First Letter to the Thessalonians

Footdee Mission

First Letter to the Thessalonians

Sunday 16^th June 2024

Reading: 1 Thess 1: 1-10

Notice that there are three co-authors to this letter written to the Christian believers at Thessalonica, a fact that is often overlooked: Paul, Silas and Timothy. Silas was a co-author of both letters to the Thessalonians, moreover although he doesn’t say so in his introduction, at the end of Peter’s first epistle has says that Silas helped him write it. And as for Timothy, he was co-author of six of the New Testament epistles: 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians and Philemon.

Silas and Timothy were Paul’s companions on his second missionary journey through northern Syria and the land we now know as Turkey. Silas was with Paul from the start when they set out from Antioch. Timothy joined them part-way through their journey, at Lystra. It was during this trip that they heard God’s call to travel further west into Macedonia and Greece. After they left Asia Minor the first place they stayed in was Philippi, on the northern border of the Aegean Sea. This was where Paul and Silas were severely flogged and thrown into prison and yet were miraculously delivered. They left that city and travelled further west to Thessalonica, but again they encountered severe opposition to their teaching about Jesus Christ, and again they were forced to leave the city. Although at their next port of call – Berea – they were received more warmly, hostile opponents from Thessalonica followed them there, and once again they were forced to leave, and this time Paul was advised to travel far away from there to Athens. From one point of view you might describe their mission to Macedonia as being a catastrophic failure. They stirred up considerable hostility and resentment, suffered severe opposition and even physical assault as a consequence, and had to leave in a hurry. But from a heavenly perspective their mission was an outstanding success. In each location they left behind them a significant company of Christian believers that continued to grow rapidly and influenced the entire region for good. And it was no doubt the fact that they were only able to stay a few days with the fledgling churches in Philippi and Thessalonica that prompted Paul, Silas and Timothy to write the encouraging letters that have been preserved for hundreds of years to inform and bless us and countless others.

The opening words of this first letter to the new Christians at Thessalonica must surely be highly significant. This wasn’t the kind of letter that we might write to folk we know, perhaps to accompany a Christmas card: “How are you doing? We’re thinking of you and would love to hear what’s happening in your life.” No, this letter contained a message that the writers fervently wanted to communicate to those new Christians that they had only been able to spend a short time with. During this missionary journey they spent a year and a half in Corinth teaching the new believers there, and it is thought that during this time they wrote this first letter to the Thessalonians. It may actually be the first of the New Testament books to have been written.

So let’s look at a few of the things that Paul, Silas and Timothy said in this letter. As I read this first chapter three words stood out to me, all beginning with the letter ‘m’: “mention” in verse 2; “message” in verse 6; and “model” in verse 7. Paul and his companions wrote, “we continually mention you in our prayers,” “for you welcomed the message,” “and so you became a model to all the believers.”

Mention

The first word beginning with ‘m’ is “mention.” Verse 2: “We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” So the first thing that they tell this small group of believers is that they have been praying for them. Now their use of the word “mention” might be interpreted to mean that they only prayed for them now and again, just when they came to mind. But that understanding is dispelled completely when we see the use of the word “continually.” These people were always part of the prayer life of the writers of this letter. Oh, be quite sure that Paul and his companions prayed for many other things. But these people were never missed out. Now note two very important principles that this reveals to us. The first is that the coming into being and the continued existence of this little gathering of the followers of Jesus depended entirely and fully on the purpose and power of God. “We always thank God for all of you,” said Paul and his co-workers. And then they said, “For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.” We pray because God is the One to be thanked and praised. We pray because it is His power that is at work, opening eyes and ears to hear and understand, softening hearts to receive Him and love Him. We pray because it is Christ who is building His church, not us. And yet although all the power and all the glory are God’s alone, He, through His wonderful grace, invites us to participate with Him, and one powerful way we do that is through our prayers. When writing later to the church at Corinth Paul and Timothy said, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Cor 10: 4) And that brings us to the second principle revealed here: the prayers of God’s people are effective, for God chooses through them to release His power and accomplish His purposes. When we pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,” these are not just empty words or meaningless aspirations. Such prayer releases the very power of God himself, and strongholds that would otherwise resist any assault are demolished. Is there a stronghold in your life that you desperately wish could be removed? Then continually mention it in your prayers to God. Is there someone in your life that you long would come to faith in Jesus? Then continually bring them before God in your prayers. God demolishes strongholds when His people pray.

