The Results of Salvation

In 1 Thessalonians, we find that when somebody turns to Christ from your sin and your

! former life that things are different. You know, we see that, you know, if you remember

in the Bible, you can see many examples of this. You know, you think in Jesus, when he talked to

a man named Zacchaeus, you know, Zacchaeus was transformed when he came to a saving knowledge

of Christ. He was a different man than he was before. We find this happened also to the woman

at the well. She was a different woman after she had an interaction of salvation with Jesus,

recognizing him as the Savior. You know, you think about the maniac of Gadara. He was a totally

different individual when it came to after salvation. It's seen, the change there is seen,

just as it was for those in Thessalonica. You know, we looked back in Acts chapter 17 and talked about

Acts 17 · chapter mention

Jason, the one whose house the church had been established in, and the others understood

the very fact that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and believed. They trusted in the word of truth,

having the promise of the Holy Spirit seal them with the promise of God. And we're going to see

here this morning, we're going to read about how Paul declares how he could know that this was real

and what took place. Because if you found 1 Thessalonians this morning, let's stand together

in chapter 1. We'll pick up here in verse 5 as we read the word of God here this morning.

Notice this, it says,

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much

assurance. As ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us

and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost, so that ye were

a sample to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the

Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith, the God word, is spread

abroad so that we need not speak anything. For they themselves show us what manner of entering in we had

unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for

his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Let's pray. Heavenly Fathers, we take a few moments here this morning to look into your word, Lord,

to look into the reality of salvation, the reality that takes place, the change that takes place.

What leads to that change, Lord, what things you have set in place. But Lord, help us to understand

the reality of it, Lord. We can talk around it, and we can talk about it, but Lord, it's only effectual

if we apply it to our lives. And Lord, we pray we just would grab a hold of the truth today and the

necessity not only for ourselves, but for others also. And Lord, we just ask it all in your precious name.

Amen. May be seated. You know, today I want you to see that your salvation is not determined by your

ability or how good you are. You know, we find that oftentimes people get that mindset. They say,

well, I want to trust Christ, but then I want to trust what I can do. I want to trust Christ, but,

you know, maybe I still need to do this in order to be saved. You know, people love to have Jesus plus.

You know, they want Jesus and they want to do, I want my part in it. You know, I want to be able to

do what I can do in my abilities and my goodness. But I want you to understand the truth is very simple

that Jesus Christ provided the only way and the only means of redemption. Our salvation is built solely

in him. There's nothing else. There's not any action you can take. There's not some good deeds you can

do. There's not some class you can take. You can't become good enough to get to heaven. You know, you

can't perform enough rituals to get to heaven. I want you to understand it's only the way and the means to

heaven is through Jesus Christ. There is no other way. And we're going to see here this morning as

Paul talks about those and what happened there at Thessalonica. Because remember, this was only a few

weeks past the time he had been there. He was now down in Athens and he was writing back to them.

And he's really, this is a letter complimenting them. The words already reached me that there's

something different that took place in Thessalonica. It impacted not only them, but others.

It impacted those around about them. And we understand this dynamic that Jesus was the one

that changed him. He is the one that's everything that we need. You know, if you've been listening a

little bit in the news this week, there's been some discussion about the comments that our president

made regarding one's confidence in going to heaven. You know, he made some comments about,

well, I'm not sure I'm going to heaven. And people were on both sides. I mean, they're playing all

sorts of things. You know what? When you start talking about how you get to heaven, it quickly

separates people. People with misunderstandings and half-truths. People who outright lie. But there's

truth. And the question is, where do we get our solid foundation of how one gets to heaven?

what opens that door? What's the truth about it? Because that's important to understand. He was

not sure, didn't know. Yet we see time and time again that what is offered through the blood of Jesus

Christ is something we can know. Paul says, look back up in verse four in our text. Notice that first

word of that verse, it says what? What's the word? Knowing. Knowing. It's something you can know.

If you know something, you have what? You have assurance about it. It's something you can know.

