Our text for the message on Sunday evening will be I Thess. 1:2-4. We will spend the majority of our time unpacking the wealth of wisdom given to us specifically in verse 3. Since we won’t have much time for verses 2 & 4 in the message, I thought it would be good to look a little more deeply at those two verses.
In I Thess. 1:2, Paul is inspired of God to write, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers." Of the seven churches to which Paul writes, six of them receive the encouraging news that Paul continually prayed for them.

Rom. 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

I Cor. 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

Eph. 1:15-16 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Phil. 1:3-4 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

Col. 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

I Thess. 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

     Not only did Paul pray for these churches, but we are also told he prayed for Timothy (II Tim. 1:3) and Philemon, (Philemon 1:4). Consider all that Paul did in his lifetime. He was a man always on the go. From mission trips, to preaching sermons, to writing epistles, to making tents, to visiting in the markets it seems as if the man never sat still. Yet one thing we find that Paul made time for was to take the names of others to the Throne of Grace!
With all of the modern day conveniences we have it seems we are busier than ever. How we need to learn from the example of the Apostle Paul! If we ever get too busy to pray we are just too busy! Our Savior exemplified this truth as well. Whether it was praying all night or rising a great while before day, Jesus always made time to intimately commune with our Heavenly Father!
The other verse that we won’t be able to thoroughly study in the service on Sunday is I Thess. 1:4, so let me share with you a little more information on that passage than I will be able to in the service. Paul writes under the inspiration of God, “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” We will examine why Paul knew of their election on Sunday, but I want to discuss with you just what election is. The doctrine of election has long been debated and discussed by Bible scholars much more knowledgeable than I, so I do not presume to have all of the answers.
     Sometimes, though, the best way to understand something is to first understand what it is not! Election is not a doctrine that teaches God has reserved some for hell and some for Heaven. There are several verses of Scripture that teach God has chosen certain people for certain things but none of them teach that God has predetermined anyone’s eternal destiny. Actually, many verses speak to the contrary. In II Pet. 3:9 we read, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Again, in I Tim. 2:3-4 the Word of God says, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” The will of God or the desire of God is that all would come to repentance and be saved. Why would God predetermine something against His own will? It seems kind of foolish to think that God would do something exactly opposite of what He wants, doesn’t it? I would think He has enough trouble with us doing that!
     Not only are we told in Scripture that God’s will is for all to be saved, but we’re also told that man has a choice as to whether or not he follows God’s will. Jesus said in Matt. 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Then in Jn. 5:39-40, Jesus says, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” We could look at several other Scriptures, but these two passages plainly show people making choices contrary to God’s will. It’s not a good idea to do that, but it can be done!
     So if election is not God predetermining some for Heaven and some for hell, what is it? What I’m about to say is not meant to be sarcastic. One thing I appreciate about those who call themselves Calvinists (those who believe God has predestined some for Heaven and some for hell) is that they always emphasize God’s glory. Part of the reason Calvinists say man has no choice in salvation is because they feel as if this gives glory to man. However, when we look at the most commonly used passage to support the stance that election is God predetermining certain people to certain places the Calvinists all of a sudden forget to keep the focus on God and instead focus on people. Here’s what I mean.
     Ephesians 1:3-6 reads, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” If you read that and focus on the personal pronouns like “us” and “we” it would be easy to come away with the idea that we were chosen before the foundation of the world. But, if you go back and read the passage focusing instead on Jesus the passage takes on a different meaning. For instance, in verse 3 note the phrase “in Christ” instead of “blessed us.” In verse 4 focus on the phrase “in him” instead of “chosen us.” Fix your attention in verse 5 on the phrase “by Jesus Christ” instead of “predestinated us.” Finally, in verse 6, while it is wonderful that He has “made us accepted,” I would suggest that the predetermined part of that verse is “in the beloved.” In other words, I would suggests that the predetermined thing is the plan not the people! What has been elected is not the “who” but the “how”.
     Peter gives evidence to this truth as well. Listen to what he writes in I Peter 1:18-20. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” Jesus was foreordained before the foundation of the world to be the Lamb without spot or blemish. Jesus is the predetermined One!
     God’s invitation is not extended to an elect few! Romans 10:13 declares, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Revelation 22:17 instructs us that “…the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Isaiah 55:1 calls to “… every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” And from the lips of our Savior come these words in John 7:37. “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.” I’m thankful that salvation is indeed for whosoever will!

