1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 – Serve God’s people honestly and gently

Paul brought the Gospel to the Thessalonians amidst great hostility. He wanted them to know that what he did was not a failure. Although his mission was frayed with much hardship, mistreatment and afflictions, especially at Philippi, he did not give up. He pursued his purpose. Although it was difficult, he committedly and willingly brought the good news to the Thessalonians. We get a hint that he was misunderstood. So he set out to defend himself and his apostleship.

In verses 3-4, Paul wanted the believers to view him and his apostleship from the perspective of what God had entrusted to him. He wanted them to know that he had been placed in the role of a trustee. As such, he had a sacred trust – the Gospel. His trusteeship was appointed by God. Thus, he was accountable to God and he carried out his assignment with the view of pleasing God. To him, God would be the One examining his heart. In verse 3, Paul used a series of negatives to make his appeal. Firstly, he told them that he did not operate out of error because the Gospel is the Truth. Secondly, he did not operate out of impurity. It could be possible that they were insinuating that Paul was immoral. However, it is very likely that they were referring to his motive. Thirdly, he did not operate from deceit to trap them into believing his preaching.

His motive, Paul assured them was pure. He did not use flattery words just to gain self-ascendancy. Neither did he have any thought of selfish gain. He was so confident that he even called God to be his witness. Although as an apostle he could have claimed some honor, he did not. He refused even to secretly wish for praise from the Thessalonians or from men. Instead, like a nursing mother, he tenderly and gently cared for them like they were his babies. Furthermore, because they were very dear to him, he was both affectionate and sacrificial toward them, enough to pour out his life for them.

One of the tests of a genuine believer in his or her service to God can be seen in that person’s motive despite affliction. Paul had every right to forcefully demand obedience as an apostle and founder of the church in Thessalonica, but he didn’t. He did not hit out in frustration at the Thessalonians in his hardship. Instead, he gently nursed them as a mother would to her baby. He had passed the first test of a genuine server. Paul and his companions set for us on what we must do to be effective in our service to God and His people – be gentle and honest. So let’s emulate Paul and serve God’s people honestly and tenderly for His glory!  

1 Thessalonians 1:6 -10 – The influence of transformed lives

Having established the potency of the Gospel, Paul now turned his focus on the Thessalonians. When they have heard the Gospel, the Thessalonians responded and embraced it fully. They were quick learners and Paul observed four qualities about the Thessalonians.

Firstly, they became imitators of the apostles and his companions, Silas and Timothy, and the Lord. They abandoned their former pattern of life and adopted examples set by Paul, Silas and Timothy, who patterned their lives after the Lord. There was truly a complete transformation in their lives.

Secondly, they received the message despite their tribulation. From Acts 17, we saw that Paul’s ministry at Thessalonica was not without much trouble and hostility. They faced much opposition from the Jews. Yet they were not discouraged by the opposition and hostility. They remained receptive and embraced the Gospel.  

Thirdly, they received the Gospel with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Notice that the Holy Spirit is mentioned twice in the space of two verses (vv.5-6). In the first mention, Paul referred to His empowerment of the preachers. In his second mention, he talked about His distribution of joy to the hearers who received the message. The Holy Spirit works in both the preachers and the hearers’ lives. Here He gives joy to the hearers. It must be said that the preaching of the Gospel is always attended by joy. It will bring joy to the hearers’ hearts and great rejoicing in heaven, when even one soul turns to the Lord.

Fourthly, they became examples for others. The Thessalonians were so exemplary that they became models to others from that region. Their lives inspired those from Macedonia and Achaia, so that they also took on their examples.

After they had embraced their faith toward God, the Thessalonians became a living testimony in that region of Macedonian and Achaia. There was nothing more Paul and his companions needed to say, to attest to the reality and power of the Gospel. The news of their transformed lives penetrated far and wide by word of mouth.

What reports were heard about the Thessalonians? It was their transformed lives, resulted from their faith toward God, that many “gossiped” about (vv.8-10). Personal testimony is always a powerful tool to unlock hearts. Here we are also shown qualities that proved the genuineness of the Thessalonians’ conversion. They took decisive actions and were not afraid to receive the messengers of God, despite great opposition and hostility. Then they genuinely turned to serve the Living God, and made a decisive break with their past lives of idolatry. And they also cherished a great hope and waited in anticipation for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In a sublime way, Paul assured them of the certainty of Christ’s return. When He returns, Jesus the Savior will bring to fruition the believers’ total deliverance from the wrath that is coming.

The true impact of the Gospel is always visible in the life of a transformed person. Not only will we be changed in lifestyle but also in the outlook of our service to the Lord, and His people. Like those Thessalonians, let’s confidently demonstrate the reality of Christ in our lives. 