You know, the Bible tells us in 1 John chapter 5, John the apostle here, he tells us this. He says,

1 John 5 · chapter mention

these things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye might what?

Know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. I want you

to see here. He says, I want you to know that if you're saved, you're secure. And if you're not saved,

I want you to understand there's a way you can know that you are. If you're here today, I hope that

you have a know-so salvation, not a hope-so salvation. There's a lot of people today walk

around hope they get to heaven. They'll talk and say, well, I did this and I did that and I did this

over here. And, and, uh, you know, I went to church and, you know, grandma took me as a kid,

so I must be okay. Or they did a confirmation class of some kind and somebody said, okay, you know,

you're okay. You know, you got your, got your graduation certificate that says you get to get

to heaven. You know what? I want you to understand the certificate of getting to heaven is the Holy

Spirit dwelling within you. It's not on a piece of paper. It's not what the preacher can declare.

It's not what somebody else can declare. It's only what you, between you and God can declare.

Because when you trust God, God says, I declare you righteous before me. And he says, I give you my

spirit as a seal and an earnest of what's to come and that you can know what's going to happen.

But I want you to understand in order for somebody to know, there's some things that need to take place

because Paul lines out some things about the process that took place here at Thessalonica,

because in order for somebody to get saved, there is a process. There's some things that need to take

place. It's not just some mystical thing that happens. Or it's not some amazing thing that you

can just, uh, a one, two, three, repeat after me. Now you're okay. You know, that's one of the problems

we have today is people are looking for the quick, easy fix. Just say this and you'll be fine. You know

what? You better understand what you're saying. If you don't understand it, because the Bible says you

can say words, but if they're not from your heart before God with an honest, open heart before God,

you know what? They're just words. We've all learned very quickly. People can say the right thing,

but their heart is not in it. When it comes to salvation, when you confess before God that he's

your, you need him as a savior, that you're a sinner. It's a heart change that takes place. It's from the

heart. It's not because somebody said, repeat these words. Salvation is not a magical incantation.

It's not some mystical thing that happens. It's something that transforms a life in a moment

when they call upon him and God says there's something that takes place there. And we'll

look at that here in just a moment. But I want you to see here, the process of salvation is important

because it involves a course or operation that opens the door for one to call upon the Lord.

You know, the first step in this process involves the word of God. Notice what it tells

us in our text here, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power.

Now I want you to see here, the word, the spoken word is important. You know, the context here

is very clear. Turn back to Acts chapter 17 for a moment. Acts chapter 17, what is Paul talking

Acts 17 · chapter mention Acts 17 · chapter mention

about here? Well, let's go back and look and see what the book of Acts tells us about Paul's time here.

Because what word is he talking about? What's he talking about here? Because in Acts chapter 17

Acts 17 · chapter mention

and verse 2, we find from the word of God, look what it says, and Paul, as his manner was, went in

unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them from what? The scripture. Paul didn't come in and

said, hey guys, I want you to listen to me. I have a divine revelation from God. You know, there's a lot of

people get caught up when somebody says, I have a revelation. I want you to understand that Paul

started in the right foundation. That's the word of God. He said he reasoned with them from what? The

scripture. Because our foundation of our faith is not built on what the preacher says. It's not built

on what anybody else says. It's built upon the word of God. Because we know what God has said.

But notice what it says. He didn't just say that he reasoned with them. Notice this verse 3,

opening and alleging. In other words, I want you to see here, he opened the Bible and he began to show

them that Jesus is the one they were looking for. Now you've got to understand the audience. Remember

where Paul was? He was in the synagogue. You know, some people wonder why did Paul preach

different things, different places? Paul understood where his audience was beginning.

It's important, especially when you're witnessing, to try to get a grasp. Where's the person you're

talking to at? You know, that's one of the things because it's hard for somebody to understand.

They don't know they're a sinner. It's hard to understand the need of a savior. Well,

I'm a good person. I don't need that. You've got to understand where they're at.

