Read Acts 17:2-4. Paul preached the gospel of Christ in Thessalonica. Some believed. This morning we are going to see in 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 how that gospel changed their lives and how it can change yours.

Transition

We are going to focus on three aspects of the gospel.

The Gospel Presentation (1:5)

1. The gospel is a message
   1. Paul shared the gospel with them in word. He spoke it to them. He told them all about it. The term “gospel” means good news. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life.
      ☆ (Romans 4:25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
      ☆ (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
   2. The gospel is good news about our bad problem with sin. We have all sinned against the laws of our holy Creator – God Almighty. Our sin is not just a mistake, a slip, a bad choice or a minor wrong. Whether we have lied, cheated, lusted, stolen or murdered, our sin is an offence against God. We have rebelled against God’s standard of right. We have justly earned God’s judgement. We deserve to go to hell when we die. This is true of every human.
      ☆ (Ecclesiastes 7:20) For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
   3. When we truly understand that our sins have offended our holy Creator and God, and that we are in BIG trouble, we then can see that the gospel is truly good news.
   4. To be good news, the gospel must be spoken. Someone wisely stated, “The gospel is only good news if it reaches the lost in time.”
2. The gospel is a miracle
   1. The preaching of the gospel is not like the talk of a salesman. Warren Wiersbe points out, “Many travelling preachers and philosophers in that day were only interested in making money from ignorant people.”
   2. Notice that Paul reminds them that the gospel was empowered by the Holy Spirit who verified its truth. The gospel is powerful because it is God’s message of hope for lost sinners.
      ☆ (Romans 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
      ☆ (1 Peter 1:23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
   3. The believers could tell this was true by what the missionaries endured for their sake in order to share the gospel with them.
      ☆ The gospel is our only hope. We are guilty sinners heading for hell. Jesus died in our place and rose again to offer us eternal life in heaven. Nothing else can rescue our souls.

The Gospel Reception (1:6)

1. The believers received the word
   1. To “receive” means to take hold of something. They took hold of the gospel message. By faith they received Christ as their personal Saviour from sin’s judgment in hell.
   2. They received the gospel even in the midst of affliction. This word speaks of outward pressure, or tribulation. Sinners are always pressed to reject the gospel.
      1. They are pressed by their pride to reject the gospel. It may be self-righteous pride or religious pride, but it puts pressure on them to reject the gospel.
      2. They are pressed by their peers to reject the gospel. Friends and family may put pressure on you not to accept the gospel. Even religious leaders often put pressure on people to reject the gospel.
      3. They are pressured to reject the gospel by threat of persecution.
   3. In spite of the pressures against them, the Thessalonian believers had received the gospel! When they did, the Holy Spirit gave them joy.
2. The believers became followers
   1. The word “followers” refers to imitators.
   2. They followed the teachings of the missionaries. They could see that the missionaries were preaching the truth of God’s word and they chose to follow them instead of the false teachers. Paul’s passion was to live like Christ so that others could see Christ in his life.
      ☆ (1 Corinthians 11:1) Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
   3. More importantly, they followed the Lord. They became imitators of Jesus Christ. All that they learned about the Lord, they tried to apply to their own lives. They became doers not just hearers (James 1:22).
   4. If you follow men, even good men, they will eventually let you down in some area. However, if you imitate Christ, He will never fail you. He is God and He cannot fail.
      ☆ Are you positive that you have received the gospel? Have you seen yourself as a guilty sinner headed for hell? Have you placed your faith in Christ alone to save you? If so, have you become an imitator of Christ? Are you a doer of the Word?

The Gospel Transformation (1:7-10)

1. The gospel changed their lives
   1. They became examples. This word refers to a mark made by a blow. When I was a boy, our family visited a longing camp. In early days, when a lumberman cut down a tree, he took a special hammer that had the initials of his company on it and powerfully hit the end of the log. The blow of the hammer left the identical initials on the wood. When Paul said that the Thessalonian believers were ensamples, he meant that they left their Christlike imprint in the lives of others.
   2. Paul notes that the Thessalonian saints left their mark in all who believed, in Macedonia and Achaia. (See map)
2. Their change was evident in several ways
   1. They became gospel witnesses (1:8). They told everyone about the Lord. They did such an outstanding job of evangelism that Paul did not need to say any more in those regions.
   2. Their lives were completely turned around (1:9). Their witness testified of the complete change they had experienced. They had turned from idols to serve the living and true God. Note that they did not turn to sit, but to serve. The word “serve” describes the work of a slave. They gave up all of their personal rights and devoted themselves to serve the Lord.
   3. They lived each day as if the Lord may return (1:10). They believed God would deliver them from the wrath to come. This refers to God’s wrath at the Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers who will be sent to the Lake of Fire. It may also refer to the Tribulation wrath that will take place after the Lord returns to take Christians to heaven. They daily lived for eternity.
      ☆ (Colossians 3:1) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (2) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Conclusion

In review, 1st we noted the Gospel Presentation. The gospel is the good news that Jesus died and rose again to save your soul. 2nd we noted the Gospel Reception. We must receive the gospel or it will never help us. Are you positive you have received the gospel? If you are not positive, I would be delighted to explain it more clearly to you. 3rd we noted the Gospel Transformation. If you have received the gospel, you ought to be an example for others to follow. You ought to be a witness of how Christ changed your life. You ought to be expecting Christ to return every day.

Song: There is Power in the Blood – 198 or Rescue the Perishing – 432
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The Life-Changing Gospel
24 January 2016 AM – 1Thes 1:5-10 – 1Th2016 – Scott Childs