Shabbat Shalom! Please open your Bibles now to the Epistle, or to the letter of 1 Thessalonians. In chapter 1 and verses 1 to 10, the Apostle Paul is writing to these brethren and he says to them, and I'm reading from verse 1, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy unto the assembly of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Christ, or Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith and your labor of love and patience of hope.

In our Lord Jesus the Messiah, in the sight of God and our Father. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that ye were an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sound out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place.

Your faith to God's word is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and the true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, even Yeshua, which delivered us from the wrath to come. And I'm stopping here in the last verse 10 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. So we began our study, dear beloved brothers and sisters, of this beautiful letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica.

I mentioned before that the foundation of this local church, local congregation had begun at about the year 50 A.D. The apostle Paul, Shaul, was on his second missionary journey. He finally arrived to this city of Thessalonica, which received its name through the man Cassander, who gave this name to this city because of the fact that his wife was Thessalonica. She was a sister of Alexander the Great. And in 315 B.C., he named that city Thessalonica, known today by the name of Saloniki. Many Jewish people lived in that city over the years. In fact, there was a congregation, there was a Beit Knesset, a synagogue of the Jewish people in this city.

And when Shaul Paul arrived to Thessalonica, he first went to the synagogue of the Jews. And there some of our own Jewish brethren in the year 50 A.D. have embraced Jesus, have accepted Yeshua as the Messiah. And many others as well have accepted him as their Lord and Savior from among the Gentiles of the city of Thessalonica. Well, that's how the assembly, the congregation, was formed in Thessalonica. And if you remember, we have talked about the very first three verses in our previous meeting together, how Paul, he said to those brothers and sisters in Thessalonica that they were in God the Father. They were in Yeshua the Messiah, in Jesus the Messiah.

In other words, they were believers, they belonged to him, they have embraced him, they have accepted him, as we read in verse 1. Then, secondly, we read in verse 2 that he gave thanks. He says, "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers." Apparently the apostle Paul, after you remember, he had to flee to leave Thessalonica because of his own other Jewish brethren who did not accept the Gospel. So he left Thessalonica, went to Berea, later on he went to Athens, and then finally he arrived to Corinth in chapter 18. And from there he's writing this letter to the Thessalonians.

And this letter, beloved brothers and sisters, shows us that this local assembly, young believers in Yeshua the Messiah, couple of years in the faith, had a desirable condition, spiritual condition. You know, sometimes we go to meetings, to church meetings, to congregation, to an assembly, for years and years and years and years. And at times we don't have a desirable spiritual state in our own lives, in our local assemblies or local churches. But here we see a very desirable state that existed in this local assembly at Thessalonica. And Paul said, "We are praying for you. We mention your name before God in our prayers." And then you notice what he said, and we covered that already in our meeting before in verse 3.

And I want to emphasize this a little bit here. You notice what he said to them in verse 3. "Remembering without ceasing your works of faith and labor of love and patience of hope." Now notice those three things. And for a moment, I would like you to just look with me back here for a moment. You will notice that in the letter to the Thessalonians, we find out that the Apostle Paul emphasizes many times the number 3. I would like to remind you that when God created men in Genesis chapter 1, if you just go there for a moment with me, you will notice what we read in verses 26 and 27.

And God said, "Let us make men in our image after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Then verse 27 says, "So God created men in his own image, in the image of God created he, him, male and female created he, them." And so you notice that God created men in his own image. In other words, because we have been created in the image of God, everything in this world is displayed in the manner and way that God is existing.

He is a triune God, the Father, the Son, the Spirit, Ha-Abba, Ha-Ben, Ha-Ruach. And that triune God, as we find out, for example, in many passages in Scripture. For example, in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 4, it says, "He, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one." The word, therefore, "one," "echad," is a compound unity. There is one single God who exists and consists in three persons. When Yeshua said to the disciples to go and baptize, "Litbol lehatbil," to baptize and to teach the Gospel, He says, "Go ye, therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in their notice, in the name singular, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." This triune God, who is existing and consisting in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, this triune God have created men in His very own image.

In the image of God created He them. Male and female created He them, as we read in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 26 and verse 27. Now, if you go back and notice, we find out in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, notice that, in verse 23, we find out that man is also a triune creature. You notice that? The apostle Paul wrote to the same Thessalonians later on. He said, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray, God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah." Spirit, soul, and body. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Every time you read in Scripture, everything that God had made in this universe was made in exactly to characterize His person.