We live in a nation today where people are righteous in their own eyes. I can believe what

I want to be, what I want to believe because of how I feel about it. You know, we get in a lot of

trouble because of how we feel. Because I want you to understand, sometimes your feelings line up with

reality. But I'll give you a little clue. You'll find the older you get, the more mature you get.

Oftentimes your feelings might have contained a little reality, but don't line up with reality.

Because they're your perception of what's going on, not the reality.

And we get caught up and we start leading by not reality, but by how we feel.

And people begin to think, well, I can get to heaven however I feel I can get there.

I don't feel God's going to judge me. Well, you know, that doesn't matter how you feel about it.

You know? That'd be like saying I can go down here and rob a place,

listen, I don't feel the police should arrest me. And the majority of people in reality would go,

doesn't matter how you feel about that. Truth is the only thing that matters.

But notice what he preached. He preached a very specific message that Christ must have suffered

and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ.

You know what he's saying? Hey guys, the one that you see pictured throughout the whole Old Testament,

I believe Paul, when it says he opened in a ledge, he went back to the Old Testament

and began walking through the sacrifices that they did.

He began showing them of what each of the sacrifices meant,

what it did, and how it pointed to the Savior.

And he said, the guy, he said, men and women,

what you've been practicing your whole life has been pointing you to this.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all these things.

His sacrifice didn't just roll sin forward.

His sacrifice covered it.

His sacrifice took care of it.

It was sufficient for all.

It was a containment of everything.

Just as he said in Romans chapter 10, verse 15, you know,

Romans 10:15

the reality is when Paul was there, he said this, he says,

as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace

and bring glad tidings of good things.

You know, I want you to understand that the word of God needs to be presented

for somebody to be saved.

Now, the means of presentation can be spoken, it can be written, it can be on a video.

I mean, we have so many different means of communication today,

but I want you to understand the word of God has to be communicated in some form

for an individual to understand their need of salvation.

It's important.

It was the scripture that we could know who Jesus is and what he had accomplished.

Look back to John chapter 6 for a moment.

John 6 · chapter mention

Here's Jesus, and he makes this statement.

He says, it is written in the prophets.

Now, what's Jesus referring to?

He's referring to the Old Testament.

And they shall be all taught of God.

Where are they taught from?

The word of God.

Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me.

You know what Jesus said?

You come unto me because you understand what the scripture says about me.

You understand the truth that declares who I am,

the truth that declares what I've done.

The truth that declares what's been accomplished.

You know, it's a means through which we learn that we have come short.

You know what?

If it wasn't for the Bible, we'd all be self-righteous.

You know, by nature, we're self-righteous.

I mean, you've talked about this before.

You think about it.

Everybody's like, I'm not as badass.

You know what that is?

That's self-righteousness.

I'm a little bit better.

You know, Romans 3.10, though, makes it very clear.

As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.

I want you to understand that when that was written,

it's saying it's already been written.

I'm just telling you what's already there.

I'm not giving you a new concept.

I'm giving you an old concept that stands true.

There's not a one of us that are born righteous.

The Word of God being preached is important.

Look over to Hebrews chapter 4.

Hebrews 4 · chapter mention

Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 2 says,

Hebrews 4 · chapter mention

For unto us was the gospel preached as well as it was unto them.

But I want you to notice here, the gospel can be preached,

but something has to take place.

Notice what it says,

But the word preached did not profit them,

not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Now, this is very important to understand

because you can listen your whole life to the gospel,

but until you make it effectual for yourself, it's irrelevant.

You can know what you ought to do,

but the only problem is,

it's only good if you do what you ought to do.

To take action upon it.

Mix it with faith.

Now, faith is something that's not just,

Well, I hope so.

I'm going to put all my money over here.

It's not a gamble.

Biblical faith is not like going down here and saying,

I hope my team wins, so I'm going to put $100 on them.

You know, there's people today that treat Jesus

like I'm placing my bet with Jesus.

I want you to understand it's not placing a bet with Jesus.

