WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.419 I'm going to look at the church in Thessalonica tonight. 00:00:04.700 --> 00:00:10.580 And the reason I'm looking at this is about a year ago, just July last year, 00:00:10.779 --> 00:00:13.679 I had three Greek colleagues at work. 00:00:15.200 --> 00:00:21.019 So one of them was getting married, and her home city is Thessaloniki, as it's called. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:27.539 So if you put the shot up, you can see this is the city of Thessaloniki, the modern city. 00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:36.519 Now, the day before the wedding, the bride and groom had organized for us a walking tour of the city. 00:00:37.579 --> 00:00:42.460 So we started off in the paths there, and we walked around the city. 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:46.200 And the guide was showing us, showed us the Roman Forum, 00:00:46.460 --> 00:00:51.620 showed us quite a few historical old arches, old buildings in the city. 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:56.519 But near the end, I realized, well, she hadn't really mentioned about Paul. 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:59.720 And where Paul came to the city. 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.120 So I asked her, what about the Apostle Paul? 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:05.100 Where did he actually preach? 00:01:05.520 --> 00:01:08.980 And she pointed out, if you look up right to the top of the hill, 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:13.920 you'll see that the city climbs from the sea upwards. 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.439 And she said, oh, Paul would have been right up at the top. 00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:21.920 And it made me realize that he was actually on the periphery of the city, 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:26.460 and he would have been, you know, really away from the center of the city. 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:30.079 So when I came back, I started sort of thinking about, 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:32.120 it became quite interesting to Thessaloniki, 00:01:32.299 --> 00:01:36.240 so I started doing a bit of background reading on the church. 00:01:36.379 --> 00:01:40.340 Now, the city that Paul came to, Thessalonica, 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.400 would have had a population of about 200,000 in those days. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:52.400 It was founded around 315 BC by Cassander, 00:01:53.300 --> 00:01:58.640 who was one of the military commanders of Alexander the Great's army. 00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:01.740 And he named the city after his sister, 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:04.380 no, after his wife, Thessalonica, 00:02:04.580 --> 00:02:07.860 and she was actually Alexander's half-sister. 00:02:07.859 --> 00:02:11.560 So this is the city that Paul came to. 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:13.520 Now, the population of Thessaloniki now, 00:02:13.580 --> 00:02:16.099 well, the main city is about 300,000, 00:02:16.259 --> 00:02:20.699 but the urban area is about 1 million people. 00:02:21.860 --> 00:02:28.460 So the site that Paul was supposed to have spoken at, 00:02:28.579 --> 00:02:29.639 it's not a monastery. 00:02:32.039 --> 00:02:35.360 It's right up on the hill up the back of the city, 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:37.199 and that's why I started looking into this. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:42.060 And seeing how the church there had come about. 00:02:42.299 --> 00:02:43.979 So what I want to do tonight, 00:02:44.119 --> 00:02:46.039 I want to, first of all, 00:02:46.079 --> 00:02:51.579 look at the reading that Neil read for us in Acts 17, 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:52.659 verses 1 to 9. 00:02:52.780 --> 00:02:56.639 This is when Paul went to Thessalonica to preach 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.859 and really evangelize the people there. 00:03:01.339 --> 00:03:05.479 And then I want to move to the book of 1 Thessalonians 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:07.719 and look at, well, look at chapter 1, 00:03:07.799 --> 00:03:10.179 but I'll look at some of the other aspects as well. 00:03:11.119 --> 00:03:13.500 Now, to put it all into context, 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:19.259 in the book of Acts, the latter half of Acts 00:03:19.259 --> 00:03:23.199 is all about mostly focusing on the three journeys 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:24.939 that Paul made with his companions, 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:27.620 and then the final journey to Rome. 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:31.159 So the first, what we call the first, 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:32.879 second and third missionary journey. 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:34.319 So the first missionary journey, 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:36.599 Paul went with Silas, 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:40.460 and they went to Cyprus, 00:03:40.539 --> 00:03:41.780 and they went to Asia Minor, 00:03:41.979 --> 00:03:43.079 which is modern day Turkey. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:45.860 And then they went back, 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:47.280 obviously, to Jerusalem. 00:03:47.500 --> 00:03:49.539 They were at a Jerusalem council. 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:54.199 And then Paul and Barnabas decided to set off 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:55.039 on another journey, 00:03:55.179 --> 00:03:57.359 which has become known as the second missionary journey. 00:03:57.799 --> 00:03:58.919 But they actually fell out 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:00.859 because on the previous journey, 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:03.079 John Mark had been with them, 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:04.120 and he went back to, 00:04:04.399 --> 00:04:05.959 he left them. 00:04:06.459 --> 00:04:08.840 So Paul didn't want to take Mark with them, 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:10.639 but Barnabas did. 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:12.139 So they disagreed, 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:13.060 and then in the end, 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:14.879 Paul took Silas, 00:04:15.180 --> 00:04:16.079 and then along the way, 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:17.079 they met Timothy. 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:19.680 And it was Paul, Silas, and Timothy 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:22.879 who ended up going to Thessaloniki. 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:25.740 Now, before I look at it, 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:27.539 I want to sort of point out 00:04:27.539 --> 00:04:30.240 really three very important things 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.299 that allowed the ministry, 00:04:33.699 --> 00:04:35.639 the whole ministry in Acts, 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:39.740 was really providentially dictated 00:04:39.740 --> 00:04:41.639 by three important factors. 00:04:42.159 --> 00:04:44.099 The first one was the Roman Empire. 00:04:44.100 --> 00:04:48.540 Now, I teach engineering, 00:04:48.780 --> 00:04:51.280 and one of my third year courses 00:04:51.280 --> 00:04:52.800 is on transport engineering. 00:04:53.620 --> 00:04:56.020 And I actually start my first lecture 00:04:56.020 --> 00:04:59.100 with a look at history of transport 00:04:59.100 --> 00:05:00.720 and history of roads primarily. 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:03.300 And I show the students this slide. 00:05:04.140 --> 00:05:06.560 And you can see here the Roman road network 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.580 from maybe starting around 300 BC 00:05:09.580 --> 00:05:12.800 up to about 500 ADs in their calendar. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.560 The Romans, as you know, 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:17.480 built one of the most comprehensive road networks 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:20.560 that was built for about 2,000 years. 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:23.199 Nobody even came close to... 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.100 When I talk into my lecture, 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:25.980 I talk about this, 00:05:26.220 --> 00:05:27.000 the Roman road era, 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:29.319 and for about 1,500 years, 00:05:29.460 --> 00:05:31.319 nothing really happened of significance 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:34.720 until probably the days of John Macadam 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:36.920 in the 19th century, 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:38.900 and then eventually the 20th century 00:05:38.900 --> 00:05:40.819 with the German autobans 00:05:40.819 --> 00:05:42.300 and the American interstate. 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:46.579 So, but the Roman road network 00:05:46.579 --> 00:05:51.439 really allowed the people to start traveling. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.220 And of course, the road network 00:05:53.220 --> 00:05:55.520 was built mainly for military purposes. 00:05:56.520 --> 00:05:57.980 Then the second thing 00:05:57.980 --> 00:06:00.960 that allowed the gospel to spread out 00:06:00.960 --> 00:06:04.460 was the Greek era. 00:06:04.459 --> 00:06:08.439 And if you go to the waterfront in Thessaloniki, 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:11.620 you'll see the statue of Alexander the Great. 00:06:11.739 --> 00:06:16.359 Now, Alexander the Great came along 300 years before Christ. 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:21.299 And as you know, he was one of the... 00:06:21.299 --> 00:06:25.359 In this generation, he died when he was 32. 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:29.280 And what he packed into his 32 years is amazing 00:06:29.280 --> 00:06:31.439 because he conquered Asia, 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:33.300 he conquered right across to India, 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.160 and of course, cities like Alexandria 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:37.980 were named after him. 00:06:37.980 --> 00:06:43.840 But what Alexander did was he spread the Greek language, 00:06:43.840 --> 00:06:46.280 Greek philosophy, Greek education, 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:47.240 Greek literature, 00:06:47.660 --> 00:06:50.860 right across the known world as it was then. 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:54.160 So, by the time Paul came to Thessaloniki, 00:06:54.740 --> 00:06:57.740 Greek was the common language. 00:06:58.120 --> 00:06:59.259 The Bible had been... 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:02.680 The Old Testament had been translated into Greek 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:03.780 at that time as well. 