Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayer for attention to the first epistle of Paul
to the Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 13. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse
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 effectively
worketh also in you that believe. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse
13 The Thessalonians were very dear
to the Apostle. We read in verse 8, the end of
verse 8, because he were dear unto us. And it's not just Paul. We have in the first chapter,
verse 1, Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the church of
the Thessalonians. It's a lovely thing where you
see three of the Lord's servants walking eye to eye, preaching
the same thing, speaking the same thing, walking in the same
way, and loving the same brethren. And they are one here, and they're
writing here. So we have that love that they
have to the Thessalonian believers. They had already given thanks
in the first chapter, and it was specifically for them. In
verse 2, we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention
of you in our prayers. In the further chapter, in chapter
3, as well in verse 9, we have thanks again being made. For what thanks can we render
to God again for you, for the joy where With we joy for your
sakes before God. And in our text as well, he is
giving thanks to God and without ceasing. And he gives the reason
for it. Because when he received the
word of God which he heard of us, he 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. And the subject this morning,
Upon My Spirit, is the receiving the Word of God. Before we come to the main points
here, I just want to think back to what we've just spoken of
giving thanks. How many times do we give thanks
for the brethren? When we know the brethren, we
see those that believe. How many times have we given
thanks to God for them? This comes many times in the
epistles. But I'd add one other thing to
this. This epistle is written to the
Thessalonians. They are reading this. They are
hearing from Paul and from Silvanus and Timotheus that they are giving
thanks for them. When was the last time we wrote
or said on the phone or some other communication to brethren,
we give thanks for you? And this is the reason we give
thanks for you. Unable to give a reason. This must have been very, encouraging
to them, and not just to them. He uses this method through many
of his letters, and especially if you think of it with the Corinthian
church, because after giving thanks to them and giving thanks
to God for them, that he believed that they were called and that
they were elect, then he goes on to chasten them, to correct
them, to warn them, to admonish them. is not just a letter that
comes straight with admonishing, straight with warning, it comes
with love, it comes with encouragement, it comes with actually conveying
to them how much they mean to Him. And what a good way really
of starting with the people of God, or continuing with the people
of God, how conducive to the encouragement of that brotherly
love and care one for another. Perhaps it is something that
we often miss and lay aside today, to do good and communicate, forget
not, and you might say, well that is just with temporal things,
with food and water, with necessities, but it's also to communicate
such things as we have here. Well, let us consider three main
points this morning of the Lord's help. Firstly, the Word of God,
which He heard of us. Secondly, its reception. We read, He received it, not
as the Word of men, but as it is in truth the Word of God. And thirdly, its effect. which
effectually worketh also in you that believe. But firstly the Word of God which
ye heard of us. Now there's three things that
I want to consider under this head. First it is the Word, the
Gospel, and then it is how that they spake that Word, And then
what was their behavior? Because the Word that is here
is not just receiving the Word, but it is that Word that was
spoken of them when you received the Word of God which you heard
of us. So their attention is the hearing
it of them. and of themselves as well, who
it is that they are listening to. But firstly there is the
Word. Now in verse 2 we read that we
were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God. In verse 4 as well, but as we
were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel. the
good news of salvation, the good news of the gospel. We have also
in verse 8, So being effectively 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. They are bringing the gospel.
