1 Thes 1:8-10

INTRODUCTION: Often we look at the people around us and think they are closed off to hearing about Jesus. We are sure they have no interst in spiritual things. They make mart remarks or poke fun at Christians, throw up smoke screens and ask impossible questions. From that it is easy to draw the conclusion that they don’t care. Yet they are looking and listening. The world is full of slick cons, self seekers, compromisers, snake oil salesman, and fony faith. The result is they just put up walls and road blocks yet they realy do want to know about God but they want the truth. The Thessalonians were getting the message out. “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it,” Just as they got the message out to their world we can get it out to ours, and in just these few sentences Paul tells us how the Thessalonians did it.

1. RECIVING THE MESSAGE

A. WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION YOU GAVE US.

B. GOSPEL, WORDS, POWER, DEEP CONVICTION, HOLY SPIRIT (5)

C. KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE REALY SAYS ABOUT GOD

D. LET THE WORDS EMPOWER YOU

E. ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN YOUR MIND AND HEART TO THEM

F. TAKE THEM SEROUSLY

2. TURNNING FROM IDOLS TO SERVE GOD

A. TURNED FROM IDOLS TO WORSHIPING THE LIVING GOD

B. THEY TURNED FROM THE WORSHIP OF THE WORLD

C. THEY TURNED FROM THE FOCUS OF THE WORLD

D. THEY STARTED SERVING THE LIVING GOD

E. PEOPLE SAW THE CHANGE IN THEIR LIFE

F. WE MUST ALLOW OUR FAITH TO MAKE OUR LIFE SIGNIFAGANTLY DIFFERENT.

3. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY

A. THEIR FOCUS OF LIFE WAS NOT ON THIS WORLD BUT THE NEXT

B. WE MUST HAVE A SECOND WORLD FOCUS

C. Heb 11:13-16, 1Pet 1:17, 1 Pet 2:11-12

CONCLUSION: When we truly receive God’s word with conviction and power. When we allow that word to change our life and living, and when we shift our focus to life beyond this world, people will see, people will listen, and lives around us will be changed.