A Life Transformed by the Gospel-1 Thessalonians 2:1-20

1 Thessalonians 2:1-20Key Verse 13

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.”

A lot of people say that the Christian life is boring, or it’s too hard, or there are too many standards  and moral laws that one has to live by. So they don’t want to become a Christian or they leave the church.  But it’s actually quite the opposite. When you read Paul’s 2nd chapter in his first letter to the Thessalonians, you see that the Christian life is one of the most exciting lives anyone could ever live! We learn from Acts 17 that Paul had to suddenly leave Thessalonica due to persecution from the Jews. The Jews took advantage of Paul’s sudden departure and tried to discredit his authority and gospel. They said he ran away because he was afraid. They said  he was in the business for himself and that he was phony, a deceiver, a charlatan. Their argument seemed pretty realistic. Paul did leave and they hadn’t heard from him. So Paul wrote this chapter to the Thessalonian church to show that he wasn’t trying to deceive them. On the contrary, he reveals that he was living a life based upon the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today, we’re going to learn from Paul four qualities of one who has been transformed by the gospel. We’re going to see that that the Christian life is not about me, what I can get out of it. Nor is it only about how we should live or how we should strive to be sin free (though these are good). Rather, we’re going to see that the Christian life a life that has been completely transformed by the gospel.

I. We become bold (vs. 1-2)

Verse 1-2 say, “For you yourselves know brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.” The Greek word for boldness is “parresiazoma” which means, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly.”  Paul and his companions had come to Thessalonica speaking the gospel openly in public, freely, and with much courage. They were not trying to hide anything or even runaway, despite their accusers’ accusations. Paul was a fearless man of God. He never lived to please men. His only motive was to please God (4b). So many people today strive hard to please others. There are many reasons for doing this. But the main reason is fear.  The fear of man is the most crippling kind of fear ever. It immobilizes people. I believe many people could do great things for God if only they could overcome their fear of others. They could start a great outreach. They could start their own church. They could even go to Lake Michigan and preach the gospel to the beach goers. When Paul was in Philippi, both he and Silas had been stripped naked, beaten in public, and thrown into prison. Even though they were Roman Citizens, they were not given the privilege of a trial. Paul knew he would face the same kind of persecution in Thessalonica. He knew that his own Jewish people would seek his life. But this did not deter him. I once heard a story of two young Christian girls who were being led away to their execution. They knew that they were going to die.   But instead of being afraid, they said that they felt like they were brides getting ready to be married to Jesus forever. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 theses on the door of the Catholic church. He said many things that he knew would probably spark anger and tension within the church.   But he didn’t care. His main concern was to preach the truth of the gospel. What caused these young girls and Martin Luther  to have so much boldness in the times of much great suffering and pain? Paul says in verse 2, “In our God.” What Paul is saying is, God is the only one who can give us the courage we need to overcome the fear of man and to live for his glory. Christians have nothing to hide or conceal. They have nothing to be ashamed of. The gospel is real. The gospel is true. The gospel is alive. The gospel doesn’t come from man, but it comes from God.

II. We are approved by God (vs. 3-5)

The Jews were blaming Paul that he was deceiving the Thessalonians in order to gain something for himself. But in verses 3 and 5,  Paul tells them that he wasn’t preaching out of pride, greed, or for the desire of popularity. He said that he didn’t come deceiving nor did he use and kind of flattery in order to get them to believe. Flattery is the act of giving excessive compliments, whether true or false, in order to gain favor or acceptance with someone else. A good example of this is when people try to get out of a speeding ticket after being pulled over. While camping with my family in Indiana,  a ranger pulled me over for speeding. In order to get him to drop the charges, I considered using flattery by telling him that I was born and raised in Indiana and that I was a fellow Hoosier. But after studying this passage, I realized that perhaps that wouldn’t be such a good idea. So I shamefully took my ticket.

Paul could have easily used flattery to win them over. He could have also used clever words to deceive them. He could have preached the gospel in error or with impure motives. In the late 19th Century, Charles Russell founded Jehovah’s Witness. On the outside, Jehovah’s Witness’ looks very Biblical. They preach that Christ Jesus died for our sins. But they don’t believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. They don’t believe in the Trinity of God. Nor do they believe in the resurrection, which is the very root of Christianity. Preaching the gospel and getting it right is very important. What is the gospel? The gospel is the best news ever! In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul says this of the gospel, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Verse 4 says, “But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” Paul was preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was approved by God and God entrusted him to do so. God looked at Paul’s heart and saw that it was right before him. So he entrusted him with a very important task. Entrusting mankind with the gospel is almost the same as Bill Gates entrusting us to take care of his money and estate. It’s a very high task and high calling. God wants to save all mankind from their sins (Jn 3:16) and he approves us and entrusts us to peach his gospel to others. Knowing that God entrusts me with his word speaks volumes. I often find it hard to trust my own children to do small things. I’m afraid they’re going to mess up. But God approves and entrusts his children with the gospel. This is the second quality of one who has been transformed by the gospel.

