I Thessalonians 1-5
Imagine that you are a Thessalonian. A man named Paul comes to town with a couple of traveling companions, one named Silas and another named Timothy. Paul and Silas bear the marks of a recent beating, and you wonder what they did to deserve it. These men start speaking about a Man named Jesus, Whom they call the Christ, the Anointed One. They say this Jesus was crucified, but that God raised Him from the dead, all in accordance with the Jewish Scriptures. “Ludicrous!” you think.
But the more you listen, the more you find their message compelling, not just because of their words, but because of how they act. They demonstrate a life you’ve never seen before. They show love and kindness and compassion. They speak with authority, but also with humility. They treat one another and their audience with respect. These men do not seek money. They work for a living and pay their own way. It is obvious that they are not fraudsters. They are authentic. They truly believe in this Resurrection. Seeing the reality of the Resurrection in how these men live, you come to believe, too, and you enter into fellowship with them and with their Lord, Who is now your Lord, too.
You’ve never known a depth of love that you now experience with these men and with your fellow Thessalonians who likewise come to faith in Jesus. But just as you are getting established in this new life, the Jewish leaders in town gather some of the local rowdies into an uproar. Fearing for their safety, you and your fellow believers hustle Paul and his companions out of town, and you wonder if you will ever see them again.
After some weeks Timothy returns and encourages you and your fellow believers, letting you know that Paul and Silas are OK. He teaches you more about Jesus and exhorts you not to be discouraged or dissuaded by the challenges that Paul and company might face — or that you yourself might face. Tearfully, you all send Timothy back to Paul with the report that you are standing firm in your faith in Jesus.
Then after several more days you receive this letter from Paul. You all gather around to hear what your dear friend has to say. What a letter! What encouragement! You look forward to seeing Paul again, but more than that you are reassured that you will meet Jesus face to face some day, even if you die before His glorious return. In that knowledge you find renewed hope, hope for yourself and hope for all your loved ones. And so you rejoice and give thanks to God, Who called you into His Kingdom.
OK, so maybe we’re not Thessalonians, and maybe we’ve never met anyone quite as gifted as Paul or Silas or Timothy. But we still have this letter and the rest of the Scriptures. And we have the same Father, the same Lord Jesus, and the same Holy Spirit. How might we live so as to encourage one another in the faith? How might we live so as to demonstrate the reality of the Resurrection? How might we live in the expectation of Christ’s return? How might we live as children of light, children of the day? (I Th. 5:5)
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He Who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
I Thessalonians 5:23-24
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Outstanding post, John!! A full blending of Luke’s ACTS account (Acts 17:1-10) with today’s reading. AWESOME!!