First Thessalonians, 1:6-10

All right, what I'd like to do today, before we move into today's topic, is read the entire first chapter. It's only 10 verses, so that's really pretty easy just to set the stage for what follows. Randy, I think, unveiled for you kind of the book of 1 Thessalonians in terms of what the intent is and what the history is that relates to the book. So I'm not going to go back there today. Remember, this is one of Paul's first writings. So despite the fact that it's kind of later in the sequence of epistles that the Lord has provided for us, this is one of the early writings. And I think there's good evidence to believe why that's true. So let's go ahead and read verses 1 through 10 just to set the stage for our study today. Roger, how about it? Would you read that? I know, I'm trying to get your fingers to be more nimble here. So 1 through 10? Yes.

We give thanks to God always for you, for all of you, making mention of you in our prayer, 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. Knowing, brethren, beloved by God, is the choice of you. For the gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in spirit, with full conviction, just as you know what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake. You also have become imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers of Macedonia and Achaia, for the Word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we've had with you, and how we turn to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom we raised from the dead, that is Jesus Christ, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

OK, thank you, Roger. So let's begin now with verse 6 in chapter 1. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and in Ahia who believe.

It looks like Achaia, doesn't it? And when I listened to the Greek pronunciation, I have this kind of this program. It's called Word Search, actually. And when I heard the Greek pronunciation, it's Ahia. And that made me feel good, because I'm from Ahia. So I said, that fits. Let's call it Ahia. It's not Indiana or Pennsylvania. It's Ahia. That was the highlight of my preparation.

Okay, to follow or to imitate. What does that mean to you? By the way, I like an interactive class. I'm going to be asking a lot of questions here and I want to hear from you. So, let's speak up. Brian, what does it mean to be an imitator? What would Jesus do? There you go. Walking my footsteps, right? Is that the idea we're talking about here? Why is this in the passive voice? And you became followers of us. It's not an active verb. It's a passive verb. What does that imply? And you became followers of us and of the Lord.

Interesting. I was surprised, actually. Thoughts? Well, they could be maturing the Lord as they saw what Paul was doing. As they walked by faith in Christ, they were being transformed. I like that, Roger. And in fact, that's the next question. Is this a choice? You come to be saved, ultimately becoming imitators. If it's passive, who's doing the work here? There's a Holy Spirit in it. I mean, isn't that neat?

That doesn't mean you kind of let go and let God. This is an act of faith that we carry out. We believe our faith, obedience to the faith is what the obedience is to, not a set of laws here. It's the obedience of the faith. But it's interesting, the Spirit makes us become followers of us or imitators of us and of the Lord.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. And the implication here is, you know, I am. That's kind of the implication in the Jewish tradition of I am. Remember I am? That's what Christ got crucified for. The I am. I mean, the implication is that the life of Christ is in fact what's being imitated or lived out in the believer, a passive work, active on our part by believing, but passive in terms of the fact that we're being conformed to the image of his son.

Important concept, I think. All right. Having received the word. Now it's interesting, this is heirs' middle deponent, which is in the middle deponent forms in almost all cases are translated as being in the active voice. So now we're switching about having something being done in us to in fact something that we're involved with. So we're actively involved in what? Having received the word. In other words, the word, we've got to be involved here, right? We're opening up for Thessalonians here today. It just doesn't get written on our hearts without us looking at it. So we're actively involved in receiving the word.

We hear it, we listen to it, and we respond by faith. In much affliction, and the term affliction is very graphic in the Greek, it means pressing together. I mean, I think that's even, don't you think, more descriptive than affliction? I mean, affliction can be a little bit of affliction, a lot, but this idea of pressing together, something really that really implies a stressful kind of circumstance.

And this is noted again in 1 Thessalonians 2.14, 3.2-5, 2 Thessalonians 1.4, and we'll not look at all this, but let's look at Acts 17.5-9. This is Paul in Thessalonica. And I'd like somebody just to read that when they get the text before them. Again, Acts 17, 5 through 9. And that's preceded by Paul's visit to the church in Thessalonica. So this is what follows.

Somebody, please. fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all of the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also. whom Jason hath received, and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus. And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. And when they had taken security of Jason and of the other, they let them go.

