1 Thessalonians 1:6-8 (Part C)

God's word had been exclusive to the Hebrew people 2000 years.

If you were going to hear from the God of the Jew you had to hear it from a Jew get anything to save God had anything to say to mankind. It was to the Hebrew people through the Hebrew prophets few exceptions here and there but they were the custodians and proprietors of the oracles of God.

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, and now here's Pastor Rick in the book of first Thessalonians chapter 1 with today's edition of cross reference radio. Paul said I saw the light Thessalonians that I saw the light, you who are converted. You belong to Christ.

You say I saw the light.

God does that and keeps that makes us not only receivers of the faith as they were, but it causes us to be transmitters which we will get verse eight. Well, I'll just read it now, or from you the word of the Lord sounded forth, they received it, they transmitted like the Sea of Galilee water comes in water goes out his life all around it, as opposed to the Dead Sea where the water goes in and that's the end of the story.

The life around the Dead Sea.

Nothing worth talking about. So there is no difference between the Christ, whom Paul preached, and the Christianity that he practiced. They sought they followed him they imitated him and this is been happening ever since Jesus Christ to go into the world and make disciples say going to the world be a mentor to go be a disciple go make disciples process of living the Christian faith. Verse 70 says so that you became examples to all Macedonia and Acadia who believe will hear the word translated examples is the same word as I mentioned earlier translated print in John chapter 20 John 20 verse 25 the other disciples therefore said to him, Thomas. We have seen the Lord so he said to them, and unless I see in his hands print the to pause the example of the nails and put my finger into the print type of the nails and put my hand into his side. I will not believe Thomas became a believer. Of course, his heart was broken when he saw Christ crucified. He thought that was the end of it. If thought it was let down that it wasted three years of his life and all that was so glorious that nothing would ever be the same for him ever again and that was the case. It just didn't work out the way he thought it was so this word again so that you became types. That's what discipleship is to go to others in Macedonia and Acadia.

Macedonia was the northern part of Greece and Acadia was the southern part where Athens and Corinth were in spotter to the north was Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, so Paul is saying to this church. You became the print of Christ. He had earlier written to the Galatians, he said, for I bear on my body the marks of Christ. Let no one trouble me anymore, but they did trouble him. They continued to trouble him. You know the little foxes, that spoil the vine. Those little things that just aren't really do you need to do that you can't reach the grapes. He just kill the validity just go somewhere else. Find a shrew or mouse or something.

Why mess with the vine that would send us as we people who'd who practice sin do they just ruin it for you, told you about years in the earlier years of ministry you have apparently a good day in the pulpit as a pastor. In other words, your coverage appoints doesn't mean it was received well you did well just made your coverage appoints that you felt God gave you that's a good day for pastor who survived and then your home is kinda relaxing.

Think I have the phone rings and someone has some petty little seed of discord, plant troublemaker and said really that necessary. Did you have to had to get my number isn't life like that for all of us have a good day and somebody just has to ruin it. God says look the foxes going to be there till I come back, learn to deal with it is one of the worst parts of ministry a good day, so-and-so zapped and they ever read Proverbs God hates those who sow seeds of discord amongst brethren. You better just shut your mouth know what I am saying is better than what God said I anyway. These these Thessalonians appear to us to be too busy and above all of this why do I say these things because they depict cannot be unsaid.

That's why they do this in other churches and all you do it here we have a room upstairs with a swinging light in a chair in the middle.

We catch you sowing seeds of discord. When I got up which of the church yet and take up to that room.

Jesus said this is not right will get forgiveness after you get the beating. Okay I am to my phone with Alan per se no more. We have so much more here. I want to get to this for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Acadia but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything that's a mouthful.

Here they are. This radio station transmitting broadcasting God's word says the word of the Lord in Colossians Paul said the word of Christ logo's crystals is saying he is Lord he is equal with God, the Colossians chapter 3 verse 16 let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord again.

This is not me walking that's giving to me.

I want to admonish you, could you come you please, I'm the mentor slid the Christian life. If you live the Christian life. Those who are doing wrong will be admonished in the body. It is a self-correcting feature of the church is often time neglected because no one wants to say what needs to be said has sounded forth again the word there for sounded forth in the Greek is to as good, although you were blowing a trumpet or a funder to echoes nowhere else used in the New Testament. You might want to know so you can see them in the marketplaces sounding for the word. There they going out of the market in the getting some some grapes because the box foxes didn't get to those lines and their buying whatever it is and and they someone says well you know, may Zeus be with you all. I no longer burn incense to Zeus. I have found the only true God who loves me died for me who's vanquished my sin and sins, past, present, future, and remains within my heart. Jesus Christ the Nazarene, son of God became man hunting for me. Looking for me, searching for me, wanting me warning me, that's what I follow. Now keep your little Zeus. I've got Jesus that cause a lot of problems for a lot of people, but also cost the conference. They have bold enough and if you not bold what you need to be bold or they may have just say said to them no now I worship Jesus Christ God son Savior.

