W3.CSS

帖撒罗尼迦前书［第1章］
Book of 1 Thessalonians 1

【有生命见证的教会】

主讲：丘均发传道+陈炎明牧师

07/02/2023

引言：

保罗、西拉与提摩太在公元49年来到帖撒罗尼迦城市传福音，建立了教会。保罗知道帖撒罗尼迦教会在逼迫中仍坚守主道传福音，有好榜样好见证，就写了这封书信劝勉鼓励他们，感恩他们是有生命见证的教会。

一、有信望爱的新生命（V1-3）

保罗不住地记念感恩帖撒罗尼迦的信徒有信、望、爱的新生命。这是神最看重和最喜悦的生命。因着信靠神除了愿为主工作，也会因为爱神而愿意承担劳苦，并且因神所赐的盼望而长存忍耐的心志，使人不抱怨不放弃地等候主的再来。

二、有传福音的好见证（V4-8）

保罗接着称赞他们是有福音好见证的教会，是传福音的榜样。并提到传扬福音的要素：

1.要有福音的信息
不独在乎言语意思是：要有福音的传扬。因为信道是从听道来的，听道是从基督的话来的。

2.要有权能和圣灵
传福音也要求神的权能，让人从中经历神迹奇事、得到医治释放，来印证我们所传的福音。 传福音也是圣灵的工作，不是靠人的智慧和口才。我们需要圣灵赐下智慧，口才和胆量，让我们有充足的信心，传讲福音更有能力。

3.要有生命的见证
福音要通过我们的生命和为人见证出来! 在困难中仍有喜乐，领受真道效法主，作信主之人的榜样。福音就这样从帖撒罗尼迦那里传扬出来了！这是值得我们效法的！

三、离弃偶像服事真神（V9-10）

帖撒罗尼迦信徒的生命还有一个大改变：离弃偶像归向神，事奉又真又活的神。因为他们要做好准备，等候神的儿子耶稣基督从天降临！他们确信这位耶稣就是神使祂从死里复活、要救世人脱离将来可怕审判的耶稣。

不要以为基督再来是将来的事，顾好现在的生活才是更重要。若不确信将来基督必要再来，会直接影响我们现在该如何生活。

总结：

帖撒罗尼迦教会是有有生命见证的教会，不只是在信心、爱心与盼望上，也是离弃偶像服事真神、积极传福音的榜样。

求神帮助我们，在基督里持守信望爱，活出荣耀主的生命见证，把主的道从我们中间传开！专心等候主的再来！

1 Thessalonians 1: A church with living testimony
GK611 Morning Devotion
07/02/2023
Speaker: Ps Daniel + Rev Tan

Introduction:

Paul, Silas and Timothy came to the city of Thessalonica in 49 AD. to preach the gospel and establish a church. Paul knew that the church in Thessalonica still insisted on the Lord’s way and preached the gospel despite the persecution, and had good examples and testimonies, so he wrote this letter to encourage them, thanking them for being a church with life testomonies.

I. A new life with faith, hope and love (V1-3)

Paul kept remembering and thanking the believers in Thessalonica for their new life of faith, hope and love. This is the life that God values and delights most. In addition to being willing to work for the Lord because of trust in God, they are also willing to bear hardships because of love for God, and because of the hope given by God, they have long-term perseverance and are willing to wait for the return of the Lord without complaining or giving up.

II. Good testimony of evangelism (V4-8)

Paul went on to praise them as a church with good testimony of the gospel and a model of evangelism. In addition, he mentioned the elements of evangelism:

(1) Have the Gospel Message
Not only words mean: there must be the preaching of the gospel. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the Word of Christ.

(2) Have power and the Holy Spirit
Evangelism also requires the power of God, so that people can experience miracles, be healed and delivered, and confirm the gospel we preach. Evangelism is also the work of the Holy Spirit, not of human wisdom and eloquence. We need the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom, eloquence, and courage so that we can have sufficient confidence and have the strength to preach the gospel.

(3) Have a life testimony
The gospel must be witnessed through our lives and people! We should still be joyful in the midst of difficulties, receive the Truth and imitate the Lord, and be an example for those who believe in the Lord. Thus the gospel was preached from Thessalonica! This is worthy for us to imitate!

III. Abandon idols and serve the true God (V9-10)

There was another major change in the life of the Thessalonian believers: abandoning idols and returning to God, serving the true and living God. Because they have to get ready and wait for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to come from heaven! They are convinced that this Jesus is the Jesus whom God raised from the dead to save the world from the horrible judgment to come.

Don’t think that the return of Christ is something in the future, it is more important to take care of our present life. If we are not sure that Christ will return in the future, it will directly affect how we live now.

Conclusion：

The Thessalonian church is a church with life testimonies, not only in terms of faith, love and hope, but also a model of abandoning idols to serve the true God and persistently preaching the gospel.

May God help us to keep faith, hope and love in Christ,to live out a living testimony that glorifies the Lord, and to spread the Lord's Word among us! Focus on waiting for the return of the Lord!