He is fulfilling the commission of our Lord to go into all the
world and to preach the gospel to every creature, the good news
of salvation. And in preaching the gospel,
it is vital that the two sides of it actually be preached, sin
and salvation. If we go back to the Old Testament,
especially in the days of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was bringing before
the people of God constantly their sin, their waywardness,
their departures from God, their need of repentance, their need
of turning, their need of salvation. They rejected that word. They
would not receive that word. They even spake of slaying and
killing him. If there is to be a savior, There
must be sinners to save. There must be sin to be saved
from. There is the malady and there
is the remedy, and both vital to be known. I remember listening
to missionaries recently from working in London, and they say
how different today is than in former days. Former days you
could give a leaflet out that showed on one side man and then
a gulf in between and the other side God and the gulf that is
bridged by the cross. But they said today men do not
know God. They do not know sin. They do
not know anything, even to get a hint at the salvation of what
the cross is for and what is needed more. is to preach the
judgment to come and the wrath to come and the sentence of death
that we are all under. Really we think of any that would
seek treatment in a hospital for whatever cause. Why do they
seek it? It is because first they know
that they have symptoms, they're ill, they're not well. Our Lord
so clearly said, they that are whole have no need of the physician,
but they that are sick The men, by nature, they do not know,
they do not realise their need, they do not realise that they
are lost, that they are sinners. They are like those at Athens
that were worshipping all manner of gods and even the unknown
God. And Paul declared unto them that
God of whom they eagerly worshipped. He sets before them the vital
need and the commandment of God to repent, turning from those
idols, those things that were not God's, from all that is against
God and turning unto the true and living God. The message is
first the state and condition that we are in. By the law no
man can be justified, by the law is the knowledge of sin and
there's a curse. upon every one that turns away
from hearing his ear, from hearing the law of God. The law was given
that sin might abound, that all the world might be brought in
guilty before God. Or Paul says the law is a schoolmaster
unto Christ. He says, I was alive without
the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And that which was ordained unto
life, I found to be unto death. And the commandment that he fell
under was thou shalt not covet. And he says, when that commandment
entered in with power, then it slew him. It wrought in him all
manner of evil concupiscence. It stirred up the sin within.
O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body
of death? The gospel that Paul preached
and the gospel that we must preach is a gospel that is good news
to sinners, not a good news to men that want to have pillows
under their armholes, that want to be told that their charitable
works will earn them heaven, and that they are really on the
right road, though according to the scriptures they are not.
It is vital that that gospel be a true gospel to sinners that
will save from hell and deliver in this present life from living
a godless life to living exactly what the apostle said was the
life that he was now walking in. Walking in a holy way, a
upright way, He says in verse 10, ye are witnesses, and God
also, how wholly and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves
among you that believe. He wasn't looking to his works
for salvation, but he was testifying of this, the reception of the
gospel will lead to godly and upright lives. The good news
of salvation points men from Sinai to Calvary. It points men from themselves
unto Christ. It points men from this world
to the world to come. It sets before them the man Christ
Jesus. His name shall be called Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins. He has a people,
they are sinners, and the Lord shall save them from their sins. And this is his work and his
crown upon his head. We bless the Lord for the gospel
centred in our Lord Jesus Christ. When the Angels heralded the
birth of our Lord. They testified that there was
goodwill toward men. On earth, peace, goodwill toward
men. Not peace on earth, there will
not be that. But on earth, peace. The Lord's
dear people know what the Lord promised. In me, ye shall have
peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation,
but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. The
message of good news of the gospel to those shepherds, and really
right through our Lord's ministry, before he suffered, before the
Holy Spirit was given by Pentecost, was that God has appeared. The promised seed has come. He
has in hand that which is promised and looked for through all the
ages. That was the message. The message
that Paul now brings, and that we bring, as Paul said to the
Corinthians, I determine not to know anything among you, save
Jesus Christ and him crucified, could not clearly have been set
forth during Christ's time on earth. They could not understand
what was before him. He told them plainly. He tried
to warn them. He said before them what would
happen at Calvary. And even when he was taken up
into heaven, they were still asking whether he would at that
time restore the kingdom to Israel. But when the Holy Spirit was
given, they knew so clearly then the power of God, and they knew
the plan of salvation. They could then understand the
scriptures as the Lord had opened up to them in the upper room. And so that word of the gospel
is to pointing to the remedy of God's providing, a substitute
for sinful men, that he should bear the sin of many, and that
he should suffer in their place, that he should rise again from
the dead, and that he should appear in the presence of God
for them. He is the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world and from Abel's day, right through to
Christ's day, to the end of the world. Sinners are saved, a look
to that dear Lamb of God. Abraham, said Christ, saw my
day and rejoiced at it. We have in the preaching of the
Gospel, remember when the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel, he
like Philip to the Eunuch, our Lord to the two on the way to
Emmaus was preaching it from the Old Testament and they were
setting forth that which was laid up in store, that which
was preached and set forth right through the Word of God, is a
rich treasure for the New Testament Church to preach Christ in all
the Scriptures. And so that Word of the Gospel
is preached to us as the only name given among men whereby
we must be saved. It sets man low, humbled in the
dust, and it exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. It testifies that
the only payment accepted by God is the precious blood of
Christ. The only righteousness accepted
by God is that imputed to a believer, Christ's righteousness. It is
not by good works that we have done, but what the Lord Jesus
Christ has done. There is hope for sinners, for
those that come like the publican, God be merciful to me a sinner,
but there is hope for such sinners in the gospel. It is the good
news of salvation to those that are under the sentence of death
as all of Adam's race are. was not only the gospel that
was set forth, but it was the preacher that was important. We might say, well, what we need
for the gospel to be effectual is to be a very eloquent preacher
and one that could be really had in admiration and men follow
after him That's what we need. But no, that's not what's set
forth here at all. How did the Apostle speak? Well, when he wrote to the Corinthians,
he said that they thought his speech was contemptible. It wasn't. With great enticing words of
man's wisdom, lest the gospel should be made of none effect.
