The Effective Working of the Word

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

Intro.Years ago there was a TV game show called To Tell the Truth.

Contestants would try to pick the real person from the fakes.
A)In some ways Christianity in America has become like that game show.

B) Over 50% of Americans would call themselves Christians -

C) But does America look like over ½ of her citizens are followers of Jesus Christ – do we look like a nation that is being ruled by God.

1) Sexual immorality is on the rise / violent crime is on the rise – Pornography industry continues to Flourish

D) If we are really one nation under God – something is radically wrong w/ this PICTURE !

Problem is the lines have been blurred and it is becoming more unclear what a Christian is.

A) This is what makes 1 Thess. Such an exciting book !

B) In it we are introduced to a group of believers that were the real Deal

1) These people loved Jesus and it showed and Paul was excited about it!

C) So much so that 5 different times in the 8 Chapters that make up 1& 2 Thessalonians – Paul makes reference to how thankful he was for them

D) We saw in Ch. 1 v.2-3 where Paul was thankful for three outward evidences of their Conversion

1) Their work of Faith - / Labor of Love / Their patient hope.

E) Here in v.13 of Chapter 2 Paul once again is mentioning how thankful he was for them –

1) this time it is because of their attitude toward the Word of God

God was doing – radical things in and thru this Church – and this was one of the reasons why.

A) They had the right outlook concerning the Word – and they had the right attitude in receiving the Word.

B) Result: The word of God was effectively working in them !

1) It was performing in them according to God’s plan and Desire

C) God’s will and work was being accomplished in these people – thru their outlook of the word and their attitude in receiving the word.

D) Is God’s word effectively working in your life ? Outlook / Attitude

OUTLOOK: Word of God and not the words of men.

A) When Paul came into Thessalonica preaching the word – the people heard it and – believed this is true – not man’s words – From God

B) Problem today: There are many Christians who believe that the Bible Contains the word of God – but that it is not in it’s entirety the word of God

1) Problem: People start to pick and Choose what they want to believe

C) And that OUTLOOK completely ignores what the Bible says of it’s self!

Inspired by God – 2 Tim 3:16,17 ¹⁶All Scripture is given by inspiration of God

A) God put into the hearts of the men who penned the Bible what He wanted to say!

B) All 66 books / all 1,118 Chapters/ all 774,746 verses

All 3 Million 500,000 and 34 words are all inspired & Living

1) Every word /Every verse/Every Chapter/ Every Book

INSPIRED BY GOD !

C) Doesn’t contain the Word of God – It is the Word of God ! – Love letter / Guide book/ instruction manual

Now the Problem for others is not that they don’t believe the Bible is inspired by God

A) They would profess that the Bible is the word of God! They don’t LIVE Like they believe that !

B) Although 92% of Americans own a printed Bible, only 24% read it regularly

C) Problem: If a person truly believed that the Bible was God’s word – read it on a consistent basis

1) Attitude of Peter – where would we go – In you are the words of Life!

God’s word is Inspired and it is Profitable:

2 Tim 3:16,17 ¹⁶All Scripture is given by inspiration of God , and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

D) It is profitable for DOCTRINE (what is right), for REPROOF (what is not right),

1) for CORRECTION (how to get right),

2) and for INSTRUCTION in righteousness (how to stay right).

The story has been told of a South Sea Islander who proudly displayed his Bible to a G.I. during World War II. "We've outgrown that sort of thing," the soldier said. The native smiled back, "It's a good thing we haven't. If it weren't for this book, you'd have been a meal by now!"

Now Because it is God’s word and not man’s it Endures it Spans the annuals of time / culture /

1 Peter 1:24

"All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, ²⁵ But the word of the LORD endures forever."

All the Philosophies and Ideologies of man spring up like grass green for a season –but Ultimately withers & dies

A)The glory of man -his Brilliance- his ideas - they Buds like a Flower

AA) When they come on the scene –Glory is for a Moment / Wk/Mth/yr

B)Man’s Philosophies come & go – but the word of the Lord Endures forever !!!!!

1) Just ask Voltaire – Famous French Philosopher – Atheist –considered a real deep thinker in those days

C)Voltaire – made this statement in 1778 while on his death bed –Voltaire said that w/ in 100yrs of his death the Bible would be forgotten

1) Only found in the Archives of Libraries and in Museums

D)This is great!!! After his death his house was Purchased & is still being used by the European Bible Society

1)Where they Produce – 100’s of thousands of Bibles every yr. And send them all over the World

E)Voltaire like the Grass withered and like the Flower faded – but the Word of God ENDURES FOREVER !!!!!!!

God’s word is Inspired / Profitable / Enduring & Living and Powerful

HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services when she was startled by an intruder.

She caught the man in the act of robbing her home
of its valuables and yelled, "Stop! Acts 2:38!"
(Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven.)

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done.

As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar,
"Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to you."

"Scripture?" replied the bewildered burglar, "She said she had an Ax and Two 38's!" He was stopped in his tracks –

Word is Powerful – Saved – Justifies

A) Also Sanctifies

B) Convicts & transform

1) Comfort – but also Direction

C) It sets free / it matures us / counsels us / Builds us up / It gives us Hope !

