The Power of God's Word
The Power of God's Word - Study 9/23/10
Many things produce power. Machines work with power produced from batteries or electricity. There are also more advanced sources of power like the laser beam which is a concentration of light that can split any object. All of those are mechanical powers
There are also natural powers like that of lightening, turnados and hurricanes.
We will never forget in the recent times the power of hurricane Katrina that almost wiped out the city of New Orleans.
There is however the power of words. We know it because sometimes people have said things to us that knocked us out. The effect of those words sometimes feel more than using a hammer to hit us.
In today's study we will see the power of the Godspel for transformation. It is the greatest power there is because it is the power of the Word of God.
The Thessalonian Church received God's word and hence received His power that brought change in their lives. Have you listened and received God's Word that can change you?
1 Thessalonians 1
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,[a] and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give you grace and peace.
2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance[c] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.[d]
8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
Here is my observation in addition to the ones you may have.
1.Apostle Paul and company brougth the word of God to the Thessalonians. They were only messengers. Paul preached the Word explaining who Jesus was and why He had to die and be raised again for the purpose of taking away the sins of man. The Word that was preached went forward to do its work. "For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power" vs. 5, We need not defend the word of God. God's Word has enough power to defend itself.
2. Notice that God's Word is Himself. In John 1, we are told the Word was God and the Word became flesh in the person of Jesus and lived among us. The Word is God and He is the one that brings the change.
2. The power that tranforms is the power of the Holy Spirit. At all times the trinity is at work accomplishing the purposes of God. Jesus told us you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1). We see this power of the Holy Spirit at work among the Thessalonians and in our lives. It is the power that transforms lives.
3.We must understand this power. In Ephesians 1 it is this power that raised Christ from the dead. Paul prayed, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms". In other words the Thessalonians received God's Word that transforms dead lives into new lives.
4.The power of the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It saves from our deadness of sin unto life in God. Romans 1.16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[g] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”"
5. Let's see the results of the change brougth by the power of God in the lives of the Thessalonians. They were transformed from worshipping idols to worshipping the true God. Everything created was made for God. The power of God's Word brings us back to God as was originally intended before man sinned and was separated from God.
6.The power of God's Word enabled the Thessalonians to endure sufferings thus becoming imitators of Christ's sufferings. Paul also suffered in the hands of the Jews, so the Thessalonians imitated Paul.vs 6. Are you an imitator of God in His sufferings. Is anyone observing you endure in your present situation and have become an imitator of Christ who had no sin but suffered for our sins? Often we are praying and rebuking the very problems in our lives that will cause people to draw near to God and become Christ's imitators.
7. The power of the Word changed the Thessalonians to become messengers of God's Word in the then Greek world and all over. "You have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia". vs. 6-8.
Many of us are praying for God's power for the wrong reasons. The power of God is there to turn us from serving self to serving God. Yes God's power does many other things like physical healing but it is primarily for bringing us back to God.
God's word is powerful and sharp and it is the only thing that can change any life from evil to good. Yes even a murderer can be transformed and Apostle Paul was a good example.
People only need to hear God's Word from us. The Word comes with it's own power.
Let's speak the Word of God to people and to each other. Don't worry about the results for God's word; it will take care of itself because it is powerful. Let's read and study God's word and watch out for the accompaning change in our lives and other lives.
May His Word with His power transform you and me today in Jesus name, amen.
Have you received God's Word with the accompaining transforming power?
Many things produce power. Machines work with power produced from batteries or electricity. There are also more advanced sources of power like the laser beam which is a concentration of light that can split any object. All of those are mechanical powers
There are also natural powers like that of lightening, turnados and hurricanes.
We will never forget in the recent times the power of hurricane Katrina that almost wiped out the city of New Orleans.
There is however the power of words. We know it because sometimes people have said things to us that knocked us out. The effect of those words sometimes feel more than using a hammer to hit us.
In today's study we will see the power of the Godspel for transformation. It is the greatest power there is because it is the power of the Word of God.
The Thessalonian Church received God's word and hence received His power that brought change in their lives. Have you listened and received God's Word that can change you?
1 Thessalonians 1
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas,[a] and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give you grace and peace.
2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, dear brothers and sisters,[b] that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance[c] that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.[d]
8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
Here is my observation in addition to the ones you may have.
1.Apostle Paul and company brougth the word of God to the Thessalonians. They were only messengers. Paul preached the Word explaining who Jesus was and why He had to die and be raised again for the purpose of taking away the sins of man. The Word that was preached went forward to do its work. "For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power" vs. 5, We need not defend the word of God. God's Word has enough power to defend itself.
2. Notice that God's Word is Himself. In John 1, we are told the Word was God and the Word became flesh in the person of Jesus and lived among us. The Word is God and He is the one that brings the change.
2. The power that tranforms is the power of the Holy Spirit. At all times the trinity is at work accomplishing the purposes of God. Jesus told us you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1). We see this power of the Holy Spirit at work among the Thessalonians and in our lives. It is the power that transforms lives.
3.We must understand this power. In Ephesians 1 it is this power that raised Christ from the dead. Paul prayed, "I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms". In other words the Thessalonians received God's Word that transforms dead lives into new lives.
4.The power of the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It saves from our deadness of sin unto life in God. Romans 1.16 "For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.[g] 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”"
5. Let's see the results of the change brougth by the power of God in the lives of the Thessalonians. They were transformed from worshipping idols to worshipping the true God. Everything created was made for God. The power of God's Word brings us back to God as was originally intended before man sinned and was separated from God.
6.The power of God's Word enabled the Thessalonians to endure sufferings thus becoming imitators of Christ's sufferings. Paul also suffered in the hands of the Jews, so the Thessalonians imitated Paul.vs 6. Are you an imitator of God in His sufferings. Is anyone observing you endure in your present situation and have become an imitator of Christ who had no sin but suffered for our sins? Often we are praying and rebuking the very problems in our lives that will cause people to draw near to God and become Christ's imitators.
7. The power of the Word changed the Thessalonians to become messengers of God's Word in the then Greek world and all over. "You have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia". vs. 6-8.
Many of us are praying for God's power for the wrong reasons. The power of God is there to turn us from serving self to serving God. Yes God's power does many other things like physical healing but it is primarily for bringing us back to God.
God's word is powerful and sharp and it is the only thing that can change any life from evil to good. Yes even a murderer can be transformed and Apostle Paul was a good example.
People only need to hear God's Word from us. The Word comes with it's own power.
Let's speak the Word of God to people and to each other. Don't worry about the results for God's word; it will take care of itself because it is powerful. Let's read and study God's word and watch out for the accompaning change in our lives and other lives.
May His Word with His power transform you and me today in Jesus name, amen.
Have you received God's Word with the accompaining transforming power?
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