Faith is saying, I know, he's all I got.

There's no other means.

There's nothing else I can have but him.

To understand, Romans chapter 10, verse 17 says this,

Romans 10:17

So then faith cometh by what?

Hearing and hearing by what?

The word of God.

When Paul says, he says,

How do I know?

Because the gospel was preached unto you.

The good news is just that.

It is a notification of the way

and the means to come to God

has been accomplished.

How do we know the word is going to be effectual?

Because Paul says that the word of God is powerful.

He said the word didn't just come in speech,

but it came in power.

That's the reason he knew it was going to do some work

in lives of individuals.

But I want you to understand,

people can hear the gospel and ignore it.

Because if it's not mixed with faith,

it becomes just words.

It just rolls through their mind.

But the word of God is a tool

that we're going to see here in just a moment

because he also talks about the Holy Spirit.

And the Holy Spirit takes the word of God

and does something with it when people hear it.

Because it affects something,

it affects the heart of an individual.

It impacts what we call the conscience.

And no matter what people try to say,

everybody has a conscience.

Some might be seared,

some might be hardened,

but they still function.

But notice in power,

that which is spoken is important,

but it must have something behind it.

The power is God himself.

You know, look a little later

in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2.

1 Thessalonians 2 · chapter mention

Look over there in verse 13.

And we'll talk about this a little more

when we get over there here in a few weeks.

But look here in verse 13.

It says,

For this cause also we thank God without ceasing,

because you received the word of God,

which you heard of us,

and you received it not as the word of what?

Men,

but as in truth,

the word of God,

which effectually worketh also

in you that believe.

The gospel is the power of God

operating, working, and stirring

the human heart.

You know, Paul says in Romans chapter 1

Romans 1 · chapter mention

in verse 16,

he says,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,

for it is the power of God

unto salvation to everyone

that what?

Believeth to the Jew first

and also to the Greek.

Look up in the gospel of John.

Look in John chapter 1 in verse 12.

John 1 · chapter mention

It says,

But many as received him,

to them gave he what?

Power to become the sons of God,

even to them that what?

Believe on his name.

The word is the tool

that is present

with the power of God behind it,

but it's the tool

the Holy Spirit uses

to convict and convince the sinner

of their condition

and the solution to the problem.

You know, today,

I want you to understand

the great thing about the gospel

and the great thing about what God did,

God doesn't just condemn

and say,

Hey, here's your problem.

You know, we have a lot of that today

amongst people.

You know,

I can identify the problem,

but you know what?

God understood we needed

something more important

than identifying the problem.

We needed the solution.

The scripture tells us

our problem is sin,

separates us from God,

and he says,

I've made the means

and the way

I've provided the solution.

That's the good news, you know?

The problem is never the good news,

but you know what?

You can never solve a problem

if you don't know what it is.

But once you know

what the problem is,

what people are looking for,

they say,

What do I do with it?

What do I do with it?

What do you do with your sin

that separates you from God?

You place it on the cross

with Jesus Christ

who took it upon himself.

The Holy Spirit, though,

is present.

The word is presented,

but the task of the Holy Spirit

is to use the truth

in the heart of a person.

Notice here,

back in our text in verse 5,

it says,

In the Holy Ghost.

You know,

in not in word only,

but in power

and in the Holy Ghost.

You know,

Jesus told his disciples

that the Holy Spirit

would come and do a work

in the lives of people.

Now,

I want you to understand

that when you're witnessing

to somebody,

you're not witnessing

in your power.

You're not witnessing

in what you can do.

A witness is one

that just tells what's happened

or what they understand,

what's transpired.

God is the one

who works on the heart

of an individual.

Look at John chapter 16.

John 16 · chapter mention

John chapter 16

John 16 · chapter mention

here in verse 8,

it says,

And when he has come,

who's he talking about?

He's talking about the Holy Ghost,

the Holy Spirit.

