend Jason Boyle, he's been at our church.
We have folks in Nepal, we think of Reverend Paul Fappa.
We have folks in Australia, we folks in the Philippines, think
of Noel Stevenson there, Marian Gatti's there at the minute.
And in that world, whether it's in Mexico, Nepal, Australia, the
Philippines, you've got a world of true believers.
And we could go there and you could evidence their new life in
Christ and what it resides and us resides in the end, because
they're born again of the Spirit and they have the same spiritual
life, the same spiritual likeness.
And that's always true of all the people of God.
The Lord's people will be like one another in a spiritual
sense. The Lord's people will have a
love for true righteousness the world over.
The the Lord's people will be hatred for sin the world over.
The the Lord's people will want to live and serve the Lord Jesus
Christ. In the Gospel, the the the
Lord's people want to live a life of holiness unto God, a
life of separation unto God. Why?
Why is this the same? Well, here's the answer.
Because the life of God is in the soul, Because they've been
born again of the Spirit, because Christ is in them the
hope of glory. Because the word of Gods at work
in their heart and life. See, that's true the whole world
over. God calls us to be saved.
God calls us to be separate unto the gospel.
God calls us to a life of sanctification and holiness.
God calls us to a life of service.
And he's called us to live differently from the ungodly.
And this applies, this following, this imitation
applies to so many areas of our lives.
Remember what the apostle Paul says in First Corinthians
Chapter 11. He says, be ye followers of me
even as I also am of Christ. What a tremendous text of
Scripture. It's the same word imitators.
Remember he said in Ephesians, be there for followers of God as
dear children. Ephesians chapter 5 verse one
the suffering Saints believingly persevere.
Why? Because they are Saints, they're
followers. Notice also lastly, the
suffering Saints Brotherhood proclaimed.
If you go back to our text again, look at something that
maybe already has caught your eye.
Perhaps it hasn't, but I'll hopefully be able to point this
out. It says for ye brethren became
followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in
Christ Jesus. OK, come down to the verse 17,
it says, but we brethren been taken from you for a short time,
so we'll pause. Notice the word brethren.
It's a reference to a brother in the singular.
The word brethren is a reference to a brother in the plural.
It's used 346 times in the Bible.
It has a wide and huge meaning. It's a reference to people with
national identity. It's a reference to people who
are neighbours. It's a reference to people who
share a common interest in calling.
It's a reference to people in a generic way, male and female.
So when the Word of God is saying about brethren, it's not
ignoring the sisters, it's not ignoring the young people, it's
not ignoring the female. The word brethren is used in a
generic way, and the word brethren is used about men and
women and young people who are believers.
Look at First Thessalonians chapter one, verse 4.
Knowing brethren, beloved, your election of God.
It's a reference to people who are the Lord's people, for ye
know, brethren, beloved, your election of God.
The Bible says in First Peter chapter 2 verse 17, honour all
men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honour the King.
The word brotherhood is white enough to include all of those
things that I've mentioned. People with a national identity,
people who are neighbours, people who share a common
interest in calling people male and female regardless of either
gender. There only is 2 male and female
and it's also used of men and women and young people who are
brothers in Christ. Honour all men, love the
brotherhood, fear God, honour the King.
The brotherhood is a reference to the Lord's people, to
brothers and sisters in Christ. You're born of the same spirit
washed in the blood, who of the same nature believes in
lifestyle. Christians united together with
a common bond. Remember, our bodies are tied
back to Adam. We're made in the image of God.
And that's one of the things that is unique to human beings,
isn't it? We all have souls, and where
does our souls come from? Our souls come from God.
When God made Adam from the dust of the ground, he breathed into
his nostrils the breath of life, and Adam became a living soul.
And the transmission of the soul is from father to son as far as
human generation is concerned. And here's another chord that
unites us. We have new life in Christ.
Remember Paul says in Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse
17, Second Corinthians 5 and verse 17.
He, he tells us here, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he's a
new creature. All things are passed away and
behold, all things are become new and all things are of God.
And over there in the book of Romans, in Romans chapter 8 and
in verse 29, we read these words, Romans 8 and verse 29.
For whom he did? For no, He also did
predestinate, to be conformed to the image of a son, that He
might be the first born among many brethren.
Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also
called. And whom He called them, He also
justified them. He justified them.
He also glorified. They will pause there.
We are spiritual brothers and sisters.
We're part of a brotherhood of believers.
Now let me ask this as we wrap things up this morning.
Do you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ?
Are you part of this worldwide brotherhood of believers?
The suffering Saints brotherhood is proclaimed here.
He, he deliberately uses the word brethren and it's used
ultimately and primarily in the sense of being united to Christ,
not just because we have bodies made in the image of God, not
just because we have immortal souls living in those bodies,
but because we have new life in Christ.
So I'm asking, are you in union with Christ?
Are you in communion and fellowship with him?
Do you know him as Lord and Saviour?
Because part of this brotherhood that's proclaimed is not just
about being a brother. Notice also the reference here.
If you go back to Thessalonians, it says here for you brethren
became followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in
Christ Jesus. There's a body here and he has
already told us, knowing brethren, beloved, your election
of God, we've been elected to eternal life.
God has chosen us out of the world.
God has called us to himself in time.
God has cleansed us in the precious blood.
God has counselled us in life's journey and right living.
God cares for us. God comforts us.
See, many people don't believe in election.
They, they tell us, I don't believe in election.
And yet here it is knowing brethren, beloved, you're,
you're election of God. And we've got to accept what the
Bible teaches us. And, and, and there was the
churches of God in Judea. They had been elected of God and
the Church of God in Thessalonica and in Philippi,
and they had been elected of God and they were all one in Christ
Jesus. There there was one body of
people, even though they met in local places there, there was
one universal church. I know that today there's those
who deny the blood atonement. I know there's those who deny
the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, those who deny heaven
and Hell's reality, those who deny the Bible.
But I have to be honest, I don't really accept those individuals
as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Or they may be a neighbour, they may have a national identity
like me, they they may share common interest in calling with
me. But I can't really accept such
as a brother, certainly not a brother in Christ who's in union
and fellowship, if he denies these fundamental truths
connected to the gospel. Because if we finish with this
thought, think of the word church here.
It's a reference to ecclesia called out of the world, called
to repentance and called to faith in Christ.
And it's not only a called out, but it's, it's a call to come
together and, and you come together every Sunday to be a
witness to to stand together in a wicked world.
You come together to worship God, come together to wait on
him to be ministered by the offering of praise and prayer
and through the preaching of the word.
See, that's all bound up in this particular text of Scripture.
The suffering Saints being persecuted, the suffering Saints
believingly persevering, they're followers.
Are you a follower today and that you're imitating because
you've got new life in Christ and the suffering Saints
brotherhood is proclaimed. You're part of this worldwide
brotherhood. You can identify with those in
the Thessalonians, identify with those in Judea, identify with
Mexico and Philippines and Australia and Nepal.
Why? Because we're one in Christ.
We have new life in Him, and therefore, because we're in
Christ, we're part of the body of Christ and we share that
common name. May the Lord bless you today,
and may the Lord bless His word to our hearts.