1 Thessalonians 1:6-10

1 Thess 1:6 "And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

Previously, Paul had related how the members of the church had borne evidence of God’s election and calling by their work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in Christ. Then he related how the gospel came to them in word, in power, in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance.

“And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:” The members of the church at Thessalonica had become followers of the ministry and of the Lord. When the ministry sets the appropriate example of being followers of Christ and they preach the word unto the congregation, then the result can be that members of the congregation become followers of the ministry and of the Lord. In 1 Cor. 11:1 Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Now if the minister of the gospel is not setting the example that he should then we should not follow that minister.

The church at Thessalonica had received the word in much afflictions. In 1 Thes. 2:14-16 we read of some of the afflictions of the church: 14 “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: 15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” Along with the afflictions, however, came much joy of the Holy Ghost. There are many things that can bring much joy to a child of God who hears and believes the gospel:

1. There is joy of learning of ones salvation by the grace of God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ.
2. There is joy of responding to the gospel and serving the lord in His church kingdom on earth.
3. There is the joy of knowing that the Lord is with you in the midst of your tribulations and trials.
4. There is joy in knowing that the Lord hears your prayers.
5. There is joy in knowing that you have a home in heaven and that you are joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
6. Etc., etc., etc……….

“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.” These at Thessalonica who had received the word and followed the Lord now, themselves, became examples to others who heard and believed the gospel. Notice that Paul and the other ministers heard the gospel and believed and became followers of Christ. They they set the example and preached the word to those who believed the gospel in Thessalonica and then these became followers of Christ and then became an example to other believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.”

There are four gifts of the gospel ministry as set forth to us in Eph. 4:11: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” In the book of Acts we have recorded for us many examples of the evangelistic labors of the apostles, prophets, and evangelists. Evangelism is simply taking the gospel to those who have not heard the true gospel of the grace of Christ. Next, we ask ourselves are the pastors and teachers to be engaged in evangelism. The answer is given to us in one of the pastoral epistles as Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:5 “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” The pastor and teacher is to do the work of an evangelist in the community of the local church in which he serves the Lord’s people. If he is not doing the work of an evangelist then the pastor is neglecting one of his duties as a pastor.

Now we ask ourselves is there a work of evangelism to which the members of the congregation are to be engaged? The answer is given us in this verse 8. For from the members of the church at Thessalonica the word of the Lord sounded out into Macedonia and Achaia and to regions beyond. Thus their faith to God-ward was spread abroad. The church at Thessalonica set an example for us today as members of the Lord’s church that it is our duty, joy, and privilege to share the gospel of the grace of Christ to others.

“For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;” The evidence of the Lord’s working in the lives of the members of the church at Thessalonica was manifested by those to whom the word was sounded out unto and who witnessed the example of the church at Thessalonica who turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” This verse alludes to the fact the Lord is coming again in the resurrection of the dead as He was raised from the dead and that through his death and resurrection we have been delivered from the wrath to come in the final judgment of the wicked.