1 THESS (Ch. 1 & 2) - THE GOSPEL OF GOD
I THESSALONIANS – Chapter 1 and 2
THE GOSPEL OF GOD
(2:2&9)
Taught by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
June 28, 2011
The preaching of the gospel in Thessalonica was the largest revival Paul ever had. Gentile converts flocked to Christ in great numbers. Crowds of pagans were also attracted to Jesus. The town was quickly turned upside down with a rush of souls to the Lord. In several months a large vigorous church was born.
Satan’s opposition was just as fast. The efforts of the Jews to expel the missionaries were successful and the founders of this new church had to leave town before the new converts could be thoroughly grounded. Miles away, in Athens, Paul feared much of his work would collapse as the persecution fires raged against this new church. Did the church survive? Indeed. The church was quickly set “on fire” itself. This was the greatest revival Paul ever held.
One of the fascinations of his letter lies in the profound counsel Paul is giving to a baby church. Only a few months old, it is receiving instruction concerning the second coming of the Lord, the operation of spiritual gifts, and remarkable references to the person of satan. Prior to the Charismatic Revival, very few churches in the 20th century spoke on any of these matters. Those of us who have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit have come a very long way in the 21st century from where the church was in the 1900’s. The sad truth is there is so much more Kingdom truth to reveal and only a remnant wants to eat at the King’s table of “oxen and fatlings” (Mt. 22:4)
I pray as we proceed with this study on 1 Thessalonians that the Holy Spirit will again set people’s hearts on fire. It was a miracle church. Though brand new, this church roared into action fired by the vision of Jesus’ coming.
1 Thess. 1: “Greetings from Paul, Silas and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”
The description of the church in “God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is a powerful witness to the faith of the primitive church in the full deity of the Son...
1 Thess. 1-4: We overflow with thanksgiving as we mention all of you to God during our prayer time. While in the presence of God, we bear in mind the great work of faith you are doing; and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.
Great work: What a way to be remembered! These Christians were not the “sit and listen” type---they moved! Without hesitation they started to witness, a further testimony to the Spirit’s miracle in them. When news of their enthusiasm in Christ reached the anxious Paul, he was nearly beside himself with praise to God. His letter is emotion-packed with thanksgiving and affection for the Thessalonian Christians.
(Vs.5): “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction; We brought the Gospel to you with more than sermons. The power of the Holy spirit was with our message and He Himself applied the conviction to your hearts. We were aware of this as we preached. Further, you know how we conducted ourselves among you for your sake. Our behavior was proof of our integrity.
All kinds of roving philosophers traveled the world in those days. Like gypsy side-shows they plied their oratorical skills to entertain for money. (Let’ see – I believe that crowd is still working churches and political venues today). People flocked to hear clever speakers. In contrast the three founders of this church accepted nothing for their work, proving they ministered solely for the sake of the truth of the “gospel of God”
(Vs.6) So mighty was the Holy Spirit’s work in you that you became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.
The Thessalonian Jews were jealous of Paul and sought to extinguish the infant church. They had bribed the rabble to riot, then used political intrigue to have the church leaders placed under a peace bond. (Acts 17: 5-9). Paul was forced to leave. Even so the church flourished in his absence as the resentful Jews stirred fierce enmity against her. The new Christians were so on fire for Christ, their zeal couldn’t be dampened.
(Vs. 7-8): So dramatic were the changes in you and so effective was your witnessing that you became examples to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia (throughout all Greece). For the word of God has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.
They had become a sound amplifying system. So widespread was their story, Paul didn’t have to speak of it. People already knew about it.
Thessalonica was a great seaport on the Aegean Sea and directed by the main highway to Rome. Commerce flowed through the city. The Greek text implies the news spread with gushing enthusiasm---something like word of the California gold rush---or perhaps more accurately (Isa. 59:19b) “He will come like a rushing stream, which the wind of the Lord drives.”
(Vs9) People tell us about you. We hear from them the details of our coming to you solely to bring you the Word of God and what it did in your lives. Most staggering is how you turned, practically over night, from the traditional dead idols to serve the Living and True God!
Idol manufacturing was a huge business in Thessalonica. (It still is). Idol worship saturated the lives of the people. Long established traditions, such as we find in Asia today were suddenly abandoned. 50 miles to the S.W., Mt. Olympus was the celebrated home of the gods. However, the Holy Spirit opened their eyes to see them as dead. Never was Zeus or any of the false gods spoken of as coning to deliver people from sin and judgment. But Jesus was alive. They could feel His spirit burning in their hearts.
(Vs.10) –“And to wait for His Son from heaven whom He raised from the dead that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Each commentator stresses the use of the verb "anameno" (362) as a timeless participle (delivers) and the coming of the wrath as a present participle.
1 Thessalonians – Chapter 2
2: 1-4: Yes, by brothers, you yourselves can vigorously testify that our visit to you was not in vain. We had suffered and been mistreated in Philippi. Yet God gave us the courage to come to you with the Gospel regardless of any opposition which might await us there. And how is it we could be so fearless? Our exhortation to you did not come from error, impurity or by way of deceit. We have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts.
They could count on the Holy Spirit’s witness to back them up. Satan was trying to discredit Paul as a man of God, thinking his message would die along with his popularity. It was a simple mater for them to claim that Paul was just another of the swindlers, fakers and philosophers who used subtle tricks to deceive audiences.
