1 THESSALONIANS 1:1-102007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007.

This morning we're starting a new book, the book of 1 Thessalonians, and it's always exciting to start something new. If you've been around for a while, when Pastor Tom left and I began to teach on Sunday mornings, I started in the book of Corinthians. And so we're in 1 Corinthians, and if you remember 1 Corinthians, it's quite a lengthy book. And so it felt like eternity as I began to teach and began to lead the body and share with you. It was

forever and ever and ever in the book of Corinthians. And then finally, when we finished, then we went on into second Corinthians, which is just about as long. And so it was a great length of time. But for the past several months now, it's been exciting to to see the kind of rapid succession of books where we went through Galatians and and saw the importance of not being bound up in the law, but remembering that we're

the gospel came to us by faith and that it's a matter of grace and not the law. And then we went into Ephesians and discovered how great God is and the wonderful things that he's done for us. We went into Philippians, the book of joy, how Paul had such great joy, even though he faced those trials and how we can do the same by modeling ourselves after Christ Jesus, who humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. Then we went through Colossians, which stands

study the depths of who Jesus is and what he's done, who we are in him, and how that impacts our life. And now as we go into 1 Thessalonians, God has a whole other set of instructions for us, great new challenges, great new treasures for us to know, and I'm excited about what he's going to do as we continue our study in this book. It's quite a different book than some of the other of Paul's epistles.

We've been talking about the structure of the books. You know, Colossians chapters 1 and 2 dealt with doctrine and then 3 and 4 dealt with application. The same with Ephesians 1 through 3 dealt with doctrine and 4 through 6 dealt with application. But here in Thessalonians, it's more of a personal book. Chapters 1 through 3 really deal with doctrine.

Paul's just explanation of how things have been happening and how he was feeling and concerned about them and the relationship that they had and how he sent Timothy and heard back from Timothy what Timothy said. It's more of the relationship, the things that took place. And then in chapters four and five, he digs into some of the things that he wants to share with them, specifically concerning the soon return of Jesus Christ and some misconceptions that they had about that.

Real quick background on the city of Thessalonica. The church there was started by the Apostle Paul. Now, Thessalonica was located in the northern part of Greece.

It was a major city because of its location. It was right on the coast, and so it became a major seaport. It was really the chief seaport of all the area, the northern Greece area. There was also a main road. It was known as the Ignatian Way that went through Thessalonica, connected it to Philippi and Berea. And if you were going to go from east to west across Macedonia, you would travel through Thessalonica.

So it was the center for commerce by land or by sea. And even today, it's still a major city with a population of over 825,000 people. Paul went there on his second missionary journey. You can read about that if you'd like in Acts chapter 17, verses 1 through 9. He spent three weeks there, three Sabbaths ministering there. And he was driven out when envious Jews gathered a mob and attacked the house where Paul was staying.

There in the book of Acts chapter 17, it tells us that some Jews believed, but the majority of the believers were the Greeks of the area, those who were not Jewish, and they became believers. Now,

Paul wrote these letters, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, not very long after he had been there. If you remember Acts chapter 17, he goes from Thessalonica to Berea. And then from there he goes down to Athens. But he ends up in Corinth where he spends a considerable amount of time, 18 months, with the Corinthians there. And it's during that time while he's in Corinth that he writes these letters, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, probably about A.D. 50 or 51.

He wrote it after he had sent Timothy to find out how they were doing. If you remember, he was there for three Sabbaths. He was driven out. And so he's concerned. How are the believers? Those who believe I didn't get to stay very long and establish them. I was run out of town really quickly. And so he sent Timothy back to find out how are they doing? Have they continued on in the faith? Are they pressing forward? Even though there was this persecution, even though I wasn't really there to get them further established.

Timothy comes back and brings a great report about their faith and their love and the work that God is doing there with basically just one concern, and that was about the misunderstanding or the confusion concerning the return of Jesus Christ. We'll get into that in chapter 4 as we continue our study in the coming weeks. But this morning as we look at Paul's introduction here, chapter 1, I want to begin with two questions.

Two questions that should really challenge our hearts. And I've been challenged as I was meditating and studying this portion of Scripture this last week. Number one, the first question is, are you an example to all believers? Number one, are you an example to all believers? Number two, the question I would ask us this morning is, are you a witness? Are you a witness? Are you a witness?

Now, on both of these questions, I think we would all agree that we need to be an example and we need to be a witness.

