THE THESSALONIAN EXAMPLE

1The 1:1-7 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. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 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; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. 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. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

• all these things these people were can YOU be
• notice what they were like and WHY they were so

I. THE REMARKS ABOUT THESE WONDERFUL CHRISTIANS

• Paul described the Thessalonians as people who had the faith that works through their lives.
• They did a service which was stimulated into action by love.
• They had strong hope in the return of Jesus Christ, having patience and confidence.
• Paul said he knew these people were the election of God.
• There was little doubt due to their Christian behaviour.
• Make these traits your traits!

Notice next how they received Paul, and receive the ministry here as they did there, and you will be like they were.

II. HOW THEY RECEIVED PAUL AT THE FIRST

• When Paul came to preach the Gospel to these people for the first time, he came not just in word but in power. The Holy Ghost manifested through Paul.
• This is much more than reciting the Gospel
• Paul spoke in anointing of the Spirit.
• The people had absolute confidence in Paul.

1The 1:5 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.

• These people knew that Paul preached to their good.
• They saw that his heart was immersed into helping them.
• They decided to live for God in the same manner Paul lived for God.

1The 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord,

• They watched how Paul lived so dedicated to God, and followed him as he followed the Lord.
• Watch the ministry and do not excuse yourself as saying, "Well they are preachers, I cannot be dedicated like that."
• Many times people will say the saints cannot be as dedicated to God as the preachers, but the Thessalonians were!

III. DURING HARDSHIPS, THEY WERE TRUE

1The 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

• The Thessalonians were in the midst of hardships and persecutions for accepting the Gospel.
• They were afflicted.
• They received the word with joy of the Holy Ghost.
• When trials come our way, only the ones who truly are serious about God and follow Him, as men like Paul did, can stand against opposition victoriously.
• The joy of the Lord is our strength.
• We get that joy of the Lord ONLY WHEN WE DRAW WATERS FROM THE WELLS OF SALVATION.

Isai 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

• Those who draw waters from the wells are serious about living for God.
• They do not simply attend church.
• They get something out of the WORD.
• The joy of the Lord was truly their strength.

OUR STRUGGLES ARE NOT AGAINST PEOPLE BURNING OUR HOUSES DOWN BECAUSE WE ARE CHRISTIANS... WE FACE A DIFFERENT ATTACK OF THE DEVIL.

• The biggest trap people fall for is being bothered by what another believer lives like or does. a. Jesus knew this was the biggest problem and out of all the points made in the Lord's prayer, He repeated this one:

Matt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

..because after He finished the prayer, He returned to this topic and said...

Matt 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

• The biggest problem too many people have is lack of forgiveness.
• They hold feelings.
• As a result, others get to them so easily and they lose out with God.
• They have no strength to make it through such troubles.
• NO JOY of the Lord.
• Instead of being examples to entire congregations around, they deteriorate away in their hearts.
• Shake off the bitterness and be an example.
• Be the Christain that God wants you and saved you to be!!!!

IV. NEWS ABOUT THEIR STEDFASTNESS

1The 1:7-10 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 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. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

• People in Macedonia and Achaia heard about the real dedication the Thessalonains had for God.
• Paul imitated Jesus' dependence upon the Spirit, and the Thessalonians imitated Paul, and the people from Achai and Macedonia imitated the Thessalonians.
• Paul did not have to inform anybody about their dedication, for everyone heard about it!
• Everywhere Paul went, people told him about how wonderful it was to hear of the strength which the Thessalonians had.

1 Thess 1:8-9 ...your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

• Everywhere, the people commented about how the Thessalonians received the ministry so well. - HOW THEY exerted faith upwards to God.
• They were famous for having turned away from the idols.
• People, we need to make a reputation of being the people who will totally live for God!
• When we know something is wrong, we drop it immediately.
• The Thessalonians had a reputation for being stedfast in the fact that the Lord shall return.
• Realizing that Jesus is going to return will truly make us strong believers.
• We do not know when He is coming, but we always remain ready.
• They had PATIENCE. - The trials they went through were endured without frenzy because they knew Jesus will come at the right time, and never allow them to endure more than they are able to.
• So many live loosely and FORGET THAT JESUS IS COMING. - FORGET ABOUT HELL AND LOSING THEIR SOUL

CHAPTER 2.

V. THE KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS

1The 2:1-2 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

• They knew that Paul came to them to benefit them.
• He preached without wavering.
• He was just thrown out of Philippi and was teeated outrageously there.

Acts 16:12 And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

Acts 16:16-20 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour. And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,

Acts 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:

• Paul was a Roman citizen and beaten unlawfully.
• The magistrates were afraid and sent them off quietly.
• Then he went to Thessalonica in Acts 17 (next chapter).

• Paul said if he pleased men, he would have quit, but he was entrusted with the Gospel and did it in the fear of and respect for God.

• And the uncompromising man of God preached that it was necessary that Jesus suffer for us
• Paul did not try to make the people feel good as he declared the people must accept Christ. He did not use flattery.
• They listened to a man who did not try to please people, but simply give the cure for the sin-diseased condition of humanity in the, while he ministered in the midst of opposition and contention.
• With that kind of introduction to the Gospel, these people stood strong and solid.

(Paul says he was not trying to cover up to make money, or else he would not have taken the abuse in prison. He would have given in and dropped Jesus).

• He had attention given to each one of them like a mother and her child.

1The 2:7-8 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

VI. PAUL THANKED GOD FOR CHRISTIANS LIKE THE THESSALONIANS

1The 2:13-14 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

• Some say, "That is only what Bro. Blume or Sis. Mean thinks."
• They have no concept like the Thessalonians had.
• THAT IS GOD'S WORD, not the ministers'.
• They trusted in believing Paul's ministered Words of God to the exten that it worked an effectual work in them.
• Paul said, that word is working in you who believe!

VII. PERSECUTION

• The Thessalonians became persecuted.
• The churches in Judaea were persecuted by the Jews who killed Jesus, and the Thessalonians experienced the same thing from their European people. Paul could not reach them due to circumstances, and could not stand it any longer so he sent Timotheus to them to check on them, and encourage them to stick with it, after hearing they were persecuted.
• He felt his own suffering might cause them to fear and give up.
• But Timothy found out another picture of them...

1The 3:6-8 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

They kept the FAITH!!

• And they comforted him while he suffered!
• To know how strong they were was so encouraging to Paul!!

1The 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

• How could he thank God enough for the joy he felt in knowing they were so faithful?
• And in leaving them with comments about going further with God, and having him come and finish up a little more work in their hearts, Paul leaves us with the first letter to the Thessalonians. 1 Thess. 1:7... "YE WERE ENSAMPLES TO ALL THAT BELIEVE IN MACEDONIA AND ACHAIA."
• No - examples to all that believe who will ever read the Bible!

WHAT WERE THEIR TRAITS? (from the beginning again...)

• Paul described the Thessalonians as people who had the faith that works through their lives.
• They did a service which was stimulated into action by love.
• They had strong hope in the return of Jesus Christ, having patience and confidence.
• Paul said he knew these people were the election of God.
• There was little doubt due to their Christian behaviour.
• And they took the preaching as God's Word and not as men.

Moses told Israel to go to him if they are on the Lord's side. Peter told Annanias and Sapphira that when they lied to him, they lied to the Holy Ghost.