1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,840 Well, I invite you to open your Bible at 1 Thessalonians 1. 2 00:00:05,840 –> 00:00:12,160 The title for our series is Living Like There’s No Tomorrow, and I’ve chosen that title because 3 00:00:12,160 –> 00:00:17,719 this letter of 1 Thessalonians really pulsates with a sense of urgency. 4 00:00:17,719 –> 00:00:24,860 In fact, the word urge is one that Paul uses four or five times in the letter. 5 00:00:24,900 –> 00:00:30,920 In chapter 2 and verse 12, four times altogether, he speaks about urging, urging you to live 6 00:00:30,920 –> 00:00:32,959 lives that are worthy to..of God. 7 00:00:32,959 –> 00:00:38,099 You find the same urging in chapter 4 verse 1, chapter 4 verse 10, chapter 5 and verse 8 00:00:38,099 –> 00:00:39,099 14. 9 00:00:39,099 –> 00:00:46,000 So, we’re going to keep picking this theme up of the importance of moving forward in 10 00:00:46,000 –> 00:00:51,700 the life and ministry that God has called us to and trusted into our hands. 11 00:00:52,240 –> 00:00:57,119 If you want to grasp the theme of Thessalonians at its heart, it is saying to us we do not 12 00:00:57,119 –> 00:01:00,959 have forever to live the Christian life. 13 00:01:00,959 –> 00:01:05,599 We don’t have forever to fulfill the work that God has given us to do. 14 00:01:05,599 –> 00:01:08,599 Every day, the coming of Jesus Christ draws nearer. 15 00:01:08,599 –> 00:01:13,500 We don’t know when that will be, but it’s drawing nearer every day and at the same time, 16 00:01:13,500 –> 00:01:20,980 millions of people are going into eternity every day, and every day you and I draw nearer 17 00:01:21,059 –> 00:01:26,019 to the day when that great event, that great moment will come for us. 18 00:01:26,019 –> 00:01:32,500 Now, a few months ago someone said to me just in the course of ordinary conversation, 19 00:01:32,500 –> 00:01:39,019 you know, Colin, we really need to recapture the sense of urgency in this church. 20 00:01:42,139 –> 00:01:44,279 And I agree with that. 21 00:01:44,279 –> 00:01:49,559 I think that that is a right assessment and a true statement, and it’s with something 22 00:01:49,559 –> 00:01:56,440 of that in mind that I’ve come to First Thessalonians, where we’re going to camp out, as it were, 23 00:01:56,440 –> 00:01:59,080 over these next two months. 24 00:01:59,080 –> 00:02:04,940 I’m coming to this with a prayer, and I ask you to make this your prayer also, that through 25 00:02:04,940 –> 00:02:11,199 this letter God will renew the sense of urgency among us with regards living the Christian 26 00:02:11,199 –> 00:02:15,660 life, and regards to the work that he’s called us to do. 27 00:02:15,660 –> 00:02:21,500 And that God, through this letter, would teach us to live like there is no tomorrow. 28 00:02:21,500 –> 00:02:29,660 I have to tell you that, having served as a pastor for 27 years – and I honestly can 29 00:02:29,660 –> 00:02:34,919 hardly believe that it’s been that, but I’ve been privileged to serve as a pastor for 27 30 00:02:34,919 –> 00:02:44,539 years – I have never sensed in my own heart such a high degree of expectancy and anticipation 31 00:02:44,679 –> 00:02:49,660 of what God will do, as I feel within my own heart at this time. 32 00:02:49,660 –> 00:02:56,500 And I want you to know that God has been very, very gracious to us. 33 00:02:56,500 –> 00:03:02,779 I see him birthing a new degree of confidence in the gospel among us. 34 00:03:02,779 –> 00:03:08,179 That is a wonderful thing and is foundational to ministry – a new sense of dependence 35 00:03:08,179 –> 00:03:15,380 upon him, and with that a sense of anticipation that is being increasingly widely felt as 36 00:03:15,380 –> 00:03:21,720 to what he may do among us in these coming months and years. 37 00:03:21,720 –> 00:03:27,559 So I am praying that God will extended that sense of expectancy, anticipation and urgency 38 00:03:27,559 –> 00:03:33,979 among us and that it will be for his glory and for the advance of the gospel. 39 00:03:34,100 –> 00:03:39,300 Now before we launch into the letter, I want just to remind you of how the Church in Thessalonica 40 00:03:39,300 –> 00:03:42,000 began, just so we’ve got a frame on this. 41 00:03:42,000 –> 00:03:46,199 You can read about the story at your leisure in Acts chapter 17. 42 00:03:46,199 –> 00:03:52,220 Luke tells us there that Paul came to Thessalonica and he spent three weeks teaching about Jesus 43 00:03:52,220 –> 00:03:53,919 in the synagogue. 44 00:03:53,919 –> 00:03:58,839 Luke tells us that he reasoned from the scriptures, explaining and proving that Christ had to 45 00:03:58,839 –> 00:04:00,699 suffer and rise from the dead. 46 00:04:00,699 –> 00:04:04,539 And he said this, Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ. 47 00:04:04,539 –> 00:04:10,839 So the message that Paul preached in Thessalonica over these three weeks was the message of 48 00:04:10,839 –> 00:04:16,019 Jesus Christ and then beyond the time in the synagogue he continued with ministry along 49 00:04:16,019 –> 00:04:18,119 the same lines. 50 00:04:18,119 –> 00:04:23,320 Many people came to Christ through this ministry, including, we’re told a large number of God 51 00:04:23,320 –> 00:04:24,399 fearing Greeks. 52 00:04:24,399 –> 00:04:28,480 And it was in this way that the church at Thessalonica was born. 53 00:04:28,839 –> 00:04:37,380 Now as soon as the church was established, persecution and opposition arose, and a mob 54 00:04:37,380 –> 00:04:44,040 of bad characters, we’re told, in Acts were aroused up and caused a riot in the marketplace. 55 00:04:44,040 –> 00:04:48,519 They rushed on the house where Paul and Silas were staying, which belonged to a man called 56 00:04:48,519 –> 00:04:49,519 Jason. 57 00:04:49,519 –> 00:04:52,600 And when they couldn’t find Paul they grabbed Jason, brought him to the marketplace square 58 00:04:52,600 –> 00:04:58,119 and he ended up through the intervention of the magistrate appearing in court. 59 00:04:58,260 –> 00:05:03,940 The result of all this was that Paul and Silas had to leave Thessalonica under cover of darkness 60 00:05:03,940 –> 00:05:08,920 knowing that they would not be allowed by the authorities to return there. 61 00:05:08,920 –> 00:05:14,100 Paul went on to Corinth and some months later wrote this letter, First Thessalonians to 62 00:05:14,100 –> 00:05:19,660 the new church established through the preaching of the Gospel in these extraordinarily traumatic 63 00:05:19,660 –> 00:05:24,160 circumstances to encourage them and strengthen them in the faith. 64 00:05:24,160 –> 00:05:26,619 Now that’s the background. 65 00:05:26,619 –> 00:05:30,559 Let’s get to the question of relevance. 66 00:05:30,559 –> 00:05:35,119 Why in all the world should we be interested in what happened in Thessalonica 2000 years 67 00:05:35,119 –> 00:05:36,119 ago? 68 00:05:36,119 –> 00:05:40,779 I want to answer this question this way. 69 00:05:40,779 –> 00:05:45,100 You should be intensely interested in what we’re going to learn today and in these 70 00:05:45,100 –> 00:05:56,480 coming weeks because what happened in Thessalonica was an authentic work of God and I think that 71 00:05:56,540 –> 00:06:03,980 is what we’re interested in knowing more and more of among us in these days and whenever 72 00:06:03,980 –> 00:06:10,600 you see an authentic work of God in any time or place and especially the scriptures you 73 00:06:10,600 –> 00:06:16,880 want to learn everything about it that you possibly can so that we may seek and pursue 74 00:06:16,880 –> 00:06:22,239 such a work being reproduced among us here today. 75 00:06:23,179 –> 00:06:29,839 Now you see the extent of this work of God clearly if you look at verse 7 where Paul 76 00:06:29,859 –> 00:06:39,500 says you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaea, you became a model. 77 00:06:39,500 –> 00:06:44,880 Now this is the only time in the New Testament that Paul ever says anything like this. 78 00:06:44,880 –> 00:06:51,880 There is no other church in the New Testament that Paul describes as a model for other churches. 79 00:06:52,540 –> 00:06:58,440 But he does say to the Thessalonians, you are a model, a template for other churches. 80 00:06:58,440 –> 00:07:05,200 I would like to see what God has done among you, he is saying, replicated, repeated, amplified 81 00:07:05,200 –> 00:07:08,380 in other places. 82 00:07:08,380 –> 00:07:15,380 Now you see the church in Corinth had wonderfully gifted people. 83 00:07:15,519 –> 00:07:21,799 They lacked, Paul says, no spiritual gift. 84 00:07:21,799 –> 00:07:27,019 But the church in Corinth was plagued by way too much self-interest 85 00:07:27,019 –> 00:07:33,820 for Paul ever to say that they were a model for other churches. 