1 Thessalonians 1:5 – The Gospel Message

The Apostle Paul in verses 1-4 began by talking about the church and then shifted to talk about the Gospel in verse 5. This is a natural progression because the church and the Gospel are inseparable. The church came into being because of the Gospel and now the church exists to spread the Gospel. In the first chapter of this letter, Paul shows the three stages of the Gospel’s progression among the Thessalonians. First the Gospel came to them (v.5); second, they welcomed and received it (v.6); and third, they also propagated it (v.8). God’s clear intention is for this process to continue in the church today.

In verse 5, he also reminded them that the Gospel did not come to them in words only. It also came to them in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. Paul added the personal pronoun “our” to the Gospel. In so doing he was indicating that they, Silas, Timothy and himself, were bearers of the Gospel together. We will see that he called it the “Gospel of God” in 1 Thessalonians 2:2 and 2:8-9. It shows us that God is the Source and Author of this Gospel. And in 1 Thessalonians 3:2, he referred to it as the “Gospel of Christ” meaning Christ is the Substance of this Gospel. We can conclude then that God is the Author of this Gospel; Christ is the Substance; and the apostles were the primary agents and we, believers, the secondary agents.

Notice also the potency of the Gospel. Firstly, it came with words. The way this verse is constructed – “… our Gospel did not come to you in word only …” was Paul’s way of putting emphasis on the message and not the messenger. He was saying that the Gospel came to you with words plus other elements such as power, deep conviction and the Holy Spirit. Here he underscores for us the importance of having the right choice of words in presenting the Gospel. Secondly, the Gospel also came with power. Words alone are seldom enough. The messenger must be empowered so that the message can bring its intended result. The power that Paul talked about here is the effect the message had upon the hearers. Bear in mind that many of the Thessalonians were worshipping idols. Yet this Gospel that came with power enabled them to turn from their idols to serve the Living God. Thirdly, this Gospel came with the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, a message (no matter how eloquently spoken) would be powerless. It could never be spoken with deep conviction. It is the Holy Spirit Who energizes the Word, provides the conviction for the preacher and produces the effect in the hearers. Fourthly, this Gospel came with deep conviction. Paul wanted them to know that he was fully persuaded about the Gospel. He was full of confidence in the reality and relevance of the Gospel. Thus, it engendered great boldness in him to present it.

Adding to the four vital elements, Paul told the Thessalonians to judge him by the way he conducted his life. In other words, his lifestyle substantiated his message. His life could stand the test of public scrutiny. It was not as if he spoke one thing and lived another. How needful it is for us in our days and age to also walk our talk. All of us have felt the power of the Gospel. Let’s continue to allow it to transform our lives. More importantly, like Paul, let’s be bold to share this good news!     

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 – Marks of genuine believers

In these five verses, Paul showed us several features about the Thessalonians. He referred to them as a church. The term “church” for this community of people in Thessalonica simply means, “an assembly of people called out from the world into a relationship with God.” The church therefore is made up of people called out of the world into God’s marvelous family. Paul addressed them as the church “… in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ ….” This suggests that the source of life of this community is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This also suggests to us that the church is a community that has God as the Father and Jesus as the Lord.

Secondly, we are told that the church in Thessalonica was characterized by three vital ingredients: faith, hope and love (v.3). Paul gave thanks for the church in Thessalonica and prayed for the Thessalonians, as he remembered these three features that they demonstrated constantly. They showed “… work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope ….” Faith is essentially directed toward God, love toward others and hope toward the future, especially the Second Coming of Christ. Faith is not passive belief. It always produces good works. That’s why Paul called it the work of faith. Similarly, love is not just mere sentimentality. It always results in the willingness to labor for others. Like faith and love, hope is also active. It always generates anticipation in the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will help to develop patience, and a strong and fortified mind, in the face of opposition.

Thirdly, the Thessalonians were people loved and chosen by God (v.4). The apostle called them “… beloved by God,” meaning that God loved them. We who are called into fellowship with God through His Son, the Lord Jesus, are also the beloved of God. Paul also called them God’s chosen. They were chosen because they made a positive response to the Gospel. Besides, their active lifestyles of faith, love and hope, proved conclusively that they were God’s chosen.

Like them, we believers are also called, loved and chosen of God. And He expects us to show works of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope as well. He had called us into the Kingdom not just to enjoy His blessings but to share them. He has called us into relationship with Christ, so that He can change and horn us, and make us instruments that will effectively reflect faith, love and hope. So let’s shine for Him!     

1 Thessalonians 1:1 – Introduction, background and authorship

The founder of Thessalonica was Cassander, an officer of Alexander the Great. In 316 BC, he named it in memory of his wife, Thessalonike, who was the half-sister of Alexander the Great. This city was located on the major highway that connected Rome to the East, and was the capital city of Macedonia.

