I don't know what to say. All right. If you would turn
with me to First Thessalonians, Chapter two, please. We're going to focus of our study
and I is going to be in verse 13. We're also going to spend
some time in Acts 17, but half of it's going to be spent here.
So starting verse 13 of First Thessalonians, chapter two. For
this cause, also thank we God without ceasing, because when
you receive the word of God, which you heard of us, you 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 so Paul is saying for this
cause that they gave thanks without ceasing. So what was this cause
that Paul was referring to? Well, it's the receiving, the
hearing, the effectual work and the belief of the word of God.
And I wrote down a few words that are associated with the
word of God going through concordance. I'm going to go through maybe
15 of these with you. Preached. The Word of God is
preached. It is teached. The Word of God is described
as a seed. It grew and it increased. The Word of God is received.
The Word of God is heard. The Word of God is described
as believed. Sanctified. The Word of God is unbound. The
Word of God is a mystery. The Word of God bears record. You can be a brother or a companion
in the Word of God. A witness to the Word of God,
spoken by the Word of God, shown in the Word of God, and came
by the Word of God. The Word of God is quick, life-giving,
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow,
the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart of man.
And so looking at these things, the word of God is many things.
And so what we want to look at is what is it in truth and what
is it to be believed in truth? And so, first of all, the word
of God comes as a record. The word of God is a record of
who God is. And once we see who God is, we
see his that he's God. We see his sovereignty. He has the right to do as he
pleases. But he's also holy, which means
that he is right in what he does. There are many men who are in
authority, who have the right to do as they please, but it
doesn't make it right what they do. But God is different. And
once we see who he is, then we have an understanding of who
I am and who I am is only seen in who he is. Who I am is not
who I think I am. Who I am is not who you think
I am. Who I am is who God says I am, and who I am before him. Who I am before him is seen in
his law. And once I see the law, then
I can have an understanding where the Word of God will teach me
what sin is. And in seeing my sin, the next thing that we see
is I need to know how he saves. The psalmist said, Save, Lord,
let the King hear us when we call. Psalmist had an understanding
that his need for the Lord to hearing when he called. And so
once we've seen that, then we will see the Lord's mercy and
grace. There are many things which will
see in the word of God and I want to know them and believe them,
not just know about them. And so in First Thessalonians,
Chapter two says for this cause, also, thank we God without ceasing. Because when you receive the
word of God, which you've heard of us, So what was this word
that they received when they heard from Paul, Timothy and
Silas? So we're going to look over in
chapter seventeen of Acts. Of this account, which Paul's
referring to. In verse one. Now, when they
had passed through and pitfalls, And Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica,
which was where a synagogue, which was where a synagogue was
of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was,
went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of
the scriptures. So this reasoning with them is,
I think, not I think we misuse the word reasoning. When I think
of it is coming together and trying to come to a common understanding
of this, this is not coming to a common agreement on this. This
is teaching, exhorting and actually commanding, which is what preaching
of the gospel is. And so that's what Paul was doing
with him here. In verse three, pick up opening and alleging
that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead.
And that this and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. And so I think when I first read
this, I kind of read over opening and alleging at first and just
went on to the meat of the verse. But these are two important words,
you know, opening, alleging, opening. You can only open what's
closed. And this gospel is one of the
word of one of the words associated with the word of God. It's a
mystery. It's closed. It's not something that we can
know. And so it's only known in what is referred to in Ephesians
one through the spirit of wisdom and of revelation. So this gospel
is revealed. It's not something that you figure
out or that you come to an understanding over time. This is something
that is only revealed. And so that's the opening. And
the alleging part is alleging we think of an allegation. Well,
he allegedly did this. And it's not a Paulist making,
well, allegedly this is true and I want you to believe it.
This is this is not unfounded theory. Paul was using preaching
the gospel to establish the truth. That's what he was doing by preaching
to them. Preaching what? First, that in
verse three, that Christ must needs have suffered. The NIV
translates must needs, these are two particular words, as
had to, had to have suffered. The American Standard says that
it behooved him to have suffered and other versions that he needed
to. But I believe that King James really does it. The best justice
here when it says must needs. These are two very definite words,
very commanding words. Must needs is the strongest language.
