Book of 1st Thessalonians: Introduction (Part B)

This happens to be one of the earliest New Testament writing James is likely the first one, and you can dispute these to a point but not mushy. Small group of letters that we know were early writings Christians that have become Scripture, the letter of James, the gospel of Mark. Galatians and Thessalonians, I think Galatians was first before Thessalonians.

All Paul's letters. The Galatian was the first one. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Thessalonians. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue introducing us to the book of first Thessalonians. The first letter deals with Christ coming as it impacts the church. The second letter deals with the coming of Christ as it impacts the world. See below to say I'm going to teach you some things here so you know what you're going, you know you are you won't have this identity crisis: I'll tell you who you are.

Your blood bought center that's what you are a blood bought center and used by God, if you will allow me for what to build up the church to extract from the world. Those who are in the world so that they too can be part of this edified church that's Christianity in these two letters together provide the one to punch dealing with the church. First Thessalonians concerning the coming of Christ that's brought second Thessalonians, dealing with the coming of Christ as it impacts the world that is in times and so God is taken the time and the pain and there is pain in it for him to declare his word.

Step one and then to preserve it.

Step two. Declaration of the word was not nearly as difficult as the preservation of the word from our standpoint.

These are lessons for us.

So with that with those opening remarks we now consider some of the introduction historical background to the city itself. Well, about 300 years before Christ. One of Alexander the great's generals Sander married the stepsister of Alexander the great. And as they did in those days when the conquered places they do name do whatever they wanted. The name and he named it after Alexander's system sister sister knew New York coming out there so you know you can always tell a person with her from when you get them excited. Just try to turn down a notch vessel Nike that was her name and the city is Thessalonica and today it is modern file on Nikki one of the ways to pronounce it. It's still there.

It's big, it's a thriving city almost a million people in one of the largest cities that part of the world and second largest noncapital in that Baltic area of the world.

Major seaport. To this day, thriving city, as I mentioned, and it's it's interesting how would you like to be today, pastor of St. Carrie Chapel Thessalonica with love that anytime someone will write to you would be to the church. Thessalonica okay anyway again as a pastor joke half right. Well the biblical background, though that's just you know the basic information as to the city then and this is in contrast to say place like cog policy will be studied last week was a study on them last week that this still just a mound. A hill is nothing there.

No one has Doug Coliseum, but Thessalonica is there to this day, and I and some of the ancient ruins are being worked on by archaeologists also. Well, as I mentioned, is one of the four churches that we know about in that region of the world at that time Philippi the first church in Europe Philippi. That's where Paul you know he was in Turkey received this vision a Macedonian come on over and preach to us. And Paul goes over there and establishes the first church in Europe.

Philippi and then Nick Coppola's is where he wintered vacation there and you know that a lot of preaching. I wasn't too far from Philippi, Thessalonica than Maria where he was chased to from Thessalonica and he will also be chased out of Berea and ends up in the Athens and it will cover some of that because it is is I think it's rich with information that is going to mean something.

I just knew you know sitting at a Bible study without anointing is just one of your your child of God's anointing that I don't think you know if you can avoid it.

You young scholars in college and they offer the Bible as literature or they offer anything on the Bible skip that you don't need to hear from them. Look, we don't teach civil engineering. For example, Aurora quantum physics at and aren't you glad we don't want them teaching about our God, and you as a believer should know that unless you are in extracting being inserted your you know what you called one of the call when the news reporters are embedded if you go to some taken this course sister. This now kicked the hornet's nest, so to speak, and you will have at it. But if it's like what can I learn what's wrong with you saying you're going to charge for that.

But back to this, you know you said of the Bible study with no anointing as his information is nothing if the Heartbreakers they don't even know they have in their hands. But if you go to an anointed Bible study then then the word sounds forth and you recognize that you want more you want to spread it.

I remember being first time I went to a church that really dealt with the word of God. I could remember sitting in the pew suggests amazing. I want to sit here, take it all and I want to go through every book of the Bible with this group of believers, but at the same time, I take it somewhere.

I also want to tell somebody else that you can learn the Scripture and it means something that no man could have ever compiled such a record is this so this church in Thessalonica was started when Paul went out the second time to the first time he goes out you know they're in the church in Antioch in Syria. The Holy Spirit is a separate to be part of Paul and Barnabas may send them out and they go around the start churches they come back to Antioch and then after while Paul says we need to go follow up on these new churches that God has allowed us to plan for him and so they get into this big argument over who's going and who's not. And so they split up and Paul takes a man with him name Silas Silas was one of the officials sent from the church in Jerusalem to oversee the announcement to the Gentiles that they did not have to be Jews to be Christian in the candlelight. Paul, in respect stay with you going back to Jerusalem. This is where is happened. This is the action here Antioch got Gentiles getting saved Jews getting say this is the place debate and Paul said Wallace and I'm I'm going to some places. I'm going deep inside Gentile territory. Are you any outsiders I'm with you. These were going to find more about this man, Silas, but then they go off of the second trip and that's when Paul ends up getting the vision to go into Europe Philippi and then chased out of Philippi, he ends up in Macedonia now this happens to be one of the earliest New Testament writings. James is likely the first one, and you can dispute these to a point, but not my sheets of the small group of letters that we know were early writings for the Christians that have become Scripture, the letter of James, the gospel of Mark, Galatians, and Thessalonians, I think Galatians was first before Thessalonians of all Paul's letters. The Galatian letter was the first one very unique very powerfully love that part where he says, having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect in the flesh made to pay for God you got your salvation you need him anymore is that the case put that on a mirror in the morning, having begun in the spirit. Don't take matters into your own hands, leave them in God's find out where your responsibilities are and find out where God's responsibilities are and work within those parameters is not easy.