86 00:07:33,820 –> 00:07:37,459 The church at Ephesus had been blessed with remarkable ministry. 87 00:07:37,459 –> 00:07:43,440 They were particularly formed under the ministry of the Apostle John. 88 00:07:43,480 –> 00:07:47,920 But if you read in the book of Revelation, you will find that having lost their first love, 89 00:07:47,920 –> 00:07:51,920 the problem with the church of Ephesus was although they had been richly blessed, 90 00:07:51,920 –> 00:07:56,119 they were way too cold as a congregation 91 00:07:56,119 –> 00:08:02,519 to be a model for other churches to emulate. 92 00:08:02,519 –> 00:08:07,339 But this one church in Thessalonica, Paul describes in this remarkable way, 93 00:08:07,339 –> 00:08:09,739 you became a model. 94 00:08:09,739 –> 00:08:12,720 To all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia, 95 00:08:13,239 –> 00:08:16,559 the Lord’s message rang out from you, 96 00:08:16,559 –> 00:08:18,859 not only in Macedonia and Achaia, 97 00:08:18,859 –> 00:08:22,679 but your faith in God has become known everywhere. 98 00:08:22,859 –> 00:08:26,660 So what God did in this one church, 99 00:08:26,660 –> 00:08:28,700 in a very short space of time, 100 00:08:28,700 –> 00:08:31,859 had an influence far beyond their immediate community 101 00:08:31,859 –> 00:08:34,479 to the entire region in which they were placed, 102 00:08:34,479 –> 00:08:36,299 that is Macedonia and Achaia, 103 00:08:36,299 –> 00:08:38,760 and from that region the gospel extended 104 00:08:38,760 –> 00:08:40,799 beyond everywhere, Paul says, 105 00:08:40,820 –> 00:08:43,000 in terms of the missionary enterprise 106 00:08:43,000 –> 00:08:45,880 that came from that church. 107 00:08:46,059 –> 00:08:47,440 Now you see, what we’re learning here 108 00:08:47,440 –> 00:08:49,900 is that an authentic work of God 109 00:08:49,900 –> 00:08:53,080 always spills over. 110 00:08:53,080 –> 00:08:56,719 It cannot be contained in one place. 111 00:08:57,340 –> 00:08:59,700 People learn from people, 112 00:08:59,700 –> 00:09:03,380 and churches learn from churches. 113 00:09:03,799 –> 00:09:05,919 And the work of God in Thessalonica 114 00:09:05,919 –> 00:09:08,280 was so striking, 115 00:09:08,280 –> 00:09:10,140 that others wanted to learn 116 00:09:10,140 –> 00:09:12,859 from what had happened there, 117 00:09:12,859 –> 00:09:14,119 and the result was that 118 00:09:14,119 –> 00:09:16,140 what God had done in this one place 119 00:09:16,140 –> 00:09:19,400 was reproduced through other people 120 00:09:19,400 –> 00:09:22,559 in other places. 121 00:09:23,799 –> 00:09:25,380 Now I hope that whets your appetite 122 00:09:25,380 –> 00:09:27,080 to say well we want to know more then 123 00:09:27,080 –> 00:09:29,359 about what God did in this 124 00:09:29,359 –> 00:09:32,760 town of Thessalonica. 125 00:09:32,760 –> 00:09:34,080 In what way then 126 00:09:34,080 –> 00:09:36,380 were these believers a model? 127 00:09:36,380 –> 00:09:38,580 What was it about these believers, 128 00:09:38,619 –> 00:09:40,359 what was it about what God did 129 00:09:40,359 –> 00:09:41,619 in this place that was 130 00:09:41,619 –> 00:09:43,719 so distinctive that Paul uniquely 131 00:09:43,719 –> 00:09:46,320 describes them as being an example, 132 00:09:46,320 –> 00:09:48,080 a model, a template 133 00:09:48,080 –> 00:09:51,559 for other believers and churches. 134 00:09:51,559 –> 00:09:53,719 But look at verse 6 135 00:09:53,719 –> 00:09:55,799 which reminds us that these believers 136 00:09:55,799 –> 00:09:59,940 became a model because they welcomed 137 00:09:59,940 –> 00:10:05,599 the message in spite of severe suffering. 138 00:10:05,599 –> 00:10:07,500 In other words, 139 00:10:07,659 –> 00:10:10,419 what you saw in Thessalonica 140 00:10:10,419 –> 00:10:13,260 was real people living in 141 00:10:13,260 –> 00:10:16,219 tough circumstances whose faith 142 00:10:16,219 –> 00:10:19,780 did not buckle under pressure. 143 00:10:19,979 –> 00:10:22,219 And I think that’s the kind 144 00:10:22,219 –> 00:10:25,500 of faith that is 145 00:10:25,500 –> 00:10:26,960 desperately needed even 146 00:10:26,960 –> 00:10:28,340 in church world today. 147 00:10:28,340 –> 00:10:29,559 Where so many have 148 00:10:29,559 –> 00:10:31,940 a profession of faith but seem to 149 00:10:31,940 –> 00:10:34,140 cave in whenever pressure 150 00:10:34,140 –> 00:10:36,260 comes in the course of life. 151 00:10:36,299 –> 00:10:38,219 We are looking for an 152 00:10:38,219 –> 00:10:39,700 authentic work of God that 153 00:10:39,700 –> 00:10:42,020 creates a faith that will not 154 00:10:42,020 –> 00:10:43,299 buckle under pressure. 155 00:10:44,619 –> 00:10:45,820 And that’s what was modeled 156 00:10:45,820 –> 00:10:48,299 right there in Thessalonica. 157 00:10:49,940 –> 00:10:51,619 So I wonder do you not feel 158 00:10:51,619 –> 00:10:52,859 with me today that what we 159 00:10:52,859 –> 00:10:57,260 desperately need in our time 160 00:10:57,260 –> 00:10:59,260 is to see a faith being 161 00:10:59,260 –> 00:11:02,820 reproduced in people 162 00:11:02,820 –> 00:11:04,780 that will be able to stand 163 00:11:04,780 –> 00:11:07,700 against the pressures of our 164 00:11:07,700 –> 00:11:10,299 culture and our environment. 165 00:11:11,979 –> 00:11:17,260 So I want to see a work of God 166 00:11:17,260 –> 00:11:22,619 that forms students with such a 167 00:11:22,619 –> 00:11:24,619 faith that will withstand the 168 00:11:24,619 –> 00:11:26,179 onslaught of unbelief and 169 00:11:26,179 –> 00:11:27,780 cynicism that will come through 170 00:11:27,780 –> 00:11:29,700 four years on a secular 171 00:11:29,700 –> 00:11:30,820 university campus. 172 00:11:30,820 –> 00:11:33,460 I want to see them formed with 173 00:11:33,539 –> 00:11:34,580 That kind of a faith. 174 00:11:36,780 –> 00:11:39,099 I want to see men and women 175 00:11:39,099 –> 00:11:41,539 who have got themselves into 176 00:11:41,539 –> 00:11:43,780 the grip of drugs and alcohol 177 00:11:43,780 –> 00:11:45,979 and pornography so formed in a 178 00:11:45,979 –> 00:11:47,619 faith that strengthens them to 179 00:11:47,619 –> 00:11:49,460 gain victory through the power 180 00:11:49,460 –> 00:11:51,539 of Christ against the power of 181 00:11:51,539 –> 00:11:53,099 these prevailing temptations. 182 00:11:54,780 –> 00:11:56,500 I want to see work of God that 183 00:11:56,500 –> 00:11:58,859 will mobilise people who have 184 00:11:58,859 –> 00:12:01,020 been trusted with money to 185 00:12:01,020 –> 00:12:03,020 use their resources for the 186 00:12:03,099 –> 00:12:04,900 advance of the gospel in their 187 00:12:04,900 –> 00:12:07,700 lifetime because this is the 188 00:12:07,700 –> 00:12:09,179 best thing that they see that 189 00:12:09,179 –> 00:12:10,020 they can do. 190 00:12:11,659 –> 00:12:12,979 Want to see a work of God that 191 00:12:12,979 –> 00:12:15,140 will raise up young adults 192 00:12:16,179 –> 00:12:19,700 single married for whom the 193 00:12:19,700 –> 00:12:22,340 primary question is what does 194 00:12:22,340 –> 00:12:24,299 Jesus Christ want me to do with 195 00:12:24,299 –> 00:12:26,820 my life and how can I be most 196 00:12:26,820 –> 00:12:28,859 effective in offering myself 197 00:12:28,859 –> 00:12:30,340 for the advance of the gospel 198 00:12:30,340 –> 00:12:31,500 and for his kingdom? 199 00:12:33,419 –> 00:12:38,500 No, what kind of ministry will 200 00:12:38,500 –> 00:12:40,460 produce this kind of person? 201 00:12:42,580 –> 00:12:46,299 What kind of church will 202 00:12:46,299 –> 00:12:48,299 produce this kind of fruit? 203 00:12:49,020 –> 00:12:50,940 That’s a huge question for us 204 00:12:52,659 –> 00:12:54,099 and we’re going to see the 205 00:12:54,099 –> 00:12:56,059 answer to it right here in 206 00:12:56,059 –> 00:12:58,820 Thessalonians 1. 207 00:13:00,539 –> 00:13:02,179 I want us to look at the 208 00:13:02,299 –> 00:13:04,500 message that Paul brought, I 209 00:13:04,500 –> 00:13:06,219 want to us to see something 210 00:13:06,219 –> 00:13:07,940 about him as the messenger 211 00:13:08,260 –> 00:13:09,780 and then as we look at what 212 00:13:09,780 –> 00:13:11,299 happened when he communicated 213 00:13:11,299 –> 00:13:12,700 the gospel. We’re going to 214 00:13:12,700 –> 00:13:13,580 look at the work of the 215 00:13:13,580 –> 00:13:16,500 spirit in those who heard his 216 00:13:16,500 –> 00:13:18,140 message and we’re going to 217 00:13:18,140 –> 00:13:19,299 see this morning that God 218 00:13:19,299 –> 00:13:20,780 works through believers as we 219 00:13:20,780 –> 00:13:23,020 communicate the gospel, and in 220 00:13:23,020 –> 00:13:24,380 the same way God works in 221 00:13:24,380 –> 00:13:25,940 unbelievers, as they hear the 222 00:13:25,940 –> 00:13:29,380 message and imitate our way of 223 00:13:29,380 –> 00:13:29,780 life. 224 00:13:30,179 –> 00:13:31,500 Notice first then that God 225 00:13:31,500 –> 00:13:33,179 works through believers as we 226 00:13:33,179 –> 00:13:34,940 communicate the gospel. Verse 227 00:13:34,940 –> 00:13:38,179 five, our gospel came to you 228 00:13:38,580 –> 00:13:40,979 not simply with words but also 229 00:13:40,979 –> 00:13:43,140 with power, with the Holy 230 00:13:43,140 –> 00:13:45,739 Spirit, with deep conviction. 