You young believers, I want you always to
remember that Acts chapter 16 is one of
the most important chapters in your whole Bible.
It was very important for the Church of
Jesus Christ in those early days, and most
certainly it was very important for the world,
because in Acts chapter 16 you find Paul
standing at a place, and he wants to
go to Asia with the gospel, but God
wouldn't let him.
God halted him, and God turned him towards
Europe.
It's here in Acts chapter 16 that he
heard the Macedonian call, and in obedience to
God, Paul came to Europe with the gospel.
You know that he came to Philippi, I
needn't read it to you.
And I think the first soul saved was
Lydia, a woman, a teller of prophets.
And then of course, when Paul entered into
Europe with the gospel, and souls began to
get saved, the devil got cross, and Paul
was put in prison.
You remember him being put in prison at
Philippi.
And at the end of chapter 16, he's
leaving the prison.
It says in verse 40, And they went
out of the prison, that is, Paul and
Silas, and entered into the house of Lydia,
and when they had seen the brethren, they
comforted them and departed.
Now when they had passed through Amphibolus and
Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica.
You see, if you look them up some
day, you'll find that Philippi is right up
in the north there, and they came down
the other side of the loch, as we
call it, down southwest to a place called
Thessalonica.
Tonight on your market, Thessalonica.
It will be easily found for you.
But we're not too worried about that end
of it, I'm not with you.
Paul came down to Thessalonica.
Now I want you to notice this in
verse 1.
Where was a synagogue of the Jews?
Now remember, they're in Europe now.
Yes, they're in Macedonia and Greece.
But there was a synagogue of the Jews
here.
And of course, Paul took his opportunity, and
he went in on the Sabbath day to
speak to them.
And Paul, as his manner was, went in
unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with
them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging
that Christ must indeed have suffered and risen
again from the dead, and that this Jesus
whom I picked unto you is Christ.
I think that Paul was a wonderful man.
He turned to enter Europe at the command
of God, and the first thing that happens
to him is thrown into the prison at
Philippi.
His feet were made fast in the storks,
his back was lacerated with a lash, and
yet the moment that he gets out of
the prison, he's back into the business of
the Lord.
Some of us, you know, we would have
gone to the south of France for six
weeks to get our breath back, but Paul,
he was getting on with the work.
Here he is at Thessalonica, starting a battle
all over again.
He's preaching to the Jews here, and that's
for Thess.
And some of them, the least, are consulted
with Paul and Silas.
And of the devout Greeks, a great multitude.
Aye, you know, the Gentiles were listening in
to the Gospel.
And a great multitude in Thessalonica believes also,
and of the chief women, not a few.
So I want you to see Paul going
down into Thessalonica, preaching to the Jews, and
some of them get saved.
But a great multitude of the Thessalonian Gentiles
trust the Lord.
They had a revival.
Great days for Thessalonica, the Gospel had come.
And a great multitude believed.
What a wonderful time it must have been.
Of course the devil gets busy when the
Lord gets busy.
What's the next verse?
But the Jews which believed not, see that
little phrase, moved with envy.
I wonder have you ever tasted that sort
of thing?
My eyes have had it all my life.
People, because of God's blessing, get filled with
envy.
Aye, and they're moved with envy.
Moved with envy.
And look what happened.
They took unto them certain lewd fellows, vile
fellows it reads in my Bible, of the
basest sort, and gathered a company, and set
all the city on an uproar, and assaulted
the house of Jason.
It seems that Paul was staying at the
house of Jason in Thessalonica, and sought to
bring them out to the people.
And when they found them not, they drew
Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of
the city, crying, These that have stirred the
world upside down are come.
What a wonderful title that was.
These that have stirred the world upside down.
Whom Jason hath received, these all do contrary
to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there
is another king, one Jesus.
And they troubled the people and the rulers
of the city when they heard these things.
And when they had taken security of Jason
and of the other, they let them go.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and
Silas by night unto Berea, who coming to
them went into the synagogue of the Jews.
He's at it again.
Still holding this fellow down, you know.
He got through out of Philippi, and now
he's hunted out of Thessalonica.
