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1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 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. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 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. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 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, 9 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, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:1-10)
I have a family member who used to be a drag racer. He owned a modified production car and spent a lot of time working on it. I can't begin to explain all that is involved in owning and the care and feeding of a funny car. What I do know is that my relative spent a lot of time on a mat under the car adjusting and tweaking the engine. God blessed that relative with a baby girl who grew up watching all her daddy did and the nicest memory shared with me was of this precious little girl, who laid out a towel on the floor, brought her bike over, and got on the towel to "work" on her bicycle. She was imitating her dad. It's the fondest form of flattery. (Okay, it's also the most sincere way of flattery, too!). If your life has ever been improved or impacted in a positive way by somebody, you do things that reflect that impact that we can say is imitation. Did you ever imitate your mother or father?
As Paul writes this letter to the church in Tessalonica, he's sincerely impressed by the way believers there were imitating his and his partners, for the "work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." This was evidence to Paul that the Thessalonian church was characterized by three remarkable qualities: faith, love, and hope. These are not mere words but the driving forces behind their actions. Their faith was evident in their work, their love was seen in their labor, and their hope was manifested in their endurance through trials. These qualities weren't just theory; they were practical, lived out in daily life. Are we modeling faith and love?
The Thessalonians' faith was not passive but active, producing work. Their love was not theoretical but practical, driving them to labor for the well-being of others. Their hope was not wishful thinking but a source of endurance in the face of adversity. It was what drove them to action, of living and modeling a life of faith and love. Jesus was real to them, and Jesus was real in them!
Furthermore, the Thessalonians didn't keep this vibrant faith, love, and hope to themselves. They became imitators of Paul, Silas, and Timothy, who were imitating the Lord. In a world marked by suffering, their joy was unmistakable, a gift from the Holy Spirit. The impact of their faithfulness was far-reaching; they became a model for all the believers in the region.
Their transformation was clear and powerful, and real. They turned from believing and serving idols to serve the one true, living God, and they eagerly awaited the return of Jesus, who would rescue them from the coming wrath. Their lives were a living testimony to the life-changing power of the gospel. We, too, should be witnesses of that as well; that would make our lives truly models of faith and love. Here's our challenge: We must cultivate a faith that works. We should possess and truly pour out a love that labors, that is, works for others. We should also hold dear a hope that endures forever; a hope that is not easily swayed nor distracted nor de-railed by anything or anyone. And the best way to achieve those is to imitate the model of Jesus in our lives. The people in Thessalonia imitated Paul, Silas, and Timothy. These men were bright shining models of faith, love, and hope in a world that still desperately needs to see the message of the gospel in action.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the inspiring example of the Thessalonian believers. Help us to cultivate a faith that produces good works, a love that drives us to labor for others, and a hope that sustains us in all circumstances. May we imitate Christ and become models of faith, love, and hope to those around us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Live the life of Jesus in today's world.
Receive my blessings of hope and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