231 00:13:46,260 –> 00:13:48,500 You know how we lived among you 232 00:13:48,500 –> 00:13:51,700 for your sake. Let’s look first 233 00:13:51,700 –> 00:13:53,739 at the message and then at the 234 00:13:53,739 –> 00:13:58,460 messenger. Our gospel came to 235 00:13:59,020 –> 00:14:04,539 you. The New Testament gives us 236 00:14:04,539 –> 00:14:07,419 in various places little cameos, 237 00:14:07,659 –> 00:14:10,820 condensations of the essence of 238 00:14:10,820 –> 00:14:12,140 the Christian message. Little 239 00:14:12,140 –> 00:14:14,219 summaries of the gospel in 240 00:14:14,340 –> 00:14:17,179 concentrated form if you like. 241 00:14:18,380 –> 00:14:19,700 You have one of these right 242 00:14:19,700 –> 00:14:21,940 here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 243 00:14:21,940 –> 00:14:25,299 one in verse ten. Look at verse 244 00:14:25,299 –> 00:14:26,859 ten and you get the gospel right 245 00:14:27,619 –> 00:14:29,739 there in concentrated form. This 246 00:14:29,739 –> 00:14:31,580 was Paul’s gospel that he’s 247 00:14:31,580 –> 00:14:33,059 referring to in verse five. This 248 00:14:33,059 –> 00:14:35,020 was the message that he brought 249 00:14:35,219 –> 00:14:38,340 to this town he speaks about 250 00:14:38,340 –> 00:14:39,739 waiting for God’s son from 251 00:14:39,739 –> 00:14:43,099 heaven whom he raised from the 252 00:14:43,099 –> 00:14:46,580 dead that is Jesus who rescues 253 00:14:46,580 –> 00:14:49,700 us from the coming wrath. Now 254 00:14:49,760 –> 00:14:51,099 you’ve got a condensation of the 255 00:14:51,099 –> 00:14:52,460 gospel right there. What is the 256 00:14:52,460 –> 00:14:54,260 gospel about? The gospel is 257 00:14:54,260 –> 00:14:56,979 about Jesus God’s son from 258 00:14:56,979 –> 00:14:59,880 heaven. Because at its essence 259 00:14:59,880 –> 00:15:01,320 the gospel is about a person 260 00:15:01,500 –> 00:15:03,460 Jesus Christ the Son of God who 261 00:15:03,559 –> 00:15:05,719 can do for you and for me what 262 00:15:05,719 –> 00:15:07,099 no one else who has ever lived 263 00:15:07,099 –> 00:15:09,299 can ever do it is the uniqueness 264 00:15:09,299 –> 00:15:13,059 of Christ. We proclaim him. 265 00:15:17,539 –> 00:15:18,979 Then the gospel is about Jesus 266 00:15:18,979 –> 00:15:20,340 who God the Father raised from 267 00:15:20,340 –> 00:15:23,460 the dead and this cuts right 268 00:15:23,460 –> 00:15:25,359 into the religious debate in 269 00:15:25,359 –> 00:15:26,739 the ancient world even as it 270 00:15:26,739 –> 00:15:28,340 cuts into the debate today 271 00:15:28,659 –> 00:15:29,820 because like our own time the 272 00:15:29,820 –> 00:15:30,900 ancient world talked a great 273 00:15:30,900 –> 00:15:31,979 deal about religion and 274 00:15:31,979 –> 00:15:34,020 spirituality and ethics and so 275 00:15:34,039 –> 00:15:35,460 forth. But the distinctive 276 00:15:35,460 –> 00:15:37,140 declaration of the gospel is 277 00:15:37,140 –> 00:15:38,640 that God the Father raised 278 00:15:38,640 –> 00:15:40,320 Jesus Christ from the dead. 279 00:15:41,039 –> 00:15:43,320 There is no parallel to this in 280 00:15:43,320 –> 00:15:46,419 human history and because he 281 00:15:46,419 –> 00:15:49,679 has conquered death he uniquely 282 00:15:49,799 –> 00:15:52,359 is in a position to offer life 283 00:15:52,580 –> 00:15:54,020 to every person who will come 284 00:15:54,020 –> 00:15:55,979 to him so that when as a 285 00:15:55,979 –> 00:15:58,460 Christian believer you die it 286 00:15:58,460 –> 00:16:00,159 will not be the end of your 287 00:16:00,159 –> 00:16:00,820 life. 288 00:16:03,099 –> 00:16:04,020 But rather it will be an 289 00:16:04,020 –> 00:16:05,960 entrance into life through 290 00:16:05,960 –> 00:16:07,580 Jesus Christ who holds your 291 00:16:07,580 –> 00:16:11,260 life in his hands and that 292 00:16:11,260 –> 00:16:12,280 will be true whether you die 293 00:16:12,280 –> 00:16:13,140 as a young person or a 294 00:16:13,140 –> 00:16:14,380 middle-aged person or an old 295 00:16:14,380 –> 00:16:14,840 person. 296 00:16:17,900 –> 00:16:19,299 The gospel is about the Lord 297 00:16:19,960 –> 00:16:23,359 Christ who was raised by the 298 00:16:23,359 –> 00:16:27,739 father from the dead and then 299 00:16:27,739 –> 00:16:29,039 thirdly notice that the gospel 300 00:16:29,039 –> 00:16:30,760 is about Jesus who rescues us 301 00:16:30,760 –> 00:16:31,960 from the coming wrath. 302 00:16:32,039 –> 00:16:33,320 See that in verse 10 right at 303 00:16:33,320 –> 00:16:33,760 the end? 304 00:16:35,320 –> 00:16:36,159 You’ve got the whole gospel 305 00:16:36,159 –> 00:16:37,619 right here in this one verse. 306 00:16:39,719 –> 00:16:41,979 Jesus who rescues us from the 307 00:16:41,979 –> 00:16:42,799 coming wrath. 308 00:16:45,000 –> 00:16:47,739 Now the reason that we need 309 00:16:47,820 –> 00:16:49,760 Jesus Christ the reason you need 310 00:16:49,760 –> 00:16:51,340 him and the reason that I need 311 00:16:51,340 –> 00:16:54,700 him can be expressed in many 312 00:16:54,700 –> 00:16:55,020 ways. 313 00:16:55,059 –> 00:16:56,260 But here’s our Paul puts it 314 00:16:56,260 –> 00:16:58,179 here in a supreme way surely. 315 00:16:59,380 –> 00:17:01,179 Is that every person who has 316 00:17:01,179 –> 00:17:04,300 ever lived faces the horrendous 317 00:17:04,300 –> 00:17:07,660 scenario of what Paul calls 318 00:17:07,660 –> 00:17:11,560 here the coming wrath the 319 00:17:11,560 –> 00:17:13,060 coming wrath. 320 00:17:13,819 –> 00:17:14,500 That is. 321 00:17:15,500 –> 00:17:18,619 God’s judgment of every sin. 322 00:17:21,579 –> 00:17:25,560 His punishing off every 323 00:17:26,579 –> 00:17:27,260 iniquity. 324 00:17:29,060 –> 00:17:33,880 His writing of every wrong His 325 00:17:33,959 –> 00:17:36,339 eradicating of all evil from 326 00:17:36,339 –> 00:17:38,599 the universe and his 327 00:17:38,599 –> 00:17:42,300 destruction of all sinners in 328 00:17:42,319 –> 00:17:43,560 the lake of fire. 329 00:17:44,839 –> 00:17:47,979 And the Bible both old and new 330 00:17:47,979 –> 00:17:49,680 testament bears witness to this 331 00:17:49,680 –> 00:17:51,119 horrendous reality. 332 00:17:53,459 –> 00:17:56,020 The coming wrath. 333 00:17:58,719 –> 00:18:01,339 And there is no pain no grief 334 00:18:01,540 –> 00:18:04,859 no loss no wound no injury no 335 00:18:04,859 –> 00:18:06,780 disappointment in this life that 336 00:18:06,780 –> 00:18:10,099 can possibly compare to the 337 00:18:10,099 –> 00:18:13,420 horrors of this coming wrath. 338 00:18:15,060 –> 00:18:17,260 Now notice where Paul places his 339 00:18:17,260 –> 00:18:22,619 emphasis Jesus he says rescues 340 00:18:22,800 –> 00:18:25,380 us from the coming wrath. 341 00:18:25,859 –> 00:18:26,939 So that’s the good news of the 342 00:18:26,939 –> 00:18:27,420 gospel. 343 00:18:27,699 –> 00:18:30,020 That is the passion that Paul 344 00:18:30,020 –> 00:18:32,020 has to declare this message. 345 00:18:32,219 –> 00:18:35,119 Jesus rescues us from this 346 00:18:35,119 –> 00:18:35,780 coming wrath. 347 00:18:35,780 –> 00:18:44,400 Now, without the coming wrath 348 00:18:46,140 –> 00:18:47,979 the gospel honestly it makes no 349 00:18:47,979 –> 00:18:49,619 sense in America today. 350 00:18:51,739 –> 00:18:54,780 If you take that out it’s simply 351 00:18:54,780 –> 00:18:56,260 going to fall to the ground. 352 00:18:58,020 –> 00:18:59,979 What is the point of telling 353 00:18:59,979 –> 00:19:01,380 self-confident and 354 00:19:01,380 –> 00:19:03,219 self-satisfied people that Jesus 355 00:19:03,219 –> 00:19:04,619 can give them a wonderful life 356 00:19:04,640 –> 00:19:06,380 now when their lives now are 357 00:19:06,380 –> 00:19:08,140 already overstuffed. 