Successful Ministry1 Thessalonians 2

Message 2 on our series in 1 Thessalonians

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Speaker: Phil Hainaut

SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY

1Thessalonians 2:1-20

Introduction: What makes ministry successful?

• (2:1): You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

1. A tenacious boldness and courage to speak God’s truth that comes from confidence in God’s power: (v. 2) We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

2. An appealing integrity in our message, motives, and methods: (v. 3) For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

3. An authority in the message which comes from a sense of God’s approval and commissioning: (v. 4a) On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.

• Acts 9:15 “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel”

• Ephesians 3:8 “Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ”

• Matthew 28:18,19 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

• 1Peter 2:9 “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light”

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

4. A consciousness of divine rather than human accountability which prevents flattery and greed: (v. 4b) We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. (v. 5) You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

• 1Corinthians 4:1-5 “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God”

• 2Timothy 4:3 “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

5. A humility that looks to glorify God and not oneself: (v. 6) We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.

• Matthew 6:1-5 (1) Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. (2) So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. (5) And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

6. The gentle, caring, sacrificial love of spiritual mothering: (v. 6b-8) As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 

• verses 17,18 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

7. Generous hard work (v. 9) Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

8. A virtuous life of blameless holiness and righteousness before God and men: (v. 10) You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

9. The individual exhorting, comforting, and witnessing of spiritual fathering: (v. 11,12) For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Successful church ministry involves effective church ministers

10. An understanding that people we have impacted will be our eternal hope, joy, and glory at Jesus’ second coming: (vs. 19,20) For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

A successful church ministry involves responsive church members

• Verse 13a “And we also thank God continually because…”

A successful church ministry involves responsive church members

1. Reception of the Word of God: (v. 13b) when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.

• Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”

A successful church ministry involves responsive church members

2. Imitation of spiritual leaders: (v. 14a) For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus.

(1:6) You became imitators of us and of the Lord. Here of God’s churches in Judea.

A successful church ministry involves responsive church members

3. Perseverance in suffering: (v. 14b-15) You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out.

• A tenacious boldness and courage to speak God’s truth that comes from confidence in God’s power

• An appealing integrity in our message, motives, and methods

• An authority in the message which comes from a sense of God’s approval and commissioning

• A consciousness of divine rather than human accountability which prevents flattery and greed

• A humility that looks to glorify God and not oneself

• The gentle, caring, sacrificial love of spiritual mothering

• Generous hard work

• A virtuous life of blameless holiness and righteousness before God and men

• The individual exhorting, comforting, and witnessing of spiritual fathering

• An understanding that people we have impacted will be our eternal hope, joy, and glory at Jesus’ second coming

• Reception of the Word of God

• Imitation of spiritual leaders

• Perseverance in suffering