July 9
“Our Gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the Word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the Word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and 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, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come,” 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10.
After an opening greeting to the congregation of the Thessalonians and after commenting on how the apostles and the Thessalonians remembered one another in their prayers, the apostle Paul wrote about the certainty of their salvation through the word of the Gospel. The Gospel preached by the apostles, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, was not just a matter of words, but it was a message of power – power to call sinners to repentance, and power to convert sinners to believe and trust in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Paul’s words remind us of what he wrote in his Epistle to the Romans: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” Romans 1:16. Where does the Gospel receive its power? The Holy Spirit works in and through the Word, with which He touches the hearts of sinners and brings them to faith in Jesus as God’s Son and their Savior.
The apostle Paul rejoiced that the Thessalonians received the Word with joy even in spite of the fact that they had to endure affliction and persecution at the hands of the enemies of the cross of Christ. He thanked them that they followed the example of the apostles and were faithful to the Word of God. They also let their Christian light shine. They were examples to all the people in Macedonia and Achaia, which resulted in others coming to faith in Jesus as their Savior. Through them, the message of the Gospel had been made known far and wide.
The message of the Gospel moved the people to turn from their heathen idols and to believe in and to serve the one living and true God. What an example for us to follow! Get the word of the Gospel out to all those who are sitting in spiritual darkness and who have no knowledge of the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent to be the Savior of us all.
With faith in Jesus as our Savior, who suffered, died, and rose again to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil, like the Thessalonians, we wait for His coming again from heaven to take us from this sinful world to Himself in heaven. We believe that as Jesus was raised from the dead, so we too will be raised from the dead, and we will be delivered from the wrath to come. Our faith rests upon the sure promises of our gracious and forgiving God.
Like Paul and the Thessalonians, let us pray for one another. Let us assure one another of the forgiveness of sins, which is ours through faith in Jesus’ precious blood which washed away all our sins, and we can stand before God clothed in Jesus’ righteousness.
“Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, ‘Christian, follow Me.’
Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, ‘Christian, love Me more.’
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
‘Christian, love Me more than these.’” Amen.