He must needs of suffered and risen again from the dead. So
Lazarus was a man. He was dead. He wasn't able to
raise himself at all. But this man, the God man, he
raised himself. And so he must need to suffer
and risen again from the dead. And that this Jesus whom I preach
to you is Christ. And so Christ is the anointed
one, the one in whom all power, honor and glory dwell. And so
Christ is Jesus, whom I preach to you is Christ. This is the
one whom by which we're saved. The world didn't know him. They
didn't accept him. They rejected him. They were
looking for a lion. They were looking for a David,
a Joshua, a powerful one in Israel who would who would exalt them
and defeat their enemies. They were looking for a king,
but he came as the lamb. And so they said, we're not going
to have we don't want this man. Who is this? They don't want
anything with him, which is what led the apostle Peter to say,
let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this
same Jesus whom you've crucified, both Lord and Christ. So Peter
was here establishing that this is Christ and letting them know
it. So in verse three, I would like to ask the question, why
must he have suffered? And in order to answer that,
we have to look at how he suffered. First, he suffered as a man.
The Lord was made flesh and he dwelt in a man's body. And I
think it was an excellent article in the bulletin this morning
talking about how how can Christ have suffered and had the same
Temptations and limitations of the flesh is a man that you and
I do. And I think that did an outstanding job in answering
that. He suffered as a man. He was
around wicked conversation. You can imagine. I think I think
I look at him as he's so holy he couldn't possibly have dealt
with the same. temptations and frustrations. And yet he was still a man and
he dealt with these. And so the sufferings of being
with unbelieving people and being being in this world of sin and
being in the midst of just enveloped in it. We're used to it. We don't
we don't really think anything of it. But, you know, this is
the Lord. And he, you know, quietly endured this. So he suffered
as a man. And secondly, he suffered as
the son of God. He suffered in spirit. Yes, he
bore the burden to Calvary on the cross and died. But the thought
of being made and the action of being made sin was worse because
the Lord actually understood what it was. You and I, we don't
see it. We're we are, as I said, in the
midst of sin every day and we don't think anything of it. We
just we do it. And But the thought of being
made sin says it sweat as it were great drops of blood. This
is a physical manifestation of the inner torment that he was
going through in being being cast off from his father at this
point as being made sin. So this is how we suffered. So as a man and as the son of
God. So then for whom did he must need suffer? So everyone
everywhere. That's what is preached in most
places today. But the scripture doesn't teach
this, because if this was true, what does his suffering have
to do with salvation? Men wind up in hell that he suffered
for, that can't be. He suffered for the elect, all
those whom his father gave him, his sheep. So again, why must
he need suffer? He must need suffer first for
the glory of God. Turn to John, chapter eight,
please. Then said Jesus unto them, When
you have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall you know that
I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath
taught me, I speak these things, and he that sent me is with me.
The Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things
that please him. And so what is it that he does
that pleases the father? It pleased the father that he
would suffer needlessly. No, the Lord doesn't do anything
needlessly. He suffered because his glory
was found in the good of his people. And that's who the sufferings
were for. And so that's the second reason
why he must need to suffer. They shall call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people, not suffer. And then if they
do this, then they'll be saved. He shall save his people. He's
the successful savior. And so there's no savior without
saving. So why else would he be called
the savior? So all he does is for the good of his people. So
we're going to go back to Acts chapter 17 again. And these are the reasons for
the most needs have suffered. But it also says and risen again
from the dead, so the sin, guilt, the debt was gone when he died
on the cross, so that was paid for. But he also has to be risen
again from the dead. Why? It's because the same stain
or the same stain still remains. So even though my sin debt is
gone, my nature is still sin. And so without that, I it doesn't
do me any good. He has to be risen. I have to
have his nature, which is his righteousness need to be washed
in his blood. And so I got to thinking about
this. I think we we look a lot at. The reasons behind Christ dying,
being made sin, his death. And then I think I quickly say,
well, and he was risen on the third day and, you know, sits
on the right hand of God. But it's much more than this. God is just. And God only can
be just. And so justice for sin demanded
his death. He was guilty. And that's why
he died. He was guilty because my sin
became his justice. Also demands that he be risen,
and that's the beautiful picture of this is that after the sin
was put out, God's wrath extinguished upon the son of God. All that's
left is his righteousness. So justice demands that he be
risen because the verse in the Psalms in Chapter 20, thou shalt
will not suffer thy holy one to see corruption. So it's not
right that he stayed dead. It's just much more that much
more than he he died in three days. He was risen. It's not
right that he be dead. He has to be risen. And so that
speaks to the justice of God. So the sin that was paid, there's
no more guilt, no more debt, so that all that's left over
is his righteousness. And he was so great and so powerful
that he was risen. It's so that that's a beautiful
picture looking at the justice demanding that he be risen. Turn with me to Isaiah 40 please. And this speaks about what we've
just looked at, the suffering and the and that he must be risen
in verse one. Comfort, she comforts you. My
people say, if you're gone, speak comfortably to Jerusalem and
cry to her that her warfare is accomplished and that her iniquity
is pardoned, for she has received the Lord's hand double for all
her sins. And so this speaks as to the
Lord fulfilling scripture. The double part is one. My sins
are paid. But number two, doubly, the double
reward that we get is that we're made to be his righteousness.