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:05.400 So, Greek... 00:07:05.400 --> 00:07:07.579 The Greek language was really the mechanism 00:07:07.579 --> 00:07:10.019 by which the gospel spread. 00:07:10.740 --> 00:07:12.959 And then the third thing that I... 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:14.759 That was really important was 00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:16.840 that the Jews' dispersion. 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:22.800 So, the Jews had started leaving Palestine 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:28.780 and spreading out over the known world at that time. 00:07:28.780 --> 00:07:30.699 They had reached many, many cities 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:34.699 in Greece and Turkey, 00:07:35.639 --> 00:07:39.079 right across that area. 00:07:39.240 --> 00:07:41.319 And the slide that I've shown there 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:44.120 is the via, the famous via Ignatia, 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:47.079 which connected the city of Byzantium 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:51.819 with that route across to Italy 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:53.159 and then onwards to Rome. 00:07:53.860 --> 00:07:55.779 So, Thessaloniki is actually located 00:07:55.779 --> 00:07:58.519 on the via Ignatia, 00:07:58.519 --> 00:07:59.719 and it was actually 00:07:59.719 --> 00:08:03.240 a very important city 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.839 because the country of Greece, 00:08:05.919 --> 00:08:06.519 as we know it, 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:08.259 was divided into two provinces, 00:08:08.539 --> 00:08:09.500 two Roman provinces, 00:08:10.180 --> 00:08:11.299 Macedonia in the north 00:08:11.299 --> 00:08:14.500 and Achai in the south. 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:15.399 And, of course, 00:08:15.479 --> 00:08:16.359 Alexander the Great 00:08:16.359 --> 00:08:17.839 was from Macedonia 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:19.560 and he had spread right across 00:08:19.560 --> 00:08:21.899 the Greek language, 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:23.539 across the region. 00:08:24.659 --> 00:08:26.679 So, Jewish people had come, 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:27.799 they had dispersed, 00:08:27.919 --> 00:08:29.799 they had migrated to cities 00:08:29.799 --> 00:08:30.799 like Thessaloniki. 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:32.319 They brought with them, 00:08:32.379 --> 00:08:34.120 they came for reasons of commerce, 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:35.159 they came for reasons, 00:08:35.659 --> 00:08:36.839 maybe there had been war 00:08:37.480 --> 00:08:37.839 or persecution 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:39.839 had forced them out of Palestine 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:41.000 and, of course, 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:41.700 Paul himself 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:43.440 wasn't very much instrumental 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.120 in that persecution as well. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:50.019 So, these are the three things 00:08:50.019 --> 00:08:53.340 that really allowed the gospel to spread. 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:54.759 There was the Roman Empire, 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:56.580 the Greek language, really, 00:08:56.740 --> 00:08:59.200 and then the Jewish dispersion as well. 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:05.860 Now, the reading that Neil read 00:09:05.860 --> 00:09:07.240 in Acts 17, 00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:09.300 if we backtrack to the previous chapter, 00:09:09.480 --> 00:09:09.940 we saw, 00:09:10.919 --> 00:09:11.960 we can see that 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:14.580 Paul had been in Philippi 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:17.240 before he went to Thessaloniki 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:20.139 and Philippi, of course, 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:22.840 he went, 00:09:23.019 --> 00:09:24.740 there was no Jewish synagogue 00:09:24.740 --> 00:09:25.519 in Philippi, 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:26.440 so he went to, 00:09:27.779 --> 00:09:28.419 near the river 00:09:28.419 --> 00:09:29.500 where there was people 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:30.399 made for prayer 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:32.899 and led to the conversion of Lydia 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:34.220 and then eventually 00:09:34.220 --> 00:09:35.300 Paul was put in prison 00:09:35.299 --> 00:09:36.579 and then the Philippian jailer 00:09:36.579 --> 00:09:38.919 was converted as well. 00:09:39.379 --> 00:09:40.519 So, following the ministry 00:09:40.519 --> 00:09:41.379 in Philippi, 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:42.500 Paul then moved on 00:09:42.500 --> 00:09:44.299 to Thessalonica 00:09:44.299 --> 00:09:46.199 and if you look at 00:09:46.199 --> 00:09:48.259 the next map 00:09:48.259 --> 00:09:49.379 that I put out, 00:09:49.839 --> 00:09:51.879 that's the Agnesia, 00:09:52.339 --> 00:09:53.039 you can see 00:09:53.039 --> 00:09:54.639 that Paul received 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.959 the famous call 00:09:56.959 --> 00:09:58.759 to come to Macedonia 00:09:58.759 --> 00:09:59.959 when he was in Troas 00:09:59.959 --> 00:10:01.620 and then he goes across 00:10:01.620 --> 00:10:03.240 the sea to Philippi 00:10:03.240 --> 00:10:03.960 and then eventually 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:06.399 comes to Thessalonica. 00:10:07.019 --> 00:10:07.500 Thessalonica 00:10:07.500 --> 00:10:08.659 is about 100 miles 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:09.360 south, 00:10:09.740 --> 00:10:11.139 west of Philippi. 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:11.460 So, 00:10:11.659 --> 00:10:12.340 it would have taken 00:10:12.340 --> 00:10:14.320 about two or three days 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:15.080 to make the journey. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:16.340 You see from verse 1 00:10:16.340 --> 00:10:18.120 of chapter 17, 00:10:18.560 --> 00:10:18.980 it says, 00:10:19.060 --> 00:10:19.720 when they had passed 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:20.759 through Amphipolis 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:22.139 and Apollonia, 00:10:22.299 --> 00:10:23.580 they came to Thessalonica. 00:10:23.580 --> 00:10:24.700 So, 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:27.040 Paul then, 00:10:27.160 --> 00:10:27.460 of course, 00:10:27.800 --> 00:10:29.040 the first thing he does 00:10:29.040 --> 00:10:29.560 as he did 00:10:29.560 --> 00:10:30.820 in a lot of places 00:10:30.820 --> 00:10:31.400 he went to, 00:10:31.460 --> 00:10:31.820 he would look 00:10:31.820 --> 00:10:32.879 for the Jewish synagogue 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.460 and we see that 00:10:34.460 --> 00:10:36.280 in verse 1 as well. 00:10:37.160 --> 00:10:37.300 So, 00:10:37.379 --> 00:10:37.840 in verse 2, 00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:38.960 as is custom, 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:39.180 well, 00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:40.320 he went into the synagogue 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:41.840 and on three Sabbath days 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:42.940 he reasoned with them 00:10:42.940 --> 00:10:44.180 from the scriptures. 00:10:45.280 --> 00:10:45.420 Now, 00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:46.360 that, 00:10:47.640 --> 00:10:47.800 that, 00:10:48.160 --> 00:10:48.360 that, 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:48.580 that, 00:10:48.900 --> 00:10:49.360 that, 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:49.540 that, 00:10:49.540 --> 00:10:49.800 that, 00:10:49.800 --> 00:10:49.820 that, 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:49.900 that, 00:10:49.900 --> 00:10:50.080 that, 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:50.180 that, 00:10:50.180 --> 00:10:50.200 that, 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:50.220 that, 00:10:50.220 --> 00:10:50.259 that, 00:10:50.259 --> 00:10:50.280 that, 00:10:50.280 --> 00:10:50.300 that, 00:10:50.300 --> 00:10:50.360 that, 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:50.379 that, 00:10:50.379 --> 00:10:50.400 that, 00:10:50.400 --> 00:10:50.460 that, 00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:50.480 that, 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:50.500 that, 00:10:50.500 --> 00:10:50.520 that, 00:10:50.520 --> 00:10:50.580 that, 00:10:50.580 --> 00:10:50.759 that, 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:51.420 that, 00:10:51.419 --> 00:10:52.519 that, 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:53.419 that, 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:53.939 that, 00:10:53.939 --> 00:10:54.479 that, 00:10:54.479 --> 00:10:54.919 that, 00:10:54.919 --> 00:10:55.339 there were, 00:10:55.339 --> 00:10:56.099 they were obviously, 00:10:56.099 --> 00:10:56.479 there, 00:10:56.479 --> 00:10:57.779 there was enough Jews to, 00:10:58.159 --> 00:10:59.759 for a synagogue to have been built 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:04.120 and the practice in the synagogue was 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:04.959 that people would go to synagogue 00:11:04.959 --> 00:11:08.319 and even outsiders would sometimes be able 00:11:08.319 --> 00:11:08.679 to, 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:10.639 to preach or give a message or, 00:11:10.819 --> 00:11:12.959 or speak and that's what happened 00:11:12.959 --> 00:11:13.519 with Paul. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.860 But it doesn't necessarily mean 00:11:16.860 --> 00:11:18.740 that Paul only spent three weeks 00:11:18.740 --> 00:11:19.919 when he was in Thessalonica. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:25.519 I think it implies that he was able to preach at the synagogue for three weeks, 00:11:26.019 --> 00:11:29.839 but then maybe the Jews resented his message 00:11:29.839 --> 00:11:34.500 and they no longer wanted him to speak in a synagogue. 00:11:35.299 --> 00:11:40.699 It's probably very likely that Cole spent maybe a few months in Thessalonica. 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:41.899 He was a tent maker, 00:11:42.719 --> 00:11:47.419 and there were possibilities that he worked when he was there as well. 00:11:47.419 --> 00:11:55.659 Now, so the audience, well, we see from verse 4 00:11:55.659 --> 00:11:59.319 that it wasn't just Jews who were present in the synagogue. 00:11:59.579 --> 00:12:04.639 It was also God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women as well. 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:12.639 Now, so the synagogue at that time would have attracted a lot of Greeks 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:15.079 who maybe had an interest in God. 