Book of 1st Thessalonians: Introduction (Part C)

Also look I'd like to have a little country church to that's not reality is the way it is and that your reality, but argued that it's really not the gospel he looked for big hits. He wanted to know where can I put myself to as many people as possible can get the word fully realize that they could do it in a city, yes, but that wasn't enough. So you do it in big cities and it go along the line to all the others as the center of his ministry. And from that center, radiating out to be his converts and disciples taking it to all other little places on earth. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Ricky 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, and now here's Pastor Rick as he continues introducing us to the book of first Thessalonians in first Thessalonians chapter 1 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 it to the church how well it's read that first Thessalonians chapter 2 for 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 God will add that as a Sansone and you can 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 have been great service for Christ. Many of them were attracted by greed. Others are just ignorant and I think this is the way it's done. Woe to those pastors. Woe to them when they have to stand before God and and well anyway didn't come here to talk about them would get them in whenever we can.

Just because they needed anyway and under some of the some old person at home desperate and thinking then 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, he 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 but 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 in the Shelley E. Oh, that's harsh, you need to just love them you just dumb if that's your approach to life.

If you yes like throwing money at every problem you just can't throw 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 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 phase 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 up on who has that will they do actually just obstinately because 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 where's the evidence for this will be diving evidence, but man's uncle Joe used to do it usually so cute in the last rational basis roof for truth Christian comes once I have an unbroken witness it. 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 the time is being fulfilled right in front of our eyes is biblical prophecy. No one else is God. We have pride proceeds default. Just kidding. Anyway, the Israel all the Jews coming back more and more so slowing down is increasing weariness rail tour guide was born in Boston Red Sox into to what you did as an educator. When the college hero and moved Israel has a term that speaks and speaks the Hebrew language of the flipped around like a little Jew flexes a short for fluttering so clear that this little too close for comfort. Alternate use that word again but anyway if this still coming back in fulfillment. Who else is this had 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 one anyway and nobody else can can can claim that so we we've got it.

We've got the genuine article were supposed to live like we have it, but what what happens is Satan. It gets us to look at ourselves to become self-centered and self-centered. Our effectiveness is now 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 you know I don't want the class or your cylinder head and hidden betterment movement people he was attached. I don't know that.

Can you fix it for me. Same with the doctor yeah I write, just give me the needle and go right one. Anyway, first Thessalonians chapter 1 verse nine, for they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you know there'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 say they're 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 and the letters in 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 language gone on the Old Testament. There are some in Aramaic and heal the some of the language there is a small scale heat. It's a Hebrew document and if anyone wanted to have any news about the only true God, if you wanted to hear anything about what God had to say you had to speak to a Jew. Not only that the Jew wouldn't tell you, unless you became one of them converted. That meant offering you circumcision you be safe was more hurt and and this was I'm not making light of it because when a Gentile heard that if you know what, I'm not things that are no that's what happened and Paul recognizes early and he began to put into this kind of study make converts like this, people going to hell over the ritual that a painful ritual. I did notice Stop and he did that remarkable accomplishment is so for centuries the Jews had been the recipients the custodians the sole proprietors of what God said. That all changed the birth of the church not immediately but it was rather quick. When you look at that, you know, if you decades and all of a sudden the Gentiles were flooding into the church.

They became the majority in the church and from that point from Pentecost forward. Scripture was no longer written in Hebrew, but Greek.

The Gentile language. It was the language of the Roman Empire where all those roads that lead to Rome. They lead somewhere else and on those roads traveling were those who could communicate the message of God in a common language got new what he was doing to very detailed. In fact, Thessalonian church debris in church the church so all these churches were along the via Ignatius of the nation way was a road going from the Aegean Sea all the way to Pontus And Tokyo to the area in Turkey owed all the way across and and in these key cities. These big cities were located along this road.

Paul targeted cities so he could get the word out to so many of the Proverbs, Amanda isolates himself not doing a good thing Paul said look, I like to have a little country church two. That's not reality unless you are in the country has the way it is and that your reality but to target that it's really not the gospel he looked for big hits.

He wanted to know where can I put myself to as many people as possible can get the word fully realize that they could do it in a city, yes, but that wasn't enough to do it in big cities and it go along the line to all the others as the center of his ministry.