He's starting over again at Berea.
You know, the devil was only helping to
spread the gospel.
I told you every movement the devil makes,
he's defeated.
He thought he was doing wonderful, hunting this
man about.
Let me tell you this, every movement the
devil makes, he's defeated.
He's at Berea now, and he's pitching again.
And great things happen there too.
Watch.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and
Silas by night unto Berea, who coming to
them went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica,
in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and touched the scriptures daily.
Whether those things were so, I wish you
would all do it with believer's baptism.
I wish you would receive the word.
I wish you would search the word for
yourself.
You'll find it's true.
It's God's truth, and no man can deny
it.
It's the truth of God's word.
We're not ashamed of it.
And these in Thessalonica searched the word for
themselves.
Verse 12.
They came further also, and stirred up the
people.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul
to go as it were to the sea.
But Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
And they that conducted Paul brought him unto
Athens.
And you know, if you go on reading,
he just started preaching in Athens.
That's how it goes.
But there's a little bit there.
He left Silas and Timotheus behind him, and
for a purpose.
If you turn to Thessalonians, now we'll get
on with the job.
First Thessalonians.
Now we're dealing with the first chapter tonight,
but I want you to look at a
verse or two in chapter 2 just now.
Chapter 2, verse 1.
And you'll see the whole story written over
again for you.
Paul says in verse 1, chapter 2, For
yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you,
that it was not in vain.
But even after that we had suffered before,
and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at
Philippi.
He was shamefully entreated at Philippi, wasn't he?
Didn't he suffer there?
We were bold in our God to speak
unto you the gospel of God with much
contention.
And that's the story of him coming to
Thessalonica.
Now when he was taken out of Thessalonica,
he says in verse 17, But we, brethren,
being taken from you for a short time
in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more
abundantly to see your face with great desire.
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even
I, Paul, once and again, but Satan tendered
us.
Chapter 3, verse 1.
Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we
thought it good to be left at Athens
alone, and sent to Maltheus, our brother and
minister of God, our tender labourer in the
gospel of Christ, to establish you and to
comfort you concerning your faith, that no man
should be moved by these reflections.
For yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
For verily, when we were with you, we
told you before that we should suffer tribulation,
even as it came to pass.
And ye know, for this cause, when I
could no longer forbear, I sent to know
your faith, lest by some means the tempter
have tempted you and our labour be in
vain.
But now, when to Maltheus came from you
unto us, and brought us good tidings of
your faith and charity, that he have good
remembrance of us always, as we also do
to you.
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in
all our affliction by your faith.
For now we live at least time past
in the Lord.
You see, Paul was being hunted across the
country, but he left to Maltheus and Silas,
that they might flip back and see how
this great multitude was getting on at Bethlehem
night.
He was worried about their affliction.
And now he's got the whole story.
Timothy's come back and told him.
And so Paul is writing this letter after
Timothy had brought the good news of how
steadfast and unmovable these young believers were in
Bethlehem night.
So there's the setting.
Paul went and preached and the great multitude
was saved.
Paul had to depart because of afflictions.
He sent Timothy to see how they were
getting on.
And when Timothy came back with the news,
Paul writes this letter now to this young
church of Thessalonica, and he's got wonderful things
to say to these young believers.
Now we're starting at the first chapter in
the first verse now.
You'll notice that in this first chapter there
are only ten verses, and it very properly
divides itself into two.
The first five verses tell us some wonderful
things about Paul, and we'll call the first
five verses Paul's parts.
Then the second five verses tell us some
wonderful things about the Thessalonians, and we'll call
the second five verses the Thessalonians' parts.
Now I want you to watch all the
phrases now, because that's where you get the
teaching.
This wonderful letter, it begins with the word
Paul.
Paul, just Paul.
There's no doubt at all about the writer.
When you see Paul and Silvanus, which is
just Silas, Paul and Silas and Timotheus, you
have no trouble at all identifying the writer.
The word Paul identifies the writer.
We see his identity.
But I think there's more in that word
than that.
I think that this word Paul doesn't only
give us the identity of the writer, but
it gives us the humility of the man.