That's the acronym in the Greek the tests. The fish expels fish but it's an acronym in the Greek and the early church viewed themselves as fishers of men. That's why they were here on earth. They were into it really that was that was the main thing all the other things were logistical they supported that they were about saving souls had a burden for the lost. We have a burden for lost things often times, lost opportunities, lost possessions, what about the lost souls under those and managed to go home and sell all your stuff you just give it to me doesn't mean anything like that means it's just align your life up with what God is doing. Because of all Christian suggest gave all their stuff away. You know, the world would say we want to, religion can be a breach must be led by the Holy Spirit. He says not only in Macedonia and a tear that's that's huge because what was happening in Thessalonica was spilling over to Athens and Corinth and Santerķa and beyond. And this is where the message starts getting exciting. The Thessalonians, sounded forth the word because that's what Paul did to them will read about that in the second chapter in first couple of verses verse one to get right to it. Not not right now and it it makes it clear that the offense in Philippi. The beating in Philippi. Strikingly clear, impacted the people to whom he preached what he says but also in every place. That means their witness spread from the merchants in the market the soldiers to the travelers the pilgrims to anybody and everybody in Thessalonica well that would've been the end of it.

Perhaps if Thessalonica located in place like policy like this valley, but has been city, but that was not the case of Thessalonica still is, in the case of the city. In ancient Greece. To this day I've been reminding you that running across this area of the world right across right through Thessalonica was the nation way the VA nation 696 miles of Roman road that is not a little detail of the story is not just a geographical it's huge has everything to do with the word going as Paul says also in every place the movement of the gospel went from Thessalonica through the world have to talk about the syllabus. Just bear with me.

I mentioned as I said it already was a major trade route. It touched three CDs and was linked up with one of the greatest roads of the Roman Empire, so there to the West was the Adriatic Sea and its port and you could go down to the Adriatic Sea and you could get a ship going many places but just 50 miles across the Adriatic Street there. You'd end up in the port of Brindisi in Italy that is the starting point of the Appian Way the Appian Way went straight to Rome. I've been to Brindisi right now is just like an industrial town lease.

We talked all the time I been there a few times I've extra you know, here's a message to you younger Christians know Jesus now.

Don't wait to look back and say boy, if I were lonelier Christian that I think about the places I've been in the world and that part of the world as an unbeliever as a rank unbeliever. I missed out. As I looked at the sea. As I was in Greece and Turkey. In his other plays that it is that we know Paul was over here sent by Jesus Christ with the message that nobody else got changed the whole world. We date out checks now by Jesus Christ. Caesar is gone is written reduced to a salad dressing so traveling up into the South to the south. Once I was right there in Thessalonica that was their poor was the Aegean Sea. But before we get to the Aegean Sea. We go further to the east of the Bosporus Straits there at the Black Sea. The road ended at that point Diggnation way the travel from go for walk from Rome through the Appian Way, catch a boat from Brindisi across to the port of Adriatic and then walk the nation wake Bruce Thessalonica onto the Black Sea, and then parts unknown.

There the Caucasian is where the caucus mountains and all that they funeral today. There are Afghanistan and in data standing and here's a stand and everywhere as a stand, but the hordes of people that were over in that part of the world want to rush her and in many other parts and so what you you should be getting it an idea of that.

This Thessalonica was a hub that reached the world, but to the south was the Aegean Sea and you could just get on a boat and you can sail right on over tapas is one of the large cities.

One of the seven wonders of the world.

You could go to Sardis from there and at Sardis there was a road that went from Sardis 1500 miles past Baghdad mail route going through there also which inspired the model today of of the post office note.

Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor blue light nights are keep disappointed couriers from their rounds, which is not true any one is like an inch. No mail got. I have my junk mail makes me feel better about myself but anyway superior to the people sent yes I'm still great. Look at the smell anyway.

So from the Aegean. See you in touch. Athens and Corinth and spotter and Turkey and Syria and Israel and Egypt and beyond.

So when he says the word sounded forth from you they were telling the gospel and people were taking it to all parts of the world that may not have been in this polished form but by the time more polished Christians arrived they were ready as naval gunfire they were prepping the beach. There were getting it ready for others to come along.

One man plants another ward, God causes the increase.

You do not know what your role is just do what you're told and let God do the rest. And so we think of it this way.

Millions of people exposed. Because of this Thessalonian church police potentially so. And when we look at the genius of the synoptic Gospels Matthew Mark and Luke, John is not one of the synoptic Gospels, and that is not telling the just of the student doesn't synchronize with with the other three and tell the story of Christ birth and life and crucifixion and resurrection as the other three removed the stick to that John when he writes his gospel he saying listen I want to tell you this Jesus Christ is God Almighty, so he had a different mission but the synoptic Matthew Mark and Luke. Matthew we know wrote his gospel with Jewish people in mind he presents Christ as the king.