And from that center, radiating out would be his converts and disciples taking it to all other little places on earth. The Gentoo, the Jews did not like this. They did not want the gospel themselves nor did they want the Gentiles to have no this is not anti-somatic. This is how it was the Jew -dependent wrote the Bible were predominantly Jewish is not us. It's not a ethnic thing it how the cultures of how the culture was a cultural thing that doesn't mean it just because it's culture doesn't mean it's good and all what speaks of what the people of done with themselves actually what he did not want to have the gent the Gentiles to have this message about the Messiah coming to see when the Jew thought of the Messiah. They were confused.

Mother was one that suffers and is one that triumphs the really want to interested in the suffering, the silos they were suffering, but they still looking for that. The hero to come to take away all their enemies and what they failed to do is to understand there were two comings of their Messiah will that's the Thessalonian latter.

There's two comings of the Messiah is Christ coming to earth.

And then there's Christ leaving and coming back again. The second Thessalonian and so these are the things that he was taking in his travels.

He was so effective in Thessalonica living like this.

They chased him out of the city. He goes on to Maria.

He starts to evangelize to the Jews in Berea, there were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica and that the receipt of the Scriptures would lead us and search the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. But then those Jews from Thessalonica were rounded up good men of the baser sort chased Paul out of their followed him to Berea to chase him and hello to preaching it here either, so he heads on to Athens and when he goes to Athens. He leaves Silas, who we mentioned earlier, and Timothy behind and in Berea they then catch up to him in Athens. You know, said the Romans were the ones I would say in Athens you could find the God faster than you can find a man there played other places like that in Tibet. All their displays around the world that there are more gods than people.

Well this just declares that Manus incurably religious because God made him that way.

But what sin has done to man is muddy the waters so that a man has a choice. She's either going to go with what he likes boys going to go with what is true and if he can get the to to match. She's converted well. These two men Paul and Silas Silas.

They come to Greece and Athens and they catch up with Paul. Paul dispatches Timothy back to Thessalonica to see as much activity is happening wherever these guys are going. They have got the word of God. That's what this sharing in the travels.

You think Timothy didn't speak anybody traveling back and forth in the ancient world of Garcia Zola, Silas and and Titus all the rest of them preaching the word of God. That's what they live for and Silas stays in Athens. Paul goes on to Corinth along Timothy then catches up and Silas catches up to Paul in Corinth with Paul starting on the church. We cannot print the letters from. Of course he has this wonderful news about the church and Thessalonian.

As I mentioned earlier, and then Paul writes the first letter to the Thessalonians and sends Timothy back with the letter. So that's where we get now as to the teaching of this is what I meant would be closing in a minute. After the teaching of what was going on being beneficial to new converts a date and those of you who been Christian for a while and yet you maybe not realized what works according to the Scripture and the sharing of the deeper things of the faith. You think that you have to dumb it down there many churches that every Sunday morning they preached the same gospel message to the same people and as a result, they stay doing God's work where if you maybe build up the believers of this my understanding of from Scripture, if we build you up, you go out into the world and you may converts that's how it how it goes. Otherwise, what you converting them to know I'm not saying all the God's work through that.

But I'm saying this not how I see it from the Scripture, God looks at me says Rick. The things you do that on the way they're supposed to be done but I'm in work for you anyway.

What you do not tell the people also there are other churches other than Dawn doing things the way that are ideal for with Christ when he worked with them anyway. That's how it is with all of us at put a disclaimer on their also getting emails when you think you're perfect. Yes, yes, and that back and see anyway the teaching and the fruit. What made these Christians so strong in the face of the persecution they got right away is information about God. They knew why they were getting the beat downs and they felt this was better than not getting getting a beat down for things that were false. I can latch onto a lie and escape the persecution or I can hold to the truth that is eternal has everything to do with where I'm going.

When I leave this planet and and catch a beating.

I'll take the beating. After all, remember the two men that brought the gospel to them. They were still aching from the gospel. That's what it cost, and so in this letter. These two letters. Paul's going speak of salvation okay as we get to convert sanctification.

The development of what happens to you after you get converted assurance of the faith will worry warts may still save I was was Jesus thing to me today coordinate a bad think assurance in the midst of that is going to teach on the Trinity know about God will way how he's presented himself to us and as I mentioned, you have to know about yourself.

The nature of man. He teaches on this, the resurrection, medical person you are and preach the gospel preached the resurrection without the resurrection memo gospel. This was all about Christ died. He was dead and he got up again and nobody could stop in the record is invincible again.

It's a short walk from Jerusalem to the empty tomb is empty now. If they wanted to say where going to show you.

