Check out all the previous 1 Thessalonians readings here.
1 Thessalonians Reading | Week 1 | Day 5
Prayer
As you come to spend time with Jesus, calm your mind and body until you feel fully present. Thank Jesus that he came to save you!
Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16
Read these verses three times slowly.
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Reflection & Questions
As we have been discovering in 1 Thessalonians, this church has gone through a massive transformation. Paul is clearly very fond of them and encouraged by the way they are living out their faith. Paul makes it clear in these verses how this transformation happened and continues to happen. It is through the word of God. He tells them “you received the word of God” and “you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God.” And then he reveals what the word of God does: The word “is indeed at work in you who believe.” The word is at work. God’s work does a work in those who believe – it brings transformation. The Thessalonians changed, they “became imitators” of other believers, and they even suffered for their faith. They found the strength and faith to do this because the word of God was at work in them. Just like the word of God created the universe in the beginning, the word creates in us faith, hope and love. This is why Paul thanks God at the beginning of our reading today. In fact in 1 Thessalonians, three times he thanks God for the work He has done in the Thessalonians.
So the Thessalonians “received the word of God” and “accepted it as the word of God.” Received and accepted. As we grow in our faith, it is a good to ask ourselves:
- Am I receiving God’s word? Am I reading the Bible regularly? Am I listening to teaching about what God says?
- Am I accepting it as God’s word? In other words, am I taking it seriously and changing my life as a result of what it says?
As we receive and accept we will see the word of God work in our lives, transforming us just like it did the Thessalonians, and we (and others) will thank God for His work!
- Are you receiving God’s word? Are you reading it regularly and listening to teaching?
- Are you accepting God’s word? Are you changing your life because you take it seriously?
Prayer
Talk to God in response to the reading today.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
