Paul's Glory and Joy in Thessalonica

TEXT: 1 Thes. 2

INTRODUCTION:

A. MAIN THOUGHT( vs. 1 & 20 ).

1. The church was a source of joy & glory.

2. His entering in was not in vain( vs. 1 & 13 ).

B. PAUL'S MODEL FOR SUCCESSFUL TEACHING...USED EVERYWHERE.

I. PAUL TAUGHT BOLDLY( vs. 2 ).

A. PREACHING HAD ITS PRICE( 2 Cor. 11:23-28 ).

B. PAUL PREACHED THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD( Acts 20:20, 26-27 ).

C. PAUL UNDERSTOOD THE NEED TO "STRIVE"

( Phil. 1:27; 2 Tim.1:13-14; Jude 3 ).

D. WE NEED COURAGE( Acts 5:29; Eph. 6:19-20 ).

II. PAUL'S MOTIVES WERE HONEST( vs. 3-6 ).

A. THE CHARACTER OF HIS EXHORTATION - "NOR IN GUILE"( vs. 3 ).

B. PAUL'S EFFORTS NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PLEASING MEN( vs. 4 ).

1. Pharisees were men pleasers( Mat. 23:5-7; 6:1-2 ).

2. But Paul's efforts seemed foolish to men( Acts 26:24 ).

3. But it is man that is foolish( 1 Cor. 1:20-25 ).

4. To please men is to fail at pleasing Christ( Gal. 1:10 ).

5. Paul was not a flatterer( vs. 5; 2 Cor. 7:2-4; Gal. 4:16 ).

C. PAUL DIDN'T PREACH FOR THE MONEY( vs. 5 ).

1. Wages a liberty( 1 Cor. 9:6 ).

2. his liberty was given up( vs. 11-12; Acts 18:1-4 ).

III. WHAT WERE THE MOTIVES OF PAUL? WHY DID HE ENDURE?

A. PAUL PREACHED TO PLEASE GOD( vs. 4 ).

1. It was God who called Paul( Eph. 3:6-9 ).

2. He knew God would reward him( 2 Tim. 4:6-8 ).

3. God will reward us( 1 Cor. 15:58 ).

B. PAUL PREACHED BECAUSE OF GREAT LOVE IN HIS HEART( vs. 7-9 ).

1. His love caused in him a spirit of gentleness( vs. 7 )as a nursing mother

( 2 Tim. 2:24 ), John( 1 John 2:1 ).

2. They were witness to this labor of love( vs. 8-9 )

a. 2 Cor. 4:7; 12:15.

b. Acts 20:31.

IV. PAUL KEPT HIS LIFE AS PURE AS HIS DOCTRINE( vs. 10 ).

A. WHAT WAS GOOD FOR THEM WAS GOOD FOR PAUL( 1 Cor.9:26-27 ).

B. POOR CONDUCT WILL RUIN OUR EFFORTS( Titus 2:7-8 ).

C. 1 Tim. 4:16.

V. PAUL WAS RESPONSIBLE AS A FATHER FOR THEIR

WELFARE( vs. 11 ).

A. FATHERS HAVE A GRAVE DUTY( Eph. 6:4; 1 Tim. 5:8 ).

B. SO DO TEACHERS( James 3:1; 2 Tim. 4:2 ).

VI. IN TEACHING, PAUL WORKED TOWARD AN END

( vs. 12: James 5:19-20 ).

VII. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS?( vs. 13-20 ).

A. THEY RECEIVED HIS TEACHINGS( vs. 13 ).

B. THEY BECAME FAITHFUL IMITATORS OF JUDEAN BROTHERS( vs. 14;

1 Cor. 11:1 ).

C. THEY WERE A SOURCE OF GLORY & JOY TO PAUL( vs. 20 ).

CONCLUSION: WON'T YOU ACCEPT THE TEACHING OF THE