God’s Word-Saturated and Spirit-Inspired Missional Plan with Scott Menez

Let's stand up and lift our voices this morning. Let's sing out,

Grace on top of grace. Lord, how you've loved me,

I don't deserve Grace on top of grace More than I've asked for, more than I'm worth

Grace on top of grace How sweet the sound

Once lost but now found Heaven came down Grace rescued me

Hallelujah, I am free From my sin and penalty

At the cross you took my place With your grace on top of grace

Lord, how you've loved me Lord, how you've loved me, cause we have heard

Grace on top of grace For the sake of your glory and of your worth

Grace on top of grace Hallelujah, I am free

From my sin and penalty At the cross you took my place

With your grace on top of grace With your grace on top of grace

Let's sing how sweet the sound Once lost but now found

How sweet the sound

Once lost but now found Heaven came down Grace rescued me

How sweet the sound Once lost but now found

Heaven came down Grace rescued me

Hallelujah, I am free From my sin and penalty

At the cross you took my place With your grace on top of grace

Hallelujah, I am free From my sin and penalty

At the cross you took my place With your grace on top of grace

With your grace on top of grace With your grace on top of grace

Amen Good morning everybody

I want to welcome you here today All of you to 12 .5 Church Especially our guests today

We're so happy that you're here And always Our prayer Is that you find a church

Where you can not only grow In Jesus Christ But you can find a body A community

That can come alongside you And your family In love As you walk and grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ If you've been visiting

You're aware that we have been going through Ephesians Lately And especially in the past several weeks

We've been at the last part of chapter 5 And the first part of chapter 6 Where it's addressing specifically

God's design For the family This subject has generated a lot of questions

A lot of discussions And a lot of prayer And there's a good reason for this

The world knows That God designed the family To help tamp down evil

In this world And it's going to do everything that it can To distort What God's design is

And what we're trying to do at 12 .5 Church Is we're trying to take back

Ground That the evil one has stolen away Over the years Paul goes straight to the point

In Ephesians 6 when he says We do not wrestle against flesh and blood

But against rulers Against authorities Against the cosmic powers

Over this present darkness Against the spiritual forces Of evil In the heavenly places

Make no mistake This is a spiritual battle That we're in When we're trying to take back

Ground we can expect the evil one To take notice and to attack This is why

We're asking that you pray with us That you take a stand with us And with our Lord Jesus Christ As He is our strong tower

And He Will enable us to take this ground back Well today though We're going to be taking a break from Ephesians Because we have a special blessing

We have Scott Scott, pastor, sorry Scott Menez with us He was the pastor at Riverbend Church In Ormond Beach, Florida And he's been called out

Into the mission field Where he will be going west to start up churches And on his way there

He has graciously stopped by And he's going to explain to us Where the Lord is leading him

In this quest As you may not be aware Riverbend and Pastor Scott Hold a special place in 12 .5's

heart The Lord Used them in a powerful way In helping a small group of people

Start a church In Jonesboro, Arkansas Three years ago

And that church is 12 .5 Church What a job The Lord has really blessed us

We was talking about that earlier today The pastor Scott Was not only instrumental

In providing guidance With Riverbend And oversight in what we were doing But also financial support

They provided oversight With Pastor Jeremiah And Pastor Nathan Bringing them along to become

Pastor Elders over 12 .5 Church They continue To walk beside us

As we move forward in accomplishing What the Lord has said before us So Pastor Scott We offer you our utmost gratitude

For you allowing the Lord To use you in Riverbend As means To help us become the church

You see before us You played a major part in it And we're so thankful So if you would please accept our gratitude

And our welcome to you today Well now we come to a part in our service

Where we pray for a local church Which we do every week And the church that we're going to be praying for this week

As you can see on the screen Is Nelton Baptist Church Over on the other side of town

So if you would bow your heads with me please Father we just lift

Nelton Baptist Church Up to you We lift up their leaders, their pastors, their deacons

Lord as they seek your will In reaching Jonesboro, Arkansas Lord we know that side of town

Is really growing We just pray that you would Just enlighten them Father, that you would speak to them

That you would guide them To further your kingdom In the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas Amen Well next we have the call to worship

Which is a responsive reading This is from Psalm 138 And so I will be reading a part of scripture

And then you'll be following We give you thanks O Lord With our whole heart

We bow down Toward your holy temple For you have

Exalted above all things On the day

We called you You answered us All the kings of the earth

Shall give you thanks O Lord And they shall sing

Of the ways of the Lord Praise the Lord For though the

Lord is high He regards the lowly Though we walk in the midst of trouble

You stretch out your hand Against the wrath of our enemies The Lord will

Faithful fulfill His promise for us Do not forsake

The work of your Lord The Lord your hands Amen So I have a prayer of adoration

That I would like to reach out to God with If you would bow your hands please Lord God Heavenly Father Today we come into your presence

With unceasing praise This is urged by our need

Invited by your promises Called by your spirit We enter your presence

Worshipping you with reverence And godly fear Awed by your majesty Your greatness

Your glory And we're encouraged by your love We recognize

Our poverty As well as our guilt Have nothing of our own

Which to repay you with But we bring Jesus to you On the basis of faith

Pleading his righteousness To counter our iniquities Having a full knowledge That this will satisfy

Your justice Father you are the author Of all existence

And the source Of all blessings We adore you For making us capable

Of knowing and understanding These truths And in leading us In our desire of you

We pray that you make us worthy Of your calling That the name of Jesus Will be glorified in us

And us in him Fear the battle

We won't fear the night We will walk the valley With you by our side

You will go before us You will lead the way We have found a refuge

Only you can save Sing with joy now

Our God is for us The Father's love So strong and mighty

For justice Raise your voice now No love is greater

Who can stand against us If our God is for us Even when

I stumble Even when

I fall Even when I turn back Still your love is sure

You will not abandon You will not forsake You will cheer me on With never ending grace

Sing with joy now Our God is for us The Father's love

So strong and mighty For justice Raise your voice now No love is greater

Who can stand against us If our God is for us Neither hide nor death

Can separate us Hell and death Will not defeat us

He who gave His Son to free us Holds me in his love

Sing it out Neither hide nor death Can separate us

Hell and death Will not defeat us He who gave

His Son to free us Holds me in his love

Sing with joy now Our God is for us The Father's love

So strong and mighty For justice Raise your voice now No love is greater

Who can stand against us If our God is for us Sing with joy now

Our God is for us The Father's love So strong and mighty

For justice Raise your voice now No love is greater

Who can stand against us If our God is for us Who else commends

All the host of heaven Who else could make

Every king bow down Who else can whisper

In darkness Trembles Holy O Holy God in such

Praises What other Splendor outshines

The sun What other Majesty Rolls with justice

Holy O Holy God Come And behold

Him The one And the only

Sing holy Forever O Holy God Come and worship

O Holy God What other

Glory consumes Like fire What other

Power can raise A dead What other

Name remains Undefiled Only O Holy God Behold The one

And the only Cry out

Sing holy Forever O Holy God Come and worship

The Holy God Who else could

Rescue me from My fate Who else could offer

His only Son Who else

Convites me to call Him Father Only O Holy God Come And behold

Him The one And the only

Cry Cry out Sing holy Forever O Holy God Come and worship

The Holy God Sing it again Come And behold

Him The one And the only

Cry out Sing holy Forever O Holy God Come and worship

The Holy God Who has filled the

Oceans in His hands Who Has numbered

Every grain of sand Kings And nations

Tremble at His voice And all creation

Rises To rejoice Behold Our God Seated On His throne

Come let us Adore Him Behold Our King Nothing Can compare

Come let us Adore Him Who has

Given counsel To the Lord Question Any of His Words Who can teach

The one who knows All things Who can

Fathom All His wondrous Deeds Who Our God Seated On His throne

Come let us Adore Him Behold Our King Nothing can compare

Come let us Adore Him Has felt

The nails upon His hands All the guilt

Of sinful man God Eternal Humble to the grave

Here it is Jesus Savior Risen now

To rejoice Behold Our God Seated on His throne

Come let us Adore Him Behold Our King Nothing can compare

Come let us Adore Him Oh you will

Reign forever Sing it out Oh you will

Reign forever Yes you

Will reign forever Oh you

Will reign forever Yeah Behold Our God Seated on His throne

Come let us adore Him Behold Our King Nothing Can compare

Come let us Adore Him Dark as night

But I knew The sin that promised

Joy Me too

Then you Were a rebel Too And if you had

Not loved Me first I would Refuse To stay

As I ran With my

Helmet Different To your

Arms And this made

You suffered In My place

And brother I He served for me

Now all I know Is Goodness In Who We are

All I have Is Christ Jesus is

My life The song

Might sing The strength To follow

Your plans Could never Compromise Father Use My ransom life

In any Way You choose

Let my song Forever Be My only boast

Is You Hallelujah We are

All I have Is Christ We are

Jesus is Hallelujah All I have

Is Christ Jesus is

I pray this morning, Lord, that you would be with Pastor Scott as he comes before us and shares what you're doing in his life,

