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1 Thessalonians 1:1-3, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
There’s nothing like an exciting, spiritually vibrant and growing local church with people who love Christ and His Word and want to grow and change. We need to pray that God will keep our church alive and healthy like the Thessalonian church. In 1984 John MacArthur wrote The Anatomy of the Church, which is my favorite book about the church. He compares the church to a human body with its skeleton, internal systems, muscles and flesh, and the head, who of course is Christ. I’ll be borrowing some material from his work as we study 1 Thessalonians. Written around AD 50, this book is Paul’s second epistle. He wrote it on his second missionary journey from Corinth.
Paul describes this young church in 1:7 as an example or model for other churches, so I’ve entitled this series “A Model Church.” The word “example” in verse 7 is tupos and speaks of the physical impressions left by a blow or hit, such as the marks left by nails on Jesus’ hands. But the word commonly extends to figurative impressions like a model of behavior, an example that others should imitate or follow. A. T. Robertson notes, “It was a great compliment for the church in Thessalonica to already be a model for believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” Paul brought the gospel to this pagan city of about 200,000 Gentiles and Jews, and God worked mightily and brought many to repentance and faith. The gospel is the power of God to salvation. As one commentator said, “It is by the gospel that the church exists and by the church that the gospel spreads.” Salvation is the sovereign work of God. We sow and plant, but God gives the increase. God works through local churches, and we’re excited as we see God working in our church.
THESSALONICA
Thessalonica was situated on the north end of the Aegean Sea about 100 miles from Philippi and was founded in the 4th century BC by one of Alexander the Great’s army officers, Cassander, who named it after Alexander’s half-sister. It was the capital of Macedonia and located along a key Roman highway from Rome to the East called the Egnatian Way. Thessalonica had a busy harbor where ships from all over the Mediterranean world anchored to offload and onload merchandise. It was a Roman colony with self-rule through town magistrates and had a sizeable Jewish population with a synagogue. The population was around 200,000 in Paul’s day; today it’s around 300,000. In WW 2 the Nazis captured it and deported about 60,000 Jews to be exterminated.
THE BIRTH OF A CHURCH
How did God bring this church located in a very pagan and idolatrous culture into existence? That is the miracle of the gospel, just like every new believer is a miracle of grace. Let’s quickly trace Paul’s steps on his second missionary journey. Let me warn you – everywhere Paul goes he experiences trouble. He had just arrived in Philippi when they beat him with rods and threw him in jail. That was Paul’s life. Go to a town, preach Christ from the Scriptures, and get either stoned, imprisoned, or driven out of town. Then off to the next town with a repeat performance until he ended in Rome. There he was imprisoned two times and the second time his life ended with his beheading. That was Paul’s life! You’d think he’d have quit, but his call from God on the Damacus Road drove him to continue. In his wake he left one body of believers after another, and the one in Thessalonians became a model.
Paul arrives in Thessalonica – Acts 17:1
Acts 17:1, Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
Paul and his gospel team, Silas and Timothy, had just left Philippi where Lydia and the jailor and many others had come to Christ. Luke had joined them in Troas and apparently stayed behind in Philippi.
Paul preaches Jesus as the Christ in the synagogue – Acts 17:2-3
Acts 17:2-3, And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
For three Saturdays Paul took the Old Testament and reasoned with them. He didn’t entertain them or cart along his fog and light show to enhance everything. He simply explains and proves from one Old Testament prophecy after another how Jesus, recently crucified down in Jerusalem and risen from the dead, is indeed the Jewish Messiah. Just straight truth, teaching from the Bible. And he did it three Saturdays in a row.
Jews and Gentiles come to faith in Christ – Acts 17:4
Acts 17:4, And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.
Some Jews came to faith, plus loads of Greeks and leading women whose hearts God opened to receive the message. This, my friends, is a miracle of grace. This is the kind of miracle we’re interested in, aren’t you? The power of the gospel changed their lives. Can you remember when God used someone to bring you the gospel? We’ll never forget a fellow named Lee Hollenbach who came to our door one day with a big black Bible. He had us sit around the kitchen table and took us through the Romans Road. God worked in our hearts and our lives were changed forever. We began to read the Bible with new eyes.
