in our Bibles again. We're going to have two readings this morning.
First one, we're going to go back to the Psalms.
And not too far. We start on page 602.
We're going to go to page 603.
So not too challenging this morning.
We're going to look at Psalm 98. Sorry, Psalm 98.
If you're using the Church Bible, it's page 603.
So we're going to read Psalm 98,
and then we're going to turn to 1 Thessalonians.
So again, two readings this morning before
Johnny comes to preach from God's Word for us.
So Psalm 98 and reading from verse 1.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.
His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made known, has made his salvation known,
and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout for joy to the Lord.
All the earth burst into jubilant song with music.
Make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn.
Shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Let the sea resound and everything in it,
the world and all who live in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands.
Let the mountains sing together for joy.
Let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
And now turn to 1 Thessalonians in the New Testament
and chapter 1.
So 1 Thessalonians chapter 1,
the Red Church Bible is page 1186.
We're going to read from verse 6,
1 Thessalonians chapter 1.
Reading from verse 6,
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 turned 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.
We pray that the Lord will bless the reading of his word.
And Johnny, we thank you for preaching for us this morning.
Thank you.
And thank you, Ralph, for leading us this morning.
Good to see you all today.
Let's keep our Bibles open in Thessalonians.
We've just started our new series in this letter.
If you missed the talks, they're on the website,
so I encourage you to go there.
Thanks to Christopher, who puts that together for us.
So before we look at God's word,
let's pray and ask for his help.
Let's do that now.
Lord, help us by your Holy Spirit.
May the word of God come to us
with power
so that it changes us
and motivates us afresh
to honour you
and to serve you.
May this all be for your glory,
for the fame of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and that his name would be known
across this world.
Help us, we pray.
Amen.
Well, something very exciting is happening today.
You won't hear about it on the 6-1 News,
but it is being celebrated in heaven.
It's not going to be talked about in the Dáil,
but it is literally being talked about around the world.
As we alluded to in our announcements and prayer time,
a church has started meeting in the town of Carrick Toole.
From today and every Sunday going forward,
you will find a gathering of people
who love the Lord Jesus Christ
and who have committed themselves to one another.
How did this new church begin?
Where did it come from?
Well, another church in Middleton
began to reach out
and began to pray for the community
and share the gospel with others.
And as people heard and believed,
they have joined with each other
and so a church has started.
You see, the gospel
forms the church
and the church now spreads the gospel.
The gospel forms the church
and the church now spreads the gospel.
That's what happened in Thessalonica.
Paul and his team
spread the good news about Christ
and so a church was formed
and that very church
began to share the gospel with others.
And it's no different for Carrick-A-Line Baptist Church.
This is how we came into existence.
The gospel, the good news,
formed the church
and we have the wonderful and awesome privilege
of telling the gospel to others.
In this way, we become a model church.
So look at verse 6.
Paul says,
you became imitators of us
and of the Lord.
So just as the Lord Jesus Christ
came and preached the gospel
and just as Paul and his team
preached the gospel,
verse 7,
and so you became a model
to all the believers
in Macedonia and Achaia.
They followed the example of Christ
and of Paul.
They heard,
they received,
and they began
to tell.
So what will it look like
for us today
to be a model church?
Well, there's nothing difficult
about this morning
in what we're going to look at.
Two things we're going to see.
The gospel is heard
and the gospel
is seen.
The gospel is heard
and the gospel is seen.
Look at verse 8.
The Lord's message
rang out from you
not only in Macedonia and Achaia,
your faith in God
has become known
everywhere.
So three things,
very simply,
we're going to learn
from this verse.
And first,
the gospel
is a word
about Jesus.
Look at verse 8 again.
the Lord's message
rang out.
You see,
the gospel
is a message.
It's a word
about Jesus.
Have a look back
at verse 5.
He says,
our gospel
came to you
not simply
with words
but also
with power.