Mind you, the one who wrote this letter
was one of the most wonderful warriors the
Lord ever had.
He was the prince of pictures.
He was a sincere servant.
He was an out-and-outer.
And yet he just put his name down
as Paul.
He didn't say, the holy, reverend, doctor, this,
that or the other.
Oh no, he had more sense than that.
That's Popish, if you want to know.
And Popely hadn't got working there.
He was the greatest man in the book
in the New Testament as a missionary or
servant of God.
Listen to how he talked.
Paul.
I wish some of the fellows would take
a bit out of this book.
They would be less exalting of man and
far more exalting of Christ.
So that we see the identity of the
writer and you see the humility of the
man.
But this verse goes on.
Paul and Silas and Timotheus, now watch how
this bit's styled, on to the church of
the Thessalonians.
And if you younger ones like to take
your time sometime, you'll find that this is
the only letter, the first and second letters,
are the only letters in your New Testament
with this phrase.
When Paul writes to the Thessalonians, he said,
to the saints of Ephesus, to the saints
of Ephesus.
When he writes to the Colossians, it's to
the saints of Colossus, to the saints and
to the faithful.
When he writes to Corinth, he's writing on
to the church of God, which is at
Corinth.
But here he writes, the church of the
Thessalonians.
I think that there's a great thing there.
These are not differences without distinction.
You see, this was a young church.
In fact, some of the scholars believe that
this letter came to these young believers just
a few months after their conversion.
Paul had only gone down to Athens, and
from Athens to Corinth, and it's believed that
he wrote from Corinth when Timothy came back
and sent it down to this young church.
And you know, in those days, because they
were young believers, they were all open.
Not even in among them there were no
divisions.
So that he can say this, the church
of Thessalonians.
You know, we wouldn't dare to take the
title, the church, at love.
I don't believe that this is the church
of love.
I know we're a tremendous lot of saints.
Thank God we have.
But you know, I recognize that there are
saints in the Methodist.
There are saints among the Presbyterians.
There are saints among the church, the Episcopal
church.
And maybe some of you don't know this,
but there are saints down in the Roman
Catholic church.
Our friend, we need to be very careful
before we would take this.
But on this occasion, when this letter came,
they were all one in one with the
church of Thessalonians.
So that you're seeing the unity of the
church.
Did you see the identity of the writer?
Did you see the humility of the man?
Do you notice now the unity of the
church?
My, we would be a mighty force in
this town, if we were all one together,
in one place.
We'll never see it this side of the
glory.
Never see it.
But that's a very wonderful phrase.
Now I want you to watch carefully, I
mean to deal with all the phrases.
Paul and Silas and Timotheus, unto the church
of the Thessalonians, which is in God the
Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And I wonder, do you notice the equality
of our Lord Jesus Christ, this God the
Father?
My, Paul put that well, didn't he?
You see, he was being guided by the
Holy Ghost.
So he just named himself Paul, and he
brought in a phrase that shows us, if
we can see anything, the unity of the
church.
But when he says that church is in
God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus
Christ, we see the equality of our Lord
Jesus Christ with God the Father.
My equality is taught there.
But he goes on.
Grace be unto you, and peace.
And again you see both mentioned, from God
our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I think you can see the centrality of
his heart here.
You know, he's not talking about saving grace
here, I don't want you to get mixed
up.
And he's not talking about making you at
peace with God.
He's talking to people who were saved.
He's talking to people who had peace with
God.
But he's not talking about keeping grace, but
he's talking about keeping grace.
He said, you saints are better than nature.
The storm's howling around you.
Might grace come from God to keep you
from falling?
May the peace of God, not peace with
God.
May the peace of God fill your mind.
And you know, every step of the journey
down here, dear child of God, you'll need
grace.
Grace to live in that home.
Grace to face those unsaved friends.
Grace in the work.
Grace in the factory.
Grace, grace, you'll need grace.
And mind you, we need the peace of
God in our mind.
Paul knew what young believers need and old
believers.
And in the first verse, you see the
identity of the writer.
You see the humility of the man.
You see the unity of the church.
You see the equality of our Lord Jesus
with God the Father.
