Well, this morning I want you to imagine that you are a member of a church in the city of Thessalonica.
If you live there today, you would say that you live in Greece.
But back then the territory of Greece was part of the Roman Empire, divided up into several provinces.
The southern tip of Greece back then was the Roman province of Achaia, where the city of Athens and Corinth were.
However, the northern part of Greece back then was the Roman province of Macedonia.
And so imagine that you are a member of a church in the capital city of Macedonia, the city of Thessalonica.
You live in a proud city with a population of over 100,000 people.
It's also a port city with a natural harbor opening up into the Aegean Sea.
Your city is a key stop on the Ignatian Way, which is a land-based trading route running from east to west.
And Thessalonica is a flourishing center of trade and commerce.
A free city governed by the local polytarchs.
When it comes to religion, most of the people in Thessalonica worship the gods of the Greeks and Romans.
But there's a sizable population of Jews who live here as well.
The year is 50 AD.
The amazing and wonderful events of Jesus' death and resurrection happened just 17 years ago.
But as for the story of our little church here in Thessalonica, this is all quite new for us.
Within just the past year, Paul, Silas, and Timothy came through our city on Paul's second missionary journey.
Before coming to our city, they were on the other side of the Aegean Sea in the province of Asia,
when one night, Paul had a vision of a man from our province of Macedonia,
urging him to come over here and help us.
Before coming here to Thessalonica, Paul and Silas went, after sailing across the sea,
to Philippi, where they got into some trouble.
They actually ended up in jail there for a night.
And thankfully, they were released the next morning.
But not until after God had done a miracle in the middle of the night,
through which the jailer and his family came to believe in Jesus.
Well, after Philippi, Paul, Silas, and Timothy passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia.
And then they came here to Thessalonica.
They were here for only three weeks.
And our lives were turned upside down.
Three weeks in a row, on the Sabbath day,
Paul came to the local synagogue and was proclaiming Jesus the Christ
and saying that Jesus was the one that the Scriptures pointed to.
And some of the Jews were persuaded,
and a great many of us Greeks believed,
and even some of the leading women of the city believed in Jesus.
But as more of us Gentiles were believing in Jesus,
suddenly the Jews became jealous,
and they rounded up some really bad characters,
formed a mob,
and set the whole city in an uproar.
They came and stormed the house of Jason,
one of our own church members,
looking for Paul and Silas.
But when they couldn't find him,
they grabbed Jason,
and some of us other church members here,
and dragged us off to the city authorities,
shouting,
These men,
Paul and his companions,
they've been causing trouble all over the world,
and now they have come here.
And Jason has welcomed them into his house.
They are all defying Caesar's decrees,
saying that there's another king,
one called Jesus.
And the whole crowd that was gathered,
and the city officials,
were thrown into a frenzy after hearing this.
Amazingly, they let us go
that same day,
after making us post-bond.
And later that night,
we secretly sent Paul and Silas and Timothy
out of the city,
down to Berea.
But I tell you,
our lives were turned upside down.
So fierce has been the opposition of the Jews.
As soon as they found out
that Paul and Silas had gone down to Berea,
some of them even went down there
and began agitating the crowds
and stirring people up against them.
That was a number of months ago now.
But now wait.
What?
A letter written by Paul
has just arrived
to be read to everyone.
All right.
Let's gather around.
Let's open it up.
Let's see
what Paul has to say to us.
Everybody listen.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
To the church of the Thessalonians,
in God the Father,
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace
and peace to you.
We always thank God for all of you
and continually mention you in our prayers.
We 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.
For we know,
brothers and sisters,
loved by God,
that he has chosen you
because our gospel came to you,
not simply with words,
but also with power,
with the Holy Spirit
and deep conviction.
You know how we lived among you
for your sake.
You became imitators of us
and of the Lord,
for you welcomed the message
in the midst of severe suffering
with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
And so you became a model
to all the believers
in Macedonia and Achaia.