Since God Himself has carefully tested us, we come to you approved by Him. He can look upon our hearts to behold our motives. If our hearts are not absolutely pure, His witness will not back up our words. His witness is His Presence and Power.
(5-7): We never came to you with any kind of flattery such as men normally use to cloak their greed. God Himself is witness to our honesty. Did it ever once appear that we were seeking human praise, either from you or anyone else? No, and this in spite of the fact that we could have exerted considerable authority as Apostles of Christ. Instead, we restrained ourselves and moved very gently among you, showing that we really cared for you. A nurse couldn’t cherish a child of her own with any more care.
The missionaries walked softly among the people. They were easy to approach and talk to. They were gracious and discounting their authority. They placed the interest of the Thessalonians above their own. These verses should be in the face of ministers today who desire to be isolated from the people they are sent to serve.
(8-9): “Having a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall brethren, out labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”
Paul believed it proper to “live by the Gospel” consequently he did accept offerings from the Philippian church. But he always weighed what the affect of taking money from the churches would have on the gospel. In this case he decided not to. The traveling philosophers would never show such consideration, thus Paul could exploit the contrast.
(Vs. 10-13): Therefore both you and God can testify that our conduct before you believers was pure, honest and above criticism. From your own knowledge you can state that we were like fathers, dealing with you personally---encouraging you---comforting you---exhorting each of you…”so that you may walk in a manner worth of the God who calls you into His own Kingdom and Glory. For this reason we also constantly ‘thank God that when you received from us the “word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is the Word of God which also performs its work in you who believe.”
THE WORD OF GOD WHICH PERFORMS ITS WORK IN YOU WHO BELIEVE: This is the Great Grace of the work of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel of God. As we approach this conference, the Lord is calling His Body to allow the Grace of God to work in you to perform His work to deliver His people from a contaminated culture, of compromise and carnality.
Prophecy given by
Marvin Barham, 6/25/11:
Subject: Prophetic Word 25 June 2011
Dear Caroline, The Spirit of the Lord told me to call you and tell you that the Body of Christ, to include LWC, has been in a season of sifting. Even until the first day of the conference the sifting will be. During the times of sifting God will cause you to plant new seeds in preparation for a new harvest. There has been and will continue to be efforts on the part of the powers of darkness to disrupt what God is doing. However, God will disrupt the efforts of the enemy. Be not distracted nor dismayed for the Lord is with you. God is placing His finger on the cultural, compromise, and carnality of those in His body who will not walk in the His grace. God will require of the unbroken a sacrifice of a fleshly heart as the sinew at the alter of God. Be of good courage. Do not be shaken. Do not be moved for the grace of the Lord will overshadow you like the sweet dew of a new day that is coming. God is sending someone of great significant city influence to you. God will cause new connections for Kingdom distribution and divine disposition of His resources to the Body of Christ. He is posturing His people for a great release. Though devastation may surround us on every side throughout the Body of Christ the east will say to the west, "Let us come and work together in the name of the Lord." And the north will say to the south, "What is mine is yours." Stand as God has called you. Listen not to the voice of another for you know that the hand of the Lord is upon you for this hour for which you have been apprehended.
Shalom,
Pastor Marvin
Barham
VCFI Church
What does it mean to “sift”? The word “sift” occurs three times in three verses in KJV. Isa. 30:28; Amos 9:9; Luke 22:31: It means to quiver, totter, shake, reel, stagger wander, move, make move, wave, waver, tremble, be unstable, to totter, go tottering, vagabond, to be tossed about or around, to shake, disturb, to cause to wander.
“To cause to wander”---This sifting has been going on for some time in the church at large. Holy Rollers have taken on a whole new meaning. It is those Christians who roll from one meeting to the other one. They never settle into a local fellowship mostly because they have risen above the leadership. There are those whom the Lord “sends”. These are not wanderers, but “sent ones”. The wanderers are those who promote themselves.
(Vs. 14-16): When you brethren suffered persecution at the hands of your countrymen, you were imitating the experience of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. You know how they received persecution from the Jews. “who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved with the result that they always fill-up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”
Hostile to all men??? This is quite an indictment!!! As we pray for Israel and for the Lord’s eternal purposes for that nation, let us pray not only for their salvation, but for this principality of “hostility to all men” be broken off the nations of the Middle East.
(Vs 17-18) But as for us brethren, having been torn away from you for a little while, though out separation is purely physical---never in heart---we were seized with an overwhelming desire to visit you again. We’ve tried every way possible to come to you in person. So great was our longing that I, Paul, tried to get back to you more than once---but satan prevented it..
Even though satan prevented Paul from returning ---(which is a powerful adversary), I believe the Holy Spirit allowed it to push Paul forward into Kingdom destiny and purpose. Satan lives to render our life useless to Christ. How many times has the devil “thwarted” the Lord’s purpose in our lives. This is why it is so important that we continue to allow His “Grace” and His Word to perform its work in us.
(19-20) “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.”
This is a serious Word. “you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming”. Brother Valentyn said that I often pray and ask the Lord if I am effective in the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me. This is true. I pour out the Kingdom message and calling. Only a few hear it or are even interested. Am I discouraged? No! Emphatically No! No! No! There is a fire that burns within me of the Gospel of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Mt. 22: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying tell those who have been invited, “Behold I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.” But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged and sent his armies and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire. Then he said to his slaves, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.”
Preached and Taught by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from American Standard; excerpts from C. S. Lovett’s Lights on 1 Thess. Prophetic Word given by Rev. Marvin Barham; Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I have gleaned.