REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNITIES 1 Thessalonians 2 complicated And day

REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNITIES 1 Thessalonians 2

complicated! “And day by day continuing with one mind Paulin. Was Excited! the temple, and breaking bread “And all those who had from house to house, they were taking have “These men who have upset the world believed were together, and their with gladness and comemeals here together also!” Acts 17: 6 had all things in common; ofdid heart, praising God, and “Forsincerity our gospel not come to you in word only, but also and they began selling their having theand people. in power andfavor in thewith Holy all Spirit with full. And the propertyand possessions, conviction…You became imitators of us and of the Lord was adding to their number day by were sharing them Lord…so that and you became an example to with all the believers day those who were being saved. ” Acts in Macedonia and in Achaia…so that we have all, as anyone might have no need to say 2: 46 -47 anything. ” - 1 Thes. 1: 5 -7 need. ”

complicated! Paul Was Excited! “These men who have upset the world have come here also!” Acts 17: 6 They Conquered ROME! No Armies! No Money! COMMON Joes! How did they do it?

complicated! A Fantasy Today? Paul Was Excited!The same Holy Spirit. “These men who have The same Word of God. upset the world have come here The same Community. also!” Acts 17: 6 The same Prayer. The same Process…?

complicated! 2: 1 -6 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the

complicated! DECLARING A Message: ‘Gospel’ �There IS Good “declare News! his Good News” “entrusted with the Good News”

complicated! DECLARING A Message: ‘Gospel’ �There IS Good News! “declare his Good �Be Reconciled! Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God! 2 News”Corinthians 5: 20

complicated! DECLARING A Message: ‘Gospel’ A Trust from God It’s Not about “declare his Good News” ‘Me’ � “entrusted with the Good News”

complicated! We never stop thanking God D E C L A R I N G that when you received his message from us, you didn’t A Message: think of our words as mere ‘Gospel’ human ideas. You accepted A Trust from God what we said as the very word of God—which, of � It’s Not about ‘Me’ course, it is. And this word � Strong continues to work in you who

complicated! DECLARING A Message: ‘Gospel’ A Trust from God With Courage! � Not People- we never came with flattering we speak, speech (v 5) not as pleasing men, but God who examines our

complicated! DECLARING A Message: ‘Gospel’ A Trust from God With Courage! � Not People- we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our

complicated! 1 Thess. 2: 2 after we DECLARING had already suffered A Message: ‘Gospel’and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, A Trust from God we had the boldness in With Courage! our God to speak to you the gospel of God � Not Peopleamid much opposition. Pleasers

complicated! DECLARING LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Thess. 2: 5 -6 …nor with Not ME-Focused a pretext greed —God � E. g. , Benny Hill A Trustfor from God is witness—nor did we With Courage! 1 seek glory from men, either from you or from others. . .

complicated! DECLARING LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused Kosmos � E. g. , Benny Hill A Trust from God Christians • Tricks/Deceit With Courage! • Popular? ? • Straight-Talkers • Persecuted? ? pretext for greed…glory from men

complicated! DECLARING LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused A Trust from God NOT Dominating “Dominator” With Courage! 1 Thessalonians 2: 6 nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our

complicated! 2 Cor. 13: 12 Greet one D E C Lwith ARa I Nholy G kiss. another LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused But we proved 1 to. Co. 16: 20; gentle (Ro. 16: 16; A Trust frombe God NOT Dominating among as a nursing 1 Th. you, 5: 26) With tenderly Courage! mother cares for her Compassion own children. Having so fond an affection for you… (2: 7 -8) Tender, affectionate

complicated! DECLARING LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused But we proved to be gentle A Trust from God NOT Dominating among you, as a nursing With tenderly Courage! mother cares for her Compassion own children. 2 Cor. so 13: 12 one Having fond. Greet an affection for you… with (2: 7 -8) another a holy kiss. Tender, affectionate

complicated! DECLARING LOVING 1 Thess. 2: 8 (NASB) A Message: Having so fond an‘Gospel’ affection Not ME-Focused for you, we were A Trust from well. God NOT Dominating pleased to impart to you Compassion With Courage! not only the gospel of God Tender, affectionate but also our own lives, & Sacrificial BECAUSE you had

complicated! D E CRevolutionary LARING LOVING 1 Thess. 2: 8 (NASB) A Message: Having so fond. Joy. Org an‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused affection for from you, we were NOT Dominating A Trust God well-pleased to impart to Compassion With Courage! you not only the gospel of Tender, affectionate God but also our own & Sacrificial lives, because you had

complicated! DECLARING LOVING A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused A Trust from God NOT Dominating With Courage! Compassion Tender, affectionate & Sacrificial

1 Thessalonians 2: 9 -11 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a D Eto. C L of A you, RIN LOVING burden any we. G proclaimed to you the gospel of A Message: ‘Gospel’ Not ME-Focused God. You are witnesses, and so is A Trust from God NOT Dominating God, how devoutly and uprightly blamelessly we Compassion With and Courage! behaved toward you believers; Hard-Working! just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you complicated!

1 Thessalonians 2: 9 -11 …our labor and hardship, how working D Eand C L day A R Iso NG LOVING night as not to be. Message: a burden to‘Gospel’ any of Not ME-Focused A you, …how devoutly A Trust from God NOT Dominating and uprightly and With Courage! Compassion blamelessly we Hard-Working! behaved … � With Substance complicated!

Revolutionaries Real MOTHERS Real FATHERS Compassionate Hard-Working “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is Strong: Enduring the head, even Investing Christ. ” Ephesians 4: 15 Hardship! Concerned Powerful: exhorting Sacrificial Love and encouraging and Truth imploring each one

Revolutionaries Real MOTHERS Real FATHERS Not a Dream “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. ”