Salutation
In 1 Thessalonians 1:1, Paul mentions himself and Silvanus and Timotheus all are sending greetings in this letter to the church of the Thessalonians. They wish them first grace from God and then peace from God. I suspect that they also hope the church will have grace and peace from those around them, and that they will show God's grace and peace to all they meet. Both grace and peace are noted to come from both God the Father and the Lord Jesus.
Paul would probably give most letter writers today a bad name. How many letters (or the modern equivalent of e-mails for my generation or texts or other more recent methods for the younger crowd) launch right into what information you want to share without any preliminaries. How many of you are thinking that I should get right into the meat of the letter and not bother with the preliminaries as well?
Our modern generation has lost something in communication skills and in social graces. How many are reading this on your phone while bored in church or sitting with other people? If you are, then put it away and come back to it later. We should always give those around us as much of our attention as we possibly can.
Reading the start of this short letter, just one verse, think back to the previous conversations you've had with Christians (or non-Christians for that matter). Do we start out with greetings, hoping that God and Christ are blessing them with good things?
It's something to think about.
Focus in Prayer
1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 gives some insight into Paul's life. Paul and his traveling companions did more recorded traveling than many of the other early apostles in the Bible. Indeed some of them stayed around Jerusalem and ministered to and tried to convert the Jewish people. But as is noted here, the places Paul visited were never far from his mind.
I realize that travel in those days gave you a lot more time to think and write letters than it seems we have today. If you were walking or riding, then you had time to pray. If you weren't doing one of those things, you might be being hauled in a cart or traveling by ship, but in either case, you might have time to write. In today's culture, you certainly have the ability to pray in travels, but travel is much swifter today than then. You don't spend nearly as long doing it - or if you do you are traveling a very long distance, probably by plane.
At any rate, Paul didn't forget those people he had met or taught or preached to along the way. He thanked God for each group he had the opportunity to meet. I suspect he also prayed for those who persecuted him, although perhaps not as often. He remembered and in this letter complimented them on all they had done for him and his friends, but also that their conversion was sure and they had maintained the faith.
I'm not personally acquainted with many pastors, associate pastors, or missionaries. But I wonder today with our focus on growth if these folks who move around in their life's work take time to think back on all of the people they have known who they have touched in ministry or who have blessed them. I would like to think that all, or at least many, do so. But it is very easy to get into a habit of dealing with present circumstances and trying to reach the people you're with and trying to figure out where to go next, and all too often forget about those you have left behind.
That is something that Christians need to be cognizant of as well, even as lay people. When we move to a new part of town or a different town altogether, how long do we pray for the previous church we have attended? How much stronger would the church be if we all remembered the places we have been and prayed for them often, along with where we are now?
Preaching in Power
1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 talks a bit about Paul's ministry itself. It is easy like this commentary, to come in word only. Many, if not most, Christian leaders today come in word only. It seems like today, with all the books and Bible translations, and internet resources, that many don't even come in their own words. They come using someone else's words.
Now if someone else's words are direct from the Holy Spirit in a Spirit filled Christian worker or leader's heart, all is good. But if we get into the habit of only regurgitating words that we've read that someone else wrote or spoke, and never give anything that God has showed us, then we really aren't living up to the potential that we have.
We can't help but be affected and influenced by what we have taken in by reading, hearing, or watching. That's how everyone learns. But if we just tell that to someone else without adding any value, what good is it. We could just as easily tell them to buy the book or look at the URL and let them read or view the content themselves, unfiltered by our thoughts.
Beyond this, Paul notes that his preaching came in the power of the Holy Ghost from God. Paul not only tried to live what he preached, but he also was used by God in the gifts of the Spirit. All teaching is good. Don't get me wrong. But when teaching is backed up with the power of God, that really gets people's attention and makes it more likely someone will truly turn to God.
It's hard for an internet writer to really do much as this isn't an interactive medium. But I can pray that God will touch someone who is reading all these words I've written both here and on other more interactive forums and meet some of their needs, in some way that they will come to know Him as their Savior and be able to testify, like the church here, that God is real and the Bible is true. It's up to God to decide what and how to touch each reader's life. But I do pray that He will touch many lives, both those dear to my heart and perfect strangers. All I can do is ask.
God is still sovereign. But I can hope that when I get to heaven, there will be those who will say I doubted until I read what you wrote here and then God did "X" and I was blown away. If you're going to ask for a sign, then remember that keeping it simple is better. Don't ask for world peace. There are no known plans for that before the millennium. But also, be open to what God might choose to do. It might be something as simple as someone telling you "Hey X, God told me to let you know that He loves you". Don't dismiss the simple because you wanted something awesome.
The power of God is an awesome thing. God isn't limited to using Spirit filled believers to demonstrate His power. After the rapture, everyone will get to see His power being poured out in judgment and tribulation. But during the church age, He chose to use Spirit filled believers to show His power. Pray for the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in your denomination. It is so important for this doubting and troubled world.
Results
What were the results of the power filled preaching of Paul and the others? 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10 records that the church became examples to all of Macedonia and Achaia. Beyond there, merchants and others took the word of the Lord wherever they went. Paul didn't have to concentrate on the basics when he encountered somewhere the word had already spread. He could get to the important bits.
The church there didn't just hear the word and then go about their business as before. They changed their lives. They stopped worshiping idols. They continued in service to the Lord. They patiently awaited the return of Christ to be delivered from the wrath of God.
I'm sure that every Christian is hoping that the next group they witness to will have such a complete change of direction in their lives. The power of God can help to accomplish this. When you directly observe a healing, a miracle, or experience someone telling you something that you didn't think anybody knew, it changes your whole outlook on church.
Too many churches today are just going about their routine business, week after week. The power of God hasn't been seen in some of them as a whole, for decades or centuries. If it had, we wouldn't have so many denominations as we do. The leaders would have been scared straight as well and there wouldn't have been the required divisions to split off new denominations left and right.
Pray for the best changes in each and every Christian church. Pray for those who have lost their way, embracing sinful practices and false doctrines. Heal the wounds, but remember the holiness of God isn't going to change. Work towards Him, listen to the Holy Spirit, and follow his commands. God will bless you for doing so, individually and corporately.