III. We become both a Mother and Father (vs. 6-12)

When the gospel comes into us, a great transformation takes place. I once was a selfish farming boy who was only concerned for himself. I was so selfish that once I forget to give water to two of my animals, and they died. I have many other selfish stories. But the point is, after receiving Jesus into my heart, I was completed changed. I moved from the farmlands of Indiana and came to Chicago where I could grow in the word of God and become a friend and Bible teacher for God’s people. Paul was once a deceiver and a murderer. He hated Christians with all his heart and only cared for himself. In order to kill them, he used his authority as a Pharisee. But after meeting Jesus, he was completely changed. He no longer used his authority, though he could have as an apostle of Christ (6). Rather, he says in verse 7-8, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” Paul had become gentle, just like a nursing mother who takes care of her children. Mother’s come down to their children’s level. They don’t talk to them like they’re adults, rather they use their own language with them, they play their games with them, they’re very gentle, and very patient with them. Paul wanted to win the Thessalonians over to God the same way Jesus  won us over to God. Jesus is Almighty God. Because of our sins, he could have come down destroying us left and right. He could have spoke to us on his level and could have held very high expectations for us. But he didn’t. Instead  he came down from heaven to earth as a tiny baby, born not in a hospital, but born in an animal’s stable. Our God came down to our level in order to win us back to him.  He came to be with us, to live with us, to share his own heart and lives with us. He did so in order to save us from our sins. Paul’s love and affection for the Thessalonians was like that of Jesus. He said in verse 8 that he not only wanted to share the gospel with them, but he wanted to share his own self with them. To Paul, the Thessalonians were more than just Bible students or more than just church members, they were his own dear children. This is a life that has been completely transformed by the gospel. A Christian is not one who makes demands on others or looks down on others or puts on all these rules and regulations for people to follow, but rather a Christian is one who comes down to the same level as all people. They are ones who see others not as church members, but as their own children. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 say, “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. T those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”Not only was Paul like a mother to them, but he was also like a father.  He wrote to them in verse 9 saying, “For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.” Like a father who works hard to take care of his family, so Paul worked hard to support himself and the church. Paul didn’t want to hinder the Thessalonians  growth in Christ. He didn’t want them to have to worry about paying him and supporting him. Rather, he wanted them to only concentrate on the gospel. Our Father God also doesn’t want any of his children to worry about anything. He doesn’t want us to worry about what we’re going to eat or wear. He doesn’t want us to worry about who we’re going to marry. He doesn’t want us to worry about the upcoming school year. He doesn’t want us to worry about work or whether or not we can take care of our children.  Rather, he only wants us to seek his kingdom and his righteousness. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” God promises that he will provide all things that we need. This is the promise of God.

Verse 11-12 say, “For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.” Fathers not only provide for their children, but they also encourage, comfort, and exhort their children. In verse 11-12, Paul exhorted, encouraged, and charged the Thessalonians to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Paul knows that living in this world as  a Christian is not easy. He knows that every Christian has temptations, struggles, and hardships. He knows that everyone, no matter who you are, sins. But Paul doesn’t leave it at that. Rather, like a father,  he cheers, encourages and even charges his fellow Christian brothers and sisters  to live a life worthy of God. We all need encouragement. We all need help. We all sin and fall temptation. So many Christians despair. They despair because of some kind of sin they commit. They despair because they feel they’re not living they way God wants them to live. As a result they become weak. But our Father God does not want us to despair. Rather he wants us to come to him for healing and for encouragement. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

IV.  We become imitators of Jesus  (13-20)

I’m sure right now a lot of you  are saying, “Come on. This is just who Paul is. These are his natural characteristics. He’s always been bold. Of course he was approved by God, Jesus Christ came directly to him. Jesus never came directly to me. It’s easy for him to be a mother and a father. But me? Come on!”  But in verses 13-16, Paul shows that these qualities of Christ are for everyone.  Verse 13 says, “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” The message that Paul received did not come from man, but it came from God. God gave him the message and Paul gave the message to the Thessalonians. So it was the word of God that was changing and transforming them not Paul. The gospel of God has transforming power. The word of God can change the least likeliest person into a child of God. It can change the most fearful person into a person with boldness. It can change someone who is extremely selfish into one who has the very characteristics of Jesus himself.

Verse 14a says, “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.”  The Thessalonians were suffering for the name of Jesus (15-16). This was evidence in itself that it was the word of God that had transformed them. All Christians will suffer because of the name of Jesus. But suffering for Christ is not a bad thing. In Acts 5, the apostles of Jesus had been arrested for preaching the gospel. The Jews wanted to kill them. But instead, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus ever again (Acts 5:17-40). At this moment, the apostles could have become greatly discouraged, wondering why they were being punished for preaching the word of God.  But instead they rejoiced. Acts 5:41-42 say, “Then they left the presence of the council,  rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”  Our Lord Jesus did not come living a comfortable life. Rather he was mocked, betrayed, beaten, put on trial, spat upon, and crucified. Jesus Christ suffered like this in order to save us from our sins. He died and was buried and finally on the 3rd day, God raised him from the dead. This is gospel. This is what saves us from our sins. This is the good news that God wants us to preach to all people. In the midst of our preaching, we might suffer. But suffering for Christ is a glorious thing. For it was through suffering that we have been saved from our sins.

Today we learned that the Christian life is not a boring life. Rather it’s a life that has been completely transformed by the gospel. It’s a life that’s full of excitement. It’s a life that has been approved by God. It’s a life where we can be both a mother and a father. And it’s a life where we become imitators of Christ. I pray that you may receive the gospel into your heart and be the person whom God created you to be.