Opposition begins – Acts 17:5-9
Acts 17:5-9, But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things. 9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
Paul stirred up a hornets’ nest with these Jews. “Wait a minute, I want to meet with an inter-faith ministerial association tonight and have a public discussion. Perhaps we can come to agreement here, boys.” No, not Paul. Truth is truth, and Paul or his followers never backed down. Notice, the gospel has the power to upset the world or at least your life. They stirred up a mob to hurl false accusations, fear-mongering. And while Paul never preached as a political insurgent – they blew this out of proportion, typical of the media of this day – he did preach Jesus Christ as the sovereign, supreme commander of the universe and Lord and Savior of all who believe. In fact, Revelation 1:5 says Christ is “The ruler of the kings of the earth.” Nothing happens politically that He doesn’t ultimately rule.
Paul leaves town – Acts 17:10
Acts 17:10, The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
Paul raised such a stink that the new believers sent him to Berea about 30 miles away. And the same thing happened in Berea. These Thessalonian Jews went over to Berea and agitated and stirred up the crowds. Paul left for Athens and sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how they were doing. Then Paul went to Corinth where he spent one and one-half years.
Paul writes 1 Thessalonians from Corinth
It is at Corinth around AD 50 where Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians. When Timothy returned with good news that they were standing firm in their faith (1 Thess. 3:6), Paul fired off this short letter of encouragement and instruction. These believers aren’t even a year old in the Lord, and yet Paul talks to them about suffering, about the second coming, about moral purity, even about the sovereignty of God in choosing them. Paul isn’t afraid to teach them about sovereign election, showing that it isn’t a doctrine reserved for the mature, deep Bible scholars. No, he says in verse 4, “I know you are beloved by God and chosen.” We’re going to look at that next week, but sovereign election is teaching for all believers…new and old. The Thessalonians are more than happy to receive it. They know full well it was God who invaded their lives and changed their hearts. And they take great delight in this. They don’t argue about it. They just go, “Wow, that is awesome. I had no idea the Bible taught that.” That’s how you want to be in all your spiritual lives. Eagerly drink in God’s truth. Read it. Study it. Compare scripture with scripture. Believe what it says even if it counters all you’ve been taught.
A CHURCH IN GOD – vs. 1
1 Thessalonians 1:1, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
Look how Paul starts here. He doesn’t say, “to the Lutheran Church in Thessalonica,” or the Methodist, or Southern, Northern, American, General Baptist, or Presbyterian, or OP, RP, PCUSA, PCA, or ARP. Paul says, “to the church made up of Thessalonian believers.” Isn’t that rich? What is the church? The word ekklesia was used of political or secular assemblies. But Jesus took that word and filled it with brand new and great meaning. In Matthew 16:18 He declared “I will build My church and nothing Satan can muster up will destroy it.” The church is a local assembly of people whom God called out of the world through the preaching of the gospel of Christ. He gave them new hearts to turn from their worldly passions and embrace Christ as their Lord and Savior. And now they gather together for fellowship and instruction and encouragement. The church is God’s agency distributed all over the earth to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in a lost, dark, spiritually dead world! Every local church is like heaven’s outpost in enemy territory, doing Christ’s business. It is a place of refuge for all the people God is going to save. That is the church.
And notice where the church is (we’re still in verse 1). It is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! Paul puts Christ right beside God the Father, which assumes Christ’s deity. Bible commentator Edmond Hiebert wrote, “Paul could never think of God without seeing the face of Jesus.” The church may not have a building, but this is far greater. No longer of the world, they are in eternal union with God the Father and the Son. What are we? A church. Where are we? We’re in God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. We are in vital union with the triune God, drawing all of our life and strength from our omnipotent Savior. How did we get here? By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God brought you here. The Spirit of God brought you here. For those brand spanking-new believers in Thessalonica fresh out of paganism to learn God to be their Father must have been awesome, and it is for us too! Our Father, who is in heaven! All the love, care, protection, training, discipline, and security found in God being your Father is absolutely beautiful assurance. Think about it. Let that sink into your mind and heart. Live your life on that fact.
