A Pastor’s Letter to a New Church (1 Thessalonians 1:1)

You are listening to preach the Word with David Ryu, sermon archive. Now, as we incline our ears to the preaching of your Holy Word, we ask for the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Join our eyes that we may see wonderful things and more and more of Christ and make this sermon most useful for the sanctification of your church. We pray all this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Today we begin a brand new sermon series through the book of First Thessalonians. First Thessalonians. It is probably one of the least known, the least popular among the New Testament letters of the Apostle Paul. And yet, it stands out as being an exceptionally pastoral and affectionate letter. Some would even argue that it is Paul's most heartfelt and warm letter. And it's no wonder why some might think that. As you read it, you are instantly drawn into Paul's sincere love and tenderness toward the Thessalonian believers. His words and his tone are infused with a deep sense of gratitude and longing for the church. It is believed that this letter, First Thessalonians, was written around 49 to 51 AD, which would make it one of Paul's earliest letters. We're speaking less than two decades, less than two decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So here Paul was writing to a very new and very young church that he only recently planted. And though he was prematurely separated from them because of intense opposition to the gospel, he writes them a letter to impart profound theological truths, pastoral encouragements, and crucial instructions for the continual growth and sanctification. One Bible commentator, Dr. Richard Phillips, he says this, he says, "First Thessalonians provides an excellent primer on what constitutes a healthy and thriving church, even admit adversity and with a need for continued spiritual growth. As such, these letters are a vital study for pastors, and especially those called into church planting, and also for every Christian who longs for a healthy and growing Christian life. And that's why we're spending the next several months studying this very letter. First Thessalonians lays bare Paul's pastoral heart for a new church plant endeavoring to be faithful to Christ in the midst of a hostile culture. Furthermore, it was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit for our benefit today also. Its timeless message continues to offer guidance and exhortation, building up the church of Christ in every generation. And so with that introduction, please open your Bibles with me to the book of First Thessalonians, and today we'll be looking at just the first verse. Let us stand in reverence as we hear the word of the Lord. Paul, Sivanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. Amen. This was a reading of God's Word. You may be seated. We're going to break down this verse by exploring three key questions, one, who is this Letter from, two, who is this Letter to, and three, what blessings are imparted. Let us begin with the first question, who is this Letter from? In the opening of this Letter, we see three different names, Paul, Sivanus, or Silas, and Timothy. Thessalonian believers would recognize these names because they are the three men who had taught them the gospel and planted the church in Thessalonica. And now these are the same three men collaborating to write this Letter to the church. Of course the leader of the trio was Paul, the Apostle of Christ, who is the primary author of this Letter. And the extent to which Silas and Timothy contributed to composing this Letter is actually unclear. Yet, at the very least, the inclusion of all three names here demonstrate their unified effort and their shared agreement on the Letter's content. But who exactly were these figures next to Paul? While Silas or Sivanus in Greek was a prophet from the Jerusalem Church, he was a very capable and trustworthy man, which is why the Jerusalem Council designated him to be a delegate to Antioch. And Paul must have also taken notice of Silas' maturity, godliness, and abilities because after Paul parted ways with Barnabas, he chose Silas as his next missionary partner. Timothy was another man that Paul personally chose as his missionary partner. He was a young man from the small Jewish community of Listera. His mother was a Jewish believer, his father was a Gentile. And what we're told about Timothy is that he was a disciple with good repute, which means fellow believers recognized his godly character and potential. So Silas and Timothy were both qualified men. They were trained and they were tested by Paul. And they proved to be reliable, competent, hardworking, sacrificial, devoted, and faithful to the Lord. And together with Paul, they traveled a great distance to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, strengthen the churches and plant new churches. Therefore, it is no surprise that their names were written next to Paul's. They were Paul's invaluable coworkers and teammates in the gospel ministry. And this highlights an important truth for us. Even the great apostle of Christ needed a team. He needed a team. He did not minister alone, but relied on the partnership and friendship of other qualified and capable men. No matter how impressive Paul was, if he was working alone, he could never have been able to plant a church in Bessalonica. Moreover, we would not even have this very letter. Later in chapter 3, we learned that Timothy was sent to the Thessalonian church to report back to Paul and Silas about their situation and progress. And this letter, which we call first Thessalonians, was written as a response to Timothy's encouraging report. So indeed, the inclusion of