And so this is the fulfilling scripture. Let's turn over to
Hebrews chapter two. Verse 14. For as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
had power over death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
And so what this means is that if he's risen and I am him and
I'm in him, then I have no fear of death. There's no bondage
to me in death. It has no claim to me. If I'm
in Christ, that has no power over me because he's Lord over
life. And when he was risen, he became
Lord over death. And so why must he be risen?
Lastly, look at Romans chapter eight. First, thirty four. Who is he
that condemns it is Christ that died, rather, that is risen again. who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us. It's the maketh intercession
there. I have to have an intercessor
between myself and God, and that can only be if he is risen. That's the only way, because
when he's risen and seated at the right hand of God, he's my
advocate. He's my intercessor. between myself and God. And so
we have to have that to come into God's presence. The father
can only see me through Christ. And it's the only way that I
can be accepted and heard for his sake. And so that's what
gives me confidence that when I pray and call out to the father
in prayer, that it's for Christ's sake that I'm heard. So he's
because he's risen. That's what my confidence is.
So let's go back to our text in First Thessalonians two. And this is the gospel, the word
of God, which. Paul is. Giving reason for his
thanks unto God that Christ must needs have suffered and risen
again from the dead, he says, for this cause that also think
we got about ceasing and there there are many things to be thankful
for. And I was trying to think of a few things that I was thankful
for, and one was the gods on the throne, first and foremost,
that if he's on the throne, then everything's OK. I don't have
anything to worry about. I know God's on the throne. Secondly,
I'm thankful for his love and his love is manifested in predestination
and selecting a people and electing them before we had the chance
to do anything that he set us aside, reserved us into himself.
I'm thankful for his son, who's our substitute, who endured the
cross and who now sits on the right hand of God. I'm thankful
that Christ came to save sinners. That's what gives me hope, that
the bar, when you look at something, what are the requirements to
get in? Do I meet the bar? Is it high
enough? Well, this bar is so low that everybody's a sinner. And so anyone can come to Christ. And number five, in Christ, there
is forgiveness, acceptance, and rest. So these are all things
to be thankful for. Verse 13. Because when you received
the word of God, so how was it received the word which you heard
of us through the foolishness of preaching through faithful
witnesses, not as the word of men, men's words, often saying
nothing, not really giving the full report. Men's words, there's
no power in his words, men's words. That's why we. Pray to
God and ask him for things, because we have no power. We think we
do, but we really don't have any were in his hands. And that's
why we ask for the Lord to to do things for us in prayer. So
how can one receive the word? Not as the word of man. Well,
in verse 12, we're told that. That you who would walk worthy
of God, who have called you under his kingdom and glory, he called
us. You can't just decide to receive
it that way or happen to take it that way. The Lord has to
call you. And so that's the only way that we have any ability
or spiritual life is apart from the Lord calling us. And so you
have to be called before you can hear. And there's no hearing
without a calling. Calling comes from God alone.
You can't motivate God to do something for you to call you.
