1 Thessalonians 1:6 “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”
This sermon from American Pastor J.D. Montieth explores Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians in a series titled The Word of the Lord. This sermon, the second in the series, 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 examines the lives of the Thessalonian believers and how they were examples of faith: “In many places the apostles and those sent by Christ were persecuted, but here with the Thessalonians, the godly lives they lived were emulated and imitated. What also separated the Thessalonian believers from the Corinthians, is that they became followers of the faith and love of those who brought them the Word of God, but did not, like the Corinthians, seek to divide God’s messengers, in an attempt to prove their own self-righteousness.
“Ultimately, all men will follow and pattern themselves after something; this will include their own foolish thoughts and ideas, the godless world around them, or, hopefully, a good and benevolent God that is trying to save them.
“Joy is that spiritual quality that forms the essence of God’s Kingdom. Joy also is that internal spiritual delight, that God uses to strengthen His people, which is part of Heaven Itself. When men both love and believe in the Father through the Son, then they are filled with joy unspeakable. What the Father and Son are, they can give, and joy is no doubt, an element of Their own spiritual possession. This is also why whenever men walk in fellowship with God, they will experience joy in their hearts. Since ultimately, it is fellowship with the Father, through His Son, that produces joy in the believer.
“They received the Word brought to them, as the Word of God, and not as the word of men. By being able to perceive Christ’s Spirit in the apostles, this caused them to spiritually realize that an invisible God existed. Ultimately, they received the gospel as the Word of the Lord, simply because they could spiritually detect the Lord’s own divine nature in It.
“When men truly believe the gospel, they will seek to spread the gospel. This is also why from the Thessalonians, sounded out the word of the Lord. Teaching us that, any true church, if it is truly being led by the Spirit of Christ, will be an evangelical Church. Out of the abundance of the heart men speaketh, so that if God’s nature permeates a man’s soul, God’s Word must be spoken. Ultimately, when Jesus Christ is sincerely loved, and men desire to walk worthy of Him, then the Word of God He came to reveal to the world will be spread.
“That which the Thessalonians preached, and sought to bring others into an awareness of, was the Word of the Lord. The Greek word for Lord is kýrios #2962. It is defined as “a person exercising absolute ownership rights” or “an owner (master) exercising full rights.” To the Thessalonians then Jesus was not simply their Healer, Deliverer, or even their Savior, but rather Christ held the grand title in their hearts as Lord.
“The gospel, therefore, that the Thessalonians sought to spread, was that gospel of God, that reveals Jesus Christ as Lord. It is also this divine revelation that is the genesis of all true evangelism. Since those who know Christ to be Lord, will desire nothing more, than to spread this knowledge to others.”
This sermon was preached live in the In the Mouth of Two or Three Witnesses Series. Other sections of Scriptures highlighted in this sermon: 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Daniel 7:13-14.
Broadcast live on 02/13/2022