But I think also that most of us would say that although we want to be or we desire to be, we're really not like we should be or we're not where we're at. We're not the example that we know that we could be or that God has called us to be. We know maybe we're not the witness that God has called us to be or gifted us to be or desires for us to be. We would all say, I would think, I hope, but...

that it's something that we need to work on and that it's an area for growth within our life. But the hard part in looking at these things and being an example and being a witness is how do you work on that? How do you grow in that area? How do you work on becoming an example?

Do you go around and tell more people, hey, I'm your example, follow me. No, that's not how you become a better example. That's not how you get people to follow your example. How do you become a better witness? Now, we can say that we will try harder, but how do we actually do that? What does that actually mean? This morning in Paul's introduction, I believe that we find the answer as he gives us three marks of the Christian.

Three marks that will see characteristics of a Christian. Number one, faith. Number two, love. And number three, hope. And I believe that's the answer to being an example and being a witness as God desires us to be. Let's start again in verse one. It says,

Paul begins by introducing himself and his companions as was his custom, as was the custom of that time.

He introduces himself as Paul, Silvanus, also known as Silas in the book of Acts. He became a companion of Paul after Paul and Barnabas split, something we talked about last week back in Acts chapter 15 as we looked at that. And Silas began the missionary journey with Paul in Jerusalem and continued on through Thessalonica and was there in Corinth with him as Paul was writing this letter. Also, he has with him Timothy. Now,

Now, Timothy is a well-known companion of Paul. He joined with Paul partway through this missionary journey. A couple cities before Thessalonica, when Paul went through Lystra, there he met Timothy, and there Timothy joined with him and became a loyal follower of Paul for many years to come.

And so these three together, they're in Corinth and they're considering the Thessalonians and they're writing to them to encourage them in the faith. And Paul says, as his usual greeting is, grace to you and peace from God, our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul begins all of his letters with this phrase, grace to you and peace from God.

Now, I've shared it with you many times because we've looked at many of the letters of the Apostle Paul. And I love here what Paul is saying. And in my words, I would put it this way. May God bless you with wonderful things that you do not deserve. That's Paul's wish for the Thessalonians. That's his wish as he's writing to them, that the grace of God, grace being undeserved, unearned favor. He's saying, may God's grace be given to you.

May you receive wonderful blessings that you do not deserve. Now, I like the fact that Paul uses this blessing in every book because it reminds me and I need to be reminded sometimes. I think you might need to be reminded, too. We don't receive God's grace and peace just once. It's not just a one time thing. It's not just something that happens at conversion or happens when we receive Jesus Christ.

No, in fact, daily we receive and we need God's grace and his peace over and over again. Understand that God desires to bless you with grace and peace. He truly is a wonderful, marvelous, loving God that we serve. Verse 2 and 3.

Paul goes on to say, we give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. Now, again, this is customary in Paul's letters. He always wanted them to know that he was praying for them. And here Paul says that he prays for them as he remembers three things about them.

And these three things are the three marks of the Christian or the three characteristics of the Christian. They are faith, love and hope. And as he remembers these things, he gets excited and he thanks God. He prays for them. He says, thank you, God, that you did a real work in their hearts. Thank you, God, that you did a tremendous thing there in Thessalonica.

As he remembers their faith, love, and hope. Because these are the characteristics of a believer in Jesus Christ. These are the things that makes us different than the rest of the world. These things need to be evident in our life. These are marks and characteristics that we should look for in our own lives. Many times people have the question, how can I be sure that I've been born again? How do I know that I'm a Christian?

Look for these three marks in your life. Look for these characteristics. How do we know we've received the gospel message when these three things are evident in our life? Faith, love and hope. Paul uses faith, love and hope to remember that the Thessalonians received the gospel message. But he also gives us here an indication of where to look for these things in our own life.

Because he says there, he thinks God remembering without ceasing your work of faith. And that phrase there is important. It's the work of faith that Paul is remembering. Now, faith, I want to give you a quick Jerry Simmons definition. Faith is obedience to God at his word.

Faith is obedience to God at his word. Now, I'm going to be sharing a lot of different scriptures with you. I encourage you to take some good notes and meditate on these things to be challenged by them like I have this week. But rather than just referring to this one, let me have you turn there. Hebrews chapter 11. Could you please turn there with me? Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the hall of faith or the chapter of faith.

where the author of Hebrews gives us a whole chapter specifically dealing with faith and its demonstration in the lives of many who have gone before us, many of the saints of the Old Testament. And here in verses 6 through 8, we find a great portion of Scripture for us to meditate on about what faith is. Hebrews 11, verse 6 says,

Says, but without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

Verse seven, by faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household by which he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness, which is according to faith. Verse eight, by faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.