He is a God who is existing in a triune God, and the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit of God, He created men in His image, and everything here in this world is created in such a way that is suitable for the Creator God. And so, notice here, God created the universe, and in the universe, we have what is known to be as time, space, and matter. And when we think of time, beloved brothers and sisters, we have past, present, and future. There is no fourth aspect to the time. When you look at the space, we have length, and breadth, and height. No fourth one.

And when we think of the matter, we have solid, liquid, and gas. Everything that is created here in this world is really characterized the God who created the universe. And so, when we read in chapter 1 and verse 3 in our previous ministry meeting, we read that Apostle Paul said to the believers at Thessalonica, "We remember without ceasing your works of faith, your labor of love, and patience of hope." And this faith, love, and hope is that which ought to characterize God's people here upon the face of this earth. And that's why we hear often time that those who teach the letter to Thessalonians said that in this letter, we really learn, especially in chapter 1, of the desirable condition that ought to characterize a local assembly of believers.

It should characterize us in our personal life, it should characterize us in our family life, and it should characterize us in our local gathering as saints together around the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. That was the condition of those believers in Thessalonica who were very young in the faith. They were not like you and I who were many years in the faith. Some of us, as we mentioned, are 20, 30, 40, 50 years in the faith. You could see that Apostle Paul here emphasizing their spiritual understanding and spiritual practices that existed in their life. So notice he said to them in verse 3, he says, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith." They were laboring in trusting God in their day-by-day life.

Then we find out again, in your labor of love, they were practically working hard at showing what is known to be the akabeo love, the unconditioned love to the brothers and sisters. And thirdly, they had the hope, the patience of hope. They trusted God and the hope of the return of the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, and they were going to be with Him. They patiently had waited for His coming. Those three words, faith in Hebrew emunah, love in Hebrew ahavah, and hope in Hebrew tikvah, is something that all of us are to be characterized with our life here in this world. Faith, hope, and love.

And you notice that many, many times the number three is presented before us here in the book of 1 Thessalonians. So, God, who is a triune God, created the universe with everything here in this universe is characterized Him. Time, space, matter. And everything in this world had been ready to be suitable for His creatures who He had made, who have spirit, soul, and body. We have been created in the image and likeness of God. So, from here on, beloved brothers and sisters, after He commending the brothers and sisters in the local assembly in Thessaloniki, in Thessalonica, from verse 4 on, He continued to encourage them and to remind them and Himself of the kind of group of believers that they were.

In verse 4, He's reminding the Thessalonian brethren that they have been chosen by God. You know, sometimes we don't realize that God in eternity past have chosen us in the Messiah, in Christ. We read, in fact, right here, notice what He said in verse 4, "Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God." You have been elected by God. Now, some of us might have a problem with election. And, of course, as human beings with failing people, we don't quite grasp everything in the plan and the mind of God. But the Bible is very clear when the Bible teaches us that we have been chosen in the Messiah the foundation of the world.

So, here we find out that they were chosen, they were elected of God, by God. "Knowing, beloved, brethren, your election of God." Brothers and sisters, listen. You and I also today who are believers in Yeshua the Messiah, we were chosen in the Messiah already before the foundation of the world as we read it in Ephesians 1 and verse 4. In fact, if you just turn the page for a moment to 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13, Paul is mentioning this again and he's saying to them, "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you." "Brethren, beloved of the Lord, because," listen to that, "God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth." In other words, "God has chosen the Thessalonians and you and I to become saved and it has to be done through faith in His Word, in the person of His Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit." That's how we came in.

There are so many verses that we can read. You remember what Yeshua said in John 15 and verse 16? "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and I have ordained you that you will produce fruit for me. You didn't choose me, but I have chosen you." It's so healthy to understand that we have been chosen by the Lord in eternity past. In fact, we can read in other places that the Lord is teaching the fact that He has chosen, you remember even Israel the nation in Deuteronomy chapter 7 and verse 6 it says, "You are a chosen nation." Israel as a nation was not a better nation than the nations of the world, but God has chosen Israel a nation to be an elect nation that will represent Him here in this world.

And so while we do not understand always the truth of election, God's sovereignty, and man's responsibility, nevertheless, the truth of election is being taught in the Word of God. How clearly He says, "Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God." Everything began from God, not from man. In fact, if it would be left for us, we were probably going to say we will not have you reign over us. God, do not have anything to do in my life. I do not want you in my life. This is the human nature. But God, in eternity past, in His plan, as Ephesians 1 teaches us, and as 1 Peter 1 teaches us, and as Colossians 3 teaches us that we have been chosen, including here, before the foundation of the world, we have been chosen, elected of God Himself.