Acts 17 tells us that Paul came to Thessalonica after he left Philippi during his second missionary journey. In Acts 17:1 we read of the presence of a synagogue, indicating that there was a number of Jews residing there at that time. It was here in the synagogue that Paul preached for three Sabbaths, and as a result, some Jews and a large number of Gentiles accepted his message. From these facts, we conclude that Paul had a successful mission and founded the church there (Acts17:4).

However, he was forced to leave the city after some Jews incited violence and attacked the house of Jason, where Paul was staying (Acts 17:5). Together with some believers, Jason was hauled to the magistrate. Since there was so much hostility, Paul was compelled to leave that city (Acts 17:9-10). He went to Berea where he again met with Jewish opposition and was also forced to leave that place (Acts 17:13-14). He then went to Athens, where he sent Timothy to check on the situation in Thessalonica. From Athens, he went to Corinth and when Timothy returned and reported to him in Corinth, he was prompted to write this Epistle to the Thessalonians.

Timothy’s reports to Paul precipitated the writing of this epistle. In the first two chapters, he wrote first to express to the Thessalonians his delight in their genuine conversion and progress in the Lord. While expressing his satisfaction, he also wrote to refute the charges brought against him by his Jewish opponents. In the third chapter, he began to encourage them to keep on progressing in their spiritual encounter before dealing with some eschatological misconceptions in the last two chapters.

Right in the very first verse, Paul identified himself as the author. The historical facts recorded in Acts 17 bear testimony that he was indeed the author of this epistle. He also mentioned his two traveling companions, Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy. Notice that unlike the other epistles, he did not assert his apostleship. There are two possible reasons for that. Firstly, he refused to distinguish himself from his two companions. And secondly, his apostleship was not in question here. By and large, he was well accepted by the believers in Thessalonica.

One thing about Paul in all his writings was his passion for the people. The reason he wrote was because he loved to see them inspired and be zealous for the Lord. He laid an example for us in his self-giving to the Lord. Like Paul, let us give more of ourselves to the Lord in the work of the Gospel.

Ephesians 6:21-24 – Closing blessings

As Paul came to the conclusion of his letter to the Ephesians, he was concerned that they would be discouraged with what he was going through, so he wanted to encourage them. To keep them updated about what he was going through, he told them that he was sending Tychicus to them. He was someone whom the Ephesians knew, and was a dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord and one of Paul’s closest associates. In other letters, such as Colossians 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12, the apostle had mentioned him. The next best thing, apart from a personal visit from Paul, would be the visit of Tychicus, who knew everything that the apostle had gone through. He would be a good information source for the Ephesians.

In verses 23-24, Paul then concluded with his usual benediction. He sent them peace and grace. This tells us his desire for the believers in Ephesus, was that they will know and experience peace. This can only come as a result of a mended relationship with God and with each other. And together with peace, he wished that they would experience love and faith, of which the source is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Unlike prayer, a benediction is a prophetic declaration over the people of God. Some Christians will leave a service before the benediction and thus miss out the prophetic declaration the minister would pronounce over worshippers. Here Paul was not about to allow the Ephesians to miss out on these blessings of God. As God’s ambassador, he pronounced the grace of God and the undying love of the Lord Jesus upon them.

The next time we are in a worship service, don’t be in a hurry to rush off. Stay till the declaration of the abiding peace, love, faith and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is declared over us. We shall be led forth with peace to experience the rich grace of the Lord. Amen!

    

Ephesians 6:18-20 – Praying for each other

We all can neglect prayers to our own disadvantage. It’s often because we are too prideful to request for prayers, for fear that we may be seen as weak. But not so with Paul, the great apostle. He knew that other believers’ support in prayer would help him to advance and to be effective in service. In requesting for prayer, he showed his dependence on the Lord and fellow believers in the service he was rendering to the Lord. He was also showing us that any Christian ministry is a collaboration between the Lord and his worker. It came as no surprise then that he should tell the Ephesians to pray.

In verse 18, he tells us when we are to pray, what we are to pray about and for whom we should pray for.  We are to pray all the time for all things and for all the saints. Paul also requested them to pray for him. He made two specific appeals: firstly, that he would have the right words to speak when he shared the Gospel, and that he would have the courage to do so.

While he might be a prisoner in chains, his desire was to boldly preach the mystery of the Gospel. His goal was for everyone to know that in Christ, now both Gentile and Jews can have access to God. He might be in chains, but he never forgot that he was Christ’s ambassador and he was bent on seizing every moment to speak for Him.       

Christian fellowship is at its best when we pray for one other. We should learn not to be critical of others for how they conduct themselves, but should instead pray for each other. We pray for each other to find our strength to serve God. As we pray God will empower and grant boldness to us to face all obstacles and all opponents. So let us pray!