Now, in the Christian realm, in Christian circles, on Christian TV and Christian teachers, there's a lot of strange teaching about faith that goes on. But we need to understand what faith is. It's more than just saying, I believe in God. It's more than just saying, I believe in God so I can claim whatever I want in faith and I will receive it. That's not what the Bible talks about in regards to faith.

Now, I know you were probably expecting me to go to verse 1 of chapter 11, but look at verse 6 again. What is faith according to Hebrews 11, 6? Number one, it's coming to God. Number two, it's believing that he is. And number three, it's believing that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. And then he goes on to give us two examples. Now, he gives us much more, but we're just looking at these two for now. Noah and Abraham.

What are the examples? Hebrews 11, 7. By faith, Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household. What did Noah do? He prepared an ark. That was his act of faith. But let me ask you, why did Noah prepare an ark? Genesis 6, verse 14. God tells Noah, make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and out with pitch.

And so Genesis chapter 6 verse 22, Thus Noah did according to all that God commanded him, so he did. He came to God. He believed that he is. He believed that he was a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. And so his faith prompted him to build the ark. He was obedient to God at his word. Same thing with Abraham in verse 8.

What did Abraham do? Well, he went out not knowing where he was going. But let me ask you, why did Abraham go out? I refer you back again to Genesis chapter 12, verse 1. Now the Lord said to Abraham, get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. Abraham was commanded by God, leave your country. Hebrews 11, 8 tells us that it was an act of faith.

Why? Well, Genesis 12, 4. So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him. And Lot went with him. And Abraham was 75 years old when he departed from Haran. Faith, as demonstrated by Noah, as demonstrated by Moses, is obedience to God at his word. God gave them a command. They believed that he is. They believed that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. And so they obeyed his word. They responded to his command in obedience.

And it was labeled to us as faith. Now, if you come on Wednesday nights, as we're going through the Proverbs, you've heard lots of my stories. I go out all the time not knowing where I'm going. But that's not necessarily an act of faith. It doesn't mean I'm demonstrating faith like Abraham. No, I just get lost easily.

Abraham went out not knowing where he was going, and it was an act of faith, not because he didn't know where he was going, but because God commanded him to do it. God commanded him to go. It's not a leap of faith like we have the phrase in the sense of, I have no idea where I'm going, I don't know what's going to happen. No, it's a leap of faith in the sense of, God told me to go, I'm going, although I don't know what to expect.

It's more than just doing something and not knowing what the end result will be or what will happen. It's doing it because God told you to do it. Faith is obedience to God at his word. It involves being close to God, seeking him, hearing his voice, and then obeying. And that's why Paul calls it the work of faith.

Because faith always manifests itself in work. It always manifests itself in work. There's always something tangible or visible that demonstrates the faith. Because it's something that you do in obedience to God. And the result of the work of faith is always, always miraculous. And we'll talk about that more a little bit later. But it's always miraculous.

Miracles take place as you are obedient to God at his word. And Paul says, man, I thank God every time I remember that work of faith. As you believed God at his word and were obedient to it, the miraculous things that took place as a result, oh, it causes me to praise God. It causes me to rejoice and thank God for the work of faith. The next area he talks about is the other thing that causes him to rejoice and thank God is the labor of love.

The labor of love. Now let me give you another quick definition of love. Love is overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. Overwhelming concern and desire to serve others.

Now, of course, love is a word that cannot really be defined in one line. Paul devotes the entire 1 Corinthians chapter 13 to the subject of love in order to give you the sense of what love is. And let me read to you just a quick portion from 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

Verses 4 through 8, which you're probably familiar with, but it's always good for us to remember what love is. Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.

It does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. This is Paul's definition of love.

It's the love that God has towards us and continues to demonstrate towards us. But it's also the love that believers have for one another. Jesus said that this would be the chief characteristic of believers in John 13, 35. Now, love always manifests itself in service. It's always a serving that takes place or a laboring that takes place as a result of love.

The word labor that Paul uses here in the labor of love, this word labor means intense labor united with trouble and toil. And so that's where we get the overwhelming concern, the weariness that goes along with and that love motivates us to serve, even though there's trouble and turmoil. There's intense labor because of our concern for others, because of our love for them.

And yet the service continues on regardless of the difficulties. It's love that drives us to serve one another. It's love that drives us to share with the lost or to serve the Lord, even though we're tired or even though there's stumbling blocks or even though things become difficult. Like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5.14, it's the love of Christ which compels us. That's what drives us. That's what pushes us forward. That's what motivates us.

