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The hope of Paul… (5 things)
- 1st – Paul gave thanks for the church… vs. 13 (2 points)
- 1st – Why Paul gave THANKS…
- For this REASON – Paul thanked God (prayed) for the church…
- The REASON was because they church had RECEIVED the Gospel message…
- Paul was not praying because they had problems – but because things were going well!
- Too often in life we only pray when things are falling apart – trial / troubles…
- Yet the reason why we face trials – is because we get our eyes off Jesus…
- Why wait till everything has gone wrong – pray while things are going right…
- That way we keep our eyes on Jesus – and avoid having to go through the trials!
- 2nd – How often did Paul give THANKS – (present/indicative) …
- Without ceasing – uninterrupted / without a break – would might say NON-STOP!
- Paul was not offering up the occasion prayer – he was ALWAYS praying for them!
- Prayer is often treated as a ritual – part of what God expects a Christian to do…
- As if somehow if we recite some words to God once or twice a day – it is enough…
- But prayer should be a CONSTANT conversation with our Father in heaven…
- How can we have a relationship with God – if we never take the time to talk to Him…
- Telling Him about our day – getting to know the God who created us…
- Prayer is not something we do – it is the definition of how we live our life!
- I Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing [same word] …”
- 1st – Why Paul gave THANKS…
- 2nd – How the church RECEIVED the Word… vs. 13 (3 points)
- 1st – They RECEIEVED the WORD of God by hearing – HEARD from us…
- Paul and company had spoken the WORD so that they could HEAR the Gospel message…
- Acts 8:35 – “Then Philip opened his mouth…”
- So often we are nervous about sharing our faith with others…
- We think we need to have all the answers to all the questions…
- It is God who speaks through us the words that are needed – Matthew 10:19
- All we need to do is be willing to open our mouths – share Jesus!
- Our job in being a part of the work of God – is simply to open our mouths!
- Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God…”
- 2nd – WELCOMED it NOT as the word of men – but as TRUTH…
- Notice the contrast that Paul defines here – the word of MEN and TRUTH…
- He is making a not so subtle reference to the FACT that the words of MEN are NOT truth!
- We live in a world that would love to question TRUTH – there are no absolutes…
- What is right for you / may not be what is right for me – everything is RELATIVE…
- Event Pontius Pilate famously said to Jesus – What is Truth – John 18:38
- It does not matter what MEN say – the only place where we can find TRUTH is in the WORD!
- Romans 3:4 – “Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.”
- John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” – also Psalm 119:160
- 3rd – The WORD that EFFECTIVLY works…
- EFFECTIVLY WORKS is one word in the Greek – energeo – where we get the word ENERGY…
- The WORD gives ENERGY to those who BELIEVE – the ENERGY to live for God…
- Philippians 2:13 – “It is God who works [same word] in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure…”
- If you plug a TV into a tree – nothing happens – there is no ENERGY…
- In the same way we often try and plug our lives into ANYTHING but God…
- We will be left to. wonder why we have no ENERGY – why we are always in the dark!
- We cannot serve in our own power – we would be doomed to fail!
- It is because only when we plug into the WORD – that we have the ENERGY to live for God!
- 1st – They RECEIEVED the WORD of God by hearing – HEARD from us…
- 3rd – The RESULT of receiving the Word… vs. 14 (2 points)
- 1st – They became IMMITATORS of the churches in Judea… vs. 14
- IMMITATORS – used 7x in NT – means to copy or mimic – to follow the EXAMPLE…
- The believers in Thessalonica had already become imitators of Paul – I Thessalonians 1:6
- But they also were now following the EXAMPLE of the churches in JUDEA (in Christ Jesus) …
- The churches in JUDEA were older – where the Gospel was first preached – Acts 1:8
- They were more MATURE and therefore became an example to the younger churches!
