Let us turn once more to God's
Word in that first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians and
the text I want to draw your attention to is found here in
chapter 1 verses 5 and 6. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 and
verses 5 and 6. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and
in much assurance as you know what manner of men we were among
you for your sake and you became followers of us and of the Lord's
having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy
Ghost." Paul speaks then in these words of their reception of the
Gospel, the way in which it came to them and how they were enabled
to be those who were receivers of the Gospel. And then he subsequently
goes on to speak of how having received the Gospel they were
unable to sound forth, to resound that same Gospel in verse 8,
for from you sounded out the words of the Lord not only in
Macedonia and Achaia but also in every place. Your faith to
God is spread abroad so that we need not to speak anything
But thinking more especially this morning of their receiving
of the gospel, if the Lord will, we'll go on later to say something
with regards to what is said there at verse 8, of how the
gospel was sounded out by them. But in their reception of the
Gospel which is spoken of in these verses 5 and 6 we see something
of the proof and the evidence of their eternal election. We see that from the context
because in verse 4 the apostle writes to them, knowing brethren
beloved your election of God. for our gospel came not unto
you in word only." And really the opening words of our text,
that first word in verse 5, is a significant word and a strong
word. It has the force of, because
He knew that they were those who were the elect of God, because
of the way the gospel had come unto them and entered into their
lives. We know that election, of course,
is that that is secret. It is God's eternal decree. And when the same apostle Paul
writes to Timothy, he remarks, O the Lord knoweth them that
are his. The Lord God has been pleased
to set his love upon the people from all eternity and Moses tells
us that those secret things belong unto the Lord but the things
that are revealed belong unto us and to our children. The secret thing is God's election
and that of course stands first. writing in that remarkable chain
in the 8th chapter of the epistle to the Romans Paul says there
that they are first of all foreknown of God therefore loved of God
he has a special knowledge of them whom we did foreknow He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, and
whom He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom He called,
them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified. First of all, we have the sovereign
love of God, and that knowledge that he has of his own, he knows
them that are his, he has predestinated them to salvation, they are the
election of grace and that is eternal and in time God is pleased
to call them unto himself. Now it's interesting that when
we think of that order, the order of salvation as we have it set
before us there, It's interesting when we consider the words of
Peter. when writing in his second epistle,
he addresses the brethren and speaks of the necessity of their
diligence. He says, Brethren, give diligence
to make your calling and election sure. There are some who are
troubled, perplexed with regards to that great doctrine of God's
eternal election. torments them, they wonder, are
they those who are truly elect of God or are they not? Well,
as we said, those secret things belong unto the Lord. But observe
the order in the exhortation of Peter. He puts calling before
election. Yes, with regards to the purpose
of God, the order of salvation, election comes first, that's
in eternity, in time God calls the people. effectual calling
is that that comes in that time that God has appointed in the
lives of those who are the election of grace but when he comes to
us attending to these things Peter says there in 2 Peter 1
10 brethren give diligence to make your calling and election
sure who attend to your calling have you ever known that efficacious
grace of God Have you ever experienced that work of the Spirit in your
souls? If that is the case, there is the evidence that God has
a gracious purpose towards you from all eternity. Well, turning
then this morning to these words that we've read as our text,
I want first of all to say something with regards to the man-wood
aspect of this receiving of the Gospel, and then secondly we'll
consider something of the Godward aspects of this receiving of
the Gospel. First of all, the manward aspect,
as we have it here in this fifth verse, for our Gospel came not
unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost
and in much assurance as you know what manner of men we were
among you for your sake." Peter, rather Paul, is reminding them
here of his ministry amongst them and it's recorded there
in the Acts of the Apostles and particularly in chapter 17 of
the Acts after all that Paul and Silas had experienced of
opposition and persecution at Philippi which is recorded in
Acts chapter 16 and he makes some reference to that here in
chapter 2 at verse 2 He says, after that we had suffered before
and were shamefully untreated, as you know at Philippi, we were
bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much
contention. After that remarkable deliverance
where God appears and by a miracle delivers His servants from the
inner prison, they go to the Thessalonians. And there in the
synagogue, as was his wont, so Paul begins again to preach the
truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. And preaching always
demands a response. It was the great Puritan, Divine
John Owen, who said that no man can ever be the same after hearing
the ministry of the Word of God, after hearing the preaching of
the Gospel. A man is judged in his own conscience as he is favoured
to hear the Word of God. Remember the language of Paul
when he writes to those Corinthians there at the end of the second
chapter in his second epistle. Verse 15 he says, We are unto
God a sweet saver of Christ in them that are saved and in them
that perish. To the one we are the saver of
death unto death, to the other the saver of life unto life.
