Simple Faith

Guest (Male): Looking for some encouragement today? How's your faith doing? Here's Pastor Bill Henry.

Bill Henry: Anybody here needs some encouragement in their faith today? Maybe be a little further established in our faith. That's the heart of 1 Thessalonians and even 2 Thessalonians. You need some more encouragement today, go home and read the rest of the book. It's only five chapters. It's just awesome stuff.

I love Paul's heart. I just want to encourage you; I want to establish you more in your faith.

Guest (Male): On behalf of Simple Faith Calvary Chapel, welcome to today's broadcast of Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry. We are going to turn our attention today to a brand-new series in the book of 1 Thessalonians.

This is going to be a fascinating study not only about our faith, but Pastor Bill is going to provide some real encouragement to stand fast in the world we live in and look forward to the soon return of Jesus Christ. Let's get started in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Here's Pastor Bill.

Bill Henry: As we come to the first of two letters that Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he basically had planted a church there. Now, the city of Thessalonica was founded, some of the commentators said 315, others said 316 BC. It was named after the half-sister of Alexander the Great. She was married to one of his generals and when he basically founded the city, he named it after his wife. That's a wonderful thing. It would be Teleasia if it was my wife.

Under the Romans, when the Romans conquered the Grecian Empire, it became basically part of the four portions that were broken up in the region of Macedonia. It was the capital of one of the regions. It was a port city, still a port city today. Thus, that means it was a very important city. Still an important city today in the country of Greece; it's the second most important city there.

Back almost 2,000 years ago, it had a population of roughly a quarter of a million people, and that's when Paul planted the church there. It consisted primarily of Greeks who lived in the city, but also had Romans and also soldiers and travelers and businessmen, tradesmen. We also know that it had a good population of Jewish people there as they had enough to start a synagogue, which there had to be a certain amount to be able to do that.

The city was so important because one of the reasons it became so big was that its main thoroughfare, the main street, ran east and west, and it actually went through the Roman Empire. It was called the Ignatian Way or the Ignatian Road. It was very well known and so a lot of your people who were selling or doing business, this was much like our Five Freeway today running north and south, but it's the main thoroughfare that goes through.

This was where the city was in that area. Why do we care about that? Because it meant now that the gospel would be on that main artery within the Roman Empire. So, not only would it make it to Rome, but the entire world. William Barclay, the commentator, said it this way: "It is impossible to overstress the importance of the arrival of Christianity in Thessalonica. If Christianity was settled there, it was bound to spread east along the Ignatian road until all Asia Minor was conquered and west until it stormed even the city of Rome. The coming of Christianity to Thessalonica was crucial in the making of it into a world religion."

Today, most of the old city has been built over, and you can still have a few historical sites that you can go visit. It's actually today called Thessaloniki. It's still the second most important city in Greece, but it now has home to over a million people. It's also right on the Gulf of Thessaloniki in the west corner of the Aegean Sea and we'll see a little map there of where it's actually at in Greece.

The next picture basically shows how big of a metropolis it was even back then. Today, obviously, it is a beautiful place. The next shows a few of the ruins that are still left that you can go and see. The next picture again shows what a beautiful city it was, but also still a major thoroughfare. The next picture you can see a little bit more of some of the remnants. Lastly, you'll see a little amphitheater that's very old there that you can go see. These are some pictures I just wanted to show you.

A terrible side note about Thessaloniki today is that they had a large population of Jews that even lived there all the way up until World War II. Then with the occupation of the German troops, most of them were killed or they fled the persecution. It is very sad and very wicked.

One other quick note before we move into the study is the city of Thessalonica. Even before Paul started the church, there was basically this big thing happening within the Roman Empire and all the cities had to choose: are they going to back Antony and Octavian or Brutus and Cassius? The city of Thessalonica chose wisely, and they backed Antony and Octavian.

When they won, they gave the city—and this is important in the whole picture here, you'll see why in a moment—but they designated that city, basically gave the city its freedom. It was designated a free city, which meant while they were under the ultimate rule of the Roman government, they could elect their own city officials and run their city as they wanted to, basically as long as it was within the Roman government. In other words, they didn't have Romans occupying and running everything. Thus, the city was mainly ruled by Greeks, which was not heard of very much in that day.

What's interesting, too, is modern archaeologists. This is one of the things as we're going to see there in the book of Acts when we turn there in a moment. Archaeologists all the way up to the late 1800s had said, "Oh, the Bible's wrong. Thessalonica couldn't have had their own government because all the cities were under Roman influence."

I love it, in 1876 there was still a Roman arch standing in the western entrance to the city. Basically, they found that in that arch that there was things written in it and it mentioned the city officials that were called politarchs, not patriarchs. No, they were political, but they were archs, so they had political rule there in that city. It verified again what the Bible says, which it always happens.

