The Model Church, Part 4

Take your Bible if you would please and turn with me to the first chapter of the book of 1st Thessalonians as we continue our study and looking at the model church I want to read to you the first seven verses of this chapter Just to set it in your mind as we begin to look at it once again The Bible says in verse number one of chapter one Paul and Silvanus and Timothy To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ grace to you and peace We give thanks to God always for all of you Making mention of you in our prayers constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father Knowing brethren beloved by God his choice of you For our gospel did not come to you in word only But also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction Just as you know What kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake?

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord Having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in the Ki the church at Thessalonica was an exemplary church It is the only church that Paul calls a pattern In other words, they become a pattern for us to follow. That's why they are the model church and They're a model church number one because they abundantly develop in the gospel.

That's been our point over the last couple of weeks because of their beloved by the Lord and Chosen specifically by him Paul says I know that the Lord loves you, and I know that you've been chosen by him because of your work of faith in your steadfastness of hope and your labor of love It's evidently seen all the time and I'm grateful for that He gives thanks to the Lord for all of them because this was evident in all of their lives So they became the model church Because they abundantly developed in the gospel.

They continued to grow in their walk with the Lord You can read about it in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1 the same thing because they just kept growing and growing and growing That's what the model church does Doesn't remain stagnant It doesn't just plateau It continues to grow and how they work for the Lord how they labor for the Lord how they endure for the Lord But now I want to move to point number two To help you understand the model church.

Not only do they abundantly develop in the gospel, but they appropriately duplicate the gospel They appropriately Duplicate the gospel Paul says you became mimics of Us the messengers as well as the master Thus you became models of the message Because you were mimics of the messengers Paul, Silvanus and Timothy and mimics of the Lord Jesus Christ your master Then you became effectively models of the message as far north as Macedonia and as far south as a Ki in other words, it would be like saying you became models as far north as Sacramento and as far south as San Diego and everywhere in between People were able to understand the message of the gospel because you modeled it so effectively But the reason you modeled it so effectively is because because you became mimics of those who led you and mimics of the Lord himself It's very interesting to note that every one of us Mimic someone We are all followers We mimic other people's marriages.

We mimic other people's actions We mimic other people's Lifestyle, but every one of us Patterns our life after Someone we just do We're mimics by nature We are imitators by nature and Paul says you became imitators of us He says it very clearly when he says in verse number six. You also became imitators of us and of the Lord There was something unique about The way you followed us Paul would say in First Corinthians 11 verse number one imitate me as I imitate Christ Every one of us should be able to say that Follow me as I follow Christ Mimic me as I mimic Christ as parents.

We want our children to follow the Lord Well, the best example that we're going to give them is our lives So so we should be able to tell our children follow me as I follow the Lord mimic my pattern of life Because I want you to follow the Lord as I follow the Lord Paul could say that he said the same thing in first Corinthians chapter 4 verse number 16.

I urge you brethren imitate me Why not because he was some narcissistic Egomaniac. No simply because as he followed Christ He wanted to set a pattern for those in the church to follow Christ the single greatest tool of leadership is the power of an exemplary life That is the greatest tool of leadership So the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 13 would say these words in verse number 7 Remember those who led you who spoke the Word of God to you and considering the result of their conduct imitate their faith Imitate the way they believe in what God said Imitate the way they behaved according to what God said You saw their conduct Now follow their conduct So The life of a believer should be the life that others Can follow because you follow Christ.

That's why we always exhort you as parents. Who do your children follow? Because who they follow they're going to mimic so make sure they follow People other students other coaches other teachers that follow Christ Because they're gonna pick up on their habit patterns. They're gonna pick up on their lifestyle So make sure they imitate those Who follow the Lord? Paul would say these words in 1st Corinthians chapter 4 1st Corinthians chapter 4 Therefore I exhort you be imitators of me verse 16 for this reason.