all three names in the opening demonstrates their unified effort to minister to the Thessalonians and their shared agreement on the letters content. You see, this is the New Testament vision for gospel ministry and church leadership. It was the Lord Jesus Christ, himself, who chose twelve men, disciple them, and appointed them as his apostles to lead the first New Testament church. The charge to preach the gospel, to make disciples, to baptize, was not given to one man, but to a group of men and to the church. And in keeping with this principle of shared responsibility, shared leadership, taught by Christ, Paul consistently surrounded himself with reliable teammates. However, in his letter to Titus, he mandates that elders be appointed in every town. Not one elder, but elders in the plural. Alexander Strouch, author of the book Biblical Eldership, says that the New Testament provides conclusive evidence that the pastoral leadership of the Apostolic Churches was a team effort and not the sole responsibility of one person. There is great wisdom here. There is great wisdom behind this principle of shared responsibility and shared leadership. And Foster's healthy accountability, it prevents burnout of individuals, it models brotherly love and fellowship, and it promotes a diversity of spiritual gifts, all of which ultimately benefits and strengthens the church. Now Alexander Strouch also offers this warning. He says, "One common mistake made by churches that are eager to implement eldership is to appoint biblically unqualified men, because there is often a crying need for more shepherd leaders, it is tempting to allow unqualified unprepared men to assume leadership in the church. But this is a time-proven formula for failure and long-term problems." So the application for us as a church is to earnestly pray, is to desperately pray for God to raise up more men among us who need the Biblical qualifications for leadership. Men who are not only gifted and able to give instruction and sound doctrine, but who are also godly, mature, humble, faithful and disciplined. These men must be able to manage their own household well, demonstrating their spiritual leadership in the home as a reflection of their ability to lead God's church, God's family. And of course, they must demonstrate their love for Christ by loving the flock of God, shepherding each member with care, diligence and wisdom. So pray, pray for God to set apart these men and encourage their growth and development, ask them how they are doing. For God's calling upon a man to lead the church must be discerned, affirmed and nurtured by the local church. Now, let us turn our attention back to the opening of this letter. Most Biblical scholars point out that the most striking thing about this simple greeting is how Paul names himself without using any title or introduction. Look at it, it just simply says Paul. And you have to understand how unusual this is, because we have 13 Biblical letters written by Paul, and in all of them he identifies himself with a title to establish his credentials. Romans 1, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. Galatians 1, Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through men, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Ephesians 1, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, Philippians 1, Paul, and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, Colossians 1, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. First Timothy 1, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God. Second Timothy 1, Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. Titus chapter 1, verse 1, Paul, a servant of God and a apostle of Christ Jesus by Leeman chapter 1, verse 1, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus. So you get the point. And why did Paul not use any titles in this letter? In all his letters to the Thessalonian church, why did he never use titles? Well we can infer three probable reasons. First, Paul didn't use a title because the Thessalonian church showed wholehearted respect for their leader. There was no controversy about his apostolic authority. No one challenged his teaching and leadership, but the church deeply respected their leader, which is why Paul never had to assert his authority. Here in chapter 2, verse 6, Paul says that he could have made demands as an apostle of Christ, but he chose not to. He clearly didn't think it was necessary and he was right. The Thessalonian church had shown themselves to be submissive and displayed growing love for Christ and for one another. Second, Paul didn't use a title because he had a very close and personal relationship with the Thessalonian church. Paul was indeed respected, but he wasn't a distant celebrity status pastor who was too important, too busy. He wasn't some big shot mega church pastor who he only saw once a week on the stage or at a conference, but Paul got real close, intimate, personal with fellow believers. He knew their names. He visited their homes. He taught them. He shared meals with them. He prayed for them, Paul truly knew them as his flock and they truly knew him as their pastor, which is why he felt no need to remind them of his role and authority. Third, Paul didn't use a title because he was humble. He was humble. While there are situations when it is entirely appropriate and even helpful to use his title, when it's not necessary, he doesn't assert his position to stroke his ego and feel special. Jesus spoke about the Pharisees who love the place of honor, the greetings in the marketplace and being called special titles. The human heart longs for the praise of men and to bask in their admiration. But later in chapter 2, Paul declares this, he says, "We speak