Paul planted the church there in Thessalonica on his second missionary trip and it's interesting to note, too, it's the second place on the European continent to have a church planted. The first one was in Philippi. Now, remember today a lot of people are falsely saying that Christianity is a Western religion. I've heard so many people from universities and colleges. It's all lies. They've either been deceived or lied to because even as we see here, it started in the Middle East and it spreads out from there by the glorious grace of God. We're so thankful.

When Paul came to visit Thessalonica, we read about that and he set the church up in Acts chapter 17. So, if you'll turn there with me please in your Bibles, just keep your finger there on 1 Thessalonians 1 and turn in your Bibles please to Acts chapter 17. Let's read verses 1 through 15. You're going to get the picture of how the church was set up there.

"Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying, 'This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.' And some of them were persuaded and a great multitude of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women joined Paul and Silas." So we see this great work. Some of the Jews were persuaded, but notice a great multitude of these pagans, the Greeks.

Look at verse 5: "But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious—" So they became envious. They saw all these Greeks coming to faith in Christ and they were envious. "—took some of the evil men from the marketplace and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them—" they were looking for Paul and Silas. "—they dragged Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, 'These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.'" Oh, to be turning the world upside down for Jesus Christ. Love it.

Jason has harbored them and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus. And they troubled the crowd and the rulers of the city when they heard these things. So, when they had taken security from Jason—or basically bail—and the rest, they let them go. Then, the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.

When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica and they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was being preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds. They were not a nice crowd there. Verse 14: "Then immediately the brethren sent Paul away to go to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy remained there. So, those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens and received a command for Silas and Timothy to come with him with all speed, and they departed."

Basically, our introduction here to the book of 1 Thessalonians, we're going to see in chapter 1, verse 9 and then chapter 2, verses 14 through 16. Basically, we can see that the converts there were some Jewish converts, but it was mainly Gentiles, mainly people who had come out of paganism and the worship of false gods that had come to Christ and salvation in Him.

We're going to see in chapter 3, as we're going to read in a moment, that Paul basically wrote this letter to encourage the new believers there because remember he was there for a very short time. Some of the commentators said three weeks because it was three Sabbaths. It could have been five weeks and still done three Sabbaths. Some say he stayed longer; it just wasn't always in the synagogues. But most say it was probably three or four or five weeks at the most. He didn't get to spend time encouraging these new believers like we believe he would have in other places he'd stay six months or a year or even longer.

He had sent Timothy to go and minister to them, see how they were, and apparently word got back to Paul that the Thessalonian Christians, they were having a hard time as they worried about the number of believers that were dying and they were seemingly sorrowing over them to the point where they had almost lost hope. Paul's going to address that fact towards the end of the letter.

As Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica, turn with me real quick to chapter 3 here in 1 Thessalonians. It's kind of nice to read it. 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 1 through 3. "Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone and sent Timothy our brother and our minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions for you yourselves know that we are all appointed to this."

I love this letter. This letter is mainly, notice Paul said, "I want to establish you and encourage you concerning the faith." Anybody here needs some encouragement in their faith today? Maybe be a little further established in our faith. That's the heart of 1 Thessalonians and even 2 Thessalonians. You need some more encouragement today, go home and read the rest of the book. It's only five chapters. It's just awesome stuff. I love Paul's heart. I just want to encourage you; I want to establish you more in your faith.

Again, remember that these are new believers. Even as we're going through this book, Paul was not afraid to encourage the new believers, but also give them some deep theological truths that would help establish them in their faith in Jesus Christ. Sometimes we hear "new believer"—oh yes, we give them the milk of God's word, but sometimes we don't give them the foundations of the faith. "Oh, they're not old enough in Christ to know that yet." Oh, just give them God's word and let God do what He wants to do in their lives. I love this.

Most commentators say that the theme, the main theme here of this book is the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul does refer to the return of Jesus in every chapter of this book. It's interesting as the return of Jesus and prophecy, it's not a very popular subject today within the church. Yes, we hear at Calvary Chapel, we talk about prophecy, but most of the churches out there do not talk or teach prophecy.

Most pastors are not talking about, gosh, even when October 7th happened and Israel was attacked just viciously and horrendously, most pastors that I have heard of didn't even talk about it from the pulpit. And so, they take things of prophecy and remember almost a third of the Bible is prophecy. And they basically say, "Oh, that's for the Bible colleges, that's for the seminaries to talk about." No, guys and gals, all of God's word is for all of God's people. We need to remember that.

Yes, sometimes it can be hard to understand some of the prophecies, but we try to let Scripture interpret Scripture. Remember also in the book of Revelation, it's very hard to find pastors out there teaching that because it can be so scary to teach. But remember that in the first few verses, it's the only book in the whole Bible that promises blessings upon those who read and hear it being read. And it's mostly all prophecy. I just love it. As we'll be looking at some prophecy because of that as well because that's what Paul was talking about.

