1Thessalonians 1:6-10
What Salvation Can Do
We have been studying this small book for several weeks and have not gotten out of
the introduction yet. I told you in the introduction, that this is not a heavily
doctrinal book, but it sure is a good book.
Bear in mind that the church of Thessalonica was an infant church. It is not
very old in the Lord, anywhere from a couple of months to a year or so. Also,
remember that did not stay very long at Thessalonica.
However, while there, he did see some won to Christ. As any good Christian
minister would do, he watched those who professed Christ to see if their lifestyle
demonstrated a true possession of Christ. And, after his departure, he continued
to look for the fruit of what Christ does when He saves a soul.
In this section, he is speaking of the things that he has seen in the lives of
these believers.
Let’s review the outline so far and then see the changes that Paul speaks of:
I. \\#1Thess 1:1-2\\ Introduction
II. \\#1Thess 1:3-10\\ Paul’s Knowledge of the Thessalonians
A. \\#1:3\\ Paul knew the Thessalonians’ devotion.
B \\#1:4-5\\ Paul knew of the Thessalonians’ salvation.
C. \\#1:6-10\\ Paul knew of the Thessalonians’ character.
II. \\#1Thess 1:3-10\\ Paul’s Knowledge of the Thessalonians
C. \\#6-10\\ Paul knew of the Thessalonians’ character. If Christ is in the
heart of an individual, it will show. As Paul shares with these young
believers the things he has seen in their lives and ministry, we should
examine our own lives to see if Christ is in us.
1. These are five marks of a sound Christian and a sound church.
a. \\#6\\ They walked the walk; they were CHRISTIAN (Christ-like).
(1) The word CHRISTIAN means CHRIST-LIKE.
(a) Most of the time, when we use the word CHRISTIAN, we are
using it as a noun.
i. "Those people are CHRISTIANS."
ii. In our culture, when we think of Christians, we
think of a group of people who have some religious
affiliation with Jesus.
iii. From that noun definition, we also use the word as
an adjective.
aa. "That is a CHRISTIAN man."
bb. By that, we mean that man has some affiliation
with a religion build around Jesus.
(b) That is not the Biblical use of the word.
i. In the Bible, CHRISTIAN means "a follower of Christ"
or Christ-like.
ii. It is a descriptive term of one’s lifestyle not
their religious affiliation.
(c) There are a lot of individuals and churches which need to
be charged with fraud.
(d) They may be religious, but they are not CHRIST-LIKE and
should not be using the name CHRISTIAN.
(2) "And ye became followers… of the Lord"
(a) Paul is speaking of his relationship with the
Thessalonians and so he mentions himself first in order,
but the real point here is that these young converts were
following the Lord.
(b) Even though they had never seen the Lord, they were
being transformed into His image.
(c) How can this be?
i. It is accomplished through the supernatural work of
the Holy Ghost and it is an inevitable occurrence
in the life of a believer.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
ii. That is, if you get saved, you WILL become like
Jesus.
(3) "And ye became followers of us"
(a) Paul alluded to that in \\#5\\ and will mention it in
much greater detail in \\#2Thess 2:1-12\\.
i. Paul mentions and even encourages those churches he
planted to follow him in this several different
books.
ii. \\#1Cor 4:16, Phi 3:17\\
(b) Most Christians are somewhat hesitant to point to
themselves or any other living person as an example to
follow—and with good cause.
i. A living person can always fail.
ii. At least after they are dead they can’t fail!
iii. But Paul held himself of as an example to follow.
(c) I think Paul was determined that he wasn’t going to fail.
i. Paul had seen the best the world could offer and
worst that that Satan could do, and he had decided
none of it was going to stop him!
ii. He was adamantly determined to finish the course God
has laid out for him—no excuses, no shortcuts, and
no exceptions.
iii. Maybe we need to do the same thing!
aa. What sinful pleasure breathing believers who
model what the changed life is are we
reserving ourselves for?
bb. What threat could Satan hurl at you to make you
quit on God?
(d) If the power of Christ is real, there should be living,
breathing believers who model what the changed life is
supposed to be and we should be able to count on them
while they are alive, as well as, to revere them after
they have joined our Lord.
i. You and I understand this is not hero worship.
ii. This is acknowledging that people need an example to
follow.
iii. A sound church should certainly have men and women
in it that others can look up to and follow without
fear they will be living in sin the next day!
iv. Paul declared that he would be such a Christian.
Will you?
(4) "in much affliction"
(a) We remember the unruly treatment Paul received while in
Thessalonica. \\#Acts 17:1-10\\
(b) But we need to also remember that it wasn’t just Paul.
i. Actually, the angry Jews in that city couldn’t find
Paul so they really never did anything to him but
threaten him.
ii. They did find some of their own citizens and harass
and accuse them.
iii. Remember Jason with whom Paul stayed? And the Bible
adds "and certain brethren."
(c) Hatred, angry, and violence often escalates in time not
abates.
(d) This verse indicates that the Christians in Thessalonica
grew in God’s grace despite having to suffer for the
cause of Christ while they did.
