1 Thessalonians 2 Part 4 Receive The Transforming Word Of God Into Our Hearts.

The apostle Paul is writing profound truths to all Christians, not just those in Thessalonica. 

Receiving the scriptures with a right heart and mind.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 

Paul always prayed for each church that he planted. He built solid relationships with new believers in each city, and his love for all Christians is evident in his writings. 

Paul was very much like a good spiritual shepherd who always sought what was spiritually good and best for them.

He prayed for them with unceasing thanksgiving in his own heart because of their faith, their loving service to God and others and their clear hope in Jesus Christ (See 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4).

Paul offers unceasing praise to God the Father for the mighty gospel work that He wrought in their lives. 

Unbelievers became worshippers of the One, True, Living God. Pagans became born again into the family of God. They put their faith into practice. 

Thus, The Father is worthy of receiving much praise for the work of saving sinners and transforming their lives.  This is His work.

He expressed his thanksgiving because when Paul and Silas preached the gospel, the Thessalonians did not hear it as the words of men.

They received it into their hearts and minds as heaven sent truth, the very Word of God delivered for them to hear and heed.

The Thessalonians were not passive when Paul preached the gospel of Christ. They saw the hope of salvation, eternal life and justification with God, and they took hold of it. 

What happened at Thessalonica is that people heard the gospel preached and they responded by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (See Romans 10:17).

People were hungry to hear Jesus preach the Word. 

Luke 5:1-3  And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2)  And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3)  And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

Such a great multitude of people gathered together that they pressed in upon the Lord Jesus. Men pressed ever closer to Jesus with a great sense of urgency to hear Him preach. 

Jesus entered a boat and had Peter push out from the shore, so that Jesus could more easily teach this multitude of people. 

Jesus said those who heed the gospel are blessed.

Luke 11:28  But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 

Later in His ministry, Jesus reminded certain women that those who were truly blessed are all who hear the Word of God and keep it. 

That is, they obeyed what God is saying to us in the scriptures. They treasured the Word of God because God loves us enough to communicate to us, in order that we might know Him!

This is what happened with the Thessalonians. 

The Church was born after Spirit guided preaching. 

Acts 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 

At the conclusion of the first Holy Ghost guided sermon preached by the apostle Peter, the Church was born.

All people who gladly received the Word of God preached by Peter, responded with faith. Three thousand people were born again that day!

This is what happened when Paul preached the gospel of Jesus Christ at Thessalonica. Pagans and unbelievers were converted to Christ and were made spiritually alive to God for the first time in their lives!

Preaching the Word separates believers from unbelievers. 

Acts 13:42-47  And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. 43)  Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44)  And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45)  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46)  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47)  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 

Paul and Barnabas went out on their first missionary journey and arrived at Antioch of Pisidia. 

Paul first preached a sermon in the Jewish synagogue that was also attended by some Gentiles who feared God and followed Judaism.

After Paul finished preaching, many Jews and Gentiles began to follow Paul's apostolic teaching. The apostle urged them to continue in the gospel of the grace of God.

On the following Sabbath day, most of the city's inhabitants came together to hear Paul preach the Word of God. 

The Jews resisted and began blaspheming the name of Jesus Christ because they were jealous that a larger crowd was so attentive to Paul's preaching. 

Thus, Antioch of Pisidia had a church composed of Jews and Gentiles, who faced open hostility from the unbelieving Jews. 

This account is a very close match for what happened at Thessalonica. When the gospel was preached, many were converted to saving faith in Jesus Christ. 

The work of God's Spirit with the Word is powerful and transformative. 

1 Thessalonians 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 

Paul declared that the Word of God preached unto the Thessalonians did powerful, effectual work in them. 

The Word preached has great power to work in our hearts when the Spirit of God drives its truths home. 

The idea of effectual working is that of the "entrance of Thy Word giveth light" in our souls (See Psalm 119:130).

It is a mighty Word that shines on all spiritual hazards in front of us so that we do not stumble and fall. 

It is a mighty Word that illuminates the holy path God wants us to walk on as we make our way through this earthly life (See Psalm 119:105).

It is a mighty Word that can change those who hear it and heed it by giving us a brand new life and a living relationship with God.

The Scriptures are living truth full of God's transforming power. 

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

The Word of God is quick meaning that it is alive because it is from God. It is powerful, meaning that it has power to impart spiritual life when energized by the Spirit of God. 

Born again by the good seed of the Word of God.

1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23)  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24)  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25)  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Peter tells us that the gospel of Christ Jesus endures forever. It is the good seed sown into our receptive hearts that will take root and bear fruit in us, for the glory of God.

When Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again, He showed that God uses the Word of God to impart the new birth.

Thus, Peter says we are born again by the perfect, pure seed of the Word of God. 

James also connects the new birth with those who hear and respond by faith to the Word of God (See James 1:17-18). 

We must have a right heart and a mind that is ready and eager to receive the Word of God when we read it or hear it preached. 

We must always respond by faith and take God at His Word. 

We must choose to live by the Word of God no matter the cost to us.

We must faithfully witness for Jesus Christ by sharing the Word of God with others. 

We are blessed to live by the Word of God as His Spirit ministers to us with the scriptures in our heart.

Bob