And you know, when we realize that God has chosen us to be part of the family of God, we are really, humble us, because we are not superior to anyone else. We are not better than someone else. All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Nevertheless, in the plan and the purposes of God, God has chosen us in the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. I want you to turn with me to John, chapter 6 for a moment. In John, chapter 6, if we have a problem with election, John 6 helps us a little bit to understand God's sovereignty on the one hand, and man's responsibility on the other hand.

Look at this verse. One verse, John 6, verse 37, always helps me to understand a little bit better God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Yeshua is speaking, and He said there to His disciples, and He's speaking after He fed the 5,000, a little bit later on in verse 37, Yeshua said those words, "All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me." That's the sovereignty of God. On the other hand, the human responsibility, and Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. God's sovereignty, all that the Father gives me, they will come to me. I will receive them. As He says in verse 37, "They all will come to me from the Father, I will not cast them out." On the other hand, He says in verse 37b, "Him that cometh unto me," the one that is responding to the word of God, "He that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast him out." God's sovereignty, but beloved brothers and sisters, everything began with God, not with man.

God created man in His own image. He placed him in this world and He provided for him the space, the time, and the matter. Time, space, and matter is provided for Him. Men fall into sin, and men departed from God, so God provided salvation through the person of Yeshua, and now God would like to see men characterized by faith, love, and hope. And as I mentioned before, in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, we learn that when we're going to be in heaven, we no longer need to have faith because we're going to see Him. Secondly, we're no longer going to need to hope for His coming because we're going to be with Him.

The only thing that will remain for time and eternity is love. That's why 1 Corinthians 13 says, in this last verse of this chapter, verse 13, it said, "And now abideth faith, hope, love." These three, but the greatest of these is love. As we say this in Hebrew. So apparently, beloved brothers and sisters, these brethren needed to realize afresh that they were elected, they were chosen by God. Therefore, there's no room for pride. There's no room for thinking that one is superior than the other. Therefore, we ought to have a change in our life to produce something for the glory of the Lord. So, the Thessalonian brethren and you and I had been chosen by God.

Salvation began by Him. Man is benefited from the work that God had provided for us. and sisters. Now, in the last part of this chapter, in verses 5 to 10, you could see what an example this local assembly of believers were. And you and I need to emulate the kind of an example that these brethren were. First of all, verses 5 and 6, the Thessalonian believers received the gospel of the grace of God. They received the message. Paul came, you notice it says in verse 5, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake, and ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit." You see, when Paul went to preach the gospel in Thessalonica, you remember he went to the synagogue of our own Jewish people Shabbat days, he went to the synagogue.

He opened the Tanakh, the Old Testament, and he presented Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, right from the Old Testament scripture because there was no "Brit Hadashah", there was no New Testament in existence. And as he opened the scripture, and as he presented the Messiah, he must suffer, he must rise, and that Yeshua is the Messiah, they received the gospel. They received, as it says here, having received the word, they received the word of God. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God, and the Apostle Paul said, notice in verse 5, he says that the Thessalonians received the word of God. They received it. Verse 5 and 6a.

How did he come to them? He didn't come to them with any human opinion. He says here, "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, also in the Holy Spirit, and also with much assurance." See, when Shaul Paul went to preach the message of the gospel, he first of all, ministered the word of God as it is found in the scripture. He told people about the fact that God sent the Messiah, and that Yeshua is the Messiah, and he came and he died on the tree on the cross for the sin of this world. He presented the word of God.

Why do we minister the word of God here every Saturday, every Shabbat? Because we believe that there is power in the word of God. There is power. We trust that the word of God will convict us all and will encourage us to continue to follow the Lord. because our gospel came not only in word, but also in power. That word for power is the word in Hebrew, is gvura. It comes from the word boldness. When the apostle Paul presented the gospel, he was bold to share the message. As he mentioned already, and we quoted that before, Romans 1:16, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah.

I am not ashamed. Why, Paul, you are not ashamed? Because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe. To the Jew first and then also to the Greek. And in this gospel, the righteousness of God revealed faith unto faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. And so when Paul came to the city of Thessalonica, he presented the gospel through the word that he read, but also he was bold to present the scripture. He was bold in preaching the message of the word of God, the gospel. By the way, the word gospel in Hebrew is besorah. I mean, news, glad tidings.