He points to the prophets is the style that he writes with was fit for the Jews.

Now remember we talked about this in Colossians and probably earlier letters God's word had been exclusive to the Hebrew people for 2000 years.

If you are going to hear from the God of the Jews. You had to hear it from a Jew had anything to save God had anything to say to mankind.

It was to the Hebrew people through the Hebrew prophets few exceptions here and there but they were the custodians and proprietors of the oracles of God, the law of Moses, though the law of Moses was not given in Jerusalem. The law of Moses was given in the Arabian desert that was sort of an indicator. The guy was saying, listen this. This is beyond just a particular people and so when Matthew wrote his gospel he had the Jew in mind. But what we have is a New Testament because of the Hebrew prophets so God had put in place his word and preserve it through them.

Well why wife is just going to, you know, reporting to the Dead Sea. Will is not he's going to spread it to the world and then comes Mark who probably wrote before, Matthew and Mark in his writing. He had the Romans in mind, and he knew that the Roman people were people of action. They were builders and they were soldiers, and when Mark writes he gets right to the point and immediately booming and immediately boom and he writes this way because it appeals to their style, their way of thinking Roman Empire was given to them the gospel through a man such as Mark and so Luke, who writes to a Greek thinking mind your Roman Mike Reidel glass too many words too many parables. I need action so you know Mark would be right down his alley and God, who had the Roman empire in place who had Roman peace in place of the effective this Roman peace throughout the world of the Western civilization allowed the apostles to travel from city to city on the Roman seas from the Adriatic, the Aegean, or any other port that they would leave from on these Roman roads that had been engineered and guarded by Roman soldiers. So what you see is the gospel being facilitated so I could get on the a nation way that was built by Romans guarded by Romans and I could walk to the Bosporus Strait hang at the Seaport. There, that Roman control to get her grain or whatever goods and things she was moving through her civilization, her commerce I could use these vehicles to bring the gospel and the roads were extensive.

The seas were fast. The loss stabilized was a great benefit to being able to be free enough to preach Paul at one point said I am a Roman citizen why are you beating me they got very nervous and so my point is you see God preparing and preserving the word through the Jew you see God preparing the roads and the sea ways for the traffic of the word and then Luke, who wrote to the Greek mind, because after Pentecost, when God had something to say to this people. He said it in the Greek language. He said it to Gentiles through the Jews put the Gentiles in Thessalonica. Father was not broadcasting and they weren't used.

Most of them were not there were some of the majority of them were Gentiles, and now their broadcasting the Hebrew preserve Scriptures as well as the newly birth Gentile Scriptures to all the world through the resources given by Rome in a language that all the world can understand enough like pig Latin it's you know English but you get the everybody can communicate or you can have a a a German engineer at a mine in a gold mine in in Africa somewhere and he can speak to the people working in the minor speak some African language in pig Latin enough to get the work done so God's masterful stroke was preparing the planet for the broadcast of God's word. Were we doing today what a lot of churches doing very good. A lot of it is not, that's really irrelevant if I can say well I'm part of the one that is what we all think that this can back it up from Scripture and so this wonderful moment in Scripture is quite powerful and I'm going to close with this or he says your faith toward God has gone out here in verse eight, so that we do not need to say anything. No promotional advertisement was necessary. It was as though God said to Paul, I'm going to make those beatings you been taking account. I am not going to waste the stripes on your back and the lumps on your head. I am going to bring converts from the ministry that you have close with this section from Romans chapter 10 beginning in verse 13 whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How that shall they call on him in whom they have not believe and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach unless they are sent. As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace will bring glad tidings of good things, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report. So then faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God that's with this happening in Thessalonica. That's what was happening on those seasonals waterways by one and with this today in America. Our message is more corrective than fresh fresh in the sense of have you heard of Jesus Christ. That's not our message here in America everybody has heard of him. They just don't know what it means most of the time and so we have to correct that by presenting the right view of Christ, and I can say in my own life as a Christian in those days when I preach that the workbook jobsites. That's what it was correcting you, not a Christian, why not let me tell you why you not let me see if I get this right you been betrayed by a Christian, you want some Christians say they were Christian and live like a devil. You've gotten things from churches that care nothing about God's word but they use his name and you think that's Christianity question you have to resolve for yourself is that you can be dumb enough to believe one side of the story.

This is a constant in life. Whether you are a pastor, a parent citizen. A person in warm you are is two sides to every story and it is good to hear them both out to some extent we get to that we get the Proverbs. This way we get from the Scriptures, but some of you don't need from Scripture, you know, is two sides to every story. That's why gossip is so damaging to go sowing seeds of discord, goddesses, whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are true. No, just pure, lovely, any good report meditate on those things 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 will 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.

You can search for cross reference radio in your favorite podcast app as well. That's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time.

It's Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of first Thessalonians, right here on cross reference rate