Jesus did not rise was short walk in the district the whole crowd over they got little camcorders out of made of stone.

Back then, and they could've recorded the whole thing.

How come they didn't do it because he wasn't there. That's why well, the day of the Lord he gave them end time prophecy new believers six months.

He gives them end times as ecological instruction teaches them about the return of Christ what's going to happen on earth all went to the time of the antichrist which Paul did not know was 2000 Years Way. 1930 thereabout. But it is so far the clock is still running. It is an amazing testimony to the teacher's thoroughness and their willingness to learn and so we started out with Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

That's what is happening there. Let me ask you, maybe your say I'm a Christian, but you really hungry and thirsty for these things. Can you just get to the part where I'm going to get a good job on going to be all right tomorrow. Listen, if I'm having tough times.

I want to hear that too, but I I understand that the foundation of everything about me must be built on God's word. All of it.

I cannot cherry pick it and so to this day there are entire denominations over hundred years old.

These nominations and the people in their congregations are very vague and knowledgeable at all about end times and get this church was powerful in the midst of persecution driving because they have the word of God.

I am speed this up almost done.

Paul said that this church was a model church say how did they get that was we busy discussing. He gave them core doctrines of the Christian faith.

First Thessalonians chapter 1 verse seven, you became examples to all in Macedonia and Acadia who believe you this little no charge. You became an example to everybody who believes I want to be that I want to be in that type of the church.

I want to church that again. They may not like us to respect us. Why do they respect us because we giving it everything we have, to follow the Lord in spite of our weaknesses without taking away the high standards of God. You know in this society. Increasingly, you're not free to stand up. We sent just so that you know you know we do the quotes on Facebook once a month or once a week.

I don't take them. They are, they would be better if I pick them.

But anyway, you mention the word homosexuality in this society and the Christians get free he ever going to be used by God to reach those who are caught in that if you are afraid to deal with it does not mean that written again, you don't always have to say welding all week. We hate the sin we love us okay. That's a given. Get past those basic things as most of the deeper things that there is a loving God, and he wants everyone that is born on this condition is terms. That's it is terms and trying to revise Scripture. This happens to be the hot one right now, but this is same for fornicators for adulterers for murderers for cut those will cover whoever they are. So when the church says listen if you're saying your Christian and you are practicing those sins and you have no problem with it. We have to disfellowshipped you that's all with taking the believers because we expect them to be in that, but not to belabor the believer supposed to say I renounce those things I have repented.

I am regenerated 3Rs, there core doctrines of the Christian faith. When a Christian says I'm going to put the sin down.

God says I'm going pick you up when the Christian says like that salvation thing Savior, Lord asked this harsh board next to be saying one big moment call master's right exactly. So my point is that we have many Christians who are afraid to forward electronically. Things that harsh sinner want to fly back. You know, each person has to just be led by the Spirit you just can't do the things the pastor said so and when Jason posted this on the Facebook we both said well it's look for foxhole and get rated fire back, not just dark but it didn't happen that way. So far what we, God, what I think a good could be the quote surely is not good or its I'm touching that well back to this.

So what I'm saying Christians is where we are supposed to love and we do but we are not supposed to water down God's word is it not disgusting when you find somebody going to tell you about salvation in the warded it down so that anybody can get saved Lenny the dock can come into the flock now because you've put together. And if that's what we are approaching a society so we have truth and love never love without truth.

Truth always comes first. Jesus that I am the way the truth and truth and the life. God is love. That's right with but truth without love is brutality. Sometimes it gets lost in our passion. Sometimes we are distracted and doesn't come across the way it does. But God causes all things to work together for the good and you've got a trust and believe this is so that's pretty much it. Close with this. The foundation of all that was happening is that first again to repeat first Thessalonians deals with the coming of Christ as it will affect the church, Christ is coming wait for him. That's the first letter the second letter dealing with this impact the coming of Christ and his impact on in the world wait for him and work while you're waiting, that is, the book of Nehemiah battling and building at the same time. Somebody here is a love the Lord Jesus Christ and you just gotta sin you can't seem to get the victory over Satan house you would choose you want to fight this thing. Will let me tell you, you continue battling while you're building. Don't just battle the sin bill at the same time send a message to hell. You may have me tied down on my left in my right hand can still swing a hammer. That's the idea church is nothing but perfect people.

We do it all right. No perfect in our understanding of the fundamentals because God has made them clear.

That's what were perfect. Move 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. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio.

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