23 Apr What Happened in Thessalonica | Part 4 “Affection In Affliction” | All Locations
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Key Verse: Thessalonians 2 and 3
Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
What Happened in Thessalonia | Affection in Affliction
Persecution of Christians is the highest it has ever been since the ‘Open Doors Ministry’ watch list began 30 years ago. Christians are the most hated and vilified group of people today. The world now calls evil good and good evil and it is only going to get worse.
1 Thessalonians 2:17- 3:13
The church in Thessalonia questioned their salvation because they were getting persecuted. Paul tells them the reason they are getting persecuted is because they are saved and boldly sharing the truth with others. We also will face persecution as we speak truth and light in a world filled with darkness and lies.
The good news is, when there is persecution it can bring promise. Affliction can bring assurance.
Q. How has a recent suffering or affliction given you assurance in your faith?
Five Positives of Persecution
- It reminds us that we are connected to a tradition of great believers.
It did not start with us, Christians have bee persecuted from the beginning for just simply sharing the Gospel. Paul, Peter, Thomas, Matthew, and James were killed for boldly sharing their faith.
Hebrews 11:35-38
2. It makes us more Christ-like.
Coming to faith is a great beginning but God wants us to be more like His Son and that might mean being persecuted.
John 15:18
3. It produces spiritual strength.
What does not kill us makes us stronger.
Romans 5:3-5
We know we can endure again and again because of the spiritual strength given to us from God.
4. It provides blessings from Heaven.
We are blessed on earth but also eternally in heaven.
Matthew 5:10-11
We don’t look for persecution but when it comes we need to know how to handle it. If we are being persecuted righteously we need to stand out in a dark world.
5. It promotes Church growth.
Philippians 1:12
Paul’s persecution has helped expand the Gospel.
Q. Looking at the events that have taken place in the world toward Christians this year, how have you responded (have they made your faith stronger or weaker)?
How we respond to persecution:
The power of prayer through persecution protects, provides, and produces.
A Church that prays will be protected. We need to be that type of Church. God will provide for us and through us.
Our response to affliction should be affection. Be bold in truth but respond with love.
This is difficult but Jesus tells us to love our enemies. He demonstrated this more than anyone else. Jesus was facing death and forgave his enemies.
Q. What testimony can you share regarding someone that may have wronged you this past week where you had to show love and forgiveness?
The Benefits of a loving Church
- A Loving Church Repents
Acts 17:30 (ESV)
No one is perfect and no Church is perfect but more and more, the Church today needs to repent and get back to the simple truth of the Gospel. Many Churches are agreeing with more worldly issues today instead of what the Bible says.
2. A Loving Church Reaches
We need to be a church that preaches the Gospel. If we truly believe the Gospel we need to preach the truth.
Mark 16:15 (ESV)
3. A Loving Church Restores
There are two ways we can respond when we are confronted with our sin. We can walk away and never come back to the Church, or repent and come back. A loving Church will restore a person who repents. We restore them back into the loving grace of God.
Galatians 6:1-2
4. A Loving Church Reinvests
We need to pour into others. It is a privilege to pour into others lives. Baptism testimonies are a great way to pour into others. When we step up and share we are edifying the church. We need to re-invest into others as a body.
2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
That is what a loving Church looks like. The Church needs to be ready to face persecution and properly respond in love.
Q. In the past couple of months, in what ways might have you re-invested in others? ( where have you started serving, have you been recently baptized and given your testimony etc.)
Every Church has three stages.
Stage 1
When you first come to Church it is a hospital and you are a patient.
This is when we are new.
Mark 2:17 (NLT)
We need to be a hospital for those people but we cannot stay there we need to move on to the next stage.
Stage 2
Next the Church becomes a house and you are part of the family.
We find community in our Life Groups and being part of a serve team.
We love being at church on the weekend, and inviting others to church.
Ephesians 2:19 (NLT)
Stage 3
Finally the Church is no longer a building but Holy People that share the Gospel and pour into fellow believers.
These are elders, Life Group leaders, ministry leaders, and soul winners. The church is not the building we are the Church. Gods people are the Church.
Colossians 1:28; Matthew 28:19-20
Persecution will only get worse and worse until Jesus returns. We should count it as a blessing. We need to be the type of Church that can endure it.
Q. What is your next step in investing in others?
2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV)
Sermon in a sentence: When faced with persecution, seek God in prayer and show your enemies love and truth found only in Jesus Christ.
Pray for those being persecuted. Pray and ask God to help us through persecution that we may be stronger and boldly preach the Truth.
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