Imitate the Example

Brandon Werner   -   January 19, 2025

Imitate the Example

Together Church Sermon  |  Pastor Brandon Werner  | 
January 19, 2025  |  Series: 1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:1-16

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

INTRODUCTION

Paul’s letters often function in a circular motion. He’ll introduce his main idea, make some points or draw some illustrations about it, and then circle back to his main idea.

If we’re not careful, it’s easy to get lost in the loop. We can read some verses and forget the main idea of what Paul’s talking about. That’s when verses can easily be pulled out of context and lose their meaning.

There’s a loop that sets up a main idea in 1 Thessalonians 1 & 2. Once we see the loop, we start to understand how everything connects to that theme.

What’s the loop?

The loop opens in…

1 Thessalonians 1:5b-7b

You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 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, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers

The theme of the loop is how the Thessalonians became imitators of the examples God gave them. In fact, they imitated so well that they became an example to all the believers.

The loop returns a chapter later in…

1 Thessalonians 2:13-14

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews

Again, Paul commends the church of the Thessalonians for recognizing the examples God provided, imitating those examples, and becoming an example to others.

Do you see the loop? Here’s the main idea:

God’s plan is to provide examples for us to imitate until we become the example.

Now that you’ve got the main idea of this loop it’s important to understand that everything in the loop ties back to this main idea.

• When Paul is talking about his example in suffering, he is also commending the church of the Thessalonians for imitating that example and becoming an example to others.
• When Paul talks about his sincere motives in coming to this church, he is also celebrating their sincere motive in the way they minister to others.
• When Paul talks about his affection towards them, he is also praising this church for their affection for the Lord and for one another.

Everything in this loop ties back into the main idea of this loop:

God’s plan is to provide examples for us to imitate so that we will become examples of Christ that others can follow.

And that makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

ILLUSTRATIONS:

• An electrical apprentice with a journeyman.

(8000 hours, 4-5 years)

• After completing 8 years of school, doctors enter a residency to imitate the example of other doctors before practicing alone.

(3-7 years, more if specializing)

Think of the accidents that have been avoided and the lives that have been saved because these fields require an example to be provided and expect those who are learning to imitate the example.

And that’s what Paul’s saying: imitate the example until you become an example to others.

I said it last week and I’ll say it again: this church is special. In most of the Epistles of Paul, he writes to encourage, admonish, and even rebuke disciples in hopes that they will just become imitators. But with the Thessalonian church, Paul writes to celebrate how they had already become imitators and examples!

Paul’s main idea for this loop can be summed up with these words:

1 Thessalonians 1

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord… so that you became an example to all the believers

God wants us to be like this church. He wants every disciple of Jesus at Together Church to become an imitator of the examples He has provided so that we become examples to others.

If that’s God’s plan for us, how do we align with God’s plan? To help us, we will ask three questions…

1. What are the examples God has provided?
2. Why should you imitate these examples?
3. How do you know when you’ve become the example?

BODY

1. What are the examples God has provided?

We could probably finish this phrase in unison…

The most important example for us to follow is the example of: JESUS.

Before God became a man, we did not have the example of Jesus to follow. But when God the Son took on human flesh, Jesus became THE perpetual example for us to imitate.

God gave us His Holy Scriptures so that we would never be without Jesus’ example. The example of Jesus has been preserved for us so that we can get close to Him, examine His life, and become imitators of Christ.

The example of Jesus is the most important example we have, and it is the first example we should imitate. But the example of Jesus is not the only example God has provided.

Paul said…

1 Thessalonians 1:6a

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord

Now that’s a bold way to say it. Paul says that this church became imitators of the Lord by imitating his example and the examples of those on his team.

I’m trying to imagine how that might land if I took that same approach.

What if I said, “I really want to commend Together Church. I see a lot of spiritual growth and effective ministry happening here because you are all imitating me and my example.”

What would you think about that?

It would probably come across as arrogant or proud. “Pastor Brandon, didn’t you just do a series on humility?”

But Paul celebrates the Thessalonian church for following his example! And this wasn’t the only time he did that…

1 Corinthians 4:16

I urge you, then, be imitators of me.

1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Philippians 3:17

Join together in following my example

And these are just a few places Paul points others to his own example!

Now, Paul was an apostle, which was a special office of leadership with unique authority. We might conclude, “Well, Paul pointed to himself as an example because of that office.”

Certainly, that should elevate our view of Paul’s example. But it shouldn’t lead us to conclude that the only examples we are to imitate is the example of Jesus and the apostles.

How do we know that?

Because Paul points to others as examples the church should imitate!

1 Thessalonians 1:6a

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord

Who’s the “us” in this passage? Paul AND his companions! His companions on this missionary journey were not apostles.

But he doesn’t stop there. Paul goes on to identify other examples…

1 Thessalonians 2:14

14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.

Paul is now exalting an entire church, the church in Judea, as an example that the Thessalonians imitated!

But he doesn’t stop there…

1 Thessalonians 1:6-7a

6 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, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers

Paul celebrates the church of the Thessalonians as imitators that became examples to all the believers!

It’s clear: God’s plan is for His Church to be full of living examples that we can imitate.

There are many large churches who have very few examples to follow. Often, these large churches are seen as thriving churches because they are growing in size. It is possible for a church to become a mile wide and an inch deep.

That’s not God’s plan. God wants His Church to be full of mature believers who provide an example for us to imitate.

At Together Church, we want to be like the church of the Thessalonians. We want to be as deep as we are wide.

