Sermon Tone Analysis

Since God first revealed it to mankind, the plan of redemption has been a bittersweet reality.

One finds sweetness in contemplating the bliss and glory of eternal life that awaits those who embrace the gospel.

By contrast, one finds only bitterness in the endless shame and punishment of eternal damnation that awaits those who reject the gospel.

That contrast is never more strikingly seen than when one compares people who have made the most of limited spiritual opportunity to people who have squandered great spiritual opportunity and privilege.

Throughout redemptive history, the Jews have exemplified the latter reality, which illustrates the ultimate tragedy of apostasy.

On the other hand, the Thessalonians epitomized the former reality and believed God’s truth after only a brief initial exposure to it.

This striking contrast is the object of the apostle Paul’s focus in 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16.

He distinguishes sharply between a people to be glad for, the believing Thessalonians, and a people to be sad for, the unbelieving Jews.

In just a few weeks, the Thessalonians readily chose the blessing of obedience to the gospel of God, whereas after centuries of revelation from God, the Jews stubbornly chose the cursing resulting from disobedience to the gospel.

Such opposite responses to God’s truth and grace prompted Paul to sort out the reasons he rejoiced for the Thessalonians and sorrowed for the Jews.

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I. PEOPLE TO BE GLAD FOR

* /"For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,"/ (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14, NASB95)

#.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy had ministered only a short while in Thessalonica when they saw miraculous results from their preaching

* /"And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people."/

(Acts 17:2-5, NASB95)

!! A. THE APOSTLE’S FEARS

#. like most cities of the Roman Empire, Thessalonica was a community saturated with immorality and strong pagan religious environment

#. though a large number of God-fearing Greeks had come to faith in Christ, the Apostle Paul had spent only a few months in the city, and he was concerned that the Thessalonians’ faith might have faltered

#. consequently, after leaving Thessalonica, Paul sent Timothy back there to check on the church’s progress

* /"For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain."/

(1 Thessalonians 3:5, NASB95)

#. this is the great burden and the heartache of many ministers of the Gospel – witnessing the collapse of a once steadfast faith of believers who began the race well, but who have faltered along the way

!! B. THE APOSTLE FEARS PROVED UNFOUNDED

* /"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,"/ (1 Thessalonians 3:6, NASB95)

#. that positive report prompted this expression of gratitude for the Thessalonians

#.

Paul was always thankful for the privilege of ministry, and he ceaselessly acknowledged God as the One who empowered the truth through him

#. he had already expressed this to the Thessalonians when he opened his letter

* /"We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;"/ (1 Thessalonians 1:2, NASB95)

#. in verses 13-14 the Apostle Paul rehearses the reasons he had to constantly thank God for the Thessalonians

#.

Reason #1: The Thessalonians’ Reception Of God’s Word

* /“ ... that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe."/ (1 Thessalonians 2:13, NIV)

#.

The Thessalonians had been open and receptive in listening to the preaching from Paul, Silas, and Timothy

#. what they preached was not some slick message of their own, but the word of God

#. the phrase the word of God which you heard from us literally reads, “A word heard from us out from God”

#. the missionaries spoke the words, but those words came from God

#. the word of God, is infinitely superior to the words of human reasoning, opinion, or philosophic thought

#. unlike the word of men, the Word of God is not empty, inert, or powerless

#. the verb rendered performs its work means to work effectively, efficiently, and productively on a supernatural (divine) level

* /"So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."/

(Isaiah 55:11, NASB95)

#.

God’s Word always performs His purposes in the lives of all who believe

#. like most large cities of that day, Thessalonica attracted many false philosophers and religious teachers

#. its residents had undoubtedly heard a wide range of human wisdom and rhetoric

#. but, in contrast to all others, when they heard the preaching of Paul and his companions, they accepted it as truth from God

#. the heard the message with their mind, and allowed it to sink into their hearts, embracing the Gospel with saving faith

#.

Reason #2: The Thessalonians’ Honoring Of The Saints

* /“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea,”/ (2:14a)

#. the proof of their complete acceptance of the gospel and the Lord of that gospel is that the church in Thessalonica had first, become imitators of the apostle and his coworkers, Silas and Timothy

* /"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,"/ (1 Thessalonians 1:6, NASB95)

#. then, they had become imitators of the believers in Judea, giving him further reason to be thankful to God for His work in saving the Thessalonians

#. though the Thessalonians probably had never been to the churches in Judea to see a pattern they could follow, the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work was making the Thessalonian church a duplicate of His work in Judea

#. wherever God’s Spirit is at work, several characteristics will develop within a local congregation

#.

Worship

#.

Discipleship

#.

Evangelism

#.

Fellowship

#.

Ministry

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Reason #3 The Thessalonians’ Perseverance In Suffering

* /"... for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,"/ (1 Thessalonians 2:14, NASB95)

#. the Judean churches had a history of dealing with severe harassment, and had persevered in suffering – an experience the Thessalonian church was now imitating

* /"But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things."/

(Acts 17:5-8, NASB95)

#.

Paul and his companions left Thessalonica immediately after the mob uproar, but it is likely that the persecution resumed and intensified during the subsequent weeks before Paul sent this epistle from Corinth

#. the Thessalonians nevertheless triumphed in their sufferings, being joyful in affliction

#. these three reason gave evidence to Paul of their true conversion and thus the culmination of his thanks to God for them

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II.

A PEOPLE TO BE SAD FOR

* /"who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out.

They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins.

But wrath has come upon them to the utmost."/

(1 Thessalonians 2:15-16, NASB95)

#.

The Apostle Paul now makes and unusually abrupt transition as he begins his criticism of the Jews

#. the unbelieving Jews were the tragic antithesis of the believers in Thessalonica

#. such a harsh, condemning outburst as this against the Jews was not unusual for Paul, in light of their long-standing, persistent resentment of the apostle, which began shortly after his conversion

#. in Paul’s life, the warnings of Jesus were prophetic

* /"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’

If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

“But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me."/ (John 15:18-21, NASB95)

#. the Book of Acts chronicles numerous examples of the Jews’ hostility toward the Apostle Paul

#.

In Acts 13, when the Jews observed Paul and his companions effectively proclaiming the gospel among the Gentiles, they reacted with prejudicial hatred

#. they were filled with envy and rage over the efforts of Paul, a Jew, to reach Gentiles whom they considered unclean

#. the Jewish people had a zeal for God, but it was a misplaced zeal

* /"For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God."/ (Romans 10:2-3, NASB95)

#. knowing that the Jews’ hateful attitude had not changed but rather had intensified since their original hostility in the early days at Thessalonica, Paul made a strong statement about their spiritual condition

#. he lists three reasons why they are a people to be sad for they

#.

First, The Jews’ Rejection Of God’s Word

* /"who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out ... “/ (1 Thessalonians 2:15, NASB95)

#. this is a clear contrast to the faith of the Thessalonian believers

#. they had an immediate love of the truth

#. but the Jews had repeatedly rejected the message and messengers that God had sent them – including the Lord Jesus

* /“So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

“Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers.