1 Thessalonians – Lesson 2
Christians should do what the Thessalonians did. Start serving the Lord instead of idols and live to please Him like He is coming back soon.
1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
This life is but a vapor. That saying is Bible truth and it is referring to how short this life is, especially compared to eternity.
The first N.T. book given is Matthew and has – the life of and teaches of Jesus – the cross – the resurrection – the command of the great commission.
After that comes Galatians – stick to the truth that you have and have zero tolerance for false teachers and false teaching.
Then be doers of the word and not hearers only.
And next is 1st Thessalonians. And in every chapter the return of Jesus is mentioned. That is the theme. Live your life to please the Lord like He could come at any time.
And Paul shows us in the first chapter that the Thessalonians understood how you properly wait for Jesus. You don’t do it sitting on the sidelines. You don’t wait like a bump on a log.
They had the teaching of Jesus in Matthew on this and they learned from Jesus that you wait by being active and living for Him. You live like He is coming to day with the heart that wants to please Him and a heart that wants to be found busy when He comes back.
Now that it has been established in Chapter 1 that they were doing well living for Jesus. Paul moves on to the subject of presenting the gospel. And Paul uses them as an illustration.
There are right ways and wrong ways to witness and present the Gospel. And yes I have seen people who are in most ways living with their eye upon the return of Jesus get this wrong.
The Thessalonians were living for Jesus’ return and they were busy getting out the gospel so it is very appropriate that the next thing Paul covers is some important teaching on what is the right way to present the Gospel.
This is so like Paul. He will bring up a topic, in this case living watching for Jesus to return, and then Paul will give more information about that, anticipate questions the reader may have.
How do you properly watch and wait for Jesus to return. Be busy for Him and that includes giving out the Gospel. So next information on how to properly do that.
1THESS 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
Number 1 – Know that doing the work of getting out the Gospel will not be in vain. Some will believe. Each soul is worth it. And the Thessalonians obviously knew this because not all that long ago they heard and got saved.
And they also showed they knew this because in chapter 1 we learned that they are busy in getting the Gospel out.
This is number 1. Understand the command of Jesus, understand the value of souls and that the labor you do will not be in vain.
Sadly the overwhelmingly majority of people who claim Jesus do not even understand #1. Most Christians are not involved in this in any meaningful way.
Paul then reminds them about how they reacted at first to the Gospel.
1THESS 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.
Paul says that they did not easily and immediately believe the Gospel and get saved. He says they were bold in our God to speak unto them the gospel of God with much contention.
That means that at first they argued against it. Contention means argument, conflict, and disagreement.
This is actually common. Sinners do not like to hear the gospel. They love darkness rather than light. And so many will use all kinds of strange beliefs to sooth their conscience which lets them keep their heads in a hole like an ostrich.
When someone comes along and challenges their wrong thinking and gives them the truth, the natural response for many is to fight against it.
The Thessalonians reacted this way to the Gospel at first.
So Number #2 is Give people the Gospel anyway. Expect this reaction. Do not let it stop you. Have some longsuffering and patience.
Number #3 – Do not use any kind of trickery, deceit, or sinful methods.
1THESS 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
I have seen outfits that call themselves churches get this wrong. They will use the methods of the world, and the music and smoke and light shows, and events that appeal to the flesh, to try to get the sinner to then hear the Gospel.
This is wrong on many levels. Our presentation of the Gospel is to be done like Paul did it without deceit or uncleanness, which is referring to sin.
Number #4 – Presenting the Gospel is something eternally important that God has entrusted Christians with.
1THESS 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Present the Gospel as if God is watching you do it. Because the truth is He is watching. And not just watching your actions and your words. He is watching your heart.
Present the Gospel with a heart that is out to please God and not men.
I have seen churches get this wrong also. I have seen pressure, and I mean extremely strong pressure wielded from a pulpit to get people to go witness on Saturday. I mean threats and belittling, sarcasm, and other nasty stuff.
What happened 70 people showed up. They all took tracts. And then left the parking lot. But wait a good number of them just went home. Those that actually did go out did not have the right heart about it.