(5) "with joy of the Holy Ghost":
(a) There may have been some pain and some tears but there
was also some joy, given to them by the Holy Ghost.
(b) Isn’t it great how God can thrill the heart of His child
even when things are tough?
(c) Joy is the Holy Ghost’s reward to those who surrender to
Him.
i. So are peace and purpose.
ii. Conviction is the Holy Ghost’s reward to those who
resist Him.
(d) These believers were enjoying God’s reward instead of
God’s chastisement.
b. \\#7\\ They took up the Christian mantle, LEADERSHIP.
(1) "ye were ensamples to all that believe"-These young believers
became examples to other Christians of how to live for Jesus.
(2) This is what Christianity is all about!
(a) Christianity is not about self.
(b) Certainly YOU do need to be saved, and that is God’s
desire for every individual.
(c) But God wants you to get His heart and His heart beats
for OTHERS.
(3) There is something wrong with Christians who do not invest in
the lives of others.
(a) It may be a salvation problem.
(b) If not, it is a "soundness of the heart" problem.
(c) You cannot be sound in doctrine, as an individual or as a
church, and understand your duty to lead others to
Christ and in Christ.
(d) By following Christ they had become both sound Christians
and a sound church.
c. \\#8\\ They did the Christian work, EVANGELISM.
(1) Not only was their silent influence speaking for Christ, but
also their deliberate speech.
(a) Paul says into that same large territory, "you SOUNDED
OUT the word of the Lord."
(b) That phrase SOUNDED OUT means to sound forth, emit,
sound, resound.
(c) These believers weren’t just heeding the Word of God.
They were spreading it.
(2) Again, let us emphasize this is an INFANT church, just a few
months old, with INFANT believers, apparently having LIMITED
TRAINING in the things of God.
(3) Sound Christians will always be witnessing Christians.
(4) We think of world missions being an invention of modern
Christianity, but it isn’t.
(a) Soul wining and missions are knee-jerk responses to being
born again.
(b) The first century church was full of mission-minded, soul
conscious, people.
(c) The Apostle Paul is probably the most popular world
visionary, but there were many others.
(d) Sadly, for centuries the true church was persecuted so
much that it could not organize and reach out to the
boundaries of the globe; but in these last two centuries,
God has granted the church enough peace and prosperity
that it could once again do this great work of God.
(5) May we be found faithful in continuing that task.
(6) \\#8\\ Notice how this process was refining these believers.
(a) Paul said that he "need not to speak any thing" to this
church.
(b) One of the reasons this letter is so short is because
Paul did not have to correct anything they were doing
that was wrong!
(c) These young children in the Lord were maturing at an
amazing rate and without bickering, bitterness,
carnality, or any of the other characteristics common
among many churches.
(d) Not only so, but their godly testimony and influence was
spreading far beyond their city.
i. Macedonia and Achaia were the proper names of the
regions or territories in that part of the world.
ii. In America, all of our large territories have been
divided into individual states, but it would be
like speaking of the South or the West.
iii. An extremely large area of land and people were
being influenced by this infant church.
d. \\#9\\ They modeled the Christian creed, CHANGED.
(1) Paul said, "they turned from idols to serve the living
and true God."
(2) These united believers experienced a dramatic, permanent,
powerful change.
(3) To turn from the worship of many idols to worshipping one God
could not have been an easy thing to for most to do.
(a) These people were reared believing in those gods.
(b) Thessalonica was an important costal and port city.
(c) No doubt every kind of idol one could imagine was there.
(d) And while some may have grown disillusioned with gods who
could not speak, some really believed they were gods.
(4) Yet the Christ that they had never seen was more real to them
that the idols they had spent their whole lives around.
e. \\#10\\ They took the Christian hope, WAITING FOR THE RETURN OF
JESUS CHRIST.
(1) These believers determined to serve until Jesus returned.
(2) That is an interesting thought for they certainly never
figured they might die before Jesus came back.
(3) Hence, the reason for this letter; that is, to explain what
happens to those who are dead when Jesus returns.
2. \\#1Thess 1:10\\ As an additional thought.
a. Notice that Paul says that Christ will deliver us from the "wrath
to come."
b. This promise is repeated later in the book.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
c. Notice that the Scripture here gives us a blanket promise; that is,
the soon-returning Christ will deliver us from future wrath.
(1) Without doubt that means HELL.
(a) Hell is the full wrath of God without mercy.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
(b) And there are references to prove God’s eternal judgment
is the wrath of God. \\#Romans 2:8, 5:9\\.
(2) However, sin in this life brings God’s wrath IN THIS LIFE.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Colossians 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience:
(3) And let us not forget that the tribulation is a time of God’s
wrath.
Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from
the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time
of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto
thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small
and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
d. So which wrath is Paul saying that God will spare us from?
(1) I believe all of them.
(2) The promise is opened ended. God did not place any conditions
on it.
(3) If God is not going to limit His promise, I see no reason to
limit it.
e. So do I believe that this is a promise that Christians will not go
through the tribulation?
(1) I sure do.
(2) The tribulation is a time of God’s wrath and Paul says Christ
will deliver us from God’s future wrath.
(3) Why would we not think God means the tribulation?
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