Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians Archives

What Makes the Church Special?

By Andrew YoungFebruary 12, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:1 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1 This morning we come to the next of Paul’s letters, the first of two that he, Silas and Timothy wrote to believers in Thessalonica, modern day Thessaloniki. These two letters will always have a special place in my heart. For nearly five years – between 2000-2005 – I more or less “lived in them” as part of a writing project for the Banner of Truth Trust. I can remember at the time being struck by the way Paul […]

A Vigorous Church

By Andrew YoungFebruary 13, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“We continually remember… your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3 As with many of Paul’s letters, his first and second letters to the church in Thessalonica begin on a note of thankfulness. “We always thank God for all of you,” he writes, “mentioning you in our prayers” (1 Thessalonians 1:2). What Paul and his missionary companions remembered most about their new brothers and sisters in Thessalonica their “work produced by faith,” their “labour prompted by love,” and their […]

Truly Equal

By Andrew YoungFebruary 14, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“For we know, brothers loved by God…” 1 Thessalonians 1:4 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:4 I came to the task of writing today’s devotional eagerly, expecting to write on one of my favourite subjects, the power of the gospel. However, as I prayed and reflected on the verse before us (1 Thessalonians 1:4), my thoughts were diverted in another direction, to a theme that is also immensely important, the equality of all true believers. We see this in the way Paul addresses the Thessalonian Christians. He speaks of them as “brothers loved by God” (v. 4). What precious truths are […]

The Gospel in Power

By Andrew YoungFebruary 15, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power….” 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 Paul’s confidence that the Thessalonian believers were “brothers loved by God” rested in the fact he was certain that God had chosen them. “For we know, brothers loved by God,” he writes, “that he [God] has chosen you” (1 Thessalonians 1:4). But how could this be? Isn’t God’s choice (election) of people something hidden within his own counsel or mind? Paul tells us here that his assurance that the Thessalonians were among God’s chosen people was connected with the […]

The Joy of the Holy Spirit

By Andrew YoungFebruary 16, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-6 From the book of Acts, we learn that the gospel met with opposition in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-9). The first believers were put to the test by it, but in spite of what they suffered, they “welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). In the previous devotional, we noted that the gospel message had come to the Thessalonians not simply in word, but also with “power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction” (v. […]

The Living God

By Andrew YoungFebruary 17, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God…” 1 Thessalonians 1:9 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 As I re-read the latter verses of the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians this morning, I was gripped by the words “the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). They related closely to what I had been reading earlier in Psalm 115. The idea that God is the “living God” is one that the Old Testament prophets and psalmists often write about. In Psalm 115, for example, Yahweh (the “LORD”), the God of Israel, is set over against idols […]

Waiting for Jesus

By Andrew YoungFebruary 18, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…and to wait for his Son from heaven… Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 A second feature of the change that had taken place in the Thessalonian Christians on hearing the gospel was an expectation of the return of Christ. They had not only “turned to God from idols,” but were now waiting for “his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). I vividly recall the first time I seriously considered the subject of the Second […]

A Genuine Ministry

By Andrew YoungFebruary 19, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“…we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 There is a change in both topic and tone in the second chapter of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. From a focus on the Thessalonians themselves and thankfulness to God for them, he turns attention to his apostolic team and the nature of their ministry. He begins to explain and defend their conduct, likely to counter what opponents were saying about them. Paul begins by appealing to what the Thessalonians knew about them and their mission. They knew […]

Pleasing God

By Andrew YoungFebruary 20, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“We are not trying to please men but God…” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 Paul, we noted yesterday, was at pains to confirm the genuineness of his ministry while in Thessalonica. It was likely that opponents of the gospel were calling this into question, forcing him to appeal to what the Thessalonians already knew about his character and actions, and above all, his motives. “The appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives,” he writes, “nor are we trying to trick you” (1 Thessalonians 2:3). Error, trickery, and deceit were features of the charlatans […]

The Cost of Ministry

By Andrew YoungFebruary 21, 2018Devotionals: 1 Thessalonians

“We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you… ourselves as well…” 1 Thessalonians 2:8 Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:6-9 As I come to write this morning, my mind is filled with thoughts of the task that is absorbing several colleagues and me in Christchurch at the moment. We have met to consider the best way to train pastors for our churches in the next decade, and at this point, we have yet to see the way ahead clearly. This section of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians may help us. We read it yesterday as we […]