Is this happening at your Church?

 

1 Thessalonians 1:1-7

Is this happening in your church?  As you read the first seven verses ask yourself that question, and if the answer is no, why is it no?  In verse one Paul is not grabbing the headlines, in fact he is making sure that all who read this understands it’s a team effort, it is Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, being used by God to bring the gospel to the church at Thessalonica.  These men spent more time in prayer for this church than they did trying to come up with some program to awaken the church or community for Christ.  Were they smarter than we are today or did they have an understanding of God’s power that we have lost?  When the church prays and waits on the Lord, the same Lord that parted the Red Sea will show Himself strong in that church.  And that is what is happening at the Thessalonians Church.

Wow, verses 4-7, “For we know brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 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, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”  It might be helpful to explain that Paul’s statement of being imitators of us is because they were imitators of Christ.  This is not a new theme, it may be what is missing in our churches today.  In 1Corinthians 11:1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” and in Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

If we are going to be called followers of Christ, should we not then take it to heart and make it our hearts desire to be imitators of Christ?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice