Please turn with me, if you would, to 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 1. Started this last week, just looking at what a true, real conversion looks like, and we dealt with the first points. We'll deal with the other points today. We'll read the entire chapter. Before we do, let us seek God in prayer. Let us pray. Our Father, thank you for your holy word. We ask that you might open it up to us and search out our hearts. You know where we are spiritually. You know if we're yours or not. You know if there is a genuine conversion, a genuine regeneration or not. So be pleased to work in all of us that we may have a firm standing. We might live in the truth. Father, if there are people in this room, through your word begin to recognize they are not converted. Father, give them no rest. Save them. And may that work be applied to their souls in such a way that these things we read about might be found in their souls in life. Here as we pray, almighty God, in Jesus' name, amen and amen. I remind you this is God's holy word, God's everlasting truth, chapter one of Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of man we prove to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord. For you received the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers of Macedonia and Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you 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, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. Thus ends the reading of God's holy word. May the Lord bless it for his glory in our edification. We started this last week, dealing with what real conversions look like, and we're focusing on that issue from this chapter, looking at different aspects. And then one of the things I mentioned is that each of us should have a story to tell about how the Lord has saved us. That is necessary if you're a true believer. There is a story to tell. We talked about how Ferguson's book highlights that. We dealt with that last month in our reading of that book. And it is something that every true believer experiences. And over the years, I've heard many people express to me that they were Christians. And I found many of those professions to be very disappointing. Frankly, only because over time I began to see those are mere words and there's no noticeable change in their lives. Their priorities, their outlook, their aspirations all seemed to indicate that there was no real change at all. They might have been nice and charming, and someone everyone would possibly enjoy getting together and to get them to know. But they are hardly Christians. That happens repeatedly in churches, that happens repeatedly in our lives. So we need to understand where we stand. What are some of the indicators that you are a true convert? God's Word makes it clear what some of those signs are not. This is not the only passage that deals with it, but many passages do. But we do see some highlights here. A truly converted person has a distinct trait that nature cannot produce. And what I mean by that is, there's a change in an individual that nature, everything around this world cannot produce it. You can't will it into being. The government or the doctor cannot produce that in you. Any moral instructor cannot affect this change. It can't happen from nature, from man's strength, from anything around this creation. The only way this distinct change occurs is through God's sovereign work in the soul. He's the only one that can do it. John says they are born of God. And that's why man can't affect it, because God produces it. And when he does it, it becomes unmistakable. Last week, we dealt with four points dealing with what those marks are. One of the things we said in the beginning was they were all true converts are confronted by God's Word. How God's Word comes into their soul and shows them who they are and their need for Christ. It goes and confronts them. As Paul's Word came, as he preached, they heard it for what it is. It is the Word of God. And every one of us have dealt with God's truth. It's not a feeling. It's not a mere experience. It's God's word confronting our soul, assaulting us. And we dealt with that last week. That's one of the first signs of real conversion, where they take seriously what God is saying through his word. I remember stories of individuals, they heard Bible stories and everything. But when God's Word came to them, they heard it before. All of a sudden, for the first time, they think God is only addressing them and nobody else. God's Word confronted the Thessalonians. And we learn from verses six and eight that they received the Word of God in much affliction. They received it. They didn't just hear it and were convicted, but they received it as what it is, as God's Word. And that's one of the things that has befuddled me. There are many people who say they're Christians and they take God's word lightly. They brush it as though, I don't believe that. That's what the Bible says, I know, but I believe something different. No. When God saves, they take God's word seriously. They receive it. The third thing we realized, one of the signs is they embraced the cross, the calling that is placed upon them to endure the ridicule and everything that comes, the shame that the world brings in following Christ. They endured the persecution, that was the third thing we saw. And in verse nine, we saw the fourth thing, they repented, they worshiped idols, now they serve the living and true God. There's a repentance, there's an about face. There has to be something like that. You don't become a