LIFTING YOU UP
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
GREET WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
V:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,
to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
A. Paul was known as Saul before His conversion. The Hebrew name
Saul means “asked for”. It was the Holy Spirit who said set aside for me
Saul and Barnabas for the mission to the Gentiles. (Act 13:2)
Paul’s Roman name (Paul) means little.
1. On the second missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas had a fallen out
over Mark’s commitment (Act 15:40). Silas joined Paul in
the second journey, The name Silas means wood or third.
2. Timothy was converted and baptized by Paul on his first
missionary journey in Lystra (Acts 14:6).
The name Timothy means God honored.
3. The meaning of the names of these men given to them at birth,
suggest to me that they were chosen by God before they were
born for the mission of the Gospel.
4. Do you believe you were chosen by God to serve Him?
a. Have you identified your area of service?
b. How do you see your service benefiting the Church?
c. Everything starts with how you see your relationship with
Christ.
B. Notice, God’s instructions are specific to your needs.
1. Timothy had just returned from Thessalonica with a report
on the condition of the church members.
2. Paul’s letter is one of encouragement and instruction.
C. Why does Paul need to say “in God the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ since they are both one?
1. Let me suggest that Paul was dealing with a young Church
that knew God the Father from their teaching in the Synagogues.
2. They had just been introduced to Jesus as the Christ and messiah.
3. They had to believe Paul and Silas without having seen Jesus.
4. The leading Jews ran Paul out of city claiming his teachings
were against their Law and against the Romans government.
5. It was the person of God the Father who sent Jesus to us.
1. It was the person of God the Son who put on human flesh to
die for our sin.
2. It was the person of God the Son who sent the Person of God
the Holy Spirit to indwell us and be our comforter.
Thus, one God in three persons.
3. Until Paul preached Jesus the Thessalonians had no knowledge
of Jesus the Messiah or the Holy Spirit.
4. Paul is reminding us of our hope in Jesus.
D. Paul starts the letter off with a greeting, grace and peace.
1. Grace is God’s favor. The Greek word used is “charis”, God’s
Divine influence of the heart. This lead to joy and graditude
2. The Greek word for peace is eirene which means prosperity.
3. Let’s greet each other with grace and peace
Joy and prosperity.
Lets do an exercise , There are people on zoom now
Pick a name Say say Grace and Peace to you __________
We need to see grace and peace as encouraging words.
Prov 12:25
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word
maketh it glad.
4. The young church was under constant persecution, yet kept
their faith in Jesus.
5. Grace and peace is not the absent of problems.
God’s grace and peace elevates you above your
personal situation, and puts you spiritually in Jesus.
6. Your expectation is Jesus will take care of your problems.
PRAY FOR EACH OTHER
V:2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
A. The one thing you can do for other is mention names of believers in your
prayers. Prayer activates God’s power
1. We are going through a time when there is a falling away from
the church.
2, This Bible Study group is the strength of the church.
3. Paul says I always make mention of you.
B. We have to thank God for each other.
1. We are all in this together.
2. We cannot let this pandemic and economic down turn
stop us from serving God.
C. Paul gives us three characteristics for Christian growth and development
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Three characteristics of these believers stood out in Paul\’s mind.
1st, they had performed an important work produced by (lit., \”of\”) faith
in Christ. Verse 9 mentions that they had turned to the true God
from idols. Faith in Christ had produced true repentance.
2nd they performed labor (kopou, \”toil\”) prompted by (lit., \”of\”)
love for Christ. This consisted in their serving the living and true
God (v.9) in the midst of persecution (v. 6).
3rd, they had endurance (hypomones, lit., \”a bearing up patiently
under a heavy load\”; cf. 2 Thess 1:4) inspired by (lit., \”of\”)
hope in Christ. Specifically they were waiting for God\’s Son
from heaven
(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983,
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR CALLING
V:4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7
A. We are family loved by God.
1. No greater love than Jesus.
2. No greater friend than Jesus.
3. No greater provider than Jesus
4. No greater protector than Jesus.
B. You were chosen by Jesus to be here now serving Him.
John 15:16-17
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever
you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
1. Watch this; the key to you having what you need is serving Jesus.
2. God gave you the Gospel with POWER
There is power in the Word Of God
a. power to change
b. Power to encourage
c. Power to uplift
3. God gave you the Gospel with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is our spiritual conscience.
4. God gave you the Gospel with conviction.
Hope
Peace
Joy
Confidence in His promises
C. The Word of God is full of real life role models
1. Men like Paul and Silas, who traveled the country
preaching the Gospel while being lied on
And persecuted
They kept their faith regardless of their circumstances
2. It took Noah 120 years to build the ark on dry land.
All the while being laugh at by his neighbors.
3. Moses stood against Pharaoh’s powerful and well trained army
with just his staff in his hand.
4. Joseph kept his faith in God after being sold into slavery by
his brothers, lied on by Potiphar’s wife, neglected by men he
helped in prison. Yet he rose to second in command to the
Pharaoh of Egypt.
5. As we mature in the Lord, it is our job to be role models for
for others to follow.
6. There is joy in obedience to God’s Word.
LET YOUR LIFE BE A TALE OF GOOD GOSSIP
V:7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord\’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia — your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
A. You are a role model, good or bad.
1. Someone is look at what you do and influenced by your actions.
2. You may never know who is watching and taking notes.
3. But know this, some one is always watching.
4. Information about you spreads much father than you know.
5. In this age of multimedia, your reputation can be known around
the world in an instant.
B. The question is, do you want to be a role model for Jesus?
1. We should let out conversation reflect the hope we have in Jesus.
Phil 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
2. What you think about is what you will talk about.
3. The convictions that your thoughts bring you to, is what you will
act on.
Phil 4:9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in
me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
4. People will gossip. Therefore, give them some good gossip.
5. Since people will repeat what you said, let them repeat you testimony
about Jesus.
6. Since people will report what you did, let them see you serving the
Lord and giving Him praise.
IN SUMMARY , BE THE ONE WHO ENCOURAGES
GREET ONE ANOTHER WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
PRAY DAILY FOR EACH OTHER
THANK GOD FOR EACH BELIEVER
BE MINDFUL OF YOUR CALLING
LET YOUT LIFE BE A TALE OF GOOD GOSSIP
Rev. M. Mitchell
