1Thes1:2-10 The Impact of Faith

# The Impact of Faith 信心的影響
## 1 Thessalonians 帖撒羅尼迦前書 1:2-10

>>>
+ **Miss** you: hear what **God's** been doing in your life
  + even in pandemic -- **especially** during pandemic!
+ But can be **hard** to think of specific examples, and
  + even harder to think how **we've** made diff to others
+ "Well, stuck at **home**, ... on **computer** a lot ..."
  + Am I **doing** anything w/my life?

---

# **How** do I make a **difference** in others' lives? 我如何在別人的 生命中有所作為?

>>>
+ I chose series on 1Thes to **encourage** you:
  + though **apart**, keep **growing** in Christ together
+ But we need encouragement to be **specific**:
  + "Keep up good work!" -- oh thx, what work?
  + "You're so **cute**!" -- arrghh...
  + "**Good** person, **mean** well?" -- kinda vague
+ Encouragement from today's passage very specific:
  + so we know what successes to **thank** God for
  + and **goals** we need to continue **pursuing**
+ How we **heard** gospel + **responded**

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## (prayer)
>>>
+ Come to receive the **Word**: not Sean's word / wisdom
  + but Word of the **living** + true God
  + the Word which **pierces** our own souls
+ the Word which lets us **behold the Lamb** of God

---

[Roberto Reggi](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paul_the_Apostle,_second_missionary_journey.svg "caption")

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+ Thessalonika: prov. **capital** of Macedonia
  + **wealthy** port at ix of 2 major trade routes
+ Ac17: Paul only **3wks**: Philippi - Thess - Berea
+ 1Thes **encourage**, very little **rebuke** (cf Cor, Gal!)
  + "**Thankful** as remember you" / "as you **know**"
  + "don't need anyone **remind** you" / "**continue** to do"
+ Starts out w/today's passage (ch1):
  + **thanksgiving** for Thess:

---

## Impact of Faith 信心的影響
1. **Energy 能量** [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. **Election 揀選** [(v4-5)](# "ref")
1. **Example 榜樣** [(v6-10)](# "ref")

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+ 1. Thanks God for **work** Thess have been doing
+ 2. Expresses confid in God's **calling** of Thess
  + demonstrated by HS in power
+ 3. Highlights **impact** Thess have made on believers everywhere
  + through their journey of faith

---
We give **thanks** to God always for all of you, 
constantly mentioning you in our **prayers**, 
[3](# "ref")
**remembering** before our God and Father

your work of **faith** and labor of **love** 
and steadfastness of **hope** 
in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ Basically what **I** want to say to **you**
  + (though probably don't **pray** as often as Paul!)
+ **Remember** in prayers:
  + whenever think of you, **thankful**
  + and here's **why**:
+ Faith - Hope - Love: remember end of **1Cor13**:

---
So now **faith**, **hope**, and **love** abide, these three; 
but the greatest of these is **love**.

[1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ In fact, these three are echoed throughout **1Thess**
+ So they form rough **outline** for this 7-part series:

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## Growing Together, While Apart 當分開時一起成長

| *1* | Impact of **Faith** | 信心的影響 |
|---|---|---|
| *2a,b* | Toil of **Love** | 愛心的勞苦 |
| *3* | Strength from **Hope** | 來自盼望的力量 |
| *4* | Grow in Purity + **Love** | 在清潔和愛中成長 |
| *5a* | **Hope** of Salvation | 救贖的盼望 |
| *5b* | Acts of **Faith** | 信心的行為 |

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+ Although Paul was unable to **visit** them in person,
  + but deeply **connected** in HS
+ 1-3 thanksgiving, 4-5 instruction
  + FLH, LHF
+ Today in **ch1**, all 3 refer to
  + some aspect of Thess' **work**:

---
**remembering** before our God and Father 
your **work** of **faith**

[1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ Work (energy): **productivity**, accomplish, output
+ "**The** work (of you) of **the** faith"
+ Not strength of **our** conviction,
  + but trust in **God's** promises
+ And God is **faithful** to his promises, so
  + when **we** work in **line** w/those promises,
  + that work will be **fruitful**
+ What's the **secret** to productivity? Ps127:

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Unless the Lord **builds** the house, 
those who build it **labor** in vain.

Unless the Lord **watches** over the city, 
the watchman stays **awake** in vain.