Christian and continue as you were before, because as you were before, it was not right. It's disobedience to God. There has to be an about face. So one repents of their sins. about their selfish life, about the way they pursued life, about how they disobeyed God, there must be present. And those are the four things we dealt with last week. I want to deal with the other four. And I mentioned four, I want to make it five today, because I added another one. So it's five, and I'll get through all of them, God willing, today. And I think these are all important, and these are things we all notice. And following the repentant, the fifth one is that they have changed lives. I want to add why this is significant. It's very similar to the repentant life. Yes, they repented of their past sins, but some can repent and go back. True conversion requires a permanent changed life, a life that is truly changed. In verses 7 and 8, you became an example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Your faith in God has gone forth. This was noticeable. In verses nine to 10, that life turned from worshiping idols to serve the living and true God. This is what characterized their lives. Paul learns from Timothy as he was concerned about their welfare, he learns from them they were standing firm or standing fast in the Lord in chapter three, verse eight. That's what he learned. Remember, he left because there's persecution arising. He had to quickly leave, and he knew they were persecuted. He was concerned over time they would fall. And he gets a word from Timothy. They're standing fast in the Lord. Their lives have truly changed. They are indeed true, sound believers. The Bible's teaching of a changed life means that a person has become born again, or regenerated. A new nature has been implanted into their soul. The person has become a new creature, creation in Jesus Christ. That radical change emerges principally in religious and moral terms, but it is a change wrought by God, and that change is permanent. It can never be undone. If you're a true believer, once you are truly changed, it can never be undone. The idea of being born again, can you be unborn? Now once you're born, you're born. You could be murdered, that's something different. But a true child of God who's born again, that nature has invaded their soul, their life. They're alive, there's life in them. This is something God brings, a changed life. It's a change wrought by God, which means it is more than behavioral change, behavioral change. There are many people who give up bad habits. They become more responsible in their life. It's more than behavioral change. A lot of people have behavioral changes. They're just sick and tired of the confusion, the problems they create. They change. That doesn't mean it was changed by God. Nor is it a reformation of bad habits. AA and NA and other organizations, they have many people, they've changed their habits because they realize they can't do what they're doing anymore. It's ruined their friends and families. It is a reformation of habits, but it's more than that. It is something that happened from the heart. But some people think, well, they stopped drinking, they stopped smoking, they stopped taking drugs. It is more than that. It's more than an attitude change. There are some people over time, they become serious. Their attitude about life changes. They become more sober in their assessment of things. But it's more than that. Now hear me, friends. When God changes the soul, their outlook fundamentally changes. Their aspirations, their lives, delights and desires fundamentally change. There's a new nature. That's what distinguishes a Christian from everything else. Yes, their behavior changes. Yes, their character changes. Yes, their attitude changes. But it all changes from the inside out. God has implanted a new nature in them. They desire new things. I remember when I became a Christian. I was afraid of what was in the Bible. Cracking that open, it was like a mystery book. And I told you some of the stories. I remember reading about these figures in Ezekiel. Ah, God's talking about helicopters. That's the way I was looking at it. You have a strange way. You didn't understand, but after I became a Christian, all of a sudden, my desire to read changed. I wanted to read God's word. God spoke to my soul and dealt with me through his truth. That is not something I created. I didn't get up one day, eat breakfast and go, you know what, I'm gonna start reading the Bible. By just sheer volition, by change of will, no. That desire was implanted in my soul by God himself. And when that change occurs, it shows up principally in religious terms. Jesus Christ is most precious to the person. Jesus Christ is the one I want to know. That's why when we ask someone for membership, when they're seeking membership, we ask them, do you love Jesus Christ? Do you really love him? Not endure him. Not that you have to come to him just to be saved. You love him. There's a heart change. You know, there's a pretend love. and there's genuine love. You can pretend to love your relatives, and you might hate them. You can pretend to love your neighbors, but they bother you to no end. But to actually love them, there has to be a heart change. And God affects that change, and that's what happened to the Thessalonians. They loved idols. But now they serve the living and true God. There was a heart change and it was a permanent change. They want to know God. They want to read his word. They want to pray to him. And that's one of the things that theologians and