Lord. I'm just so thankful for him and all that he's done through Riverbend and him and with 12 .5

and helping us and praying for us. And Lord, just the support is just so awesome,

Lord. We're so grateful. We're so thankful. Father, Lord, I just pray that you would bless our offering this morning as we take up,

Lord, and we give back what is rightfully yours in the first place. We love you. We praise you. Ask all these things in your son,

Jesus' precious and holy name, and all of God's people said, amen. Amen.

Amen. Oh No, yes good, sorry

Thank you Wow, it's good to see you This is quite a view that I have the last time

I was here we were over in the in the metal shed there at Nathan's place and There was about three of you and maybe four and Man, we were praying hard that God would build his church here in Jonesburg And I and here

I come now a couple years later and some of you came out to Riverbend not too long ago And and now you're here and you're growing and God is blessing.

The word is being preached Souls are being changed. I am totally encouraged.

So I am so glad to be with you I'm so sorry. Nathan isn't feeling well I just love that man

And he's been such an encouragement to me and to watch him grow and then of course Jeremiah and Keith What a blessing to see

God add leadership This is an amazing thing. This doesn't happen every day. You guys have to understand

I've been doing this for 40 years. I you don't see what God's is doing here all all over the place right now

So this is really special. So give him glory for it. Don't take any credit. You don't deserve any of that Give him glory for that and then keep serving him.

What a blessing In a small way it is it has put a little

Burn to my saddle as I've watched This happen Gina and I were church planters for a lot of years

We did first our first 20 years of ministry with church planning in very very rural areas And then by God's providence

We ended up in large churches and seminary plants and all that kind of stuff And now God is calling us back to the rural areas and we're very excited

I've always felt a little bit out of place in some of the larger churches. I am We raise our boys on a cattle ranch and we we love the rural areas for many reasons

I'm gonna share a little more that during our sermon discussion. I was I do want to show you just a couple slides I'm here to preach.

That's what preaching is what God builds a church upon his word So that's what

I'm here to do But I want to show you just a few slides of where we're going a lot of people are asking What's this crazy guy doing? This is the first one this this is our field right there

If you see that line down in the middle of that that's the Oregon, Idaho border right in the middle that circle and see how it kind of t -bones into Nevada down there that is our field

There is not one incorporated city on that field meaning There's no councils or mayors or cities the cities are maybe 50 if less than that But there's a whole lot of people out there that don't know the

Lord Jesus Christ and there are no churches I drove through your town and coming in across the states and there's churches everywhere

There are no churches here. Next slide. This is what's here there is a thousand cows per person on our field and But that guy in that horse is who we're after We want to share the gospel with him and reach this reach these men and women that are out there they raise

America's food and they're hated by America now because their cows create methane gas or something crazy like that and They are very private.

They're very hard -working very self -sufficient and They don't need a

God a lot of times and so our job is to go and take the gospel to them.

Next slide This is me on top of a hill this is a few months ago Jordan Valley one of our little churches are it will be there that kind of gives you an idea of the vastness of where we're going

We go to these places because no one will go people graduate from seminary and they don't think well

Let's go out to the middle of nowhere where there's no money. No people and no buildings So that's where we're going

Because we we do enjoy that areas. We have a mission's heart. We've always been missionaries from the beginning and Lord is returning us to the field the next slide

This is one of our little churches. These churches were built in the early 1900s They have had everybody you could imagine through them and every one of them have crashed

This little church has a few people in it the people way in the background There are some retired missionaries with American missionary fellowship

They have been maintaining this for a little while until we could get there, but this is high desert

Bible Church You can pray for that church. It's in Jordan Valley, Oregon I will be preaching there in the next couple weeks and starting starting up that ministry

It's very very rural and very few people the next church Like many days in the old you circuit pastor in this area so I do 930 at high desert and then

I hop on my truck And I drive 45 minutes out to the middle of nowhere to this little building

This is called a rock Bible Chapel, this is another gathering. There's really nothing there

There is a school to the left of that. This used to be an old school building They moved it to two -room school building has no plumbing in it.

There's an outhouse out back And then there's a post office. That's all that's here. But we have about 20 people who come faithfully.

They're all ranchers and farmers and This is a rock church next slide

After that, I make another long run about an hour and 45 minutes to Roswell Baptist Church They have been without a pastor for three years

I currently Working on getting an intern in there for a little bit till I can get there and train some men and try it

So that's a six o 'clock. So it's a circuit riding Ministry you go from church to church and then during the week.

I will I will Head back and just do discipling and a tremendous amount of work to do in these areas next slide

This is what they do for play. This is what they do for work This is what they do for play you I think one of the reasons allows me to get in there is

We understand their livelihood. We know who they are The they will hold their cards very close to themselves

They like to look at your cards, but they will not show you there. So you need to know them I started ministry years ago planning my first church really just saddle to saddle to these guys and Being there where I could share the gospel when

God opened the doors next slide This is the this is a little the school in a rock now three of those kids graduated went on to high school that this

Isn't not the newest picture. There are eight children there. There's two teachers and a principal It's amazing they do school for this

That's what's out. That's every one every one of those children come to our church and my wife is able to teach them the scriptures and teach them

Bible stories Christ centered stories of the scriptures and So when we do something we get the entire town so you imagine doing

Sunday school or VBS You got all of Jonesboro to come we can do that. It may be only eight kids, but we get them all next slide

You'll get a kick out there so several things here I want to point out again, you can ask questions during sermon discussion. You can catch up with this

You'll notice the top the phrase is something I've said for many many years people who've heard me and know this phrase love

Christ Love his word love his people That has been The theme of our ministry for almost 40 years now is love

Christ You'll you can think through this if you love Christ, there's a lot of people say oh, I love Jesus I love

Jesus, but they really don't because they don't love his word and they say well He has to accept me for who

I am and love his love and all that nonsense that's going on out there So they may love Jesus, but I don't love his word

And then there's people who really love the word But but it's all about their knowledge and so forth and they don't see

Christ as the center of the scriptures And then probably the hardest one is to love his people

Do you love one another? We're hard to love aren't we? In large churches,

I would remember standing there and having people on this side who I knew did not like those people We couldn't get them to reconcile

See all three are a lifetime pursuit. Love Christ. Love his word.

Love his people Now, I know it's driving you crazy that flat -rabbit ministry there Now you folks

I think are a little more country than a lot of places that I've been teaching at They many will pay a couple come up and they'll say is that is that a breed?

And I said no, that's a run -over rabbit For many years.

I would always tell them about my ministries in the rural the rural parts of America And I would say there's nothing out there, but sagebrush and flat rabbits

And so somebody caught that and said Scott you've got to start a blog So that is actually my blog that goes out on Tuesdays every

Tuesday I either do a video blog or I write to encourage people and you can get that by getting on our

Our mailing list I think over on that stand there are prayer cards that last picture, please

This is my wife and I and then it's got all our information on the back And I we'd love to get you on our newsletter.

