Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell ©1996

 

The Value Of One  

 

When Harvey Penick died at the age of ninety, the world of golf lost one of its greatest teachers.

Although his books have sold millions of copies, he was remembered most for his direct impact on people.

An associated press story stated, " Penick refused to teach methods or group lessons, instead applying his wisdom to the talents of individual players.

" Tom Kite, the leading money winner in PGA Tour history, was 13 when he began working with Penick.

Ben Crenshaw began learning the game from Penick at the age of 6. Penick, who could have spent his life speaking to crowds, chose to invest himself in people - many of them children - one at a time.

*/The apostle Paul also invested himself in individuals/*.

He reproduced his ministry in the lives of believers.

Introduction

 

Today I would like to continue on from where I left off in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2. We saw that Paul listed out his characteristics as a servant of God.

We saw that he had a ministry which was blameless.

In the first 12 verses of 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 we see that his ministry had 3 distinctive qualities.

It was 

 

1.Resilient.

(He bounced back after persecution)

2.Recommended.

(He was approved by God)

3.Righteous.

(He sincerely cared for the church like a caring father & nursing mother)

 

*1 Thessalonians 2:13*/ /describes their response: /For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

/ 

 

Paul recalls the results of his ministry.

Paul says " he gives thanks to God constantly for the way the Thessalonians responded to the word of God." */Paul gives thanks to God because:/*

/1.      //1.

They received the word/.

& /2.

They reproduced the word./

The apostle Paul had a  1.

Received Ministry

 

/a.

They Appreciated the Word/

 

Paul uses two words in verse 13 to describe this.

Firstly he says that they *received* the word.

The word *received* means to/ " accept from another.

" / */This relates to hearing with the ears./*

This does not guarantee salvation to anyone.

This is simply becoming aware of the message by listening.

This is necessary and we should desire to hear God's word taught.

This should be a high priority in our lives, but we must go further than just hearing the word.

/ /

/b.

They/ /Appropriated the Word /

 

The second word is *welcomed* and this means/ " to take the message in.

" *This relates to hearing with your heart.*/

This says a lot about the Thessalonians faith.

Not only did they listen to the message that Paul preached, they also took it into their hearts.

This message was very important to them and they cherished it.

They made it a part of their lives.

/But why did they respond this way?/ /Why did they take the message so seriously?/

In verse 13 we read " / you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, /" The Thessalonian believers saw beyond the human messengers to the divine origin of the Gospel.

They recognised that the message was the very word of God and consequently treated it with great respect.

Because of this they listened to the message and welcomed it into their lives.

They meditated on it and related it to their lives./

*They appropriated it.*/

Judging a Masterpiece

 

I once read of a conversation in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

One of the curators of the museum, a man with great appreciation for art, overheard two men discussing a masterpiece.

One man said to the other, " I don't think much of that painting.

" The curator, feeling obliged to reply to the man's statement, said to him, " Dear sir, if I may interrupt, that painting is not on trial; you are.

The quality of the painting has already been established.

Your disapproval simply demonstrates the frailty of your measuring capability.

Critics of the Bible

 

*Similarly* their are many critics of the Bible.

So called learned men who say that the Bible is irrelevant and full of mistakes.

These men sit in judgement upon the word of God.

They claim they are unbiased and can present an accurate appraisal of the Bible.

But without any solid evidence they ask us to believe their own opinions because they have some degree or title after their name.

They can not disprove the historical facts of the Bible, yet rule it out because it challenges their lifestyle and makes them accountable to a sovereign God.

Well the fact of the matter is that the Bible is not on trial they are.

The Bible has already been established as God's Word.

This is what the Thessalonians believed.

/But after hearing God's word and recognising its value to us we must go a step further./

The Thessalonians did.

/c.

They/ /Applied the Word/

 

The result of all of this is that the word worked effectively in their lives through faith.. Verse 13 says /" in you who believe."  / This verb is in the present tense showing the continuing nature of their faith.

It also shows that the way to salvation is by faith.

In *James 1:25* we are told to be doers of the word and not forgetful hearers.

The Thessalonians were not forgetful hearers, they worked out their faith in everyday life.

Application

 

/How do you treat God's word ?

With respect or do you doubt its authenticity?

Do you believe it is inerrant?

Or have you come to doubt some of its content because of the world's critics?/ /Do you appreciate God's word ?

Are you listening to it?

Do you appropriate it and take it to heart?

Are you applying God's word in your life?

/This is what God expects us to do.

/Are you?/

 

*/Paul also had a  /*2.

Reproduced Ministry.

*1 Thessalonians 2:13b-14*/ For you, brethren, became *imitators* of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus.

For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans,/  

 

The Story of Richard Hadlee

 

About 8 years ago the New Zealand cricket team had quite a formidable bowling attack.

There was a medium pace bowler Euwen Chatfield who could tie down an end for a long time with tight bowling.

And then there was a fast bowler named Richard Hadlee.

Hadlee had great bowling skill and caused the ball to move off the seam both ways.

He was once interviewed and asked how he had improved his game so much.

He said that he modelled his bowling style after another great bowler Dennis Lillee.

He watched Lillee bowl and even studied videos of his bowling.

He learnt well and captured some 400 plus wickets in a long and successful career.