But it was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, but
how is he speaking here? And he makes a real point of
this, to emphasize to them how he was actually coming to them
and speaking to them. He says that it was of exhortation,
the gospel. is designed in this to move sinners,
move them, not leave them unmoved, not leave them just to hear and
say, oh, that's a good word, and to go away and not affect
their lives. But then he says in verse three,
it was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile. He wasn't trying to be deceitful
or using dishonest methods to bring them to the truth? No. He had been put in trust with
the gospel and that is how that he was actually speaking. He says in verse 5, not with
flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness. God is witness. nor of men sought
we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others. He is saying how
he spoke to them, and he spoke to them in this way. Those that hear the gospel should
think, how are those speaking to us? Are they speaking the
word faithfully and truthfully? Are they speaking it in the clear
way, simple way of the gospel, or is there some twisting of
it, turning of it, deceit, or even uncleanness, or another
motive in it? How they spoke was very important. But then thirdly, there was how
they behaved was also important. They were not seeking that glory
of them or others. They were being gentle, in verse
7, among you, even as a nurse cheritheth her children. And
in verse 9, labouring night and day, believing as a tentmaker,
he wouldn't take anything of them. He teaches in other places
that labour is worthy of his hire. But he would not be accused,
and it could not be said, here is the Word of God, and this
Word is being brought to us by a man who just wants a nice income,
and he just wants from us. No. He was able to say to the
Corinthians and to them, here, this was not his motive as to
bringing the Word of God at all. And we've already mentioned how
that he behaved himself before them, and before God, holily,
justly, and unblameably. They were walking in a way that
was able to be imitated and followed. And the way that they set forth
the gospel gave the full message that they believed in, had received
it themselves and were persuaded of it. And I often feel to failing
this, but I think it was Erasius Bonner, he said, some of the
greatest damage in the Church of God is when a preacher preaches
the truth, but he preaches it in such an insipid way as if
to say, I don't really believe it. It's like saying that if
there was a fire in the building, just to mildly say, look friends,
there's a fire, we better get up and get out. It's very different
than saying, fire, fire, get out. It conveys a very different
message. And I know that we may be more
and more stirred up, especially in the ministry, so that it is
conveyed. that we really do believe and
feel the word and really desire of the people of God that they
be blessed of that word and that they be like us. When Paul was
talking to those Felix and that and when the king had said that
almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian and Paul he just
burst out he said I would that thou It was not almost, but altogether
a Christian, like unto me, except this chain. There's that which
the Lord's people wouldn't wish on anyone else, but we should
be able to say, I would that all of you knew my blessings
and knew my hope beyond the grave and knew what I had. I desire to convey that and that
you then follow me. So it's very important with the
Apostle as to how he was speaking and also how he was behaving. This is how it is put here, where
he gives thanks. Because when he received the
Word of God, which he heard of us. So let us think, secondly,
of its reception. the word's reception. He received it, not as the word
of men, but as it is in truth the word of God. What a reminder
to us. The word of men is worthless,
isn't it? The apostle, in effect, was saying
this. If they were just receiving what
he was testifying to them as the word of men, It was no authority,
it was worthless. But they received it as the Word
of God. There's one thing we need to
reinforce again and again in our day, that all scripture is
given by inspiration of God. Now I want to make it very clear
here, all ministers that preach, and I've heard this said to some,
well you are inspired, aren't you? And I said, no I'm not.
