It’s a celebratory afaithtalk.com today and I am so glad you’ve come to celebrate with me. Well, I hope it’s a kind of celebration anyway. Welcome you are so welcome.
My pastor is on vacation so I’m a week ahead on this post. I try to do one similar to what we’ll be covering on Sunday so that anyone who wants to do a deeper dive can just come here and do one. And you might be amazed at all Jesus hands me to do with this. Let’s get started.
This verse is on biblegateway.com as the verse of the day for October 8th. And it’s so perfectly goes with the Scripture we’re reading on October 18th in Worship that Jesus said “use this too.”
Isaiah 43:11-12 NIV
“I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
Praise Him! Aside from Him there is NO Savior. You are His witness that He is God. Is that not amazing! Ambassador, some call it. Still, faith is how. Faith is what makes you His.
So on Sunday the 18th we’re reading 1 Thessalonians 1. Today we’re going to walk through all but the first verse as it’s a standard Paul greeting. Grace and Peace to you.
1 Thessalonians 2-10 NIV
Here verses 2 & 3
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Work produced by faith.
Labor prompted by love.
Endurance inspired by hope.
Ooh we could go lots of places with this. Let’s just stay in the obvious to most one. It comes from 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on love. Faith, Hope and Love are the greatest forces in the world. The greatest among them, Love. They are all that will remain when it’s all said and done. Loved. We are so loved. Faith Works. Love works. Hope is a golden chord, you can’t live without it. And all of it gifted to us through the grace of God by our Faith in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 2-10 NIV
Here verses 4 & 5a
For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.
The Holy Spirit is power. Deep conviction… oh that we would all have deep conviction because it is true…
Romans 5:5 NIV
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
1 Thessalonians 2-10 NIV
Here verses 5b-7
You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.
Imitate. We all knew how to do that as kids, have you forgotten how? I’m fairly sure you must have some memory of imitating something or someone. In this case, imitate the best one, Jesus. Welcome the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. Is that not encouraging? When the word is presented, welcome it with joy. Model it for everyone around you.
1 Thessalonians 2-10 NIV
Here verses 9-10
The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell 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—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
Does our faith ring out? I’m telling you it would if we treated the encouragement of our faith like these people did. Sure, it’s harder to love on people now with the pandemic, but you can still turn to God, serve God and expectantly await Jesus. Live in Joy and with Peace and by Faith, and that, my friends, will ring out.
Praise His Holy Name.
Amen.