Jesus say, but it's harder to live in Christ without it.

And so here we are probably 20 years after the crucifixion, the ascension of Christ. Paul's writing this this letter to believers. What prompted him writing it is that I want to get ahead of myself, but he ends up sending Timothy back to Thessalonica after they were chest chased out and Timothy gives him a word under the richest human carcasses.

Hey, I've just come back from Thessalonica and pay our heart on fire for Christ, and he begins her telling him all the things about the church and Paul says I have got to write them. He writes this this first letter to the Corinthians to further instruct them in the gospel yes and then there alone are going to be huge lessons for any new Christians that are here, and any older Christians that are dealing with new Christians as a huge instructions belonging to that, the very idea surrounding this. This first letter, but he also writes the comfort them because those Christians that were in Thessalonica before they became converts. They were's steeped in idolatry. So when they stepped out.

The severance was severe.

It was an amputation within the society and they received persecution from the Gentiles, and the Jews alike, and yet they didn't back down. In fact infected joy was so intense that word began to spread around the Christian churches in the world about this little church in Thessalonica. Now when Paul shows up to the city.

He and Silas Timothy with them but he and Silas there still showing little spots of blood on the back of their shirts that retained in Philippi, there came in Philippi and chased out those wounds were still fresh on their back these two guys walked into Thessalonica's and enter into the synagogue and start giving it to them right between the eyes toward El Paso, you can save anybody back on the truth. Truth can I save them with and they get chased out of the synagogue move. Big surprise.

Paul was ready for that. His Plan B was playing a reach the lost didn't care what would be who they were, what color they were, would background what culture you have Jesus you hate idols you can and it hasn't changed ever since. Since then, what was he doing with this blood bought testimony scars on their backs from the caning. Not to mention the other beat downs. He's received over the years wanted to tell people how much God loves them.

They wanted to tell people what God was like his nature's characters person what he expected from us what he did not expect from us things that they never would have learned had it not been for Paul, now we start getting into the deeper part of this introduction in the book of acts. In the 17th chapter, when we first read of this church in Thessalonica. Paul again motivated propelled by love. The love for Jesus Christ was his hard drive. That's what pushed him on made him this machine of faith not only him all the apostles in a great many of the disciples since then until this day and in the second verse of acts 17 says Paul, as his custom was went into them, and for three Sabbath reasoned with them from the Scriptures explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying this Jesus whom I preached to you is the Christ, that he is the Messiah and some of them were persuaded some of the Jews and a great multitude of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women joined Paul and Silas, what a rounded ministry June Gentile, male, female, slave or free.

Whoever would come and get it. When I came to Virginia. I asked the Lord what I do not want an all any single ethnic church, black church: a white church.

I don't want you anything but your people everywhere. Any person from anywhere on the planet who loves your word to feel comfortable here. That was the goal still is the goal and I think it has been achieved. Now to Garnet having begun in the spirit not being perfected in the flesh. While this reference here in acts 17 and for those of you who don't know the book of acts is a book that says here the actions of the Holy Spirit inside the lives of those who believe Jesus Christ right after his crucifixion and resurrection and ascension. That's the book of acts. The actions that took place after what we would call Easter what happened after Easter. Read the book of acts you'll find out.

And so this reference here and ask recess with three Sabbath rated as was his custom, he went into than that is into the Sabbath of the these synagogues of the Jews. Three Sabbath does not mean that he only stayed there for three weeks Sabbath is Saturday, but that's all the time he invested in the Jews as a people in their synagogue were carried on after that the Jewish emphasis began to fall to the back and what came to the front was an emphasis on anyone, Jew or Gentile. And this again must still be the case with with Christians. And so we find out that the Philippian church know the church at Philippi not too far, not quite 100 miles from Thessalonica. They sent money to Paul while he was in Thessalonica at least twice at least what it tells us there's did more time there than three weeks. We are also told bullets read that Philippians chapter 4 you. Philippians Paul writing to the Philippians is in a Roman jail is writing to the Philippians about his his time in Thessalonica. Can you follow that you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel. When I departed from Macedonia. No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving. But you only for even in Thessalonica. You sent a once and again for my necessities.