I have sent to you Timothy Who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord and he will remind you of my ways Which are in Christ? Just as I teach everywhere in every church Paul says listen, I can't be there, but I want you to imitate me So the best way that you can imitate me is to follow the one who has copied me I'm gonna send to you Timothy And I want you to follow him because he follows me he becomes the perfect pattern of obedience as I followed Christ and So Paul would later go on to tell Timothy listen Set yourself up as an example first Timothy 4 verse number 12 Make sure that no one despises your youth looks down upon your youth But set yourself as an example in how you speak and how you live and in your faith and in your love And in your purity why?

Because people are gonna follow what you say what you do what you do They're gonna hear what you say, but they're gonna follow what you do So set yourself up as a pattern for others to follow But notice what he says he says you became imitators of us The messengers you became mimics of the messengers, but you also became mimics of the Lord himself Which is crucial They became followers of Christ You know, we we tend to ask people today Are you a Christian?

Or ask someone do you know this person is a Christian or not? That's just such a Misused word we should ask them. Are you a follower of Christ? The disciples were first called Christians act 17 in Antioch, which means a follower of Christ Because you see the call in evangelism was to call to follow Christ We are to be mimics of Christ Learners of Christ disciples of Christ followers of Christ and So he looks at the Thessalonian Church and says no, did you become mimics of us imitators of us?

You became imitators of the Lord You followed the Lord Remember what it says in Mark's gospel in the first chapter When it says these words in verse number 16, and as he was going along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea and they were fishermen and Jesus said to them Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men Immediately they left their nets and followed him Going on a little father He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who were also in the boat mending the nets Immediately he called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went away to follow Christ because the call in Christianity is a call to follow Christ you go over to Mark chapter 2 verse number 14 as He passed by he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus Sitting in the tax booth.

He said to him Follow me and he got up and followed him That was the call. I Want you to follow me so Christ would say in Luke 9 verse number 23 these words If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself take up his cross and Follow me That's the call of salvation It's the call to follow the Christ Later on in Luke chapter 9 verse number 57 as they were going along the road someone said to him I will follow you wherever you go. Why would he say that? because people who were disciples of Christ were followers of Christ and Jesus said to him foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head He said to another Follow me But he said Lord Permit me first to go bury my father But he said to him allow the dead to bury their own dead, but as for you go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God Another also said I will follow you Lord, but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home But Jesus said to him no one having put in his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God there were these would-be followers of Christ and Yet when push came to shove the demands of the gospel were so stringent and so strong that very Few would truly want to follow the Lord.

So in John chapter 6 people hearing people who were following Christ Having heard the hard sayings of Christ They started no longer to walk with him or follow him any longer Why because the things he said were so difficult to understand in terms of following him That's why the Lord said you got to count the cost so later in Luke chapter 14 Christ realizes there's a whole slew of people following Jesus why they weren't following him because they were true disciples of Christ They were following him because he was the greatest thing going he was healing everybody He was feeding thousands of people he was The greatest thing on the planet and so it says now large crowds were going along with him And he turned and said to them these words.

Hey guys, it's so good to have you with me That's not what he said if that Christ Discouraged people from following him Why Because he wanted to make sure that he was serious about the commitment to him He didn't want any superficial followers he wanted committed people and so He says if anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters Yes, and even his own life. He cannot be my disciple You imagine being in the crowd? Being all excited about what Jesus is doing and Jesus says hey guys, listen, you're following me, right?

But if you follow me and you're not willing to hate love me so much Be committed to me so much that your love for your family looks like hate to everybody else You're a no-go But he says this Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be My disciple You got to be willing to follow me to the death Or you can't be a learner follower of money for which one of you when he wants to build the tower does not first sit down and Calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it Otherwise when he has laid a foundation and it's not able to finish all who observe it begin to ridicule him saying This man began to build it was not able to finish What King when he sets out to meet another king in battle We're not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with 10,000 men to encounter the one coming against him with 20,000 or else while the other is still far away He said the delegation and asked for terms of peace So then none of you can be my disciple who does not give up all His Possessions You see Christ made following him so difficult Why because you see once the father draws you you come no matter what the cost But those who are superficial not genuine They don't want to pay the price The price is too high But for those who are called by the Lord Price is not So Paul in first Thessalonians commends the Thessalonians because they Were imitators of not just the messengers, but the master himself You mimicked the Lord They were copyists Spurgeon calls them copyists.