He will reprove the world of sin

and of righteousness,

of judgment,

of sin because they believe not on me,

of righteousness because I go to my Father

and you see me no more,

of judgment because the prince

and the power

or the prince of this world

is judged.

You know,

I want you to understand

that the Holy Spirit's task

takes what's been planted

with the word of God

and begins impacting

the heart of an individual.

They're the one that convicts

and convinces somebody

of the truth of God's word

because you know what?

It's written upon our heart.

You know,

read Romans chapter 1 and 2.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

People understand

they're going to stand accountable,

but people don't like it.

One day we're going to stand before God.

But you know,

the good part is,

as we're going to look here

in just a little bit,

that if you're saved,

you don't look at God's return in fear.

You look at God's return with joy

because it's like a going home to family.

You're not standing in judgment.

You're standing in acceptance.

If you're saved,

you're accepted in the beloved.

It's a different perspective of God

when he comes.

If you're not saved,

you ought to be scared.

It's a fearful thing

to stand in the presence of God.

The Bible makes it clear

that God is just.

He's going to hold to account.

But notice this next,

in much assurance.

Despite the circumstances of life

that surrounded these things,

I want you to see here,

Paul was very clear here.

This assurance here,

yeah, I don't believe

is tied to the Holy Spirit directly,

even though the Holy Spirit

gives us assurance.

I think what he's writing here

is a little different

because Paul says,

why did I go ahead

and preach the gospel?

Now, you need a little context,

remember.

Paul came to Thessalonica

from where?

From Philippi.

What had happened at Philippi?

Well,

him and Silas

had been beaten

and put in prison.

I imagine when they got

to Thessalonica,

they probably still

weren't looking too good.

They may have looked

a little rough yet.

Because I don't know about you,

but if you study

and understand what happens

when they beat people

in ancient times,

it wasn't a slap on the wrist.

Paul said,

we're not the best presentation.

But he said,

my presentation doesn't matter

because I have assurance

because we have the power of God

and the Holy Spirit

working and mixing with His Word.

That's going to be effectual.

It will do its job.

Paul, you know what?

If you read through

the Apostle Paul's writings,

the one thing you'll find

that I think is clear,

it totally debunks

this wealth

and prosperity gospel.

He preached it in times

when it wasn't too good

for the prosperity gospel.

You imagine Paul

standing up in the synagogue,

still getting up

a little slow

because he's still sore

and beaten,

and say,

hey guys,

I got something for you

that got me beat

at the last place.

That's not good advertising.

But you know what?

Paul said,

it doesn't matter who I am

or what's happened to me.

It matters who God is

and what God can do.

He said,

God makes the difference.

In much assurance.

You know,

we see here

the power of the gospel

worked in their lives

and they became followers.

They became disciples.

Notice in verse 6,

and you became followers

of us

and of the Lord

having received the Word

in much affliction

and with joy

of the Holy Ghost.

You know,

what does this mean,

followers?

You know?

Well,

in this context,

it tells us this,

that when you're saved,

the Scripture tells us

that you're born again.

Let's look at this practically.

You're born again.

You became a child of God.

And like any child,

you need training

and an example to follow.

Now,

if anybody has any questions,

you know,

kids,

little ones,

will follow the example

that they're around.

How a young child acts

is a direct reflection

of the adults in their life.

Why?

Because they're following the example.

As a young child of God

also needs an example

to follow.

We have a fancy name for it today.

It's called discipleship.

What's discipleship about?

Having somebody to encourage

and to follow

and to direct

into maturity.

Paul's telling them

very clearly

that they became followers.

They became,

they wanted to do

what Paul had done.

And so we see here

that even in much affliction,

you know,

you need to remember,

if you go back to Acts 17,

we're not going to read there,

but I just want to remind you,

remember what happened

after Paul left?

They had a stir

and they left

because they came

to the house of Jason

and they drew him

out of the house,

him and others,

and brought him

before the city

and they paid a fine

because of a complaint

against them.

You know,

sometimes following God

costs you physically,

sometimes it costs you financially.

But it's an affliction.

