GOSPEL IMPACT
Notes
Transcript
6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
I. A TESTIMONY OF FAITH
A. 1 Thessalonians 1:7-9a, …so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you,
7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
B. All of chapter 1 is an affirmation of the church in Thessalonica.
C. Paul affirms the Thessalonians by acknowledging how the Thessalonians were an example to all the believers throughout Macedonia and Achaia and how their faith in God had become known beyond those regions.
D. The testimony of the faith of the Thessalonian church was known and reported (vs. 8b-9).
E. Paul indicated he didn’t have to give a report about how he and his co-workers had been received by those in Thessalonica because those who had heard about the Thessalonians were reporting the impact of the gospel had on them through Paul and his team.
F. Part of their report concerning the reception they received would have been about some of the Jews and Gentiles being persuaded and joining Paul and Silas.
G. Acts 17:1–4 (ESV) — 1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
H. Other believers were excited about the work of the Lord in the lives of the Thessalonians.
II. HOW THE GOSPEL IMPACTED THEM
A. 1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (ESV) — 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
B. Remember what we just read from Acts 17 concerning what Paul had taught.
C. Acts 17:2–3 (ESV) — 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
D. In the synagogue of the Jews he reasoned with them from the Scriptures (these were the OT Scriptures) by explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and then declaring that Jesus was in fact the Christ, God’s anointed King.
E. This is all background for what Paul is now affirming in the lives of the Thessalonian Christians.
F. The report about them concerns their reception of the message and its impact on them.
G. 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (ESV) — For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God…
9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
H. Then the report that went out concerned how the Thessalonians turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God in response to the message.
I. Turning to God from idols means they repented.
J. The city had a very religious atmosphere with temples and shrines everywhere, with temples to Greek gods, Egyptian gods, and a host of other foreign gods. You could worship any type of god you chose in that city, and the young Christians there had to face the temptation of idolatry at every turn. Some of them came out of that world into Christianity. They had to turn their backs on their community, their lives, their idols, and Paul was encouraged by their allegiance to Christ in the face of this temptation. He says toward the end of chapter 1 that others noticed “how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (v. 9).[1]
K. They turned from idols.
L. Idolatry happens in any area of life. Some of the idols of our life could be money, but it also could be our pride. Idolatry could be our desire for what we want. People make idols out of history and nature and economics and politics. Americans have made idols out of their country and their government. It is idolatry when we think the government will save us from catastrophes and trials. Do you think these Christians expected Caesar to come save them? Guess what—Caesar killed these Christians, and if the tide shifts in our country, there will be no hope with our government. We must be careful not to make an idol out of all these good things. Our only hope should be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.[2]
M. Repentance is always a declaration of allegiance. It means turning from false gods, the things or people that cannot save you to serve the One true God who alone gives life.
N. Psalm 115:4–11 (ESV) — 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
O. In the case of the Thessalonians, they had turned from the temples and the false gods, but those false gods represented things like wealth and happiness and fame. So a crucial part of repentance is the desire for God over everything else.[3]
P. We must turn away as well and continue to turn away from our idols and the sin that so easily besets us.
Q. The report concerned how they turned to God from idols to wait for his Son from heaven.
R. This is our blessed hope.
S. Titus 2:13–14 (ESV) — 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
T. He raised this Son from the dead, which was the hope of the resurrection because the raising of Jesus was the Father’s declaration that the death of Jesus satisfied his justice and now his purpose of saving his own could be accomplished.
U. This Jesus delivers us from eternal wrath. Eternal judgment is not appointed for his children.
V. Is this the report given about us? Has this testimony about our lives become clearer over the years? Are we more satisfied with the Father, Son, and Spirit now than when we first began the race?
[1] Grant, J. H., Jr. (2011). 1 & 2 Thessalonians: The Hope of Salvation. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 51). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
[2] Grant, J. H., Jr. (2011). 1 & 2 Thessalonians: The Hope of Salvation. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (pp. 55–56). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
[3] Grant, J. H., Jr. (2011). 1 & 2 Thessalonians: The Hope of Salvation. (R. K. Hughes, Ed.) (p. 55). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.