Tuesday, 7th February 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-3 Release Grace and Peace
V1 ‘Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’ At the beginning, Paul honoured his team, there is no one-man-band in the church of God. God treasures the relationship we have we the body of Christ. When we know that God wants us to arise and shine, we must remember the team God has given to us. God rules and reigns in our lives, in God we receive victory, we must uphold the Name of God. God will arise and God will be with us.
When Paul was writing the letter to the church of Thessalonica, they were facing a lot of troubles, they were facing threats, prosecutions, hardships… but Paul gave grace and peace to the church of Thessalonica. We must live out a life full of peace and grace, what messages do we bring to the people around us? This is a generation of darkness, through difficulties, can we continue to walk with God? God led Paul into Europe, and the Book of I Thessalonians was written in the beginning of his trip to Europe.
God was leading Paul to a new place, it sounds exciting, but they were actually facing a lot of challenges, such as being prosecuted and imprisoned. But Paul and Silas were praising God and giving thanks to God in the prison. When God leads us to a new place, do we believe that He will walk with us? When we face darkness, can we still see the work of God at hand? When we feel defeated, do we let God arise and uplift the Name of God? Do we know God’s Name?
In Acts 17:1, it says, ‘Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in’ Paul left Philippi and went into Thessalonica, he was following the Holy Spirit. God was doing great works through them, and many people believed in Christ. It says in Acts 17:4, ‘And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.’ But in the short three weeks of their stay, they soon faced challenges and difficulties in preaching the Word of God. In Acts 17:5 says, ‘But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.’
Do we believe God is with us? Do not let ourselves be the god to others, but to revel God in our lives. Paul was not discouraged when he faced the challenges of the church of Thessalonica, instead, he brought peace and grace, he did not feel defeated but brought the message to tell the people that they had a Father in Heaven. We can so easily accuse ourselves, we feel defeated when our children or our families walked away from God, but we must know this truth, even our children and our families should be following God, not following us.
V2-3 ‘We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.’ In the church of Thessalonica, Paul and Silas saw the work of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope in God. We must stop seeing the problems of others, but to have faith, hope and love in everyone. God is above all gods, no one can be higher than Him. Stop trying to deal with our problems, but to lift God’s Name up. Be still and let God arise, proclaim the Name of God and pray in tongues.
Section Two V4-7 Release Faith and Joy
When we read the books of Thessalonians, we often just see the problems of the church, but we don’t see the problems Paul was facing. V4 ‘Knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.’ Paul released face and joy to the church of Thessalonica, he reaffirmed them that they were the chosen ones and the beloved ones. Paul released the love of God to people and we also need to know that we are loved by God. Furthermore, we must preach the Gospel, we are not bringing people to ourselves but to God. Do we let go and let others experience God?
V5 ‘For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.’ What is this assurance? Paul and Silas had faith that no matter what happened, God’s grace and peace would be with the church of Thessalonica.
V6-7 ‘And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.’ What is the example we have shown to others? Do we really have the joy of God within us? God has given us the important position as the priest of God, are we willing to pray in tongue when we cannot pray in words? Let the Holy Spirit work through us because He is real, and He wants us to learn from Jesus. Paul and Silas did not allow their negative feelings to affect them, instead they released joy and faith to the people.
Section Three V8-10 Life Affects Life
V8 ‘For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.’ We talk too much and we don’t let the Word of God coming to the people’s life. Stop worrying and stop being afraid, be still and let God come into the lives of people. Our lives can influence the people around us.
帖撒罗尼迦前书 1 – 与主同行
2023年2月7日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
一、v.1-3 释放恩惠平安
保罗在书信一开始的时候没有高举自己，而是团队。我们不要小看自己。神看重团队，看重权柄以及我们彼此之间的互动。当我们要兴起发光时，要求神帮助我们看到，神掌权得胜，因他是我们得胜的旌旗。耶和华上升，我们高举的是神的名。
帖撒罗尼迦教会当时面对很多的问题，但保罗一开始给他们带下的是盼望，是“恩惠平安”。
保罗在第二次宣教旅行前，神要他从亚细亚转往欧洲。保罗最先抵达腓力比和帖撒罗尼迦这两座城市。保罗随着圣灵带领，却并非一帆风顺，反被犹太人逼迫，甚至与西拉一同被关起来。保罗他们在监牢里的时候没有抱怨，而是高举耶和华的名，最后有天使带领他们出来，甚至狱卒的一家还信主得救。当我们遇到问题时，我们是被自己的问题、心里的小剧场打败，还是高举神的名？
使徒行传17章讲到保罗和西拉来到帖撒罗尼迦的情形。帖撒罗尼迦教会是保罗在短短三个星期内的大暴动中建立的。保罗面对问题重重的教会，他没有着急跑回去，因为他知道神在那里。我们在关怀牧养别人的时候，是否相信有神同在，还是让自己成为别人的神？保罗没有在问题中陷入自己的低谷，反而带给帖撒罗尼迦教会恩惠、平安的盼望。他让教会看到，他们不是孤儿。我们要在别人面前带下真理：他们不是孤儿，而是在神里面。我们的教会高举的不是个人，而是让耶和华上升。神带给我们的是恩惠、平安，因此，我们里面所有的忧郁、低谷都不是从神而来。
V2-3 在保罗信心的眼里，他看到的不是当地的问题，而是帮助教会看到信、望、爱。我们帮助别人看到的是问题还是信望爱？我们要用祷告将人和问题带到神的面前，而不是用歌曲来麻痹自己。
二、v.4-7 释放信心与喜乐
V4 帖撒罗尼迦教会是保罗“生”出来的，遇到问题，他释放出来的不是焦虑，而是信心和喜乐。他鼓励、提醒教会，让他们知道自己是“被神所爱的”、“蒙拣选的”，而不是后悔或责怪自己没办法去陪他们。
V5 我们所带出来的不只是自己的陪伴，而是福音。若我们带出自己的东西多过福音，被关怀牧养的人就永远软弱，无法在他们的生命中让耶和华上升。“言语”代表人能做的事，“信心”就是保罗和西拉的信心。我们是否有为我们所生出来的孩子守望、祷告，还是被影响？
V6 我们留给别人的是怎样的榜样？是整天被打败，还是喜乐的榜样？我们不是在人前戴面具，而是靠神胜过我们里面的问题、情绪， 因我们披戴的不是丧礼的袍，而是祭司的外袍。越是觉得自己不行的时候，我们越要方言祷告，让圣灵为我们祷告。
V7 我们过去帮助、鼓励了多少人？我们是否高举自己的问题、小剧场，而忘了神在我们生命中所行的事？保罗没有高举问题，而是释放信心和喜乐。
三、v.8-10 生命影响生命
V8 我们说太多话了，我们做了很多事想要扶起别人，让我们成为别人的“神”，然而，最重要的是高举神，让生命影响生命。让我们的生命见证神的真实！