Acts 17:1-9, Introduction (5)

VII.      Recipients of 1 Thessalonians, 1:1.  In our outline we referred to the Church of the Thessalonians as “the Model Church.”  To be honest we don’t know the details of any of the churches in which Paul ministered.  We just know how he spoke of them in his letters and in the case of this church he spoke very highly.  We might wonder, “how was such an effective church produced in just three weeks?”

·        What is an effective Church?

o   It is a church that had a proper relationship with Christ, 1 Thess. 1:1.  Jesus said, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him (Jn. 14:23).  Through the Son we have a fellowship with the Father unlike any fellowship since the world began, even in Eden when Adam and Eve walked and talked with God.  Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son … our joy is full (1 John 1:3-4).

o   It is a church that bears the potent marks of maturity, 1 Thess. 1:3.  The faith, hope and love Paul always considers when he writes to the churches was evident in full force at Thessalonica.  (More on this soon.)

o   It is a church that produces mature leaders.  Consider the men mentioned in the NT from this church.  There was Jason (Ac. 17:5-9; Rom. 16:21) who took abuse for Paul.  There was Secundus (Ac. 20:4), one of Paul’s companions on the third journey.  And there was Aristarchus (Ac. 20:4; 27:2) who was also on that third journey and who took abuse for Christ in Ephesus, and who was on board the ship in Paul’s adventurous voyage to Rome, becoming a fellow-prisoner with Paul (Col. 4:10), Paul’s fellow-worker (Phlm. 24; tradition says he was martyred in the time of Nero).

·        The negatives: misconceptions about what produces an effective church.

o   This church did not mature quickly because Thessalonica was an easy place to be a Christian.  This was a persecuted church (1 Thess. 2:14-16) facing stronger than usual Jewish opposition who were able to secure complicity from the city rulers (Ac. 17:8-9).  As “civitis extera” (Roman citizens outside of Rome, a high position in the empire) they made sure they maintained the peace.

o   This church did not mature quickly because a majority of folks sided with the Christians.  Converts included a few prominent women, some Jews and God-fearers.  But the majority, as usual, stood against them.

o   This church did not mature quickly because Paul altered his methodology.  He maintained his custom of going first to the Synagogue and preaching to Jews.

o   This church did not mature quickly because Paul did everything he wanted to do.  When they were forced to leave he felt they had only been there a “short time” (1 Thess. 2:17-18).  He wanted to return but “Satan hindered” them.

Today’s frequently adopted approach that adjusts methodology and message to attract crowds was never Paul’s approach.  It is not the approach God blesses.