Latest / Journey Elgin / Journey Through Scripture- 1 Thess 1-2
Transcript
- Phillip Thomas: It's good to see you today. My name is Philip Thomas, Pastor of Journey here in Elgin, Texas. This is our journey through Scripture. Thank you so much for joining us. So we have ⁓ made it to that point where Paul and Silas they went and remember they picked up Timothy. ⁓ they've been on their second missionary journey. ⁓ so we ⁓ finished up with that in Acts chapter eighteen, ⁓ on Thursday. Well now we're going to get into his letter, Paul's letters to the church in Thessalonica. So we'll be looking at First Thessalonians today. ⁓ I'm going to break up First Thessalonians into the first ⁓ to two two sections. ⁓ so it's only going to be two chapters today, but I I just encourage you to to read through those two chapters, First Thessalonians ⁓ one and two, today. I I think there's some very interesting things. And if you remember, ⁓ kind of the the MO that Paul ⁓ was begins to experience as he goes to a to a town, he goes to the synagogue, he engages with ⁓ believers of dip of different different types of believers. There's ⁓ Jews, there are Gentiles who are going to the synag synagogue. There's different mixtures. ⁓ and some believe but most do not. And ⁓ and especially he starts to run into major issues ⁓ with ⁓ the the Jews in those areas. And Again, this is this is understandable. ⁓ they they w did not believe that Jesus was the true Messiah. And so they were pushing back. In their mind, they believed that this was blasphemy ⁓ against God. And ⁓ and so it's it's a contentious time and so y it's it's understandable why there would be these these problems. ⁓ but it's it's very difficult. And Paul you can tell is getting very frustrated and he basically says, You know what, I'm just going to the Gentiles ⁓ from now on. ⁓ but Paul get gets kind of run out of some of these towns. Now he stays ⁓ at them different lengths and ⁓ believe he stays in Corinth for, you know, over a year. ⁓ but many of the others he has to leave earlier. Thessalonica was one of those, and and so now he has this group of people ⁓ who have believed But now are left in that tenuous situation, right? They're ⁓ they're now being separated ⁓ from two different groups from the culture around them, the Roman culture around them, ⁓ doesn't believe that there is only one God. In fact, they worship all of these pagan gods. ⁓ so they're having to to step out of that. And they're also not being accepted ⁓ by the Jews in the in the synagogues that are established. ⁓ because the Jews don't believe that Jesus is the Messiah, so they're they're not being accepted there. ⁓ so they are on their own. And yes, persecution does happen. ⁓ and sometimes it it is heightened. ⁓ but they're they're definitely living in an unwelcoming at atmosphere. And so Paul is writing to provide ⁓ some encouragement. He hadn't been with especially ⁓ the Thessalonians very long. And this is one of the early ⁓ early letters that that Paul ⁓ wrote probably in AD fifty or so. And so he's he's writing, he's he's expressing joy, he's encouraging them, he's he's ⁓ telling them to to remain steadfast, ⁓ to persevere. ⁓ and and then he also has some teaching. But ⁓ so the first two chapters, I encourage you to to read those. That's kind of the introduction. ⁓ and Paul is really lays the out the picture ⁓ of what the people are enduring. ⁓ and it he ⁓ talks about there in chapter one, we give thanks ⁓ to God always for you, making mention you of you in your prayers, remembering without ceasing the work of your faith, patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ inside of God the Father, knowing ⁓ beloved brother, your election by God. ⁓ that that would be very interesting because I I'm sure they were hearing from the Jews that they were not part of the elect, right? The Jewish people, they they had a special bond with God, right? God had called them out, ⁓ had chosen them. ⁓ and now we see that through Christ, ⁓ we too are part of ⁓ God's chosen. ⁓ and so Paul using that word, your election by God, ⁓ has a a lot of meaning there. ⁓ says, For our gospel did not come to you in word only. But also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. Now what what is that saying? Well the gospel message, if it is just words that make us feel good, words that sound good at the time, ⁓ you're not going to hold on to those words in the midst of persecution if it's words alone. I mean they have to be words that are true, words that are powerful. And what Paul is saying here is the gospel message is not just a new belief system. It's not just a a ⁓ a a a new way to live. ⁓ it just you know, like other ways to live. It is something different. There is power behind it, it is fueled by the Holy Spirit. ⁓ and ⁓ that is what will give them strength to endure. ⁓ is that the gospel message is living. It is It is the the Holy Spirit present within us. He says verse six, you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word and is in much affliction. So they knew that they that this was not going to be easy, ⁓ with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples in all of Macedonia. And so now he says your faith toward God has gone out so that we do not need to say anything for it. For they themselves declare concerning us, this verse nine, for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and the true God. So their