And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many
which corrupt the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of
God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ God's Word, cannot
return unto Him void. There must be some effect in
the lives of all those who are ever privileged to hear the message,
the glad tidings, the good news of the Gospel of the grace of
God. But we must distinguish between
a natural faith and that that is truly saving faith. Or there
are those who hear and they reject the message. They close their
ears. They refuse to attend to those
things that they're hearing. But what of those who appear
to respond. It's here that we must examine
ourselves and prove ourselves and know ourselves. We have to
distinguish as I say between that faith that is but a natural
faith and that faith that is truly saving faith. We know that
there is a faith that is natural. The fool hath said in his heart
there is no God. Those words are found, as you
know, on two separate occasions there in the book of Psalms,
the opening verses of Psalm 14 and Psalm 53. Men ought to be
theists, they ought to acknowledge God, recognize God, and many
do. There are those who are foolish and they deny God, the fool has
said in his heart, there is no God, the folly of atheism, Many
would acknowledge that there is a God. In fact, they might
do more than believe in God. They would accept the Bible to
be God's Word. And men ought to believe what
is written here in Holy Scripture. We ought to recognize the truth
as it is said before us, particularly that concerning the person and
the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the Apostle John says there
in that first general epistle, He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God hath
given of his Son. All we are to be those who would
believe. the account that we have here in Holy Scripture and
the Lord Jesus Himself in the course of His own ministry. Such
as very solemn words there in the close of the 15th chapter
of John's Gospel. At verse 22 He says, "...if I
had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin, But
now they have no cloak for their sin. How solemn it is to hear
the Word of God, the Word of Christ. Mark the words that He utters
here, if I had not come and spoken unto them. They had not had sin,
but now they have no cloak for their sin. He that hateth me,
hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them
the works which none other man did, they had not had sin, but
now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. For he that believeth on the
Lord Jesus Christ is not condemned, But he that believeth not is
condemned or reddened. And this is the condemnation,
says the Lord. The light is coming to the world
and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds
are evil. Or the preaching then, you see.
What is the response to the preaching? There are those who acknowledge
that God is they acknowledge in some measure the truth as
it said before them in scripture the truth concerning the Lord
Jesus Christ and as Paul is writing to these Thessalonians he will
remind them of that ministry that he exercised amongst them
those truths that he declared there in that second chapter
The manner of his preaching, he says, verse 3, our exhortation
was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, 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. How
faithful he was, and as I said, we have some account of that
ministry, the record of his preaching, is spoken of at the beginning
of that 17th chapter in the Acts having left Philippi they pass
through Amphipolis and Apollonia and then they come to Thessalonica
And we're told, Paul, as his man who was, went in unto them,
and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and
risen again from the dead, and this Jesus whom I preach unto
you is Christ. And some of them believed, it
says. Some of them believed and consorted
with Paul and Silas. He preached at Thessalonica and
then we have that mention of their faith, they believed. And
their faith was much more than an intellectual ascent. It wasn't
just a natural faith that was evident in those people. It was
something far greater than that. It was saving faith. and that
is what he reminds them of here in chapter 2 at verse 13 he says
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." Or how
they received it, it was a Word that came from God, it was a
Word that worked effectually in their heart. Our Gospel came
not unto you, he says, in Word only but also in power and in
the Holy Ghost and in much assurance. Why with them there was true
faith There was that saving fact. Observe the words that he utters
here at the beginning of this fifth verse. He says, not in
words only. Or they were not just receiving
this message of Paul and Silas into their judgments. It wasn't
with them just a matter of the intellect and assenting to the
truth of what they were hearing. No, it was not in word only. It wasn't just a persuasion in
the mind. the kingdom of God is not in
words but in power and how great that power must be in the soul
of any sinner in order for that sinner to come to to true faith,
to saving faith remember how in Ephesians 1 and verse 19 Paul
speaks of the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe
doesn't just speak of his power or the greatness of that power
of God that is necessary but It's typical Pauline language,
as we've said, on other occasions that we find there in Ephesians
chapter 1, how Paul just, under the inspiration of the Spirit
of God, lays the words one on top of the other. It's the exceeding
greatness of his power to usward who believe. And how necessary
it is. For their faith was no easy believism. No easy believism. What does
he say in verse 6? He became followers of us and
of the Lord having received the word in much affliction. They received the word in much
affliction. There was a cost. There was a
great cost. They'd seen something of the
cost of believing in what they'd been told concerning the experiences
of these ministers. Paul and Silas all that they
had to endure there in Philippi as we see in that second verse
of the next chapter even after that we had suffered before Paul
says and was shamefully untreated as you know at Philippi we were
bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much
contention there's a cost here, there's opposition And what was
true in the experience of Paul and Silas must also be true with
regards to the experience of these people at Thessalonica
who are also believing this message. Wherever Paul goes it's the same.