All right, just exemplary of the kind of pressing together afflictions that this church suffered. And by the way, these other verses we'll get to as we study the book of 1 Thessalonians. And they're just more examples of the fact this church was a persecuted church. And if you think about it, being one of the early churches that the Lord established in Asia Minor, ultimately what else would you expect of persecution, right? I mean, the time was right to be persecuted. by the Jews, by the Gentiles, by the world system, and everything that's related to it.

Now, how about this? So they're afflicted, but what's it say? It says that they've received the word and much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. Huh? Affliction and joy. How do you like this term that I found? What antipodes Now, on a crossword puzzle, how many times have you been asked to provide the word antipode? Well, I had to look it up. So an antipode is an extreme, an opposite, an antithesis, if you will. So affliction and joy. What kind of joy is this? And can you explain it? No more. I think we've got it perfectly simple here. That's right.

Hal is the Paul of our day, is that what we're doing here? Hal would say immediately, turn your attention upstairs, right? It's the Lord in me, and Hal really did exemplify that, but we don't worship Hal, do we? We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and how he works to change lives of people that are around us.

So again, joy and affliction. I mean, what are we thinking about? We're thinking about, you know, some of the jail experiences of Peter and Paul, and these people really were, what, living above, weren't they? I mean, this was a life that is not a... Well, because they knew their afflictions were being imposed on them because of their love of the Lord and who they were in Christ, and so for that reason, they were joyful.

How are we doing at this here, okay? We'll come back to that. Roy? Right. Okay, so the joy has a modifier. It's of the Holy Spirit. We don't get that joy ourselves. Talking yourself into being joyful through this affliction doesn't work. The Holy Spirit has a way of doing that. Coates, a couple days ago in the Hungry Hearts series, this is a quote I pulled out of that.

The truly heavenly man or woman is the best wilderness man. How's that? Isn't that profound? Think about that for a second. the truly heavenly person, man, woman is the best wilderness man. That's neat, isn't it? Because that affliction and joy then really relate very much one to the other under those circumstances. Romans 14, 17 gives us some more evidence of this relationship between affliction and joy when it says, for the kingdom of God is not eating or drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So this is the kingdom of God for the believer. It's righteousness, peace, and joy.

And those things cut through everything else we have to experience on a daily basis. Right. It's where we get the flow of water, isn't it, to ultimately accomplish this task. This is not something we intellectualize and convince ourselves in terms of responding to the trials and tribulations that come our way. It's a life. and how you're doing at it. We'll put the metric away. Get upstairs and reside there. This is not something we work at.

This is something by faith that ultimately becomes accomplished by the Holy Spirit in our lives. So that you become examples, okay? Eris Middle Depona, remember what we said about that again. Let me just raise the question to the class. Now, an example could be a technical term. It could be an ethical term. It could be something to be imitated, or it could be doctrinal.

What are your thoughts here? Which one of these do you like? What might be a technical term? Roger, you're the engineer. What would be a technical imitation? Actually, I'm cheating a little bit. I'm looking at the least translation. Maybe a pattern comes out in there.

From an engineering perspective, you see a pattern Actually, it's amazing how much engineers use God's creation. You'll see something like bats, for example. There's some are, and that's how they discovered that, by looking at God's creation. So, if you see a pattern, you know, Paul did this, or you see a pattern that God has revealed to you. Pattern is walking by faith, basically. Okay.

Do you think that's more to be imitated, maybe, in terms of a life, than technical? I'm thinking technical, like maybe you have a blueprint or something, right? And ultimately using that in a technical sense to create what's being designed. We don't have to get bogged down here. I mean, but if you look back in the Greek in terms of what the appropriate translations are for this term, it can imply one of these four things. And there could be overlaps, actually.

An ethical example might be someone who in fact is performing according to some system and for Christianity it's a life. I think ultimately all of these fit but perhaps best is doctrinal. I mean an example is a doctrine and it's a doctrine of a life.

Titus 2.7, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works and doctrine showing integrity, reverence, and incorruptibility. I like that in terms of maybe putting this into context. An example is a doctrine. It's a life.

And I just quoted here Philippians 1.21, for me to live is Christ. And of course, to die is gain. Either way you win. Jack? You had the passive voice up there in 6th when you became follower and here you became example. Is there anything to explore there? Active. Active tense again. Middle deponent. But it isn't passive? Nope. Not passive.

