I. Paul Begins with Prayer.
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (ESV)
II. Paul Reminds Them of the Assurance of All Believers.
4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5a (ESV)
Assurance starts with our reception of the gospel:
- We hear His Word.
- We experience His Holy Spirit power.
- We are given full conviction or assurance by the Holy Spirit.
Understanding God’s choosing and our believing:
- I am not God.
- I focus on my responsibility to share and/or respond to the Gospel.
III. Paul Calls Us to Imitate God and Be An Example.
5 You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 (ESV)
Life Application:
- Am I imitating Christ so others will imitate Him through me?
- How can I be a better example people want to imitate?
- By not forgetting or leaving our start.
- By always hearing God’s Word.
- By doing life together.