The Messiah has come. Salvation had been provided for mankind. Take the Lord, accept him into your heart, and God will forgive your sins. This is the gospel. The Messiah died for our sins according to the scripture. And he was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Hebrew scriptures. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. So, he presented the word to the Thessalonians. He did it with boldness, but notice it says in verse 5, also in the Holy Spirit. You know, that teaches us an amazing truth. One can preach. One can say what he wants. Unless the Holy Spirit working, there will be no effect. The Holy Spirit of God is essential.

He is the one that plows the conscience. He is the person that unfolds before us all the scripture. Without the Holy Spirit of God, there is no possibility to be enlightened. You remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, because it is foolishness unto him. Neither can he. Unless the Holy Spirit of God enlighten us and unfold before us the truth of the word of God, we will never understand it, beloved brothers and sisters. Just like the Thessalonians could have not understand it unless the power of the Spirit of God helped them to see that there were sinners who needed forgiveness of sins.

That Yeshua was the promised Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. And that he came to suffer for the sin of this world. And that he died, he became a substitute. That he is the promised one that was promised already a long time ago. But the Holy Spirit had to unfold this to us. Unless we are allowing the Spirit of God to work, we will never be able to understand. That's why, by the way, if you notice in Ephesians and in Thessalonians also, 1 Thessalonians 5 says, quench not the Spirit. Ephesians 4 tells us, grieve not the Spirit. Why? Because the only way that we can understand the things of God is when the Holy Spirit of God is affecting in our life.

He is the one that work it out and plow us and explain to us the things of God. We cannot understand the things of God unless ruach ha-Elohim, ruach ha-Kodesh helps us to understand it. That's why he says, listen, our Gospel came not unto you only by word, but it came also with boldness, but also in the Holy Spirit, brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit of God is a divine person. Yeshua said already in John 14, verse 16, that he will send from the Father the Holy Spirit of truth. He will abide in you. He will help you to understand. He will unfold before you the truth.

And that's what happened in Thessalonica. The Holy Spirit of God used the word of God and the boldness Paul to unfold before the Thessalonians the fact that Yeshua, Jesus, is the Messiah, the Savior of sinners, for Jew, for Gentile alike, Yehudim, vegoim, those of us all who need him as our Messiah, Lord and Savior. And so, notice that it's so beautiful when I think about it, with word, bedibur, with power, begvura, and with the Holy Spirit, beruach ha-Kodesh. And notice the fourth thing that he says there in verse 5, he continued, he said, and in much assurance. You see, you know, Paul did not have confidence in his words, but he had confidence in the word of God.

He had an assurance. The assurance was that if God is working in the heart of those who heard him in the city of Thessalonica, I don't need to trust myself, I can trust the word of God. It is only God through the Spirit of God that is able to work in the hearts of an individual. And that's why verse 5, you have four times the word in. In word, in power, in Holy Spirit, and in much assurance. in other words, in other words, Paul says, not me, but him. Not my power, not my words, not my, you might say, human boldness. It is by the Spirit of God who emboldened me to present the word of God which gives us an assurance, assurance, confidence that it will affect the life of the hearer.

So very precious to realize that the word of God came, but notice now, beloved brothers and sisters, it says in verse 5b, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. You see, when Paul came to Thessalonica, he behaved in the right way. He was a humble man. Even though he was this great apostle, Shaliyah, that was called by God, but he was a humble man. When he presented the Gospel at Thessalonica in the synagogue, Beit HaKnesed, he did it out of love for souls, out of love for his own Jewish brethren, and out of love for the Gentile individuals.

He cared for men. He said, look at us, you know what manner of men, M-E-N, plural, him, Timothy, Silas, you know how we behave in your midst. We did not have arrogance and pride and self-exaltation. We were humble there when we came to present before you. We just wanted to present before you the truth of the Gospel. And that is so precious, beloved brothers and sisters, to see the attitude that our pastor Paul has. It really behooves us too. When we're going to share with someone the message of the Gospel. How are we doing that? Do we come across as we are superior than somebody else or do we go under them and lift them up?

This is so important to understand it. This is why Paul was characterized in such a way. He was a humble man. He learned from his master, from Yeshua HaMashiach. When you think of our Lord, though he was equal with God, he counted not robbery to be equal with God, but he made himself of no reputation. And he humbled himself. He came all the way down and he even came down. He became a servant. And he came and he went all the way to the cross. And he became obedient unto death. And that's the death of the cross. What a lesson to learn. Paul learned from him.