It was of course the same for those at Philippi. There is the
epistle also to the Philippians. and there at the end of chapter
1 he says, unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only
to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake having the
same conflict which he saw in me and now here to be in me. All faith is given. Faith is
the gift of God and it is given on the behalf of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Christ is the one, you see, that we have to look to
as the author and finisher of our faith. We cannot give ourselves
faith. Faith comes by the operation
of God. God's free grace gift. But what
comes with faith? It is given on the behalf of
Christ, not only to believe on Him, it says, but also to suffer
for His sake. This was Paul's experience. Now
this must also be the experience of these Thessalonians. Or what
opposition? Those that consorted with Paul
and Silas, those who believed the message that was being preached
there at Thessalonica. How there was a great stir, how
there was open opposition, even persecution. We see it in what
Luke writes in verse 5 of Acts 17, "...the Jews, which believed
not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of
the base of sorts, and gathered a company, and set all the city
on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to
bring them out to the people." Here are the Jews opposing the
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. much opposition in Thessalonica
and then when the Apostle moves on to Berea what do we read later,
verse 13, when the Jews of Thessalonica acknowledged that the Word of
God was preached of Paul at Berea they came thither also and stirred
up the people. There is opposition, it is no
easy thing to believe the Gospel and there is not only opposition
without is there not also that opposition in our own hearts. True faith must be, and always
is, accompanied by a real repentance of sins. And this was so evident
in the experience of these Thessalonians. We're thinking of the manner
in which they received the Gospel. How did they receive it? Well,
Paul goes on at verse 9 and says, how they themselves show us what
manner of entering in we had unto you and how you turn to
God from idols to serve the living and true God. Oh, there's not
just faith in the Lord Jesus Christ but what of their past
lives? What of the sort of people that
they were? They were idolaters and all that that was associated
with their idolatry all that debauchery They turned from all
their sinful ways and all their sinful practices. We read of
how in his preaching the Apostle Paul was constantly testifying
of the necessity of these two things of saving faith and evangelical
repentance to those Ephesian elders There in Acts chapter
20 testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance
toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, there
must be a repentance. There was a time when God winked
at the ignorance of the Gentile nations. God had his dealings
with Israel In the Old Testament he says, you only have I known
of all the families of the earth, how favoured, how blessed they
were. There were those Gentiles who were converted to the true
God, there were those Gentile proselytes who embraced the religion
of the Jews, but now God left the Gentile nations in their
gross ignorance and in their idolatry. And when the Apostle Paul, the great Apostle
to the Gentiles, exercises his ministry, see how he reminds
those at Athens that men are to repent of their idolatry,
they are to turn from their idols. There in Acts 17, Verse 29, for as much then as
we are the offspring of God, He says, we ought not to think
that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven
by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance
God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.