Yes,
with power
but not
without
words.
the word
had to be
told.
So look at
chapter 2,
the end of verse 2.
Chapter 2,
end of verse 2.
He says,
with the help
of our God
we dare to
tell you
his gospel
in the face
of strong opposition.
Or go down
to verse 9,
the end of verse 9.
We work
tonight and day
in order
not to be a burden
to anyone
while we
preached
the gospel
of God
to you.
So what's
this word
that is being
told
and being
preached?
Well,
look at
chapter 3,
verse 2.
We send
Timothy,
who is our
brother and
co-worker
in God's
service,
in spreading
the gospel
of Christ.
You see,
the gospel
word
is a good
news announcement
about
Christ.
A declaration
of what God
has done
for us.
It's a message
about Jesus
who is the
Christ,
God's King,
come to
restore
and renew
this broken
world
and our
disordered
lives.
It's a word
about how
Jesus,
the King,
has given
his life
for you
and has
defeated
death
for you
so that
people like
us might
share in
his eternal
kingdom.
You see,
the gospel
is communicated
in word
and we
have that
good news
message to
tell about
Jesus.
So it's a
word about
Jesus,
which is
second,
declared
to all
people.
A message
about Jesus
declared to
all people.
Look at
verse 8.
The Lord's
message
rang out.
Literally,
it echo,
echo,
echo.
It
reverberated
all around.
In verse
8,
Macedonia,
which was in
northern Greece,
and Achaia,
which is
southern Greece,
your faith,
verse 8,
in God
became known
everywhere.
It was like
a foghorn.
The sound,
the message
of the gospel,
it just kept
on traveling
from one place
to another.
It's like
what scientists
call the
butterfly effect.
A butterfly
supposedly
flaps its
wings in
South China,
sets off
a current
of air,
which in
turn becomes
a hurricane
in the
Indian Ocean.
Don't know
if that's
true or
if it's
made up,
but it's
a good
illustration,
isn't it?
And that's
what happens
when the
gospel is
declared.
It's
impact.
It's
just
spoken,
and it
goes on
and on.
It reverberates
all around.
The message,
the good
news about
Jesus
rang out.
So a word
about Jesus
to all
people
through
the church.
Again,
look at
verse 8.
The Lord's
message rang
out from
you.
The means
that God
uses to
announce the
good news
is the
church.
People just
like you
and me.
Now I find
that extraordinary.
Gospel
telling is
done through
ordinary
people,
ordinary
sinful,
suffering,
struggling
people like
us.
God could
have used
mighty
angels.
He could
have used
special
prophets.
He could
have said,
I want you
to hire
professionals,
but none
of that.
Instead,
God chose
you and
me,
this
church,
to share
and to
tell the
gospel.
Maybe
you've
heard
someone say
or you've
read
somewhere,
maybe you
think it's
a verse in
the Bible.
Preach the
gospel at
all times
and if
necessary,
use words.
Well,
it's not a
Bible verse
and it's
very unhelpful.
Words are
essential.
Without
words,
we cannot
communicate
the amazing
love of
God who
redeems
us from
sin and
reconciles
us to
himself.
But the
word is
also necessary
because the
gospel word,
the good
news about
Jesus in
and of
itself as
it is
spoken is
a powerful
word.
It changes
and transforms
lives.
Look at
chapter 2
verse 13.
Chapter 2
verse 13.
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
is the
word of
God
which is
indeed at
work in
you who
believe.
It's not
just a
made up
word,
it's not
just an
ordinary
word,
it's a
God
word and
God's
word has
power,
it works
in people's
lives,
it's living
and effective,
it's like a
seed planted
in the ground
that grows
and produces
a fruitful
harvest.
Now
amazingly
this gospel
word is
is not
just for
you and
I,
it's for
the community
of Carragalline,
the county
of Cork,
the island
of Ireland,
for asylum
seekers in
Sheffield,
for the
unreached
people in
Kashmir.
