Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

John Stott writes,

For 1 Thessalonians opens a window on to a newly planted church in the middle of the first century AD.

It tells us how it came into being, what the apostle taught it, what were its strengths and weaknesses, its theological and moral problems, and how it was spreading the gospel.

What is of particular interest, because it applies to Christian communities in every age and place, is the interaction which the apostle portrays between the church and the gospel.

He shows how the gospel creates the church and the church spreads the gospel, and how the gospel shapes the church, as the church seeks to live a life that is worthy of the gospel.

I’d like us to travel down the road with Dr. Stott for a few weeks and consider the relationship between, “The Gospel of God & The Church of God!”

I.

The Church of God - (1:1b-4)

Timothy discovers a vibrant, growing congregation!

- (3:2, 6)

Q: How is this possible?

A: This was God’s Church!

Paul describes it in four ways:

1.

The Church is a Community which LIVES “...in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” - (1:1b)

The Church—this Church, belongs to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Of all the things we can do, the church should only do what only the church can do—to be a community of faith that lives “...in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”

2. The Church is a Community which is MARKED by “Grace and Peace” - (1:1c)

“Grace to you and peace,” was a common greeting, both among Christians and others.

Within that greeting is an important truth: we are to be marked by grace and peace, because we have all RECEIVED grace and peace!

If grace reigns “…through righteousness leading to eternal life,” shouldn’t grace also reign in the everyday life of a local church?

Like grace, we become instruments of peace when we experience the peace of God!

3. The Church is a Community which is DISTINGUISHED by Faith, Love, and Hope - (1:3)

​1 Thessalonians 1:3 ESVremembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stott points out two aspects of these Christian qualities:

FIRST, Each is OUTGOING!

Faith is directed towards God, love towards others, and hope towards the future!

J.B. Lightfoot writes, “Faith rests on the past; love works in the present; hope looks to the future.”

They are all sure evidences of being born again, because they completely reorient our lives!

​Stott - “The new birth means little or nothing if it does not pull us out of our fallen introversion and redirect us towards God, Christ and our fellow human beings.”

SECOND, Each is PRODUCTIVE!

These are not abstract qualities, rather they have concrete, practical results!

Faith WORKS! - (James 2:14-26)

Love LABORS (from kopou - ‘intense labor, toil’)!

Hope ENDURES!

The key to remaining “…steadfast” is an UPWARD look!

It is “…steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Two questions: “Is God in control?” and “Do you believe that?”

Hear a couple of voices from Church history:

John Calvin did not exaggerate (in 1550) when he refers to this passage as, “…a brief definition of true Christianity.”

Johann Bengel likewise affirmed in 1866, that, “…in these (sc.

faith, hope and love) the whole of Christianity […] consists.”

4. The Church is a Community which is LOVED and CHOSEN by God - (1:4)

Again, from Stott,

To whatever denomination or tradition we may belong, the doctrine of election causes us difficulties and questions.

To be sure, it is a truth which runs through Scripture, beginning with God’s call of Abraham (Gen 12:1) and later his choice of Israel ‘out of all nations’ to be his ‘treasured possession […] a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Ex 19:5-6).

This vocabulary is deliberately transferred in the New Testament to the Christian community.

Moreover, the topic of election is nearly always introduced for a practical purpose, in order to foster assurance (not presumption), holiness (not moral apathy), humility (not pride) and witness (not lazy selfishness).

But still no explanation of God’s election is given except God’s love.

The LOVE of God!

IN the same way, Paul unites the love of God and the election of God - (1:4)!

He chose us because He loves us!

This is a consistent message of the NT:

The CHOICE of God - (v.4b)

Do you know you were chosen by God?

As difficult as this may be to understand, or accept, it is TRUE!

ἐκλογὴν - Noun - “election, selection, choice, chosen” - Used 7 times in the NT.

Whether you understand it, or not, you get to go to heaven because of God’s call and election!

ἐκλεκτός - Adjective - ‘chosen, select, elect’ - Used 23 times in the NT.

ἐκλέγομαι - Verb - “choose, select, elect” - Also used 23 times in NT.

Even though I do now pretend to understand how this all works (my free will and God’s election), I know it’s true.

And I do not limit God to my capacity to understand God!

Conclusion to Part Two...

What have we learned?

The Church is a community which lives in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church is a community marked with grace and peace.

The Church is a community distinguished by faith, love, and hope.

The Church is a community which is loved and chosen by God.