because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the
world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof
he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised
him from the dead." We have this record of Paul's preaching there
at Athens and how the whole nation was given over to idolatry it
seems. Why he found there an altar to the unknown God how his spirit was so stirred
within him this is the message that he proclaims how that God
will no more wink at these things men are to repent men are to
turn from their idols but we might say in many ways that's
a natural repentance just as there is a natural faith, so
there is a natural repentance. The great need is not of natural
faith or natural repentance, but that saving faith and that
repentance that is truly an evangelical repentance. And that was what
was evidenced in the lives and the experience of the Thessalonians. where there is that true repentance,
there is a real sorrow. There is that belief in the Lord
of God. How that Lord of God comes to
convince the sinner of the fall of his wife. God says in the
very first of the commandments, ye shall have no other gods before
me. We are convinced of our idolatrous
ways, though we make not idols of gold or of silver or any precious
stones, yet anything that would be placed in the position that
only God should occupy in our affections, that chief place,
anything that would usurp the position of God is an idol. And there we have to be brought
to recognize the folly of our idols just like these Thessalonians. They turn to God from idols to
serve the living and the true God. All that godly sorrow that
worketh repentance and salvation not to be repented of. So different
to the sorrow of the world. It comes, I say, where there
is that application of the holy law of God, how that law is given
to stop the mouths of men, to bring men in guilt, or whatever
the law says. It says to them who are under
the law that every mouth may be stopped, says Paul. And all
the world become guilty before God. When we are brought to believe
the truth of God's holy law and to submit to it, to acknowledge
it, and how he finds us out, how he condemns us as sinners,
and there's no hope there. The hymn writer says, Law and
terrors do but harden all the while they work alone, but a
sense of blood-bought pardon soon dissolves the hearts of
stone. Oh, there's not just that sorrow
that's associated then with repentance, there's that joy that comes through
faith in the gospel when we see sin more particularly in the
light of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ, the great
sin bearer. Or when we are brought to believe
not only the Lord of God but the gospel of the grace of God
in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. What does
Paul say concerning these Thessalonians and the manner in which they
received his ministry? Here at verse 6 he says he became
followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much
affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. Not only much affliction,
not only sorrow, not only the conviction of their sins, as
well as that opposition from without, but also that joy of
the Holy Ghost. This is the strange experience
of those who come to know the grace of God. What a strange
mixture there is in the soul of that sinner who has been quickened
by the Spirit of God, who has saving faith and true repentance. Again, Joseph Hart says, nor
is it such a dismal thing as it is by some men named, a sinner
may repent and sing, rejoice, and be ashamed. We're ashamed of our sins, or
we should be ashamed of our sins, where there is a true repentance,
but all we can rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is ever,
always the sinner's friend. Why He came, not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. how their eternal election then
was so evidenced and it was evidenced in their experiences it was evidenced
in their way of life look at what look at what Paul says concerning
these people and the way in which he was able to remember
their reception of his ministry in verse 3 he says remembering
without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and
patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of
God and our Father all with them you see there was such exercise
of soul it wasn't just a matter as we said of merely assenting
with their minds receiving the gospel in their judgment no there
was a great deal of of work and of labor and of patience or endurance
as the word has that meaning also the endurance of hope it's
what the apostle also reminds the Corinthians of. The end of
that great chapter in which he speaks of the doctrine of the
resurrection. He says there, Therefore my beloved
brethren, being ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in
the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is
not in vain in the Lord. All those aboundings. that religion
that is brought in the soul of the sinner this was the experience
of these people this was the evidence that they were those
who were the election of Christ because there was so much exercise
in soul but not only that there was also to be evident in them
that practical godliness wasn't just experience but they were
brought to live these things and so he goes on here in verse
8 from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia,
in Dakaia, but also in every place your faith to God would
be spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything."
Why they were not just hearers of the word, they were doers
of the work. Their light was shining before men. They were
seeing their good works and glorifying their Father, which is in heaven. This was the manner in which
they had received this Gospel. It had such an effect upon them,
in their souls, in their experience, but also in the very manner of
their living. They had come truly to faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ, and so they had been brought to repent
of all their sins, and to turn from all their idols, and to
serve the living and true God." Well, we've said something with
regards to the manhood aspect of their reception. Let us, in
the second place, say something with regards to the Godhood aspect. And you will observe here three
things with regards to the way in which God's work takes place
in the souls of these people. Their faith was very much God-worse. Why their faith came from God. It's interesting what he says
here at verse 8, also in every place, your faith to God-worse. It came from God, it went to
God. But see the manner in which Paul
speaks of their reception of the Gospel, here in verse 5.
