1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

They say that those who can’t “do,” teach.  The truth is that the best teachers actually teach by doing.  As believers, it is vital that we be good examples of that which we are striving to teach or people will never believe or follow our teaching.  Our walk and our talk must be in harmony or our testimony will never do much more than just limp along through life.  Our walk with the Lord is much more than just knowing principles from God’s Word it is practicing those principles on a day to day basis.  Paul’s ministry was effective because he talked the talk and walked the walk.
THE CONTENT OF A GODLY MINISTRY IS TO BE AN EXAMPLE: Paul was able to rejoice in the results of his ministry in Thessalonica because they had demonstrated a radical change of heart due to the message of Christ.  The reason that Paul’s ministry was so successful was that it had three basic components.  First, was the proclamation of biblical principles.  Paul said that our message did not come in word only, but it did come in word.  Paul and his companions were busy teaching the truth to all who would listen, even in the midst of intense persecution.  Effective ministry requires bold preaching.  Second, Paul realized the priority of the power of the Holy Spirit.  Paul may have been an effective preacher, but the most gifted communicators will not be effective without the power of God’s Spirit on their lives.  We must always recognize our dependence upon the Lord.  Finally, Paul’s ministry was effective because he practiced what he preached.  He called his hears to follow him as he followed Christ.  Too often we tell people to just follow Christ because we are flawed examples.  That may sound humble, but it was not Paul’s practice.  He called men to line up behind him and follow him because he was following Christ.  The preaching of the Scriptures, the power of the Spirit and the practice of servants of God are the essential components of any ministry that honors God.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF A GODLY MINISTRY IS PRODUCING EXAMPLES: The result of Paul’s ministry was that those who were following him and listening to his Spirit empowered ministry became faithful examples to many other people.  The fame of their faith and the radical repentance that they demonstrated quickly spread to regions both far and near.  All of us are worshipers.  God created us to worship Him, but since the Fall of man we have turned from worshiping Him to worship idols of our own making.  However, once we truly come to Christ, the object of our worship will change to one of worshiping God.  This, by definition, is conversion.  It is what happens when people repent and truly come to Christ.  This is the consequence of ministry.  Lives are transformed for the glory of God, and then those lives are used to bring about the transformation of other lives.  God is in the “life transforming business,” it is what He does best and is why He sent Christ to pay the price of sin.  May we allow the preaching of God’s Word, the power of His Spirit and the practice of those who have gone before us to blaze a trail that we faithfully follow so that we might be used to light the way so that Christ might transform many more lives just the way He has transformed ours.

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