The
Thessalonian Epistles
Preaching
Lesson
VI
1
Thessalonians 2
Written:
October 8, 2003
The Purpose of Preaching
1 Corinthians 1:21
(21) For after that in the wisdom of God the world by
wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe.
We
read in 1 Corinthians 1:21 “... it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe.” Preaching is
unique to Christianity. When preaching
has been biblically strong, churches have been strong. In the chapter before us, Paul states how he
preached at Thessalonica.
The Power of Preaching
1 Corinthians 1:23
(23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Philippians 1:15-18
(15) Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife;
and some also of good will:
(16) The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
(17) But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the
defence of the gospel.
(18) What then? notwithstanding,
every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein
do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
“Paul
was devoted to a Person not a cause,” wrote Oswald Chambers. To the Corinthians, Paul wrote: “… but we
preach Christ crucified …” (1 Corinthians 1:23). To the Philippians, “Some indeed preach
Christ even of envy and strife; and some of good will; The one preach Christ of
contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the
other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then?
notwithstanding, every way, Christ is preached;
and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” (Philippians 1:15-18).
Someone
wrote of our day: “These are days when a mild mannered man in a pulpit speaks
to mild mannered people in a pew, exhorting them to be more
mild mannered.” Then the preacher
wonders why people go to sleep while he preaches!
“A
dull, dead preacher, makes a dull, dead congregation.”
(Adam Clark).
“It
was said of one preacher that in his sermons he could go down deeper, and stay
down longer, and come up drier than any preacher ever known.” (A. T.
Robertson).
The power of preaching is in
preaching Christ for the Holy Spirit takes only the things of Christ and
makes them real to the heart.
The
Presentation by the Preacher
1
Thessalonians 2:2
(2)
But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as
ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of
God with much contention.
Paul states: “…we were bold
in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention” (1
Thessalonians 2:2). Preaching demands
boldness. His courage came from God. To speak with boldness, it is not necessary
to know a lot of theology but it is necessary to know the Bible. Men may study theology and not know the Bible
while others who have never studied theology can be mighty in the Scriptures.
(On this subject of boldness see
Acts 4:29 and Ephesians 6:19-20 also).
Acts
4:29
(29)
And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant
unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
Ephesians
6:19-20
(19)
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth
boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
(20)
For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I
ought to speak.
1
Thessalonians 2:3
(3)
For our exhortation [was] not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
“For our exhortation was not of
deceit, nor of uncleanness nor of guile” (1 Thessalonians 2:3). Paul’s appeal was not in error (A.S.V.) it
was not based on a delusion (T.C. N.T.).
He brought a true message. This
should be the aim of every preacher in his preaching.
A.W. Tozer
wrote: “For myself, I long ago decided that I would rather know truth than be
happy in ignorance. If I cannot have
both truth and happiness, give me truth.
We’ll have a longtime to be happy in Heaven.” Wrote another, “It is
better to be divided by truth than be united in error.”
J.B. Phillips translation, “Our
message to you is true, our motives are pure, our conduct is absolutely above
board.” In other words, Paul claimed a
true message, a true motive and a true method. To
so preach, expository preaching is necessary.
By expository preaching, one must preach on any text, portion of
Scripture or Scriptural subject in the context of the whole Bible.
1
Thessalonians 2:4
(4)
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we
speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our
hearts.
Galatians
1:10
(10)
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to
please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be
the servant of Christ.
Paul considered his ministry to be
a trust from God (1 Thessalonians 2:4) and therefore he did not preach to please
men (1 Thessalonians 2:4). In fact he
wrote to the Galatians and said if he did please men, he would not be a servant
of Christ (Galatians 1:10).
1
Thessalonians 2:5
(5)
For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God [is] witness:
Acts
20:33
(33)
I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.
Furthermore, he did not use
flattering words nor did he wear a cloak of covetousness (1 Thessalonians
2:5). He could tell the Elders of
Ephesus, “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel” (Acts 20:33)
1
Thessalonians 2:6
(6)
Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor [yet] of others, when we might
have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
Galatians
5:26
(26)
Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one
another.
Proverbs
25:27
(27)
[It is] not good to eat much honey: so [for men] to search their own glory [is
not] glory.
John
12:43
(43)
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
“Nor of men sought we glory” (1
Thessalonians 2:6). Paul called such:
“vain glory” (Galatians 5:26). Proverbs
says, “…so for men to seek their own glory is not glory” (Proverbs 25:27). Those who seek such glory “love the praise of
men more than the praise of God” (John
The
Personality of the Preacher
1
Thessalonians 2:7-8
(7)
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth
her children:
(8)
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto
you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear
unto us.
“We were gentle among you even as a
nurse cherisheth her children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7). Other translations: “as a nursing
mother”. A mother who nurses her child
imparts herself. Paul expresses himself
further, “so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have
imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because
ye were dear unto us “ (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
1
Thessalonians 2:11
(11)
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a
father [doth] his children,
In verse 7 he had likened himself
to a loving mother and in verse 11 to a caring father.
That is why he told Timothy that
Elders are to “take care of the Church of God” (1 Timothy
3:5). Few preachers, it seems to us,
have hearts like caring fathers and mothers. More seem to be interested in the
wool than the sheep.
1 Timothy 3:5
(5)
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the
church of God?)
1
Thessalonians 2:9
(9)
For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail:
for labouring night and day, because we would not be
chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
Acts
20:34
(34)
Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have
ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Furthermore, when with them Paul “laboured night and day” (1 Thessalonians 2:9). When speaking to the Ephesian
Elders he said, “Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto
my necessities, and to them that were with me” (Acts 20:34).
2
Thessalonians 3:10
(10)
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not
work, neither should he eat.
This great Apostle was never afraid
of work. There is no place for laziness
in the work of the ministry. “If a man
will not work (labour with his own hands) neither
should he eat” (2 Thessalonians
The
Personal life of the Preacher.
1
Thessalonians 2:10-12
(10)
Ye [are] witnesses, and God [also], how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
(11)
As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a
father [doth] his children,
(12)
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and
glory.
“We behaved ourselves…” (1
Thessalonians 2:10). Nothing hinders or
helps the work of the ministry more than the conduct of the minister. Paul walked among them as a good father does
with his children desiring to lead (not drive) them to “walk worthy of God” (1
Thessalonians
The Response to the Preaching.
1
Thessalonians 2:13-14
(13)
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the
word of God which ye heard of us, ye received [it]
not [as] the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe.
(14)
For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are
in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen,
even as they [have] of the Jews:
Under such a ministry, the
Thessalonians received the Word of God as the Word of God and not as the word
of man (1 Thessalonians 2:13). They
became followers of the Churches of God at a great cost to themselves (1 Thessalonians
2:14). It does not cost anything to be
saved but it may cost much to be a follower.
Every Christian must be prepared to suffer some way from the hands of
evil men and Satan who drives such men.
John
15:20
(20)
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is
not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
In John