Application Questions for I Thess. 1:1

1) Why should the church be important to us? (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25)

2) According to Acts 2:41, how were believers added to the church in Jerusalem?

3) Having examined the importance of the church to God, would you say that the church has a proper place of importance in your life?

4) What two provisions has God made for the believer that are listed in I Thessalonians 1:1?

5) How do we receive more of the graces that God has in store for us? (Jas. 4:6)

6) Knowing that God has grace in store for every situation we face should bring what to our lives?

7) Is there a situation in your life for which you need more of God's grace?

Introduction to Thessalonians

     We begin our study in the book of I Thessalonians. There is a debate as to which of Paul's epistles was the earliest. Many theologians of bygone eras believed that the letters to the Thessalonians were the earliest while many recent theologians believe that the letter to the Galatians is the earliest. The view of those who stand for Galatians being the earliest epistle is based on the argument that what Paul writes in Galatians 2:1-10 corresponds with what takes place in Acts 11:27-30. However, it would seem to me that what is written in Galatians 2:1-10 better corresponds with what takes place in Acts 15. Since Paul speaks in Galatians 2 of what takes place in Acts 15 as being in the past, the epistle must have been written after this meeting, probably around 56 AD. Whereas the date of the writing of Galatians is debated, the date of the writing of I Thessalonians is rather well known.
    Paul traveled through Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. He stayed three weeks in the city with a believer named Jason and during those three weeks Paul reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue concerning Jesus. God allowed Paul to see much fruit in those three weeks. Acts 17:4 tells us, "And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few." The unbelieving Jews did not take kindly to Paul's message though,  and ran him out of town. From Thessalonica Paul went to Berea, where again he was forced out of the city for preaching the gospel. From Berea Paul traveled to Athens and from Athens he went on to Corinth.
     Paul penned the letter to the Thessalonians during his stay at Corinth. Paul, along with Timothy (also known as Timotheus), and Silas (also known as Silvanus) were in Corinth in AD 51. Silas and Timothy had come from Thessalonica to meet Paul at Corinth and upon the good report that these two men brought, God inspired Paul to write I Thessalonians. Listen to what Paul says in I Thessalonians 3:6-8. "But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord." This church brought much rejoicing to the Apostle Paul and though there is some instruction in the epistle much of it is encouragement and edification. Paul said of the church at Thessalonica, " ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing" I Thess. 1:7b-8). So we have in Thessalonica a church that is a great example, and that with God's help we will learn much from in the coming weeks.

     Let me share with you briefly (okay, probably not briefly) just a little about the city of Thessalonica. The city of Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia situated on the most coast of the Aegean Sea. Boasting a population of about 200,000 people, Thessalonica was  a thriving metropolis.


With thermal springs drawing tourists from abroad, a large naval base in its harbor, and the Via Egnatia running through the heart of the city, Thessalonica was a well-connected and influential city throughout all of the region of Macedonia. There have been little archaeological excavation done of the ancient city of Thessalonica due to the fact that the city of modern-day city Salonika of sits atop the ancient city. However, in 1962, renovations to a bus station done in 1962, revealed an ancient forum dating to the first century AD housing a bathhouse and mint.

The Via Egnatia was the most prominent east-west route in the Roman Empire stretching from the western coast of modern-day Greece all the way up to modern-day Istanbul. It connected Thessalonica to all of Macedonia.

   

The modern day city of Salonika with the Mediterranean Sea in the background

Ruins of a 1st Century AD bathhouse & mint discovered by excavators in Salonika.

     One final note of interest about the city of Thessalonica. In Acts 17:6, Luke said that Jason was brought unto the "politarches" (translated "rulers" in the KJV) of the city of Thessalonica. Because the word was not found in any other Greek literature, the authenticity of the book of Acts was continually questioned by critics. However, in the 19th century, the ruins of the Vardar Gate were discovered. The Vardar Gate spanned the Egnatia Way as it entered the city of Thessalonica to welcome travelers. On the Vardar Gate was an inscription bearing the term "poleitarchounton" which is a variant form of the word "politarches". In other words, the very city of which Luke wrote bore the only extant evidence of this word in Greek literature. (Subsequent discoveries of the usage of the word have been found.) Thus Luke's account in the book of Acts was proven to be historically accurate.

Vardar Gate inscription bearing the word "politarches"