This is an active process, and that's active by faith in our response to the Holy Spirit leading us in the new nature. We're involved. We become examples by our faith. Important to distinguish, and our faith is always our activity, right? We're not active to a law system in any way. We're active to a faith that ultimately allows the joy of the Spirit to be manifested despite the circumstances. Our condition becomes increasingly conformed to our position. That's the idea here.

I don't know about you. If you think about salvation, it's past tense, present tense, and future tense. The past tense is easy. I've been saved. Many of us can identify a date. July 14, 1978, I came to the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember it as distinctly as the sun comes up in the morning. Future tense, we know on death. We're going to get to this here today a bit. On death, I'll be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wonderful, right? But it's that present tense stuff that's the hard one. And to some extent, that's why we come to Holly Hills. Because this present thing isn't something that ultimately we work and fail and get better at, right? It's an act of faith. And that faith is put in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, very, very important here, I think. Alright, let's continue.

Don't you think, too, that because it talks about affliction, and the way we're examples is how we appear to the world and to those non-believers when we go through affliction. Just like when he brought up Hal. You know, just like Hal was during the process of his death. He was a witness to everyone in the hospital, anyone who came in contact with him. He was an example of the Lord living through him and what his faith was. That's what we are too, every day. You know, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians, the epistle of 1 Corinthians, it's a fragrance, isn't it? It's a fragrance that differs the way the world responds.

Now keep in mind, we don't want to put, keep using the term metric, but you know, there are people who are unbelievers that go through trials wonderfully. We can't get confused by performance, right? I mean, you've got to be very careful here. So what if one of the members of this class was faced with a tragedy yet later today, and he or she responded with anxiety? Would we think less of their faith if, in fact, they did that? So be careful in measuring performance. Yes, the believer who reflects Cal's nature brings glory to God, but the believer who may not have that same peace through trials and tribulations is equally saved. So we've got to be careful there. That's unnecessary judgment on our part.

And we're all different. We all carry different characters, different personalities. Some people are loquacious, some people barely talk at all. But yet before the Lord, they're all equal in his eyes. So be careful not to measure the performance, because that doesn't mean we don't like to reflect that perfect performance as the Lord would have us respond by. Nevertheless, we've got to be careful there, too.

Other thoughts? All right. Here it's conditional. And what's this condition of becoming examples? Well, it's to them that believe. The text says it's to them that believe. If you don't believe, you're not called to be an example. You can't be an example if you don't believe.

And again, remember what we just talked about, how people respond to trials and tribulations. I mean, we like to think we know what that Christ-like response is. But people are on different parts of the growth curve. And they have, again, different personalities they bring to these circumstances. And again, I think we have to be very careful and be judgmental. Believers are in the process of becoming believers. I think the idea is we present a gospel message and ultimately those who are going to be saved ultimately are called to this by faith.

And where? In Macedonia. Macedonia is this huge Roman province of which Thessalonica was the capital. In Ohio, again, south of Michigan, west of Pennsylvania. Okay, I'm from the southern part of the state. I'm more Kentuckian. All right, Ohio, the Roman province of which Corinth was the capital, and this contained most of Greece at that time.

So these are two kind of geographic distinct areas that the faith of the church at Thessalonica was being made known. I'm going to pull a commentary here. This is Jameson, Fawcett, and Brown. End samples is, you know, kind of your original English text. I'm going to quote this commentary.

It says, some of the oldest manuscripts read examples, meaning there were multiple examples, plural. Others, examples, singular, is the whole church being regarded as one. The Macedonian Church of Philippi was the only one in Europe converted before the Thessalonians. Therefore, he means their past conduct is an example to all believers now, of whom he specifies those in Macedonia, because he had been there since the conversion of the Thessalonians, and had left Silvanus and Timotheus there, and those in Ahia, because he was now at Corinth in Ahia.

So it's a long script that basically tries to distinguish a single example as being pervasive, versus a series of examples. And I think we can get technically bound up here. If we look in the Interreligionary Greek, it implies singular, to become a pattern of behavior. So a single example is what the church was portraying, and that's probably the most accurate definition. I don't know what you have in your version, but in mine it's singular. Others have it in the plural.