It comes of God. It's of his spirit. So he called
you and you heard not as the word of man, but in truth. What
is the truth? Well, first, the truth is, it's
man's responsibility to know. It's our responsibility to know
what it is, because we're going to be held accountable to the
truth. Our irresponsibility doesn't change God's sovereignty. We
have to look at God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Man's
responsibility is to know and to believe the truth. Secondly,
the truth can be my judge. For the law was given by Moses.
were met on the grounds by which we approach. I approach under
the law. I want to be held under the law
and bring bring forth my works and what I did. And God will
meet me on those grounds. But the second part of that verse
says the grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And it's now
the truth is my justifier. It's not my judge. It's my justifier,
which is what grace and truth are in Jesus Christ. He said,
I'm the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the
Father, but by me. So we perceive the Word as it
is in truth, as the Word of God. What is the Word of God? Well,
Christ said there that I am the truth, I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. That is also the Word. And if
this is the Word of God, if this is the Word of God, then first,
I must receive it as such, not try to prove it and try to justify
it to myself as the Word of God. I'm to receive it as such. And
secondly, I reject everything else. And we have to be given
power from the Holy Spirit to even do that. So to receive it
as the Word of God, it must be given faith. Faith to believe
that it carries the power of the Word of God. For by grace
are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, but it's
the gift of God. So I ask God to give me faith
and faith believes God. It's just that simple. Many doubters,
many skeptics today question the authenticity of the word
of God, and I felt compelled to mention this. This is something
that I dealt directly with when I was in college. And I think
a lot of the young people deal with this more and more in a
school environment. They spent the entire course
of this class trying to disprove the Bible is the Word of God.
That's literally what he spent the entire class trying to say.
You watch TV, you watch the History Channel, Discovery Channel, they're
always going to find some document trying to prove that Christ is
not who he said he was. And that the Bible is not the
word of God, because they found some, you know, scroll over here
that says something. And even today. So we read about all this stuff,
you know, that happened, you know, 2000 years ago. And even
through today, they're still trying to say that Jesus wasn't
God. And. And so the question I'm
asking is, if I'm one of the elect of God, God set me aside
and reserved who I am in eternity. Is it possible that through the
omission, the change of the original from what we have today, is it
possible for me not to believe or not to be saved by Christ
through revelation in the word? And so I can say with complete
confidence and certainty, absolutely not that the Lord will give us
exactly what we need, that though this may not word for word translate
back to what the original described as, if I'm one of the elect of
God, There's nothing that can keep me apart from Christ. And
then he will do everything to make sure that none of his his
elect, none of his sheep are lost. Which brings us to the
last piece of this verse. But as it is in truth, the word
of God, which effectually worketh in you that believe that word
effectually right there just speaks to the question I ask
is it's effectual. The word of God is effectual.
It will bring the sheep. It will bring the sheep to Christ.
And that's it's effectual. So the word of God effectually
working. So what evidences can I look at to see that for this
effectual work? Can I look at my works, the things
I do? Well, when I start to examine
those, it makes me very nervous because I find that I'm full
of holes. I have nothing. If it's not from work, then I
have to look at my faith. Well, let's look at my faith.
When I sit down and try to examine my faith, all I find is unbelief. I start finding unbelief here
and there, and I have no confidence in my faith. Well, how about
my nature? Well, shouldn't a believer have
love, love for other believers? And you ever get mad at anybody? And so I find holes even in that. And so what I'm finding, or I
can't find evidences in me, in my works, my faith, in my nature,
any of these things, to give me evidence of effectual work.
So what we do look at is what I believe, and the evidence is
thereof, depend wholly upon whom I believe. And that's the question,
is what think you of Christ? Whose son is he? And do I see
Christ as precious? Is he everything? Is his name
wonderful? I believe that I love that name
that he's given me, his name Wonderful, because I don't think
there's a name in the word of God that more aptly describes
what the believer's heart feels when they think of the Lord.
He's wonderful. He's everything to me. And he's
my Lord, he's my savior, he's my king, he's my prophet, my
priest, he's my substitute, my God, my shepherd, my brother,
my friend. So I'm going to close with Acts
chapter four. So we looked at. Christ having to must needs have
suffered. And be risen again. And since
it's the whole start of this off and all writings. And so
in verse 12, it says neither is there salvation in any other
for there is none other name under heaven given among men
whereby we must be saved. And so if Christ must needs have
suffered, if you must be risen again, then we must be saved. And that's what our confidence
is. And so that's this. Justice demands it. And so that's
why we we have much to rejoice in in looking at this.