Hope for a Weary Day
Bible Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 | Preacher: Geoff Gobbett | Series: Visiting Preachers | Introduction
We live in unprecedented times – the current Covid-19 pandemic
What will the historians think?
It has not purged our sinful nature
Hostility remains to the Christian faith
The world is a dark place
Consider times before the 18th Century evangelical awakening
We are nearer to the New Testament morals than we have ever been
We live in a monolithic anti-God situation
Yet God did marvelous things with the New Testament Church
The things that happened in Thessalonica happened by the Holy Spirit
Looking at v9-10: Hope for a weary day
This is a very positive letter
There is hope for us in the gospel
It is hope inducing
However, if we take our eyes off the gospel – we will become discouraged
Overview:
Six Things
1. It changes lives
It changed my life – personal example
It interrupted my life
It interrupted the lives of the Thessalonians (v3-5)
Has it changed your life?
What happened?
They turned to God (v9) …
… from idols (v9) …
… to serve the living and the true God (v9)
Those that don’t know God are idolators
There can be many idols – examples
Are any of these keeping you back from loving God
There is no co-existence between your idol and God
You must repent
You cannot go back to the world but you serve God
It changes lives
2. It displays the love of God
The Gospel shows us the love of Jesus
Jesus shows us the love of God – in His ministry
The Gospel is love speech
(It is not hate speech – examples)
Love for the lost
It brings hope
It displays the love of God
3. It highlights the sovereignty of God
Each conversion is a miracle of God
We are enabled to turn to the “living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven” (v9)
We are now called friends
The friendship of Jesus is closer than any friendship on earth
We must yield to Jesus
Heb 13:8
We must bow down to God
Personal example
It highlights the sovereignty of God
4. It magnifies His word
The Gospel is word centered (v5)
v7-8
The testimony of the Thessalonians rang out
Is our live so Christ centered that people recognise this in us?
Example of the relay race
We are passing the baton onto the nest generation
It magnifies His word
5. It humbles man
How opposite are these words from the way of the world
Explanation and example
The gospel humbles
When Jesus Christ works in your life by grace – He humbles you
v9
6. It points to final redemption
We are going to heaven and glory
We are to wait for His Son (v10)
It is not a fantasy – it will happen
Only Jesus rescues
You cannot be half in and half out
You must be wholly in Christ – otherwise you will be swept to judgment
Trust in Him – hold onto Him