Now, Paul further acknowledges this example of the Thessalonica Church in 2 Corinthians 9.2 and 2 Corinthians 11.9 through 10. Let's go ahead and look at this. I think time is available.

So 2 Corinthians 9.2. Somebody take that.

Winnie, could you take 2 Corinthians 9.2? And let's see. Roy, how about the 2nd one, 2nd Corinthians 11, 9-10? For I know the readiness of your mind, to which I boast of you to them of Macedonia. Then Ahiah will be a new Messiah, and you will have to boast very much. OK, Roy. And when I was present with you, it wasn't me. I was not a burden to anyone. But when the brethren came to Macedonia, they fully supplied my needs, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped, and I will be We've got that pronunciation down, don't we?

OK, so the idea here is that the example of the Church of Thessalonica is becoming pervasive throughout the Middle East and Southern Europe at the time. So this is a church that really gets lifted up in terms of what the body of Christ was intended to be.

Any thoughts at all about six or seven before we move on? Let's summarize. They became followers of us. That's imitators. Really, it's the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ that was received and ultimately was pervasive in both affliction by the joy of the Spirit. And this response of the Church at Thessalonica was an example to the entire region. And that's represented elsewhere in Scripture. Alright, verse 8.

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Ahia, but also in every place your faith towards God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. Wow, that's pretty strong. Is this your testimony? Is that the testimony of this body of believers here at Holly Hills? that our faith was so demonstrated, faith towards God so demonstrated, that nobody is saying anything further.

Well, nobody's responding to that. Well, I think if not, let's start working on it. Let's strive. Take yourself back a little bit. I mean, I don't have any trouble doing this. Was there a time in your Christian life you worked on your faith? You tried harder? Convicted yourself and said you'd never do that again? Never think that way again?

Boy, isn't grace wonderful? Isn't grace so, so wonderful? Faith towards God. And the contrast here is versus idols. And again, that faith that we demonstrate as believers walking in the new nature by the power of the Spirit and the church at Holly Hills ultimately makes others need say nothing more. That's kind of neat to think about that.

We're not saying how wonderful Gail is, although she is. Her walk is just beautiful, but all that aside, that's not what we're talking about. We're not talking about every type of behavior under every circumstances of every member of this body. We're talking about the message that extends past our lives into the workplace where we work, into our neighborhoods, and ultimately beyond. Now that we have the website, what a tremendous opportunity to reach out. to meet the needs of those who are interested in how Holly Hill's response to God's great grace and exemplifies that to many around the world.

Second Thessalonians 1.4, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.

So here's another example of how the church at Thessalonica, in fact, was viewed. All right, let's transition now to 9 and 10. That's going to take the rest of the morning. There will be some interesting things that I think will prompt hopefully some discussion here. the same as the church at Stetson or Laika.

Holly Hills is a Bible church. We're at 2400 South Holly, and of course all of them will be addressed. But it's not because we're a Bible church. It's because that the people that come here, you and I and all of us, are Bible people. And the church is the people. Just as the church at Thessalonica was the people from Thessalonica.

Well said, Art. Would anyone like to add to that? Art, you want to take the rest of the class here up here today? The handout's there. You just follow it. Yeah, Roger. The church, you know, is an organism, not an organization. And all those analogies of the hand, the foot, and all the different parts. And we're all one in Christ. And we all have different functions. So that's a superior way to view the body of believers.

Well, this came up at our luncheon discussion yesterday, right? There is a person who was aware of a member of his family, ultimately, that was beginning to come to church here. And that individual asked this other member of the family whether they had decided to become a member of our church. And this individual said, there's no membership in this church. And the response was, he must be a heretic. I mean, in a sense, you know, we could just put a period there and continue here. We could talk about that a little bit.

I mean, why don't we have church membership here, Art? Why is there no membership in Holly Hills? You think there was a membership at the Church of Thessalonica? Thank you. I mean, these are local gatherings. We're local gatherings of people who have a faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and all that he is and represents. But we don't need a membership here, do we? I mean, our membership's in heavenly places. But I would suggest that maybe 75% of Christianity views church membership as a necessary part of the Christian faith, even though biblically we can't. Who said it's more than 75%? Probably crying that out. 97%.