And you see the sincerity of the preacher.
He longed that grace and peace might be
upon him.
Ah yes, this wonderful little letter came from
the pen of Paul.
And every phrase means something.
Now we turn from looking at the pen
of Paul to look for a moment at
the praises of Paul.
You see the second verse?
We give thanks to God always for you
all.
Isn't that lovely?
You know, I can see the great apostle.
He's on his knees.
His feet is upwards.
Maybe the storm was waging around him a
chance.
But he was taking time to praise God.
Praise God, thanking God for the day he
went to Bethlehem on Isaac.
Ah, I hope we can thank God for
one another.
You know, I can thank God for the
day I came to Lourdes.
I thank God for that day.
And I thank God for it every day.
Mind you, I left a far bigger church
than this to come to this place.
And I was shaken to the foundations when
I made the decision.
But I came here and I saw God
working and I saw many saved.
And what's more, I saw my own two
boys saved.
Ready for heaven.
They were saved in Lourdes.
Saved in Lourdes.
And I thank God.
Thank God for the day I came.
Thank God for you all.
I wonder can you thank God for faith?
Can you thank God for me?
All right.
We're looking at the praises.
And let's turn from the pain of Paul
and the praises of Paul to the prayers
of Paul.
See the latter phrase of verse 2, Making
mention of you in our prayers.
I think that's lovely.
You know, he never forgot the young believers.
Oh, that the old saints would get that
phrase in their hearts tonight.
Making mention of the young believers in our
prayers.
I wonder do we?
Oh, here's how Paul got about the work.
He says, thank you God.
Thank you for the day you sent me
under.
And then he remembers.
He remembers.
Oh, name after name.
Making mention of you all.
Tell me you old believers.
Do you pray for the young believers?
Do you know who was saved last week?
Do you mention them every day?
I trust you uphold them in your prayers.
Let's turn from Paul's pain and Paul's praises
and Paul's prayers to Paul's perception.
See verse 3.
Remembering without seeking.
Here's something that he noticed.
Your work of faith.
And labor of love.
And patience of hope.
In our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight
of God our Father.
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
Here is four things that Paul watched.
First of all, in these young believers.
Perhaps through the story that Timothy brought.
He saw their work of faith.
Why, Timothy could come back and say, you
know, they're still going on in faith.
They're working the faith.
It's the work of faith.
Timothy could come back and say, Paul.
You know, they're really out and out because
they love the Lord.
It was a labor of love.
And he said, Paul, do you know this?
My, they're patiently waiting for the Lord to
come again.
Patience of hope.
And in these young believers, he could see
your work of faith.
Your labor of love.
Your patience of hope.
Your election of God.
It's a faithful boy, isn't it?
How did he know they were elected of
God?
Did God take them up to heaven and
let them see the books?
Did God say, look, there's the books.
See those fellows there, I called them before
the foundation of the world.
Our preachers find them, they were elected.
Indeed, he did not.
How do you know the elect of God,
I'll tell you.
If you can see somebody that continually works
by faith.
Who loves the Lord.
And who waits for his coming.
You can write them off as one of
God's elect.
By their fruits, ye shall know.
He says, when I see you working by
faith.
When I see your labor of love.
When I see your patience of hope.
Then I know your election of God.
Very simple, you know.
No trouble with it at all.
You know, you bother saying the boys that
go to the cinema and the football.
Are elected of God.
You get bothered.
Some of them I don't know whether they're
saved or not.
Mind you friend, it's a, it's a risky
business.
Make your election sure.
And the other side of the door will
disclose and say, Lord, Lord.
We, it's in fact in my name, and
in my name we did many wonderful works.
You say, I never knew you.
It's nothing.
We'll turn from Paul's pen.
And Paul's praises.
And Paul's prayers.
And Paul's perception.
To Paul's preaching.
See verse 5.
For all God's power came not unto you
in word only.
But also in power.
And in the Holy Ghost.
And in much assurance.
Oh, this is a wonderful version.
And this is how Paul preached.
You know, Paul was one of those men.
Who knew perfectly well.
