Malcolm Cox

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11
More notes, lessons and resources can be found here: 
www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11
More notes, lessons and resources can be found here: 
www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11
More notes, lessons and resources can be found here: 
www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11
More notes, lessons and resources can be found here: 
www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11
More notes, lessons and resources can be found here: 
www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

A sermon for the Watford church of Christ

1. What God’s messengers are like inside, internally, their motives - and how you can tell, vv2-7

A. Suffering, v2
Acts 16 - stripped, beaten with rods, severely flogged, prison, feet in stocks.
Yet bold in speaking
Why do that if likely to receive same treatment?

B. Motives, v3
Not tricky
If he had tricked them they would know by now

C. Flattery, v5
No greed
Does not get you beaten up

Authority from suffering and sacrifice for no personal gain. Apply to leadership, of course, but also to how we treat one another because this is an issue of Christ-likeness.

“The hallmark of well-entrenched greed, then, is a willingness to use people to serve our love for money, rather than the use of money to serve our love for people.” Glittering Vices,  Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung

“When we process our leadership by our character, the quality of the outcomes will be measured by a thriving culture where people are valued and not used, where the leader is respected and not feared, where a leader is trusted and not doubted, where the moral authority of the leader’s life makes others glad to cooperate and achieve, where grace underwrites the administration of the employee handbook, and where the leader’s example stimulates those he serves to live and lead as the leader lives and leads.” Redefining Leadership Joseph M. Stowell

2. What God’s messengers are like with people, externally, their actions - and how you can tell, vv7-12

A. Child
QUESTION: In what way could an adult like Paul be a ‘child’ among the Thessalonians?
Invisible
Not a ‘hero’
Dependant

B. Nursing mother
QUESTION: In what way could an man like Paul be a ‘nursing mother’ among the Thessalonians?
Skin-close
Bird keeping chicks warm
Feeding

C. Father
QUESTION: In what way could an person like Paul be a ‘father’ among the Thessalonians?
Taking initiative by
Encouraging
Comforting
Urging

QUESTION: What would these look like?

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Encouraging - put courage in - FAITH
Comforting - companionable compassion - LOVE
Urging - take action - ENDURANCE

"He exhorted them like a sports coach telling his team how to win; he encouraged them like a friend strengthening someone facing a daunting task; he testified to them like a witness in a court of law."  N. T. Wright, The NT for Everyone

Conclusion
A wonderful model for us to imitate in reaching out to those who do not know God….

‘The true missionary is not someone specialised in the delivery of the message but someone whose whole being, completely committed to a message which demands all, is communicated to his hearers.’ Best, Tyndale Commentary

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Introduction
“My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.” (1 Corinthians 4:4 NIV11)

“You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.
Instead, we were like young children among you.” (1 Thessalonians 2:1–7 NIV11)

1. Suffering
- If we are not suffering, what does that say about our motives?
- Costing more than receive?

* ‘The true missionary is not someone specialised in the delivery of the message but someone whose whole being, completely committed to a message which demands all, is communicated to his hearers.’ Best, Tyndale Commentary

2. Childlike
- Invisible - willing? John the Baptist - me less, him more.
- Hero - or host?
- Dependant

If he was lying the letter would have had the opposite effect.

Conclusion
“When we process our leadership by our character, the quality of the outcomes will be measured by a thriving culture where people are valued and not used, where the leader is respected and not feared, where a leader is trusted and not doubted, where the moral authority of the leader’s life makes others glad to cooperate and achieve, where grace underwrites the administration of the employee handbook, and where the leader’s example stimulates those he serves to live and lead as the leader lives and leads.” Redefining Leadership Joseph M. Stowel

Why not sign up for the Old Testament Survey module: https://www.aimukandireland.com. Send me an email expressing interest if you cannot find what you need on the site.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

Keep calm and carry on teaching.

God bless, Malcolm

1. What God’s messengers are like inside, internally, their motives - and how you can tell, vv2-7

A. Suffering, v2
Acts 16 - stripped, beaten with rods, severely flogged, prison, feet in stocks.
Yet bold in speaking
Why do that if likely to receive same treatment?

B. Motives, v3
Not tricky
If he had tricked them they would know by now

C. Flattery, v5
No greed
Does not get you beaten up

Authority from suffering and sacrifice for no personal gain. Apply to leadership, of course, but also to how we treat one another because this is an issue of Christ-likeness.

“The hallmark of well-entrenched greed, then, is a willingness to use people to serve our love for money, rather than the use of money to serve our love for people.” Glittering Vices,  Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung

“When we process our leadership by our character, the quality of the outcomes will be measured by a thriving culture where people are valued and not used, where the leader is respected and not feared, where a leader is trusted and not doubted, where the moral authority of the leader’s life makes others glad to cooperate and achieve, where grace underwrites the administration of the employee handbook, and where the leader’s example stimulates those he serves to live and lead as the leader lives and leads.” Redefining Leadership Joseph M. Stowell

2. What God’s messengers are like with people, externally, their actions - and how you can tell, vv7-12

A. Child
QUESTION: In what way could an adult like Paul be a ‘child’ among the Thessalonians?
Invisible
Not a ‘hero’
Dependant

B. Nursing mother
QUESTION: In what way could an man like Paul be a ‘nursing mother’ among the Thessalonians?
Skin-close
Bird keeping chicks warm
Feeding

C. Father
QUESTION: In what way could an person like Paul be a ‘father’ among the Thessalonians?
Taking initiative by
Encouraging
Comforting
Urging

QUESTION: What would these look like?

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3

Encouraging - put courage in - FAITH
Comforting - companionable compassion - LOVE
Urging - take action - ENDURANCE

"He exhorted them like a sports coach telling his team how to win; he encouraged them like a friend strengthening someone facing a daunting task; he testified to them like a witness in a court of law."  N. T. Wright, The NT for Everyone

Conclusion
A wonderful model for us to imitate in reaching out to those who do not know God….

‘The true missionary is not someone specialised in the delivery of the message but someone whose whole being, completely committed to a message which demands all, is communicated to his hearers.’ Best, Tyndale Commentary

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11

More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:

www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm

You have found a daily devotional podcast on 1 Thessalonians. These recordings accompany the teaching and preaching series for the Thames Valley and Watford churches of Christ.

The brief devotionals are aimed at encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God” 1 Thessalonians 2:12

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV11

More notes, lessons and resources can be found here:

www.malcolmcox.org

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:28 NIV11)

God bless, Malcolm