not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with the pretext for greed, God is witness, nor do we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others." You see, Paul didn't care for titles and the praise of men. In social pastors today, they should not care to be called pastor, reverend, whatever. He did not labor for their applause before the glory of God. He knew himself as nothing more than a sinner saved by grace. And now his whole life was devoted to bringing attention to Christ, the Savior, and not to himself. Do you know what Paul's name actually means? The name Paul comes from the Latin adjective that literally means small, little, least, humble. And his name wasn't always Paul. He only changed his name to Paul after his Christian conversion. But before then, his name was Saul of Tarsus. And he was a very, very, cripple and self-righteous man. He was a Pharisee, the chief persecutor of the followers of Christ. He sought to destroy the church and to silence the gospel. However, he was utterly humbled by God on the road to Damascus when Christ appeared before him and by the grace of God, the man of pride became Paul, the humble man. But the grace of God, the persecutor of the church became the servant of the church. But the grace of God, the hater of Christ became the lover of Christ. And Paul would spend the rest of his life preaching the gospel and suffering for the gospel. You see, if you are saved by the grace of God, you become passionate for the glory of God. There's nothing more you should be passionate about, only the glory of God. Our lives, once dominated by pride and selfish ambition, now find its purpose and delight in making most of Christ. Now, let us consider together the second question, who is this letter to? Paul addresses the letter to the church of the Thessalonians. Let me pause here and give you a bit of a history and geography lesson. The city of Thessalonica was founded in 315 BC by Cassender. He was a general who served under Alexander the Great, I'm sure you've heard of him. And the city was named after his wife, the Thessaloniki, who was also the half-sister of Alexander the Great. And so you can imagine why this city quickly grew in fame and wealth. Still to this day, it is the second largest city in modern day Greece. And during the Roman Empire, Thessalonica was a very, very important city because of its strategically placed seaports, it's by the coast and the water, if you look at the map. And it sat along the major roads that connected the east and west of the Roman Empire. And so naturally, it became a popular destination for trade and commerce. And since all kinds of people were attracted to the city, it was very religiously diverse. People with worship, the Roman Emperor, the Grectoral Roman gods, the Egyptian gods, and there was also a small Jewish community that worshipped the God of the Bible. In Acts chapter 17, we're told that when Paul came to Thessalonica, he went to a synagogue of the Jews and reasoned with them there from the scriptures explaining and proving that Jesus is the Christ and God in the flesh. And what was the result? While some of them were persuaded and joined Paul, as did a great number of God fearing Greeks. This was the beginning of the Thessalonian church. Its membership was made up of some Jews, but most of them were Gentile converts. It is also very significant to note many of the founding members were women. They were women who were upper class, influential in the pagan society. These women played a key role in the nurturing and establishment of the new church plant. You see, this was often the case for many of the churches that Paul planted. For example, when Paul was in Philippi, he met a woman named Lydia. And Lydia was a very resourceful woman who ran a very successful business. She was competent. She was smart. She was rich. And she became one of his biggest supporters in planting a church there. However, we're told, also in Acts 17, that many of the Jews in Thessalonica became very jealous of the growing and popular church. So they enlisted wicked men, forming an angry mob to go after Paul and his companions. They even went to the Roman authorities to falsely accuse the church of rebelling against the emperor. And the violent campaign was successful. And eventually Paul, Silas and Timothy had to flee the city. And most likely, it was only a few months to a year later, after his departure, that Paul wrote this letter. You see, Paul was deeply concerned for the young church she had to leave behind. And he knew that they were continually being persecuted by the angry mob, who were extorting their money and possibly even threatening their lives. So what encouragement could Paul possibly share to uplift their spirits? Well, we already find the greatest encouragement in the opening address. Paul calls them the church of the Thessalonians in God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is reminding them of their new identity. The hostile culture can push against them. The world can be against them. The devil can be against them. But they are firmly rooted in God, the Father and God the Son. Certainly, it would have been just enough to tell them that they were with God. But the preposition Paul uses is in. To be in God describes an unbreakable, covenant relationship, inseparable union. They dwell in God. As the branch is attached to the vine, as the body is joined to the head, inseparable. It is a fascinating choice of preposition. That theologians today continue to struggle to fully imagine and explain. To be in God is not just to be very near to Him, but to be completely enclosed, surrounded by Him. We are immersed by God. We are possessed by God. We are united to God. We exist in God. This