Many over the generation learned from our master, from the Mashiach, from Yeshua, in our attitude, in our behavior. And Paul said to them, "Listen, you know very well. When I came to you, I didn't come to you in my arrogance and my ability and my power and my strength, but I came to you trusting the word of God, trusting the Holy Spirit of God and having assurance that he will lead you unto the Lord Yeshua the Messiah." So, what we find out in verse 6, beloved brothers and sisters, that the Thessalonian brethren had received the word. They responded. So precious. You see that he said, "And ye now, ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit." See, the Thessalonians who were a mixture of Jewish people, first of all, because he presented the Gospel in the synagogue, first of all, in Beit HaKneset.

Many of the Jewish people there have embraced Yeshua the Messiah. And they followed after Paul and followed after the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. the Messiah, they have accepted him. But not only the Jewish people. They were Gentiles from the Goyim. And you know, the Thessalonians were a pagan city. They were idol worshippers. And they have, first of all, heard that message. They were impressed with the lovely person of Yeshua the Messiah in contrast to all their idol worship. So what did they do? Number one, they followed after us, meaning Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Number two, Paul adding, no, no, no, no, no, not only after us, don't follow me, but you follow after the Lord, namely Yeshua the Messiah.

And then said, you have received the Word. Now when they received the Word, beloved brothers and sisters, and they became believers, do you think that from there on their problems were over? Not at all. You and I know very well that from the time that we became believers in Yeshua the Messiah, our problems only started here on earth. Those that oppose the Lord and oppose the Gospel and oppose God immediately attack the people of God. and Satan behind the scene, who is the one that is appearing as the angel of light at time, and as a roaring lion, he attacks the people of God, seeking to harm them from their spiritual growth.

That's why sometimes in ministry, people say, hey, brother Gideon, I don't understand. I thought that when I will accept Jesus, Yeshua, as the Lord of my life, my problem is going to be over because after all, He forgave my sins and now I can continue with my life and there will be no problems. But I don't realize that problems just begin because now they are transferred from being the children of wrath to the children of God. And the enemy of God will attack them every time. He attacks our personal life, he attacks our family life, he attacks our congregational life, he attacks us wherever the people of God are Satan and his angels are attacking the people of God.

And one of the things that he does, he brings upon the believers persecution and affliction. And that's why Shaul Paul said to them, verse 6, He became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction. In much affliction. Now that word here, when you think of that word affliction in verse 6, it speaks of the persecution. It speaks of the persecution that they have experienced when they became believers in our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, they have immediately experienced affliction and persecution. Brothers and sisters, this is exactly what happened when we turned to the Lord. This world rejected the Mashiach, the Messiah. And therefore, when we seek to follow him, they will not like to hear what we have to say and ultimately they will persecute the believers.

they are persecuted in the past. The Messiah was hanging on a tree. Later on, the early disciples, the Hebrew believers, they have been persecuted in Jerusalem and Judea and later on everywhere. Then when the Gentiles became believers, they have been persecuted as well by their own people and many others have been persecuted throughout the generation. Even today, people who believe in Yeshua, the Messiah, are persecuted by those who do not want to accept the Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. So verse 6 is an amazing verse to show us that they have received the Lord, received the message of the Gospel, but they have experienced much affliction.

persecution. But you notice, immediately after that, he says, but yet, with joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of the persecution, they had joy in their hearts. joy. And it was joy that was given to them by the Holy Spirit of God. The Hebrew word here is chedvat, ruach ha-kodesh. It's a beautiful word, joy. It was Ezra who said in the book of Nehemiah, chapter 8 and verse 10, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Joy is much more than happiness. Happiness depends on what is happening. If things happen good, we are happy. If things happen bad, we are not so happy. Right? But joy is far deeper.

It's not subject to what's happening. In the midst of affliction, in the midst of tribulation, in the midst of trial, they still have the joy that is found in the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. You know, we read in Hebrews, chapter 12, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and he sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. Yeshua teaching us that kind of a joy. Unfortunately, to our shame, we are not always having that joy in our own hearts because we are not always in a right spiritual state. But they were. That's why I said that this chapter is a desirable condition that existed in this local assembly.

Yes, there were tribulation, yet there were joy. They were characterized by works of faith, labor of love, and the patience of hope. They were practicing that which God had intended for them in that local assembly in Thessalonica. A young group of believers. Their theology, perhaps, was very limited. They didn't know a lot, but whatever they knew, they sought to live up to it. So, verse 5 and 6, the Thessalonians received the Gospel and they did it with joy in spite of the fact that they were persecuted by others around them. both the Jewish believers have suffered from their own brethren and the Gentile believers suffering from their own people and vice versa.