It's a
message for
all because
God's heart
is for
all the
nations.
And it's
not just a
responsibility
but it's
a privilege
for us
to be
involved.
God has
formed us.
This is
no mistake.
He's formed
us together
from different
places and
different
backgrounds,
united us
together in
Christ and
to each
other for
the purpose,
verse 8,
that the
Lord's
message would
ring out
from you.
And that's
what happens
every week
in this
church.
On Thursday
morning,
this hall is
transformed
into polo.
On Friday,
the rock
and rooted
and Sunday
evening,
core.
God's
word about
Jesus is
faithfully
declared by
you to
others.
But it's
not limited
to just
these events.
Think about
where you
live.
God has
you where
you are
in the
community
with the
people.
He's
given you
the friends
and the
family that
you have
so that
the gospel
message,
the Lord's
message,
would ring
out from
you.
That they
might turn
and see the
wonder and
the beauty
of who
Jesus is
and come
to know
him.
It's very
simple,
isn't it?
The gospel
is heard.
Second,
the gospel
is seen.
Look at the
end of verse
eight.
He says,
your faith
in God
has become
known
everywhere.
This
people had
heard the
gospel,
it had
taken effect
in their
lives,
and as they
came to
believe it,
they were
being transformed,
they were
being changed.
but what I
want us to
notice is
how their
faith became
known
everywhere.
How did
their faith
become known
everywhere?
Yes,
it rang out
from them
by word,
but look
at verse
nine.
For they
themselves
report what
kind of
reception you
gave us.
They tell.
you see,
this wasn't
self-promotion
on behalf
of the
church.
The change
in their
lives had
been observed
by others
within their
community,
and it
was them,
unbelievers,
that began
to tell
others about
these new
Christians and
the transformation
in their
lives.
Verse
nine,
for they
themselves
report what
kind of
reception you
gave us.
they had
become the
gossip of
the town.
Did you
hear about
that group
who meet
in the
Carragoline
Community
Centre?
I know
some of
them.
They're
different
folk.
They
take this
Jesus
seriously.
And their
lives,
they're kind
of different.
So what
changes
and effects
should we
see as
the gospel
takes root
in our
lives?
Well,
very
simply,
first,
we have
turned from
idols.
We've
turned from
idols.
Let's read
again verse
nine.
For they
themselves
report what
kind of
reception you
gave us.
They tell
how you
turned to
God
from idols.
idols.
Now,
idols
aren't
just
figures
that are
carved
out of
wood or
stone.
An
idol
can be
anything
or anyone
that is
more
important
to you
than
God.
So an
idol
can be
a good
thing,
like a
job or
a hobby
or a
loved
one or
a desire.
But we
take those
things and
they become
a God
replacement
or a
God
substitute.
So what I
want us to
do is to
think about
this morning,
what is
your idol?
What is
my idol?
Tim Keller,
a pastor
and writer
now with
the Lord,
wrote a lot
about this
and he
spoke about
two questions
that are
helpful to
identify
your idol.
And here's
the first
question and
I want us
to think
through what
the answer
might be
for ourselves.
What do
you think
about most
of all?
What do
you think
about most
of all?
When you
daydream,
like when
I'm speaking
for example,
where do
your thoughts
go to?
Where do
your thoughts
go to?
When you
wake up
first thing
in the
morning or
go to
bed at
night,
what's
ticking
over in
your mind?
What's
consuming
your thoughts?
Maybe it's
the job,
maybe it's
the longing
for the
holiday,
maybe it's
for a
friend.
Here's the
second question,
what do you
most fear
losing?
What do
you most
fear losing?
If it was
taken away
from you,
it would
leave you
absolutely
devastated
and broken.
So maybe
it's your
health you
fear losing
or a
loved one.
You see,
the answer
to these
questions
reveal our
idols.