Because love is an overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. So Paul says, I praise God. I rejoice. I thank God every time I remember the work of faith that was going on, that's taking place among you. The labor of love that's happening in your midst. And finally, the patience of hope. Patience of hope. Quick definition of hope is a confident focus on eternity.

Hope is a confident focus on eternity.

Hope in the Bible is not used the way that we use it today. For us, hope refers to something uncertain and many times something that's unlikely. You know, I hope I win this round of bunko or I hope that they're going to be OK. I hope I locked the door when I left this morning. I can't quite remember. It's something uncertain. We're not sure or perhaps not even likely that the chances are slim.

Biblical hope is pretty much the opposite of that. Biblical hope is something that is certain and guaranteed. And the only reason that we don't have what we hope for is because it's something yet future. It's not questionable whether we will receive it. It's guaranteed it's going to happen, but it's still in the future. And that's why it's hope, not because there's uncertainty, but because there's still time that remains to pass.

Now, hope involves several things throughout the scriptures. We see hope used of the coming of Jesus, that he is our hope. Titus chapter 2 verse 13 tells us that we're looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. That's our hope, the coming of Jesus Christ as he comes to catch us up together with him. We have hope in that.

Also, the scripture talks to us about hope in the understanding that we will receive new bodies. Romans chapter 8, verses 23 and 24. He says, Not only that, but we have the first fruits of the Spirit. Even we ourselves grown within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption. Notice the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope.

We were saved in the hope of the redemption of our body, that we're going to be caught up, that our body is going to be redeemed, that we'll receive new bodies in Christ Jesus, new bodies for eternity. This body will pass away. Immortality, no, death must be swallowed up by immortality. The mortal must be swallowed up by the immortal.

The new bodies that God has in store for us. Also, eternal life. Titus chapter 1 verse 2 talks to us about the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Our hope is a confident focus on eternity. When Christ comes back for us, when we receive new bodies and spend eternity with him, it's the hope of

of the things yet future, of the plans and purposes, really the ultimate plans and purposes that God has for us. Now, faith manifests itself in work. Love manifests itself in labor. Hope manifests itself in patience. In patience. I looked up the word patience in my

Bible software said this, patience is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. It's someone who is not swerved even through the most difficult things. Someone who holds on, someone who has patience or endurance. Hope is revealed by endurance through trials and consistency in our walk.

And we have that when we have a confident focus on eternity. Now, these three characteristics are essential in the life of a believer. Faith, obedience to God at his word, love, overwhelming concern and desire to serve others, and hope. A confident focus on eternity. And Paul says, I thank God every time I remember. Because...

As a result of those things, I know that what God did was real. I know that the gospel came to you and that you received it, that you've been born again, that there's a magnificent work of God taking place in your lives because of these things that I remember your faith, your love and your hope.

Not only are these things essential marks, but Paul says this is how they know that they are saved. This is how he knows that they were elected by God. Look at verse four. Knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God and going on to verse five for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance. As you know, what kind of men we were among you for your sake. Paul says, look, I think, God, every time I remember your faith, love and hope.

knowing that you were elected by God. These were the marks, the characteristics that he knew they were elected by God. He knew God had chosen them. He knew that they had been born again. How? Look at verse five. It begins with the word for. Here's how I know you've been elected by God. Here's how we know your election of God, because our gospel did not come to you in word only.

Election is known by the result of the gospel in a person's life. Here's how I know, Paul says. It didn't just come in word only, but there was some evidence of it. There was some fruit as a result of the gospel coming into your lives.

It wasn't just in word. It wasn't just an intellectual consent to the truth. It wasn't an agreement philosophically. There was something more that took place, something real that took place, something miraculous that took place. Paul said there's three things that happened.

As a result of the gospel, it wasn't just in word. There's three things that happen. And these three things, I believe, are the same three things that we've been talking about. Faith, love and hope. He says that it didn't just come to you in word, but it came to you in power. It came to you in power. Now, remember what I said earlier about faith. The result of the work of faith is always miraculous.

It's always miraculous. If it's not miraculous, then it's not faith. If it makes sense, it's not faith. If it's the logical conclusion of anybody, it's not faith. It's faith when you're obedient to God, even though it doesn't make sense, even though it doesn't add up, even though it's not a natural tendency, even though it goes against the principles of the world. It's faith.

Because we believe God at his word. And the result is always miraculous because in our mind, it doesn't add up. Galatians chapter 3, verse 5 tells us. Paul challenges actually the Galatians. He says, Paul's asking a question, but I'm pointing out from that,

How does God work miracles? It's not by the works of the law. It's by faith. Faith results in miracles. The work of faith always results in something miraculous. Faith, power, the miraculous work of God, they all go together. Acts chapter 6 verse 8, if you remember Stephen, one of those that was chosen to serve the body of Christ said,

In chapter 6, verse 8 of the book of Acts, it tells us that Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. When you're obedient to the Lord, miracles take place. Miraculous things happen. Now, let me give you an example. Salvation. How are you saved? Well, we know Ephesians 2, 8, 9, it's by grace through faith. Faith. Salvation is by faith. Faith.

And what is the result of that faith? Something miraculous. You are born again. It's not something logical. It's not something natural. It doesn't make sense. How does believing in Jesus make me born again? How does that make all things new? How does that make me a new creation? It doesn't make sense, but it's real. And it takes place and it happens as a result of faith. There's a miracle that takes place, something supernatural happens.

You're born again. You maybe have seen it in your life through steps of faith that God has called you to take from time to time. God speaks to your heart about something. You obey and you get to see God do the miraculous. You get to see miraculous doors opened or the setting up of divine appointments or the miraculous meeting of people's needs. Miracles take place as a result of the work of faith. God works mightily in power.

As a result of the work of faith. Paul says the gospel came with power because they were obedient to God. He worked miraculously and that will always be the case. People will be set free from addictions as a result of believing the gospel message. People will be set free from the bondage to sin. People will be transformed as they're saved by faith. But it's not limited just to conversion.

The power of God is revealed and demonstrated as we continue to be obedient to him. And so we see, Paul says, it wasn't just in word. I know that you're elected by God. I know that you're saved because it wasn't just in word. It wasn't just intellectual, but there is power demonstrated. There was miraculous things taking place. Your life was transformed as you put your faith in God. But it wasn't just in faith. It says not only in word, but also in faith, but also in the Holy Spirit.

The word, the gospel didn't just come to you in word, but it also came to you in the Holy Spirit. The power of God was among you and demonstrated when you believed, but also it was accompanied by the working of the Holy Spirit. Now, let me ask you, what is the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit working? Galatians chapter five, verse 22. But the fruit of the spirit is love.

joy peace patience long suffering kindness goodness gentleness self-control all those things but the primary evidence is love romans chapter 5 verse 5 paul tells us their hope does not disappoint because the love of god has been poured in our hearts how he says by the holy spirit who has given to us where does love come from the working of the holy spirit first peter chapter 1 verse 22 since you have purified your souls and obeying the truth through the spirit in sincere love

Love is the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit at work. Paul says when the gospel came, it didn't just come to you in word, but it also came in power because of the faith. God was doing miraculous things, but also in the Holy Spirit, whose primary evidence is love.

So Paul says, I know you were elected by God. I know that you were chosen by God. I know that you have been saved because of the power of God that was at work, the lives that were transformed, the miraculous things were happening, and the love that was being poured out by God through his Holy Spirit. The love that's described for us there in 1 Corinthians 13.

It can only be given by God. There's no other way to have this love for others. You can't try hard enough. You can't work on it enough. You can't make enough New Year's resolutions. It can only be given by the Spirit working in a heart, in a life. Love is a result of the Holy Spirit working in me, working in you. And so the gospel came not just in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit working

manifesting itself in love and Paul says in much assurance, in much assurance. Now in the Greek, this phrase is a little redundant to emphasize the surety of the assurance. Literally, it's in much full assurance. Now, how much more can you have than full assurance? Well, much full assurance, a lot of full insurance, meaning it's absolutely assured.

emphasizing that you can count on it. It's guaranteed there. It's what we call hope in the Bible, something that's not uncertain, but something that is going to take place. It's guaranteed. It's certain. It's absolutely going to happen. Much assurance is the result of hope. It's the result of having confident, confident focus on eternity. The Thessalonians say,

As Paul was driven out of the city, they suffered persecution as a result of the gospel. People lost their lives. They had trouble finding and keeping jobs. They had trouble keeping friends. They had trouble in every aspect of life. If they had been looking to this life, there would be no assurance. And if you and I look to this life, we have no assurance. You know, there's a saying, nothing is certain but death and taxes.

And if you look to the world, that's pretty much all the assurance that you can have. You're going to die and you're going to have to pay for it. Much assurance doesn't come from the world. It doesn't come from our natural flesh. It doesn't come from this life. It comes from hope, a confident focus or expectation of eternity. The gospel came in much assurance because they weren't focused on this life.