That you can't preach except your sense.
And you know you can't.
You can't preach except your sense.
But Paul knew right well.
That when God sent a preacher.
That he had to preach the words.
Had to preach the words.
The words of the gospel.
The words of the truth of the gospel,
as he put it in his age.
But Paul knew this.
That a sent preacher must not only preach
the words.
But he must preach it with power.
Oh, that's where we're being let down these
days.
We have so many folk who subscribe to
the evangelical line of things.
And they preach the words.
But it's in word only.
There's no power in it.
You just go and you'll hear it.
It's as bad a factor.
And yet you couldn't put a stroke through
any word.
Every I is dotted.
Every P is took.
But where's the power?
It's in word only.
My every day I live you know I
pray to God.
Oh God save us.
From going out and preaching thy word in
word only.
My Paul didn't preach like that.
He said our gospel came not unto you
in word only.
But in power.
And in the Holy Ghost and in much
assurance.
You see Paul believed that as the word
was preached there ought to be the power
of God upon it.
And Paul believed that as the message went
forth the Holy Ghost ought to be working
in the message.
And Paul believed that before it can be
preached in power and the Holy Ghost defending
it has to be absolutely sure in the
preacher's heart.
That was assurance you know before the preacher.
My a man will need to believe everything
he preaches.
I'm going to only pretend to believe you
know.
I don't believe it at all.
You put them into a tight corner and
you'll find out.
When did they not bow to the gospel
and they don't believe a word of it.
Then serious matter.
But Paul preached the word.
But not in word only.
My he was trained that the power of
God would be upon it.
That the Holy Ghost would attend to it.
And that the audience would be perfectly sure
that at least he believed.
He believed.
You said about the Atheist going to hear
Moody.
And the disciples of Frame went to the
end of the meeting.
Frame said what about it now.
He said well I'm just where I was
at the beginning.
I don't believe a word of it.
But I'm perfectly persuaded about this tonight.
That fellow up there believed.
Moody made his mark you know.
He believed.
We need men in the pulpits that believe
every phrase in this book.
Let's go on.
Paul's pen.
And Paul's praises.
And Paul's prayers.
And Paul's perception.
And Paul's preaching.
Now in the last phrase in verse 5
we see Paul's practice.
He can write to them and say.
Are ye no worse manner of men.
We were among you.
For your sake.
You know the first thing that you notice
about Paul.
As he went to Thessalonica he said.
We were bold to speak unto you in
our God.
Father was the boldness.
Who had come with the message of the
Lord.
He didn't need to beg your pardon and
apologize for the word of God.
He was a fearless.
Bold.
Brave.
Courageous.
Consistent.
Holy man of God.
What manner of men.
We were among.
So let's quickly in those five verses.
We've got Paul's pen.
The shul of God.
You see his praises.
You hear his prayers.
You notice his perception.
You see his preaching or hear his preaching.
And you notice his practice.
Among these heathen Gentiles who worshipped idols when
he came.
And then he turns in the next five
verses.
To two of the Thessalonians.
And there's some wonderful thing here.
Verse 6 he says.
And he became followers.
Of us.
And of the Lord Jesus.
Hold that for a moment.
Having received the word.
You know I want every unsaved man in
the meeting to think like this.
Certainly.
A man must defend to preach.
And certainly every preacher ought to preach the
word.
And most certainly every preacher preaching the word.
Should expect the power of God and the
Holy Ghost to attend.
And so the gospel will come on to
you.
In all its freshness.
And fullness.
And clearness.
But you have got to receive it.
You receive the word.
You receive it.
That's what's up with some of you in
this place.
When you won't receive the grace of the
gospel.
And you know the only way you get
saved is through us many.
You know this blessed message we bring.
This gospel.
It brings you a Christ who came.
A Christ who died.
A Christ who rose.
A Christ who lives.
A Christ who is in the meeting.
A Christ who is at your door.
A Christ who knocks and knocks and knocks
again.
Each little night.
And you need to receive it.
My, first of all, they became receivers.
They became receivers of Christ.
And then we'll go back to that other
phrase that we bypassed.
Do you see verse six?