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,
for they themselves report
what kind of reception you gave us.
They tell 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,
Jesus,
who rescues us from the coming wrath.
You know, brothers and sisters,
that our visit to you
was not without results.
We had previously suffered
and been treated outrageously
in Philippi, as you know,
but with the help of our God,
we dared to tell you
his gospel
in the face of strong opposition.
For the appeal we make
does not spring from error
or impure motives,
nor are we trying to trick you.
On the contrary,
we speak as those approved by God
to be entrusted with the gospel.
We're not trying to please people,
but God,
who tests our hearts.
You know,
we never used flattery,
nor did we put on a mask
to cover up greed.
God is our witness.
We were not looking
for praise from people,
not from you
or anyone else,
even though as apostles of Christ,
we could have asserted
our authority.
Instead,
we were like young children
among you.
Just as a nursing mother
cares for her children,
so we cared for you.
Because we loved you so much,
we were delighted
to share with you
not only the gospel of God,
but our lives as well.
Surely you remember,
brothers and sisters,
our toil
and hardship.
We work night and day
in order not to be a burden
to anyone
while we preach
the gospel of God to you.
You are witnesses,
and so is God,
of how holy,
righteous,
and blameless
we were among you
who believed.
For you know
that we dealt
with each of you
as a father deals
with his own children,
encouraging,
comforting,
and urging you
to live lives
worthy of God
who calls you
into his kingdom
and glory.
And we also
thank God continually
because when you
received the word
of God
which you heard
from us,
you accepted it
not as a human word,
but as it actually is,
the word of God,
which is indeed
at work in you
who believe.
For you,
brothers and sisters,
became imitators
of God's churches
in Judea,
which are in Christ Jesus.
You suffered
from your own people
the same things
those churches
suffered from the Jews
who killed
the Lord Jesus
and the prophets
and also drove us out.
They displease God
and are hostile
to everyone
in their effort
to keep us
from speaking
to the Gentiles
so that they may be saved.
In this way,
they always heap up
their sins
to the limit.
the wrath of God
has come upon them
at last.
But brothers and sisters,
when we were orphaned
by being separated
from you
for a short time
in person,
not in thought,
out of our intense longing,
we made every effort
to see you
for we wanted
to come to you.
Certainly I,
Paul,
did again and again,
but Satan
blocked our way.
For what is our hope,
our joy,
or the crown
in which we will glory
in the presence
of our Lord Jesus
when he comes?
Is it not you?
Indeed,
you are our glory
and joy.
So when we could stand
it no longer,
we thought it best
to be left by ourselves
in Athens.
We sent Timothy,
who is our brother
and co-worker
in God's service
in spreading
the gospel of Christ
to strengthen
and encourage you
in your faith
so that no one
would be unsettled
by these trials.
For you know quite well
that we are destined
for them.
In fact,
when we were with you,
we kept telling you
that we would be persecuted
and it turned out that way
as you well know.
For this reason,
when I could stand
it no longer,
I sent
to find out
about your faith.
I was afraid
that in some way
the tempter
had tempted you
and that our labors
might have been in vain.
But Timothy
has just now
come to us
from you
and has brought
good news
about your faith
and love.
He has told us
that you always
have pleasant memories
of us
and that you long
to see us
just as we also
long to see you.
Therefore,
brothers and sisters,
in all our distress
and persecution,
we were encouraged
about you
because of your faith.
For now,
we really live
since you are
standing firm
in the Lord.
How can we thank God
enough for you
in return
for all the joy
that we have
in the presence
of our God
because of you?
Night and day,
we pray most earnestly
that we may see you again
and supply what is lacking
in your faith.
faith.
Now may our God
and Father himself
and our Lord Jesus
clear the way
for us to come to you.
May the Lord make
your love
increase
and overflow
for each other
and for everyone else
just as ours
does for you.
May he strengthen
your hearts
so that you will be
blameless
and holy
in the presence
of our God
and Father
when our Lord Jesus
comes
with all his holy ones.
