1Thessalonians 2:1
Paul’s Plan For Church Planting
I. \\#1Thess 1:1-2\\ Introduction
II. \\#1Thess 1:3-10\\ Paul’s Knowledge of the Thessalonians
III. \\#1Thess 2:1-16\\ Paul’s Plan for the Thessalonians
A. \\#1Thess 2:1-12\\ To Plant A Church with Godly Character
B. \\#1Thess 2:13-16\\ The Seed Was Accepted
The first chapter is primarily an introduction to the book, but it also sets
the tone for book. I have mentioned that this book is not abundant in doctrine.
Instead, it shares a good bit of Paul’s heart for this church and his intentions
and work in getting it started.
A question to ask as we consider this section is, "Does the caliber of the
messenger who carries the gospel matter?" I suggest that it does.
I. \\#1Thess 2:1-12\\ To Plant A Church with Godly Character
A. \\#1Thess 1:1\\ "brethren… our entrance in unto you"-Paul is writing
to the saved at Thessalonica, describing his first coming to them.
1. Paul is describing his manner of coming to these people, that is his
character, his behavior.
a. He is saying that even his behavior was not without worth.
b. As the planter of seed to the believers, does it matter what kind
of character the messenger who brings the gospel has?
c. Paul is saying it does! The lifestyle of the messenger has an
effect on the those are hearing the gospel.
2. Their lifestyle and labor together accomplished something great;
namely, a godly and powerful church was started there.
3. Paul has already made mention of the fact that such a church was
started there because of the caliber of the servants who did the
work \\#1Thess 1:5-6, 9\\. He continues that line of thought in
chapter 2.
4. There could be many reasons why Paul would expound so on this truth.
a. The reason could be as simple and straight forward as to say
that it is imperative to have godly servants to produce a
godly work.
b. But it is also possible that Paul’s mind is on this thought
because he was so often slandered, both in his character and
in his calling, as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
B. In this section, Paul describes two things about the ones who brought the
gospel to them.
1. \\#1-6\\ What they were not.
a. \\#2\\ They were not without suffering.
(1) Paul does not elaborate but does refer to both the "suffering"
and the "shameful treatment" received while at Philippi.
(2) \\#Acts 16:12-40\\.
(a) Philippi is the city where Paul started a church through
the home of Lydia, the woman who sold purple.
(b) In that city, another woman who was demon possessed,
followed Paul, mocking him.
(c) After many days of that, Paul cast out the woman’s demon.
(d) For taking away her master’s ability to make money from
her, Paul and Silas was arrested and beaten.
(e) Sitting in jail, Paul and Silas prayed and sang.
(f) God sent an earthquake, opening the doors of the prison
and causing the chains to fall off the prisoners.
(g) The jailer would have killed himself, but no one fled and
Paul lead him to Christ.
(3) In this day of relative peace and safety, we must remember
that suffering for Christ is not the exception, it is the
rule.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.
(4) Our duty is not to get so attached to the things of this
world—including life itself—that we fail to offer ourselves
for suffering if called upon to do so.
b. \\#3\\ They did not come with deceit.
(1) The idea of DECEIT is error or the notion of trying to deceive
with error.
(2) Of course, that is what the Jews would charge them with doing,
teach lies and doing so by using their own Old Testament.
(3) However, there is one thing that the gospel of Jesus Christ
can never be and that is deceitful.
(a) If proclaimed as the Bible teaches, it is always true.
(b) Not one word or teaching of it is erroneous.
c. They did not come with uncleanness.
(1) These men did not come for any immoral or fleshly pleasure.
(2) It is sad but true that some pretend to be preachers to
satisfy their flesh.
(a) There is a certain authority that comes with pastoring
and some crave such power.
(b) It is also true that a carnal person could use such a
position to create immoral situations.
(3) May such wolves perish who would use and abuse a position of
trust created by God in such a way.
d. They did not come with guile.
(1) That is, they did not use trickery.
(2) A truth that some do not understand is that it DOES matter how
you present the truth.
(3) A person cannot be tricked, bullied, or manipulated into being
saved.
(4) God’s command is that we teach and preach the truth, then let
each individual make up his or her mind as to whether they
want Christ or not.
e. \\#4\\ They did not come to please men.
(1) This is such a difficult truth for so many today.
(2) Most people confuse a business with the church.
(a) The goal of any good business is to please the people
who use it.
(b) The goal of the church is to please the God who created
it.
(3) If these two objects happen to run parallel to each other,
well and good.
(4) However, if there is any divergence, the true church will
seek to please the Father.
(5) For the most part, preaching at Green Pond Baptist is easy.
(a) The reason for that is, at least in my opinion, what
pleases God pleases the people also.
(b) That has not always been the case with everyone in the
church.
(c) It is a blessing that should neither be taken for granted
nor given up.
f. \\#5\\ They did not come with flattering words.