I think you'll enjoy that It's it's a four minute if it's a video or it's a short just encouragement in the

Word of God that goes out every Tuesday So feel free to sign up on that and you will get that. Well, we'll talk more about that ministry during the sermon discussion

So this morning I want to preach I want to get you into God's Word because that's what changes your life Not Scott Munez, you know, not any other pastors

Not that we we have no power to save anybody people said, you know, how many people you save? That's it. I've saved none of them

You can nail me on a thousand crosses and nobody would get saved God saves and so his word is what we want to turn to so if you'll do me a favor

Would you stand with me and turn to first Thessalonians chapter 1? first Thessalonians chapter 1

Verses 1 through 10. We will look at this passage this morning And I want to reflect from a mission standpoint of view

But I also want to reflect and I think if you've been around here a while You will see much of what we're talking about in this text that's happened here

Because God is perfect and all that he does so he doesn't have to amend things. He does not have an amendment plan

His word is sufficient. It doesn't need to change and so when churches are planet right missions is done, right?

There's a repetition we see and you're gonna see it in a Thessalonica church So let's read these first 10 verses together and then we'll pray and we'll get into the text

First Thessalonians 1 1 through 10 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the

Thessalonians in God the father and the Lord Jesus Christ grace to you and peace

We give thanks to God always for all of you making mention of you in our prayers

Constantly bearing in mind your work of faith your labor of love your steadfastness of hope in our

Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father knowing Brethren beloved by God his choice of you

For our gospel did not come to you in word only but also in power and the Holy Spirit with full conviction

Just as you know, what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake You also became imitators of us and of the

Lord Having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia The word of the

Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia But also in every place your faith towards God has gone forth

So that we have no need to say anything But they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had with you and how'd you turn to God from idols to serve?

A living and true God and to wait for his son from heaven Whom he raised from the dead

That is Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come this is the reading of God's Word you may be seated

Will you pray with me as we ask the Lord to show us his truth? Father, thank you for this time.

I'm My heart feels so full Lord. It feels like it's gonna burst As I have watched from a distance you do a great work and here at Jonesboro Lord you've gathered your church

You promised to do that You said that the gates of hell would not stop it and you have proven that yet once again here

You have collected some souls from every walk of life From all kinds of backgrounds and you have claimed them as your own and you have put them into one

Local body called twelve five and you have called them your bride and here they are Lord and I sit in awe of what you've done

And I thank you Lord, and I know this church these these members here give you praise

Lord So many have already told me even last night and today that they were so grateful For what you've done

Lord, and so we give you praise Lord, we all know this is built upon your truth your truth sets us free

And so we go to your truth time and time and time again in this morning Lord as we look into the word

We pray that that truth will jump off the parade page of the scriptures and grab us Lord Please don't let us be the same as we came in change us more into the image of your son

Lord Please do not leave us the same Lord We know we need to progress in our likeness of you

It's where our joy comes for me where our strength comes from when we have trials and temptations is when we're being conformed into your image

And so Lord, I pray that you would conform me you would conform these dear brothers and sisters

Lord As we as we plow through your word mining that truth

Lord Would you enrich our hearts and our minds to be better and deeper worshipers of you

We pray this all in the Lord Jesus name our Savior. Amen Well Thessalonica was a very special church

And I reason I picked this is because I I thought often of you guys I I have you've been on my heart many many times

I've spent a lot of time on the phone with Nathan and just encouraging him and answering questions

But Thessalonica was a very very special place It was very special to Paul.

In fact, it's one of the few letters that's in Philippi Which would which would be part of his second missionary journey.

We'll look at that a minute that did not have tons of problems It was not like Corinth Even Ephesus Paul had to send

Timothy back there. These churches were somewhat Examples of the hard work of Paul and what he wanted to see done.

And so when you read Thessalonians, it isn't it isn't a book full of rebuke like Corinthians It is it's a remarkable praise of what

God has done And I hope this morning that you will see a little bit of what God's doing in you and you'll give praise to him

Now Paul had how many missionary journeys do everybody remember? Three, thank you. I'm glad somebody has studied their early church history.

There are three missionary journeys The first one is amazing. You should read through it. It it's mind -blowing

You know, he goes and he plants churches and he's preaching the gospel He's moving from synagogue and he's getting beat up and stoned and left for dead and then he gets into the end of the track

And he goes, let's go back Turns around goes right back through those places in order to encourage the

Saints But then he reports if you turn with me to Acts 14 He decides to go back to report to Antioch what had taken place and this was a very important Providential meaning that God wanted

Paul and Barnabas to go back to report what was going on He has now been through just recently in chapter 14

He's he's been stoned and left for dead and then he turns around goes back through he's constantly plagued

The Jews are sending mobs after him plotting his death trying to kill him chasing him from one town to town

But when he gets back to give his report, I want you to remember this Never in the report.

Does he report what they did to him? He reports what God was doing in those cities

It is amazing. I read this and I go Lord. I think I would failed already because I would go Lord They're so mean to me

He doesn't look at it that way and I think this is the heart of a believer who has been captured by the glory of Christ you you get to the point where the hurts and the

Frustrations are pale in comparison to what God has done Then you become a worshiper

Not a complainer not a taker see so many Christians right now and maybe maybe maybe that's probably better not

Christians But but I think somewhere we're so we're so needy, right? I need I need I need I need more, you know

I can't come to a church It doesn't have full blown this and that and this and all these things and and entertain me and entertain me

That's the American Church, isn't it today? See I think the church that God honors and exalts and uses in his

Divine plan our churches that are full of worshippers and when they come together

Even though life is difficult and we could go around this room and I'm sure you could tell me Scott This is going on my life. Will you pray for me?

And I and I want to pray for you But when you come in here you go Oh Lord You are so glorious and when the word is preached and the songs of truth are saying you forget those things because God is everything to you in that moment and That's that's what we need to live on on Monday school.

I had old pastor used to tell me well That sounds good on Sunday school, but what about Monday school? Right, that's when things when the rubber meets the road and it's hard and trying to pay bills and there's there's relationship issues

And there's children raising and all those things is the worship that's done here today Gonna propel you through Monday school

So that means it's made it down the long highway. The longest highway in the world is from your mind to your heart

And you become worshippers That's what Paul was about and that's why he doesn't complain you notice in verse chapter 14 verse 40 26 of Acts they sailed and From it.

They settled to Antioch. They're returning. Let's go back He said let's there was a point these elders and let's return in verse 23

But we're we sail back and let us let us tell them what the grace of God has done.

What's been accomplished? See this missionary report. I hope I can come back in a couple years And I'm sure

Nathan and Jeremiah and Keith will let me come back and I can't wait to come back and say can I tell? You what God has done?

Yeah, there's been some hard things going on. I I know I've been doing this a long time I have hard things coming at me

But I can't wait to come back and tell you and so this is the first missionary report ever given in the church

You notice he comes back in verse 27 They were gathered they had arrived and gathered the church together because what who else would you tell this to you gather the church together?

they began to report all the things that God had done with them and how he'd opened the door of faith to the

Gentiles not a stitch of complaining there Nothing about the stoning nothing about the abuse that happened to him

He was telling them that God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles and they spent a long time with the disciples

I love that. It's been a long time together. Oh, you know Scott. Come on.

I gotta go Oh, no, no is the things of God is the things that God is doing around the word world

Is it worth you giving time to? Worth you wanting to know to invest in missions around the world invest in the church that's going on They spent a long time together

But opposition is always there and the worst opposition and many of you know, this is not in the world

It's in the church look at chapter 15. Some men came down from Judea at Judea and began

Teaching the brethren unless you are circumcised according to the customs of Moses you can now Now there's this

Christ blessings and without going in a ton of detail to hurry along here in this introduction And there's

Paul engaged constantly with well, that's good You can believe in your Jesus, but you better do this and you better do that Your dear pastor

Jeremiah takes us on a lot doesn't he and a lot of his defense of the gospel

Always something else Jesus just isn't good enough. No, they've never would say that there's always something that must be added and in in this is not the new what

Jeremiah engages with and as a Apology a ministry is is nothing new. This is what happens.