That is not the way to get the Gospel out. It needs to be done to please God who is looking at the heart of the one giving out the Gospel.
Number #5 – Do not dress it up. Do not use flattering words.
1THESS 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
Just give the simple Gospel out using plain language.
Number #6. Is found in verse 5 and 6.
Verse 5 says nor a cloke of covetousness.
Covetousness is wanting something that is not yours. Something that belongs to another. As far as souls getting saved. All glory for that belongs to God and God alone.
1THESS 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
Paul says they were not seeking any glory in this. Not from the Thessalonians and not from others.
I have seen men present the Gospel with a wrong goal and desire in mind. They want the glory from men for the number of people they get to pray. It is called putting another notch on their belt.
And they will show off and brag to other Christians and some Pastors will show off and brag to other churches about how many people they got to say a sinners prayer.
They are coveting and seeking glory. And they are sinning in this.
Motive is important. The motivation for Paul was not to build status or an empire. Paul was not in it for any glory from man. Paul genuinely cared. He was primarily concerned with their souls, and pleasing God.
Number #7 – Be gentle
1THESS 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
I have seen people present the Gospel with an almost aggressive, hostile, fighting spirit about them. This is wrong. Paul was gentle. This does not mean in any way holding back or compromising.
If someone will not listen and they want to fight, do not fight back. Shake the dust off your feet and just move on.
Number #8 – Care for real. This goes right along with the last one.
1THESS 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
Paul really cared about their souls.
Number #9 – Do not give up. Do not stop because of one rejection from someone.
1THESS 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
Now you have to listen to the Holy Spirits leading. Sometimes there needs to be a little time between the first planting and the next watering. God’s timing is always best.
Here we learn that the Thessalonians did not just hear the Gospel once or maybe twice and get saved. It took Paul laboring night and day.
Sinners who have never heard need to learn some things. It does not make sense to them at first. They have to be shown why what they believe is wrong. They have to be taught who Jesus really is and what He done for them and why and this takes some time.
So don’t give up, keep laboring.
Number #10 – Live right. Don’t live the life of a hypocrite.
This is a big one. Many also get this one wrong. They want to show up on Saturday and put some tracts on doors to fulfil some sense of duty. And then go live like the devil the rest of the week. That does not work. God cannot bless that.
1THESS 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
Paul believed in holy and just living. Living in a manner that was pleasing to the Lord. Paul and those with him lived in such a way that they would have a good testimony. They said no to themselves to anything that might bring reproach. It says they lived unblameably. That is quite a statement.
And because Paul won them to the Lord with plain language and a genuine heart and all without worldly methods and while he was living a holy life before them, then Paul could after they got saved tell them to live for Jesus.
If you win someone with worldly methods and sinful music and with deceit and wrong motivation seeking glory and while living like the world, then… You can’t then say to them now walk worthy of God.
That does not work. They will think hypocrite. The words do as I say and not as I do will come to their mind.
1THESS 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1THESS 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Paul and the workers with him not only believed that they should live holy, just, and blameless lives, but they also expected all Christians to. They exhorted believers to live as they lived; to walk as they walked. Christians are to walk worthy of God.
That is a tall order. Many people will claim to get saved, and then they will still live like the lost do. You do not see much holy living among most who claim Christianity. They still drink booze, listen to awful worldly music, watch porn, use foul language, and so on.
I have sometimes been shocked over the years to see many people one minute give some lip service to loving Jesus or belief in the Bible and then the next minute they are praising some rock band, alcohol, cussing, or a variety of other things that cannot be defended as walking worthy of God.
This is the sad state of professing Christianity as a whole.
Mention it and they will call you names. Never mind that living Holy, just and unblameable is the Biblical way for a Christian to live. Living Holy is only reasonable. Not to get saved, but because you are already saved. The Bible exhorts and charges every Christian to live this way. All of us need to walk worthy of God.
And Paul did not dance around this truth. After the Thessalonians got saved Paul told them that now you need to walk the walk.
1THESS 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1THESS 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
And we learned in Chapter 1 that they took the journey as the saying goes and they did start walking worthy of God.
And Paul was very thankful for this.
