Title Rumors! I should be fine.
Contents
Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:3-8
This year's motto is "a church where good news spreads".
As the saying goes, 'A word without feet travels a thousand miles', rumors that spread through words must spread. This is the era of self-PR and the era of advertising competition. It is more desirable than artificial PR advertisements that the church is more gracious than outward appearances, rumors of love, and rumors that members are good. Rumors spread through the words of the saints, so the saints must spread the word well. Then the church will be revived and the saints will be blessed.
The Thessalonian church introduced in the text was a church with good news among the churches in Macedonia and Achaia. Among the surrounding churches, the Thessalonian church had good enough to be a model, so in verses 6-7, you can read Paul's feelings of satisfaction and satisfaction with the good news in verses 2 and 8 along with praise.
Verse 2 “Thanks to God always for you”, Verse 8 “The good news has spread, so I have nothing to say.”
In the early days of pioneering, the situation was not so good. It was a small shopping mall with a size of 13-14 pyeong, and there was no place to sit down and pray, not to mention the inconvenience. It's a commercial building, so it's cold in winter and very hot in summer, the sounds of school children chatting in the hallway through one glass window, the smell of a restaurant, etc. Nevertheless, some church members say, "Our church is good," and how much they say, "Our church is good." It started to fill up.
So what should the rumors be?
First, the word of faith must spread.
Verse 8 says, “For the word of the Lord is not only heard from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but also because the news of your faith in God is spreading everywhere… ”: People in the world should say that they made money because money is the best, but people of faith should be told that faith is the best.
In fact, the Thessalonians believed in Jesus and exercised faith mercilessly to forsake false and lifeless idols (verse 9) and stood firm in their faith even in the midst of tribulation and persecution (1 Thessalonians 3:1-10; Acts 17:5). A person of faith must keep what he wants to keep, cut off what he wants to cut off, throw away what he has to give up, give what he has to offer, do what he has to do, and not just have good faith with words, but must show it with deeds, but the Thessalonian saints were like that.
Second, the word of love must spread.
3:6 says, “When Timothy returned, he brought us the good news of your faith and love… ”
The Thessalonian church was full of love, not just words, and spared no effort to do so. That is why, in 1:3, “labor of love” and love among the saints should overflow.
① You must miss it (3:6)
② We must comfort each other (3:7)
③ We must bring joy (3:9)
④ We must pray for (3:10)
Love is the essence of Christianity. So, 1 John 4:8 “God is love” If there is no love among the saints and lack of labor of love, then in a true sense, you are not a Christian. The word for love here is agape, neither philia nor eros. Agape refers to love for others that arises from God's unconditional love for sinners who do not deserve love. This love is not a feeling or interest, but a concrete act of sacrifice, and only when there is such love, a church with good news can become a church.
Third, there must be hopeful rumors.
Modern people are anxious, anxious, and suffer from various diseases. The church must give hope to these people. Just looking at the cross should be comforting. In particular, the Thessalonian church members put their hope in heaven, hope in the Lord who will come again, and persevere and keep their faith in the midst of tribulation and persecution. It was truly a church that became an example and a role model for the surrounding churches.
Then, how did the Thessalonian church become a church that has all three of the three things that the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:13?
The first reason is in verse 5: “With power and with the Holy Spirit and with great conviction . . . ”
Here, “power” means that those who have heard the Gospel have the power to repent of their sins and lead to salvation when they believe, and they say that they have returned to God from the idols of the gods. Also, when the gospel is preached, “the Holy Spirit works” (Acts 10:44) to bring about change in the souls of those who hear the word, so they put off the old man and put off the new man (man of God, 1 Timothy 6:11) (the man of the Holy Spirit) , Galatians 5:16,18,25). Lastly, “great conviction” is the inner reaction of those who receive the gospel when it is preached, and it is strongly expressed to those who have received grace through their first life of faith.
The second reason is in verse 6: “Because they have become imitators of us and of the Lord.”
Here 'wow