Susie J. – May 12, 2011
Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-9 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. 2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.3 We 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. 4 For we know, brothers 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 with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You 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.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.
Observation:
First of all I realize this is the whole chapter, but after reading it the first time, I just wasn’t getting much out of it. So I stopped, prayed and waited. True to who He is, God started showing me thing over the next 24 hours. First of all, Paul talks about how they became imitators of them and the Lord, and from there they became a model to all believers. Who is they and them? "They" are the church of Thessalonica. That’s right, believers! "Them" are Paul, Silas, and Timothy who are preaching the gospel. But that is not all they were doing, they were modeling what it is to be the church.
Then I was reminded of Randy’s sermon from Sunday where he told about Paul being torn between death and living. Philippians 1:23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Those words “necessary for you” really impressed me that Paul found the heart of God and knew he was there to help these people. He remained in the body because they needed someone to pattern themselves after. And the purpose again so they can then become teachers of the Word and raise believers who then can be modeled again and again, and so on.
As believers in a body this is such a great call. To remain in the body even and especially when things are not, or appear to not be all well. In verse 6 of Thess. 1 it says there was severe suffering but they still welcomed the message with joy. It isn’t about how we feel or even our personal perceptions of others. Not at all! It is purely about loving God so that we can love others and then we become models for others to imitate. When we can set all of our personal issues down at the foot of the cross and keep it about Jesus, then we have made it about them. That is what the whole message is about. Knowing truth and living it out according to God’s Word.
Application:
As believers in a body this is such a great call. To remain in the body even and especially when things are not, or appear to not be all well. In verse 6 of Thess.1 it says there was severe suffering, but they still welcomed the message with joy. It isn’t about how we feel or even our personal perceptions of others. Not at all! It is purely about loving God so that we can love others and then we become models for others to imitate. When we can set all of our personal opinions aside and lay them down at the foot of the cross and keep it about Jesus, then we have made it about them. That is what the whole message is about. Knowing truth and living it out according to God’s word.
What an awesome body we have (even with our warts). And just like it says in verse 4, For we know, brother loved by God, that He has chosen you. We are loved by God, and He has chosen us!
Prayer:
Lord, will You please help me personally in every aspect of my life to live according to Your Word, that others might see You. That You will love my example and be pleased. Lord, there is no other motivation other than to please You. Your name be glorified in every thing that I do. Amen.
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