But they were focused on the one to come. They were focused on what God had in store for them. They were focused on the rest of eternity. And so, again, these three things are the marks of a believer in Jesus Christ. They're the evidence of election by God. Faith, obedience to God at his word, resulting in the power of God being displayed.

Love, overwhelming concern and desire to serve others prompted by the Holy Spirit. And hope, confident focus on eternity, giving full assurance. Now, if you remember the end of 1 Corinthians 13, it's verse 13 of 1 Corinthians 13. Paul tells us, now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

Paul says, look, these three things are the things that last. These are the things which abide. These are the things which are eternal. And when these three things are part of your life, there's a significant and noticeable result. Number one, they're the marks of a Christian. They're the marks that you know you're a believer. You know you're elected of God because they're supernatural things. They're things that only God can do as he's working in faith, love and hope.

But there's also another result, actually two other results of these things in a person's life. And we see it in the remainder of our portion of scripture this morning. Number one, the first result is that you become an example. And number two, that you can guess what it is. You become a witness. When faith, love and hope are demonstrated in a person's life, they become an example and they become a witness.

Look at verse 6 and 7. Paul says, Paul says, Paul says,

You became examples to all believers in Jesus Christ because of your faith, love and hope. Now, Paul says you became followers of us and of the Lord. Paul often throughout his books encouraged the believers to follow him as he followed Christ's example. And we can look at that and say, that's tough. I don't want people to follow me.

But understand the reality is God has called you to be an example to all believers. God has called you to disciple others, to be the example for them. That even though we fall short, even though we're not perfect, even though we're not even close to the Apostle Paul, we are to be able to say to those around us, follow me as I follow the example of Christ.

Follow me as I follow Jesus Christ. I'm walking with God. Follow my example. Paul says you became followers of us and of the Lord. But not only that, you became examples to everybody else. And that's how it's meant to be. Your life, is it an example to all believers?

Are you an example to all believers? Now, here's where we find the answer of how to become an example to all believers. We understand that we're called to be examples. We agree that we're not where we should be. So how do we work on that? Again, we don't tell more people to follow us. How do we work on being an example if I'm a bad example or if I fall short or if I'm not really making progress?

a good example for the brothers and sisters around me if they can't look to my life and learn how to walk closer to Jesus what do I work on where do I go to work on that it's more than just trying harder it's more than just good behavior pretending better at church that that's not what becoming a good witness or example is about it's about these three characteristics here's where you go if you need work on being an example

Go back to the source, faith, love, and hope. When those three characteristics are a part of your life, you become an example just like the Thessalonians. If you feel that you're a bad example, understand that being a bad example is not the real problem. It's just a symptom of the real problem. And you cannot fix the problem by working harder on the symptom.

You have to take care of the problem. The real problem, if you are not an example, is faith, love, and hope. Faith, obedience to God at his word. Love, overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. Hope, a confident focus on eternity.

You, like the Thessalonians, when you have those things as characteristics, as marks in your life, you become an example to all believers. But not only that, you also become a witness. Look at verses 8 through 10.

For from you, the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you and how you turn 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, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Now, it's been said, you've probably heard the saying, witness is not something you do, it's something you are. And it's absolutely true. We do share with people, and that's called witnessing, but primarily God has called us to be a witness, to be a light, to be salt. He's called us to be a witness. And this is what happened with the Thessalonians. Paul says, look, we don't even have to say anything anymore.

Your witness has sounded forth. And you get the idea of a trumpet call that everyone heard. Paul says you've made a huge impact in the whole area.

All people need to do is they hear that we were with you and they already know the message. In fact, they're the ones declaring it. Paul says, we don't even have to say anything. They themselves testify. You turn from the idols. You started to serve God. You're waiting for Jesus Christ. You have the hope of eternity. They're the ones who declare and know the gospel message as a result of your witness. We don't even have to say anything any longer. Everybody knows as a result of

Of the radical transformation in your life. Everyone knows that you've turned to God from idols. The transformation was so great. The impact so dynamic that everyone has heard about it. The word is spread quickly, Paul says. Now, it wasn't because they were they went around telling everyone. Everyone went around telling about them.

Quite the opposite of what we might think of when we think of witnessing. Not to negate that, we need to share the gospel as God gives us opportunity. But understand, that's not the only way God has called us to witness. We're called to be a witness. To allow faith, love, and hope to be such a part of our lives that everybody goes around talking about us and the impact that God has had in our lives. The work that God has done. Wouldn't you like to be that kind of witness? Yes.