The persecution continue on of those believers from people around them who didn't want to accept the message of the Gospel. Now, quickly, let's move along because in verse 7 we read that the Thessalonian brethren became an example to all the people around. You know, an example is something that we all need to be in our lives. You know, the word example in the Greek here is typos and in Hebrew it is simply min mofet, dugma. A typo is like the word type. You know, we know the word type. This is a type of that and this is a picture of that and this is a type of that.

Well, they were type. They were an example. When you looked at the Thessalonians if you would have been there with them, you would see them becoming an example to all those around them in the way that they behave. And so we read, so that ye were an example to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. You became an example. how important it is to be an example. You know, we look up to someone who is a good example. If we have, let's say, in our life in general, if we have someone as a good example, as a husband, respecting his wife, treating them with respect.

A good example. A wife, on the other hand, who is becoming a good example to us all by the manner in which she conducts herself. Submissiveness. Obedience to the Lord. As the Bible says, the inner man of the heart as the scripture teaches. And then we can go on. We can go on. What about as brothers and sisters? To be an example by our behavior and our conduct. That is so needful. And the Thessalonians apparently became an example. Dugma. A type. A typos. It's like a print. Like a figure. It's like a patron for others to follow. When we see someone who gives us an example, it is encouraging us to move forward.

Sometimes, beloved brothers and sisters, we can be a good example. And sometimes, unfortunately, to our own loss, to our own shame, we are not always a good example. And when we are not a good example, we end up not honoring the Lord, not being a blessing to others. Apparently, these Thessalonians said in verse 7, you became an example to all that believe in Macedonia, the Roman province there. In Macedonia and in Achaia, when everyone heard of the Thessalonians, they said, wow, what an example this local assembly is. The works of faith. The labor of love. The patience of hope. They were really practicing the things of the Lord in their lives.

They were real example local assembly, local congregation. And how, beloved brothers, it is important. turn with me to 1 Timothy, chapter 4. Look what Paul said to a younger brother by the name of Timothy. Younger than him, he was not a child, obviously, but he was younger than him. He said to him, in verse 12, he said, let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Timothy, don't let anyone despise you because you believe in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Timothy, you be an example. Be an example in the word of God, in your manner of life, in loving the people and practicing love in your life, in spirit, have a right attitude, in faith and faithfulness to the Lord, and in purity.

Timothy, you be an example. The Thessalonians were an example of all the provinces there in Achaia. Go to Titus chapter 2 and verse 7. Paul now saying to another one younger than him, and he said to him in verse 7, he says, and I read verse 6, young men likewise exhort, in other words, Titus, he exhorts the young men to be sober-minded in all things showing thyself a patron, an example of good works of good works in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity and sincerity, sound speech and so on and so on. Titus, you better teach the young men and you yourself show yourself as a patron, as an example. Well, the assembly at Thessalonica was an example.

They were an example to all, as it says here in verse 7, to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. what a wonderful condition they had in their practical day-by-day living as a local assembly. And we need it, brothers and sisters, don't we? We need an example. We need to have others that have gone before us to show us an example. It helps us to move along. It helps us to grow spiritually. All of us need it. That's why I remember years ago one brother said, he says, "You need to have friends that are more spiritual than you so you can reach out to them and grow spiritually." But don't only stay there and hang to them.

On the other hand, you reach down to others who are less spiritual than you perhaps and you can lift them up. So you can be used, you can get help from the ones who are more mature, they have knowledge more, they walk with the Lord. But on the other hand, don't just stay there and just take and take and not share it out and bring it down to others and lift them up. So you be an example to them as others have been an example to you. And boy, how much we need it. When we look in biblical history, people like Moshe was an example to Yehoshua.

People like Shaul Paul was an example to Timothy and Silas. And you can look throughout history, Israel, our own nation's history and the body of Messiah's history, many who gave us an example in our life. It helps us to grow spiritually so the people, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia benefited from the fact that the brothers and sisters of the Thessalonica assembly were an example to them. And now notice, I'm moving along in verse 8. the Thessalonian brethren shared, they sounded out the word as a trumpet. They didn't keep it for themselves. You notice what we read there in verse 8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God's word is spread abroad, so that we need not to speak of anything.