- 2nd – The EXAMPLE they followed…
- What EXAMPLE did the church in Thessalonica follow – SUFFERING…
- SUFFERING is not unexpected in the Christian walk – it is a GUARANTEE – John 16:33
- I Peter 4:12 – “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you…”
- The obvious question is why our loving God would allow us to SUFFER…
- I Peter 1:7 – “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is TESTING by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…”
- Silver is refined by putting it into the heat of an intense fire…
- The fire draws out the impurities of the silver so they can be removed…
- The smith knows the silver is pure when he can see his reflection!
- Jesus puts allows us to SUFFER to draw out the impurities from our life (sin)…
- He knows when we are done – because He sees His reflection in our lives!
- We want God to use us – we want to draw closer to the Lord…
- But we will find that before God can work through us – He first has to work in us!
- 3rd – How they SUFFERED…
- At the hands of their own countrymen – only here NT – from the same tribe / family…
- When we stand up for Jesus – often those who are closest give us the hardest time…
- If our family is not walking with Jesus – their priorities are different…
- They might argue we should live more for the world – than for the Lord…
- Spend less time at church / Bible studies – more time earning money…
- One of the hardest places to stand for Jesus is with our family!
- Matthew 10:36 – “A mans enemies will be those of his own household.’”
- NOT that it was easy to be attacked by family…
- And I am sure they thought there SUFFERING at the hands their COUNTRYMEN was bad…
- But for perspective Paul reminds them just how hard the churches in JUDEA had it…
- As bad as the COUNTRYMEN in Thessalonica might have been – they were NOT the Jews!
- At the hands of their own countrymen – only here NT – from the same tribe / family…
- 1st – They became IMMITATORS of the churches in Judea… vs. 14
- 4th – The JEWS who RESISTED the Word…. vs. 15-16 (8 points)
- 1st – They KILLED the Lord Jesus…
- Matthew 27:25 – “All the people… said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’”
- There are some who point to this fact and state – because of this God has rejected the Jews!
- While it is true that there were SOME Jews who cried out CRUCIFY…
- That does not mean that ALL Jews are responsible for the death of Christ…
- ALL of the Apostles and EVERYONE in the church up to Acts 10 were Jews!
- God has not rejected Israel – Romans 11:1 – Jews were/are still being saved!
- God promised the nation of Israel would always be His people – Jeremiah 31:36
- 2nd – They KILLED the prophets…
- Steven – shortly before he was martyred – pointed out this VERY fact…
- Acts 7:51-52 – “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One [Jesus], of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers…”
- 3rd – They PERSECUTED Paul and his companions…
- PERSECUTED – only 2x NT (Luke 11:49) – a word that means to drive out…
- Paul loved the Jews – there was nothing he would not do to help save them – Romans 9:3
- Paul would be thrown in prison AT LEAST five different times – II Corinthians 11:23-28
- Five times Paul was scourged with 39 lashes – three times beaten with Rods…
- Once Paul was stoned to death – Acts 14:9 – but God brought Him back…
- Paul was willing to go to prison – scourged and beaten – even stoned for Jesus!
- The way to find out how valuable something is – how much would you pay for it…
- It is easy to serve the Lord if it costs us nothing – no PERSECUTION…
- But how many people are willing to go to prison in order to serve the Lord…
- How valuable is the Lord to us – what are we willing to give up for Jesus!
- 4th – They do NOT please God…
- The thought here is NOT that they did NOT want to please God …
- They just were going about it in a way that was NOT working – PERSECUTING believers!
- Even Paul / then Saul – used to blaspheme and PERSECUTE believers – Acts 26:11
- Because he thought he was PLEASING God by PERSECUTING the Christians…
- But there is only ONE way to PLEASE God – and that is by putting faith in Jesus Christ!
- Hebrews 11:6 – “Without faith it is impossible to please [same root] Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him…”
- 5th – They are CONTRARY to ALL men…
- CONTRARY – used 8x NT – being opposed to – often used of a strong wind – Matthew 14:24
- Because these Jews rejected Jesus – they instead joined OPPOSING team…
- In other words – there are ONLY two options – you are either for God or against Him!
- There is no grey – if we are for Jesus then we are against Him!
- We either belong to the TEAM God – or we belong to TEAM satan!
