Last time we looked at verse 4 and 5 of 1 Thessalonians 1. Paul said that it was obvious that the people that made up this church belonged to God, because of their life proved it. Paul also spoke about how he delivered the Gospel to them and how the Holy Spirit was involved. He also spoke about how Paul, Silas and Timothy didn’t just preach, but lived out what they said they believed. This church began to change the society around them, by living out their faith to the point of exhaustion.

6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

Paul starts off by saying the people at Thessalonica were followers of whom?

Paul, Timothy and Silas and the Lord. Does that sound braggadocios of Paul?

Why would they follow these men?

Maybe there was something about these men that was worth following. Of course it also implies that these men discipled others. As Christians we are to follow Christ and our desire should be to be more like him each day. I think it is easier to follow someone or learn from someone when it is obvious that they are following the Lord.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul kind of supports this idea that we should follow or learn from others who are following after Christ or imitating Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

In this case Paul is an example of what these new Christians should be. Keep in mind the entire Bible is not available during this time.

Find people to imitate. If someone studies the word very well, then imitate her. If someone shows love to others, imitate him. If someone teaches well, imitate them.

Paul then says that these people received the word in much affliction, in other words against much pressure and adversity. Not only did Paul get chased out of town, but others suffered because of their beliefs and because of the work they did.

Yet, they had joy. Why? Because of the Holy Ghost. Jesus said that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to comfort the believer. Paul is saying this is evidence that they are truly saved, because even during the hard times, they have joy, and the joy comes from the Holy Spirit who lives within the believer.

Paul and Silas know something about affliction. Before they went to Thessalonica they were imprisoned in Philippi. Did they mope and get down? No, they were singing.

As believers we can still have joy in our lives even though things look dark around us.

In verse 7 Paul now explains the result of his work and God’s work in the lives of these people.

Paul said that they now were examples to all that believe in the large area around them.

Wow. In a very short time these new Christians, were changing the world around them. How?

Well verse 7 and 8 tells us.

Verse 8 tells us that they began to tell others the Gospel. Not quietly but like a trumpet blast. They didn’t just tell people nearby, but throughout the region.

Not only did they tell people the Gospel, but they lived it out in front of others. They had now become examples to others, like Paul was to them. They now discipled new believers like Paul did with them. They now preached with power, authority and assurance. They carried on the work where Paul left off to the point that Paul, Silas and Timothy didn’t need to do anything.

Last time we looked at 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3 and we saw that Paul is thanking God for the church in Thessalonica. Paul had received a good report from Timothy about the church that Paul had started. Paul said that this church belonged to God and that he, Silas, and Timothy thanked God for them continually. Paul explained why he was so thankful. It was because of their work of faith, their labor of love, and the patience they had in the hope of Jesus returning. These people were active Christians and they were changing the world around them, by exhausting themselves for the love of others and their love for Jesus.

Do you have assurance that you belong to God?

Do you try to work for the Lord in your own power?

Are you the example to others that you should be?

Today we are reading Chapter 1 verse 4 and 5.

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

The first thing Paul says is that he knows something about these people. What is it? That there salvation is real and there is real evidence that they belong to God.

This statement is referring back to verse 3 where there faith was a working faith, their love for others was exhausting, and their patience was grounded in the reality of the Lord returning.

How do you know that you belong to God? Well there is evidence in your life. Are you drawn to Him? Do you want to know more about Him? Do you serve Him? Do you obey Him? Do want to me more like Him?

Verse 5 explains how all of this started. It started by Paul telling people the Gospel. But it wasn’t just people hearing the Gospel. It was the fact that the Holy Spirit was involved. It is the Holy Spirit that gives Paul the ability to preach with power. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts. It is the Holy Spirit that draws people to repentance. It is the Holy Spirit that regenerates a man or woman, and makes them a new creation in Christ Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit involved in the hearing of the Gospel a man or woman can’t be saved. The Holy Spirit is also the one that gives each believer the ability and power to love others, to work for the Lord, to see things from a spiritual perspective. We alone don’t have the power to love others like Jesus loved others. We alone can’t discern God’s word without the Holy Spirit. The power of the Gospel and God’s word is powerful when the Holy Spirit is involved.

Another thing Paul points out is that he brought the word with assurance. In other words he was confident of what he preached was the truth. Sometimes I wonder if Christians really believe what they say they believe. Paul spoke with assurance and confidence and that makes a big difference when speaking to others about the Gospel.

Assurance can also mean that the people were assured that the Gospel was true and it was evident in their lives based on how they lived. In order to serve God, we must have assurance that we belong to Him.

The last thing Paul mentions is the fact that they know what kind of people Paul, Silas and Timothy are. They just didn’t talk but instead their walk matched their talk.

If someone is asking you to tell the Gospel to others, shouldn’t that person lead by example?

If someone is asking you to give to the church, shouldn’t they lead by example.

If someone is asking you to do something, it carries much more weight if they are doing what they are asking you to do.

Paul, Silas and Timothy were good examples to these people and the results showed.

How are we doing?

Today we are starting 1 Thessalonians, so let me give you a little background about this letter written to the church at Thessalonica.

If you read Acts chapter 17, you will see that during Paul’s second missionary journey he stopped at this large area of Greece. He spent at least 3 weeks preaching at the synagogue telling others about Jesus. Many people trusted Christ as their savior and began to live as God would want them to live. The Jewish population did not like this and basically chased Paul out of town. Timothy meets up with Paul and gives him an update about the church. This letter is a letter back to the church. It contains Paul’s response to what he heard about the church from Timothy.

The church is made up of both Jews and Greeks and is apparently very successful.

Questions:

Can people see your faith?

Is loving others exhausting to you?

What are you hoping for?

Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

So the first thing we notice is that Paul, Silas and Timothy are involved in this ministry and letter. Each one had an interest in the church at Thessalonica. He makes sure everyone knows that this church was assembled by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why? There could be several reasons, but one is that he wants people to know this isn’t Paul’s church, but instead God’s church. Two, he wants them to view Jesus as equal to God the Father. In other words, Jesus is God.

Paul then wants God’s grace or favor to be with these people. He then says he wants God’s peace to be with these people.

As we will find out, many of the people in this church will suffer some form of persecution. He wants them to have peace and to know peace. Most people long for peace. As a Christian, I have peace. What type of peace? I have peace with God and I have the peace of God.

When I trusted Christ as my savior, I was at peace with God. At the same time, he gives us peace in Him.

John 5:1 read “Therefor being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ”. Isn’t that great news?

Philippians 4:7 states “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

He also mentions the grace of God. None of us would have peace if God didn’t show us grace. It is because of God’s grace that we are saved. Without God’s love and grace for us, we wouldn’t know peace.

Do you want peace in your life? It starts by knowing Jesus Christ as your savior.

Next Paul said that he was grateful for this church and that he thanked God for them in his prayers. The idea is that he continually thanked God for them. Also notice that it wasn’t just Paul but all three men who mentioned these people in their prayers.

After reading this, I thought, do I continually thank God for those that are doing what God wants them to do.

What are Paul, Silas and Timothy so thankful for concerning this church?

Their work of faith.

Their labor of love.

Their patience of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ

We normally think of this as faith, love, and hope. These are three signs of true Christian, a person who has been born again by the Holy Spirit,