As for other matters,
brothers and sisters,
we instructed you
how to live
in order to please God
as in fact
you are living.
Now we ask you
and we urge you
in the Lord Jesus
to do this more and more
for you know
what instructions
we gave you
by the authority
of the Lord Jesus.
It is God's will
that you should be sanctified,
that you should avoid
sexual immorality,
that each of you
should learn
to control your own body
in a way that is holy
and honorable,
not in passionate lust
like the pagans
who do not know God,
and that in this matter
no one should wrong
or take advantage
of a brother or sister.
The Lord will punish
all those who commit
such sins
as we told you
and warned you before.
For God did not call us
to be impure
but to live a holy life.
Therefore,
anyone who rejects
this instruction
does not reject
a human being
but God,
the very God
who gives you
his Holy Spirit.
Now about your love
for one another,
we do not need
to write to you
for you yourselves
have been taught
by God
to love each other
and in fact,
you do love
all of God's family
throughout Macedonia
yet we urge you
brothers and sisters
to do so
more and more
and to make it
your ambition
to lead a quiet life.
You should mind
your own business
and work
with your hands
just as we told you
so that your daily life
may win the respect
of outsiders
and so that you
will not be dependent
on anybody.
Brothers and sisters,
we do not want you
to be uninformed
about those
who sleep in death
so that you
do not grieve
like the rest of mankind
who have no hope
for we believe
that Jesus died
and rose again
and so we believe
that God will bring
with Jesus
those who have
fallen asleep
in him.
According to the
Lord's word
we tell you
that we who are
still alive
who are left
until the coming
of the Lord
will certainly
not precede
those who have
fallen asleep
for the Lord
himself
will come down
from heaven
with a loud
command
with the voice
of the archangel
and with the
trumpet call
of God
and the dead
in Christ
will rise first.
After that
we who are
still alive
and are left
will be caught up
together with them
in the clouds
to meet the Lord
in the air
and so
we will be
with the Lord
forever.
Therefore
encourage one another
with these words.
Now
brothers and sisters
about times
and dates
we do not need
to write to you
for you know
very well
that the day
of the Lord
will come like
a thief
in the night
while people
are saying
peace
and safety
destruction
will come
on them
suddenly
as labor
pains
on a pregnant
woman
and they will
not escape.
but you
brothers and
sisters
are not in
darkness
so that this
day should
surprise you
like a thief.
You are all
children of the
light
and children
of the day.
We do not
belong to the
night
or to the
darkness
so then let us
not be like
others who
are asleep
but let us
be awake
and sober
for those
who sleep
sleep at
night
and those
who get
drunk
get drunk
at night
but since
we belong
to the
day
let us
be sober
putting on
faith
and love
as a breastplate
and the hope
of salvation
as a helmet
for God
did not
appoint us
to suffer
wrath
but to
receive
salvation
through our
Lord Jesus
Christ.
he died
for us
so that
whether we
are awake
or asleep
we may
live together
with him
therefore
encourage one
another
and build
each other
up
just as in
fact you
are doing.
