1 Thessalonians 1 1 Thessalonians 1 This letter is from Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy It is to the church of the Thessalonians.

s. This church is said to be in God the Father and Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 These three men thank God for all the members of this church. They mention the people of the Thessalonian church to God in prayer. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 These men, Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy give thanks because they remember how the church worked in faith. The Thessalonian church worked in faith by love. Their work was something that stuck in the mind of these men(whom I will now refer to as PST). This church had hope in Jesus while being patient. What was this church being patient with? 1 Thessalonians 1:4 This church can be considered to be the elect of God based upon their actions(Colossians 3:12). This church was sanctified, obedient, and in a relationship with Jesus(See 1 Peter 1:2). The elect, therefore, is another name for God's faithful people in all ages who have been obedient, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and in a relationship with Jesus(See Mark 13:27) 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 When PST preached the gospel unto the members of this church, they received it well. This happened because they preached the gospel with the power of the Holy Spirit with assurance. When the church received the truth of the gospel through the preaching of PST, the church began to follow PST and Jesus. This occurred in spite of the fact that accepting the truth of the gospel would have painful consequences for the church. Though this was the case, the church received the word with joy. This lets me know that the truth of the gospel is so precious and has so much power on the life of people that it can sustain its adherents in spite of the fact that affliction may come as a result. 1 Thessalonians 1:7 The Thessalonian church was a model church to the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia. This lets me know that faithful Christians are model Christians, especially when they are faithful under difficult circumstances. Such Christians can be an inspiration to others, just as Jesus' selfless life inspires us. 1 Thessalonians 1:8 The Thessalonian church was an active church. The members shared God's word wherever possible. Because of their faithfulness, the Thessalonian church virtually did not need PST's assistance in ministry.

1 Thessalonians 1:9 It seems as if the Macedonian and the church at Achaia told PST how strongly they had impacted the lives of the members at Thessalonica. The Thessalonian church used to be idol worshipers. They turned from idol worship and served the true God, who is love(1 John 4:8), with much passion. The Thessalonian church seemed to relate their personal testimony of how they turned away from idol worship in order to worship Jesus, even though doing so would involve persecution. If the Thessalonian church can convert from idol worship to Jesus worship, our modern-day pagans are also capable of forsaking their old ways and committing themselves to Jesus. The way it happened for the Thessalonian church was by bold witnessing through the power of the Holy Spirit in spite of the witnesses past hardship in ministry. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 The Thessalonian church accepted the truth of Jesus' literal return from heaven. Jesus was raised from the dead. It is this Jesus that will be coming from heaven, God's Son. Jesus was the One who delivered the Thessalonian church from the wrath to come. Jesus did not do this literally in person, but He did it through the agency of the Holy Spirit by PST. We can be thankful that Jesus has delivered all believers from the wrath to come. This wrath to come" refers to the day when Jesus comes back. Believers in Jesus consider His Second Coming to be a beautiful event for which they wait for in anticipation. Isaiah 25:9 When unbelievers come to that day, they are going to desire to flee from Jesus because of His wrath. Revelation 6:15-17 The only way to escape the wrath to come is to repent of sin and fall in love with Jesus by accepting the forgiveness of sin that He offers. See Luke 3:6-7 and Acts 5:31. As we will see, this love for Jesus that the Thessalonian church received will make them an active church, for wherever genuine love is, there is faith that works by love. See John 14:23 and Galatians 5:6.