It's a constant attack. Jesus isn't enough his finished work really isn't finished You must do something and so this attack comes

In verse 2 and Paul and Barnas had great dissension and debate with them, man

These men are passionate about Christ finished work. I hope you are. I hope it bothers you when someone says well, yeah, that's good

You've been saved, but you better get this this and this checked off. Oh my goodness It's a robbing of God's glory as though Christ's work isn't good enough

And there's great dissension that comes there's great debate and I think the Lord for Jeremiah is willing to take this on Then the brethren's determined that Paul and Barnabas and some of the others should go up to Jerusalem Let's go right to where the

Apostles are Remember this time Jerusalem is the headquarters the Apostles there Peter James others are there

And so this debate makes it itself all the way there You can see that There was some verse 5 the sex of the sect of the

Pharisees who had believed Now that's interesting stood up saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the law of Moses now

There's a debate over this verse whether they were concerned With Jews, they wanted to reach

Jews and they they knew that that could be a stumbling block But there was no one better of preaching the law and pointing people to Christ than Paul so we knew that they were misguided here and Apostles and the elders in verse 6 came together and took up this matter and then

Peter stood up and I'll just give you the Paraphrase here. I love this now. They're in Jerusalem these these brothers that are dissenting to this

Christ alone Theology now Peter stands up because let me let me add a thought here because I'm very acquainted with this

And he takes them back to Acts 10 when God calls him to go to Cornelius You remember that and remember he has a dream and a vision and all these unclean animals coming down And he and he boasts of his pride and says my lips have never touched this, you know

And G and and there the God tells him you eat that and he's teaching

I hear there's nothing you can be added to and so here he stands up and he and he's teaching

He says look I I myself by the by my mouth to solve the Gentiles hear the gospel and believe and he's reminded them

We cannot add anything to this. I was overseas in the

Philippines not long ago and I asked my dear friend Nilo I said what happened to all those churches when

I was raised where I would see Pictures of these natives wearing white shirts and ties and all these pictures of hundreds of people and they said all these people come to faith

Where are those churches and where are all those people? He said Scott. They're mostly gone

They taught them white shirts and ties. They taught them American Christianity and They muffled the gospel

Many of them have fallen to the false cults and those churches no longer have preaching Christ. They're just not here

It's so easy to come along and want people to be like us We have some kind of dress code some kind of attitude some some kind of Something that's not of God that we want people to adjust to and in the apostles were afraid they did not want this to happen

They did not want the glory of Christ veiled in some kind of manner that would that would veil him from his truth

Peter goes into a great defense verse 13 James jumps in this thing James gets involved in this and he these men are part of the inner circle.

They knew that this was dangerous And so the debate raged on and finally they came down to a few things abstain from idols things

Contaminated by idols and fornication and strangled by the blood verse 20. These are the things they land on I think they're good right?

Those are very pagan things now. Listen brothers and sisters There are some things when we come to Christ that we probably shouldn't be engaged with they would be

They would be difficult for people to see your love for Christ. These were pagan rituals

Pagan rituals they even in this day this first century they would cut themselves and strangle animals to try to please their gods and and and The apostles say look if you love

Christ, don't veil him by doing things that are contrary to the Word of God and so all this is done and lengthy messages are preached in verse 32

The church is gathered together and they come to this conclusion and they decide that they need to send out

More men start a second missionary journey verse 6 36 of 15 says after some days

Paul and Barnabas Said let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaim the

Word of the Lord and see how they are I wrote in my Bible what they tried to kill us quote

Maybe that came from Barnabas. I don't know That's not inspired. That's me Let's go back

Let's go back and see how they're doing and and then a little debate came out and Barnabas says well, let's take

John Mark. Oh That was a problem John Mark Bailed on them

Now if you're gonna run with the Apostle Paul It is no fear. We are going right into the fire

That's the kind of guy he was now. I think he was kind and loving but it was there was no left There was no right.

We were going straight at this thing and John Mark bailed on them Barnabas was a different brother.

He's called the son of encouragement, right? Barnabas is a very special man. He goes. Well, I'll take him.

I'll take Barnabas And so after this sharp disagreement in verse 39 the two split not it's not interesting that God would allow that to happen

You know, we always say unity unity, but sometimes there must be a division to prove

Who God's servants are and and and then he also uses division to spread us out sometimes

Now we should resolve those things and should be find Contentment in Christ, but here now he breaks forces and to tell you truth

We have very little ever recorded in extra biblical material what Barnabas and John Mark did

But here's what we do know in Paul's last inspired letter. He says bring John Mark to me.

He is useful to the ministry Reconciliation happened John became bold and Paul said bring him to me even

There towards his last time of life Chapter 16 they take off remember second missionary journey

And Paul came to Derby and Lystra and there he found Timothy and Timothy was his faithful man He was born of a

Jewish woman. His father was Greek And so they spoke to him and they they want him to come along with him

I think it's a fascinating when we look for leadership. We look for faithful men Notice this in verse 2.

He was well spoken of by the brethren He's well spoken of Not because oh, he's just a great guy, you know, he'll do anything for you

No The idea is he is well spoken of because he stood for the faith and Paul Recognized that and Paul was always gathering men who were unashamed of the gospel

He wanted to take him So Timothy is brought along and because his father was a

Gentile because he was the head of the home He was not circumcised and so Paul hasn't circumcised you go. Wait a minute

I thought I thought you don't worry about those stumbling blocks. No There's certain aspect that Paul understood

I care so deeply about the gospel I do not want to offend we will take steps necessary So we won't offend have you ever had to die to something so you could share the truth with somebody

Sometimes you gotta let something go You're gonna say God. I'm gonna let this go because I think it could obscure The gospel in itself.

It's not sinful But God may burden you and I want you to think about this today What's something in your life that you want to let go in order for God to shine through you in a greater way?

Sometimes you do that and I think Timothy was willing to do this is a grown man and you adults here can think through this

Okay, Paul Let's do that This was challenging.

So I I mean, I think about Timothy going Wow What a brother who would say I will put myself through this surgical procedure

And all the suffering of healing that comes with that in order that I would not offend so I can give the gospel out

I think it's pretty amazing. This was type of men Paul was looking for and off they went They head back into the cities

They had preached before passing through many places there and as they passed they came in verse 6 to Phageon in Galatia Region and here this is where Paul thought he was gonna go.

This is such an interesting passage of scripture So if I had a map, but I don't he was working through the lower region of Asia, which would be a southern

Galatia Paul wanted to go to Bithynia in the northern Asia. He wanted to go there, but the verse says the

Spirit wouldn't let him go You're not going Paul and and over the many passages you can count three times

He asked the Lord if he could go to northern Asia and every time the Lord said no, I Don't want you going.