That people know just from knowing you, just from seeing your life, just from spending a little bit of time with you, that God has done a marvelous work. That Jesus Christ is alive, that he is real, that he is resurrected, and that we have hope of eternity. Now, remember the location of Thessalonica. They were on a great seaport, on a major road going through the northern part of Greece, through Macedonia. Like the Thessalonians, to put it this way,

Are you a witness to all who come across your path? People were going through Vesal Nica and they're going, what's going on here? The bars are closing down. The idol shops, they got the bars in the front. They're not even open anymore. What's happening here? What's taking place? The change was radical within them. There was a dynamic change and they were a witness.

And in this major city where ships were coming and going, where people are traveling through all the time, the word spread quick. All who came across their path went away saying, wow. Paul says it sounded forth. When they hear that we're with you, man, they're already telling us, oh, yeah, it's weird. They turn to God from idols. They're serving this true and living God. They're waiting for his son from heaven. It was a radical thing that took place.

And wouldn't you like to be that type of witness? That all who come across your path, walk away, sounding forth, that person is waiting for the sun from heaven. He's turned to God from idols. He doesn't live the way everybody else lives. We become a witness through these marks, through these characteristics. Faith, love, and hope. We understand that we're called to be a witness. We agree that that's what we should be.

Many times we fall short in that area. So how do we work on that? We go back to those same three things. The being a witness is a symptom. It's the result of something else. If you're struggling in being a witness, it's not that you try harder again and you put on a better act around people so they think you're more saved than you are. No, you go back to the root. You go back to the problem. Faith, love, and hope.

Work on those characteristics. Allow God to transform your life in those areas and you will be a witness that sounds forth. When those characteristics are a part of your life, everyone will know. And everyone who crosses your path will walk away saying, that's weird. He's turned to God from idols. He doesn't live like the rest of us.

If you feel that you're a bad witness, understand that it's not the real problem. It's just a symptom. And you can't fix the problem by working harder on the symptom. The real problem is a lack of faith, love, and hope. Obedience to God at his word. That's faith. Overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. That's love. A confident focus on eternity. That's hope. And when those three things are in place in our lives, like the Thessalonians,

We become an example to all believers and we become a witness that sounds forth. So if that's the areas that we need to work on, if that's the areas where we need to grow so that we can be the example and be the witness that God calls us to be, how do we grow in these areas? If that is the problem, how do we grow in faith, hope, and love? Just a few final thoughts I'll close with. Faith, remember it's obedience to God at his word. In your life, think about this.

Is the power of God evident in your life? Is the miraculous taking place? The way that you grow in faith, you know, faith comes, Romans 10, comes by hearing. And you know how hearing comes? By the word of God. How do you grow in faith? Get into the word of God. Faith is obedience to God at his word. And so as you read his word, be obedient. Put it into practice. Live it out.

and you will grow in faith as you read each day be obedient each day not just the big things but the little things in fact the little things are really where it's at it's not about the big things you've heard the expression how do you eat an elephant well if you did eat an elephant that would be miraculous it'd be a work of faith if you did eat an elephant it wouldn't be in one big bite

One big leap of faith. One big thing. One big... No. It would be in thousands upon thousands upon thousands of little tiny bites. And the things that you think are insignificant in your life in obedience to God, those are the things that lead up to the miraculous taking place. We need to be obedient to God in the little things. Daily as He speaks to us through His Word. If we're not an example, if we're not a witness...

How do we grow in that? What do we work on? We need to start with faith. Am I reading the word of God? And am I being obedient to what God is speaking to my heart?

Am I doing what he has told me to do? Then, as you become obedient, as you take those bites and take those steps, as you grow in faith, then as God speaks, the power of God will be manifested. Miraculous things will take place as you're obedient to him. Just like Jesus said in Matthew 17, verse 20, Hey, if you had the faith of a mustard seed, I will say that you will say this mountain move from here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you.

Not that if you have faith, you can just do whatever you want and rearrange the landscape however you want. No, but whatever God tells you to do, if you have the faith of a mustard seed, the practice of being obedient in the little things, in the little things, in the little things, then when God calls you to move the mountain, you're able to go forward. You're able to say to the mountain, move. Not because that's your desire because you want a different view, but because that's what God told you to do. Because faith is being obedient to God and His word. Love.

Love is an overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. In your life, is that taking place? Another way of putting it is, is the Holy Spirit working in your life? Because the primary evidence of the Holy Spirit is love. Is there an overwhelming concern and desire to love others or to serve others? Is there an overwhelming desire to reach the lost? Is there a great desire to minister to those around you? What do you do if you're lacking in love?