(1) Paul no doubt knew how to flatter.
(2) He just chose not to.
(3) Paul called himself "rude in speech."
2Cor 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been
throughly made manifest among you in all things.
(4) Since God makes it clear that He hates human pride, playing
to a person’s ego is not the way to build a church.
g. They did not come with covetousness in their hearts.
(1) The goal of these church planters was not what they could
gain but what they could give.
(2) Like so many who start in a noble work, many who present the
gospel are consumed by greed.
(3) Such preachers look at the people of God like a meat market
and not as a place to serve.
(4) The Apostle Peter ties several of these thoughts together.
2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not.
(a) Notice that he dies the covetous heart with the false
words of the those who want to line their wallets.
(b) Peter also pronounces judgment on those who are guilty
of this behavior.
h. \\#6\\ They did not come to seek glory.
(1) The work of God was not for self promotion.
(2) The glory was to go to the Lord not to men.
i. They did not come to be a burden to the people.
(1) Paul and the other church planters could have expected this
infant church to care for them.
(2) But Paul purposed in his heart to be nothing but a blessing
to those to whom he was ministering.
2Cor 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for
that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied:
and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so
will I keep myself.
2. What they were.
a. \\#4\\ They were "entrusted with the gospel."
(1) Paul consider his ministry a scared "trust," and he carried
out his duties accordingly.
(2) To handle the gospel IS a holy trust.
(3) This is a lost truth to many preachers today.
(4) This Book is the Key to heaven and the lock to hell.
(a) Does it matter what kind of conduct those who carry it
have?
(b) Does it matter how those who profess to believe it live?
(c) You bet your life and the eternal lives of those who
need it that it does!
(5) Do not break this holy trust!
(a) When someone is made the guardian of a trust, they may
either honor the trust placed in them or rob the trust
blind.
(b) There are very few safeguards which one can place on
such a situation.
(c) That is why they call it a TRUST.
(d) We must be honorable enough to honor the trust God has
placed in us.
b. \\#7-8\\ They were gentle, even as a caretaker would care for her
children.
(1) Gentleness is not typically how we think of Paul—or even
Jesus Christ for that matter.
(a) We think of both of them standing up against the enemies
of the gospel.
(b) And they did.
(c) Paul describes them later in this chapter.
1Thess 2:15 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:
16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up
their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
(2) But to the majority of people, both those who accepted their
message AND those who listened and simply rejected it, they
were gentle and loving.
(3) Why? Because love not wrath is the spade God has given us to
plant the gospel!
(4) Parts of the message of Christ are difficult and should not
be compromised.
(5) But the message need not be made more difficult by the
harshness of those who bear the gospel.
c. \\#9\\ They worked to present the message by day and to provide
for themselves by night.
(1) For those who will not make God’s people a source of revenue.
there is little alternative but to work.
(2) It is not wrong for God’s people to provide for God’s
servants. In fact, it is the right thing to do.
1Cor 9:4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles,
and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the
milk of the flock?
8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is
written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth
in hope should be partaker of his hope.
11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall
reap your carnal things?
12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless
we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the
gospel of Christ.
(3) Paul just wanted to give the churches he started every
opportunity possible to be a holy, righteous, faith-based
church.
d. \\#10\\ They walked righteously.
(1) In my opinion, this verse contains the best definition of
righteousness in the Bible.
(2) They behaved…
(a) "holy"-Without blame before God
(b) "justly"-Without blame before the Law
(c) "unblameably"-Without blame before any person
e. \\#11\\ They preached and taught faithfully, as a father teaches
his son.
(1) These ambassadors of the gospel not only walked right, but
they proclaimed the truth as well.
(a) "exhorted"-taught
(b) "comforted"-encouraged
(c) "charged"-passed the responsibility to
(2) Notice the tenderness of how they did this-"as a father
doth his children."
C. \\#12\\ They did all of these things, although they could have made things
easier on themselves with moral short cuts, that they might know to these
convert how to walk worthy of God and His calling.
II. \\#1Thess 2:13-16\\ The Seed Was Accepted
A. Whether one agrees with the way Paul conducted his ministry or not, it
worked.
B. Three powerful things happened during Paul and his group’s stay in
Thessalonica.
1. \\#13\\ They received the word of truth, that is, the word which Paul
preached to them.
2. They received it AS the Word of God.
a. Truth is always important but there is a different in receiving
something as truth and receiving as God’s Word.
b. One plus one equals two.
(1) That is truth.
(2) But it does not hold the degree of respect and obedience that
the Word of God holds.
3. They let that Word work EFFECTUALLY in them.
a. The word means to produce an effect within them.
b. The Word of God took hold on them and changed their lives.
We can sum up Paul’s plan for church planting in a few words-a holy, righteous,
loving proclamation of the Word of God. That is how the first New Testament
churches were planted and if we are to build onto the work of this community, it
is must be our plan as well.
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