In other words, Paul saying to them as he's writing to them, you know the Thessalonians were receivers and transmitters. They were not only receiving and receiving and do not transmit. Because we find out in verse 6 that they received the word. And then in verse 8 we find out that they sounded out the word. It's like, you know, a healthy local assembly does those two things. They receive the word. They learn and grow from the word of God. But they don't sit there and say, boy, I'm pretty good. I know the word. I'm saved. They also go out and transmit these truths to others. This is a healthy local congregation, local assembly, local church.

On the one hand we need to receive the truth to learn from the word of God rightly dividing the word of truth and to grow and to become firm in the truth of the word of God. But then we have to have new believers to come in. We have to share the gospel so others will come in. This is a healthy local assembly. Now, by the way, if you have an assembly, a local congregation, that you only have all believers that are mature believers sitting there every Sunday or every Saturday or whenever they sit together and they all kind of debate all the truth that they have learned and they don't share it with others and there is no new babies born that come in, unsaved people and then they get saved, little children.

Something is lacking here. Something is missing. In a normal family you have husband and wife and children. And then we grow, the children grow and then they have ultimately children this is the natural spiritual growth of a spiritual family. And the moment it's not so, something is missing. And that's why any time when we see someone not only learning the truth and growing in the Word but also sharing the message of the Gospel you realize something is right here. That is healthy to grow spiritually, to mature in the truth of the Word of God but not to neglect the unbelieving world because a few years ago somebody told us about Yeshua.

We were lost before. We didn't know anything about the Messiah and God's Son who loved us and gave himself for us. We have heard a message. Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. Somebody preached a message to us. But that someone must have been learning from the truth and growing in the truth and then he can go out and share. So we are in actuality brothers and sisters, today we are like priests. A priest is a holy priest. He goes into the presence of the Lord. But he's turning around and he becomes a royal priest. He goes out and he shares this with others.

That's the way we need to do. And the Thessalonians had a healthy spiritual condition. They received the Word, 1 Thessalonians 1:6, but from you the Word sounded out in Thessalonians 1:8. They were receivers and they transmitted this to others. And Paul says in verse 8, he says, Oh, he said, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God's Word is spread abroad so that we need not speak of anything. We don't have to say anything. Others tell us, Oh, you know what? You heard about those Thessalonians? Oh, they have been sharing with us the message. Wow! Someone came from Thessalonica and shared with us the Word of God.

And they told us about Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah and how He loved us and He gave Himself. We have heard the message because they have shared the message of the Gospel. What a wonderful, desirable condition they have had. And so, brothers and sisters, sisters, the last two verses of 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, the Thessalonian brethren had expected the coming of the Lord. They expected that Yeshua will come. And that has a reference to His second coming. You see, remember, let me remind you, in the year 52 AD when the Apostle Paul gave them the letter, wrote them the letter, the canon of Scripture was not yet completed. The measure of understanding was limited that they had.

But one thing for sure. They understood that according to the Old Testament Scripture, the Tanakh, the Messiah was going to come. Christ was going to come. He came once, He died. But He was going to come again. And when He's going to come again, He's going to rule over this world. He's going to judge this world in righteousness, rule over this world, restore the nation of Israel to Himself, and establish the Messianic Kingdom. Now, they were limited with their understanding. But I want you to notice again, here is the number 3. It's again found here, just the same as we have read in verse 3. The works of faith, labor of love, patience of hope.

Here you notice in verses 9 and 10, once again. Those 3, as we have read them before, 3 characteristics that God have left here in this universe. Time, space, metal. Time, past, present, future. Space, length, breath, height. Metal, solid, liquid, and gas. Here you notice this in the last two verses. Again, this triune, represent the triune God that created man in his own image, in his own likeness. That man is a triune person, spirit, soul, and body. And it is a matter of life that he or she are to practice is faith, love, and hope. It's a matter. This is the Chomer. Chomer. That's the way we ought to represent the Lord here in this world.

And so we read in verse 9 and 10. Let me read those two verses together. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you. And how ye, notice number one, turn to God from idols. Number two, to serve the living and true God. Number three, verse 10a, and to wait for his son from heaven. Again, notice these triune characteristics that existed in those Thessalonian believers. They turn to God from idols. It's interesting. He doesn't say they turn from idols to God. No. But they turn first of all to God. And then idols have been shed and have been thrown out of the way.