You love that church in Philippi, the Macedonian churches tape would be churches of the day that set the example and our standard to this very day church wants to know how how should we do business. Look at the church at Philippi look at the church at Thessalonica look at the church in Philadelphia and Smyrna and Antioch. You'll find out what church is supposed to be to see how important it is to find out about the Scriptures everything I'm saying to you is just collection of the things that are in the Scriptures met, adding to any of it when you get this from the Bible just afraid to put Scripture references. Behind every statement we never get out of here still like to get out of here is a chance we get rapture before I'm done. Well, in addition to the support he received from Philippi. While in Thessalonica he worked for himself as a tent maker anything, he'll talk about this how he to the church how it bullets read that first Thessalonians chapter 2, four, you remember, brethren, our labor and toil for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to you to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. Man's like we don't want you to think we're here to write you give me $100 and gobbled at that is a scene of and you get thousand dollars back now, whether they sound like that or not is irrelevant. Maybe you but as I hear them. They can be speaking Greek or Chinese or German or anything else that's all I hear them. That is the line prosperity movement that has destroyed countless multitudes of people who could've been great service for Christ. Many of them were attracted by greed others are just ignorant and they think that's the way it's done. Woe to those pastors.

Woe to them when they have to stand before God and and will anyway didn't come here to talk about them will get them and whenever we can. Just because they needed anyway and under some of the some old person at home desperate and thinking that you know if I just give $100 to the church, God's going to bless me. That's the concept of Christianity and there there anyway. These second Thessalonians in the second letter he writes for you yourselves know how you ought to follow us for we were not disorderly among you laid the example to this church and he was. Not ashamed of it and they enjoyed it. He continued, nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us for even when we were with you, we commanded you this if anyone will not work either Shelley or that's harsh, you need to just love them just dumb if that's your approach to life. If you'd like. Throwing money at every problem you just can't broke love the world's definition of it and everything is Philo just that human law has its place but is not supposed to be in every place the agape love is much deeper. It's building something much better.

It is much more of it last forever is the same love that God has towards us were beginning to show towards him and each other and that this is his superior love involves the head and the heart in that order. Fact faith feelings Satan… Spinning around I noticed no less than those of you been here long time. You've heard that many times. Bobby is a good time to bring it up is reminded of the last weekend and you know this to be good. Our faith is based on fact, we do not have with the world court thinks is blind faith. They don't even have on who has that will they do actually just I just couldn't believe that my ancestors did. My ancestors burned incense to this a dance like that. They wore this and that was made them right with God will will is the evidence for this will be driving evidence, but man's uncle Joe used to do it usually is acute in the last rational basis roof for truth Christian comes once I have an unbroken witness that we were just singing that song about God gathering and I shall gather all those that gather they shall come back to their land.

When living in a time as being for Phil right for the rise of biblical prophecy. No one else is God. We have pride proceeds to fault. Just kidding.

Anyway, the Israel all the Jews coming back more and more so slowing down is increasing weariness rail Tour guide was born and Boston Red Sox into to what you did is it educate when the college hero and moved Israel has a term that speaks and speaks the Hebrew language of the foot ceramic did little to what is a short for fluttering so clear that flew too close for comfort. Alternative use that word again but anyway they're still coming back in fulfillment. Who else is this to have the Italians been taken out of their land marched around the planet for 2000 years and put back in Italy and then another coming back. No about about the Swiss watch and Swiss watch anyway and nobody else can can can claim that so we we've got it. We've got the, the genuine article were supposed to live like we have it, but what what happens if Satan it gets us to look at ourselves to become self-centered and more self-centered. Our effectiveness is without fire instead of eight cylinders 1 1/2. I don't know if you can do and I don't I know nothing about cars except I want them to work and I appreciate those who do not.

But would you know I don't want the class or your cylinder head and hidden betterment bugaboo people he was attached.

I don't know that. Can you fix it for me. Same with the dock. The ARI right just give me the needle and go right will anyway.

First Thessalonians chapter 1 verse nine, for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to use another's.

The witness and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. When we get to that verse is one of the great verses of the Bible.

They did not turn from idols to God that would've been a Reformation they turned to God from idols, all of them. They recognize hey there all wrong, except this one is monumental so his impact in about he's probably there about six months when you start, you know, do the calculation for Maxon in the letters and the hidden, not the hidden messages with the ones that are in other letters you come out with about six months and in that time he did not hold back key doctrines of the faith to get to this, but first the transition about what was going on that time in the world. The truth of God up to the time of the day of Pentecost when the church was born. The truth of God was exclusive to the Jewish people and their lying down on the Old Testament. There are some of Aramaic and some of the language for small scale.

It's a Hebrew document and if anyone wanted to have any news about the only true God wanted to hear anything about what God had to say you had to speak to a Jew who thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of first Thessalonians cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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