Daily Bread
Daily Bread 1 Thessalonians 1
Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
Observation:
Both letters Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, were some of the earliest letters in the New Testament, most likely written around 50-51 AD. Thessalonians was the capital of Macedonia, one of the biggest provinces in Northern Greece. It was a bustling city on the corridor of the East-West trade route. Paul started the church here, and the Jewish people in the area started a mob against him, which led him to Berea and then back to Athens. This letter is written to encourage the new believers there.
Paul cites the fact that when the Thessalonians received the Good News, that it generated lots of powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Thessalonians would need these strong experiences and conviction as they dealt with the persecution that would soon ensue.
But in spite of this persecution, this early church’s faith was so powerful that Paul says the Lord’s message rang out from them into the regions beyond. The change in lives among the Thessalonians and their turning from idols to the living God, were evidence of the power of God. Because of the persecution they received, much of the focus of both this letter and 2 Thessalonians will make reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
When persecution is bad, the thought of Jesus’ return becomes something to hold on to in times of trouble!
Application:
Where have you had to suffer for being a Christian? Would it be said of you and/or your church that the message “rang out” from you to those near you and even far? Times of suffering for our faith, or even other times of suffering can be times where our faith in Christ can make the biggest impact.
This book also reminds us to remember other churches in our prayers. In Paul’s day there were no denominations. There was one church of Jesus Christ. Churches were described by region not by denomination. When God looks at your region, he sees one church, made up of all who believe in His Son. As we seek to reach cities for Christ, it would be helpful to pray and look to partner with other churches who have a heart to “ring out” the Gospel for Jesus’ sake.
Prayer: God, we thank you for the power of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit when we receive the Good News. May our churches be places where evidence of this transforming power rings out to all around us, as each person has a personal encounter with Your Son, through the power of Your Spirit! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
4For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
Observation:
Both letters Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, were some of the earliest letters in the New Testament, most likely written around 50-51 AD. Thessalonians was the capital of Macedonia, one of the biggest provinces in Northern Greece. It was a bustling city on the corridor of the East-West trade route. Paul started the church here, and the Jewish people in the area started a mob against him, which led him to Berea and then back to Athens. This letter is written to encourage the new believers there.
Paul cites the fact that when the Thessalonians received the Good News, that it generated lots of powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The Thessalonians would need these strong experiences and conviction as they dealt with the persecution that would soon ensue.
But in spite of this persecution, this early church’s faith was so powerful that Paul says the Lord’s message rang out from them into the regions beyond. The change in lives among the Thessalonians and their turning from idols to the living God, were evidence of the power of God. Because of the persecution they received, much of the focus of both this letter and 2 Thessalonians will make reference to the Second Coming of Christ.
When persecution is bad, the thought of Jesus’ return becomes something to hold on to in times of trouble!
Application:
Where have you had to suffer for being a Christian? Would it be said of you and/or your church that the message “rang out” from you to those near you and even far? Times of suffering for our faith, or even other times of suffering can be times where our faith in Christ can make the biggest impact.
This book also reminds us to remember other churches in our prayers. In Paul’s day there were no denominations. There was one church of Jesus Christ. Churches were described by region not by denomination. When God looks at your region, he sees one church, made up of all who believe in His Son. As we seek to reach cities for Christ, it would be helpful to pray and look to partner with other churches who have a heart to “ring out” the Gospel for Jesus’ sake.
Prayer: God, we thank you for the power of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit when we receive the Good News. May our churches be places where evidence of this transforming power rings out to all around us, as each person has a personal encounter with Your Son, through the power of Your Spirit! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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