Message

The second word beginning with ‘m’ is “message.” Verse 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.” This was the reason Paul, Silas and Timothy were travelling through Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece. They weren’t on holiday, tourists enjoying the sights and food of one resort after another. They were carrying a message to convey to all who would listen: a message so important and life-transforming that they were prepared to endure any amount of abuse and persecution in order to proclaim it; a message that filled those who received it with intense joy. When writing later to the Christians at Corinth Paul very simply outlined this message. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Cor 15: 3,4)

Now there’s one aspect of this message that shouldn’t cause any surprise at all. Paul here just mentions it, almost in passing, as if it were fully and completely understood. I speak of his reference to “our sins.” Now the Greek word translated “sin” is “amartia,” and this is a term used in archery, and it simply means “missing the mark” or “falling short of the target.” Now I know that there are some who object to the biblical message that we are all sinners, but I find it difficult to believe anyone holds that view with serious conviction. The fact is our newspapers and news programmes are jammed full of reports of those who fall short or miss the mark in one way or another. Whether it is one country or people-group believing another has transgressed and needs to be taught a lesson, or a protest group highlighting what they see as the shortcomings of a particular person or organisation, or those pursuing litigation in order to obtain recompense for some alleged offence, or political activists who make much of what they see as the failures and shortcomings of their opponents. Whoever you are, there is always someone who will be able to point out how much you miss the mark, and at the front of the queue is you yourself.

Yes, I think the world clearly understands what sin is and what its dire effects are. But even after six millennia of human civilisation the human race has absolutely no means of solving the problem by itself. We can use antibiotics to cure infections; we can use vaccines to prevent pandemics; we can use technology to achieve what would otherwise be impossible; but we can do absolutely nothing in and of ourselves to solve the one problem that drags every one of us down one way or another, and causes so much misery and heartache. And this is why Paul and his companions were prepared to endure any amount of abuse and persecution in order to proclaim their message, and why those who received it were filled with such intense joy. “Christ died for our sins,” they announced dramatically and emphatically. He not only by his death on the cross paid the penalty for the sins of the whole world, through his resurrection from the dead he provides us day-by-day with the power to overcome sin and live lives that fulfil God’s purpose.

In his letter to the Christians at Corinth Paul encouraged them to hold firmly to this message that he had announced to them. So let me ask you, are you holding firmly to this wonderful, life-transforming, joy bestowing message? Are you firmly holding on to the truth that Christ died for all your sins and shortcomings, and that consequently there is now no condemnation that you have to endure, whether from God or from your own conscience, or from the devil who seeks to drag you down? Are you holding firm to the truth that by his resurrection power Christ sets you free from the power of sin, and that he will enable you to live a life that pleases God and brings blessing to others? May God continue to open our minds and hearts and keep us firmly holding on to this wonderful message with great joy.

The third word beginning with ‘m’ is “model.” Verses 7 & 8: “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 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.” God’s purpose is that those who experience the transforming power of this message of salvation should become models or examples to others. He wants to reveal in us and demonstrate through us what He himself is like – His compassion, His mercy, His kindness, His love, His patience, His longsuffering, His gentleness, His goodness, His peace, His faithfulness, His forgiveness, His joy. Oh, you say, I’m not a very impressive person; I can’t do things well, and I’m not good at leading others. I don’t think I could be a very good model or example for others to follow. Well Paul said of the Christians at Thessalonica, “The Lord’s message rang out from you – like a trumpet or perhaps a church bell!” Now the curious thing about a church bell is that it is just an unassuming lump of metal, not something that is put on display for people to look at or be inspired by. In fact very few people ever get to see a church bell; it is hidden away for all of its life. But when it is struck the sound rings out far afield. The harder the strike the louder and longer the sound. All in the vicinity become aware of its voice. And so it is with us. It’s not that He is putting us on display for others to admire; it’s that he wants to reveal himself to others through us. A church bell is a call to worship, and that is what God wants of us – to call others to worship Him. And sometimes it’s when we take the hardest knocks that we ring out loudest and clearest. Remember that a light bulb can shine into the farthest corners of a room, not by going there itself, but by being connected to the source of power that makes it shine. So it is with us. Keep connected to God’s power; live in fellowship with Him, and seek to please Him in all you do. And then He will shine through you in such a way that those around you will be touched by his light and drawn to follow Him too.