1 Thessalonians 1

¹ Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. ² We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, ³ remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸ For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. ⁹ For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

On April 15, 2019, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris burned. Do you remember? The roof was engulfed in flame. The roof was destroyed, the wooden spire, and some of the upper walls were damaged.

I recall watching those flames on the news with a degree of horror. That cathedral is one of the great historic works of art, and the sight of seeing its roof on fire was terrible. Anthony Esolen was moved to take up his pen and write while he watched it burn. In his reflections on the burning church, he revisited the question of whether or not modern people could actually build a church like that. Could we build such a thing today? I found what he wrote very moving:

People are saying that we cannot build such a thing now. That is true. We lack the artisans. We do not have the techne: we likely could not fashion a single many-colored jewel in the 16-rayed north window, with the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child in the center of all. We cannot make the glass. We cannot mix the colors. We would have to guess and do our best.

But we would not build it now. It is not just that our hands lack the skill. Our hearts do not beat warmly enough, and our minds do not see. Think of that Mother and Child. What did it mean? The whole of creation and the life of man revolve, like the spokes of a wheel, about the submission of a woman to the will of God, and the humility of Christ, who emptied himself, and came to dwell among us in human form, not as an Alaric or Augustus, but as a servant, obedient unto death.

What have we built? What do we love?[1]

In other words, Esolen argues, we would not build such a great church today not only because we lack the skill, but mainly because we lack the love to do so.

Those two questions are haunting and cutting: “What have we built? What do we love?”

Esolen was caught in a moment while writing that, but in waxing eloquent he put his finger on something very important: Without love, you cannot build a church. And I do not mean a building. You actually can build a building without love (though Esolen likely has a point about the quality and kind of church building you can build without love), but you certainly cannot be a church without love.

It is the heart of the church that matters, not the edifice, not the structure. It is telling that when Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians, he leaned heavily into this truth. He spoke not only of his heart for the Thessalonian Christians but also of their heart for him and for the gospel and for Jesus and for the body of Christ the world over.

It is a heart turned to Jesus that makes a church, whether we have a building or not.

I am calling this sermon on 1 Thessalonians 1 “A Goodly Church.” Let us consider the church’s heart and what it should be.

Paul is writing this first letter to the Christians of Thessalonica. In Acts 17, we are given the historical background and context of the letter.

¹ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” ⁴ And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. ⁵ But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. ⁶ And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, ⁷ and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” ⁸ And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things.⁹ And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. ¹⁰ The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.

In short, Paul and Silas are in Thessalonica. They preach Jesus. Some of the Thessalonians believe. They found a church there. Then, Paul and Barnabas are sent out of the city as many of those in the synagogues lash out in anger against the believers there. So, in 1 Thessalonians, we have the letter that Paul sends back to the young church in Thessalonica after he and Silas had to leave.

Craig Keener writes:

First and Second Thessalonians may be the earliest of Paul’s extant letters, written shortly after the evangelization of the Thessalonians, hence by about A.D. 50, within two decades of Jesus’ resurrection.[2]

In the first chapter, Paul highlights the beauty of this new church, which is to say, he highlights their heart.

The character of the church: Faith and works.

Paul begins by highlighting the character of this church.

¹ Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. ² We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

Paul writes in his name as well in the names of Silas (rendered here with its Latin spelling, Silvanus) and Timothy “to the church of the Thessalonians.” He gives a somewhat traditional greeting to the church and a not-uncommon but still-sincere assurance of their prayers for the church.

Then, in verse 3, Paul writes:

³ remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Paul and his team prayed, thanking God for the Thessalonian church, he thanked Him specifically for three attributes of the church:

• the church’s work of faith
• the church’s labor of love
• the church’s steadfastness of hope

You will notice that what Paul is describing is the character of the church, the type of church they actually are. And perhaps you will notice something else. Perhaps hearing the last verse of Paul’s famous thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians will help here.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

What abides? Faith. Hope. Love.

For what does Paul thank God concerning the Thessalonian church?

• the church’s work of faith
• the church’s labor of love
• the church’s steadfastness of hope

The great hallmarks of the character of a Jesus-shaped church are faith, hope, and love.

Paul’s qualifiers for these three attributes are significant.

• the church’s work of faith
• the church’s labor of love
• the church’s steadfastness of hope

In other words:

• faith works
• love labors
• hope remains steadfast

These are not mere sentiments, mere emotional markers. These are movements. These are dynamics that are revealed, character that is on display.

Faith is no mere intellectual assent. It is a transformative work arising out of a confident trust.

Love is no mere sentiment. It is a joyful labor. Love pushes and strives and tries! It does not merely feel.

And hope is no mere fragile thing. It is stalwart. It is steadfast. It refuses to give up.

“What have we built? What do we love?”

No, you cannot have a church without love. You cannot build a church without love. You cannot be a church without love…or faith…or hope.

The joy of the church: Unflappable and Holy-Spirit-shaped.

Paul likewise highlights the joy of the church.

⁴ For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit

Verse 6 repeats an idea that Paul will articulate in other letters: the idea of the churches imitating him. But he does not mean this in arrogance. He simply means that he is imitating Jesus and, insofar as he does this, the church can imitate him. In fact, the word “imitate” seems too weak. Scot McKnight translates verse 6 in this way: “You became copies of us and the Lord, receiving the word in much trouble with the Holy Spirit’s joy.”[3]

The progression of that thought in verse 6 is compelling.

• “…you became imitators of us…”
• “…and of the Lord…”
• “…for you received the word…”
• “…in much affliction…”
• “…with the joy of the Holy Spirit.”

The three great hallmarks of their imitation of Paul? They received the word. They suffered. But they received the word with joy, and that of the Holy Spirit.

This reference to joy is powerful. Why? Because (a) it was joy in the midst of affliction and (b) it was the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Or, put another way, the joy of the church was (a) unflappable and (b) Holy-Spirit-shaped.

This language of “the joy of the Holy Spirit” is intriguing insofar as it gives us a glimpse into the emotional life (if you will allow the term) of the third person of the Trinity and insofar as it shatters any idea that the Christian must out of his or her own storehouses conjure up his or her own joy. No, joy is a grace that is given with the giving of the Holy Spirit.

And why would the Holy Spirit be joyful? The Holy Spirit is joyful because He:

• signifies through His presence that a lost person has been born again;
• is the continuing presence of Christ in the believer’s life;
• is privileged to warn the Christian away from sin;
• helps the Christian pray;
• gets to make much of Jesus and gets to lead the Christian to do the same!

And we have this joy!

When you accept Jesus and give Him your life you now have the joy of heaven in your very heart!

If we are the church, and if Christ dwells here, and if our hearts have been given fully to Jesus, then we will not only feel the joy of the Lord, we will be changed by it and the world will see this joy shining out of us!

Do you feel the joy of Christ? This is no manufactured or manipulated joy. This is no forced joy. This is no plastic veneer of joy. I am asking if the disposition of your heart is joyful?

In 1925 (or 1926), George William Cooke, a Methodist minister who ran the Delmarva Camp, copyrighted a song that many of us remember from our own days as kids at Christian camps and in Vacation Bible Schools. This song might just haunt your memories from days gone by. Do you remember it? Listen:

I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart;
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.

I’ve got the peace that passeth understanding,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart;
I’ve got the peace that passeth understanding,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.

I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart;
I’ve got the love of Jesus, love of Jesus,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.

For there is therefore now no condemnation,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart;
For there is therefore now no condemnation,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.

Now, let me say that I am a fan of this song. Yet, I do have a little bit of a theological quibble with it. When it says, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, Down in my heart…Down in my heart to stay.” I want to say this: If by “down in my heart to stay” you mean that you are not going to lose your joy, fine and good. But if by “down in my heart to stay” you mean you intend for your joy to be contained there, to literally stay there, then that is not good. (I choose to believe the first interpretation is what was meant, for the record.)

No, joy does not stay in our hearts. It is shared and seen and celebrated. This is why Paul can say that he thanks God for the Thessalonian’s joy! It was a demonstrative joy. It was the joy of the Lord spilling over!

The inspiration of the church: Contagious faithfulness.

In fact, the very character of this church was on display for all to see, and many did indeed both see it and celebrate it! Listen to what Paul says next.

⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸ For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. ⁹ For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The heart just soars to read this! Paul now speaks of the contagious faithfulness of the church, the way in which the believers of Thessalonica inspired all the other believers who heard about it! What he says is most amazing. He points out:

• The Thessalonians became an example “to all believers in Macedonia and…Achaia.”
• The Thessalonians bore bold witness in sharing God’s word.
• The Thessalonian’s faith “has gone forth everywhere.”
• The reality of the Thessalonian’s faith was so clear and so evident that Paul and his team did not even have to tell other people about it!
• Christians all over the region and beyond were talking about what happened in Thessalonica when the gospel got there through the ministry of Paul and Silas.
• The Thessalonian’s rejection of idols and embrace of the true God was famous among the churches.
• The Thessalonian’s expectation of Christ’s return was famous.

In short, the Thessalonian Christians had become a stunning example of what God can do among a people. Paul uses that word in verse 7: “you became an example to all believers…”

David Chapman has taken Paul’s language of “imitators” from verse 6 and Paul’s language of “example” from verse 7 and his concluded:

The Greek word for “example” (typos) is employed also by Paul in other epistles, in which he encourages churches to follow the faithful model of other believers (e.g., Phil. 3:17; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; Titus 2:7). Thus there is this imitatio chain: Christ is imitated by Paul and his team; they are then imitated by the Thessalonian church; and other churches follow the example of the Thessalonians.[4]

What a beautiful thought!

Christ is the fount. His example is preeminent above all others. It is the source.

Christ’s example shapes the apostles.

The apostles’ example and their writings shape the churches.

The church’s example shapes the wider body of Christ.

The church at large, then, seeks to shape the world by calling it to Jesus!

Brothers. Sisters. Hear me: I want to be part of that “imitatio chain”!

I want our church to be famous for Jesus.

I want our love to inspire the body of Christ and then the world.

I want our faith to be renowned.

I want our unity to be gossiped about.

I want our hope to be inspiring.

I want our belief to be marveled at.

I want our commitment to be unparalleled.

I want our devotion to unrivaled.

I want our fellowship to be a model.

I want our togetherness to be talked about.

I want us to be part of this great “imitatio chain”!

Let the character of this church be shaped by the person and work and presence of Jesus Christ, and let our community and our state and our nation and our world take note and say: “Those people walk with Jesus! That is what Jesus looks like!”

 

[1] https://amgreatness.com/2019/04/15/the-world-sinks-to-ruin/

[2] Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (IVP Bible Background Commentary Set) (p. 581). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[3] McKnight, Scot. The Second Testament: A New Translation (p. 224). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.

[4] Chapman, David W. “ESV Expository Commentary: Ephesians–Philemon.” Crossway. Apple Books.