- Luke 11:23 – “He who is not with Me is against Me, he who does not gather with Me scatters.”
- 6th – They FORBID the Gospel to be given to gentiles…
- They were so convinced of their RELIGION – they openly opposed the message of the Gospel…
- You either conformed to the Jewish faith – are you were WRONG…
- Before Paul was arrested at the Temple in Acts 22 – he shared his testimony with the crowd…
- They listened intently – up until he said that God would send him to the GENTILES…
- Acts 22:22 – “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!”
- Jesus would say much the same things of the Pharisees – saying Woe unto you…
- Matthew 23:13 – “For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men…”
- We live in a community where many are very hardened towards the Gospel…
- Because they have been indoctrinated in a lifetime of traditions and superstitions…
- And they are proud and think RELIGION is enough to get them into heaven…
- When you dare to challenge those beliefs – we immediately come under fire!
- 7th – They ALWAYS fill up their sins…
- That same RELIGION left them with a HUGE problem – their sins kept FILLING up…
- They had a passion for God – but they ignored the only way to be FORGIVEN by God!
- Romans 10:2-3 – “They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their OWN righteousness, [religion] have not submitted to the righteousness of God [though faith in Jesus].”
- 8th – But WRATH has come upon them…
- Their RELIGION blinded them to their need for Jesus – so they received the WRATH of God!
- Because there are only two kinds of people when it comes to God…
- Sinners who see their need for Jesus – and those who are blinded and do not…
- For those who reject Jesus – all that waits them is the certain and terrifying WRATH of God!
- Hebrews 10:31 – “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God…”
- 1st – They KILLED the Lord Jesus…
Matthew 6:19-20 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
5th – Paul desired to return to the church… vs. 17-20 (4 points)
1st – Paul had been TAKEN (Aorist / Passive) from the church… vs. 17
Taken away – aporphanizō only here NT – literally to be orphaned – to have no parents…
Paul and company had been taken away because of the PERSECUTION of the Jews…
Acts 17:8-10 – “[The Jews] troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city… Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea…”
So they were taken away for short time (hora) in presence – but not in heart!
2nd – Paul eagerly desired to return and see them face to face…
From the moment they moved onto Berea – Paul began to look for ways to go back…
He endeavored (diligently) more eagerly (persistently) return to Thessalonica…
Because like a Father to a child – he did NOT want to leave them orphaned!
3rd – Why Paul had not returned… vs. 18
Paul – not just his companions – had tried time and time again to return to them…
He had already sent Timothy to the church when he went on to Athens – Acts 17:14
But satan had HINDERED Paul from coming – 4x in NT – to cut off or get in the way…
We are not told HOW satan HINDERED Paul – but whatever the circumstances were…
Paul attributed them to it be a work of satan to keep him from the church!
It is important for us to ALWAYS remember – that we are in a war…
Our enemy – satan (the word means adversary) is ALWAYS seeking to HINDER us…
He is like a Lion – and he is determined to devour us – I Peter 5:8
Satan would love nothing more than to distract us – keep us from following God…
But with God on our side – we know that the victory will ALWAYS be ours – Romans 8:31
I John 4:4 – “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
4th – The HOPE Paul had for the church… vs. 19-20
Although Paul did get to return to the see the church on his 3rd missionary trip – Acts 20:1-3
His HOPE / JOY was not to see them face to face for a moment…
He wanted to see them at the RETURN of Jesus Christ – at the RAPTURE of the church!
What REALLY would made Paul happy – was to see them in the presence of the Lord!
The CHURCH was his GLORY and JOY!
They would be his CROWN of rejoicing (boast)…
CROWN – used 18x NT – speaks of reward / or honor that is given…
The reward Paul was looking for was seeing others in heaven with him!
It has been said that there is nothing in earth that we can take with us to heaven…
And for the most part that is true – we cannot take ANY possessions – I Timothy 6:7
But there is an exception – we can take PEOPLE with us – those we give the Gospel to!
Since that is the ONLY thing we can take with us – why waste time doing ANYTING else!
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