1 Thessalonians | A Healthy Church in Uncertain Times (1:5b-10 — Becoming Examples of Saving Grace)

1 Thessalonians 1:5-10

True saving grace produces an exemplary life, like that of the Apostles, characterized by deep joy, unhindered by affliction:

Ephesians 4:11-12; 2 Corinthians 4:7-11

1) Faithfully showing and sounding forth the good news of the gospel to any with whom they have influence.

“God intends every church to be like a sounding board, bouncing off the vibrations of the gospel, like a telecommunications satellite which first receives and then transmits a message. This is God’s simple plan for world evangelization. If every church had been faithful, the world would long ago have been evangelized.” — John Stott

2) Dramatically turning from the worship of dead idols to service of the living God.

“Idolatry bows and expires at Jesus’ name.” — Alan Tippett

And

3) Patiently and eagerly awaiting the return of the risen King Jesus and the final salvation He has promised.

Luke 12:35-40; Hebrews 10:24-25; 2 Timothy 4:8

“The master has given the managers of his affairs work to do while he is gone and he expects that when he returns he will find them faithfully doing what he gave them to do. This is a freeing teaching. It means that we are freed from the need to focus our attention on the signs of the times, even if we see them developing. It is good to be spiritually discerning of what is happening as the end draws near. But being sharp in our end-time foresight is not the main quality the master requires of his managers. When the master says, “Well done,” to his servant, this is not because the servant spotted the master on the horizon. It is because the servant has “been faithful” in the work he was given to do—right up to the end.” — John Piper