[Psalm 127:1 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ Pandemic **WFH**: tired but don't feel productive? 
+ The **work** of the **faith**:
  + search Scrip for God's **promises**
  + and **act** accordingly
+ Next:

---
and **labor** of **love**

[1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ "Labour" (debilitating blow): **toil**, hard work, difficult
+ e.g., son struggling w/**2D rotations** in math:
  + "**why** should I learn math?": "to get a **job**..."
+ But really, shouldn't be bc **external** motivation: 
  + obligation, **fear** of punish, **transact** for reward
+ but **internally** motivated by **love**: others are
  + **worthy** of acts service, to **share** God's love
+ **Math** is part of it! Dev useful **skills**: love in **action**
+ e.g., friend is **overwhelmed**: life spinning out of control
  + **Thoughts** + hugs are needed, but also **practical** help:
+ "Life is **complicated**: start w/what we **do** know,
  + "to make sense of what we **don't** understand"
+ **Inductive** reasoning, mathematical **modelling**

---
and **steadfastness** of **hope** 
in our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ Steadfast: **persevere**, stay the course
  + remain/endure **under**: e.g., pressure / stress
+ Diff w/**stubbornness**? -- who sets the **goal**?
  + **My** goal I persevere in? that's just **selfishness**
+ **God's** reward for those who persevere in obeying?
  + He is **faithful**, so we have an eternal, living **hope**

---

# Are my **actions** driven by God's **faith**, **hope**, and **love**?

# 我的行為是否是 被神的信望愛所驅動?

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+ Gain **productivity** from faith in God's promises
+ **Toil** for God's kingdom, motivated by His love
+ **Persevere** in serving Him bc of assurance of **hope**

---

## Impact of Faith 信心的影響
1. Energy 能量 [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. **Election 揀選** [(v4-5)](# "ref")
1. Example 榜樣 [(v6-10)](# "ref")

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+ 1. Paul **thanks** God
  + remembering Thess' **work** in faith
+ 2. Expresses **confid** in God's **calling** of Thess:
  + i.e., **assurance** of their salvation:

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For we know, brothers **loved** by God, 
that he has **chosen** you, 
[5](# "ref")
because 
our **gospel** came to you not only in **word**,

but also in **power** and in the **Holy Spirit** 
and with **full conviction**.

[1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ You are **loved**, and you were **chosen**:
  + **election**, selected **out** and for a **purpose**
+ Gospel came with:
+ **Power**: not just philosophical debate
+ **HS**: not gen by human conviction/emotion
+ Much bearing-**fullness**: not "faith"
  + but doing **completely**, not halfway:
+ **Preach** whole gospel, not just comfort part
  + **Believe** whole gospel, even hard passages
  + **Obey** w/whole life, every area/rl
+ What does the **power** of HS **look** like?
  + Ac10 Peter sharing gospel to Roman **Cornelius**:

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While **Peter** was still saying these things, 
the **Holy Spirit** fell on all who **heard** the word.

[Acts 10:44-46 (ESV) (p.1/3)](# "ref")

---
[45](# "ref")
And the **believers** 
from among the circumcised 
who had come with Peter were **amazed**,

because the **gift** of the Holy Spirit 
was poured out even on the **Gentiles**.

[Acts 10:44-46 (ESV) (p.2/3)](# "ref")

---
[46](# "ref")
For they were hearing them 
speaking in **tongues** and **extolling** God.

[Acts 10:44-46 (ESV) (p.3/3)](# "ref")

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+ Don't be put off by **tongues** (hard passages!):
  + **interpretable**, human languages
  + proclaim **gospel** + to **praise** God
+ "Extol": make **great**, declare greatness
+ Purpose: not **spectacle** nor indulging emotion, but
  + **boldness** + authenticity to proclaim Christ's **glory**
+ I **know** Christ chose to **rescue** me --
  + and I chose to **turn** from my own way
  + and to **follow** Him!
+ So Peter says: we've got to **baptise** these folks!

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# Have I experienced the **Holy Spirit's** power as the gospel is proclaimed?