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:21.000 Remember that Greek culture was very much about multiple gods 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:24.379 and people worshipped gods and there were temples and shrines and everything. 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:28.660 But some people had obviously been attracted to the Jewish religion, 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.600 maybe the thought of one God, 00:12:32.060 --> 00:12:35.540 and there was quite a lot of things about the Jewish teaching, 00:12:35.680 --> 00:12:38.120 the Old Testament teaching that was quite attractive to them. 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:48.279 So there was multiple races and peoples within the synagogue at this time. 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:55.720 And Paul goes into the synagogue, 00:12:56.039 --> 00:12:59.019 and we read in verse 2, 00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:00.980 three Sabbath days, 00:13:01.060 --> 00:13:02.899 he reasoned with them from the scriptures. 00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:03.899 So he goes in, 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:06.299 he's using the scriptures, 00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:07.139 he's explaining, 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:11.539 he's proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. 00:13:11.699 --> 00:13:14.279 So I want to stop here a minute 00:13:14.279 --> 00:13:17.079 because if you think about this, 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:21.019 I like to read a little bit of background history too. 00:13:21.139 --> 00:13:21.819 It really quite, 00:13:23.220 --> 00:13:25.639 it gives you quite an insight into the Bible 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:27.299 when you read some of the background history. 00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:30.699 Now, one of the things that frustrates historians 00:13:30.699 --> 00:13:31.959 is that Luke, 00:13:32.319 --> 00:13:33.899 and both Luke and Axe, 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.319 he doesn't really tell you dates about when this happened, 00:13:37.439 --> 00:13:38.539 when this happened. 00:13:38.679 --> 00:13:40.039 If we were writing something, 00:13:40.179 --> 00:13:40.899 we'd probably say, 00:13:41.359 --> 00:13:42.699 oh, in 1st of July 2018, 00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:44.839 I went here. 00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:49.139 But we think that Paul came to Thessalonica 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:51.159 around maybe the year 49, 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:52.539 possibly 50. 00:13:53.500 --> 00:13:54.779 And if we track back, 00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:57.399 there was one of the books that I read 00:13:57.399 --> 00:13:59.519 is a guy called Paul Barnett. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.579 He was a pastor in Australia, 00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:04.779 but he's also a teaching fellow 00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:06.639 at Regent College Vancouver 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:09.259 and also Moor College in Sydney, Australia. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:14.279 He dates the death of Christ at the year 33. 00:14:15.579 --> 00:14:19.860 So he reckons that maybe Paul was converted at the year 34. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:22.759 So this is about year 49, 00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:25.600 which is about 15 years later. 00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:30.500 And if you look back to the last chapter of Luke, 00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:33.180 when Jesus, after Jesus' resurrection, 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:36.919 and he met on the road to Emmaus 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:39.180 and also the disciples, 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:40.779 he talks to them about, 00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:44.340 I'll turn back and quickly read that. 00:14:44.340 --> 00:14:47.120 He explains to them the gospel, 00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:49.700 and he talks to them, 00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:52.860 beginning with Moses and the prophets, 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:54.960 verse 27 of chapter 24. 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:56.820 And then later on, 00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.460 when he meets the disciples, 00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:00.360 he said, 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:02.660 everything must be fulfilled 00:15:02.660 --> 00:15:03.780 that is written about me 00:15:03.780 --> 00:15:05.300 in the law of Moses, 00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:06.860 the prophets, and the Psalms. 00:15:07.560 --> 00:15:08.200 So obviously, 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:11.519 Paul, by this time, 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:12.399 they had developed, 00:15:12.579 --> 00:15:14.579 Paul and also the other leaders in the church 00:15:14.579 --> 00:15:15.279 had developed 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.340 quite a substantial Christology. 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:20.179 They understood who Christ was, 00:15:20.259 --> 00:15:21.639 which is pretty amazing. 00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:23.000 When you read that in Luke, 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.879 when Peter denied Jesus, 00:15:25.539 --> 00:15:27.000 he didn't really understand 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:28.319 Jesus' role. 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:30.199 But beginning of Acts, 00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:31.519 Peter is preaching 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:34.179 in the day of Pentecost, 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:35.519 and he's got a very clear understanding 00:15:36.199 --> 00:15:37.720 of who Christ was. 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:39.279 And if we read through the book of Acts, 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.539 we can see there's quite a large number 00:15:41.539 --> 00:15:42.500 of sermons there, 00:15:42.699 --> 00:15:43.939 three from Peter, 00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:45.019 one from Stephen, 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.679 five from Paul, 00:15:46.779 --> 00:15:47.559 where they have a very, 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.539 very clear understanding 00:15:50.539 --> 00:15:52.299 of who Christ was 00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:53.179 and the role of Christ. 00:15:53.339 --> 00:15:55.879 So although chapter 17, 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:58.879 and it's only really covered 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.199 in the one verse, 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:02.659 but I reckon Paul went into the synagogue 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:04.240 and he preached 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:08.339 from using the Old Testament. 00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:09.340 He would have gone back 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:10.320 and explained to them 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:14.300 all about the Old Testament, 00:16:14.540 --> 00:16:15.480 God, the creator, 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.019 the role of Christ, 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.399 and then he really reinforced 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:20.200 that why Christ had to die 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:21.920 and also his resurrection 00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:23.720 and his coming again. 00:16:25.180 --> 00:16:28.399 So obviously the Jews reacted badly 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:29.259 to the message. 00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.840 Some people believed, 00:16:31.939 --> 00:16:32.840 we saw that 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:39.399 some Jews believed 00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:40.480 that a large number 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.679 of the God-fearing Greeks 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:43.620 and not a few prominent women. 00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:46.379 Now, the prominent women, 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.580 I understand, 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:48.860 were that a lot of women 00:16:48.860 --> 00:16:49.679 in Thessalonica 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:50.939 and some of the Roman provinces 00:16:50.939 --> 00:16:52.259 would actually have had 00:16:52.259 --> 00:16:53.879 a very significant role 00:16:53.879 --> 00:16:55.259 in society at that time. 00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:58.840 So that's why he mentions them 00:16:58.840 --> 00:17:00.980 in the reading. 00:17:01.460 --> 00:17:02.159 But then, of course, 00:17:02.259 --> 00:17:04.099 the Jews turned against Paul. 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:06.259 They didn't object to his message. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.400 They didn't want to accept 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:10.359 this message about Christ. 00:17:10.879 --> 00:17:11.759 So what did they do? 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:15.099 They go to the marketplace. 00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:17.039 They get together a mob 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:21.000 and they brought, 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.799 they went to look for Paul, 00:17:22.940 --> 00:17:24.799 but obviously Paul had been staying 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.740 in this Jason's house. 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:28.759 But they found Jason 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:29.960 and they brought them 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:31.759 before the authorities. 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.039 And what they were trying to do 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:34.220 is they were trying to manipulate 00:17:34.220 --> 00:17:36.799 the people to show 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:38.720 that Paul was preaching 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:40.960 an alternative to Caesar 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.519 because obviously 00:17:42.519 --> 00:17:46.759 they were calling Jesus a king, 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:48.960 when you could only refer 00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:50.259 to Caesar as a king. 00:17:51.140 --> 00:17:54.700 And if you went against Caesar, 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:56.220 then it was treason 00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:58.680 and you could be killed 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:00.140 for seeing that. