1 Thessalonians 1 - Faith, Hope, and Love - The Gifts of the Gospel

 1 Thessalonians 1

Background on the Book of 1 Thessalonians (From Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll)

Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonian church from the city of Corinth around AD 51, just a few months after having preached in Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Upon leaving Thessalonica under duress, Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled to Athens by way of Berea. But after a short time in Athens, Paul felt the need to receive a report from the newborn church in Thessalonica, so he sent Timothy back to serve and minister to the new believers there. Paul wanted to check on the state of the Thessalonians’ faith, for fear that false teachers might have infiltrated their number. However, Timothy soon returned with a good report, prompting Paul to pen 1 Thessalonians as a letter of encouragement to the new believers.

Everyone would like to have some insight into what their future holds. How much more so when it comes to the end of the whole world? First Thessalonians provides Christians with the clearest biblical passage on the coming rapture of believers, an event that will inaugurate the seven-year tribulation. At the rapture, Christ will return for His people. The dead in Christ shall rise first, while those still living will follow close behind. All believers will meet Jesus in the air to begin an eternity spent with the Lord

With that in mind, Paul taught the people that any spiritual growth would ultimately be motivated by their hope in the ultimate return of Jesus Christ. Paul was never interested in simply telling people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, for he knew that what ultimately inspired change was a life of consistently walking in the power of God’s Spirit. And so to a group of young Christians with questions and uncertainties, Paul offered the hope of Christ’s return, providing both comfort in the midst of questions and motivation to godly living. 

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

Silas and Timothy were Paul's two main ministry partners. Paul did not usually work by himself but with a team. He was always equipping others for the work of ministry. Silas went with Paul on his second missionary journey and was imprisoned with Paul in Philippi. Silas came with him on his first journey to Thessalonica, so they knew him. 

Timothy was a younger man who Paul mentored. He had also traveled to Thessalonica before as well. He was the son of a Greek Father, and a Jewish mother named Eunice. Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey but had to leave abruptly, which was why he was anxious to see how they were doing. 

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We 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.

Like all of the churches Paul founded, he continued to remember them in prayer. When we pray as a church, we should always be praying for other churches in our community and around the world. Paul applauds them from their work, which were borne and produced through faith. The service was prompted by love and their steadfastness was inspired by hope in Jesus. 

We see the three key words for Christians: faith, hope, and love. Our churches should always be characterized by these three virtues. 

Paul was so grateful to God for the Thessalonians because there was an undeniable work of the Holy Spirit and a marvelous change in their lives. - Guzik

 “Here for the first time, chronologically, in Paul’s writings we have this famous triad: faith, love, hope. But Paul’s stress is not on these virtues alone, but rather upon what they produce.” (Hiebert)

4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 

Paul knew the gospel had taken root in the believers, as their preaching came not just words, but the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that takes God's Word and makes it come alive in our hearts. There is power in God's Word, and the Holy Spirit brings the gift of faith. Oftentimes when we preach God's Word it can fall on deaf ears, but not in Thessalonica. 

Paul and his companions not only preached to the Thessalonians, but they shared their lives with them. Paul lived out his faith with them in their suffering, so that they saw what faith looked like under fire. The greatest life change comes when we are in community with each other and bear each other's burdens. 

With their  acceptance of the gospel also came great joy. Joy is always a hallmark of not only receiving the gospel, but also of the Christian life. Even in suffering, "the joy of the Lord" can be our strength. 

The gospel is not a matter of mere words. In modern culture there is an overflow of information or entertainment that often only amounts to mere words. Yet the Gospel is more than words, it also has power. - Guzik

The gospel is not a matter of mere words. In modern culture there is an overflow of information or entertainment that often only amounts to mere words. Yet the Gospel is more than words, it also has power. - Guzik

7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The 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, 9 for 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, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Because they not only received the gospel but lived it out by faith, hope, and love, they became a powerful witness to other churches in Macedonia (Phillipi) and Achaia (Greece). Their reputation "rang out". This word has the idea of a sound reverberating so strongly that it goes out to everyone around it. Their example was so powerful, Paul didn't need to add any words to add to it. 

At the heart of the gospel's transformation in Thessalonica was when they turned from dead idols to the living God. We serve a living God in relationship with the resurrected Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. God is a personal and relational God. We can go to him in prayer, give thanks to him, and see the transformation work he does in our hearts always giving thanks to Him. 

Finally, Paul addresses a subject he will talk about a lot in this letter, the return of Jesus. Since the church was undergoing suffering, they were wondering when Jesus would return. This letter is one of the earliest letters written by Paul around 50-51 A.D. This is only 17 years after the resurrection. 

This was part of the good example that the Thessalonian Christians provided. “Sounded forth” means “a loud ringing sound, as of a trumpet blast.” The good work the Lord did among the Thessalonians became known all over the region, and everyone talked about the changes. In a cosmopolitan trading city like Thessalonica, the good news could sound forth in every place to all the earth. - Guzik

 “Oh! This is a high mark of grace, when the Christian expects his Lord to come, and lives like one that expects him every moment. If you and I knew to-night that the Lord would come before this service was over, in what state of heart should we sit in these pews? In that state of heart we ought to be.” (Spurgeon)

Does your faith or the witness of Your church ring out in the community and to those who visit it? Is your belief characterized by faith, hope, and love?