Look at verse 1 with me as we get into the text today. So, we start here verse 1. It basically says, "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father." Notice that this church is in Thessalonica, to the Thessalonians, the church there, but it's from Paul and Silvanus and Timothy.

Today when we write a letter, a lot of the younger folks don't write letters anymore. Even a lot of emails, I tell the kids, "You guys email?" "Well, we do, but not really." You address it to who it's to and then you end it by who it's from, like "Sincerely, Lord bless you, Bill." But in these days, in this culture, they would actually start out the letter by saying who it's from. That's what's happening. So, this letter is from Paul and Silvanus and Timothy. Let's look briefly at these three guys real quick scripturally and a little bit of church history.

Number one: Paul. This letter is mainly obviously written by Paul, but I love how Paul, by the way, includes everybody: Paul, Silvanus, Timothy. These bros, here we are. But Paul, we know Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ. We're also told in the Scriptures that he was a Pharisee of the Jews. He studied under one of the greatest scholars that they had at their time called Gamaliel. He also went on to persecute the church. He went from persecuting the church to a radical transformation on the road to Damascus where he was going to persecute some more Christians and Jesus appears to him there in Acts chapter 9.

Notice he was going to persecute the church. I just have a little side note here on the side note of persecuting the church. Paul has falsely been accused and still is falsely accused today by many of your popular pastors out there of being a murderer. I can't tell you how many times I've heard pastors, even some Calvary guys, saying Paul was a murderer. There's no place in the whole Bible where we're told that Paul was a murderer. We have to be careful with what we teach and what we believe.

Was Paul an accessory to murder? Yes, as he approved what was done to Stephen and then maybe others, but there's no place that we're told that he murdered. Why is this important? Because it's important what the Bible says. It's important what the Bible teaches. We don't need to add on. I always wonder why do people add that on? You just need to make it sound worse or something? He was already a terrible guy. He did terrible things and by the grace of God was saved.

Anyway, he went on then to be the 12th apostle, writing most of the New Testament letters. He was called the apostle to the Gentiles, although we can tell by if you look in the book of Acts, if you look in his writings, he always wanted to be the apostle to the Jewish people, but that ended up being Peter.

Near the end of his life, he called himself the chief of sinners. This is interesting because at one point he said, "I am least of all the apostles." He's an apostle then, "I'm least of all the apostles." Then he said, "I'm a sinner," and then at the end towards the end of his life, he said, "I am the chief of sinners."

I was listening to another pastor last week who went home to be with the Lord, and he was talking about how when we grow in Christ, we're going to be growing in holiness and sanctification. So, we'll be sinning less and less, but at the same time we become more and more aware of sin in our lives. It's this thing: we're sinning less, but oh man, Lord, this great sin. All of a sudden we start to think of ourselves—and that's what happened with Paul—even now today, "I'm the chief of sinners." What a beautiful thing as God uses His grace in our lives through that.

What's interesting about Paul, Foxe's Book of Martyrs tells us that Paul was put to death, beheaded by order of Caesar Nero. A little side note, Foxe's also tells the part of what happened was basically Caesar Nero told two of his guys said, "Hey, I want you to go and bring news to the jail and have Paul beheaded."

Now, the two guys that went to the jail before they had Paul beheaded, went to Paul and said, "Will you baptize us? We want to be Christians." Imagine this, you're bringing the news of his death, but you want to get baptized. According to the Foxe's, he baptized them and then he was beheaded. Radical stuff for Jesus Christ.

Guest (Male): This has been Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry from Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington. Today we brought you a message from Pastor Bill from his series in the book of 1 Thessalonians.

It's our sincere hope and prayer that you've been blessed by the word you heard from Pastor Bill today. And if you'd like to share today's message with someone, it's available at our website to either watch or listen, and you can even download an audio MP3 version. We have a large number of Pastor Bill's messages archived, and you can find them all at simplefaith.org. Click the media tab and if you'd like to contact us, just click the contact tab on our website. And there's a tab at the top of our home page where you can also send us a prayer request.

You can also call us at the church at 833-BYGRACE. That's 833-294-7223. And if you'd like to write to us, our mailing address is Post Office Box 55, Battle Ground, Washington, 98604.

Here at Simple Faith Calvary Chapel, we have two services on Sunday morning at 9:00 and 10:45, and a great time of studying in God's word Wednesday night at 7:00 PM. We'd love to have you come visit us and make sure you say hi to Pastor Bill and let him know you listen to Simple Faith.

For more information and directions, go to simplefaith.org. And you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks for joining us today and be sure to join us next time as our series in 1 Thessalonians continues here on Simple Faith with Pastor Bill Henry. And be sure to join us for the Sunday edition of Simple Faith and a series in the book of Job. This program is brought to you by Simple Faith Calvary Chapel in Vancouver, Washington.