Puritans and pastors have said, God has no dumb children. God has no mute children. Meaning, God doesn't have children who can't speak. When God converts them, they pray. The Holy Spirit is in them crying, Abba, Father. That is their natural instinct and reflect. They cry out to God. I prayed on and off before I was a Christian. I was like hoping somehow like a lottery ticket, maybe he'll hear me and I'll get this and get that. But after I became a Christian, oh, how I wanted to know my Lord. That's what he does. The Thessalonians were changed. That is the first effect. There's one of the effects. It is a changed life, and this can't be undone. Let me just add something else. The person also worships regularly and faithfully with God's people. I remember when my wife was converted. She wasn't my wife then. I said something like, you know now what you're gonna do for the rest of your life on Sundays. What was I saying? She knew for the rest of her life every Sunday she would worship God. One day out of seven for the rest of her life until she died, she knew at least this one thing. And that's what happens to believers. They gather with the saints. Today, in our Sunday school, we're going to deal with virtual worship. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? And I'll deal with that in the Sunday school. But God has been assembling his people to come into his presence. That is something that happens. Do you think the Thessalonians were converted and they didn't gather together? Do you think they did not sit under the preaching of the word regularly? Yes, they did. Our brother read from Titus about ordering and having elders so they can be regulated and taught regularly. It's a change of life. And that change manifests itself differently in homes and houses, in your life and structure. when I first became a Christian. It's always interesting reflecting upon your past life, like how the Lord had converted you. I was charismatic at that time, not in personality, but in theology. And a friend of mine invited me to go with him to another member of the church I was attending at that time. I had just become a Christian, less than a year old. I'm meeting this man, we talk for a while, then eventually he took me to a little room inside his house. We open the door, walk in, it's a small room. But that was his sanctuary. He had a room dedicated to reading, he had Christian books, not the kind of books I would recommend, but he had Christian books, a Bible, and a serious study. And I stood in awe. As a pagan converted, here is a whole room dedicated to the things of God. How could that be? Because he had a changed life. I'm not saying you gotta have a room dedicated to praying and reading, but you should be dedicated to praying and reading wherever it might be in your house. There should be something different structurally in your life if you have a changed life. This, earlier this January, I had to go, my wife and I went, I had to do a wedding out of town. After the wedding, the grandparent of this daughter that was married, of the granddaughter that was married, was joining us for dinner with the family that invited us over. And they didn't know that anything had really happened to their father spiritually that was there, the grandparent. And the lady of that house, her father was there and we were all talking. And it became apparent over a conversation that he was serious about something. He was asking me, how did I know I was called? And eventually I was encouraged by my friend to say, ask him about Jesus Christ, where he stands. So I started asking him. You know what he said? He's an older man. He said something has been happening. He's been sitting under the preaching. Now he wants to do something. He wants to do something in the church because he doesn't want to just attend. Do I become a member? What can I do? He was asking me, what can I do? As we talked, you know one of the things that came to mind or became very clear? The pastoral sense started to tingle. Officer and I began to realize something has happened to this man spiritually. For the first time, you can see he is now desirous of honoring the Lord, to do something for the Lord. This was never the case before. The daughter who watched her father never saw this. Her father had gone to church all his life. He was a good man, but not a converted man. But now there was life. See, when there's change, it becomes evident. albeit in small ways or big ways, it becomes evident. And the question you have to ask, are you converted? Are you changed? What shows up in your life that indicates that change? The sixth thing is that they led an evangelistic life. In verse eight, look at what Paul says. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you, in Macedonia and Achaia, But your faith in God has gone forth everywhere so that we need not say anything. The word of the Lord has sounded forth from you. That is, they made God's word known to those in Macedonia and Achaia. Yes, their reputation also preceded them about their conversion. But this idea of sonde forth can be translated blasted forth, trumpeted, rang out, or however it is, the idea is their faith in Christ, they made it known. They wouldn't shut up about it. That is one of the clearest indicators of true conversion. They want Christ known. It shows up differently in different personalities. But each convert wants other people to know about their Savior, about the Lord's dealing with them. It will be different. I know some people are shy. They're not as bold. They're not as clear. It doesn't matter. But