There's a price to pay

to follow God.

It doesn't get you saved,

but the reality is

is you're going to have,

it doesn't exempt you

from problems.

It doesn't mean

everything's going to go

hunky-dory

and everything's going

to fall into place.

It just means

that you have somebody

walking with you

who has a plan

and already knows

what's ahead.

He knows what you're

going to need,

when you're going to need it,

how you're going to need it.

You know,

when we see this,

this assurance,

there of them,

they became followers.

He says,

I know because of what I've seen

and how you wanted

to imitate the things of us

as we were imitating the Lord.

Now that's important

because if you're going

to follow after somebody,

you need to follow,

say,

how are they following the Lord?

Let me make a statement here.

I think that if you're mature,

you don't need to be following

anybody but the Lord,

but you ought,

if you're following the Lord,

you'll be in church.

You'll be following the things

in the order of God

because you're mature enough

to recognize this is what God has said.

But when you're young in the Lord,

you need other people

to come alongside and say,

hey,

this is what you need to do.

Let me share a little experience with you.

Let me show you

what God's word says about that.

Let me keep you out of some trouble

that I got into

because we need to follow

the word of God.

People need to be brought up

into the word of God.

You know,

we ought to encourage one another.

What ought to,

when people are mature,

it's a process of encouraging

and keeping each other focused

on the truth of God's word.

We see here that this is important

because the process is the gospel

is that when we hear the truth

and believe and acknowledge

and accept that truth,

which causes us to trust the Lord,

to rescue,

and to secure the sinner.

Now,

I want you to see here

when Paul's talking here about this,

it's very clear

because we find the process laid out

that the word

and then the Holy Spirit

and then they became,

they called upon the Lord

and they changed

and they did a different direction.

Now,

turn over to Ephesians chapter 1

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

for a moment.

Notice this process.

It says,

in whom ye also trusted,

verse 13,

after that ye heard

the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation,

and also,

whom also after that ye believed,

ye were sealed

with that Holy Spirit of promise.

You see the process there?

The same process took place

in Thessalonica.

They heard

the word of God

stirred within them

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

They made a decision to say,

yes,

I know who I am before God.

I know my accountability before God

and I understand my need

to put all my faith

and trust

in what He says

He's accomplished for me,

that He would apply it

to my account.

And He says,

when that happens,

when you believe,

truly believe,

that's to trust,

to rest assured upon,

to say my only hope

is in not what I can do,

it's not what a church can do,

but it's only what Christ can do.

Then He says,

you were sealed

with that Holy Spirit of promise.

What a wonderful reality.

But look at verse 7,

because I want you to see next

the product of salvation.

Yeah,

product,

salvation produces some.

It produces a life

that's different.

Notice it,

He says,

so you were a sample

to all that believe

in Macedonia and Akedah.

From you sounded out

the word of the Lord,

not only in Macedonia and Akedah,

but also in every place

your faith to God

were to spread abroad

so that you need not to,

we need not to speak anything.

Now,

in context here,

this is really,

I found a very interesting dynamic,

because you know what Paul's saying?

Remember,

this has been a few weeks

after he left,

and he says,

we're already getting reports

from all over

about what took place

and the lives

that were changed

at Thessalonica.

Now,

to understand that a little bit,

I want you to understand

Thessalonica was a hub

in the area.

When the Romans conquered Greece,

they divided Greece

into a northern

and southern area.

Those areas we find

mentioned here

Macedonia

and Achaia.

In other words,

what Paul's saying,

he says,

within a few weeks,

these people that came in

to conduct business

and going in and out

and all these things,

he says,

there's reports all over

about what took place

at Thessalonica.

He said,

there's reports about,

man,

there's some change

happening there.

There's something

that took place there.

It was sounded out.

They were as samples.

They were,

somebody said,

they were to be imitated

to say,

hey,

this is a result

of our salvation.

Things change.

This hub city,

a place of commerce

and government

within the region

would now impact everything.

Notice what it says here

in verse 8.