Ye became followers.
You know, friends, it's a great joy to
see men bowing their knees and receiving Christ
when the message is preached.
But it's a great joy for me to
look down and see the ones who receive
Christ being followers of Christ.
Ah, that's just what proves they're received.
There's no use in nodding your head, you
know, or putting your hand up and writing
your name on a card.
You need to go on.
You need to follow the Lord.
My, these young believers.
They received Christ.
They became receivers.
They became followers.
But look, there's another little word in there.
Ye became followers of us and of the
Lord Jesus, having received the words, in much
affliction.
You know, they became sufferers.
And you know this, friend, I'm positively sure
of this.
If you've received Christ, and you're determined to
follow Christ, believe me, you'll suffer for Christ.
And you just can't help it any other
way.
The man that will live godly in Christ
Jesus Christ is hooked, sold, toppled, persecuted.
Believe me, friend, that you're running with the
wolves.
Believe me, you're not a follower of the
Lord Jesus.
Nor are you suffering for Christ.
You take your stand.
Obey that book.
Bow to every command.
Do what the Lord tells you to do.
And believe me, you'll be into trouble.
I'm sure the devil won't want you to
follow the Lord, will he?
Will the world be a trend with you?
You'll be a peculiar person.
And you know, if you follow the Lord,
you're going to deny self.
And that will bring you to the cross
of Calvary.
You'll suffer.
But these young believers became receivers.
Became followers.
Became sufferers.
And watch, there's another little word there, isn't
there?
Watch verse 6 again.
And ye became followers of us and of
the Lord Jesus, having received the word in
much affliction.
Watch this bit.
Withdrawal of the Holy Ghost, and they became
rejoicers.
It all works together.
When you receive Christ, when you follow Christ,
you suffer for Christ.
But the Holy Ghost fills your heart with
joy.
Real joy.
Wonderful joy.
You know, in the world tonight there's pleasure.
The pleasures of the world are only for
a season.
And don't go out and say there's no
pleasure, for there's pleasure in the world.
But there's all the difference between pleasure and
joy.
Remember real joy with a capital J?
It comes from the power of the Holy
Ghost.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy.
Real joy produced by the Spirit of God.
If you receive Christ, if you follow Christ,
you suffer for Christ.
But the Holy Ghost will fill your heart
with joy too.
So that they were receivers.
They were followers.
They were sufferers.
They were rejoicers.
What a lovely company.
And then it goes on to say, The
seven suraji were ensampled to all that believe
in Macedonia and Achaia.
You know, they were ensampled to all Greeks.
For those words are taking in almost all
Greeks.
You see, friend, it works like this.
If you receive Christ, if you're determined to
follow Christ, it will bring you suffering.
But the Holy Ghost will fill your heart
with joy.
And as you go all out following Christ
with joy in your soul, you bring a
light.
A light for them that sit in darkness.
You become the light of the world.
You know, the Lord Jesus said, As long
as I am in the world, I am
the light of the world.
But when he was going away, he just
looked at his son and said, You, you,
you, you're the light of the world.
You know, friend, only as you follow, only
as you suffer, only as your being is
filled with joy, will you become an ensample
to all that sit in darkness.
Are you getting it?
They became receivers.
They became followers.
They became sufferers.
They became rejoicers.
They became ensamples.
And then it goes on.
From that age now, we're at, I, from
you, sounded out the word of the Lord.
You know, they became preachers.
Why, some people say, you know, you should
never let the young believers preach.
Who told you that?
You see that?
That's a devil.
Just right there, just before your nose now.
They were only saved when the man who
worked them up tried to get them out
by night.
And here's a multitude saved, no great leaders
among them, but from them, sounded out the
word of the Lord.
Now, you young fellows, tear on up.
You'll get criticized.
You know, I started preaching 27 years ago.
And you know, when I started preaching, what
did I know?
I could hardly find Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
in the book.
Ah, but I knew the Lord, you know.
I was able to tell the folk I'd
met the Lord.
I didn't know a whole lot of things
I know now.
And I thought I knew everything, you know,
after a day or two.
I mean, you young fellows, you know everything.