358 00:19:10,300 –> 00:19:11,280 All that’s going to get 359 00:19:11,280 –> 00:19:12,560 is the familiar response 360 00:19:13,000 –> 00:19:13,780 I’m already fine. 361 00:19:15,319 –> 00:19:16,079 I don’t need that. 362 00:19:19,800 –> 00:19:21,699 But Paul was convinced that 363 00:19:21,699 –> 00:19:24,219 there is a coming wrath from 364 00:19:24,219 –> 00:19:26,099 which every man and woman born 365 00:19:26,099 –> 00:19:28,180 into this world needs to be 366 00:19:28,180 –> 00:19:30,300 rescued and that it is for this 367 00:19:30,300 –> 00:19:32,060 purpose that Jesus Christ died 368 00:19:32,060 –> 00:19:34,459 his horrendous death, taking our 369 00:19:34,459 –> 00:19:37,380 death for us and then rising 370 00:19:37,380 –> 00:19:38,540 from the dead to become our 371 00:19:38,540 –> 00:19:40,180 living savior and our coming 372 00:19:40,180 –> 00:19:40,760 king. 373 00:19:41,680 –> 00:19:42,900 And the glory of the Gospel 374 00:19:42,900 –> 00:19:44,979 then is that at unfathomable 375 00:19:44,979 –> 00:19:47,000 cost to himself Jesus through 376 00:19:47,000 –> 00:19:48,839 His death has born the wrath of 377 00:19:48,839 –> 00:19:50,780 God and now offers himself to 378 00:19:50,780 –> 00:19:51,420 you. 379 00:19:52,380 –> 00:19:54,119 So that by Him you may be 380 00:19:54,119 –> 00:19:56,859 rescued from this coming wrath 381 00:19:57,119 –> 00:19:59,420 that otherwise would certainly 382 00:19:59,579 –> 00:20:01,420 come upon you. 383 00:20:03,979 –> 00:20:05,459 Let me quote from John Piper 384 00:20:05,459 –> 00:20:06,719 some words that I find 385 00:20:06,760 –> 00:20:08,439 challenging and helpful. 386 00:20:09,359 –> 00:20:12,699 He says this God to did not 387 00:20:12,739 –> 00:20:14,959 ordain the cross of Christ or 388 00:20:14,959 –> 00:20:17,099 create the lake of fire in 389 00:20:17,099 –> 00:20:18,520 order to communicate the 390 00:20:18,540 –> 00:20:20,420 insignificance of belittling 391 00:20:20,420 –> 00:20:21,099 his glory. 392 00:20:22,839 –> 00:20:24,619 The death of the son of God and 393 00:20:24,619 –> 00:20:26,420 the damnation of unrepentant 394 00:20:26,420 –> 00:20:29,280 human beings are the loudest 395 00:20:29,339 –> 00:20:32,939 shouts under heaven that God 396 00:20:32,939 –> 00:20:34,300 is infinitely holy. 397 00:20:35,260 –> 00:20:36,500 That sin is infinitely 398 00:20:36,500 –> 00:20:37,280 offensive. 399 00:20:38,479 –> 00:20:40,619 The wrath is infinitely just 400 00:20:41,579 –> 00:20:43,140 that grace is infinitely 401 00:20:43,140 –> 00:20:44,079 precious. 402 00:20:45,020 –> 00:20:46,660 And our brief life the life of 403 00:20:46,660 –> 00:20:47,979 every person in your church and 404 00:20:47,979 –> 00:20:49,660 in your community leads either 405 00:20:49,819 –> 00:20:52,079 to everlasting joy or 406 00:20:52,199 –> 00:20:53,420 everlasting suffering. 407 00:20:53,699 –> 00:20:54,920 And he asked this question. 408 00:20:55,219 –> 00:20:58,660 If our preaching does not carry 409 00:20:58,760 –> 00:21:00,640 the weight of this into the 410 00:21:00,640 –> 00:21:02,359 hearts of our people, what 411 00:21:02,359 –> 00:21:02,959 will? 412 00:21:05,500 –> 00:21:07,040 And using a powerful picture he 413 00:21:07,040 –> 00:21:10,060 says, what gives preaching its 414 00:21:10,060 –> 00:21:14,119 seriousness, is that the mantle 415 00:21:14,160 –> 00:21:17,400 of the preacher is soaked in the 416 00:21:17,400 –> 00:21:20,640 blood of Christ and singed 417 00:21:21,280 –> 00:21:22,359 with the fires of hell. 418 00:21:25,780 –> 00:21:28,400 The church exists to 419 00:21:28,400 –> 00:21:30,540 proclaim that Jesus is the son 420 00:21:30,540 –> 00:21:34,619 of God, that through his death 421 00:21:34,619 –> 00:21:36,359 he bore the wrath of God and 422 00:21:36,359 –> 00:21:39,560 rising as our King he invades 423 00:21:39,560 –> 00:21:41,359 our life as we welcome him by 424 00:21:41,359 –> 00:21:43,079 faith and will come to bring us 425 00:21:43,079 –> 00:21:45,760 into the presence of God. 426 00:21:46,319 –> 00:21:51,300 And if we could show everybody 427 00:21:51,300 –> 00:21:54,680 how to navigate life which we 428 00:21:54,680 –> 00:21:58,619 can’t, but even if we could 429 00:21:58,619 –> 00:22:00,640 and if we could answer all human 430 00:22:00,640 –> 00:22:02,380 problems and mend all marriages 431 00:22:02,380 –> 00:22:04,680 and heal all wounds and did not 432 00:22:04,680 –> 00:22:06,420 proclaim Christ we would not 433 00:22:06,420 –> 00:22:07,719 have fulfilled our great 434 00:22:07,719 –> 00:22:13,020 commission and if we could 435 00:22:13,020 –> 00:22:15,199 restore morality to the whole 436 00:22:15,199 –> 00:22:19,540 nation which we can’t but if we 437 00:22:19,540 –> 00:22:21,800 could, if we could restore 438 00:22:21,800 –> 00:22:23,540 morality to the whole nation, if 439 00:22:23,699 –> 00:22:27,079 we could cleanse Hollywood, if 440 00:22:27,079 –> 00:22:30,780 we could sanctify network 441 00:22:30,780 –> 00:22:34,640 television and did not proclaim 442 00:22:34,640 –> 00:22:35,880 Jesus Christ we would have 443 00:22:35,880 –> 00:22:37,579 failed in the task that God has 444 00:22:37,579 –> 00:22:41,280 trusted to us. If we could 445 00:22:41,280 –> 00:22:43,060 provide meaningful relationships 446 00:22:43,060 –> 00:22:44,400 and personal fulfillment for 447 00:22:44,400 –> 00:22:47,859 everybody in the community and 448 00:22:47,859 –> 00:22:50,400 did not proclaim Jesus Christ we 449 00:22:50,400 –> 00:22:52,260 would not have fulfilled our 450 00:22:52,280 –> 00:22:55,800 God given calling. I’m going to 451 00:22:55,800 –> 00:22:58,020 ask for an amen to that if you 452 00:22:58,020 –> 00:23:00,839 agree with it. So it’s true, it’s 453 00:23:00,839 –> 00:23:04,959 really true. And Paul was 454 00:23:05,000 –> 00:23:07,079 absolutely clear about the 455 00:23:07,079 –> 00:23:10,439 Gospel that was entrusted to him 456 00:23:10,479 –> 00:23:13,880 as an apostle and is therefore 457 00:23:13,920 –> 00:23:16,939 trusted to the whole Church of 458 00:23:16,939 –> 00:23:19,839 Jesus Christ. Therefore, I draw 459 00:23:19,839 –> 00:23:22,739 this conclusion. That the health 460 00:23:22,739 –> 00:23:26,119 of a church and the effectiveness 461 00:23:26,119 –> 00:23:30,099 of any ministry cannot be judged 462 00:23:30,099 –> 00:23:32,199 by the numbers attending, the 463 00:23:32,199 –> 00:23:34,040 programs offered, the 464 00:23:34,040 –> 00:23:35,800 relationships enjoyed, or even 465 00:23:35,800 –> 00:23:38,800 the decisions registered. But 466 00:23:38,819 –> 00:23:40,959 rather should be judged by the 467 00:23:40,959 –> 00:23:43,280 degree to which real people have 468 00:23:43,280 –> 00:23:45,520 placed confidence in Jesus Christ 469 00:23:45,579 –> 00:23:47,640 and found him to be sufficient in 470 00:23:47,640 –> 00:23:53,119 life. That’s the fruit. And 471 00:23:53,119 –> 00:23:54,319 that’s what was seen in 472 00:23:54,319 –> 00:23:57,000 abundance in Thessalonica. And 473 00:23:57,000 –> 00:23:58,060 when Paul’s sitting there in 474 00:23:58,160 –> 00:24:00,040 Corinth in all of it’s chaos he’s 475 00:24:00,079 –> 00:24:01,680 writing back to Thessalonians 476 00:24:01,819 –> 00:24:03,459 under the inspiration of the 477 00:24:03,540 –> 00:24:05,500 spirit and he’s saying, Oh, if 478 00:24:05,500 –> 00:24:07,339 only what happened there could be 479 00:24:07,339 –> 00:24:08,920 reproduced in other churches 480 00:24:08,920 –> 00:24:10,219 because this is the kind of 481 00:24:10,219 –> 00:24:11,880 authentic faith that desperately 482 00:24:11,880 –> 00:24:13,359 needs to be multiplied in our 483 00:24:13,359 –> 00:24:15,359 timezone. You see what he said 484 00:24:15,739 –> 00:24:19,479 You became a model. What I am 485 00:24:19,479 –> 00:24:21,560 seeing God doing among you He 486 00:24:21,560 –> 00:24:23,000 says is the kind of thing I’m 487 00:24:23,000 –> 00:24:24,540 looking for to see replicated 488 00:24:24,540 –> 00:24:25,680 and multiplied among the 489 00:24:25,680 –> 00:24:32,280 churches. That’s his message. 490 00:24:33,099 –> 00:24:41,520 The gospel came to you. Let’s 491 00:24:41,520 –> 00:24:43,800 look at the messenger secondly 492 00:24:43,800 –> 00:24:45,619 shall we? Verse five, Our 493 00:24:45,619 –> 00:24:48,219 gospel came to you not simply 494 00:24:48,219 –> 00:24:51,939 with words but also with power 495 00:24:51,939 –> 00:24:53,880 and with the Holy Spirit and 496 00:24:54,599 –> 00:24:59,619 with deep conviction. Now I 497 00:24:59,619 –> 00:25:00,839 would suggest to you that deep 498 00:25:00,839 –> 00:25:02,680 conviction doesn’t fit well with 499 00:25:02,680 –> 00:25:03,739 our culture today. 500 00:25:06,000 –> 00:25:08,000 See, the prevailing spirit of 501 00:25:08,000 –> 00:25:09,920 our generation is one of 502 00:25:09,959 –> 00:25:11,000 uncertainty. 