I was in church, standing there singing my heart out in praise to Jesus along with everyone else … and I thought, “You know, we are really no different from the brand-new Christians at the church in Thessalonica.”
Each of us standing here, singing praise to Jesus, at one point heard the good news that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. That is no different from the people living in Thessalonica.
We heard about Jesus … and we believed. Simple as that. Just like the people living in Thessalonica did.
We not only heard about Jesus … and believed … we have turned away from our old sinful way of living and we have given our lives to follow Jesus Christ. We are seeking to obey Jesus in everything we do. We are no different from the brand-new Christians in Thessalonica.
That really struck me!
I’m no different than the people 2,000 years ago.
My church and their church are really no different.
My pastor got up to share God’s Word with us and instruct us how to live a holy life. I was thinking about the brand-new Christians at the church in Thessalonica. They were only able to have their pastor for a couple of months. Then their pastor was driven out of town by angry rioting people.
What if my pastor was driven out of town by angry rioting people in my city??
I would be very distressed if that happened. Everyone in my church would be very distressed.
Paul, their pastor, had just been driven out of town. He was distressed for these brand-new Christians, so he wrote a letter to encourage them.
“In spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with joy …” – 1 Thessalonians 1:6
“You turned 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 rescues us from the coming wrath.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
No more Athena – goddess of wisdom and war.
No more Zeus – ruler of the gods, god of the sky, thunder, and lightning.
No more Aphrodite – goddess of love and beauty.
No more Apollo – god of music, prophecy, and healing.
Paul continues: “We thank God continually because when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:13
It’s the same as what God asks each of us today! It’s no different.
“But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you – certainly I, Paul, did, again and again – but Satan stopped us.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18
What if my pastor of my church was suddenly driven out of town by angry rioting people … how would I respond?? What if the people of my city were stirred up to anger against anyone who was a Jesus follower?
What if your pastor of your church was suddenly driven out of town by angry rioting people … how would you respond?? What if the people of your city were stirred up to anger against anyone who was a Jesus follower?
This right here is the situation in which 1 & 2 Thessalonians were written.
Paul, their pastor writes to them:
“So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.
“We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.
“When I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3, 5
“But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love.
“He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:6-8
Their pastor writes to encourage them! And their pastor is encouraged because of them!
If your pastor of your church was driven out of town, and if your church received a letter shortly thereafter from him … how would you feel?
This is the letter of 1 Thessalonians!
This letter is a huge encouragement to these brand-new Christians!
Their pastor encourages them:
“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:10
Their pastor is trying to come back to them! Their pastor knows they need instruction for how to live a holy life that pleases God.
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:12
Their pastor is praying for them! Their pastor is praying that God would fill them with love! Their pastor is praying that their lives will overflow with God’s love!
This is amazing! What if this was my pastor? What if, in the face of angry people being mean & hateful to me and the people of my church, what if my pastor wrote to us letting us know he was praying for God to fill us with love. What if, in the face of extreme trials, my pastor wrote to us letting us know he was praying that our lives would overflow with love!
This is amazing!
“May he [God] strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” – 1 Thessalonians 3:13
Their pastor was praying that God would give them the strength they needed! Only God could give them the strength to be blameless and holy! Only God could give them the strength to love, in spite of persecution.
It’s now 2,000 years later … and it’s really no different today.
We still need to hear the good news of Jesus and simply receive it … just like they did.
We still need to turn away from the idols in our own life – turning away from our sinful way of living … and follow Jesus Christ. Just like they did.
We still need to love, even when life is hard … even when people are unkind and mean. Just like they did.
We still need God to give us the strength to love. Just like they did.
We still need God to give us the strength to be blameless and holy. Just like they did.
It’s really no different.
