FIRST THESSALONIANS — PART 1
Like a Father Writing to Children He Had to Leave Too Soon
[Thirteen Letters — One Mystery — Letter 2 — First Thessalonians — Part 1]
[Warm acoustic instrumental — gentle and inviting — soft guitar and piano — like a conversation around a fire — not dramatic — peaceful and drawing in]
Three weeks.
That's all Paul had in Thessalonica
before persecution drove him out.
Three weeks to plant a church.
Three weeks to lay a foundation.
Three weeks —
and then he was gone.
He left behind brand new believers.
Almost no teaching.
A city already hostile to them.
He tried to get back.
More than once.
He says it himself —
Satan hindered us.
So he sent Timothy.
To check on them.
To see if they were standing.
And Timothy came back with a report.
They're standing.
Their faith is real.
They received the word —
not as the word of men —
but as it is in truth
the word of God.
Paul writes this letter with tears of relief.
He calls them his glory.
His joy.
His crown of rejoicing.
He says being separated from them
was like being orphaned.
This is not a theological treatise.
This is a father
writing to children
he had to leave too soon.
But notice what they turned from.
And what they turned to.
They turned from idols
to serve the living and true God —
and to wait for His Son from heaven.
From heaven.
Not waiting for a kingdom on earth.
Not waiting for Messiah to reign
from the throne of David in Jerusalem.
Waiting for the Son
from heaven.
This is the heavenly calling.
The identity of the Body of Christ.
Citizens of heaven.
Waiting for the Savior
to come TO them —
from above.
This is Letter 2.
The foundation laid in Galatians
is now being built upon.
Grace alone.
A heavenly hope.
A Father writing to his children.
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