I Relate with it. Sometimes there's been things in my ministry that I've wanted to do I want it more time here or there and even recently and in the

Lord has shut the door to that and And when he shut the door, he always opened up something was so unexpected

I think that's what happens to Paul and you'll notice as he goes He wants to go to Miza and Bithynia and verse 7

But the but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit him and so he comes to Troas and in Troas verse 9

God's gives him this vision of a man in Macedonia now My here's my thoughts

I don't think it was an actually person person because we actually don't know who this is if it was I Think it was

God Showing Paul that I know what you want to do, but I have a goal of saving people here and God redirects

Paul from going to northern Asia to the northern Galatia area and remember He's gonna deal with that area in first Peter chapter 1 verse 1

If Peter writes to the church that was dispersed and he lists these names So God was still concerned with northern

Galatian He later sends to the church gets sent there out of persecution, but instead he sends him to Troas And you know what happens here here he has his vision and he sets sail for Troas and guess where he ends up in Philippi And he heads down to the river looking for someone to pray with someone to reach

Doubtlessly there must not been a synagogue there and he finds Lydia and Lydia says in verse 14 that it was a woman

Lydia who was of the city of Thyatira a seller of purple fabrics notice this a

Worshipper of God was listening in the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul She's a worshipper of God and unsaved

Isn't that amazing? There's why I love preaching to Catholics and people who maybe have some view of God there's a lot of people think there's a

God and believe there's a Jesus and even have him on a cross hanging around their neck and They're not saying and so Paul preached the gospel here and Lydia Lydia comes into the

Lord and her whole house is identified in Christ right this so there's the beginning of the birth of the church and wow, this is exciting and Then the trouble comes here comes a demon -possessed girl who these men are using to make money off and she's proclaiming the greatness of God and the greatness of Paul and and Silas and Timothy and all this and you know the story

Paul's had enough with it He's no way demons are are in any way involved with the glory of God and so he rebukes the demon and the demon comes out you remember that and they're ticked off and So they go to the council and they drag them into the marketplace and they bring the authorities out

They never mentioned what he did verse 20. They say these men are throwing our city into confusion

Being Jews are proclaiming customs, which are not lawful for us to accept to observe being

Romans they change the whole message and Then they end up in prison You can imagine now we have the birth of the church in Philippi Lydia and her family have come in and yet we're in prison.

Things are not going like we should And the crowds and the magistrates are come before them.

They tear their robes are angry They strike them with blows in verse 23 They fasten their feet with stocks and throw them into an inner prison and there they are this

Second missionary journey is not going well. I wanted to go to northern Asia Lord said no

They end up here good things start to happen Lydia and her family get saved and now we're in prison. So, how does he respond?

verse 25 they They were praying and singing singing hymns. I mean put yourself in that shoes for just a moment

You had something else you wanted to do and God said no, I want you to go do this and You end up in prison beaten ten inch of your life

And you know, you're going before the judges and you know, the whole town hates you right now

There's not a fair trial gonna happen here instead of complaining and moaning. What is

Paul and Silas do? They're praying and singing hymns in such a way that all the prisoners were listening

Do you suffer well, I Always tell Gina when I'm sick, it's over. I'm dying

You know wives, you know this wives with wives. They raise children birth children nurse children, you know us husbands

We have a cold. We're like dad, you know, it's over Start taking the whole we just don't suffer.

Well, do we? We don't like suffering Well God, I did this I took this step.

I've gone to church every week I've done these things for you. And why am I going through this? We throw out what we believe on Sunday on Monday Don't we we're taught that God is sovereign and his providential will cannot be thwarted and then we suffer and we and we wonder what

God's Doing and we question him and all our joy is lost Not our salvation but our joy

And yet these men were different weren't they? these were missionaries and they saying and God heard them and was glorified and he shook the the whole earth a great earthquake come

Foundations of prison were shaken and the doors were wide open the chains fall off them and the jailer said it's over in verse 27

Because of a Roman soldier loses their prisoner they will die And so he pulls out his sword and over to kill himself and Paul says don't do that don't harm yourself.

We're all here. I Don't know how because the Bible doesn't tell us how he got the rest of the prisoners not to run off But I believe it's something in the message that they were singing

Some God had used the truth and that that testimony of singing in worship to capture those men

And they were so stunned by what these men were doing. They would not leave him That's what happens when you love the

Lord Jesus You'll suffer and people will say I don't get it. Why don't you shake your fist at God?

So the world doesn't understand this kind of worship These men came and and look at this man says in verse 30 sirs.

What must I do to be saved? I tell people this You worship the Lord with your life and with your mouth

People will come give their own altar calls This is probably a country of altar calls in this area

Maybe you've raised with 47 verses of just if I am and have I in a way and those type of things

You preach Christ You preach his glory They'll give their own altar call

God will call them so hard He'll arrest their hearts and minds and they'll come say I don't know who you are or where you go

But can I go with you? I Promise you that'll happen. I've had that happen many times in my life

That's how my ministry started my mentor my first minute 40 years ago was such a godly man

I did not have a father like him. I called him up on the phone one day. I knew God was calling me ministry I called him

I said, I don't know where you go or what you do. Can I go with you? He said I'll pick you up at Sunday on 6 o 'clock in the morning

He drove me out into a little country church where he was playing the church. That's how my ministry started Because he was so captured with a person of Christ.

I want to be with him live for Jesus and He'll do miracles

Well, you know what happens here the Philippian jail But God saves and rest his heart and his whole family is identified into Christ.

And now you have the Philippi Church made up of a God worshiper who gets saved a jailer who was had had the arrest warrant of Paul and Silas and now you have the

Philip the Philippian Church now started it's an amazing and Paul wanted to go here and God said no go here

Well, it doesn't it doesn't end with that. You'll Know that Paul Paul was a sharp and shrewd debater as well

So he gets in front of the Romans and said you beat me. I'm a Roman citizen You're wrong and they're going like, okay.

Sorry go just get out of here Paul makes his way over to Thessalonica from there verse chapter 17 and when they'd heard when they had traveled through and philippas and Apollyona, I have a hard time with those words.

Those are two cities in between Philippi and Thessalonica They came to Thessalonica and there he went in the synagogues to preach to the

Jews and according to Paul's custom He went to them for three Sabbaths reasoning with them through the scriptures and you go

Paul Every time you go there bad things happen. These people don't like Christ And he does it this is his custom.

He goes right to the people where he was from. He wants them to understand Christ is the center of scriptures.

He's the first what we've called biblical theology teacher Biblical theology is looking at all of the scriptures and seeing

Christ as a centerpiece all the way through So we don't teach David and Goliath and Daniel and those things as great men.

Oh dare to be a Daniel Oh David had these great five stones and killed the giant No Christ is there

David can't die because the seed of Christ is in him and David had Strengthened and he knew that God was with him because the seed was in him

The Messiah had to come through him. There's no way you're gonna kill David that day So this is what Paul would preach.

He would preach Christ through the Old Testament And some were converted you would see in this passage, but others others look at verse 5 became jealous

Taking some of the wicked men from the marketplace and forming mobs and setting the city in a roar Attack the house of Jason and they were seeking to bring them out to the people

And when they did not find Paul them in Silas They began dragging Jason and some of the brethren now the church of Thessalonica is now getting pulled into this

Persecution before the city authorities shouting these men have upset the world and have come here.

Also I hope 12 5 upsets the world

With a message of Jesus Christ. I Don't necessarily praying for you to go to jail You might though you guys are preaching on the role of the family that's not gonna go over well

That'll get the attention of a lot of people controlled by Satan But I pray

God uses you to accept the whole world and joins with the rest of us now That's the birth of the

Thessalonica Church. Now. That was my introduction. I only have six points left I'm kidding you go to first Thessalonians.

We're gonna look at this real quick I wanted to go through that because I love mission work and I love studying

Paul's missionary journeys I want to learn from him. I want to know what he did I want to know how God Directed him from city to city how he how he was

Unashamed of the gospel and see how he lived that out. And so I studied those missionary journeys and in it we have this

Thessalonian Church and then we have a letter now I want you to think about this after they beat up Jason in the church there

Paul escapes and he goes down to Berea And there remember he found the Bereans. What are the

Bereans known for? They searched the words themselves to see if it was true

So Paul goes there but they they followed him there and persecuted there Then he goes down to Athens and guess where he ends up on Mars Hill chapter 17, right?