For from you

sounded out the word

of the Lord,

not only in Macedonia,

but also in every place

your faith to God

word is spread abroad

so that we need not

to speak anything.

You know,

that's quite a product.

People saw something different.

Think about 2 Corinthians 5,

17,

what the Bible tells us.

It says,

if any man be in Christ,

he is what a new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold,

all things are become new.

You know what?

When you get saved,

you become a different product.

Something new

has been produced.

There's a change in your life.

Paul and the others

had heard the report

about what had happened.

This is great to hear

and to see

the change in people's lives

after they've received

the word by faith.

Because this change

will be a new direction

with a new priority.

You know,

look at verse 9.

It says,

for they themselves

show of us

what manner of entering in

we had unto you.

Notice this.

Paul says that

there's something seen

and notice what this,

how you turn to God

from idols

to serve the living

and true God.

They turned to God

from idols

to serve him.

I want you to understand

the gospel,

when you get saved,

ought to change

your priorities.

It ought to change

your worship.

and it ought to change

who you serve.

Those things are important.

Look at verse 10.

And to wait for his son

from heaven

whom he raised

from the dead,

even Jesus,

which delivered us up,

delivered us

from the wrath

to come.

Verse 10 is clear

that your focus

is going to change

because your focus

changes from

what can I get

out of this life now

to about the one

that's going to come.

The one we're looking for

and to wait

for his son

from heaven

whom he raised

from the dead.

You know,

the rest of the book

of Thessalonians

you're going to find

throughout talks

about Jesus

coming

and talks about

eternity.

You know what the reality is?

We ought to be walking

in the light

of eternity.

Walking in the fact

that our motivations

have changed.

We have a newness

in our life

and a different motivation.

Your focus

ought to change.

You ought to have

a new life

with a new eternity,

a confidence

beyond this life

knowing that those

that believe

will not face

the wrath

that is to come.

The wrath

that is to come

is judgment

upon all those

who refuse

the gospel

because God says

sin has to be

accounted for.

There's only two ways

for sin to be

accounted for.

You either take

the penalty

that's due you

or Jesus

what he did

for you

in taking your sin

puts it on your account

because what Christ

has done

was sufficient

to make a paid

and full

on the penalty

of your sin.

No longer a problem.

The penalty

has been removed.

You know,

today

has the gospel

worked

in your life?

What have you done

with the truth

about Jesus Christ?

The fact that

he came

and took upon

himself

the sin

of the whole world.

The fact that

he came

and took upon

himself

my sin

and your sin.

So I want you

to understand

sin's not generic

sin is personal.

And when we

understand

it's not

it's nice to think

Jesus died for sin

that becomes

a kind of abstract.

We need to

understand

that blocked

and grouped

into that

is my sin

and your sin.

That he took it

and nailed it

to the cross

and taking

its penalty

upon himself.

Taking God's

wrath

in our place.

You know,

John 3.36

says this,

He that believeth

on the Son

hath everlasting life

and he that believeth

not the Son

shall not see life

but the wrath

of God

abideth

on him.

You know,

this morning

I want you to

understand

salvation is really

boils down to this.

Does God's wrath

still abide upon you

or has Jesus Christ

taken it?

What about you

today?

What have you done

with the gospel?

Is it just information

or is it effectual

to say that he took

my sin

upon him?

I need to call

upon him.

His heads are bowed

and eyes are closed

this morning.

We just take a few moments.

Maybe you're not sure

today about where

you stand

with the Lord.

Maybe you've heard

the gospel many times.

You know the information

but have you taken

that information

personally?

Is the Holy Spirit

speaking to you today?

Has there been

that moment in time

when you recognized

you were a sinner

and said,

Lord,

I'm not placing

my trust in anything

else but your promise

of what you've done

for me?

If there's never been

a moment like that,

I encourage you today

that today would be

the day you'd call

upon him.

There's no greater

day than the day

that you know

that God's wrath

has been removed.

It's no longer

upon you.

What about you

today?