It's a pity of you.
You're a long way to go.
After 27 years, you find out you don't
know very much.
It seems the longer you're at it, the
less you know.
Had you asked me any questions on dispensation
27 years ago, I told you the answers.
Tonight I don't know.
But never mind.
From these young believers sounded out the word
of the Lord.
Don't put any bricks on the young believers.
Let them go.
Try for them.
My, too often we criticize them.
We hear a wee fellow trying to preach
the gospel and he doesn't get everything just
exact.
He doesn't know what he's doing his best.
Don't go and criticize him.
Close your eyes and pray for him.
I hear some of the young fellows battering
away up the street there.
Young fellow, when I pass by, don't be
worried.
I'll be praying for you.
Not criticizing.
When you stand up here on Sunday morning
at our open table to preach, remember the
man in the front seat won't be criticizing.
He'll be praying for you.
And you'll be a blessing.
So, sounded out the word of the Lord.
My God, increase the number.
They became preachers.
Let's go on.
You see this verse 9 here.
It's a wonderful one.
For they themselves, that is the people of
Macedonia, came and testified, it says in my
book, came and testified openly.
They themselves saw of us what manner of
entering in we had unto you, how ye
turned to God.
Do you know they became illuminators.
That's all.
That's the only word I can get for
this.
You see, that's exactly how these idol worshippers
turned at the powerful preaching of the Apostle.
My, it became a light to the Gentile
world.
You became illuminators.
My, they could look at these Thessalonians and
they could say they turned to God from
idols.
Well, they could see that.
And mind you, never read it like this.
They didn't turn from idols to God.
You could read that in that book, didn't
you?
It says ye turned to God from idols.
If you read it the other way round,
ye turned from idols.
You make it appear they were fed up
with the idols.
Friend, when Paul came to preach the glory
of fast food, there was brought before them
one who was the almighty, the great Saviour,
the Divine and they were captivated with him
and through the attraction of the vision Christ.
They turned to God whom I have told
you it is.
Do you know when I went preaching at
first?
James McKendrick was perhaps the greatest preacher in
the land and he took a great interest
in me.
I couldn't tell you what for.
He may have been a God guided man,
I don't know.
He used to take me aside, you know,
and show me little things and then he
used to take me to preach with him.
He'd say, I'll give you ten minutes Willie
and mind you if you go one second
over the ten minutes I'll pull you a
cocktail.
And mind you he would have done it.
He'd take me a nonsense way.
But he was filling me up you know
and it was good for me.
But you know, I heard him preaching on
these last verses I never forgot.
He preached one night ye turned he said
that was your salvation.
Ye turned to self the living and true
God.
He said, that's your occupation.
Ye turned to that to rest.
He said, that's your aspect.
I couldn't put it better than that you
know.
But all matter saw these men turning.
Why they turned right round.
They put the idols behind them.
They came out from everything that was ungodly.
They left it.
They made a real clean mark of separation.
Tell me is the world more but you?
Can somebody in the world can look at
you and say man he turned away from
idols.
My he turned to God.
Are you an illuminator?
My they became receivers.
They became followers.
They became sufferers.
They became preachers.
They became illuminators.
You see that other little word.
So serve the living and true God they
became servants.
Oh friend to rise from that seat and
go down the aisle tonight.
And know beyond the shadow of a doubt
I'm a servant of the living God.
King said let me tell you this they
became watchers.
To wait for his son from heaven.
For a young church what a wonderful young
church received Christ followed him suffered for him
rejoiced in him were examples for him illuminators
for him were servants of him and were
waiting for him.
When you put Paul and the Thessalonians together
and you see the praising and the prayer
and the perception and the preaching and you
see all that these young believers became tell
me tonight in the name of the Lord
Jesus how you are like against Paul and
the Thessalonians how do you stand and before
you make a move get right with God
make sure you're going out down that isle
to follow Christ no matter what cost even
if you must suffer make sure that you're
going home to be a watch at home
with Christendom make sure that you're a servant
of the living God and make sure that
you're watching for the coming of the Lord
we'll get into deeper things as we go
on that will do for a start