And he's debating the pagans of the world and all their idols Proclaiming Christ and then he goes across Across the

Algean Sea that comes up there He goes across he lands in Corinth and he can't stand it And so he writes the first letter back to first the

Thessalonians. He loved this church. This was a special church And so this is what we'll see

Let's make some observations and some connections to 12 five and really serving the Lord here

Paul and Sabanius and Timothy three men Sound familiar

Now he doesn't do this in all places But right now at this church Paul Sabanius and Timothy were the men that God used to start the

Thessalonican Church Paul believed in plurality. He believed in sharing the ministry with godly called men to preach the gospel

Notice it's to the church of the Thessalonians But notice this church is just not some standalone church

It's just those bunch of people in Thessalonica in God the father. There's a preposition there. So that means that's their position

This was the father's will to start this church. He brought it up for him He brought it about in extreme circumstances beatings and and people

When I read chapter 17, I thought why didn't they just give up? Paul left this church did not give up even though some of their leaders were drug out and beaten and the church was threatened

This church did not give up because they were planted in God the father and the

Lord Jesus Christ They knew where their roots were and they were grounded in the Trinity, right?

We'll get into the spirit here in a minute He says grace to you and peace Paul uses the word grace to you a hundred times in the scriptures

Carissa grace undeserved Unmerited favor by God which produces peace.

He doesn't use the word Shalom He uses he uses a rhema this this word that only peace that can only come from God that passes all understanding

That's the word he uses there to remind them of what they received. Have you received that? Do you have the grace and peace of God if you're if you don't you know it here?

Because everything I'm preaching on here. You're going. I don't have that. I don't have that. I don't have that. I Hope you have it.

I know it's a battle Christian life is a fight That's why we have armor and all this stuff, but I I hope you're here going

Lord I want that type of zeal for the Lord Now notice he says we think we give thanks to God always for all of you making mention in your prayers

Now acts is known for the we passages, but Paul always uses plural pronouns. Yes pronouns are very important masculine and female but Here's a pronoun that speaks of these men

So what did the Apostle do he does not not teach him theology. He taught them to pray

Does twelve five pray are you a praying church?

Are you a praying family notice Paul says we give thanks to God always for all of you

We Timothy Silas the leaders are praying for you, and I know these leaders. I know these three men

I know they're begging God beseeching you bringing your prayers and petitions and requests before God as your as Their serve as they serve you as God's under shepherds, and I think that's important We teach our leaders to pray hey you want to go further in ministry say come on I think

God's calling me in ministry if you don't pray you're not going anywhere Because what that says is

I do not depend on God I depend on my own strength Prayer is when a man in the leadership says

God. I don't have what it takes. I'm empty -handed I do not have the strengths.

I I can't do this on my own I Told the Lord so many time in my early years.

I said God you got the wrong guy I I'm not the guy I was dyslexic.

I couldn't read a passage. I'd read I can flip word to this day I can still flip words around very quickly.

I said Lord you got the wrong guy I'm not just a dumb cowboy get all these other people have into school. I didn't go to seminary choice 40, but I did pray

I was overwhelmed with the person of Jesus, and I wanted to talk to him every day Pray this is what leaders do they pray they make mention it is to say oh

Lord just help these people I can't remember their names. Oh No, good pastors know your names and everyone that walked in here

I was standing next to Jeremiah and Keith and they were just going here. This is so -and -so this is so -and -so this is so they know They're your shepherds

They pray for you see this is a mark of a healthy Church I'm showing you the mark of healthy Church here what what

God's doing here for sake of time look at verse 3 Constantly bearing in mind your work of faith your labor of love your steadfastness of hope in the

Lord Jesus Christ In the presence of our God and Father now. This is a full mouth isn't it though? Let me tell you three things he picks out about this church

They have faith that works They didn't know you hear the way did that they have faith that works.

There's a lot of people that have faith that don't work Nothing comes from it. I believe in Jesus.

Are you in a good Bible teaching church? Well? You know it's a bunch of hypocrites there Do you give to missions in the local church and so forth

I know you know if God wants to do that. He'll supply Do you serve in any way?

Do you welcome? Do you help with meals? Do you call in the sick? You pray for others well, that's the that's the job of the elders

See do you have a faith that works? Where God has so captured your heart you think about him, and you think about one another you care about what his plan is

And you want to be a part of it, and you'll serve till God shows you exactly what he has I? Tell young men all the time they come on Scott.

I believe God's called me to preach I said well, I think you should start with children Well Scott, you don't know

I got an MDIV from this this this this great seminary Yeah, but if you can't teach children the truth of the gospel you're never gonna reach the adults.

How about cleaning the bathrooms? How about calling on the sick? Want to go to teach a

Bible study in a retirement home where they can't leave and come See is your does your faith work now works don't produce faith right?

That's just that's heresy, right? But James says that that it faith has to have deeds it it just can't be this great work of Christ Just can't produce nothing right you can't say.

Oh, I believe in the finished work of Jesus, and I got nothing What a mockery of the finished work of Christ Christ finished work produces things in this that we could never do on our own

If you would ask me when I was some of the ages of some of you among young men that I'd be doing this 40 Years later. I go you are full of it

I I can I can shoot a basket and hit a baseball over the fence, but I can't there's no way

I'm doing this and then Lord Called me to ministry And he started to produce things in my life that I had no ability on my own

As I fell in deeper and deeper in love with him. That's where it comes, and there's a faith that works

There's a faith that works brothers and sisters. It's a faith that doesn't stand still. It's planted. It's rooted

It's growing It's its roots are going deep into the soil of the Word of God and the glory of Christ And there's something that comes for it.

There's fruit that that comes from that. Oh, are you a fruitful Christian? Think some Christians have a dried -up apple from last year's harvest hanging on them.

Well. You know I gave five dollars What do you want from me? Christ died for you.

Are you willing to die for him? You know the great message of Jesus in Luke chapter 9 was take up your cross

Daily Wait a minute wait Lord. Let me get this right crosses are death.

They're not good luck charms hanging around your neck See it's dying to self see that that's a faith that works

Lord. What do you want me to die to it? Oh Lord's asked me a lot here the last few this last couple years. Um he's he's been pushing me and pulling me

I said oh Lord. I'm comfortable. I have a large ministry. I I got these guys. I'm helping these guys

Can we just do it this way no no I have something else for you Hard gotta die to yourself gonna let things go sometimes

Be willing to give it up all Gina and I just were reminded here lately We just said Lord as we prayed

Lord help us live with that open hand It's so easy to hold on to oh we finally got the house

So we finally got this or we're we're empty -nested we have grandchildren We have all this stuff and Lord just kind of peels your fingers back and says that's all mine

Live for me Do you live with an open hand? Or you hold not what is it?

What's in your life? You're holding on to see you have a faith that works. You're saying Lord, whatever Life is so short.

It's a drop in a pond. It is so short one bazillion gazillion years from now We're still gonna be alive with Christ, and we are worried because I didn't get to do my way

For 70 measly years or if you have strength maybe another 10 Oh Oh faith that works notice he has a love that labors

Love that labors See he says labor of love, but I but I think the idea is love that labor see love labors

Husbands and wife you know this when you're walking with the Lord your relationship is where it needs to be love

Labors for one another doesn't it and not in a labor like I hate doing this, but I'm gonna go do it anyway

No, God has called me to be a picture of Christ He laid down his life for her

So I lay down my life for her her the church always in a feminine position

Ecclesia always written in the feminine tense so Christ lays down his life for the church so the husband labors to lay down his life for her

How you doing with that Pretty good today. How about Monday school? See that's where the rubber meets the road labor in love

Give up so easy to come in those doors We all have a plan. I got to get coffee.

I got to get the kids settled in I got all these things to do But see moms and dads particularly dads as you're on the way plan of how you're gonna labor here

This is a brand new church this is a growing church every one of you are an active member of this and it does there's no way that Nathan Keith and Jeremiah can do all these things think about how you're going to labor when you get to church

See American Christianity is just the opposite right American Christianity all I'm coming in you give me my you take care of my children because I'm sick of them.