1THESS 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
All true preachers of the Word of God are thankful for the same thing. Paul was thankful it says without ceasing because they received the word of God as it is and that is as the word of God. It is not the words of men. They did not receive it as just the vague thoughts of God. They did not receive only part of it.
They did not play games and decide which parts were the word of God and which parts were not. There was no “higher” criticism here. They did not fall for what we call modern scholarship. They did not change a word here and a verse there. They did not leave out words or entire verses like many do today.
They just simply accepted the word of God as the very words of God. And instead of messing with what God said they realized who said it and treated it accordingly. We should have a great respect for the word of God. We should read and hear it preached as it is the word of God. We should receive it and then apply it.
There is a benefit to this attitude. “which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” The word of God when received appropriately will be effective in doing a work in our lives. The word of God is powerful to change us. We need to receive it for what it is, the very words of God, and let it do its work in our lives.
And it certainly did a work in the hearts and lives of the Thessalonians.
1THESS 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
1THESS 2:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
1THESS 2:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
The Thessalonians suffered persecution from their own countrymen, and they did not falter. God and His Word gave them help thru it.
They suffered persecution in like manner as Paul suffered. Paul says in verse 15 “and have persecuted us, and they please not God”.
The Jews forbade Paul and his team to speak to the Gentiles because they did not want the Gentiles to get saved.
Yep that is really horrible. It says doing that is filling up their sins and that wrath is come upon them for this to the uttermost.
The Thessalonians that Paul is writing to had the same thing happen to them as did the Christian churches in Judaea. They were both attacked by and suffered because their own countrymen persecuted them.
And Paul tells them that this is nothing new. The Jews killed the Lord, and their own prophets, and were persecuting Paul and those who labored with him.
Some will say that the Jews did not kill Jesus but the Romans did. God’s Word clearly says the Jews killed the Lord Jesus. God holds them responsible. They are the ones who cried Crucify. They are the one who refused to have Pilate release Jesus.
And as a group of people they had a long history of actually working against the will of God and they killed their own prophets. And they were still fighting against God’s will. Forbidding Paul to give the gospel to the Gentiles so that they might be saved.
They would rather see them go to hell than get saved. They had been filling up their sins for a long time and Paul says that wrath is coming upon them and not in a small amount.
They have filled their cup up to the uttermost. They had pushed God too far. And in 70 A.D. we see this fulfilled. The Romans marched into Jerusalem and destroyed the temple and the Jews scattered never to have a homeland again until after World War 2.
It took a lot to push God to the point that He allowed that. God still enabled them to remain a people group during those almost 2,000 years. God still blessed those that blessed them and He still cursed those that cursed them. But at the same time God allowed punishment to come upon them for fighting against His men and against Gentiles getting saved.
Let’s go ahead and finish chapter 2.
1THESS 2:17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
1THESS 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.
Paul and the Thessalonians shared much in common. Living worthy of the Lord, watching for His return, and they suffered like persecution. They had the same goal and the same work to get the Gospel out, and to do it with the right heart.
Paul had a genuine heart for them and wanted to see them but was hindered once and again.
There is an adversary and he does fight against us.
And while the wicked one was able to stop Paul from visiting them as much as Paul wanted to, the devil could not stop Paul’s rejoicing in them.
1THESS 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
1THESS 2:20 For ye are our glory and joy.
This is often referred to as the Soul Winners Crown.
The verse says what is our crown of rejoicing? And then it answers the question with ye are. Who are the ye? They are the people that they won to the Lord. This is the Soul winner’s crown. So people who win souls get one and those who do not win souls don’t get one.
This is only one of five crowns of reward that are mentioned in the Bible. The Bible does indeed teach a reward system in heaven.
How you live your life after salvation is going to make a difference in heaven. What you do or do not do after salvation will NOT change your destination. You cannot lose your salvation. But how you live will determine your rewards.
Jesus is coming back. That fact was mentioned in Chapter one in the context of living watching for His return. And here Jesus is coming back is mentioned in Chapter 2 in the context of Jesus is coming back with rewards.
See more lessons from 1 Thessalonians