D) So is this going to be another Study on how we need to spend more time in the Word

E) Not really – Most of you are students of the word

1) You do believe that it is God’s word – You do read it regularly

So I am not so much interested in your Outlook of the Word – But I do want to consider your attitude

A) What can we learn about their attitude toward the Word of God that was preached to them

B) They received it and they welcomed it !

A) Receive means they took it – they didn’t turn a deaf ear to the Word that was being preached –

1) no resistance at all.

B) The word welcomed means they received it gladly ! They were excited about it

1) They lovingly embraced it!

C) Think of the idea of welcoming someone into your Home – Daughter gets married

1) New Son in Law – Welcomed into the family

D) Accepted given the rights of a family member

1) You don’t send him into the Back yard to eat dinner with the dogs instead of at the family table.

E) He is welcomed – Rightful place in the family –

1) Full use of the house – You want him to feel at home

This is the idea here concerning their attitude toward the Word – They received it – and welcomed it

A) Brought into their lives with gladness and an openness to AFFECT THEIR LIVES

B) Now this is a key to having the Word of God work effectively in your life

1) It isn’t enough to simply hear it –

C) We hear a lot of the Word – but how do we hear it – Receive it gladly or do we wrestle with it!

Or Do we fight against it

D) The answer to those questions is going to determine whether or not we are growing in the Lord – or digressing.

What hinders the Word from working in us ?

Heb 4:2-3 NOT MIXED WITH FAITH !

2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.

A) The word ‘gospel’ meaning ‘good news’, the good news for the children of Israel was that there was a land flowing with milk and honey.

B) Yes, there were obstacles, but God promised them victory if they simply believed.

1) ‘Oh, but we’re only grasshoppers,’ they said. And the grasshopper mentality still paralyzes us today . . .

C) ‘I’m not a man of this,’ or, ‘I’m not doing that.’ ‘I can’t receive God’s blessing on my life because I’m blowing it here, or I must be bugging God there.’

1) No. According to our text, it was not their shortcomings which kept the children of Israel from entering the Land of Promise.

D) It was their failure to mix God’s promises with faith.

What will keep you from enjoying the best blessings in your family or in your ministry? Simply this:

A) Not believing what God says.

All the Promises of God are Yes and Amen – In Christ –

B) Are you in Christ ? – The Promises are Yours !

1) You know God said He would provide for all of your needs, that all things are working together for good, that He is with you even unto the end of the world.

C) But these promises will not do you any good until you stop saying, ‘What’s the catch? This can’t be true for me.

1) God said it I believe it – that settles it – Walk in the reality of that that promise!

TRADITION Mark 7:12-13 tells of a time when the religious leaders made the word of God of no affect because of their traditions.

A) We have to be careful of that – it is easy to ignore what God’s word says because we get entrenched in an idea – that has it’s origin in tradition and not the Word of God.

B) Example: Worship – Not going to lift my hands

1) religious background – didn’t do that – Bible in many places says: lift / clap/ shout/ Expressive

C) We have to be careful – Why do I do this and not do that – why don’t we do this

1) Careful not what does Calvary Chapel say or this group or that – But what does the Bible say!

#3 Hindrance

NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE Heb 5:14

14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

A) I will give you more when you put into practice what I have already showed you.

B) But when the word is mixed with faith – received and welcomed it has the opportunity to do amazing things in our lives !

The Effect of the Word

1) Provides for you – Luke 5 Simon fishing – nothing – cast nets

A) Wrong time / wrong place – deep / already done it – Never the less at your word I will cast the nets

B) A) This is such a key thing to note - even though this request made no sense to him - he would go along w/ it

B) The Mistake too many Christians make is they don’t go forward like Peter did & as a result they never see the power of God in their lives

C) they only say : We have fished all night & haven’t caught anything - Lord we have tried that before & it didn’t work –

D) Lord we have prayed & waited Long enough

Now we are giving up -

Your Marriage: You can make excuses you can argue – or you can say

Nevertheless at your word …………………..

A) Dealing with your bitterness

B) Making right that friendship

1) Getting involved in that ministry.

2) Being obedient in tithing –

C) What are you saying to God – But Lord – wrong place / time / or at your word – result is you will see God’s Provision

Submission leads to fruitfulness NOTE what happens NEXT

V. 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.

7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

A) What situation are you in right now – where Jesus is even speaking to your heart to Launch out into the deep

1) keep trying - keep trusting

B) Throw the nets out again - go into the deep - take it deeper

C) What Peter learned is that when Jesus is given control of the situation – Fruit is the result

1) Amazing fruit is the result –

Back to Thessalonians

A) The believers here were Vibrant and Flourishing and the Word of God was effectively working ….

B) They received it into their lives as the word of God and not the word of Men

C) They embraced it into their lives – to have it’s way with them

How was the Word working in them Effectively

A) Ch.1 The gospel was being spread throughout the whole region

B) Ch.2 They were Enduring Persecution –

1) From Jews and Gentiles – alike

C) Barclay: Their persecution was a badge of honor which entitled them to rank with the picked regiments of the army of Christ

D) Good company: Christ / Prophets/ apostles

1) Believers in Jerusalem

Why are some people so opposed to the Gospel.

A) Narrow

B) Reveals Sin

C) Forgives Sinners