1 Thessalonians 1-2
Joy and Crown
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TMS Lamentations 3:22-23 Hope in His Hesed
22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Observations
For God's purposes in suffering see: What a Friend We Have in Suffering
For understanding undeserved suffering see 1Peter 5: Suffering to Answer the Call to Glory
Application
Each day God graciously offers a fresh start to a better relationship with Him; accept it, on His terms.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I praise You for being faithful and loyal to me and all Your promises; thanks that I can trust Your hesed even when I've blown it; help me live loyally with You today. Amen.
1Thessalonians 1-2 Joy and Crown
Paul planted the church at Thessaloniki on his second missionary journey (Acts 17), amid intense opposition from the Jews. This epistle is thought to be Paul's first, or second (after Galatians), written in response to information from Timothy who had been sent to encourage the believers in the faith (3:2), in the face of persecution. Paul also encouraged them, by reinforcing the truth, and his love for them, and then corrected some misconceptions, particularly about the coming of the Lord, so that they would be perfected and blameless in holiness when Jesus returned. The first two chapters have a roughly chiastic structure centered around 2:8-9, with the last phrase of verse 8 being the middle, “you had become very dear to us.” As such, it reveals Paul's love and ministry toward the young and growing believers, bearing fruit in a hostile environment.
1Thessalonians 1 Faith, Love, and Hope
Greetings to the Thessalonians
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace. 2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of 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 only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and 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 delivers us from the wrath to come.
Application
If we correctly understand faith and hope, we will love till it hurts, and beyond, knowing God will reward us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thanks for loving me and giving me a future and hope; please guide me in living by faith in Your promises, and loving others as You've loved me. Thanks too, for the future You have planned for me. Amen.
1Thessalonians 2 Joy and Crown
Paul’s Ministry
1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. 11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!Paul’s Longing to Visit
17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.Application
The glory and joy we will have in the future is a result of the disciple-making we do in the present, which pleases the Giver of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20).
Prayer
Lord Jesus, may I do what is pleasing in Your sight in ministering to others, regardless of how difficult it gets, knowing that You will richly reward me in Your Kingdom, for my service. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God has revealed truth which should change and guide our lives as we believe and obey it. God allows difficulties and Satan to afflict His servants to try and purify their faith (see 1Pt 1 for elaboration), so He can further reward them.
Build-a-Jesus: Jesus is returning to set up His kingdom and reward His faithful servants. He saves holy believers from the coming wrath of Judgment Day.
Us in a nutshell: Believers should live so their belief/faith in God's revelation is obvious, as should be their love, and hope. Investing in the lives of others is a good way to follow the example of Jesus and Paul. Those who do so can look forward to future judgment with joy.
Where to go for more
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