now we
ask you
brothers and
sisters
to acknowledge
those who
work hard
among you
who care
for you
in the
Lord
and who
admonish
you
hold them
in the
highest regard
in love
because of
their work
live in
peace
with each
other
and we
urge you
brothers and
sisters
warn those
who are
idle and
disruptive
encourage
the disheartened
help
the weak
be patient
with everyone
make sure
that nobody
pays back
wrong for
wrong
but always
strive to do
what is good
for each
other
and for
everyone
else
rejoice
always
pray
continually
give thanks
in all
circumstances
for this
is God's
will for
you
in Christ
Jesus
do not
quench
the spirit
do not
treat
prophecies
with contempt
but test
them all
hold on
to what
is good
reject
every kind
of evil
may God
himself
the God
of peace
sanctify
you
through
and through
may your
whole spirit
soul
and body
be kept
blameless
at the
coming
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
the one
who calls
you
is faithful
and he
will do
it
brothers
and sisters
pray for
us
greet all
God's
people
with a
holy kiss
I charge
you before
the Lord
to have
this letter
read to
all the
brothers
and sisters
the grace
of our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
be with
you
well we've
got a couple
minutes now
and I want to
open it up a
little bit for
discussion
maybe I'll move
down here so
it feels less
sermony
what did you
hear in these
words that
encouraged you
or challenged
you or
made you
wonder
don't be
shy
416
for the
Lord
himself
will come
down from
heaven
with the
loud command
with the
voice of
the
archangel
with the
trumpet
of call
of God
and the
dead in
Christ
will
arise
first
after that
we who are
still alive
and left
will be
caught up
with them
in the
clouds
to meet
the
Lord
in the
air
and so
we will
be with
the
Lord
forever
so that's
the encouragement
that
before
that's
the
rapture
that's
described
in
the
gospel
yeah
depending on
your
interpretation
of those
things
rapture
or second
coming
of Jesus
but that
is our
hope
yeah
I like
in
chapter
5
9
for
God
did not
appoint us
to suffer
wrath
but to
receive
salvation
through
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
makes
me
think
of
a
true
rapture
God
wants
what
he's
doing
for
us
that
he
loves
us
and
doesn't
want
us
to
go
through
the
wrath
yeah
that's
the
glorious
good news
of
Jesus
that
he
died
so that
our
punishment
would be
taken
away
and
one
day
that
punishment
is
coming
the
word
of
God
tells
us
on
our
world
and
so
that
is
our
promise
that
we
have
not
been
appointed
to
suffer
that
wrath
but
to
receive
salvation
through
Jesus
our
Lord
yeah
I'd say
516
to 18
rejoice
always
pray
without
ceasing
give
thanks
in all
circumstances
for this
is the
will of
God
Christ
Jesus
for you
and just
looking at
that
and asking
do we
rejoice
always
even Paul
in the
beginning
of this
letter
talks
about
their
ministry
and
at
times
they're
longing
to
come
and
their
struggle
and
the
things
they
endured
and yet
they
rejoice
whether
they were
in prison
or
free
running
around
they
still
rejoice
in the
Lord
yeah
it's a
powerful
word
especially
when you
take into
consideration
the
circumstances
of how
Paul met
these people
and shared
the gospel
with them
and then
was chased
out of town
like
pretty much
right after
it happened
there was
and then
they were
asking about
what about
the people
who believed
among us
who are
dead
you know
like
maybe
persecuted
and killed
for their
faith
and
and yet
even in the
midst of
that
he says
rejoice
always
we always
have something
in the
Lord
to rejoice
about
a hope
that endures
and that
can't be
taken away
from us
yeah
encourage
the
disheartened
help
the
weak
thanks
Yeah.
Yeah, there's quite a lot in this letter about love.
Love for one another, but much of it is commendation.
I love how he says that God taught you guys how to love each other.
The sense that the Holy Spirit in them just produced that fruit,
and they were doing it, and Paul was kind of torn away from them
and didn't have the chance to explain, well, how do we do this as a church?
And yet here they were doing it all these months later
when the letter finally came.
Yeah.
yeah
yeah there's a sense in which
all over the world
can only be so far in these few months
since his visit
but there's a real sense in which these shoe boxes
are going all over the world
all over the globe
and reaching kids with the good news
so yeah that is a great way that we can
participate
yeah
let's uh
let's pray
father in heaven
we thank you for these words
which were not only for the
Thessalonians but for us too
and uh
each one of us maybe heard something a little bit different
but we thank you for these words
and we ask that you would guard them and keep them
and that you would cause them to sink down deep into our hearts
and that we would find opportunity to
live them
this week for your glory
for your honor
for your pleasure
we want to be holy
and blameless
as you have told us to in this letter
but we also at the same time
thank you that you have promised to do that for us
and to work that in us
we love you
and we pray this in Jesus name
amen
you