503 00:25:11,319 –> 00:25:14,560 We have more questions than 504 00:25:14,560 –> 00:25:15,699 answers. I almost feel like I 505 00:25:15,699 –> 00:25:17,020 want to break out into song but 506 00:25:17,020 –> 00:25:19,040 I promise I will not do that. 507 00:25:19,920 –> 00:25:21,479 More questions than answers. 508 00:25:23,160 –> 00:25:25,459 And any person who speaks with 509 00:25:25,459 –> 00:25:27,199 any degree of certainty these 510 00:25:27,199 –> 00:25:29,079 days is quickly accused of being 511 00:25:29,160 –> 00:25:32,119 arrogant and frankly none of us 512 00:25:32,119 –> 00:25:33,939 wants to be accused of or 513 00:25:33,939 –> 00:25:36,160 thought to be proud, so it has 514 00:25:36,160 –> 00:25:38,000 become fashionable in Church 515 00:25:38,000 –> 00:25:40,520 world to reshape the Gospel 516 00:25:40,760 –> 00:25:42,560 in terms of our questions, our 517 00:25:42,560 –> 00:25:44,199 searching. And the invitation 518 00:25:44,199 –> 00:25:46,099 comes to others to come 519 00:25:46,099 –> 00:25:48,660 alongside us and join us in our 520 00:25:48,660 –> 00:25:49,479 search. 521 00:25:50,660 –> 00:25:51,800 You have your questions. I have 522 00:25:51,800 –> 00:25:53,579 my questions. Let us take this 523 00:25:53,579 –> 00:25:55,040 journey together. I want you to 524 00:25:55,040 –> 00:25:57,319 notice how far that is from the 525 00:25:57,319 –> 00:25:58,520 spirit of the New Testament. 526 00:26:01,500 –> 00:26:02,920 Our Gospel came to you. Verse 527 00:26:02,920 –> 00:26:05,739 five, not simply with words, but 528 00:26:05,739 –> 00:26:07,640 with power, with the Holy 529 00:26:07,640 –> 00:26:10,959 Spirit and with deep conviction. 530 00:26:12,900 –> 00:26:16,260 See, the weight of Paul’s message 531 00:26:16,260 –> 00:26:20,260 came across in the conviction 532 00:26:20,260 –> 00:26:24,339 that it carried in his own life. 533 00:26:24,339 –> 00:26:28,099 For, God’s plan for the 534 00:26:28,099 –> 00:26:30,219 evangelism of the world is not 535 00:26:30,219 –> 00:26:32,060 essentially the distribution of 536 00:26:32,060 –> 00:26:33,760 books, but the sending of 537 00:26:33,760 –> 00:26:38,119 persons, of people who are 538 00:26:38,119 –> 00:26:39,920 convinced and, therefore, by 539 00:26:39,920 –> 00:26:41,319 the work of the Holy Spirit 540 00:26:41,319 –> 00:26:42,319 that has brought them to 541 00:26:42,319 –> 00:26:44,239 conviction, communicate that 542 00:26:44,239 –> 00:26:45,760 conviction as they share the 543 00:26:45,760 –> 00:26:47,119 message, so that it carries 544 00:26:47,119 –> 00:26:48,500 weight into the life of a 545 00:26:48,500 –> 00:26:50,060 person who does not yet 546 00:26:50,060 –> 00:26:51,339 believe. 547 00:26:53,500 –> 00:26:55,339 James Denney, who writes very 548 00:26:55,339 –> 00:26:57,060 helpfully on this letter of 549 00:26:57,060 –> 00:26:58,280 Thessalonians, so I guess we’ll 550 00:26:58,280 –> 00:26:59,540 quote him a number of times in 551 00:26:59,540 –> 00:27:02,099 this series, he warns 552 00:27:02,199 –> 00:27:04,439 Christians and especially 553 00:27:04,439 –> 00:27:08,640 pastors of what he calls the 554 00:27:08,640 –> 00:27:14,079 worst kind of atheism. And he 555 00:27:14,079 –> 00:27:16,199 says, the worst kind of atheism 556 00:27:16,199 –> 00:27:18,380 is that which is forever 557 00:27:18,380 –> 00:27:22,079 handling holy things without 558 00:27:22,079 –> 00:27:24,900 feeling them, without feeling 559 00:27:24,900 –> 00:27:28,800 them. So you see, you’re so 560 00:27:28,800 –> 00:27:32,339 used to church world, I’m so 561 00:27:32,339 –> 00:27:35,540 used to ministry, that the 562 00:27:35,540 –> 00:27:38,099 temptation that Denny is 563 00:27:38,099 –> 00:27:39,439 speaking about is that we begin 564 00:27:39,439 –> 00:27:41,699 to speak of Jesus and gospel and 565 00:27:41,699 –> 00:27:43,300 death and resurrection. It 566 00:27:43,300 –> 00:27:46,099 trips off our tongue and no 567 00:27:46,099 –> 00:27:48,979 longer carries weight or brings 568 00:27:48,979 –> 00:27:54,439 awe. That is the worst kind of 569 00:27:54,540 –> 00:28:01,540 atheism. Then he says, he says 570 00:28:05,339 –> 00:28:08,439 the preacher comenting in verse 571 00:28:08,439 –> 00:28:10,380 five here is coming to men in 572 00:28:10,380 –> 00:28:13,579 word only, saying hings that 573 00:28:13,579 –> 00:28:15,819 the preacher does not feel and 574 00:28:15,819 –> 00:28:22,520 which others cannot feel, 575 00:28:22,599 –> 00:28:23,900 failures will do anything for 576 00:28:23,900 –> 00:28:28,459 others. Now he’s speaking to 577 00:28:28,459 –> 00:28:30,359 preachers. Let me try and apply 578 00:28:30,359 –> 00:28:32,060 this to all of us Christians as 579 00:28:32,060 –> 00:28:33,459 we’re entrusted with the gospel 580 00:28:33,459 –> 00:28:34,719 and we communicate the truth to 581 00:28:34,719 –> 00:28:35,699 other people. That’s God’s 582 00:28:35,699 –> 00:28:39,199 purpose for us. Let us be very 583 00:28:39,199 –> 00:28:42,599 careful that we do not speak or 584 00:28:42,640 –> 00:28:44,699 act in a way that makes other 585 00:28:44,760 –> 00:28:48,119 people think of the gospel as a 586 00:28:48,119 –> 00:28:51,979 small thing. See if someone goes 587 00:28:51,979 –> 00:28:55,540 away from one of our services or 588 00:28:55,540 –> 00:28:57,300 from your Sunday school class or 589 00:28:57,300 –> 00:28:58,479 your small group or a 590 00:28:58,479 –> 00:28:59,819 conversation in which you had 591 00:28:59,819 –> 00:29:01,219 the opportunity to speak to them 592 00:29:01,219 –> 00:29:04,339 about Christ. If they’ve heard 593 00:29:04,339 –> 00:29:06,219 what we say and they go away 594 00:29:06,219 –> 00:29:10,359 saying, is that it? Then we have 595 00:29:10,359 –> 00:29:12,819 misrepresented the gospel. We 596 00:29:12,819 –> 00:29:15,900 really have. You see, that’s the 597 00:29:15,900 –> 00:29:17,739 great danger of this well, 598 00:29:17,739 –> 00:29:18,579 you know, you just say this 599 00:29:18,579 –> 00:29:20,380 prayer. And you just have to 600 00:29:20,699 –> 00:29:23,520 believe this, that we express 601 00:29:23,520 –> 00:29:24,900 ourselves in such a way that 602 00:29:24,900 –> 00:29:26,819 we’ve taken this great thing 603 00:29:26,819 –> 00:29:28,140 that God has trusted to us, 604 00:29:28,140 –> 00:29:29,939 this awesome eternal thing that 605 00:29:29,939 –> 00:29:31,380 Christ has done for us, this 606 00:29:31,500 –> 00:29:33,359 life-changing gospel. And we 607 00:29:33,359 –> 00:29:35,479 trivialized it to a formula. 608 00:29:37,760 –> 00:29:38,660 Now we all have different 609 00:29:38,660 –> 00:29:39,880 styles and it’s a wonderful 610 00:29:39,880 –> 00:29:41,599 thing. And God communicates 611 00:29:41,599 –> 00:29:43,280 through so many different 612 00:29:43,280 –> 00:29:45,979 wonderful styles. Thank God for 613 00:29:45,979 –> 00:29:47,819 that. But remember this, 614 00:29:48,420 –> 00:29:50,380 whatever your personal style, 615 00:29:51,979 –> 00:29:53,680 we must communicate the gospel 616 00:29:53,680 –> 00:29:55,339 in a way that fits the scale of 617 00:29:55,339 –> 00:29:57,380 the message we are proclaiming. 618 00:29:58,160 –> 00:29:59,660 I’ve just tried to think about 619 00:29:59,660 –> 00:30:01,540 this by way of an analogy. 620 00:30:01,540 –> 00:30:03,900 Think about a man proposing 621 00:30:03,959 –> 00:30:06,479 marriage to a woman. Now all of 622 00:30:06,479 –> 00:30:08,500 us married guys and those who 623 00:30:08,800 –> 00:30:10,099 plan to be married guys have 624 00:30:10,099 –> 00:30:11,459 thought about this and we 625 00:30:11,459 –> 00:30:12,920 either have memories or plans 626 00:30:12,920 –> 00:30:13,920 about how we’re going to do 627 00:30:13,920 –> 00:30:15,459 this and so forth and so on. 628 00:30:16,219 –> 00:30:18,180 And I want you to imagine for a 629 00:30:18,180 –> 00:30:20,560 moment, a man making a proposal 630 00:30:20,560 –> 00:30:21,780 of marriage and he does it by 631 00:30:21,780 –> 00:30:26,540 voicemail. And he calls her up 632 00:30:26,540 –> 00:30:29,060 and he says, hi, there just 633 00:30:29,060 –> 00:30:30,520 wanted you to know that I love 634 00:30:30,520 –> 00:30:32,300 you very much and wanted to ask 635 00:30:32,300 –> 00:30:33,660 you if you would marry me. Get 636 00:30:33,660 –> 00:30:34,819 back to me when you have time 637 00:30:34,819 –> 00:30:35,780 out, this is something that you 638 00:30:35,780 –> 00:30:39,839 want to do. Bang! Now you laugh. 639 00:30:39,859 –> 00:30:42,780 Why do you laugh? You laugh 640 00:30:43,400 –> 00:30:46,119 because the communication is 641 00:30:46,219 –> 00:30:50,079 inappropriate to the scale of 642 00:30:50,099 –> 00:30:52,280 what is being asked and what is 643 00:30:52,280 –> 00:30:56,420 being offered. When a man makes 644 00:30:56,420 –> 00:30:58,219 a proposal of marriage, he knows 645 00:30:58,219 –> 00:30:59,459 that he is proposing something 646 00:30:59,459 –> 00:31:01,040 that will cost him everything. 