Anyway Give me music. I like and I'll sing if I like it I won't sing if I don't and Then we're gonna go to Cracker Barre and talk about how good the pastor was if he was good

We'll give him a thumbs up. If not, we'll wonder when he's leaving They're not laboring

Walk in that door on Sunday mornings. This is see this is why this church is really special Walk in that door and say

Lord. We want to labor for you labor for one another at home Labor for the gospel at your job

Brothers and sisters, whatever you go to work. I can't go there Nathan and Jeremiah and Keith can't go to your job.

You are the missionaries for Christ there go there and labor for Christ See have a labor of love

All driven by Christ. There was this hope of steadfastness. I switched it around. That's not my my dyslexia

I did that on purpose. It's a hope of steadfastness Your hope is steadfast you're not gonna push me off this truth.

God has captured my heart Christ is everything to me I don't care where you're coming from I'm gonna lovingly dispute you if I have to but I'm gonna speak the truth in love because my hope is in Nothing less than Jesus Christ and his righteousness.

I mean, that's it, right? That's the hope of steadfastness See this is why this church is so special so many of the churches he writes to Glacier you you know, what are you doing?

You're pursuing another gospel. If anyone pursues another gospel, let him be anathems who's bewitched you

Corinth. Well, you know, we're gonna sue one another People living with immoral relationships within the church participating in pagan festivals.

All this is going on Corinth was a disaster And Paul loved them, but it was difficult not this church

Look twelve five. It's got a great start God's doing great things here and I'm watching from a distance and I'm praising

Lord with you. But this is the model Pursue these things. This is beautiful I could live

I could stay here forever in the presence of our God and father and I think that just real I just want you to know he's watching.

That means he's here He's watching what you're doing here He's he's with you in his presence the

Holy Almighty Father that we sing about today. He's right here This is his people so so all of this issue labor and you and you give and you die to self and you in your hope and steadfast remember

He's with you Father never will leave you nor forsake you look at verse 4.

Oh this I Knowing brethren beloved by the Lord his choice of you Let me just wrap this that up real quickly

There are churches that have no idea of the lectorial love of God and they will struggle for infinite amount of time

They preach free will ism and the man -centeredness and all of that. Look at this. This is what unique about this church knowing

Look at that. I'm gonna in ASB 95 I don't know what you're reading, but I love that this verbs go.

I believe this verb should go out broad knowing That's the difference in a lot of churches.

They don't know it In fact, their their leaders are a lot of trouble because they've kept this from them that not this church knowing beloved brethren

Brethren beloved by God of his choice of you. So what does that tell you Paul was there one time?

He's writing from Corinth. Just a short time later. They already understood the doctrines of grace as a church plant and not even a beat -up church plant, right

They already Believed in the sovereign hand of God that God knew them from the foundations of the world

They knew they were a choice of God I mean, that's an amazing teaching and when I see this

I said Oh Lord Let this be the mark of baby churches and old churches and medium -aged churches Let this be the mark because that's what brings about worship once you understand the biblical

Understanding of the doctrines of grace the sovereign grace of God all the way from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22

Once you get there you become a worshiper All else is well, what have you done for me?

And I if I choose you what am I gonna get? That's not a worshiper. A Worshipper is one who says

I know I am beloved by God because he pressed his love upon me before the foundations of the world

That's a worshiper Well so much more could be said on that but verse 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only

No, we'll stop right there What was Paul and Silas and Timothy up against? Well, they're up against the

Greek philosophers of the day. Oh These guys could spin words, right? We see it all the time.

I I even see blogs and guys Preaching today. They never get to the text.

They're never in the Bible. They don't have their people in their text They're telling stories or they're philosophizing about theology and this and that they never get to the text and That's what's going on to this day

The philosophers the Plato's and Socrates and all that all the effects was on on the church and on society

And he says ours just didn't come in word only we were just up there mouthing things

But notice what it does come in but also on the power in the Holy Spirit with full conviction or assurance

Listen brothers and sisters When you preach the word you bring it what brings the preaching of what the word what comes with the preaching of the word is the holy?

Spirit think about what he did in your life. You were dead in your sins and he empowered your life

He breathed life into you according to Titus chapter 3 the power of the spirit to save dead people

You were lost and now you're found you were blind and now you see you know, you you were a

Family member of Satan and now taken from that and cleansed and redeemed and washed and made up full air

Of God equal and you're standing with the Lord Jesus Christ. Think about that. That's the power of the

Holy Spirit It's it's it overwhelms us when we think about his work in our life And we get amazed when we think through this and know us with full conviction

The word some of your translations might be assurance But might be a better translation there with full assurance because I didn't have anything to do with it

Let's tell people all the time if you think you saved yourself you better be scared and You have to believe in loss of salvation

It goes with the theology It is only to the point where you go God. I had nothing.

I Had nothing to offer you and you saved me despite myself Now you can have full assurance because you have nothing to do anytime you put your effort in there a staying

Sinful person putting something in the pot in order to get saved you are going to have doubts

Every person has ever walked in my office for 40 years with doubt all come back to that issue all comes back and Once they grasp that they had nothing to offer that they come only by the grace of God Through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

They're free of those doubts And though they still struggle, they don't struggle with loss of salvation And so we think about the power of the

Holy Spirit much can be said there But notice what it does to us just as you know What kind of men we prove to be among you for your sake it changes you

Paul says, you know You know who I was you know what happened on Acts chapter 9, you know

What I was about to do if God did not come and get me. I See he they knew who he was remember they're afraid of him until Barnabas comes along He says, you know, what kind of men we prove to be among you well, yeah, you came in and Paul we we saw you when you took your outer coat off and we saw the blood stains and in the marks on your head from when you were stoned and We saw that you really do

Died a self and you're willing to give your life up for the gospel. They they understood that and then verse 6

And this is this this kind of church 12 5 needs to pursue. You also became imitators of us and of the

Lord We say well Scott. Wait a minute. All right, you know, you want me to follow you? Well, Paul's walking with the

Lord in such a way. He goes look you follow me. I'm following him. We're going right there

If you see me go there don't follow me if you see me go there don't follow me if you see me go there follow me

The Greek word we get our English word to mimic from there be mimickers of Godly men who are leading you to Christ.

See that's why we we have mentors and Where we where we lead men and we disciple men that that's the idea

So I don't take disciples who are not mimicking Christ because where are they gonna lead them? Not to Christ So if you want to disciple somebody mimic

Christ follow him and notice that's what Paul says they do We were imitators were mimickers of of Christ Notice this having received having received the word in much tribulation with joy of the

Holy Spirit. This is what they went through. I Don't know how much tribulation you've gone through. I've The guys have shared a few things that have been hard in the in the beginning of the church plant and so forth

I know what was challenging but think about this Thessalonica Church They watched their people be beat in the streets in Thessalonica in that time

Remember in chapter 17 of Acts it said all of the city turned together history tells us there was about 70 ,000 people in Thessalonica at the time when they beat

Jason and some of the other brethren The Bible says that all of the city turned against them

So, I don't know what current Joe's Jonesburg's population is But can you imagine the entire city?

Turned against you and came in here grabbed Adam and drug him out in the parking lot and beat him up What do you got to do? Maybe somewhere going out the back door

Cuz you're next See, that's the mark of a church so compelled by Christ so gripped by Christ you can beat me you can kill me, but you cannot take my relationship with Jesus and They're willing to press on this is what kind of church this was they had the joy of the

Holy Spirit That motivates us every day verse 7 and you became examples to all the believers of Macedonia and Achaia You know, what's fun is

I'm gonna go from here I'm stopping in Missouri and North Dakota South Dakota and then into a

Boise to preach at a church and I will tell them about you It's a privilege it's not

I'm bragging on you I'm just love to go tell people I just came from a church plant and here's what

God's doing When you continue to walk with the Lord you allow the truth of that to go out and it resounds and this was an amazing

This is why this was such a great church This was a church that went forth notice verse 8 and I love this You're gonna love this for the

Word of the Lord has sounded forth from you. You know the word for sound it there It's the word we get for echo

We Get our English word echo there. Now if we were in a cave and I yelled hello and it came back.