lives changed. People saw it wasn't just what they that they were proclaiming something different. Their lives changed. They quit worshiping the idols, ⁓ and they began to worship the one true God. And then we see in ⁓ ⁓ chapter two, ⁓ Paul talks about how they lived, that it that it was important that they saw that that Paul and Silas and his companions how they treated them. ⁓ again, that they were living a different lifestyle ⁓ because of the life changing power of the gospel message. ⁓ verse four But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak not as pleasing men. But God who test our hearts, for neither at any time did we use flattering words as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness. God is witness. So what is he saying that? He's like, We didn't use manip manipulate you into this. We are not a cult. A cult manipulates ⁓ with with words that people want to hear and it draws them in and it ensnares them. They they that was not the message that they were presenting. They were presenting the message that came from God. They weren't telling the people what they wanted to hear. And and that was obvious because many people did not follow. ⁓ Many people completely rejected ⁓ what they said. ⁓ but they were not going to just ⁓ bend to do what was popular, to do what ⁓ people wanted to hear. ⁓ I think that's that's important for us today that ⁓ that our churches ⁓ that we don't ⁓ fall to the temptation Of just preaching to to reach the masses and and to be accepted by the masses, right? ⁓ we need to make sure we're preaching the truth. And and sometimes that d does not appeal to everyone. Now we need to do that truth. We need to do it respectfully and in love. ⁓ and Paul kind of he talks about that. He says, Man, we we've we loved you, we encouraged you, we were there, but we we told you what was right and what was wrong. So It continues, ⁓ it says ⁓ verse eleven, as you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. Right? So they they didn't pretend, they didn't ⁓ hold any punches, ⁓ but that they but yet they were encouraging to them. Then he talks about their conversion. ⁓ again, this is still chapter chapter two. For this reason, this is verse thirteen, we thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men. This is and this is really important, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. Now this is so important. ⁓ because we live in a time where we're struggling with what is truth and there is no truth and There are many Christians who say, well, you know, there's there there's, you know, I believe that this is true, but there could be other truths and things like that out there. ⁓ no, there's only one truth. ⁓ and and we can debate about what what it is. ⁓ but if the gospel message is true, that means other messages are not. And what what this is saying here is that the ⁓ believers there in Thessalonica, they did not hear The words of men, which that would just be another truth. Just add it on to the to the other claims that are out there. All the other pagan religions that were making similar claims, they would be in the same boat if these were words from men. It would just be one of many religions. But they heard it for what it was, for what it is true as the word of God. Therefore, there is only one truth. I and that is the word of God. ⁓ that is going to become more and more unpopular to say. and again, we can do this with respect and we can do this ⁓ in ⁓ a not in a hateful way, but there is only one truth. If you believe that there are multiple truths, then you are going back to a to a pagan society that sees all religions as equally valid, equally acceptable, which naturally means there's multiple truth. ⁓ that is not truth. ⁓ and that I'm I'm banking my eternal security on that. ⁓ it is it but it it is difficult and Paul knows that it's difficult and so he's recognizing and encouraging them. Hey, y'all this is this is a tough stance that you're taking. ⁓ but look at what you've done that you have believed in the true Word of God. And then he acknowledges their suffering. He says, verse 14, When you became imitators of the churches of God, ⁓ which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and who's persecuted us, and they do not please God, ⁓ and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved. So he's saying, I know. That you have now jumped into something that is much more difficult ⁓ and that is going to to cause division, unfortunately. But hold on to what is true. And he ⁓ he ends by saying, Verse 17, but we brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in your presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face. Therefore, we wanted to come to you. ⁓ even I, Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us. See, Paul recognizes this is a spiritual battle. He knows that Satan is working against the things of God. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For you are our glory and joy. He's just again going over the top, trying to remind them of how special that they are and that they glory and rejoice ⁓ in them, knowing that they ⁓ are now part of the kingdom of God. So we're gonna stop there. and we're going to look at the second part of First Thessalonians. So chapters three through five. So I encourage you to read chapters three through five of First Thessalonians. All right. Hope you have a great day and we'll see y'all.