In other words, they'll never be the original because Christ is the original But they will always be copyists those who follow along behind Mimicking their master and that's what they did. They wanted to follow the Lord That's why Christ at the end of his ministry after his resurrection compelled Peter Peter you're gonna die for me and I want you to follow me no matter what Because he followed that before that he said Peter. Do you love me? He questioned Peter's love for him because if you love me Peter, you're gonna follow me even though it's gonna cost you your life And Peter did these people understood the cost Why because it tells us these words it says They received the word in much tribulation with joy in the Holy Spirit They received the word amidst much tribulation you see they counted the cost They weighed everything in light of their present lifestyle and they realized that following Christ was worth the cost And so when they received the Lord they received the Lord in the joy of the Holy Spirit And this is very important because this way says So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in the Ki What did they become a model of?

Not just a model of Christianity Not just a model of following Christ amidst tribulation and hardship But they came they became the supreme example of following Christ with joy with joy You see we have forgotten today that a joyless Christian is a Jesus less Christian we forget that How do we know that? John chapter 15 verse number 11 Christ says these things I have spoken to you Set my joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full Okay, so Christ says I want my joy in you I have spoken these things to you so that my joy will be in you And if my joy is in you my joy will be made full in you So to be a joyless Christian is to be a Jesus less Christian In other words, you don't have Jesus in you because Jesus gives you his joy And so they became models to everyone around them of having received the word With joy amidst much affliction and persecution See they counted the cost they realized the cost was worth it.

They're willing to do whatever Jesus said Why because he saw somebody else like the Apostle Paul Silas and Timothy they doing whatever Jesus said they were willing to pay the price They had a great example to follow and they realized that these men Had the joy of the Lord And when they received the message of the gospel They received the joy of the Lord, even though it came amidst much tribulation much persecution much affliction And that's why over in the second chapter we read this to you last week He says for you brethren became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea For you also endure the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen Even as those or even as they did From the Jews who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out Wow, that's important say So, let me ask you a question.

Do you have? The joy of Christ in you To its fullest So that you're able to model the essence of Christianity to those around you That's a great question to ask Listen to this One man said Joy is the flag That is flown over the castle of your heart when the king Is in residence In other words not flying the flag of joy if the king is not in residence If the king is in residence and you're a believer, right? Joy is a flag that is flown in the castle of your heart Because the king is there and therefore joy reigns Supreme it's a joy that doesn't go away Because Jesus never goes away So if Jesus is always there the joy is always there earthly joy comes and goes Gladness today Can deteriorate to sadness tomorrow when you have earthly?

joy The sweetness in the morning can become bitterness in the evening if you have earthly joy But if you have heavenly joy If you have the joy because Christ is the king who is in residence in your heart Then that joy never departs Joy in Christ is the ever-present Aspect that details the residence of Christ In your life, I Wonder if you have that kind of joy Say well, I I think I do Well, let me talk to you just for a minute about that Because you must understand the joy of Jesus So we know number one that the Savior promises joy How do we know that we just read it in John 15 verse number 11.

I've said these things to you. So you have my joy and Then my joy will be made full in You he would later go on to say in John 16 verse number 24 these words Until now you have asked for nothing in my name ask and you will receive so that your joy May be made full the Savior promises joy You remember the Christmas story? We bring you good news of what great joy not good news of joy But good news a great joy For unto you this day in the city of David has been born a Savior Who is Christ the Lord? the Savior promises joy Number two salvation provides Joy Salvation provides joy Romans 14 verse number 17 The kingdom of heaven is not eating and drinking but righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit If you're a citizen of God's kingdom Then you realize that you're there because of the righteousness of Christ the righteousness of Christ has made you at peace with God and Because you're at peace with God you have the peace of Christ that comes to the Holy Spirit himself and so salvation provides joy Psalm 35 verse number 9 Says it this way and my soul shall rejoice in the Lord.