647 00:31:03,420 –> 00:31:06,579 You laughed at that too. And he 648 00:31:06,579 –> 00:31:08,819 knows that what he’s asking of 649 00:31:08,819 –> 00:31:11,099 her will cost her everything. 650 00:31:11,119 –> 00:31:13,479 Right? It will redirect the 651 00:31:13,479 –> 00:31:16,920 whole of life. We’ll change 652 00:31:16,920 –> 00:31:17,619 everything. 653 00:31:19,699 –> 00:31:23,119 And you see, as we ask in the 654 00:31:23,119 –> 00:31:24,699 proposal of marriage nothing 655 00:31:24,699 –> 00:31:27,560 less and offer nothing less than 656 00:31:27,560 –> 00:31:29,859 exclusive love and devotion and 657 00:31:29,859 –> 00:31:32,520 loyalty for a lifetime, this is 658 00:31:32,520 –> 00:31:33,880 precisely how Jesus Christ 659 00:31:33,880 –> 00:31:36,719 approaches us. The Bride of 660 00:31:36,719 –> 00:31:40,079 Christ. Offering himself in all 661 00:31:40,079 –> 00:31:44,280 that he is. We must 662 00:31:44,280 –> 00:31:46,319 communicate the gospel in a way 663 00:31:46,319 –> 00:31:48,479 that is appropriate to the scale 664 00:31:48,479 –> 00:31:52,839 of the message. Otherwise, you 665 00:31:52,839 –> 00:31:54,719 know what happens? You get 666 00:31:54,719 –> 00:31:56,160 people who think they’re 667 00:31:56,160 –> 00:31:57,619 Christian because they’ve made 668 00:31:57,619 –> 00:32:01,079 some profession, and it remains 669 00:32:01,079 –> 00:32:04,160 for the next 40, 50, 60 years at 670 00:32:04,260 –> 00:32:09,760 the margins of their life. And 671 00:32:09,760 –> 00:32:14,060 Paul no doubt saw that in other 672 00:32:14,060 –> 00:32:16,959 places as we see that in our 673 00:32:16,959 –> 00:32:18,760 culture today. And he says, I 674 00:32:18,760 –> 00:32:20,160 want to see the sort of thing 675 00:32:20,160 –> 00:32:21,859 that happened in Thessalonica, 676 00:32:21,900 –> 00:32:23,760 the birthing of real life 677 00:32:23,760 –> 00:32:26,760 changing faith through the 678 00:32:26,760 –> 00:32:29,219 gospel that came to you not 679 00:32:29,219 –> 00:32:32,260 only with words, but it came 680 00:32:32,619 –> 00:32:34,020 with power and with the Holy 681 00:32:34,020 –> 00:32:36,119 Spirit and deep conviction. So 682 00:32:36,319 –> 00:32:37,880 we must communicate the gospel 683 00:32:37,880 –> 00:32:39,060 in a way that is appropriate to 684 00:32:39,060 –> 00:32:41,880 the message. That means that 685 00:32:42,420 –> 00:32:44,079 the approach of the high 686 00:32:44,079 –> 00:32:47,579 pressure salesmen is just not 687 00:32:47,579 –> 00:32:51,260 fitting. And the approach of 688 00:32:51,280 –> 00:32:52,880 the guy in the fair upfering a 689 00:32:52,880 –> 00:32:54,859 free candy floss to kids is 690 00:32:54,859 –> 00:32:56,479 certainly not appropriate 691 00:32:57,060 –> 00:33:00,180 either. Now think about those 692 00:33:00,180 –> 00:33:02,219 with whom you communicate, your 693 00:33:02,219 –> 00:33:05,339 children, your grandchildren, 694 00:33:07,040 –> 00:33:08,420 your Sunday school class, your 695 00:33:08,420 –> 00:33:09,939 small group, your neighbors, 696 00:33:09,939 –> 00:33:12,079 your colleagues. 697 00:33:14,479 –> 00:33:16,579 What would they conclude about 698 00:33:16,579 –> 00:33:18,619 the importance of the gospel 699 00:33:18,619 –> 00:33:20,500 from the way that you speak 700 00:33:21,540 –> 00:33:25,260 about Jesus Christ? Paul says 701 00:33:25,260 –> 00:33:26,579 it came with great conviction, 702 00:33:27,239 –> 00:33:29,579 great conviction that bore 703 00:33:29,579 –> 00:33:33,180 great fruit. Now notice, by the 704 00:33:33,180 –> 00:33:34,500 way, it wasn’t just in his words 705 00:33:34,500 –> 00:33:35,579 that there was this conviction, 706 00:33:35,579 –> 00:33:36,979 it was backed up by how he lived. 707 00:33:36,979 –> 00:33:38,739 Verse five, it came through the 708 00:33:38,739 –> 00:33:40,420 Holy Spirit, not only in words 709 00:33:40,420 –> 00:33:41,819 but also with power, Holy Spirit 710 00:33:41,819 –> 00:33:42,859 and deep conviction. And you 711 00:33:42,859 –> 00:33:45,079 know how we lived among you, for 712 00:33:45,079 –> 00:33:48,300 your sake, the message that Paul 713 00:33:48,300 –> 00:33:51,280 brought about Christ dying to 714 00:33:51,280 –> 00:33:53,540 save others, was made credible 715 00:33:53,540 –> 00:33:54,780 because Paul was spending his 716 00:33:54,780 –> 00:33:58,079 life in living to save others. 717 00:33:58,079 –> 00:34:00,660 The message that Paul brought 718 00:34:00,660 –> 00:34:03,239 about Christ bringing hope was 719 00:34:03,239 –> 00:34:05,079 made credible because when he 720 00:34:05,079 –> 00:34:07,579 suffered what seemed almost 721 00:34:07,579 –> 00:34:09,379 unbearably, he endured and he 722 00:34:09,379 –> 00:34:11,620 continued, so that doesn’t prove 723 00:34:11,620 –> 00:34:12,679 that Jesus rose from the dead, 724 00:34:12,679 –> 00:34:13,979 of course, but it at least 725 00:34:13,979 –> 00:34:15,500 brings people to the position of 726 00:34:15,500 –> 00:34:16,699 saying, well, maybe he’s 727 00:34:16,939 –> 00:34:18,379 shortened onto something that’s 728 00:34:18,379 –> 00:34:20,080 worth listening to, he backed it 729 00:34:20,080 –> 00:34:23,580 up with his life. And when the 730 00:34:23,580 –> 00:34:24,939 gospel is communicated with 731 00:34:24,939 –> 00:34:26,580 clarity and conviction, we can 732 00:34:26,580 –> 00:34:28,060 expect that the Holy Spirit 733 00:34:28,080 –> 00:34:30,540 will be at work and the lives 734 00:34:30,540 –> 00:34:32,580 will be changed. And that is 735 00:34:32,580 –> 00:34:36,340 what happened in Thessalonica. 736 00:34:36,820 –> 00:34:38,020 Our gospel came to you, it 737 00:34:38,620 –> 00:34:41,219 wasn’t just words, but it came 738 00:34:41,219 –> 00:34:42,639 with power and with a Holy 739 00:34:42,639 –> 00:34:44,959 Spirit and with deep conviction. 740 00:34:46,399 –> 00:34:47,780 So that’s the message and the 741 00:34:47,820 –> 00:34:49,739 messenger. Let’s look now at 742 00:34:49,939 –> 00:34:52,040 those who heard more briefly. 743 00:34:52,600 –> 00:34:53,959 And remember that just as God 744 00:34:53,959 –> 00:34:55,500 works through believers as we 745 00:34:55,500 –> 00:34:57,260 communicate the gospel, so he 746 00:34:57,320 –> 00:34:58,719 works in the hearts of 747 00:34:58,939 –> 00:35:01,620 unbelievers as they hear the 748 00:35:01,620 –> 00:35:04,699 message and then imitate our 749 00:35:04,699 –> 00:35:07,060 way of life. Notice verse 6, 750 00:35:07,659 –> 00:35:11,300 you became imitators of us and 751 00:35:11,300 –> 00:35:13,419 of the Lord. In spite of 752 00:35:13,419 –> 00:35:14,739 severe suffering, you welcomed 753 00:35:14,739 –> 00:35:17,820 the message with the joy given 754 00:35:18,139 –> 00:35:22,820 by the Holy Spirit. Now think 755 00:35:22,820 –> 00:35:24,179 about this, you became 756 00:35:24,360 –> 00:35:30,540 imitators of us. The kind of 757 00:35:30,540 –> 00:35:34,739 Christians who will be the fruit 758 00:35:34,820 –> 00:35:38,260 of your ministry will be a 759 00:35:38,260 –> 00:35:40,620 reflection of the kind of 760 00:35:40,620 –> 00:35:42,780 Christian that you already are. 761 00:35:44,219 –> 00:35:45,239 It’s what we’re learning here. 762 00:35:45,239 –> 00:35:46,620 Paul says you became imitators 763 00:35:46,620 –> 00:35:50,500 of us. The kind of Christians 764 00:35:50,500 –> 00:35:52,340 this church reproduces will 765 00:35:52,340 –> 00:35:54,260 essentially be the kind of 766 00:35:54,260 –> 00:35:56,060 Christians we are or the kind of 767 00:35:56,080 –> 00:35:57,139 Christians we become. 768 00:35:58,820 –> 00:36:00,219 That’s quite a sobering thought. 769 00:36:03,040 –> 00:36:06,699 Cold churches, produce cold 770 00:36:06,760 –> 00:36:11,040 Christians. Churches hooked on 771 00:36:11,040 –> 00:36:13,139 entertainment, produce 772 00:36:13,139 –> 00:36:14,500 Christians hooked on 773 00:36:14,500 –> 00:36:17,379 entertainment. You become 774 00:36:17,459 –> 00:36:21,379 imitators of us. Churches 775 00:36:21,379 –> 00:36:24,459 forged in the convictions of 776 00:36:24,459 –> 00:36:26,620 the gospel produce Christians 777 00:36:27,500 –> 00:36:28,899 forged in the convictions of 778 00:36:28,899 –> 00:36:30,340 the gospel church’s committed 779 00:36:30,340 –> 00:36:31,659 to reaching the world produce 780 00:36:31,659 –> 00:36:32,659 Christians that reach the 781 00:36:32,659 –> 00:36:33,739 world. Churches that look 782 00:36:33,739 –> 00:36:35,939 inward, produce Christians 783 00:36:35,939 –> 00:36:39,500 that look inward. You became 784 00:36:39,500 –> 00:36:44,620 imitators of us. Now that is 785 00:36:44,620 –> 00:36:46,179 why you see the kind of 786 00:36:46,179 –> 00:36:49,459 ministry we offer will shape 787 00:36:49,459 –> 00:36:50,879 the kind of Christians we 788 00:36:50,919 –> 00:36:53,739 become and the kind of 789 00:36:53,739 –> 00:36:55,760 Christians we become will 790 00:36:55,760 –> 00:36:57,060 shape the kind of Christians 791 00:36:57,060 –> 00:36:58,360 we reproduce. I think that’s 792 00:36:58,360 –> 00:37:00,760 an awesome thought and a 793 00:37:01,060 –> 00:37:03,120 great responsibility. You 794 00:37:03,120 –> 00:37:06,560 became imitators of us. Now 795 00:37:06,560 –> 00:37:08,000 remember Jesus makes this 796 00:37:08,000 –> 00:37:09,479 principle very very clear. 