No minister is inspired. but we preach the inspired Word. Our commission is preach the
Word. And as far as we preach the Word, we are preaching the
inspired Word of God. But a minister himself is not
inspired. Held by the Holy Spirit, without
the Holy Spirit, the Word would not be effectual. The disciples
had to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from
on high. No use preaching, no use going
around proclaiming the gospel without that power. And so the
Thessalonians here, as Paul preached the gospel, really what we have
here, it becomes part of the word of God. But for us, the
message is that from Genesis to Revelation, we receive it
as the word of God, not the word of Paul. Some will say, well,
that's Paul. Oh, that's Peter. The Word of
God is the words in red that are written as the Lord Jesus. They're the words of God, no.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be
truly furnished unto all good works. It is the power of God
unto salvation. Every word. of God is pure. Thy words have I hid in my heart
that I might not sin against thee. You might say, well, that
belongs to the original languages, doesn't it? Well, a faithful
translation or translation of the word of God, our Lord quoted
from translations. And if we're to have the word
in our hearts, And if we're to sing with the heart and the understanding,
it can't be in an unknown tongue. Paul was very clear of this,
that if a man speak in an unknown tongue, then one must interpret. He said, I'd rather speak five
words with the understanding than 10,000 in an unknown tongue. And so that which they received,
they received it in their language, understanding it naturally, understanding
it through Paul's mouth, but received it as the Word of God. And may we receive the Word of
God. Every Word of God is pure. Peter
says, you have a more sure word of prophecy, more sure word than
the great revelation on the Mount of Transfiguration, whereunto
you do well to take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark
place. That is the Word of God. That
is what is written. Heaven and earth says our Lord
shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. God speaks his word. Peter, Paul, the apostles, preachers
today, preach the word, instant, in season and out of season.
Those that hear that word, it hath pleased God through the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. There's a promise in Deuteronomy
33 that everyone shall receive of my words. We read in Acts 2, In the formation
of the church, when Peter preaches, then they that gladly received
the word were baptized. And the emphasis is on how the
word was actually received. We read in the Old Testament,
in the solemn case of Jehoiakim, who had the word of God from
Jeremiah brought to him, and he cut it and he burnt it in
the fire. He would not receive that word. And yet we have the contrast
the other way, with Josiah, who, when they found the copy of the
law in the temple, they brought it to him, they read it to him,
and he rent his mantle. He says, great wrath is upon
us from the Lord. The law had been brought before
him. He'd been brought in guilty, humbled himself before God. went
to see the prophetess, and she said, speak to the man that told
you this, that he shall have mercy, but there shall come wrath
on the land because of their transgressions and their sins.
What a contrast. One king cutting the word and
burning it, the other humbling himself before God, and then
seeking to set the worship in the true order. It is vital that
we receive the Word, how we receive the Word. You know, already in
the first chapter, Paul had said this concerning his Gospel. Verse 5, For 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." The Word of God had been received
by them. Our Lord gave specific directions
to the disciples as he sent them forth to preach. And he said,
if they do not receive you, then to shake off the dust from off
your feet and to go to another place. He that receiveth you
receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. And there's a link between those
that preach and bring the word and the father where the word
is faithfully set forth as the apostle designed to hear. It is a great mark and token
of the grace of God to receive the Word of God when it speaks
reprovingly, when it speaks to show us our sin, when it warns
us, when it admonishes us, to fall under that Word. Now very
often we pray, and we tried to pray today, We send out the Bibles
from the chapel here. We have them taken from the boxes
here. And we pray that men, women,
might not only receive the Bible, but receive the words in it,
and receive it as the word of God. That they might not be offended
at them, cast that word from them, and reject that word, and
not want to hear it. In our middle hymn, nor are men
willing to have the truth told. The sight is too killing for
pride to behold. And for today, for what man has
been told by many a pulpit, to be told that we're sinners and
that our great works and our charity and our love one for
another does not extend unto God, that it doesn't pay for
our sins. that is hard for proud men to
receive and to be humbled under. But where the Lord gives spiritual
life, where he gives a hearing ear, remember, the seven letters
to the churches in Asia, every one of them finishes, he that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. A reception of the word, Well,
not only does the Apostle here give thanks for its reception
by the Thessalonians, but he also is giving thanks for its
effect, and I want to notice that in our third point. In our texts we read, but as
it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also
in you that believe. May we never limit the power
of the Word of God. How many of God's children can
say, well, they found perhaps a scrap of the Word of God hidden
in a seat, or blown away, or just one word was used. God used
that word. His promise is, my word shall
not return unto me void. It shall accomplish the thing
whereto I sent it. A word that effectually works. A word that is a powerful word. A hammer. A word that enters. A word that is like the sea.
