Try learning.

ignoring would teach me

Proud Canadian, Enlightened Atheist, face diaper - vastet

This post was edited by TiStuff on Aug 22 2023 08:42am

Nothing I do will teach you. You must do it yourself.

To all members of PaRD.

Grace and peace to you from CPK001. Tonight is the first of many series of the book of Thessalonians that we are studying at Church. I have been taking notes and I am going to try and portray what I heard at Church onto here.
The main theme of the book of Thessalonians is Standing Firm and hold fast to the teachings. This week we had a special guest speaker so tonight will not be as detailed as normal.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica

1 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you.

Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Paul was treated outrageously as he dared to tell the Thessalonians the gospel in the face of strong opposition. Yet he had help from God.

In Acts chapter 16 we read that Paul was treated harshly, beaten and thrown into prison.

When Paul preached the Proclamation of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus he had no other agenda. He did not use any trickery or impure motives. He spoke as one approved by God to be entrusted to the Gospel. Paul was out to please God and not people. Not only that but Paul did not assert his authority as an apostle of Christ.

How are we sharing the word today? Are we being sincere or are we using a form of trickery? If the message makes us feel strong opposition do we need to review and wind back the message?

The word of a King that is ruler over the authority is an offensive message and does not sit well with people. However that's the message we are to preach. There is no flattery. You are saved by the sheer grace of God and not by works.

Is your aim to please people? Is our goal to seek the approval of or ?

Our task is to share the Gospel. Even though we may face strong opposition, we have the help of our God to guide us every step of the way.

one is beyond teaching himself. lol.

Last night we took a break from Thessalonians to do a Prayer and song night. Here is one of the songs that we sang.

I invite you to listen to the song



Come all you weary
Come all you thirsty
Come to the well
That never runs dry
Drink of the water
Come and thirst no more
Well, come all you sinners
Come find His mercy
Come to the table
He will satisfy
Taste of His goodness
Find what you're looking for
For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever
Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down
At the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
With open arms
See His open arms
For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever
The power of hell
Forever defeated
Now it is well
I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved
God so loved the world
Praise God
Praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him
Praise Him
For the wonders of His love (praise God)
Praise God
Praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him
Praise Him
For the wonders of His love
His amazing love
For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save
For God so loved
The world that He gave us
His one and only
Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him
Will live forever
The power of hell
Forever defeated
Now it is well
I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved
God so loved the world
Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down
At the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting
God so loved the world

good song

To all members of PaRD.

Grace and peace to you from CPK001. Tonight is the third of many series of the book of Thessalonians that we are studying at Church. I have been taking notes and I am going to try and portray what I heard at Church onto here.
The main theme of the book of Thessalonians is Standing Firm and hold fast to the teachings.

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

Paul’s Longing to See the Thessalonians

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

What happens when the truth gets undermined? It's very unsettling. A good example of this is the 2020 US election. It becomes very hard to trust whatever that person is saying if they undermine the truth. Yet what do we do with counter truths? Do we do what the world does and say that it is all true? That's not how the Bible does it.

Let's look at the Philosophers in the Greek era. The Philosophers would vent their ideas and so gather a following and thus earn an income. That is how things were always done, it's all about the greatest ideas.

Then along comes Paul preaching the word of God.

Here is where we pick up from verse 13.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

What do you notice? The Thessalonians accepted the gospel, not as a human word but the word of God. They understood the message Paul brought was not an idea that he had thought up himself. The word that Paul brought was nothing like the Philosophers and Paul was not keen to earn a quick buck.

What do we know about the word of God? The word of God has echoes of power, example Genesis 1:1-3

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The word of God is a word that creates, shapes and transforms. The word is at work in you who believe.

There is a real danger to making god in our own image, a domestic god who is there when we need him and absent when we don't. If you take away the Revelation then you are left with a domestic god. Who cares what god you believe in? It only matters the God who is.

When we read the word of God we are to treat it as Revelation
- Under not over: we are shaped by the word, we do not shape the word for it to bend to us.
- How we read: we read the word of God as the word is talking to us directly.
- Why we read: we read to learn more about God and to grow spiritually.

Paul also mentions a special privilege to the Thessalonians - suffer. You read that right.

1 Thessalonians 2:14

14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews

Embracing the truth of the gospel is to experience persecution and suffering. The Thessalonians were compared to God's church in Judea, who are in Christ Jesus, who also suffered the same things.

No doubt the word of God makes people react in rage. Just ask and and they'll tell you all about it.

1 Thessalonians 2:15-16

15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

If you go to North Korea or Nigeria and start preaching Jesus, you'll experience persecution and suffering first hand. These are but a few examples of people who respond to the word with rage. God's great promise wasn't just for the Jews, this was very offensive.

Here is what we read in Acts 17:5

5 But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

Also in Acts 17:13

13 But when the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, some of them went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.

Yet despite all this the Thessalonians are in good standing with God. Paul has a warning and it's not for the Thessalonians, it's a warning for those who reject the word of God.

1 Thessalonians 2:16

16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

This verse is one of the most difficult verses that Paul writes.

The following is opinion only.

What Paul could be saying is based on Acts 13:46-47 where Paul and Barnabus were preaching the word of God but were rejected by the Jews.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

It would also be based on a few verses after the most famous verse in the Bible.

John 3:16-18

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The person who rejects the rescuer stands in judgement. This is the rage of the defeated, not the rage of the victorious.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-18

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

Here is the real enemy, Paul was blocked from going back to see the Thessalonians but Satan blocked his way.

Revelation 2:9

9 I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

Stand with the God who speaks but you will not stand unopposed. Yet ultimately Satan is defeated.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

Paul can confidently end with glory and joy because of the Thessalonians. They are his glory and joy. Why? The Thessalonians didn't do anything great, all they did was believe the word of God. Because they believed they are the glory and joy.

As a result of all this here are three things for us to do.

1. Dig deep - Wrestle, ponder and ask questions with the word of God.
2. Hold fast - Because the word of God is worth holding fast to.
3. Speak up - Longing to see others transformed as he has transformed us and not being afraid to speak about the word of God.

Tune in next week for the next part of Thessalonians.

Baaaaa....Out of thousands of other gods my God is the real one, out of hundreds of denominations my particular one that I grew up with just so happens to be the right one, I am the chosen one, me, my MINE!

And you are going to hell because you are bad and don't believe identically like me. My only evidence is this particular religious book that has been translated in very specific way says so.

I am a Christian and am proud to be baaaaaaa...spam spam spam.
Your truly CPK001 baaaaaaa.

It's freedom of speech, he has a mission...

... like you !