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.799 So that's what happened. 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:03.819 And so eventually Paul 00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:06.160 had to leave Thessalonica. 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:08.480 And we read in verse 10, 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:09.420 if we continue on 00:18:09.420 --> 00:18:11.039 to the next section, 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:12.019 as soon as it was night, 00:18:12.140 --> 00:18:13.339 the brothers sent Paul 00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:15.660 and Silas away to bury 00:18:15.660 --> 00:18:16.060 the... 00:18:16.060 --> 00:18:17.360 So, 00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:21.900 if we had, 00:18:22.080 --> 00:18:23.920 if we had only had 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.540 that section in Acts to read, 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:26.880 then we would probably think 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:28.640 that Paul's ministry 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:30.259 in Thessalonica 00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:32.240 had been a bit of a disaster. 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.000 But what I want to do now 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.759 is I want to jump forward 00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:40.000 to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. 00:18:45.140 --> 00:18:47.379 And I'll read that, 00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.900 I'll read the chapter 00:18:48.900 --> 00:18:50.039 and then I'll just mention 00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:52.379 a few things about that. 00:18:53.460 --> 00:18:54.900 So, chapter 1, 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:56.019 1 Thessalonians, 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:57.700 Paul, Silas and Timothy 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:59.660 to the church of the Thessalonians 00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:00.599 and God the Father 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.980 and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.779 We always thank God 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:04.920 for all of you, 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:06.299 mentioning you in our prayers. 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:08.160 We continually remember 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:09.160 before our God 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:10.259 and Father 00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:11.940 your work produced by faith, 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:13.639 your labour prompted by love, 00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:15.000 and your endurance 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:16.259 inspired by hope 00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:18.299 in our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:19:18.420 --> 00:19:19.000 For we know, 00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:20.639 brothers loved by God, 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.819 that he has chosen you 00:19:21.819 --> 00:19:24.200 because our gospel came to you 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:25.440 not simply with words, 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.539 but also with power, 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:27.920 with the Holy Spirit, 00:19:28.099 --> 00:19:29.079 and with deep conviction. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:30.980 You know how we lived 00:19:30.980 --> 00:19:32.640 among you for your sake. 00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:34.319 You became imitators of us 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:35.000 and of the Lord. 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:37.059 In spite of severe suffering, 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:38.299 you welcomed the message 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:39.680 with the joy given 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:40.599 by the Holy Spirit. 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:42.579 And so you became a model 00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.559 to all the believers 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:45.779 in Macedonia and Achia. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.319 The Lord's message 00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:48.240 rang out from you, 00:19:48.279 --> 00:19:50.200 not only in Macedonia and Achia. 00:19:50.360 --> 00:19:51.519 Your faith in God 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:53.460 has become known everywhere. 00:19:54.299 --> 00:19:55.339 Therefore, we do not need 00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:56.480 to say anything about it, 00:19:56.539 --> 00:19:58.000 for they themselves report 00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:59.120 what kind of reception 00:19:59.119 --> 00:19:59.979 you gave us. 00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:02.459 They tell that you turn to God 00:20:02.459 --> 00:20:03.639 from idols to serve 00:20:03.639 --> 00:20:05.679 the living and true God 00:20:05.679 --> 00:20:06.919 and to wait for a son 00:20:06.919 --> 00:20:07.539 from heaven 00:20:07.539 --> 00:20:09.279 whom you raised from the dead, 00:20:09.399 --> 00:20:10.799 Jesus, who rescues us 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:12.659 from the coming wrath. 00:20:13.659 --> 00:20:16.099 So, we reckon that, 00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:19.039 well, we think 1 Thessalonians 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.719 could have been 00:20:19.719 --> 00:20:20.979 the first book written, 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.639 first New Testament book 00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.199 that was written, 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:26.000 although some historians think 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.159 that maybe Galatians 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:28.480 was written just slightly 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.540 before Thessalonians. 00:20:30.620 --> 00:20:33.420 But it was one of the first books 00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:34.400 that was written 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:36.040 that were written in the Bible. 00:20:36.300 --> 00:20:37.120 But I want to, 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:39.160 sometimes we look at things 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:39.920 and we don't see 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:41.400 the very first verse, 00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:41.820 it says, 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:43.160 he says to the church 00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.900 of the Thessalonians. 00:20:45.080 --> 00:20:47.200 Now, if we go back to Acts 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:47.720 and we see, 00:20:47.900 --> 00:20:49.380 we look at what happened in Acts, 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:50.460 we probably think 00:20:50.460 --> 00:20:52.220 there's no way a church 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:53.300 would have sprung up 00:20:53.300 --> 00:20:54.540 in Thessalonica. 00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:55.799 We don't know, 00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:57.240 Paul had to leave 00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:58.680 so that the believers there 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:00.460 were left to their own resources. 00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.159 So, obviously, 00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:02.920 they had got together, 00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:03.779 they had built up 00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:04.759 a community there 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:06.720 and they started meeting 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.359 as a church. 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.240 We don't know if it, 00:21:08.639 --> 00:21:09.799 maybe they were meeting 00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.779 in Jason's house, 00:21:11.019 --> 00:21:12.879 we have no idea really. 00:21:13.579 --> 00:21:13.759 But, 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:17.940 Gresham Magin says about this, 00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:18.500 he said, 00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:20.980 in the history of early Christianity, 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:23.019 the real surprising thing 00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:25.000 is not that so much 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:26.220 of the Gentile churches 00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:26.920 were founded 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:29.099 as that after they were founded, 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.360 they endured. 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:32.099 They were surrounded 00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:33.960 by heathenism and immorality, 00:21:34.120 --> 00:21:34.799 they were subject 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.360 to persecution. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.240 So, 00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:40.940 it looks surprising to us, 00:21:40.940 --> 00:21:41.880 but it shouldn't really 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:42.980 be surprising to us 00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:43.720 because we know 00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:45.200 that God was in this 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.660 and Paul was miraculously 00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:48.759 called in a vision 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.819 to come to preach 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:50.559 in Macedonia, 00:21:51.099 --> 00:21:54.679 the first gospel preaching 00:21:54.679 --> 00:21:56.319 that was in Europe, 00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:58.179 as we know Europe today. 