they want to do something to make Christ known, sometimes inviting them to the church, sometimes simply saying, I'm going to pray for you or something. Somehow, in some way, they want to make it known. That's what the Thessalonians did. They lived an evangelistic life. It often shows up first in their relationship to their family, they want to share with their children, their spouse, their friends, their parents, whatever it might be. And their friends, to their colleagues, to their relatives, to their neighbors and to strangers, it always goes out. I remember I could not shut up after I became a Christian. I lost friends, I made new friends. But that's what happens. We see the same in Acts. As the disciples are empowered by the Spirit after the resurrection, they go out and spread the word. Why is that so important? Because you see something fundamentally has happened and they can't keep it in. I always find commercials interesting. As you get older and you feel the weakness of your body, you listen with different ears. There's this medicine, these vitamins that will change your life. And they have these testimonies. Why, I can walk 10 miles now. I can never walk at all. I can think and remember everything. I forgot everything before. And this thing, it changed my life. And they got testimony after testimony. Sounds astonishing. I'm thinking, maybe I'll call it. It would help me. It couldn't hurt. You listen to those testimonies because you see something happened. I don't know how true it is. They probably just want my money. Now here's the thing. If it is true, of course they want to talk about it. And you don't know how true it is. But a believer, oh, he has a testimony he must share. He cannot not share. If that man or woman can talk about the ability to remember things and walk more just because they took these pills and they're on television, shouldn't we have something better to say? I was lost but I'm found. I was blind but now I can see. I was dead, I'm alive. That's what happens. And in Macedonia and Achaia, they heard from the Thessalonians what the Lord has done for them. You may not be able to proclaim the gospel in its fullness. Some are more articulate, well-versed than others, but you can bear a testimony. I can't explain anything, but I can explain this. You know, this was my life before, and this is my life now. Jesus changed me. I looked in faith to him. That I can say. And that's one of the signs of a true convert. And I know people are different, but that's always wonderful to see how much more for a changed life. And then the other thing, the seventh point is this. They lived a consistent, productive, godly life. Verse three, four one the following, four nine to 10. They lived a consistent, productive, godly life. Paul says in the beginning, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. And in chapter four, we begin to see what that looks like. In verse one, it says, finally then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us how you ought to walk and please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more. In chapter four, verse one, he is saying, we taught you how to live a Christian life. You're doing it now. You're living as productive God. Do so more, he says. And verses 9 and 10 of that chapter, now concerning brotherly love, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another. That's the effect of God's word. You are enabled to love. If you're a hateful person, that changes when God converts you, for that indeed is what you are doing. to all brothers throughout Macedonia, but we urge you brothers to do this more and more. He's saying you're already doing it, you're loving your brothers. God taught you, you're doing it. Their lives were not spasmodic in their godliness. It was not episodic or occasional or seasonal. It was not unpredictable. It was a consistent, productive, godly life. It was a life of whole godliness, of laboring in love, works filled with faith, walking in a way they pleased God, and loving their brethren. Their conversion was real. That goes a long way in being a good testimony. It is a wonderful act of mercy to see that in a person's life, consistently for years. I don't know how many years the Lord has for me, maybe one, maybe 40, maybe 10, maybe five, I don't know. But my great heart desire is I just want to finish well. I don't want to dishonor the Lord, I just want to do what he calls me to do and just die. And if I'm going to dishonor him, Lord take my life before I do. To live a consistent, productive, godly life. We're not talking about becoming super Christians, whatever that might be. An international evangelist, renowned biblical scholar, erudite theologian, celebrity pastors, a popular Christian speaker, whatever it might be, but a simple godly life. And listen to the way he describes it in chapter four. Right after he talks about loving one another, he says in verses nine and 10, After verses 9 and 10, he says in verses 11 and 12, he says, love more and to aspire to live quietly and to mind your own affairs and to work with your hands as we instructed you so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. And to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs. They were to live godly, holy, quiet lives. This pleased the Lord. It's an amazing thing. I spoke with someone, Terry and I went to Greenville at a conference this week, and someone shared that their best friend had apostatized left to faith, defected. It was so sad to hear about that. And that happens over and over again, backsliding to falling away. But a