Tag: Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians, The Daily WordLeave a comment

Receiving, Turning, and Waiting (1 Thessalonians 1:8–10)

georgepwood

In 1 Thessalonians 1:8–10, Paul, Silas, and Timothy praise the Thessalonian believers for their faith, which had become well known through the region: 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, 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, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming … Continue reading Receiving, Turning, and Waiting (1 Thessalonians 1:8–10)

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From Imitator to Imitable (1 Thessalonians 1:5b-7)

georgepwood

Which is more important: what you say or what you do? In one sense, this is a false dichotomy. Both our words and our deeds are important. Indeed, they need one another. Without deeds, words are empty. Without words, deeds are mute. Paul brings words and deeds together in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10. Verses 4-5 speak of Paul, Silas, and Timothy’s Spirit-driven preaching that was demonstrated by “power” (miracles) and resulted “deep conviction” in the heart of the Thessalonians. Out of that deep conviction, and following the missionaries’ example, the Thessalonians themselves lived lives that gained renown throughout the area. In … Continue reading From Imitator to Imitable (1 Thessalonians 1:5b-7)

1 Thessalonians, The Daily WordLeave a comment

The Church’s Physical and Spiritual Locations (1 Thessalonians 1:1b)

georgepwood

The church exists on two planes: Physically, it is located at a specific place and time. Spiritually, however, it is located in God, who is eternal and whose saving purposes for humanity cross the boundaries of geography and chronology. Paul took note of these two planes in 1 Thessalonians 1b: “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We often read this address line of Paul’s letter as throwaway verbiage, a mere convention of first-century letter-writing. Letters are from somebody to somebody else, so why pay attention when Paul names his readers? Why? … Continue reading The Church’s Physical and Spiritual Locations (1 Thessalonians 1:1b)