Feb. 26, 2025

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

I Thessalonians 1:6-10

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the

joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith

in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report

concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve

the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus

who delivers us from the wrath to come.

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v 6 – “And you became imitators…”

imitators – mimétés, obviously the source of “mime.” Used often in the NT.

Still a valid method. Find a trustworthy model and model our behavior accordingly.

Unfortunately, the English word “imitate” has come to have a ring of insincerity,

inauthenticity. “Get the real thing, not an imitation!”

“and of the Lord” – a model we still have

“for you received the word”

more lit. “having received the word in much tribulation [thlipsis]”

received – dechomai, receive, welcome, accept. It means more than merely “permitted” or

“allowed”—compare what we mean to “receive a guest.” That’s the idea.

“in much tribulation”

In Thessalonica, from almost the very beginning

This did not prevent the gospel from being preached—or followed, even though tribulation is the

right word—much more than inconvenience or social disfavor

tribulation—strong opposition causing suffering to believers—is not a sign that God is “not in it”

“with the joy of the Holy Spirit”

We see this throughout the NT – an outpouring of joy in believers even in the midst of

persecution. cf. Paul and Silas singing hymns in prison.

This is not something that we can “whip up.” The joy of the Holy Spirit is not an emotion. But

the joy of the Lord, the joy of the Holy Spirit, is related to our thankfulness and our spiritual

understanding of the greatness of God’s love and our salvation, flowing from our life in

Christ.

v 7 – “so that you became an example…”

“example” — týpos (from týptō, to strike) – an imprint, we might say a “definitive example”

“to all believers”

more lit. “to all the believing”

2

“in Macedonia and Achaia”

These Roman provinces together, generally, made up what is Greece today. Thessalonica,

Philippi, Berea… are in the north (Macedonia). Corinth and Athens are in the south (Achaia).

A small, troubled church with a big impact on others through its example

v 8 – more lit. “For from you has sounded forth the word of the Lord…”

Through their example, the “word of the Lord” has sounded forth [exécheó]

In the lives of the Christians there, the gospel was made alive … exemplified … and this witness

through living (including suffering) is a means through which God’s word is proclaimed

more lit. “…not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but in every place [panti topō] your faith in God has

gone out…”

“in every place” – In Paul’s letters, he uses language like we do, with figures of speech,

metaphors, etc. Paul means this the way we might say “Everywhere we go they already know

about you” or “Everybody in town loves your restaurant.”

The way that the “word of the Lord” is sounding forth is that “your faith in God has gone out”

This is the witness of the church—the body of Christ—in Thessalonica—as a people, as a

community, even as a “movement.” What’s in our minds as we read this needs to be

“Christ’s faithful people”—not the reputation of an institutionalized congregation with its

resources and programs.

v 9 – “For they themselves report …”

A creative way for Paul to review the great attributes of the church and encourage them

“concerning the kind of reception we had among you”

The church—those who became believers—embraced the apostles and their teachings. (“And

some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout

Greeks and not a few of the leading women.”—Acts 17:4)

But the church suffered greatly from mob violence (“But the Jews were jealous, and taking some

wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob …), and afterward, “the brothers immediately

sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea…” (Acts 17:10)

“how you turned to God from idols …”

This probably pertained to the Greeks, including the “leading women” who became believers

“to serve the living and true God”

Much in one phrase

We are called to serve [douleuó] God, not the other way around. Is this the prevailing Christian

concept in our culture?

“living and true God”—there is only One, revealed though his Son, Jesus Christ. We are not to

serve other gods, which is just another way of saying we are not to have a different religion.

v 10 – more lit. “and to wait expectantly for his Son from the heavens”

Is this our living hope?

If we have fallen into the “Well it may not happen in my lifetime” apathy, then we are missing

the point and are being robbed of joy. The point is that it is going to happen! And we will be

there to see it.

3

“who he raised from the dead”

Everything hung on this—the Resurrection verified all that Jesus taught and promised—about

himself in particular.

more lit. - “the One delivering us from the wrath that is coming.”

It is a victory of Satan when Christians refuse to affirm the truths of Scripture, truths taught be

Jesus himself, that judgment is coming. God’s wrath against sin is coming. And it is

specifically to save us from this wrath that Jesus is the Savior of the world.

Satan does not want people to believe it. He does not want people “to be worried about it.”

God wants us to proclaim the gospel with clarity and faithfulness—including the truth about sin

and judgment.

We have to decide to whom we will defer.