Check out all the previous 1 Thessalonians readings here.
1 Thessalonians Reading | Week 1 | Day 2
Prayer
Allow some silence for your soul to catch up with your body. Hebrews 12:2 says that as Jesus faced the cross, it was the joy of us in heaven with Him that motivated Him. Thank Jesus for loving you and ask HIm to teach you about His heart today.
Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Read these verses three times slowly.
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. 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. 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.
Reflection & Questions
We started this amazing letter yesterday, with the Apostle Paul writing about how thankful to God he is for the Thessalonians. Today, he spells out a little more of why. What we learn here is how the church began, how they changed and how they influenced others.
Paul says that when he preached the gospel to them it came with “power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.” This powerful encounter, which assured Paul of their conversion, led to a clear change in the Thessalonians; they “became imitators of [Paul] and of the Lord,” they had joy in suffering and they turned from their idols. And it is no surprise that news of this change spread – “The Lord’s message ran out from you… your faith in God has become known everywhere.”
It’s amazing to read about this change in the Thessalonians. But this kind of change is still possible today. You may well have experienced it yourself. As you think about your ONE, what do they need? They need to hear the gospel! This can lead to incredible change in their lives and, believe it or not, before you know it, your ONE will be reaching their ONE!
- Would you describe yourself as an imitator of the Lord? Why or why not? What step do you need to take today with that in mind?
- What steps could you take so that your ONE could hear the gospel? How could you pray? Share? Invite?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to today’s reading.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