true convert lives a consistent, godly, productive life that inches forward slowly but faithfully. Unbeknownst to the world, quietly but cheerily, they fear God and seek to honor Him. That's what a true convert is. Not to fare well and receive the praises of the world and then fade away, but to be godly and steady. So when they're 80, when they're 70, when they're 30, wherever they are, there's this growth that pulsates in their soul. They seek to honor God. And that's what we see the Thessalonians doing. And Paul rejoices. He says, do it more. That's how you know you're converted. Not episodic, spasmodic, occasional, or seasonal, but a steady, steady, faithful walk. Brothers, we have television, incense, stars, and the internet and social media. People are pursuing that. Why? What places God is this consistent, quiet, faithful life? He delights in that. Open your eyes, that's what matters, to make it to the end. And quickly, the last two points. They live expected lives. Verse 10. Look at what they did at the end of verse 10. And to wait for his son from heaven. I'm gonna be just quick on this. We dealt with this. The idea is they're looking for the Lord Jesus to return. That's their hope in this world. They're not looking to the government, to politics. They're not looking to their health. They're not looking to finances or anything. They're looking for the return of the Lord. That's their hope. That's what pulsates in their soul. They wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead. They know Jesus has been raised from the dead, is at the right hand of God, and God the Father will send Him one day. And they're looking, this world, they're looking for many things, vain things that cannot happen. equity, world peace, renewed ecology, universal health care, some borderless world, whatever it might be, you can list many, it will not happen. It's a world filled with sin, it's a world that is broken, and it cannot be changed until the Lord comes and converts it all. There are no national hopes. There's only Christ coming back. That is our hope. You wait for his return. And that's what the Thessalonians were doing. Nero was doing his thing, but the Christians were waiting for Jesus Christ. And that's what we have to do. And lastly, this is the one I added. It's an important one. They lived a joyful life. Look at verse six. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord. You received the word in much affliction. with the joy of the Holy Spirit. That is the effect. Joy is a part of the Christian's life. Though afflicted, they had joy in the Spirit. He enabled them to rejoice and helped them to see, through the difficult matters, to see what matters most. Outer man is decaying, it's being afflicted, but my inner man is being renewed day by day. There is a weight of glory waiting me. That is joy. Remember the parable of the hidden treasure. The man goes, sells everything out of joy for what he has found. The Philippian jailer rejoiced along with his household that he had come to faith. There was joy there. Paul talks about believers rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God and rejoicing in suffering in Romans 5. That is what is found in believers. You cannot genuinely be converted and remain unaffected. Hear me on this. It is the single most important thing that ever happened to your soul. How can you not be joyful? You were dead, you're alive. You were guilty under wrath and now you're forgiven, adopted, received by God Almighty. And this change of nature, God wrought it in your soul. How could you not be joyful? That was the effect. That's how we know there was genuine conversion, real conversion. A changed life, evangelistic life, a consistent, productive, godly life, expected life, a joyful life. You know what? It was all free. received by faith. I end with this illustration. If you're going for a loan, you don't go to the bank and they say, you want $10,000? What collateral do you have? Nothing. What about your car? I don't have a car. What about your house? I don't have a house. Well, what about your work? I'm not working. I'm unemployed. Do you have anything, jewels or anything? I have nothing. I just want $10,000. Will you loan it to me? They're going, no way. It's a risk they're not willing to take. You have nothing that they can trust that you'll pay it back. You gotta show something. That's how the world works. You come to Christ. And there's these things that he produces. And Jesus doesn't say, what do you have to give to me? You got nothing. But you know what you say? I have nothing, Lord. All my sins, please forgive me. And all these things that he brings into the people's life, he'll give to you freely. If you look to him by faith, it's free. You don't work it up. You're not the collateral. You got nothing to give but your sins. He'll gladly take that and give you new life and forgive you and cleanse you and adopt you. All received by faith as you repent of your sins and say, Lord, save me, help me. And I hope you do that. Let's pray. Father, we stand amazed at what you can do and what you have done. and sending your Son and sending the Spirit how much change you produce in the life of people. Many of us are recipients of that mercy. We bow in thanksgiving. We pray for those in this room. They've heard of these things, they don't know it. May you produce it in them. May you save them, convert them, grant them repentance and faith that they might believe and live. In Jesus' name, amen and amen. Wonderful hymn. Please turn to 132 about our Lord Jesus, wonderful King of glorious 132.