00:21:59.379 --> 00:21:59.559 So, 00:22:00.099 --> 00:22:04.919 after Paul left Macedonia, 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:05.460 he went, 00:22:05.939 --> 00:22:06.720 Thessalonica, 00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:07.980 he went on to Berea 00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:10.019 and then he moved down, 00:22:10.639 --> 00:22:12.240 I think I've got another map 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:13.240 showing the route 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:13.879 that he took. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:15.159 You can see there 00:22:15.159 --> 00:22:16.099 he went to Berea, 00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:17.559 then he went on to Athens, 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.559 so we read about 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.919 both of these churches 00:22:19.919 --> 00:22:21.119 in Acts 17 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:22.619 and then finally 00:22:22.619 --> 00:22:23.539 he finished off 00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:24.919 in Corinth. 00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:25.919 Now, 00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:28.399 he sent Timothy, 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:29.500 he was really concerned 00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.319 about the church 00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:31.480 back in Thessalonica, 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.839 he wasn't sure, 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:34.259 he didn't have any reports 00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:35.379 about what happened to them, 00:22:35.879 --> 00:22:36.879 so he was really concerned 00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.299 about them, 00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:38.819 so when they were in Athens, 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:40.299 he sent Timothy back 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:41.799 to Thessalonica 00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:43.119 to find out exactly 00:22:43.119 --> 00:22:43.720 what had happened 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:44.419 to the church. 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:46.640 And by the time 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:47.700 Timothy came back, 00:22:47.860 --> 00:22:48.880 we think Paul had moved 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.200 on to Corinth 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:51.340 at this point, 00:22:51.820 --> 00:22:52.420 and he wrote 00:22:52.420 --> 00:22:53.500 this first letter 00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:54.500 to Thessalonians 00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:56.620 from Corinth. 00:22:57.580 --> 00:22:57.940 Now, 00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.140 you can see that 00:22:59.140 --> 00:23:00.080 his relief, 00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:00.380 you know, 00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:01.060 he was in this, 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:02.140 and he starts off 00:23:02.140 --> 00:23:05.779 the letter 00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:06.820 by talking about, 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.779 we give thanks, 00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:09.820 we always thank God 00:23:09.820 --> 00:23:10.740 for all of the universe 00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:11.840 to mention you 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:12.459 in our prayers. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:14.419 So he didn't really 00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:15.799 know what to expect, 00:23:15.919 --> 00:23:18.240 but I guess he was hopeful, 00:23:18.659 --> 00:23:19.879 but at this point 00:23:19.879 --> 00:23:20.720 unsure of what 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:21.439 had happened to them. 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:23.919 But they had developed 00:23:23.919 --> 00:23:24.599 as a church, 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:26.000 they had got together 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.579 as a church, 00:23:26.679 --> 00:23:27.399 and they were actually 00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:29.899 progressing really 00:23:29.899 --> 00:23:31.079 quite well 00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:32.299 under the persecution 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:33.459 that they were facing 00:23:33.459 --> 00:23:37.279 in the city. 00:23:38.220 --> 00:23:39.259 So I just want to mention 00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:40.259 a few things. 00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:44.180 in verse 3, 00:23:44.379 --> 00:23:45.660 verses 4 and 5, 00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:46.259 first of all, 00:23:46.299 --> 00:23:47.039 he talks about, 00:23:48.539 --> 00:23:50.160 for we know, 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:51.740 brothers loved by God, 00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:53.039 that he has chosen you 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:54.279 because our gospel 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:55.099 came to you, 00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:56.180 not simply with word, 00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:57.299 but also with power. 00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:58.200 So, 00:23:58.920 --> 00:23:59.879 first thing is, 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:00.839 you know, 00:24:00.879 --> 00:24:02.000 these people 00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:02.680 had believed, 00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:02.960 you know, 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:04.059 Paul had come to them, 00:24:04.099 --> 00:24:05.099 he had preached to them, 00:24:05.519 --> 00:24:07.579 and that they had believed. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:09.140 So how did this all happen? 00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:09.500 Well, 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:12.020 we see from the text 00:24:12.020 --> 00:24:14.620 that it's obviously saying 00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:16.020 that salvation 00:24:16.020 --> 00:24:17.720 began with God 00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:22.940 because he has chosen you. 00:24:23.100 --> 00:24:23.860 So we can see 00:24:23.860 --> 00:24:26.600 that God had chosen them, 00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:27.500 they had, 00:24:27.600 --> 00:24:27.920 obviously, 00:24:28.060 --> 00:24:29.700 God had pre-planned 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.700 from all eternity 00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:31.720 that these believers 00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:33.080 would come 00:24:33.080 --> 00:24:34.480 to believe in Jesus. 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:36.140 and also 00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:37.339 their conversion, 00:24:37.579 --> 00:24:37.759 there was 00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.240 the miraculous conversion 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:39.940 because remember, 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:40.519 these people 00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:41.079 were living 00:24:41.079 --> 00:24:42.860 in a society 00:24:42.860 --> 00:24:43.799 with multiple 00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:45.140 gods, 00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.079 multiple idols, 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:47.519 and they came 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:48.839 to believe in one God 00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.720 and they came 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:51.299 to believe 00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:51.920 in Jesus. 00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:54.160 They had faith, 00:24:54.299 --> 00:24:55.220 they trusted 00:24:55.220 --> 00:24:57.360 in Jesus, 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:59.299 they repented, 00:24:59.579 --> 00:25:00.039 they turned 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:00.859 from their idols 00:25:00.859 --> 00:25:02.699 and followed 00:25:02.699 --> 00:25:04.759 the true God. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.759 Also, 00:25:05.919 --> 00:25:06.819 you can see as well 00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:08.419 that there's a bit 00:25:08.419 --> 00:25:10.000 of a Trinitarian 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.219 thing here 00:25:11.219 --> 00:25:11.719 because 00:25:11.719 --> 00:25:13.019 you can see 00:25:13.019 --> 00:25:14.259 that Jesus 00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:14.979 is mentioned, 00:25:15.379 --> 00:25:16.019 God the Father 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:16.639 is mentioned, 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:18.479 and the Holy Spirit 00:25:18.479 --> 00:25:19.159 is mentioned 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:19.820 because 00:25:19.820 --> 00:25:21.519 there's a Spirit 00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.920 who came in power 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:23.860 and if we go back 00:25:23.860 --> 00:25:25.200 to the very beginning 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:25.720 of Acts, 00:25:25.840 --> 00:25:26.920 we read about 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:27.900 the promise 00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:28.880 of the Holy Spirit, 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:29.680 when the Holy Spirit 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.120 comes, 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:32.779 you will receive power. 00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:34.620 And then, 00:25:34.840 --> 00:25:35.740 the second thing 00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:37.620 I want to touch on 00:25:37.620 --> 00:25:39.620 is the gospel message. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:40.440 I touched on this 00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:41.320 a little bit before 00:25:41.320 --> 00:25:42.500 about wondering 00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.600 about how exactly 00:25:43.600 --> 00:25:45.000 did Paul 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.040 communicate 00:25:46.040 --> 00:25:47.000 the gospel to them. 00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:47.279 Well, 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.259 he would have, 00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:49.940 there was no New Testament 00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:50.700 so he would have 00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.519 gone back to the 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:52.920 Old Testament. 