# 當福音被傳講時, 我是否經歷了聖靈的大能?

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+ Whether I'm the **hearer** or the **proclaimer**
  + HS is **assurance** of God's **calling**
______
+ To **me**, what stands out is God's **grace**:
  + Humility to recv **forgiveness** + to **forgive**
  + So **foreign** to our world

---

## Impact of Faith 信心的影響
1. Energy 能量 [(v2-3)](# "ref")
1. Election 揀選 [(v4-5)](# "ref")
1. **Example 榜樣** [(v6-10)](# "ref")

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1. Energy: **work** we do serving God motiv by **FHL**
1. Election: God **chose** us as His own; we know by **HS**
1. Example: we follow **others** in how rcv Word of God
  + and our **journey of faith** sets example for others

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You know what **kind** of men we proved 
to be among you for your sake.

[6](# "ref")
And you became **imitators** of us 
and of the Lord,

[1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ "Kind"/"proved": **how we were**
  + not **special** effort / mtn-top events
  + but how we **live**: person, character, habits
+ "Imitators" (mimic): **emulate**, follow pos example
  + not only of Paul, but the **Lord**

---
for you **received** the word in much **affliction**, 
with the **joy** of the Holy Spirit,

[7](# "ref")
so that you became an **example** to all 
the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

[1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ Part of how we **impact** others is how we **receive** Word:
+ **Attitude** with which we listen (even now!)
  + Not **hardened** earth which **seed** bounces off
+ Receive God's Word w/**obedience**:
  + knowing may endure **suffering** for its sake:
  + not w/**bitterness** of soul, but **joy** of HS
+ "Example" (type): **strike**, deliver a blow, impact:
  + Word **echoes** out from us:

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For not only has the **word** of the Lord 
**sounded forth** from you 
in Macedonia and Achaia,

but your **faith** in God 
has **gone forth** everywhere, 
so that we need not say anything.

[1 Thessalonians 1:8 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ **Word** of God: gospel
+ **Work** of God: changing our hearts

---
For they themselves report concerning us 
the kind of **reception** we had among you,

and how you turned to God from **idols** 
to serve the **living** and **true** God,

[1 Thessalonians 1:9 (ESV)](# "ref")

---
and to **wait** for his Son from heaven, 
whom he raised from the dead, Jesus 
who **delivers** us from the wrath to come.

[1 Thessalonians 1:10 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ This is our faith **journey**:
  + Turned from **Idols**
  + Serve the **Living** + True God
  + **Await** Jesus
+ Past - Present - Future
+ Past: idol: any we **cherish** / pursue more than God
+ e.g., seeking others' **approval**:
  + "tell me I'm a good person!"
+ e.g., science, human **intellect**:
  + "if not observable, then not true"
+ e.g., **perfection** in others, rl, or even self:
  + "don't you dare insinuate anything bad 
  + "about my kid / marriage / parents"

---
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+ Present: serve **living** + **true** God:
  + God is source of **life** + gives us renewed life
  + His Word is **truth**: guides us in wisdom
  + so we commit to **servant's** life in obedience
+ Future: Jesus resurrected, ascended, will **return**:
  + so we **wait** (unique word in NT):
+ **Rising** wait until completion: increasing anticip
  + not **passive**, killing time
  + but w/full **assurance** of hope,
  + **acting** accordingly
+ How has our faith **journey** impacted others?

---
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+ Learn by example: e.g., WFH, son's **desk** next to mine:
  + when **frustrated**: "arrrgh!"
+ You **already** make an impact, even in daily life:
+ e.g., wife **car battery** died: pushed mid parking lot
  + got **nasty** looks!  Son: "so **humiliating**"
+ How do you **deal** with anger or disdain directed at you?
  + (folks working **retail** or CSR know!)
+ Barely **holding** on: either **explode** or **collapse**
+ So for us to **turn** away fr chasing what world **craves**,
  + to **serve** God, knowing He is **life** + truth,
  + and to **wait** patiently + eagerly for His deliv:
+ it truly makes an **impact**!

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## Whose **faith journey** has impacted me? 誰的信心之旅影響過我？

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## How does my faith in Christ **impact** others? 我在基督裡的信心 如何影響別人？

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+ Needn't be **long-term** mentor: e.g., Paul w/Thess
  + profound **impact**: Thess in turn to whole **region**
+ Let **Word** of God resound outward
  + and let our **works** of faith in God go outward
______
+ Your **Word** never returns to you in **vain**:
  + came w/**power**, HS, abundant fullness
+ Equip: **accomplish** much in faith, **toil** in love,
  + **persevere** bc living hope in You
+ As we **imitate** You + those who've shared Word w/us,
  + may Your Word **echo** outward from us
+ May others see faith **journey**: past, present, future
  + May it make an **impact** on those around us