Yesterday, I was contemplating not getting out of bed because I had a sore and swollen throat. Of course, you know now that I did get out, because if I didn’t you wouldn’t have notes to read! But these notes are a day late because I had body aches, headaches, sore&swollen throat and a slight fever after lunch. Yay.

What to Value When All is Said and Done

1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 [show] For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. [2]But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. [3]For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, [4]but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. [5]For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness. [6]Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. [7]But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. [8]So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. [9]For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. [10]You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. [11]For you know how, like a father with his children, [12]we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. [13]And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. [14]For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, [15]who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind [16]by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved--so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last! [17]But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, [18]because we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, again and again--but Satan hindered us. [19]For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? [20]For you are our glory and joy. (ESV)

• what is the greatest value?
  • people; saved people in presence @ His coming because you risked telling the Good News
  • Thessalonians were unsure if Paul actually loved them, hence these letters
• Evangelism has…
  • no other motive than love for people @ their highest welfare (1 Thess 2:1-6,8 [show] For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. [2]But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. [3]For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, [4]but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. [5]For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness. [6]Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. (ESV) [8]So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. (ESV)
    )
    • wasn’t about the money, fame, etc.; “nothing for ourselves”
  • entrusted with Good News; seeking to please God; (1 Thess 2:4 [show] [4]but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. (ESV)
    )
• Evangelism has…
  • no other method than reflection of Good News itself (1 Thess 2:6-12 [show] [6]Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. [7]But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. [8]So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. [9]For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. [10]You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. [11]For you know how, like a father with his children, [12]we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (ESV)
    )
    • Good News != part of the world (not part of the world)
    • means justify the end?
• Evangelism has…
  • no other message than the Word of God, not those of a man (1 Thess 2:13 [show] [13]And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (ESV)
    )
    • none of our psychobabble…
    • we receive the Word of God as it is, we do not choose which to believe in
  • plant God’s word in people’s minds, like the seed parable
  • every time you bless in front of those with the seed of gospel in them is like watering them, giving them nourishment…closer to growth
• But…how do we know new life has occurred?
  • imitators of Christ; suffer (1 Thess 2:14 [show] [14]For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, (ESV)
    )
  • Evangelism has…
    • no other confirmation than changed lives (1 Thess 2:13-16 [show] [13]And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. [14]For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, [15]who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind [16]by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved--so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God's wrath has come upon them at last! (ESV)
      )
      • the power to change
      • the presence of common behaviour patterns
        • we all have the same spiritual DNA, same Christian traits…
      • the passion to persevere in spite of
        • i) those who manifest absence of God and oppose evangelism
          • remember from before, “…heaping up sins, will draw away from God and God will draw away from them and build up wrath”
        • ii) Satan putting obstacles in pathway of people
• Evangelism produces…
  • no other comparable joy than that of the souls of people saved and presented to jesus @ His coming (1 Thess 2:17-20 [show] [17]But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, [18]because we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, again and again--but Satan hindered us. [19]For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? [20]For you are our glory and joy. (ESV)
    )
    • The “Parousia”; the final review and reward for faithful evangelism
    • our Stanley Cup = people in presence of Christ because of evangelism