00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:53.740 He would have been 00:25:53.740 --> 00:25:54.480 preaching Greek, 00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:54.879 obviously. 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.019 He would have 00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:58.759 started with God, 00:25:58.839 --> 00:25:59.400 the Creator. 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:00.700 He'd have talked, 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.500 probably talked 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.920 about the fall of sin. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:03.940 He'd have talked 00:26:03.940 --> 00:26:06.240 about the prophecies, 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.579 the Old Testament prophets 00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:09.579 and he'd have finished 00:26:09.579 --> 00:26:10.440 off by probably 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:11.220 talking about 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.180 Christ, 00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:13.539 why he came, 00:26:13.660 --> 00:26:14.319 why he died 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:15.779 and the fact 00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:16.359 that he was going 00:26:16.359 --> 00:26:18.240 to come back. 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.720 And then we see 00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:21.099 in the text 00:26:21.099 --> 00:26:21.460 as well 00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:26.039 in verse 3, 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:27.519 this is something 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:28.480 that Paul has used 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:29.019 previously 00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:30.200 and especially 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:31.720 1 Corinthians 13 00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.879 where he talks 00:26:32.879 --> 00:26:33.379 about 00:26:33.379 --> 00:26:35.299 the trio 00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.000 faith, 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.140 love and hope. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:38.299 So there, 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:39.400 he commends them 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:39.599 on 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:42.480 your faith, 00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:43.980 your work 00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.059 produced by faith, 00:26:45.160 --> 00:26:45.640 your labor 00:26:45.640 --> 00:26:46.779 prompted by love 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:48.240 and your endurance 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.700 inspired by hope. 00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:51.480 That word 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:52.079 endurance 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.019 in the ESV 00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:53.500 is, 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:55.059 the ESV uses 00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:56.180 steadfastness 00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:56.660 which is, 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:57.379 I think, 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.399 a really good word 00:26:58.399 --> 00:26:59.279 because it shows 00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:01.319 that they were 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.299 unwavering 00:27:02.299 --> 00:27:03.799 despite the persecution 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:04.559 they were facing. 00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:05.460 They were completely 00:27:05.460 --> 00:27:06.200 unwavering. 00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:07.359 They were loyal 00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:09.440 to God 00:27:09.440 --> 00:27:09.920 and to 00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:11.420 Jesus 00:27:11.420 --> 00:27:12.840 and their belief 00:27:12.840 --> 00:27:14.640 in the church. 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:15.640 So, 00:27:16.080 --> 00:27:16.660 the gospel, 00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:17.019 well, 00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:19.680 there's been a real focus, 00:27:19.840 --> 00:27:21.259 not a great focus 00:27:21.259 --> 00:27:21.960 on the gospel 00:27:21.960 --> 00:27:22.779 in recent years. 00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.720 There's been a lot of books 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:25.840 written about the gospel 00:27:25.840 --> 00:27:27.000 and a lot of this 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:27.860 has come primarily 00:27:27.860 --> 00:27:28.700 from some 00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:30.120 North American sources 00:27:30.120 --> 00:27:30.519 like, 00:27:30.600 --> 00:27:31.019 for example, 00:27:31.019 --> 00:27:32.740 the Nine Marks 00:27:32.740 --> 00:27:33.180 movement 00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:34.619 which came out of 00:27:34.619 --> 00:27:35.559 Capitol Hill, 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.039 Baptists in Washington, 00:27:37.160 --> 00:27:37.480 I think. 00:27:38.099 --> 00:27:39.539 And I've read 00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:40.420 quite a few books 00:27:40.420 --> 00:27:41.819 but I'll quote 00:27:41.819 --> 00:27:43.220 a pastor called 00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:44.299 J.D. Greer. 00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:46.160 This is what he said 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:47.819 in sort of a summary 00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:48.039 of, 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.700 he's got a book 00:27:48.700 --> 00:27:49.680 called The Gospel 00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:50.700 and he says, 00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.519 The Gospel is the 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.340 announcement that 00:27:52.340 --> 00:27:53.620 God has reconciled 00:27:53.620 --> 00:27:54.299 us to himself 00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:56.000 by sending his son 00:27:56.000 --> 00:27:56.980 Jesus to die 00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:57.680 as a substitute 00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.559 for our sin 00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.840 and that all who 00:27:59.840 --> 00:28:00.799 repent and believe 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.840 have eternal life 00:28:01.840 --> 00:28:02.279 in him. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:03.420 So, 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:04.140 there's another book 00:28:04.140 --> 00:28:05.559 by Greg Gilbert, 00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:06.819 What is the Gospel? 00:28:07.080 --> 00:28:07.460 And again, 00:28:07.580 --> 00:28:08.620 he says there's 00:28:08.620 --> 00:28:10.299 a really good 00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.700 comprehensive overview 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.900 of the gospel as well. 00:28:13.360 --> 00:28:13.799 Most of these 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.559 are actually available. 00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:15.440 If you have a Kindle, 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:16.960 they only cost 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.019 a few pounds 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.840 and they're 00:28:18.840 --> 00:28:19.900 really worth a read. 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:21.900 One of my favorite 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.740 authors that I've been 00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.519 reading quite a lot 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:24.980 recently just discovered 00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:25.740 him last year. 00:28:26.540 --> 00:28:27.519 Not very many people 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.460 have probably heard of him. 00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:28.980 His name is 00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:31.660 William P. Farley. 00:28:32.220 --> 00:28:32.880 He's a pastor 00:28:32.880 --> 00:28:33.620 in Spokane, 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:35.040 Washington in the U.S. 00:28:35.620 --> 00:28:36.320 And he's written, 00:28:37.280 --> 00:28:38.680 one book he's written 00:28:38.680 --> 00:28:39.120 is called 00:28:39.120 --> 00:28:40.140 Hidden in the Gospel, 00:28:40.340 --> 00:28:41.360 Truths You Forget 00:28:41.360 --> 00:28:42.960 to Tell Yourself Every Day. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:44.980 It's a really practical book 00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.320 just explaining 00:28:46.320 --> 00:28:48.640 that he said 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:49.880 in his introduction 00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:50.400 and he said 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:51.260 that he was 00:28:51.260 --> 00:28:52.940 Christian for 25 years 00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:53.720 before he actually 00:28:53.720 --> 00:28:54.360 discovered 00:28:54.360 --> 00:28:56.220 that somebody told him 00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:56.840 about preaching 00:28:56.840 --> 00:28:57.540 to yourself. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.420 So he's written 00:28:58.420 --> 00:28:59.300 this book in a way, 00:29:00.020 --> 00:29:01.200 little sort of 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:02.720 snippets of chapters 00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.000 preaching to himself 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:04.760 and things that he 00:29:04.760 --> 00:29:06.540 likes to remind himself 00:29:06.540 --> 00:29:07.820 of every day. 00:29:08.080 --> 00:29:08.960 And he covers 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.320 all the essential 00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:12.300 aspects of the gospel 00:29:12.300 --> 00:29:12.840 as well. 00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:16.500 So, let me move on 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.099 to just, 00:29:17.339 --> 00:29:18.119 I'll mention, 00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.459 I've mentioned 00:29:19.459 --> 00:29:20.459 the persecution 00:29:20.459 --> 00:29:21.240 and affliction 00:29:21.240 --> 00:29:22.779 that the believers 00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:23.699 in Thessalonica 00:29:23.699 --> 00:29:24.500 were facing. 00:29:25.299 --> 00:29:26.639 And we know 00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:27.619 that, you know, 00:29:27.699 --> 00:29:28.459 persecution 00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:30.339 does strengthen 00:29:30.339 --> 00:29:30.899 the church. 