intimate and everlasting union that believers have with God is just amazing. And beyond what human words can fully describe, what does it mean to be in God? But what should also consume our imaginations and make our hearts full today are the benefits and blessings of being in God. So this leads us to our final question. What blessings are imparted? Paul reminds the Thessalonian believers of the divine blessings they have in God. He writes, "Grace to you and peace." But think about it. The whole city of Thessalonica hated them, rejected them. It seems they have lost their peace. What peace could they possibly have? They are being persecuted. They are suffering. In John 14, Jesus said to His disciples, "Peace, I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you." You see, the peace that the world gives is superficial. It's bleeding. Most people just want an easy life, a comfortable life in this world. So they spend their whole lives trying to build their wealth, their health, their security to pay off a mortgage. That's the American dream. That's the Canadian dream. Spend your whole life to pay off your mortgage by a big house. But such peace is fragile. It can burn down. It is also naive. Like a house built upon sand. It is destined to crumble when the storms arise. But the peace that Jesus gives is enduring. His peace is not just for this short life on earth, but for eternity. It is forever. His peace does not sway or falter, because it is not dependent on our present circumstances. It is not dependent on our relationship status. It is not dependent on the things of this world. His peace is not affected by our feelings, our moods, our bad days. His peace cannot be robbed by men or trials or even by the threat of death. You see the peace that Jesus gives is peace with God. Peace with God. If you don't have this today, if you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to me carefully, because this is humanity's greatest need. But most people choose to live in willful ignorance of this truth. We need the peace with God. Later in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, Paul tells us this, "The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night while people are saying there is peace, there is peace, there is security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape the peace of the world." It's fatal. It is destructive. Some of you are trying to find peace by going on a vacation. That's not real peace. Do not be deceived by its delusions. Do not be caught asleep unprepared for the day when Christ shall return. At his first coming, he came as a helpless child and as a sacrificial lamb to be slaughtered, offering peace to sinners who will receive him. But at his second coming, he is coming with the sword and with the host of angels to judge the living and the dead. And there will be no second chances for those who rejected his offer of peace. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction and the full fury of God's holy wrath in hell forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. It will never, ever, ever end. This is a testimony of scripture. And we're worried about finding some temporary peace here in this world. The Paul says in chapter 5 verse 9, "But for us, for us who have peace with God, we are not destined for wrath because we have obtained salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us and we shall live with him forever." You see, the peace that Jesus gives is anchored in his finished work on the cross. He died in our place to satisfy the wrath of God for our sin. He reconciled us to the Father forever. And then he rose again, securing our everlasting peace and happiness. So believers are destined for eternal life with God in the new heaven and earth. And there we will enjoy pleasures forever more at his right hand and we will experience no more death or mourning or crying or pain. And all of this, all of this we receive by God's grace in Jesus Christ. Grace is the unearned, the undeserved favor of God. But in reality, what we earned, what we deserved was only the wrath and judgment of God because our of our countless sins. The great theologian Jonathan Edwards once said, "You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary. You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary." And yet, despite what we deserve for our sin, we receive only God's love, only God's favor because of Christ, because of what He did. This is the sheer scandal of grace. So when Paul says, "grace to you and peace," it's not just a polite greeting or some words of mere formality, but it is the profound declaration of gospel realities. These two words, grace and peace, sum up the Christian life and salvation bound by God's covenant promises to his redeemed children. And so beloved church, as we remember our firm and secure identity in God, let us not be shaken by the trials and tribulations of this world that is quickly perishing. And as we remember that we are recipients of God's grace and peace, let us arise and fight the good fight of faith. And let us live each day, making most of Christ and glorifying His name alone. Let us pray. Father, we thank You so much for Your Word. And we thank You for the grace and peace that You give us only in Your sign, Jesus Christ. How wonderful are these divine blessings? Lord, we did not deserve them, we did not earn them. We only received it all because of Christ, all because of what He did on the cross. So we thank You so much. Help us to truly know our new identity in Him and help us to live in accordance to our new identity. As do you live each every single day and moment, making most of Christ, glorifying Your name alone. We pray all this in Your precious name, Jesus. Amen.