797 00:37:09,639 –> 00:37:11,600 Luke chapter 6 and verse 40 798 00:37:11,879 –> 00:37:14,239 a student, Jesus said, is 799 00:37:14,239 –> 00:37:17,840 not above his teacher. But 800 00:37:17,959 –> 00:37:20,199 everyone who is fully trained 801 00:37:20,199 –> 00:37:24,560 will be like his teacher. So 802 00:37:24,560 –> 00:37:26,199 think about the life that 803 00:37:26,199 –> 00:37:27,600 you’re living in relation to 804 00:37:27,600 –> 00:37:29,320 those who you are influencing. 805 00:37:29,959 –> 00:37:31,939 Every student will become 806 00:37:32,120 –> 00:37:33,560 like his teacher when he is 807 00:37:33,560 –> 00:37:38,679 fully trained and see how the 808 00:37:38,679 –> 00:37:40,620 spirit of Paul is reproduced 809 00:37:40,620 –> 00:37:41,600 by the power of the holy 810 00:37:41,600 –> 00:37:43,639 spirit in Thessaloníca. You 811 00:37:43,679 –> 00:37:45,899 welcome the message in spite 812 00:37:46,000 –> 00:37:47,520 of severe suffering. You see 813 00:37:47,540 –> 00:37:49,159 that they’re Christians just 814 00:37:49,199 –> 00:37:52,620 like Paul. For the same holy 815 00:37:52,620 –> 00:37:53,800 spirit who was working in 816 00:37:53,800 –> 00:37:57,100 Paul as he spoke is also at 817 00:37:57,100 –> 00:37:58,580 work in the Thessalonians as 818 00:37:58,580 –> 00:38:00,260 they receive his message and 819 00:38:00,280 –> 00:38:02,719 become imitators of his way 820 00:38:03,780 –> 00:38:06,479 of life. Now what we have 821 00:38:06,479 –> 00:38:07,560 here are really the 822 00:38:07,560 –> 00:38:09,399 distinguishing marks of an 823 00:38:09,399 –> 00:38:11,080 authentic work of God and it 824 00:38:11,080 –> 00:38:13,379 is a wonderful thing. And I 825 00:38:13,379 –> 00:38:14,959 hope it’s creating within you 826 00:38:14,959 –> 00:38:16,820 already a sense of this is 827 00:38:16,820 –> 00:38:17,979 what we want. This is what 828 00:38:17,979 –> 00:38:19,679 we are looking for God to be 829 00:38:19,679 –> 00:38:21,659 doing among us in increasing 830 00:38:21,659 –> 00:38:22,800 measure. And look at the 831 00:38:22,800 –> 00:38:25,820 fruit of it. Perhaps too, we 832 00:38:25,820 –> 00:38:27,620 always thank God for all of 833 00:38:27,620 –> 00:38:29,260 you, mentioning you and our 834 00:38:29,260 –> 00:38:31,020 prayers. We continually 835 00:38:31,040 –> 00:38:32,719 remember before our God and 836 00:38:32,719 –> 00:38:34,100 father, here’s the fruit, 837 00:38:34,120 –> 00:38:36,000 your work produced by faith. 838 00:38:36,679 –> 00:38:38,679 Your labor prompted by luv 839 00:38:40,040 –> 00:38:41,739 your endurance, inspired by 840 00:38:41,739 –> 00:38:43,060 hope in the Lord Jesus 841 00:38:43,060 –> 00:38:46,199 Christ, and giving these 842 00:38:46,199 –> 00:38:47,860 almost as headings at the 843 00:38:47,860 –> 00:38:49,199 beginning of the chapter, He 844 00:38:49,199 –> 00:38:51,280 spells them out more fully in 845 00:38:51,280 –> 00:38:53,439 verses 9 and 10. He says, 846 00:38:53,439 –> 00:38:54,580 we’re thanking God for your 847 00:38:54,580 –> 00:38:56,479 work produced by faith. What 848 00:38:56,479 –> 00:38:57,600 is their work produced by 849 00:38:57,600 –> 00:38:59,159 faith? It was verse nine to 850 00:38:59,159 –> 00:39:02,239 turn to God from idols. See? 851 00:39:02,239 –> 00:39:03,560 Faith isn’t just saying you 852 00:39:03,560 –> 00:39:07,060 believe in Jesus. Faith 853 00:39:07,780 –> 00:39:09,800 affects a change in the 854 00:39:09,800 –> 00:39:11,620 center of gravity of your 855 00:39:11,620 –> 00:39:15,159 life. It leads to turning 856 00:39:15,159 –> 00:39:17,000 from worthless things that 857 00:39:18,000 –> 00:39:19,600 were at the center of my 858 00:39:19,600 –> 00:39:21,020 life and pursuing Jesus 859 00:39:21,020 –> 00:39:23,159 Christ as Savior and Lord, 860 00:39:23,159 –> 00:39:24,560 recovering a new sense of 861 00:39:24,560 –> 00:39:26,040 mission and purpose for my 862 00:39:26,040 –> 00:39:27,399 life. Faith effects that 863 00:39:27,399 –> 00:39:28,760 change. It leads into 864 00:39:28,760 –> 00:39:30,300 service and ministry. What 865 00:39:30,300 –> 00:39:31,939 was their labor prompted by 866 00:39:31,939 –> 00:39:36,219 love? It was to serve the 867 00:39:36,219 –> 00:39:36,639 living and true God, not 868 00:39:36,639 –> 00:39:37,540 like independent contractors 869 00:39:37,540 –> 00:39:38,260 who say well, I’ll do this 870 00:39:38,260 –> 00:39:39,199 job and then when I’m 871 00:39:39,199 –> 00:39:40,699 finished, I’m done. No. To 872 00:39:40,699 –> 00:39:42,500 offer myself as a servant, a 873 00:39:42,500 –> 00:39:44,199 slave of Jesus Christ and to 874 00:39:44,199 –> 00:39:45,760 say, here’s my life. Now you 875 00:39:45,760 –> 00:39:46,540 take it and you use it and 876 00:39:46,540 –> 00:39:47,780 then instruct me into what 877 00:39:47,780 –> 00:39:50,060 you want me to do. And what 878 00:39:50,060 –> 00:39:51,020 was their endurance inspired 879 00:39:51,020 –> 00:39:52,800 by hope? It was to wait 880 00:39:52,800 –> 00:39:54,959 verse ten for god’s son from 881 00:39:54,959 –> 00:39:57,500 heaven. Never underestimate 882 00:39:57,500 –> 00:40:01,060 the power of your enduring 883 00:40:01,060 –> 00:40:04,300 great pain as a follower of 884 00:40:04,300 –> 00:40:06,540 Jesus Christ cuz the world 885 00:40:06,540 –> 00:40:08,100 wants to dismiss your faith 886 00:40:08,100 –> 00:40:12,560 as psychology and when you 887 00:40:12,560 –> 00:40:13,439 endure pain and still love 888 00:40:14,439 –> 00:40:16,340 Jesus, the world doesn’t 889 00:40:16,340 –> 00:40:20,320 know what to make off that. 890 00:40:20,760 –> 00:40:23,239 Well, the distinguishing 891 00:40:23,239 –> 00:40:26,479 marks of this authentic work 892 00:40:26,479 –> 00:40:30,219 of god are the basis of 893 00:40:30,219 –> 00:40:33,260 Paul’s confidence that 894 00:40:33,260 –> 00:40:35,939 these Thessalonians really 895 00:40:35,939 –> 00:40:40,439 are true believers. Church 896 00:40:40,439 –> 00:40:41,580 of Jesus Christ is always 897 00:40:41,580 –> 00:40:42,719 a bit of a mixture, isn’t 898 00:40:43,219 –> 00:40:46,040 it? We gather together 899 00:40:46,040 –> 00:40:49,040 hundreds of people, a vast 900 00:40:49,040 –> 00:40:50,320 majority of whom would say 901 00:40:50,320 –> 00:40:53,879 that we believe and regard 902 00:40:53,879 –> 00:40:55,139 ourselves as in some sense 903 00:40:55,139 –> 00:40:59,520 Christian. But Paul is able 904 00:40:59,520 –> 00:41:01,120 to identify the marks of an 905 00:41:01,120 –> 00:41:04,199 authentic work of God. And 906 00:41:04,199 –> 00:41:06,399 it is his basis for solid 907 00:41:06,399 –> 00:41:09,840 confidence that these folks 908 00:41:09,840 –> 00:41:11,800 really belong to Jesus 909 00:41:11,800 –> 00:41:13,679 Christ, they’ve got the real 910 00:41:13,679 –> 00:41:16,639 deal. And just in these last 911 00:41:16,639 –> 00:41:17,719 moments, I want you to see 912 00:41:17,719 –> 00:41:20,199 that in verse 4. He says, 913 00:41:20,199 –> 00:41:24,159 we know brothers, loved by 914 00:41:24,159 –> 00:41:31,199 God, that he has chosen you. 915 00:41:31,199 –> 00:41:33,320 Now you know, the Bible 916 00:41:33,320 –> 00:41:37,120 speaks many times about God 917 00:41:37,199 –> 00:41:41,199 choosing, electing, 918 00:41:41,199 –> 00:41:47,479 predestining certain people and 919 00:41:47,479 –> 00:41:49,320 it sends chills down lots of 920 00:41:49,320 –> 00:41:51,679 people’s spines. In fact, 921 00:41:51,679 –> 00:41:53,080 people get very, very anxious 922 00:41:53,080 –> 00:41:54,320 and the church goes very, very 923 00:41:54,320 –> 00:41:55,879 quiet, even when the pastor 924 00:41:55,879 –> 00:41:58,639 says it, despite the fact that 925 00:41:58,639 –> 00:42:00,199 it’s repeated so often 926 00:42:00,199 –> 00:42:02,439 in the Bible. The reason for 927 00:42:02,439 –> 00:42:04,120 that is quite understandable. 