JUST A BEAUTIFUL LETTER!

As I have read 1 Thessalonians 1-3 the last three days, I am just struck by the beauty of this letter and the sincere Love that Paul is expressing for these people.  Four things truly ring out:

 #1 – Paul loved those far from God – most of the people from this church he is writing a letter to, were for the most part former pagan worshippers.  Love it!  Do our churches reflect that?  How are we doing in reaching out to those far from God?  Do we consistently reach out and help the already convinced?  These are questions that deserve good answers.

 #2 – His heartfelt Love for those whom he encountered, lived with, and modeled Christ-like living with.  Paul’s sense of urgency in ensuring that they have remained on track is refreshing and humbling to me.  I have actually had a pastor say to me in conversation – “ya know I really don’t like my people that much.  In fact, there are days when I just want to run away!”  Then what Paul writes to these folks whom he personally feels responsible for, and repeatedly apologizes over and over about not being able to be there with them.  He states about being away from them -“So, when we could no longer stand it”, and in turn sends Timothy to them because they could not go.  This is a great model for a shepherd’s heart!

 #3 – These first 3 chapters are excellent models for relational leadership.  Paul, stresses several times that they lived among them and modeled Christ for them while they preached the Gospel.  They lived out “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done; on earth as it is in Heaven”; and because they did so, the results were astounding.  The report that Paul receives back from Timothy was encouraging to Paul in that the efforts that they originally put into the city were not in vain.  It is not just preaching and teaching – it is living it out, so that others can see you and I being the hands, legs, hearts, minds, and mouths of Jesus in the world.

 #4 – Hard work pays off with respect to relational leadership!  The date most scholars believe this letter was written was about 51 AD; and the impact that this letter and the follow-on letter he wrote to the Thessalonians must have had a truly amazing impact on them.  For over the next 250 years or so, the Church of Thessalonica would suffer persecution in major proportions.  This city was the Macedonian capitol of Rome, and beginning with Nero in 64 AD, Christians were slaughtered regularly up until the time of Constantine.  However, the church remained strong and grew despite the persecution.  Why?  Because Paul and his team, did the hard work of relational shepherding early on, and ensured that the initial group had a solid foundational understanding of the gospel and how to live it out.  Additionally, he modeled the gift of encouragement to them as a group.  These key components ensured the survivability of the church during this very difficult time.  Could the same be said of us today?

Paul left a “Legacy” to the people of Thessalonica!  I pray that our team models in the Lehigh Valley what Paul and his crew did in Thessalonica!  Go Team!