Coming Here Was Worth It
1 Thessalonians 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
Intro: Paul said in verse 1, “Coming here was worth it, and YOU KNOW IT!!”
Paul remembered:
A. Their Exhortation – vs. 2-5, 11, 12
Paul let them know that his previous mistreatment had not diluted his message.
He was still bold in spite of the battles!
They didn’t come to Thessalonica looking to reinvent themselves or try something new.
They preached the same gospel; the same message they had preached before.
It was a message of salvation (gospel of God) and of sanctification (walk worthy of God).
B. Their Expectation– vs. 6
Paul had been in the ministry long enough to know you cannot please God and man at the same time.
He didn’t use flattery; flowering words; he wasn’t political.
He didn’t seek glory. He wasn’t a man-pleaser.
Paul was a God-called preacher preaching to an audience of One.
C. Their Expression – vs. 7, 8
Paul came in gently; starting our carefully, methodically and lovingly.
He didn’t come to Thessalonica with the same expectations that he had of the saints in Philippi.
It was a different city; different people; different background; different level of exposure to truth.
He started out slow and careful and was considerate of them and loved them where they were.
God gave him a love for the people of Thessalonica.
D. Their Example – vs. 9, 10
Paul reminded them of the example they tried to set before them as new Christians.
He said – Ye are witnesses. You remember how we acted, walked, behaved.
We behaved holy, justly and unblameably among you.
SEE chapter 1:
- Vs. 5 …ye know what manner of men we were among you…
- Vs. 6 …ye became followers of us, and of the Lord…
- Vs. 7 We were ensamples to all that believe…
E. Their Excitement – vs. 13
We thank God without ceasing.
LOOK at 1:2, 3 Paul was genuinely excited about what God had done in the church at Thessalonica.
See 3:9, 10
In August of 2014, God moved us here from South Carolina. We came in a long procession of U-hauls and trailers and vehicles. We would have been here sooner, but we had to get our visas and go through language school!
We left our 5 bedroom log cabin on 4 acres, gave our horse away, gave our dog away and moved to Dundalk.
Coming Here Was Worth It because of…
I. The Souls have been Rescued – 1:4, 5 …gospel came unto you in power and in much assurance…
Paul was grateful for the fact that many souls had been saved as a result of their coming to Thessalonica.
1:10 …waiting for Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come…
II. The Service that has been Rendered – 1:3 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;
Paul was grateful for the salvation of the Thessalonians, and how it had produced a heart for ministry.
They were involved in the “work of faith” and Paul called it a “labour of love.”
They didn’t serve out of duty or obligation, but out of a genuine passion for people and for God.
Their motivation was not Paul finding out, but they did it in the “sight of God and our Father.”
No doubt they had been taught by Paul to serve the Lord… “not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart…”
We know he taught the Colossians and the Ephesians to do that! (Col. 3:22-24; Eph. 6:6)
III. The Sin that has been Removed – vs.9 …how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
Notice 4:1-7
Paul reminded them of their progress so far in the area of sanctification.
- 4:1…as ye have received of us…so ye would abound more and more.
He wanted them to continue to abound more and more.
Paul referred to holiness, sanctification and abstaining from even the very appearance of evil in this epistle.
3:13; 4:22, 23
IV. The Standard that has been Raised – 1:7. 8
- 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
- 8 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.
- 9 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you…
Paul was thankful that as a result of them coming to Thessalonica, a church was established that had a world-wide impact.
- They had received the word – 2:13
- They had conformed to the word – vs. 2:14
- Then they had become an example to the world – 1:8