Instead of
looking to
God for
our joy
and our
happiness
and our
security
and our
hope,
we look
to other
things that
take the
place of
God.
As I
thought about
this,
I thought
about an
idol that
certainly is
in my
camp and
maybe in
yours as
well.
We carry
it with
us every
single day.
If we
can't find
it, we
panic and
we stress.
When we
want comfort,
we watch
it.
When we
want advice,
we listen
to it.
It has
our attention
first thing
in the
morning,
last thing
at night.
It is,
of course,
our mobile
phones.
It consumes
our every
day.
We wait
listening for
that ping.
Somebody sent
me a message.
We are
waiting for
those two
blue ticks.
They've read
my message.
They're longing
for a happy
emoji.
They love
me.
We can't
live without
it.
We serve
it daily,
scrolling,
flicking,
downloading,
playing.
Don't
believe me?
Turn off
your phone
now and
don't touch
it for 24
hours.
You can't.
It's an
idol.
It's got a
hold of you.
But look
what happens
when the
gospel takes
effect in
our life.
Verse 9,
they turned
to God
from idols.
They turned.
They repented.
They reordered
their lives
around God.
Not that
phones are
all terribly
bad.
But what
people see
is when the
gospel takes
effect,
people can
see a
difference.
Instead of
people being
consumed with
social media
and living
your life
according to
what others
say and
becoming and
looking like
what everybody
else say you
should look
like.
Our hearts
are now
consumed with
the God
who made
us,
who loves
us,
and speaks
to us.
you see,
when the
gospel takes
effect,
we turn
from idols.
Second,
to serve
God.
Look at
verse 9.
They tell how
you turn to
God from
idols to
serve the
living and
true God.
When the
gospel takes
effect,
we realise
that the
idols that
we cling
on to,
well,
what they
really are
like.
My idols,
the things
that consume
me,
are ultimately
dead and
false.
They can't
give you
life,
and they
only tell
you lies.
In its
place,
verse 9,
instead of
an idol
that is
dead and
false,
we have
the living
and true
God.
God is
the living
one.
He's the
creator and
sustainer and
provider of
your life.
He rules
over you,
which means
I can
trust him.
And God
is true.
He not
only does
what is
right,
he only
does what
is best
for us.
He knows
me
intimately,
therefore
I can
trust
him.
This is
a God
who I
can give
my life
to.
You see,
God alone
is worthy
of our
service and
is deserving
of our
worship.
And that's
what happens
when the
gospel takes
effect.
People see,
people noticed.
Instead of
pursuing my
own desires
and my
own wants,
we become
a people who
seek God's
desires and
what he
wants.
No longer
driven by
selfish desires,
but serving
the living
and true
God.
So we
turn from
our idols
to serve
God.
Third,
as we
wait for
Jesus.
Verse 10.
Turning from
idols,
serving God,
and to
wait for
his son
from heaven
whom he's
raised from
the dead,
Jesus who
rescues us
from the
coming wrath.
You see,
if you're a
Christian,
this world
and the
home that
we're going
to go back
to is not
our real
home.
We're waiting
for a true
and eternal
home,
God's eternal
kingdom to
come.
You see,
one day,
the risen
Lord Jesus
is going
to come
back again
and he's
going to
put everything
right.
He's going
to fix
things.
How do
we know
it's true?
Well,
look at
verse 10.
The son
whom he
sent from
heaven,
whom he
raised
from the
dead.
There's the
proof.
There's the
evidence that
Jesus is
coming.
Jesus has
risen from
the dead.
His power
to crush
and defeat
death means
that one
day he
is going
to come
in awesome
power.
And when
he comes,
verse 10,
he's going
to rescue
us from
the coming
wrath.
Yes,
judgment
will fall.
One day
we will all
stand before
God and
have to give
an account.
This world
is not going
on forever.
It's not a
cycle that
just goes
on and
on.
A day
is coming
when Jesus
will come
and God's
wrath will
fall.