And then this little greeting that contains the gospel in a nutshell – “grace and peace” always in that order. Grace is the saving work of God for sinners in Christ in one word. And the result of grace is you now have peace with God. You have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
GRATEFUL FOR GRACE – vs. 2
1 Thessalonians 1:2, We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;
Look at Paul’s response. He doesn’t praise them. “I want to thank you for believing in Christ. I’m just so glad at least some of you were smart enough to accept my message and decided to follow us.” That would be blasphemy. Paul knows that any spiritual life and growth in their lives for Christ is of pure sovereign grace. It wasn’t slick methods or programs that did the work; it was all of God. So he always thanks God. And not just once a week or so, but always! He’s thanking God for every one of these believers. And he makes mention of them as he prays, which indicates he gives their names. He knows them and their daily life as farmers, iron workers, carpenters, soldiers, shopkeepers. Here’s a lesson for us. Take time to pray for one another here in our church fellowship by name. Get that app of our directory and use it for praying personally by name for one another. And thank God for His grace in every one of our hearts.
THE THREE MARKS OF SAVING GRACE – vs. 3
1 Thessalonians 1:3, constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father
How do you know if a person is a true Christian? Right here in verse 3 are the three marks of a new heart that God produces when He creates a Christian. God gives you a faith that works, a love that labors, and a hope that endures or hangs in there. These are always in a born-again Christian with a new life in Christ. If you have these motivating your life, you are a Christian. And they are vital signs of a healthy church. This is why Paul was so confident that God had saved them and can say they are a model church. These three spiritual virtues are woven into almost every New Testament letter.
- Galatians 5:5-6, For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.
- Colossians 1:4-5, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13, But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
- 1 Peter 1:21-22, who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8, But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
The Believer’s Tri-Directional Heart’s Focus
The upward look of faith – A faith that works means these people were unquestionably converted to Jesus Christ and their faith was radically changing their lives. “By grace are you saved through faith, not of yourselves, the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast, but we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God determined His people should walk in them” Ephesians 2:8-10. We are saved by faith alone but never by a faith that remains alone. True faith always leads to obedience. Abraham’s faith worked as he obeyed God and offered Isaac. Rahab’s faith worked as she hid the spies and hung the scarlet cord on the wall. Faith hears and applies God’s Word to life.
The outward look of love – A love that labors means you begin to deny yourself, lay down your life for the good of others, even sometimes laboring to the point of exhaustion. Love labors, sacrifices, serves, helps, ministers, cares for others, and provokes others to love and good works. God has poured His love into our hearts and we are to pour our love to others in this local body. This is a labor of love, friends. Whether it’s teaching a class, greeting, preparing meals, cleaning up, preparing coffee, painting and fixing, serving in the CARE ministry or Not Forgotten ministry, rehearsing for worship, mowing that lawn, visiting in the hospital, and more. When people love one another and even labor in love, that’s a healthy church.
The forward look of hope – Hope in Christ’s any moment return is a theme of this letter.
1 Thes. 1:10, “to wait for His Son from heaven.”
1 Thes. 2:19, “the presence of the Lord Jesus at His coming.”
1 Thes. 3:13, “at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”
1 Thes. 4:16, “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout.”
1 Thes. 5:23, “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
A hope that endures looks ahead with confident expectation and doesn’t let any amount of pressure, resistance, persecution, discouragement, or disappointment lessen that bright anticipation that Christ might come back today. It is always too soon to quit or turn back. This is standing firm. And the stronger your hope, the more you will endure.
The upward look of faith in God, the outward look of love for others, even enemies, and the forward look of hope in our Lord’s return. These are the marks of a healthy believer and a healthy church. These are the heart motives that drive our serving one another, of spreading the gospel whenever and wherever we go. This is why the Thessalonian church is a model church for us to follow. Look at 1 Thes.1:8, “For the Word of the Lord has sounded forth from you…in every place your faith toward God has gone forth….”
It’s so exciting to see people growing in faith, love, and hope. Don’t you just love to see things grow? Something’s wrong if you are four years old and still crawling. You may have a growth chart on the wall for your kids. Something’s wrong if your ten-year-old is still 2 feet, 10 inches. Or if your teenager is still able to wear what she wore when age ten. A healthy church, a healthy believer grows in these three graces. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians from Corinth about three months later. Their faith was getting stronger. God’s Word was like miracle grow is for plants. They were flourishing. Their love was super abounding. And their hope was burning brightly in spite of persecutions and afflictions. These are the spiritual vital signs for every healthy believer.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-4, We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
SO WHAT?
Is Christ your Savior and King? Have you ever bowed your knee to Him and received Him as your only Savior? Are you a healthy believer? Is your faith working? Does your love labor for others? Is your hope strong and filling you with joyful, confident expectation? Let’s remember, Christ is right at the door and could return at any moment. May God’s blessing rest powerfully on our church.