Our Lord spoke the parable in Matthew 13 of the sower. And
I view it as a key parable. The Lord said, if you know not
this parable, how will you know any parables? Because it is a
parable concerning hearing. Hearing the word of God. The
seed is the word of God. And there was only one of those
four hearers that brought forth fruit. Only one. Could it be
said? that that word effectually worked
in them. The others, one it wasn't effectual
because it fell on the wayside and was taken immediately from
them by Satan. Another was not effectual, it
sprang up straight away first, but it was on stony ground, shallow,
no depth of earth, and then because of persecution, And then they're
offended because of the Word, because of the Word. Remember
how the Lord said in John 17, I have given them thy Word and
the world hath hated them. The only thing you need for the
world to hate you is to have the Word of God and to receive
that Word. And that's in the Lord's high
priestly prayer. And then we have that which fell
on a ground where there was thorns that sprung up, the things of
this world that choked the Word, and it became unfruitful. But in that good ground, prepared
ground, those that felt their sinnership, their need of the
Saviour, those that were given a hearing ear, those that were
ready to hear the Word, it brought forth fruit in varying degrees. You know, here with the Thessalonians. He tells them specifically of
the fruit that was brought forth here. Verse 14, For ye brethren
became followers of the churches of God which endued here in Christ
Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as have the Jews. And He
says also that they had become followers of us. If we go back
to chapter one, ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having
received the word of God, the word in much affliction with
joy of the Holy Ghost. And here is the vital importance,
is bringing churches and preachers And to remember, as a church,
we can be an influence for good or influence for evil, as prophet,
as priest. And you will find that those
that are following, churches that are following after the
world or false gospel, they will be like them. But Paul says here,
those here that are following, they are like the churches, the
true churches, and they are like the apostles. The Apostle says,
be ye followers of me as also I am of Christ Jesus. And it is vital that the message
be given by those who, as well with the message, are saying,
you follow me, you follow my example. What an incentive for
us to be so prayerful and careful that we walk uprightly and not
be a snare How many times you see someone doing something that
is not according to the gospel, not according to the word, and
you speak to them and say, oh yeah, but so-and-so does that,
and he's a minister, and he's a gospel. And you think, what
damage is done by those who stand for the truth and yet don't walk
according to it? And so here, the apostle is making
it very clear the effect really has a direct link to the One
that is bringing the Word, and how much through the Word the
effect is spoken of. Our Lord spoke of it in John
10, My sheep, they hear My voice, they follow Me. The effect was
to follow the same as hear. In James we read that we are
to be doers of the Word, and not hearers only. Our Lord told
the parable of the one that built his house upon the rock and on
the sand. And what was that parable speaking?
The difference between one that heard the word and did not was
like built upon the sand, and the one that heard and did was
like the one built upon the rock. And this is what the apostle
is saying here, the fruit and effect. It had an effect, the
gospel, changed their lives, moved them, was used to sanctify
them, the washing of water by the word. How vital it is, brought
to repentance. You think of Jonah, pretty poor
preacher he was. In the end, he wanted the blessing
taken away. The Lord wouldn't. The Lord had
given them repentance. And Jonah knew if the Lord sent
a preacher, he'd give them repentance too. It's a great blessing to
have. the word sent and a preacher
come. But may we be of those that the
word does have an effect. Maybe we can look back this morning
to when it did. Bless the Lord when he did make
us willing to receive the word. Maybe we can remember a time
that we wouldn't receive the word, rejected the word, but
then our hearts softened and to receive it and the effect
that that has had. Then may we have that effect
day by day. We need constantly to be exhorted,
to be pointed into the right way and kept in the right way
and have our Lord set before us to have that effect, to draw
us from this earth and to draw us to heaven and to run the race
that is set before us looking unto Jesus. Well, may we know
what it is, to hear the Word of God, to receive it, and to
have an effect upon our lives, upon our hearts. And it be to
the Lord's honour and glory, this people have I formed for
myself, they shall show forth my praise. Amen.