00:29:31.179 --> 00:29:31.919 We think of 00:29:31.919 --> 00:29:33.059 the famous quote 00:29:33.059 --> 00:29:35.000 from Tertullian 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.539 who said 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:39.099 that persecution 00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:39.879 often leads 00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:41.540 to a stronger church 00:29:41.540 --> 00:29:42.280 because the blood 00:29:42.280 --> 00:29:43.000 of the martyrs 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:43.820 becomes the seed 00:29:43.820 --> 00:29:44.480 of the church. 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:46.100 And also Martin Luther 00:29:46.100 --> 00:29:47.140 once said as well, 00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:48.640 Christ was crowned 00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:49.260 with thorns 00:29:49.260 --> 00:29:50.200 where you're expecting 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:50.660 roses. 00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:52.700 So, you know, 00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:53.420 we've seen that 00:29:53.420 --> 00:29:54.200 across the world 00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.100 in recent times 00:29:55.100 --> 00:29:56.240 in different countries. 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:57.560 I'm still ongoing 00:29:57.560 --> 00:29:58.340 in many countries 00:29:58.340 --> 00:29:58.760 today 00:29:58.760 --> 00:30:00.120 where persecution 00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:01.780 does happen. 00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:03.300 So, generally, 00:30:03.520 --> 00:30:04.560 the whole letter 00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:06.660 to the Thessalonians, 00:30:06.820 --> 00:30:08.240 he was pretty positive 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:09.440 in a lot of things 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.740 but he also 00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.720 picks them up on, 00:30:11.779 --> 00:30:12.539 they weren't perfect, 00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:13.480 he picks them up 00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.299 on a few things. 00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.339 For example, 00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:16.440 later on, 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:19.120 he talks in chapter 1 00:30:19.120 --> 00:30:22.059 in verse 6 00:30:22.059 --> 00:30:23.400 about you became 00:30:23.400 --> 00:30:25.319 imitators of us 00:30:25.319 --> 00:30:26.140 and of the Lord. 00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:27.660 But later on 00:30:27.660 --> 00:30:29.019 in chapter 4, 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:31.220 he starts to 00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:34.200 really challenge them 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:35.059 about some of 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:38.240 their sanctification, 00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:39.000 their holiness, 00:30:39.679 --> 00:30:40.539 especially on 00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:41.639 sexual matters 00:30:41.639 --> 00:30:42.419 that they were, 00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:44.539 there was a few issues 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:46.299 that he brought out. 00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.559 And also, 00:30:47.799 --> 00:30:49.159 he then goes on 00:30:49.159 --> 00:30:49.559 to write, 00:30:49.659 --> 00:30:49.899 obviously, 00:30:49.960 --> 00:30:51.559 the second letter 00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.559 to the Thessalonians 00:30:52.559 --> 00:30:54.019 and in that letter, 00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:54.319 he, 00:30:55.379 --> 00:30:56.000 obviously, 00:30:56.159 --> 00:30:56.740 some people 00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:58.460 had stopped working 00:30:58.460 --> 00:30:59.000 and they were 00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.759 depending on, 00:30:59.799 --> 00:31:00.200 they were really 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.859 living off other people 00:31:01.859 --> 00:31:03.559 and not pulling 00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:04.119 their weight 00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:05.439 and he challenges 00:31:05.439 --> 00:31:06.739 them as well 00:31:06.739 --> 00:31:07.379 on that. 00:31:07.939 --> 00:31:08.879 But one of the things 00:31:08.879 --> 00:31:10.179 that he really focuses on 00:31:10.179 --> 00:31:11.599 between the two letters 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:12.859 is the future. 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:13.639 There was a lot of 00:31:13.639 --> 00:31:14.699 confusion about 00:31:14.699 --> 00:31:16.939 the return of Christ 00:31:16.939 --> 00:31:17.639 and the future 00:31:17.639 --> 00:31:19.739 and some, 00:31:20.139 --> 00:31:20.679 it was obvious 00:31:20.679 --> 00:31:21.639 that some of the 00:31:21.639 --> 00:31:22.319 Thessalonians 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:23.019 had died. 00:31:23.719 --> 00:31:24.359 We're not sure 00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:25.019 if they had died 00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:25.859 in the persecution 00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:27.000 or they had died 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:27.539 naturally, 00:31:28.079 --> 00:31:28.859 but they were 00:31:28.859 --> 00:31:29.579 very unsure 00:31:29.579 --> 00:31:31.159 about the destiny 00:31:31.159 --> 00:31:33.079 of these individuals 00:31:33.079 --> 00:31:34.319 who had already 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:34.799 died 00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:36.199 and some people 00:31:36.199 --> 00:31:37.159 were also confusing 00:31:37.159 --> 00:31:38.179 and maybe Christ 00:31:38.179 --> 00:31:38.759 had already 00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:39.919 come back 00:31:39.919 --> 00:31:41.619 and Paul tries 00:31:41.619 --> 00:31:43.419 to point that 00:31:43.419 --> 00:31:43.960 out to them 00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.399 as well. 00:31:45.679 --> 00:31:45.919 So, 00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.079 as I bring it 00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:49.199 to our conclusion, 00:31:49.419 --> 00:31:49.899 really just, 00:31:50.439 --> 00:31:51.220 we can learn 00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:51.879 quite a lot 00:31:51.879 --> 00:31:53.259 from this book, 00:31:53.460 --> 00:31:54.199 Thessalonians, 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:56.359 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.519 Paul's ministry 00:31:57.519 --> 00:31:58.059 as well, 00:31:59.159 --> 00:31:59.759 applying it 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:00.940 to our own situation. 00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:04.579 We need to understand, 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:06.660 we saw that God 00:32:06.660 --> 00:32:07.400 used a lot 00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:08.940 of providential 00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:10.660 aspects in society 00:32:10.660 --> 00:32:12.900 to spread the gospel 00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:14.279 throughout Asia 00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:14.879 and Europe, 00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:16.680 primarily through 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:17.799 the Roman Empire 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.839 and the Greek language 00:32:18.839 --> 00:32:20.099 and also, 00:32:20.539 --> 00:32:20.900 we have, 00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:23.579 we live in a world 00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:24.299 today, 00:32:24.420 --> 00:32:25.640 we have to look 00:32:25.640 --> 00:32:26.279 at the signs 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:26.940 of the times, 00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:27.500 there's a lot 00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:28.460 of things going on, 00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:30.259 we live in a city, 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:31.819 a prominent city, 00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:32.220 Edinburgh, 00:32:32.619 --> 00:32:34.400 which Thessalonica 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:34.880 would have been 00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:35.839 one of the leading 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:36.539 world cities 00:32:36.539 --> 00:32:37.200 in its day, 00:32:37.680 --> 00:32:38.599 we live in a fairly 00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:39.660 prominent city here, 00:32:39.819 --> 00:32:40.539 capital city, 00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:42.519 we have four universities, 00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:43.940 we have very 00:32:43.940 --> 00:32:44.680 international 00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:46.900 orientated city now, 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:48.279 but we also live 00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:48.759 in a city 00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:49.680 where maybe only, 00:32:49.880 --> 00:32:50.039 what, 00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:51.440 5% of people 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.099 were in church 00:32:52.099 --> 00:32:52.859 today, 00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:54.559 so there's a lot 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:55.519 of challenge for us 00:32:55.519 --> 00:32:56.519 as a church as well, 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:58.700 how we reach out, 00:32:58.799 --> 00:32:59.940 there's also challenges 00:32:59.940 --> 00:33:00.740 throughout the world, 00:33:00.839 --> 00:33:01.639 I mentioned my 00:33:01.639 --> 00:33:02.619 own 00:33:02.619 --> 00:33:05.740 trips to 00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:06.379 Myanmar, 00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:08.059 I spend, 00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:08.700 I've spent a lot 00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:09.779 of time in China, 00:33:10.339 --> 00:33:11.420 I go to China, 00:33:12.119 --> 00:33:12.879 I was teaching 00:33:12.879 --> 00:33:13.799 in China for about 00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:14.960 seven years 00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:15.879 on and off, 00:33:16.019 --> 00:33:17.420 just from here 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:17.799 of course, 00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:18.960 and I go to 00:33:18.960 --> 00:33:19.900 churches in China 00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:20.700 which are packed 00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:21.000 out, 00:33:21.639 --> 00:33:22.339 I go to churches 00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:23.000 in Hong Kong 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:23.680 which are packed 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:23.960 out, 00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:25.180 but I go to, 00:33:25.759 --> 00:33:26.860 three weeks time 00:33:26.860 --> 00:33:27.539 I'll be going off 00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.319 to the Middle East 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:30.440 to a place 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:30.980 which has got 00:33:30.980 --> 00:33:32.019 virtually the Muslim 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:32.860 population, 00:33:33.140 --> 00:33:34.220 virtually no 00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:35.660 Christians at all, 00:33:36.019 --> 00:33:36.759 the only churches 00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:37.620 in the Middle East 00:33:37.620 --> 00:33:38.740 and where I go 00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:40.259 is usually 00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:41.000 expats 00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:44.079 in the English 00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:45.019 speaking churches, 00:33:45.460 --> 00:33:46.340 so there's a real 00:33:46.340 --> 00:33:47.220 challenge for 00:33:47.220 --> 00:33:48.660 countries like 00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.740 Myanmar for example 00:33:49.740 --> 00:33:50.539 which is primarily 00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.140 Buddhist, 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:53.780 there's very few 00:33:53.780 --> 00:33:54.220 Christians 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:55.180 and the little 00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:55.759 church in 00:33:55.759 --> 00:33:57.100 Rangin 00:33:57.100 --> 00:33:58.620 is just a very 00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.340 small number 00:33:59.340 --> 00:34:00.180 meeting together 00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:01.380 every Sunday 00:34:01.380 --> 00:34:02.000 as well. 00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:03.340 But 00:34:03.340 --> 00:34:07.500 the letter 00:34:07.500 --> 00:34:08.280 to Thessalonians 00:34:08.280 --> 00:34:08.760 can give us 00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:09.220 a lot of 00:34:09.220 --> 00:34:10.300 encouragement 00:34:10.300 --> 00:34:11.900 because I think 00:34:11.900 --> 00:34:12.640 what it shows 00:34:12.640 --> 00:34:13.380 very much is 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:13.880 that they were 00:34:13.880 --> 00:34:15.160 together as a 00:34:15.160 --> 00:34:15.640 community, 00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:16.440 they were really 00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.220 working as a 00:34:17.220 --> 00:34:17.960 community and I 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:18.180 think, 00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:19.880 I'll just finish 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:21.140 off by 00:34:21.140 --> 00:34:23.240 a few weeks 00:34:23.240 --> 00:34:23.500 ago, 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:23.920 James 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:24.579 and one of 00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:25.940 the Wednesday 00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.340 night 00:34:26.340 --> 00:34:28.519 church evenings 00:34:28.519 --> 00:34:29.260 he mentioned 00:34:29.260 --> 00:34:30.940 a bit about 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:32.579 how we 00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.059 developed 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:33.619 points of 00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:34.099 contact. 00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:34.980 Now in Paul's 00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:35.220 day, 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:36.599 his point of 00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:37.240 contact is 00:34:37.240 --> 00:34:37.940 usually going 00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:38.420 through the 00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:38.740 synagogue 00:34:38.740 --> 00:34:40.300 and that's 00:34:40.300 --> 00:34:41.440 where he 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:42.500 would be 00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:43.039 his starting 00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.380 point. 00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:43.900 For us, 00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:44.380 it's a big 00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.260 challenge because 00:34:45.260 --> 00:34:46.640 we no longer 00:34:46.640 --> 00:34:47.559 have people 00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.579 coming through 00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:49.219 our doors 00:34:49.219 --> 00:34:50.500 every Sunday. 00:34:52.199 --> 00:34:52.960 Times have 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:53.699 changed so 00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:55.139 we now as 00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:55.579 a church 00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:56.519 have to 00:34:56.519 --> 00:34:57.440 look at 00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:58.159 how we 00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:58.840 can develop 00:34:58.840 --> 00:34:59.599 points of 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:00.039 contact. 00:35:00.219 --> 00:35:00.579 It's something 00:35:00.579 --> 00:35:01.460 that James 00:35:01.460 --> 00:35:02.940 has been 00:35:02.940 --> 00:35:04.119 emphasising 00:35:04.119 --> 00:35:04.739 quite a bit. 00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:06.739 I'll finish 00:35:06.739 --> 00:35:07.739 off by just 00:35:07.739 --> 00:35:09.119 pointing out 00:35:09.119 --> 00:35:10.440 one of the 00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:11.599 significant 00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:12.259 things that 00:35:12.259 --> 00:35:13.659 Paul mentions 00:35:13.659 --> 00:35:15.019 in the 00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:15.639 letter to 00:35:15.639 --> 00:35:16.299 Thessalonians 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:16.820 and his 00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:17.220 prayer. 00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:18.480 He starts 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:18.960 off in 00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:20.280 verse 2, 00:35:20.620 --> 00:35:21.180 chapter 1, 00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:21.840 verse 2. 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:22.800 We always 00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:23.400 thank God 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:23.980 for all of 00:35:23.980 --> 00:35:24.920 you mentioning 00:35:24.920 --> 00:35:25.580 you in our 00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:25.980 prayers. 00:35:26.760 --> 00:35:27.080 And then 00:35:27.080 --> 00:35:28.240 later on 00:35:28.240 --> 00:35:30.080 in chapter 3, 00:35:30.220 --> 00:35:30.880 verse 11, 00:35:31.060 --> 00:35:31.560 he says, 00:35:32.240 --> 00:35:32.900 Now may our 00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:33.300 God and 00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.100 Father himself 00:35:34.100 --> 00:35:34.460 and our 00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:35.019 Lord Jesus 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:36.019 clear the 00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:36.640 way for us 00:35:36.640 --> 00:35:37.260 to come to 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:37.500 you. 00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:38.320 May the 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:38.860 Lord make 00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.260 your love 00:35:39.260 --> 00:35:39.940 increase and 00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:40.700 overflow for 00:35:40.700 --> 00:35:41.200 each other 00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:42.200 and for 00:35:42.200 --> 00:35:43.180 everyone else, 00:35:43.680 --> 00:35:44.240 just as 00:35:44.240 --> 00:35:45.600 ours does 00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.139 for you. 00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:47.000 May he 00:35:47.000 --> 00:35:47.400 strengthen 00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:48.039 your hearts 00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:48.519 that you 00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:48.960 will be 00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:49.679 blameless and 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:50.259 holy in the 00:35:50.259 --> 00:35:50.819 presence of 00:35:50.819 --> 00:35:51.219 our God 00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:51.739 and Father 00:35:51.739 --> 00:35:52.819 when our 00:35:52.819 --> 00:35:53.299 Lord Jesus 00:35:53.299 --> 00:35:54.799 comes with 00:35:54.799 --> 00:35:55.339 all his 00:35:55.339 --> 00:35:56.019 holy ones. 00:35:56.779 --> 00:35:57.599 So I 00:35:57.599 --> 00:35:58.219 think for us 00:35:58.219 --> 00:35:58.739 as a church 00:35:58.739 --> 00:36:00.099 we need to 00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:01.440 really explore 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:03.199 where our 00:36:03.199 --> 00:36:03.699 points of 00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:04.239 contact are 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:04.759 going to be 00:36:04.759 --> 00:36:05.400 and how we 00:36:05.400 --> 00:36:07.980 can reach 00:36:07.980 --> 00:36:09.539 maybe it's 00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.099 through our 00:36:10.099 --> 00:36:10.679 work, 00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:11.099 through our 00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:11.500 colleagues, 00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:11.940 through our 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:12.539 friends and 00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:12.880 neighbours, 00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:15.000 through other 00:36:15.000 --> 00:36:16.320 means as 00:36:16.320 --> 00:36:16.539 well. 00:36:17.700 --> 00:36:18.400 So thank 00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:18.800 you for 00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:19.340 listening and 00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:19.760 I'll finish 00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:20.160 off there. 00:36:20.160 --> 00:36:20.539 Thanks.