1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 (The One About God’s Word Taking Effect)

NOTE: This recording begins a few minutes in to the message and misses a few details about the city of Thessalonica.

Acts 17:1-15
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
charis (khar-ece): grace, kindness
eiréné (i-ray’-nay): oneness, peace, quietness, rest.

The word of God had clearly taken effect in them.
Vs. 6 Their faith was tried and true.
Vs. 7 Their faith was visible and evident.
vs. 8 Their faith was loud and resounding.
Vs. 9 Their faith was active and alive
Vs. 10 Their faith was hopeful and expectant

Question: Has the word of God (written, living and spoken) truly taken hold of us?

Question: Is our faith…
Tried and True
Visible and Evident
Loud and Resounding
Active and Alive
Hopeful and Expectant

Question: If the spiritual life of everyone in our church looked like yours, what kind of church would we be?

Things God Loves: Courage

cour·​age | \ ˈkər-ij , ˈkə-rij \
Definition of courage: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty

[Churchill quote]

Mark 5: 24b – 34 ESV

[Radmacher quote]

Courage is reaching out

Courage is trusting God will meet you where you’re at

[Mandela quote]

Courage is doing what’s right, no matter what

Courage is knowing whose you are

Brian & Katie Torwalt Lyrics
I found You in the middle of my mess
You had been there all along
Open arms and open heart, You called me in
You didn’t hesitate at all

And the lies I once believed, they crumble
With the weight of Your truth
And the fear that gripped my heart, is arrested
So that I can see You

And fear can go to hell
Shame can go there too
I know whose I am
God, I belong to You

Things God Loves: Worship

The OT Hebrew word for worship is shachah (shaw-khaw’): to bow down.
Genesis 24:26-27
Genesis 24:52
The NT Greek word for worship is proskuneó (pros-koo-neh’-o): to do reverence to

“Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can’t contain Him. Isn’t it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?” ~Francis Chan

God deserves our worship.
God doesn’t need our worship.
Job 41:11
Psalm 50:10-12
Psalm 89:11
Acts 17:24-25

God doesn’t need our worship. (But He wants it anyway!)

John 4:23
When we bow ourselves in worship, He knows our hearts belong to him.


“Worship is an act of war against the enemy of our hearts.” ~Holly Gerth

Worship is Powerful
Acts 16:25-26

“Worship is more than singing. It’s more than just lyrics to a song. Worship is standing in the presence of God and declaring praises to His name.” ~Unknown