Not his
anger in
terms of
his temper,
but his
just,
fair,
and right
response to
a world in
rebellion who
have rejected
Jesus,
the King.
but for
those who
trust Jesus,
for those
who turn
continually on
a day-by-day
basis,
turn from
idols and
seek to
serve the
living and
true God
who love
Jesus,
we will be
rescued from
that coming
wrath.
Look at
chapter 4,
verse 16,
to get a
sneak peek
at what it
will be like
when Jesus
comes for
the believer.
Here's how he
puts it,
chapter 4,
verse 16,
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,
the Christians
who have
died,
will rise
first,
and after
that we,
and those
who are still
alive when
Christ returns,
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.
Is that
good news,
or is that
good news?
You see,
that's what
happens when
the gospel
takes effect.
People will
see and
notice that
this world
does not
dictate how
we live,
but the
world to
come,
will show
us how
we live.
Rather than
a people
without hope,
we live as
people with
eternal hope.
No longer
do we live
in fear and
despair,
but we live
with joy
and peace.
An idol
isn't going
to do that
for you,
but the
living and
true God
does.
You see,
a church
changed by
the gospel
is a
beautiful
thing.
in fact,
this church
is God's
display piece,
his treasured
new creation
that he
sends out
into a
watching world
and it's
as if the
world is
there to
watch and
see who
we are.
Because as
the good news
takes a hold
of our life,
it begins to
change us
and transform
us day
by day.
people will
talk about
that bunch
of Jesus
people rattling
around in the
community centre.
They will see
that we're not
consumed by a
longing for
success.
They will
observe that
we're not
chasing that
perfect dream.
They'll watch
that we're not
strangled by
fear and
crushed by
despair.
Instead,
they will
experience a
people who
are wonderfully
secure because
they have
everything in
Christ.
They will
fill with
joy because
we know
that we
have the
living and
true God
and who
live peaceful
lives because
they have the
hope of
Jesus'
return.
Isn't that
amazing?
This church
didn't
organise in
Thessalonica
a social
media campaign.
They didn't
have special
eye-catching
websites or
great flyers to
hand out or
tea and
coffee.
Maybe they
did actually.
I'm not
sure.
No programmes
or ministries
are listed
here and
enticing people
with games and
food.
Of course,
they're all
good and
they're great
things and
we do them.
But people
simply taught.
Go back to
chapter 1
verse 9.
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.
Unbelievers
saw the
effect the
gospel took
and they
began to
tell others
that something
has happened
to them.
My question
to myself
and to you
this morning
is this.
As we've
gone through
our text,
we have
heard the
gospel.
If you are
not a
Christian today,
what is your
response to
this gospel?
Are you
ready to
meet the
coming Lord
Jesus?
Have you
turned from
your idols
to serve
the living
and true
God?
That's a
serious question.
We need to
be ready
for the
Lord.
If you
are a
Christian,
well,
how is the
gospel changing
you and
how is it
changing
me?
Are we
identifying
the idols
in our
lives?
Are we
putting them
to death?
Are we
seeing the
wonder and
the beauty
of the
living and
true God
and serving
him?
Let's just
take a
moment's
quietness
for each
of us
to reflect
and to
respond.
as God
leads.
Talk to
God
where you
are
and ask
for his
help
in your
life.
Amen.
God
that you have been pleased to show us
the wonder of Jesus through your word,
through the gospel.
Father, please help us that we would
keep on putting our idols to death,
that we would turn from that which is unhealthy,
that we would listen to the true and living God
and to know the hope afresh that Jesus is coming.
Please continue to change us and transform us,
make us more beautiful, make us more like Christ.
And we pray that through each one of us
the gospel would ring out to this community
to further afield,
that many more churches will be planted
across this island and across the world.
Thank you, Father,
that your will and your work will be done
and nothing and no one can stop it.
Praise God.
Amen.