928 00:42:04,120 –> 00:42:06,320 It gives us all kind of scary 929 00:42:06,439 –> 00:42:08,139 questions because we say, 930 00:42:08,139 –> 00:42:10,560 Well, then how do I know if I 931 00:42:10,560 –> 00:42:14,120 am elect and what could I do 932 00:42:14,120 –> 00:42:17,840 about it if I wasn’t? And if 933 00:42:17,840 –> 00:42:19,360 you have ever been anxious 934 00:42:19,360 –> 00:42:20,959 about questions to do with 935 00:42:20,959 –> 00:42:22,679 this theme, I think that you 936 00:42:22,679 –> 00:42:25,000 will find great help right 937 00:42:25,000 –> 00:42:26,679 here in these last moments of 938 00:42:26,679 –> 00:42:29,199 this message in 1 Thessalonians 939 00:42:29,199 –> 00:42:31,679 1 and verse 4. Because I want 940 00:42:31,679 –> 00:42:32,919 you to notice two things. 941 00:42:32,919 –> 00:42:35,699 The first is that Paul is sure 942 00:42:36,060 –> 00:42:37,280 that these Thessalonian 943 00:42:37,280 –> 00:42:39,000 Christians were chosen by God. 944 00:42:39,020 –> 00:42:40,620 In other words, it is possible 945 00:42:40,620 –> 00:42:42,360 to be confident and to know 946 00:42:42,360 –> 00:42:43,540 that you belong to Jesus 947 00:42:43,540 –> 00:42:45,540 Christ. This is not something 948 00:42:45,540 –> 00:42:46,979 that remains hidden throughout 949 00:42:46,979 –> 00:42:48,000 the life of a Christian 950 00:42:48,000 –> 00:42:50,419 believer. Paul says we know 951 00:42:50,459 –> 00:42:52,260 brothers that he has chosen 952 00:42:52,260 –> 00:42:55,560 you, we know it. We know it. 953 00:42:56,500 –> 00:42:57,899 You say what? How could he 954 00:42:57,899 –> 00:42:58,780 know it? Oh, there’s the 955 00:42:58,780 –> 00:43:01,219 question? Well, let’s read on. 956 00:43:02,340 –> 00:43:04,379 We know brothers that he has 957 00:43:04,379 –> 00:43:07,639 chosen you, because… 958 00:43:07,860 –> 00:43:08,419 So, we’re going to get an 959 00:43:08,419 –> 00:43:10,500 answer now. How do we know? 960 00:43:11,780 –> 00:43:13,580 Because our gospel came to 961 00:43:13,580 –> 00:43:14,860 you, not simply with words, 962 00:43:14,860 –> 00:43:16,000 but also with power, with 963 00:43:16,000 –> 00:43:17,020 the Holy Spirit and deep 964 00:43:17,020 –> 00:43:18,560 conviction, and you became 965 00:43:18,560 –> 00:43:20,459 imitators of us and of the 966 00:43:20,459 –> 00:43:21,860 Lord in spite of severe 967 00:43:21,860 –> 00:43:23,199 suffering, you welcomed the 968 00:43:23,199 –> 00:43:24,899 message with a joy given by 969 00:43:24,899 –> 00:43:25,899 the Holy Spirit. 970 00:43:26,219 –> 00:43:27,340 How do we know that God has 971 00:43:27,340 –> 00:43:29,540 chosen you? Because of the 972 00:43:29,540 –> 00:43:32,699 effect of the gospel in your 973 00:43:32,699 –> 00:43:33,260 life. 974 00:43:35,260 –> 00:43:36,520 Warren Wearsby puts this 975 00:43:36,520 –> 00:43:37,699 very, very beautifully and I 976 00:43:37,699 –> 00:43:39,260 think, simply, I find this 977 00:43:39,260 –> 00:43:41,159 very, very helpful. He says, 978 00:43:41,159 –> 00:43:42,760 Remember that all three 979 00:43:42,760 –> 00:43:44,260 persons in the Trinity are 980 00:43:44,260 –> 00:43:45,840 involved in the salvation of 981 00:43:45,840 –> 00:43:48,679 every Christian. The Father, 982 00:43:48,699 –> 00:43:51,179 the Son and the Holy Spirit. 983 00:43:51,340 –> 00:43:53,939 As far as the Father is 984 00:43:53,939 –> 00:43:57,320 concerned, I was saved before 985 00:43:57,379 –> 00:44:00,419 the foundation of the world. 986 00:44:00,780 –> 00:44:02,600 As far as the Son is 987 00:44:02,600 –> 00:44:05,280 concerned, I was saved the 988 00:44:05,280 –> 00:44:09,360 day he died on the cross. As 989 00:44:09,360 –> 00:44:11,340 far as the Holy Spirit is 990 00:44:11,340 –> 00:44:14,159 concerned, I was saved in 991 00:44:14,260 –> 00:44:17,179 1945 when I asked Christ 992 00:44:17,179 –> 00:44:18,000 into my heart. I want to 993 00:44:18,000 –> 00:44:18,959 make it very clear, this is, 994 00:44:19,000 –> 00:44:20,360 I’m quoting Warren Wearsby, 995 00:44:20,540 –> 00:44:22,959 I was not saved in 1945 just 996 00:44:22,959 –> 00:44:25,120 in case you are working that 997 00:44:25,120 –> 00:44:27,500 out. I was saved in May of 998 00:44:27,500 –> 00:44:31,760 1964, When I bow before the 999 00:44:31,760 –> 00:44:33,280 claim of Jesus Christ and God’s 1000 00:44:33,280 –> 00:44:36,199 spirit came into my heart. The 1001 00:44:36,199 –> 00:44:40,239 salvation of God is one as the 1002 00:44:40,239 –> 00:44:42,860 Father, the Son and the Spirit 1003 00:44:42,919 –> 00:44:46,080 are one. Praise be to his Holy 1004 00:44:46,080 –> 00:44:50,060 name. How do you know that you 1005 00:44:50,060 –> 00:44:51,719 belong to Christ? That you are 1006 00:44:51,719 –> 00:44:53,540 truly one of God’s people? By 1007 00:44:53,540 –> 00:44:55,360 gazing into some secret mystery 1008 00:44:55,360 –> 00:44:58,639 know by the effect of the 1009 00:44:58,639 –> 00:45:01,139 gospel in your life. 1010 00:45:01,820 –> 00:45:03,899 And if you are not yet a person 1011 00:45:03,899 –> 00:45:06,419 who belongs to Jesus Christ and 1012 00:45:06,419 –> 00:45:08,040 God is speaking to you right now 1013 00:45:08,040 –> 00:45:09,199 and you know it in your heart, 1014 00:45:09,239 –> 00:45:11,939 he’s drawing you now. Now you 1015 00:45:11,939 –> 00:45:13,540 need to respond to this gospel. 1016 00:45:13,699 –> 00:45:15,300 You need to put your faith in 1017 00:45:15,300 –> 00:45:17,100 the Lord Jesus Christ, as God is 1018 00:45:17,100 –> 00:45:18,540 doing his work in your heart. 1019 00:45:18,540 –> 00:45:20,120 You must submit to this and 1020 00:45:20,120 –> 00:45:22,219 embrace this and trust this 1021 00:45:22,219 –> 00:45:24,659 krist, and turn to him and make 1022 00:45:24,659 –> 00:45:26,540 him your savior and your lord. 1023 00:45:28,379 –> 00:45:29,939 And you will thank God for that 1024 00:45:29,959 –> 00:45:30,979 throughout the rest of your 1025 00:45:30,979 –> 00:45:31,340 life. 1026 00:45:32,000 –> 00:45:34,939 In time and in eternity. 1027 00:45:36,560 –> 00:45:37,500 And if you are a Christian 1028 00:45:37,500 –> 00:45:39,919 believer, you will be able to 1029 00:45:39,919 –> 00:45:43,419 say with me today, thank God 1030 00:45:44,739 –> 00:45:47,639 that through the gospel I have 1031 00:45:47,639 –> 00:45:50,000 come to faith in Jesus God’s Son 1032 00:45:50,000 –> 00:45:52,939 who came from Heaven, I have 1033 00:45:52,939 –> 00:45:55,179 come to love the savior who gave 1034 00:45:55,179 –> 00:45:57,120 himself on the cross to rescue 1035 00:45:57,120 –> 00:45:59,879 me from the coming wrath. And 1036 00:45:59,919 –> 00:46:01,260 I have found hope in the king 1037 00:46:01,260 –> 00:46:03,040 who has risen in power and 1038 00:46:03,040 –> 00:46:04,840 glory and is coming one day 1039 00:46:04,840 –> 00:46:07,000 to take me into his presence 1040 00:46:07,000 –> 00:46:08,580 and until then is with me by 1041 00:46:08,580 –> 00:46:10,820 his Spirit. And if you ask me 1042 00:46:10,820 –> 00:46:13,560 how I came to this faith when 1043 00:46:13,560 –> 00:46:15,479 others I know and love know 1044 00:46:15,479 –> 00:46:16,760 nothing of it and think 1045 00:46:16,760 –> 00:46:18,419 nothing great or good about 1046 00:46:18,419 –> 00:46:21,439 Jesus Christ, then I have to 1047 00:46:21,439 –> 00:46:23,199 tell you that I cannot explain 1048 00:46:23,199 –> 00:46:26,120 that except to say that the 1049 00:46:26,120 –> 00:46:28,800 mercy of God has come to me in 1050 00:46:28,800 –> 00:46:32,459 the Gospel and as others have 1051 00:46:32,459 –> 00:46:36,000 brought that Gospel to me, so I 1052 00:46:36,000 –> 00:46:39,399 must now bring that Gospel to 1053 00:46:39,399 –> 00:46:42,679 others as bow in God’s presence 1054 00:46:42,679 –> 00:46:46,320 and pray together. Father, as 1055 00:46:46,320 –> 00:46:47,919 your Spirit bears witness to 1056 00:46:47,919 –> 00:46:49,239 the Word that is stirring 1057 00:46:49,239 –> 00:46:52,560 within our hearts right now, 1058 00:46:52,560 –> 00:46:54,300 the desire that in increasing 1059 00:46:54,300 –> 00:46:57,719 measure we should be this kind 1060 00:46:57,719 –> 00:47:00,780 of Christian and this kind of 1061 00:47:00,780 –> 00:47:05,719 church. Strengthen and write and 1062 00:47:05,719 –> 00:47:07,419 impress the marks of a 1063 00:47:07,419 –> 00:47:09,699 distinguishing work of the 1064 00:47:09,699 –> 00:47:13,179 Spirit of God upon us 1065 00:47:13,179 –> 00:47:16,139 individually and together, that 1066 00:47:16,139 –> 00:47:17,399 it may be for the advance of 1067 00:47:17,399 –> 00:47:19,840 the Gospel, and for the glory 1068 00:47:19,840 –> 00:47:22,340 of Your Son Jesus, in whose 1069 00:47:22,340 –> 00:47:26,300 we pray together. Amen.