• That’s why discipleship will be the engine that drives our church.
• That’s why we will practice expository preaching on Sunday mornings instead of providing 20-30 minute sermons.
• That’s why we make time for a 5-10 minute response at the end of sermons.
• That’s why we do relational environments in small groups the way we do.
• That’s why we develop strategies to develop people into spiritual maturity and train new leaders.
• That’s why we have things like a Vision Night to share about new opportunities for our people to grow as ministers.

There are already many great examples at Together Church that we can imitate. Can you identify them? God’s plan is for every disciple to identify and imitate the right examples until they become an example worth imitating.

2. Why should you imitate these examples?

Well, why was Paul excited about the church in Thessalonica imitating his example? Because he wanted them to become like him?

Absolutely not. Paul wanted them to imitate his example because he knew that his example would point them to Christ.

1 Thessalonians 1:6a

6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord

The reason we should want to imitate the examples God has provided for us is because we want to become like Jesus.

Here’s the equation in Paul’s loop…

The only examples worth imitating are those examples that help us become imitators of Christ. So, why don’t we all start imitating?

Here’s the challenge:

As humans, we are the masters of excuses.

When it’s time to make real changes and start imitating, we create lists a mile long of why we are the exception and should be excused from changing our lives to imitate Christ…

• If you only knew how busy I was you would excuse me from following the example of those who faithfully gather.
• If you only knew how strapped I was you would excuse me from following the example of those who make sacrifices with work hours and financial giving to set the example.
• If you only knew what my health was like you would excuse me from imitating and following the right examples.
• If you only knew how I struggled with mental health you would excuse me from imitating the right examples.

In addiction recovery, the mark of an addict still stuck is their constant excuses. They believe their life circumstances are unique, that no one else can understand, and they expect others to excuse them from changing.

This problem isn’t limited to drug addicts and alcoholics. Everyone tends to excuse themselves from making hard changes. If this is you, the problem is not your circumstances… the problem is your heart.

The solution to a heart problem is the right view of God. What have you believed about Jesus and His gospel? The gospel you believe will determine the kind of disciple you become.

• Jesus came to make my life better and give me blessings.
• Jesus came to save me and radically change my life so that I would stop living for self and start living for the glory of God.

The examples worth imitating are the ones who have believed the truth about Jesus. You know they have believed because you can see their genuine faith and constant love for God and others.

Why should you imitate these examples God has provided? You should imitate them because God has provided you with their example to help you become like Jesus. And there’s no one you admire more or would rather be like than Jesus.

And you should keep imitating the examples God has given until you become an example to others yourself.

3. How do you know when you’ve become an example?

Most of the time, the answer people want to this question is a checklist. “Here are the 10 spiritual practices you need to master to become the example to others.”

What kind of people is God looking for to be His examples others should follow?

God is not looking for people to be His examples that say, “With the right self-help books, some good research, a couple years in therapy, a list of achievable goals, and, oh yeah, a little bit of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, I know I can become the example!”

God is searching for people who are genuine believers to be His example. People who have received the gospel not just in word only, but in the power of the Holy Spirit, with full conviction. THE WIN:

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5a

4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

Disciples who become the example are not people who depend on themselves for the power they need to do God’s work, they are people who believe God has already done a powerful work in them! They become the examples because of their genuine faith in the work of God and how that work has already changed their life.

That’s what happened to the believers in Thessalonica. In this loop, Paul lists three reasons he knew these believers had become the example. Paul knew they had become an example because of their…

• Faithfulness in suffering (vv.1-2, 13-16)
• Genuine motives in ministry (vv.3-7)
• Affection and discipleship (vv.8-12)

A sermon could be preached on all three of these points. That’s for another time. Instead, let’s just tie these three things back to the main idea of Paul’s loop. What’s something they all have in common?

No one can fake these for any extended period of time!

Paul knew they had become the example because the fruit of their lives demonstrated their genuine faith in the gospel and the power of God in their lives.

Too often, Christians are waiting for some spiritual transformation to occur in their future that will change their lives.

There’s only bondage in this way of thinking.

The work of God to change your life does not lie somewhere in your future. If you are in Christ, He has already done the work!

• He put your sinful spirit to death and you were born again.
• He gave you His power to live a new life in Christ.

You won’t become the example until you learn to imitate other examples that put this kind of faith on display.

Being an example others can follow isn’t about behavior modification, it’s about spiritual transformation. When you learn to believe the truths of the gospel, and live in that belief everyday, your faith will change your heart, your mind, and your life.

And you will become an example of faith others can imitate.

CONCLUSION

We’ve seen it. God’s plan is for all of us to identify and imitate the examples He has provided until we become an example others can follow.

There are some here who have already put their faith in Jesus, but you aren’t imitating Him and the examples He has provided. And because of that, you aren’t becoming an example others can follow.

• Less like Thessalonians, more like Corinthians and others.
  • If Paul was writing you, he’d just be trying to get you to imitate!
• You’ve made excuses. You’ve invited reasons you are the exception.
• You’re waiting for some spiritual transformation in front of you instead of believing God has already done the miracle you need.

God wants you to become an imitator so you can become the example. There are so many examples at Together Church. Are you willing to stop making excuses and start identifying and imitating genuine followers of Jesus? It is the only way. (Small Group)

INVITATION

There are others here who are not being imitators of Jesus because they have never believed in Jesus and decided to follow Him.

Is that you?

Believing Jesus loves you isn’t enough. Believing He died on the cross for your sins isn’t enough. You must believe that He is Lord and you must decide to stop imitating others and start imitating Him (and the examples He has provided).

GOSPEL, THEN STAND FOR BAPTISM