Tabor Baptist Church

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