Not in word only, he says, but also in power, and in the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance. These three things. And first
of all, they received it in power. Now we know that all power has
been given to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners
and the only mediator between God and men. After the Lord had
accomplished all that work that He had undertaken in the eternal
covenant, having been obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross, raised again from the dead, and ascended to heaven
when we come to the end of the first gospel the gospel according
to Matthew remember those words of the Lord in that commission
that he gives to his apostles all power he says is given unto
me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore unto your nations
all power now the words that is used there and rendered power
literally means authority. All authority belongs to the
Lord Jesus Christ. We're told, are we not, in the
opening chapter of John's Gospel concerning those that believed
in Him as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God.
They have authority, they're God's children. And they're God's
children because they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, they
receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their God and their Savior. And sometimes we do find this
particular word being used with regards to the ministry of the
Lord Jesus. He has power, he has authority.
is that one who is the head over all things to the church which
is his body the fullness of him that filleth all in all he now
rules, he reigns as that one who is the great mediator all
authoritative in heaven and in earth and he is the one to whom
the father has committed judgment he is to return in power and
glory and there will be that general resurrection and then
the day of judgment and the final separation between the sheep
and the goats, and all executed by Him who has the authority,
the Lord Jesus. But besides the power of authority, there's
another word And it really has the idea of dynamic power, and
it's this particular word that is used here in our text. Our
gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power. That's not authority, that is
dynamic power. that that we just referred to
in Ephesians 1, the exceeding greatness of his power to us
wards who believe. How the gospel has to come into
the soul of that sinner in such a remarkable way because the
sinner is dead. He's dead in trespasses and in
sins. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. They are foolishness to him,
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This is man's condition by nature. He is completely helpless, he
is impotent. He can do nothing for himself,
he is worse. than dead really, is in a state
of such dreadful enmity against God. As Paul says there in Romans
8.7, the carnal mind, the natural mind, the mind of the flesh,
the mind that we all have, this faculty of our souls, the carnal
mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. It's not just in that condition
where man is an enemy, but it's enmity. He is enmity personified. An enemy might be reconciled
and become a friend. But enmity is enmity and that's
man's condition, natural condition. Oh how the gospel must come then
with such power. And Paul says, I am not ashamed. of the gospel of God because
it is the the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God
unto salvation to everyone that believes to the Jew first and
also to the Greek also to the Gentile all this is the gospel
it's the power of God unto salvation now the sinner whose will is
in bondage Why, the very thought of free will is a stupid notion,
a foolish notion. Man's will is subject to what
man's nature is. And he's in that condition wherein,
as we've said, he is dead, he's an enemy of God, he's in enmity,
his will is in bondage. But the promise to the Lord Jesus
Christ is, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Our gospel came not unto you
in word only, but also in power, or the power of the gospel. It's
the efficacious grace of God. It's the effectual call of God
that must come, not just that general call, not just hearing
with the natural ear, but that's gracious work of God that takes
place in the soul of the sinner. The preacher says in Ecclesiastes
where the word of a king is there is power, it's the word of that
one who is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And as
we said it must be so because of man's condition by nature.
And this is how the Gospel came to these Thessalonians. it came
in power, the power of the Lord Jesus and in the Holy Ghost it
says. How necessary is that? That mighty work of the Spirit
so the sinner must be born again. Think of the language of the
Lord Jesus in that familiar third chapter of John's Gospel how
he says, Verily, verily, except a man except you be born again,
you cannot see the Kingdom of God, he says. Verily, verily. He prefixes that statement with
that double, verily, Amen, Amen. It's a truth. It cannot be denied. So necessary that a man, the
sinner, is born again, born by the Spirit of God. He goes on,
verily, verily, except a man He's born of water and of the
Spirit. He cannot enter into the Kingdom
of God. He's born from above, it's the
work of the Spirit. It's a mighty work of the Spirit. It's those sovereign operations
of the Spirit of God that must come into the soul of the sinner.
And this was the experience of these Thessalonians. How the
ministry was made so effectual to them. He says it there in chapter 2
at verse 13. Because when you receive the
word of God which you heard of us you receive 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. How does it effectually work?