And the idea of no offering plate, can you believe that? What's that all about? Yes, Bob? I can remember in the old days that we did have a membership. Is that why attendance is down, do you think? And we used to pass an offering plate to write. Those were before my days. I guess we've proven that incorrect. All right, so Art said something very profound. We'll let that stand.

But the idea here is we've got a body of believers in Thessalonica, as we hopefully do at Holly Hills, who represent the truth of the Word of God. Not that we have a corner on the truth. We don't want to be exclusional in the terms of the way we worship. But ultimately, we're seeking truth, and we gather for that purpose.

And led by the Spirit and God's grace, ultimately, that's what we're here to learn. First Thessalonians 9 and 10, 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.

So I see these two verses as really a series of contrasts. And let's use this as a springboard into some discussion today. So I put this table together that I thought might be worthy of some thoughts here. So the contrasts are listed on the left, and then we're going to compare then to now.

And then to now is not back then versus today. We're talking about the church at Thessalonica before the gospel and salvation versus what ultimately occurred afterwards. So the focus in this verse, verse 9, is the historic focus was idols. And the current focus is God, right? A real contrast. Your thoughts? How do these differences in focus really imply what had happened in this particular...

Well, that's one of the reasons they were so persecuted. Because when they refused to then go to the pagan churches with the idols, they were different. I think it affected, as we've seen in other places, it also, if they were Jewish, it also affected their work. I mean, it was a big thing to make that switch from idols to the living God.

Okay. Other thoughts? Well, to me it shows the work of the Holy Spirit, which has now come. This was written 20 years, I have no idea, 20 years after Pentecost. So, I think it shows the Holy Spirit working throughout the area at that time. Good. We're going to come back to that, actually, in terms of this whole relationship between the spirit-led body and worship of idols and that of God.

The second contrast is the condition, and that's implied. The fact that they're saved, they're now waiting, aren't they? And I'm going to imply that before they were lost and impatient. So think about the world system and the way it operates. And if we think of our old nature, we can think about how that operates. Maybe I know my old nature too much.

So anyway, the idea is salvation doesn't rush anything, does it? I mean, the waiting is really of the Spirit. And here the waiting, of course, is for a son from heaven, ultimately, to deliver them up. I mean, that may be very specific, but I guess the believers put in a position of patient waiting on the Spirit. to lead them into all truth. Any disagreement? Roy? Can you speak up a little, son? Okay.

One of the things that this section brings to mind is the Holy Spirit working in people's, not just in an area, but in people's And when you think of that, today there's a great example in Ecuador. The Apas, who turned to God after killing five visionaries. And they were just wide open to God's writing, as they put it. They were looking for that. And here's Rachel Sainz, she died in 1994. other men who gave them God's writings.

And now, they think, son, he lives alone in what he's doing, and he's teaching them how to merge into this society. That reputation of that group of people has gone out all over the world. I'm just giving you a present day... And we had the privilege at our Bible study about a month ago to have David Solomon, a brother in the Lord who grew up in Arab nations, actually who I think is going to have an opportunity to come here and be part of a Saturday night program here at the church. This man is a member of the body of Christ and is Arab born and Arab raised and knows the Muslim religion quite well. And he told us something very much like that. After 9-11, the Muslim world has been opened up to increasing numbers of people coming to the Lord Jesus Christ.

How interesting. I mean, the way God uses circumstances ultimately to open up new doors. Millions of people are hearing the Gospel for the first time because of all the communication that now is about the war. And they're allowing this propaganda to come in via internet and all this stuff. But through that, all this other stuff is happening too. It was really exciting. We let one information in and all of it came in.

Right. I mean we look at the Muslim world as really a very difficult group of people to reach for the Lord Jesus Christ, but apparently there are certain sects that are being really opened up to the gospel and many coming to the Lord. So it's not entirely a pessimistic message. There are populations or examples as Roy has shared and that example that indicates that lost and impatient soul may in fact become a waiting soul, as he or she is saved and looking to the Lord for the next set of truths and life-affecting modifications. Okay, faith.

