Example

This week, we are moving on to what most scholars believe is Paul’s second letter, chronologically ... 1 Thessalonians. We know that Paul spent at least three weeks in Thessalonica (check out Acts 17:1-10); but most scholars believe he was there longer. Today, Paul writes about an excellent example.


1 Thessalonians 1
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God give you grace and peace. 2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece - throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, 9 for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven - Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.


Example. I was drawn to the fact that these new Jesus followers had become an example ... so quickly. I was challenged to evaluate my own life and determine if I am an example or at least becoming an example. And if so, what kind of example am I? What kind of example should I be? In verse 3, Paul commended the Thessalonians on their faith, love and hope. Not a bad place to start. Do people see my faith at work in what I say and what I do? Do people see my love for God in the way that I interact with others? Do people see my hope in Jesus’ return in the way that I handle the hardships of this world? My personal prayer (which I hope to become more “constant”) is that I would become an example ... an example that reflects the faith, love and hope found in the story of God. My pastoral prayer (for those of you on this Journey with me) is that you too would become an example (which I plan on making more “constant”).