Goodbye That would be really weird. I Mean we like I'm leaving

An echo returns exactly what was said, right? So here's what they did.

This is why Paul is praising this church and and I'm gonna wrap it up I promise I just get wound up about this stuff. Um He said whatever we said to you you said the same thing see that's that just get with me here

We are 2 ,000 years later preaching the exact same message echoing the same message of the gospel.

It hasn't changed We're sending it out just as we heard it. That's the mark of a healthy church.

We are not Diverging it in any way. We are not changing it. We're not adding to it. We're not taking away.

We're sending it out It's echoing exactly the way we received it. We're sending it out. That's why this was a very very

God honoring church Are you guys doing that? Are you a part of that? I think that's why you're here I think it's why you're at twelve five because you heard it

It was exactly what the Bible said and you came and said I can't go anywhere else. This is where I need to be

Verse into verse eight not only in Macedonia and Acacia But also in every place your faith has gone forth faith towards God has gone forth

So we have nothing to need to say about you. They would say what about that church in Thessalonica? Yeah What about them?

What about that church in Jonesboro called twelve five? Yeah What about them? I? Mean, that's that's what we want

That's what we want of biblical churches Christ's inner churches for it to go forth it and what sounding forth the repentance

They're changed for they themselves report to us about what kind of reception we had with you

How you turn to God from idols to serve a living and true God. Oh Let me tell you folks in in in Boise area

Let me tell you about a church that that many repented of their sins and turned to Christ That's a message.

It doesn't grow old does it? It's a beautiful message that the word there to turn from is our understanding of repentance

It means to change direction. They're going one way and now you go another way.

That's repentance And that's a mark of a church. They left the worldly things they surrendered even in suffering.

They were surrendered It's the mark of a true Church, and this is the church that also is waiting for the return of Jesus verse 10

Will end with this and to wait for his son to wait Now I know there's a lot of Christians that sit on their easy chair with their

TV clicker and say you know You're living for Jesus. I'm just here waiting for him to return That's not the word here

The root word is minnow means we find that word in John 15 that he says I abide in you

I abide in you remain in me and I abide in you. That's minnow. This is on a minnow a priest a prefix onto a

Greek Word strengthens it and so what it means here is to wait Listen this to wait with expectant confidence in the coming of Christ It's not just sitting around gone.

I'll just wait for Jesus return the whole world's going to hell in a handbasket Right I know I know quote

Christians like that No, no this group says we our whole life

Rest in the return of Christ What everything we have is about him

We're fully invested And we're in confidence in his word that he is going to return and we'll have our lips lit our wicks trimmed our lips

Full of oil we're waiting and doing the master's work until he comes That's the best like a church and brothers and sisters.

That's what you've come here and been a part of This isn't a church. It's gonna sit on their hands It's a church

That's gonna wait and serve and be ready for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ And he gives you lots of reasons and to identify what

Jesus is this what son this is it's a one Whom the father raised from the dead that's Jesus he came out of that grave.

He beat death. He beat sin He beat Satan he took them all on didn't he he wiped all that out And then he rescued us from the wrath to come

I tell people those all the time. Here's who Jesus is to me He took my deserved judgment and God judged him like he committed my sin

All the wrath of God that was deserved me fell upon him That's my

Jesus And now all I know is the love of the father And I am his son

Adopted into his family with full rights Because he took my wrath. I've been rescued brothers and sisters.

We all have family members loved ones neighbors co -workers Who at this present point if the

Lord returns are gonna fall under the wrath of God? They will put full he will put full judgment upon them and there will be no substitute for them

You and I have a substitute Let's share him Let's talk about him.

Let's praise him. Let's worship him. Let him be the center of this church these men these elders here

They are just galley rowers They're down in the bottom of the boat pulling on the oars as Christ calls out to row.

They're under shepherds He's a king He's the one we serve father, thank you for Timing your word.

I I thank you for a church. That is so attentive and I can tell they've been taught They're they're they're like this first century church, there's

Thessalonians They they're willing to to have faith that works. They're willing to have love that labors there

They have a steadfast hope that cannot be taken from them Lord I pray you would protect them, but but also

Lord allow them to run and Lord when they suffer and sufferings coming Lord I pray that you would protect them

But at the same time may it just increase their love for you that Jesus suffered for them They would be willing to suffer for him

Lord I pray for the marriages in here Lord if there's marriages that are hurting Lord They've been holding on to something

Lord I pray you'd turn and cause them to turn to you and be able to forgive as they've been forgiven and get help to Live for you.

I pray for families Lord families under attack Little children in this room the young people need to be pointed to Christ by dad and by mom

And I pray that their families would be an example to Jonesboro. I pray for this church

Lord I pray this church would would be a beacon for you Lord in a very dark place

Lord you put them downtown Lord you put Them you put them in some of the darkest parts of of Jonesboro with all the things that go on down here

I know a little of that Lord, but you chose them to be here Make them a bright light Lord.

I pray that every one of their homes their apartments the places where they reside Would be a unique place where your glory shines because of their love for your son your love for Their war your word and their love for your people

Lord use them greatly Lord all praise goes to you All praise goes to you Lord a 12 -5 be a church that exalts you in Jesus name

Thanks so much pastor Scott that that's encouraging Looking to Jesus Christ the author of the perfecter of our faith and as we do that As we do every

Sunday, we prepare our hearts to come to the Lord's table together I think there is a propensity sometimes to become cold

Ritualistic as we come to the table week in and week out and we want to guard against that Like pastor

Scott was pointing us to Christ this he's the reason he's the reason why we're here And this is what binds us all together and actually encourages us to come to the table in this great unity

I want to read a passage of scriptures to encourage our hearts in this The Apostle Paul says for I received from the

Lord But I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks

He broke and said this is my body which is for you do this in remembrance of me in the same way

He took the cup after the supper saying this is the cup of the New Covenant in my blood do this as Often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat of this bread and drink of the cup listen

Proclaim the Lord's death Until he comes So pastor

Scott was telling us we long for the return of our Lord and Savior. Amen And so as we're coming together to the table

We long for this right as day by day We think to all of what Christ has done for us what he is doing presently in our lives

And we look forward to sitting with him at the marriage supper of the Lamb So I don't want you to think about coming to the table as something cold and ritualistic

No, we're doing this in koinonia in fellowship one and with one another and in fellowship of the

Sovereign Triune God But Paul also gives us a warning.

He says not to partake in an unworthy manner. Let me continue this passage He says whoever therefore eats the bread and drinks of the cup of the

Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and the blood of the Lord let a person

Examine himself then and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning

Right looking inwardly looking if there's any unrepentant sin If you have something against one another without discerning the body this person eats and drinks judgment on himself

That is why many of you are weak and ill and some have even died. This is very important This is why we guard the table.

This is why we speak to you on individual basis We want to come alongside of you This means that you should not come to the table if you are not a baptized

Christian Seeking to be held accountable in church membership, or if you see this time as cold and ritualistic

This is not a time for you If you have a spirit of bitterness towards a brother or sister or there's any unrepentant sin in your heart that you know that you

Are hanging on to I don't want you to be discouraged by me saying please do not come to the table

I want you to reflect on these things and know that myself pastor Keith We'd love to come alongside you and make these things right and seek repentance seek after Reconciliation and so if you are a baptized believer resting in Jesus Christ Alone, then

I want to encourage you to freely come partake of the elements here in a moment If you're new to 12 five,

I just want to ask. Hey, buddy I Want to ask the back corner in this half if y 'all will kind of come to the back

And then come partake on this side and then come to down the aisle and you can partake at your seat

And then if you're on this side come around here, but that being said let's pray Heavenly Father.

Thank you so much for this morning where your word was was preached boldly God your truth going forward

I pray that we would not take these this time lightly God. This is the Lord's day Jesus You resurrected giving us new life

What I pray that we would come to the table in great unity with our brothers and sisters and with you