If you're lacking the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, Jesus said in Luke chapter 11, verses 9 through 13, if you want the Holy Spirit, ask. Ask, seek, and knock. And keep on asking and keep on seeking and keep on knocking. If you want the Holy Spirit, beg God. Ask God. Continue to be persistent to ask God, to rely upon the Lord, to rely upon the Spirit, to rely upon His strength. It's a continual thing. And so if you're lacking in love,

You're lacking in the working of the Spirit. And if you're lacking in the working of the Spirit, you need to go back to the problem. Are you asking God daily, constantly? Are you relying upon the Lord for His Spirit to empower you, to work in you? Or are you just living your life on your own strength, with your own wisdom? We need the power of God working in us. We need the Spirit of God moving upon us.

And as he works, the result will be the fruit of the Spirit is love. And as we grow in love, in 1 John 3.16, By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. As we grow in love, knowing what love is from the example that Jesus has set, we learn to do the same, to give our lives for the brethren.

We have an overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. And finally, hope. A confident focus on eternity. In your life, do you have a confident focus on eternity? Do you have full assurance? So much so that you persist even in trouble and tribulation, that nothing shakes you, that you continue steadfastly in your faith, in your walk, in your hope.

If the things of this life unsettle you quickly, you need to remember where your focus needs to be on eternity. On eternity. Remember what happened to Job? It's amazing how many times the word hope is used in the book of Job. I didn't count them, but looking over and over and over again about the hope that was spoken of. Remember what happened with Job as he lost everything? Where did his focus go on eternity?

Naked I came, naked I will go into eternity with God. If the things of this life shake us, if they rock our world, we need to think about, where's my focus? Where's my heart set on? Like we looked at in Colossians 3, am I seeking the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God? Or are my eyes set on the things of this world?

And as we grow in hope, as we put our focus on and keep our eyes and our hearts set upon eternity, 1 Corinthians 15, 58, therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. It's not in vain. There's a sure hope, a sure reward waiting for you in eternity. And the result will be as you grow in faith,

as you're obedient to God in the little things, as you're spending time in His Word, as you grow in love, looking to the Holy Spirit and asking God to fill you, asking Him to give you love, to pour His love into your heart, as you grow in hope, focusing on eternity and losing your grip on this life, the result will be you're an example to all believers and you're a witness that sounds forth exactly what God has called you to be.

Faith, obedience to God at His word. Love, overwhelming concern and desire to serve others. And hope, a confident focus on eternity. These three abide. These three last. This is where we need to grow. Let's pray. Lord, I thank you for the wonderful words that you've given to us through the Apostle Paul. Lord, because we all know we fall short. Lord, we all know

being a witness, being an example, and we don't measure up. But God, I thank you that you don't condemn us for that, but instead encourage us to draw closer to you, Lord, and you spur us on. Even though we've failed, even though we've blown it, Lord, you still desire for us to be an example and be a witness. You still desire to use us to impact your kingdom, to reach out to the lost, to set the pattern for others to follow you.

And so, God, I pray that you would help us in these areas. Lord, that we would be obedient to you. Even if it seems trivial or insignificant, God, help us to be so anxious and so eager to be obedient to you, Lord. That even in those little things, Lord, we would be quick to fulfill the desire that you've given to us. Lord, that we would be quick to fulfill the command that you've administered to us. Even if we don't know the outcome. Even if we don't know the result.

Lord, even if it's a difficult struggle for us, help us to be obedient. Help us, Lord, to grow in our love. Lord, right now we do ask that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit. God, we need you. We're lost without you. And so, God, we ask, we seek, we knock for you to empower us with your Spirit, to pour into our hearts this love that you have for us, that we might learn to love one another. And, Lord,

As Jesus said, then as we love one another, it will be evident to all that we're followers of you, that we're your disciples. And God, we ask that you would help us to grow in hope. Lord, we're so easily caught up in the things of this life, focused on the things of here and now. Forgive us, Lord. We ask now that you would set our hearts, set our mind on eternity with you. Lord, that daily we would continually be looking up, knowing that our redemption draws nigh.

Lord, that we would be drawing close to you, fixing our eyes upon you, the author and finisher of our faith. And God, as we grow in these things, we ask, though not worthy, though not deserving, that you would use us to be an example, that you would use us to be a witness. Lord, that you would use us to draw people close to you. In Jesus' name we pray.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.