It is amazing when you really think this is the works of faith. They turned to God from idols. That's the works of faith. They believed God's word. The works of faith. Then secondly, in verse 9, to serve the living and true God. This is the labor of love. They wanted to serve the living and the true God. Notice that it's used the word the living God. You see, idols are dead. Whether they are small little figurines. Whether they are big, big trees. They are dead. We read earlier in Psalm 115. Eyes they have, but they don't see. Hands they have, but they cannot move. Feet they have, they cannot walk.

Ears they have, they cannot hear. Mouths they have, they cannot speak. They are dead. But the living God of Israel. The God of our fathers, the God of our Lord, Yeshua HaMashiach, is a living God. When Peter, years ago, Shimon Petros was asked by the Lord, who do men say that I, the son of man am? And what did Peter say to him? Shimon Petros said, you are the Messiah, the son of the living God. The God of Israel, the God of the Bible, the creator God who created the universe. As you look at this one more time, he created man in his own image.

He's a living God. He created everything in his own image. And if you look at this again, time, space, and matter. Everything was created in his image. He's a living God. And therefore he said, you know, you have turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. You don't serve idols anymore, but you serve the living and true God. But now not a thirdly. So we have the works of faith to turn to God from idols. The label of love is they served the living and the true God. And then notice the patience of hope. They, as it says here in verse 10, and to wait for his son from heaven.

This is waiting for his son to come back from heaven, speaks about the fact that the Messiah is coming. The second coming is going to occur one day. And they were waiting for the son of God, for the Messiah to come from heaven. And so they really, you could see in their life, the works of faith, the labor of love, and the patience of hope is, you might say, exemplified here before us in the life of the Thessalonians. To wait for his son from heaven. And I notice quickly, as we are concluding this first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, it says at the end of verse 10, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, Yeshua.

And you remember when we studied Acts chapter 17, when Paul preached on a Shabbat day, three Shabbat day, the first Shabbat, he spoke about the suffering of the Messiah. He died. Here it is. Secondly, the Messiah must rise. Here he is again. He speaks about him as he rose. And on the third Shabbat day, he said that his name, this Yeshua, this Jesus, is the one that I speak about. He is the Messiah. Here is the name Yeshua. Again, he died, he rose, and it is Yeshua, the Messiah. And he concludes here, in this beautiful chapter, at the end, in verse 10, he says in verse 10, at the end, he said, "Which delivered us from the wrath to come." Do you see, brothers and sisters, this wrath to come, in verse 10, does not speak about hell.

The unbeliever will go to hell, but it's speaking specifically of the coming of the Lord, in judgment, at the tribulation period. There is a wrath, that is coming, upon this world, that rejected God. Soon, it's going to come, and God, who is a righteous judge, will judge this world, in righteousness. It speaks about the day of judgment. It speaks about the tribulation period. It speaks about the time, where God is going to come, in righteousness, and He is going, to pour out His wrath, upon this world, that rejected Yeshua, the Messiah. And He delivered us, not only from hell, of course He delivered us from hell, but in the context here, of the second coming of the Messiah, it's not only hell, He's speaking about the fact, that there is a tribulation time, that is coming.

We call it in Hebrew, Sarat Yaakov, Jeremiah, chapter 30, and verses 5, 6, and 7, Jacob's trouble. If you read, in your leisure, in Isaiah, chapter 2, verses 12 to 21, and you will see, the wrath of God, will be, falling upon this universe, that rejected Him. And the Thessalonians, who became believers, in Yeshua, the Messiah, they were delivered, like you and I, from the day, of the tribulation period, the wrath, that will come. I'm going to close, with 1 Thessalonians 5, and verse 9. Look at this. For God, has not appointed us, to wrath, but to obtain salvation, by our Lord, Jesus, the Messiah. God has not, appointed the believers, in Yeshua, the Messiah, unto wrath, unto judgment, that is going to come.

But He appointed us, to obtain salvation, by the person, of our Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah. the Messiah. And, that teaches us, and again, it's a matter of theology, because many people, have different views, as far as my understanding. It teaches us, that the believers, of the church age, will be, taken out of here, before the wrath, that is going to fall, upon these nations, in this world, during the tribulation period. And after the tribulation, He will ultimately, restore Israel, and bring, his kingdom, into this world. So, brothers and sisters, just to conclude, the Thessalonians, were a desirable, group of believers. They had a desirable condition, in their local assembly.

They had, as we read, the works of faith, the labor of love, the patience of hope, practiced, in their lives. and they were an example, to many, many local, churches, all throughout, Asia Minor. And they surely, are an example, to you and I, as well. May the Lord, bless His word, and encourage us, to continue on. to you.