So the faith of then was idol-based and dead, whereas now the faith is in the risen and And I think it's important to notice the risen Christ. It's his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead. And we'll come back to this, about the essential nature of the raised Christ. And then finally, the hope is between the wrath that's really provided ultimately for those who are not saved or then, versus to be delivered which is the new contrast after salvation.

Further ideas here? All right. Most of them, meaning the people of Macedonia, had been heathens in the Greek culture, and that's reflected in Acts 17.4. And some of them were persuaded, meaning some of them who were ingrained in the Greek culture and with a great multitude of devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women joined Paul and Silas. So the idea is that the ministry in Macedonia were to people who were largely steeped in the Greek culture.

And what kind of culture would that be? Remember all the time in school you spent studying Greek? What kind of culture was that? Idols for everything. mythology, Greek mythology, and mental gymnastics, not faith, science and proof and conjecture. OK. Other thoughts about the Greek? What's that? Right. Yeah, it really is. Wisdom and ultimately Alexander the Great conquering and making their thoughts and mindsets and their mythology pervasive throughout the world.

And here's the question that millenniates said we'd follow with in a few minutes. Do we turn from idols to God or to God from idols? And I think let's, as we ponder the answer to that, let's relate this to the non-believer and the gospel message. One implies a work on our part. One implies a, I'm going to turn away from an idol, as God fills that vacuum in my heart. It's just the opposite, though, is the work of the Holy Spirit.

How often have you heard in the gospel message, repent of your sins and be saved, right? Is that the process we're talking about here? Does everybody remember when they were saved? Ultimately, it's how much of their works and deeds and how much of the old man and his nature in us ultimately became evident. In fact, I think as you grow in light, the darkness really gets increasingly reflected as to what it really is all about, isn't it?

So the idea of turning from your idols to God is not the process. The process is turning to God and then ultimately the idols will be left behind. And I think this is profound. It's profound not only in sharing the Lord Jesus Christ with the unbeliever, but in effect it's for the believer too. I mean, we're going to turn from our sinful thoughts and our sins of omission and commission and turn to the Lord. No, we turn to the Lord and ultimately by the working of the Holy Spirit these things get increasingly left behind.

Right, Roy? Roy's agreeing with me, okay? Does anyone want to disagree with that? I think this is critically important as we think about God's grace and how it's manifested to us as members of the body of Christ and to the unsaved world beyond. Yes? Well, you anticipated where I was going, Gail, because I said here in many ways the same could be said about the Jewish law or any other law system for the believer.

Galatians 4.7, but now after you've known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you return again to the weak and beggarly elements to which you desire again to be in bondage? Same principle. Same thought that Gail has just shared with us. And let's remind ourselves of the contents of verse 5, which Randy covered last week.

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. So that theme of the model church carries through into the verses that follow in 1 Thessalonians 1. Now, serve, this is kind of a bond slave or a servant. But the good news is, as it says in Romans 7, 6, but now we're delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

So again, this is, again, right back to the spirit is the Godhead doing the work through his power in the new nature. Waiting for a son from heaven. All right, that's the position of the church in Thessalonica. Because the Apostles had seen the Lord Jesus ascend, what do you think the church at that time was really thinking about the timing of his return? They saw him go and come back pretty soon.

When he said it's only about two decades after Pentecost, I mean, this isn't that long later. I mean, think about 20 years ago. You got a memory of what was going on 20 years ago? How about 1987? Reflect on that. Remember anything about 1987? Now, put that in perspective as seeing the Lord ascend in 1987 and this waiting for his return. I mean, the expectation, I'm sure, was for this to occur in the near future.

But the verb wait, is in the present infinitive, which kind of implies, keep on waiting. The timing's mine here. And of course, we could go back to the gospel account saying, when I return, only my heavenly Father knows. I mean, all these events in the future, we're not given much detail about. But here we are 2,000 years later, and we're still waiting. It says, keep on waiting, everybody.

So that's the concept, and I think the way we need to apply it. And so that's a reminder to both them and us. Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know when the time is. In Mark and Revelation, remember therefore how you've received and heard. Hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you'll not watch, I will come upon you as a thief. you'll not know what hour I will come upon you." That's a verse we could spend some time on here, but I'm using this as an example of the uncertainty of when Christ returns.

