The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
1 Thessalonians 1-5
Act 3: God’s New Covenant People
Scene 4: Christ’s Church: God’s People Advance the Kingdom
Background Information: 1 Thessalonians 1-5
Thessalonica was one of the towns in Greece that Paul, Silas, and Timothy visited during their second missionary campaign. Acts 17 tells the story of how the gospel was eagerly received by some, but others formed a hostile mob and forced Paul and his friends to flee the area. They said that Paul’s gospel was insurrection because it made Jesus the King and not Caesar. Because of the hostility, Paul had to leave sooner than he wanted, although he had been very concerned to hear how the new church was doing. He sent Timothy to return and check on them, and the report was good news! They were thriving in their faith in spite of great persecution. Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a treasure of information about how to follow up with new believers, as well as what seasoned believers should keep as their priority. The letter is packed with concise teaching on how beliefs and behavior go hand in hand. Paul praised them for how their faith produced good work; their efforts were motivated by love, and their ability to endure was inspired by their hope in Jesus. Keep in mind that they were living this way in a culture that was dangerously hostile to the gospel. Paul knew that they could give in to the pressure and falter in their faith. Because of the fact that they were so young in the faith, they could be influenced by their culture rather influencing it for the gospel. Consequently, he gave them a short course in Christian discipleship. Be sexually pure, unlike the world around you. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Work hard, let your daily life be an example of faithfulness. Look at death differently than those around you do. Christ will return, so live each day with the end in mind. Then, in a flurry of teaching that he could take weeks to unpack, he gave them a single dense paragraph on training in godliness.
“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t stifle the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5
He concludes his letter from spiritual father to his beloved children with a prayer and a confession of confidence that they will remain faithful, because God is faithful. Everything about this letter is heartwarming and heart-challenging. May God find us faithful when our culture is hostile. May God help us take our eyes off of self and fill our hearts with a passion for others to thrive and grow in their faith.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Pray for Hope’s Gate. Ask God to use their outreach this holiday season to show the love of Christ to the women they are seeking to bless. Pray for gospel seeds to be planted and to grow.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.