Well the Spirit who first gave the word the Spirit who is the
author of the word Those holy men of God, they spoke as they
were moved by the Spirit of God. It is that same Spirit who must
take the Word and apply the Word. And how He does that? All the
sinner is born again, born from above, born of the Spirit. Now
he will receive the Word. He'll receive it into a believing
heart. He'll receive it into an obedient
will. He's made willing. Now the Spirit
does His work, and you know there's that twofold aspect to His work,
of course we've already made some reference to it, there's
repentance as well as faith. Now these two always come together
with regards to the response of the sinner when he hears the
gospel. It must be repentance toward God and faith toward the
Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit is that one who comes to convince
the Lord Jesus when he speaks of his coming there in John's
Gospel says when he is come he will reprove and the margin gives
the alternative word convince, he will convince or convict the
world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment as solemn it
is that great work wherein he brings conviction and reproof
into the soul of the sinner but not only that he also comes to
minister comfort to those who are convinced and with regards
to those who feel the reproofs of the word of God there is also
that revealing of the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ
because Christ speaks of him as that one who comes not to
speak of himself but to take of the things of Christ. The
Lord Jesus says, He shall testify of me, he shall take of mine
and shall show it unto you. And this is how the Gospel came
to these Thessalonians. It wasn't just the preaching
of Paul and Silas, it wasn't just these men reasoning in the
synagogue there in Thessalonica, no, the Holy Ghost was there. and so they received the Word
or they received this Gospel how it came to them in power
and in the Holy Ghost says Paul and then thirdly he says in much
assurance and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men
we were among you for your sake now When Paul refers to the Gospel,
see how sometimes he speaks of it as THE Gospel. He speaks of THE Gospel twice in the second chapter,
verses 8 and 9. 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 you were dear
unto us. For you 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." It is the gospel
of God, it's God's gospel. but see what he says here in
our text this morning he doesn't refer to it as the gospel he
says our gospel our gospel came not unto you in words only oh
it was God's it is the gospel the only gospel Lord the only
gospel we can own says Jesus Christ upon the throne proclaimed
salvation full and free obtained on Calvary's rugged tree in the
language of Joseph Ions it is the gospel but see how it was
made Paul's gospel. How it was made Paul's gospel.
And how was it made Paul's gospel? Why, it was the manner in which
it first came to him. And he speaks of that when he
writes in his epistle to the Galatians. There in chapter 1 at verse 11,
I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of
me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was
I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Why, the gospel
became Paul's by a revelation. He didn't receive it from man.
The Thessalonians didn't receive the gospel from man. Oh yes,
Paul and Silas were instruments in the hands of God, but they
received the gospel from God. This was Paul's experience. As
he says at verse 15 there, When he pleased God, who separated
me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace to reveal
his Son in me. there was that inward revelation
and he saw the kingdom of God says Christ is within you it
was Paul's gospel but not only Paul's he doesn't say my gospel it was also Silas's gospel it
was also the Thessalonians gospel our gospel our gospel came not
unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost
and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were
among you for your sake." Why? Paul spoke with conviction. Paul
spoke with such an assurance of these things. And so the Gospel
comes to them in much assurance. Paul is so convinced Oh, he is
so fully persuaded of the truth of the message that he is proclaiming.
He doesn't depend on anything that he might learn
at the school of rhetoric. No, he is complete, his utter
dependence is upon God and upon the Spirit of God. This is how
he writes to the Corinthians when he reminds them of his ministry
amongst them you know the language there in 1st Corinthians chapter
2 verse 1 I brethren when I came
to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom declaring
unto you the testimony of God for I determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and
I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing or persuadable,
as the margin reads, enticing, persuadable words of man's wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." There we have
it again, you see. It's the Spirit, it's power. O God, grant that
we might be those who are thus brought to receive this Gospel,
to receive this Gospel, to experience the grace of God in our souls.
For it's so burnt into our hearts that we can do nothing but live
these things. For our Gospel came not unto
you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and
in much assurance as you know what manner of men we were among
you for your sake and you became followers of us and of the Lord
having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy
Ghost." Now the Lord willing will go on to consider how he
further speaks in verses 7 and 8 of how that gospel then resounded
out from those Thessalonians so that you were in samples 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 will be spread
abroad, so that we need not to speak anything. For the Lord be pleased to bless
His Word.