Yes? How many of us are praying for his return? Do you pray for that frequently? I've gone streets. The problem with that is how much is that prayer really reflecting my desire to be captured away from all this stuff that we're going through? You've got to have the right motive for that prayer.

Yes, Roy? And that's that's why I'm on the last slide. I put the emphasis on the living versus the dead. No, that's that's that's fine. But he's also on the way back right now. Right. And, you know, our prayer for his coming should be for our presence with him, not to be rescued from all this garbage that we're going through. All right. So what's this wrath all about anyway? I mean, that sounds... kind of stunning, doesn't it? This wrath that's coming here. Well, let's take a quick look at this.

Romans 1.18, Wendy maybe could do that one.

Romans 2.4-6, Gail, and John 3.36. Let's look at those in sequence. Go ahead and read them when you have them.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who are supposed to And you've got to remember what preceded Romans 1.18 for that statement. We're not going to take time to look at that right now, but an incredible exemplary description of what was going on at that time. But after thy hardness and impotence in heart, treasure thus unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and the volition of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds.

John 3.36 He who believes in the Son hath eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Thank you.

And just to build on that, in Acts 17.31 it says, because he is appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained, he is given assurance of this to all by raising him from the dead.

But Revelation 1.18, and I am he who lives and was dead and behold am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and death. So this identifies which was clearly evident in Acts 1731, and it's the Lord Jesus Christ who was dead and now is alive, and he has the keys that relate to this eternal judgment. Pretty evident, isn't it? So let's turn, kind of in closing, and kind of think about where the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians leads us.

But praise God, I think, for 1 Thessalonians 5.9, for God hath not appointed us to this wrath, but to obtain salvation for our Lord Jesus Christ. And by the way, the verb obtain salvation really relates to the attainment. It's something that's been completed, but yet to be experienced.

Turn with me to Hebrews 2.14. I don't have that in the handout, but I think it's a verse, one of my favorite verses, and I think it's one that I often have to go back to just to remind me of what God has effectively done.

Hebrews 2.14, people with me?

For as much then as the children are partakers of the flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil." So the same concept. Satan is a done deal before God. I mean Satan himself has been crucified and from God's perspective to meeting the needs for his own righteousness and bringing us to him by faith. He, in fact, has done everything that needs to be done. There's nothing more to be done. But ultimately, us experiencing this is yet to be seen. But positionally and eternally, Satan has been crucified, our old man has been crucified, and our sins have been forgiven.

A message you've heard only too much, but when you go to Hebrews 2.14, Satan, in fact, has been put away before God in terms of his view of his relationship to the body of Christ. Profound. I mean, it's hard to believe, but it's in fact true.

1 Peter 1.3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And back to the 10th verse here, it says, And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he has raised from the dead, even Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come. That's the hope. The hope is ultimately in everything that the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished.

There's our little Holly Hill symbol again, right? It's a nice little icon, isn't it? Showing the cross, but showing being co-buried with him unto death and risen with him in newness of life. A great, great icon that really says everything Scripture does. The resurrection is everything. It's everything. resurrection, we have no living hope, because our Savior is not everything he claimed to be, right?

And I think this demands our attention, and what's the attention? To work harder at being a good Christian? No, I think it's entering into that rest, because when we have that perfect rest, our faith then gets enacted by His power. and his transforming nature to make our lives those examples or imitations that's really not of ourselves, but of him. And any other thoughts in closing? Yes, Roy?

No argument there. That's obviously near the end of the book. Yes, for me, who delivered us. I can't, I don't remember what the tense of delivered was. Does anybody? have that? Does it? Okay, so it's that same kind of thing as waiting, that kind of presence and the kind of caring for it, right? Yeah, makes sense, but I don't recall the tense of that verb.

All right, so next week I think we're in the second chapter of First Thessalonians verses 1 through 8, and Brad, I believe, is teaching next week, right? Any other comments then or thoughts today? All right, let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Father, we're grateful for this time we've had together. We pray that ultimately the truth of your word has moved forward to move us to look at the great glory you've provided in the Lord Jesus Christ. And again, because he lives, we also live. And we're thankful for your great grace as it's provided for each and every one. We pray for Mike as his message is delivered to the body. at Holly Hills, and we're thankful for all you are, what you do, and ultimately the security each and every one of us has in this rest. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.