It shall exalt in his Salvation if the Savior promises joy only salvation Provides joy And so sure enough it does that's the case number three the Spirit pledges joy In Galatians 5 verse 22 the fruit of the Spirit is love peace and Joy the Spirit pledges joy If the Spirit pledges joy the scripture Promotes Joy The Savior promises it Salvation provides it The Spirit pledges it But scripture promotes it It can only come every day through the scriptures first John chapter 1 verse number 4 John says it very clearly this way These things we write so that our joy may be made Complete 3rd John 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth Psalm 43 verse number 3 Says Oh send out your light and your truth Let them lead me let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling place Then I will go to the altar of God to God my exceeding joy and upon the leer I shall praise you Oh God my God in other words Send out your light the truth of your word make it shine.

I will read it. I will understand it I will go to your holy hill and I will rejoice in the Lord why because scripture promotes joy Jeremiah 15 16 that words are found that I did eat them and they were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart So you begin to realize Read through Psalm 119 and realize how many times the psalmist says I delight in your word Oh Lord your word has caused me to rejoice. Oh Lord. Why because that's what the scripture does If the Savior promises it Salvation provides it The spirit pledges it but scripture promotes it in other words as I read the text Joy just wells up within my heart because of the truth of the Living God Say well, I Read the Bible.

I Know I'm saved But why is joy so dormant in my life? Next point Service produces joy Service produces joy Think of Christ Hebrews 12 verse number 2 he was able to Endure the cross Despise the shame why because of the joy that was set before him There was a joy that was set before him what was the joy The the many members that would come to saving grace because of his sacrifice he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many realizing that upon his service of Sacrifice People would be saved And upon them being saved that would be the joy that was set before him as well as the the Ascension and exaltation of the Son back into the presence of his father That's why in Luke chapter 10 remember Luke chapter 10 when the Disciples were coming back from the ministry.

It says these words Luke chapter 10 the 70 returned with joy Saying Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name They said to them I was watching Satan fall for him. I like lightning Lord He said the 70 out and they came back with joy why because they were serving the Lord service produces joy You don't serve the Lord Joy is dormant You gotta serve the Lord. Why because you've been called to serve him You've been called as a minister in his kingdom And the more you serve him the more joy abounds And Christ would go on to say these words Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions over all the power of the enemy and nothing will injure you Nevertheless do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven Know this that there'll be many times you go out and people will not respond People will not be as excited about hearing what you just said But know this you want to really rejoice Rejoice that your names are written down in glory Don't rejoice this solely on your earthly ministry, but rejoice in your heavenly destiny And so we have the fact that the Savior promises joy Salvation provides joy The Spirit pledges joy The scripture promotes joy Service produces joy and Submission Propels joy Submission propels joy John chapter 13 verse number 17 Christ says these words if you know these things you are Blessed If you do them remember that story in the eve of the crucifixion where where Christ takes the slaves apron and wraps it around his waist and begins to wash the disciples feet The joy comes if you know that when you serve me amidst much pain Amidst much loneliness amidst much rejection And you still submit to me That's where your joy is Your joy is in submission to me no matter what the response Your joy is in submission to my commands even though nobody responds your joy comes when you submit to me even though there is tragedy surrounding you and Death looms large on the horizon ie the next day for Christ You are blessed why because submission propels joy When you submit to the Word of God No matter what Whether you like it, or you don't like it It's like a catapult that just propels you into the realm of the joy of the Lord That's why Nehemiah said the joy the Lord is your strength So if submission propels joy Suffering Perfects joy James chapter 1 James says it well when he says verse number two consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials knowing That the testing of your faith produces endurance And that endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in Nothing Suffering perfects joy Peter would say it this way in 1st Peter chapter 1 He would say in this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while if necessary You have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which is perishable even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the Revelation of Jesus Christ and though you have not seen him you love him and though you do not see him now But believe in him You greatly rejoice with joy Inexpressible and full of glory Suffering Perfects Joy Singing portrays Joy Singing portrays Joy Psalm 5 verse number 11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad Let them ever sing for joy and may you shelter them that those who love your name may exult in you Psalm 13 verse number 5 But I have trusted in your loving-kindness My heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord because he is dealt bountiful bountifully with me Singing portrays joy when you sing Songs to the Lord. It's because the heart is filled with joy to the Lord So if the Savior promises joy and salvation provides joy the spirit pledges joy and scripture promotes joy and Service produces joy submission propels joy suffering perfects joy and singing portrays joy Then why is it I have hushed a hard time with joy? ah Because sin poisons joy Sin poisons joy doesn't not Hebrews 11 Moses chose to endure ill treatment with the people of God then to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin for a season So what does David say in Psalm 51?

Restore to me the joy of my Salvation after a sin with Bathsheba In those nine months where God's hand was heavy upon him Redrained his couch with tears He had no joy and he was God's appointed king of Israel He was promised that a son of his would sit on the throne and reign forever over Israel The Messiah would come through his line and yet he had no joy why because sin poisons joy it just does And so he'd have to confess his sins repent of his sins and say Lord restore to me the joy of my salvation Why does sin Poison joy Because Satan plunders joy Satan plunders joy.

Do you think he wants you to be joyous in the Lord? He will bring every negative thing your way. He will wreak havoc on your home Havoc on your health Havoc in your mind to get you To be downcast downtrodden discouraged and depressed Because he does not want you to model to anybody else the joy of the Lord Satan plunders joy So you need to understand this one and that is sovereignty Preserves Joy Understanding God's sovereignty That he is a ruler of all Will preserve the joy in your heart remember Habakkuk God said to him I'm going to use the wicked Chaldeans to come against my people Israel Habakkuk was perplexed He didn't understand Until God began to speak to him about his authority and about his power and When the circumstances never changed But the perspective of Habakkuk changed based on what God said Everything was still gonna happen as God said so the circumstances never changed But his perspective changed his perspective on the sovereignty of God changed And this is what he says though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines Though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no no food Though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls yet.

I will Exult in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my Salvation Though everything falls apart It's okay Because God is in charge and he works all things together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose There's a rundown on joy These people in Thessalonica they received the word Amidst much tribulation in the joy of the Holy Spirit. That's why they became models That's why they were able to influence everybody who came to the city Because there's something about their lives that expressed the joy of the Lord And I wonder how many of us have have have kept so many people far from the kingdom because our joy is so stagnant and So down When in all reality We should be the most joyous people on the planet I'm not talking about being happy and giddy and that kind of talk.

I'm talking about true inner Contentment true blessedness. That's why when Christ came and he preached that first sermon in Matthew chapter 5 Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Blessed are those who mourn over the sin for they shall be comforted blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied Blessed are you when all men persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you rejoice and be glad For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you He offers true blessing to those who are part of his kingdom.

I Think it'd always be good as we partake this morning of the Lord's table to reexamine our lives and ask ourselves Do I have the joy of the Lord in my heart? Does the joy of Christ reign supreme is? The is the flag of joy flown over the castle of my heart because the King is in residence there or Maybe the Kings not in residence there Maybe you don't know the Lord Today we come to the Lord's table because it's that reminder of all that Christ did In our Lord who went through his entire life knowing he was coming to die He came to sacrifice for your life and mine To give his life away Was able to endure all that because of the joy that was set before him How about you?

Do you have that joy? I? Would trust that you do let's pray together father. We thank you for today The Opportunity that you give us Lord to reexamine our lives in light of your word Help us to be the people That express the joy of the Lord For that is our strength Nothing else is it's the joy of the Lord. That's our strength because father It's your joy that we have And you live within us May we be like the church of Thessalonica model church Developing in the gospel duplicating the gospel Because we saw it in those who brought us to Christ And we saw it in our Christ himself Pray in Jesus name Amen