Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Reputation is an important word, isn’t it? The reputation of a business can either attract customers or turn them away even before they try the product or service for themselves, right? The reputation of a doctor or dentist can attract new patients or turn them away, right? And how about the reputation of a person, what impact can that have?
As Paul is dictating his letter to the group of fledgling Christians in Thessalonica, Macedonia in the year 50ad, Paul wanted them to know, even though he was far away in Corinth, the reputation of these dear people was spreading far and wide!
Look, Timothy has the parchments rolled out and his stylus ready, and Paul is dictating again, this time he’s talking about the reputation of these Christians in Thessalonica: “You became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere! … 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.” (1 Thess.1:8-10)
What type of model were these Thessalonians?
Well first, they modeled how to receive the Gospel well; carefully consider the Gospel; and respond quickly and earnestly to the Gospel.
The apostle Paul had only been in Thessalonica three Sabbaths, and he had presented the Gospel in the Thessalonica Synagogue under the watchful eye of the local Rabbi, each of those 3 Sabbaths. Yes, of course, many of his hearers may have come and met with Paul and Silas during the week to more fully understand the radical good news of Jesus as Messiah, His atonement death and His resurrection. But after only three weeks Paul and Silas were run out of Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10) yet Gospel roots had taken hold.
So, my friends I ask you, how long has it been that you’ve known of the Gospel and how deeply has it rooted in your life?
Secondly, do you see Paul commends these Thessalonians for their radical allegiance to Jesus alone?
They had been worshipers of idols before they heard the Gospel, but so complete was their faith in and commitment to Jesus, that they abandoned their idols to focus their spiritual attention fully on Jesus and the great change the Holy Spirit was bringing about in their lives!
So, I ask you and me, my friends, how long did it take after we each heard the Gospel of Jesus, for the Gospel to take deep enough root in our lives that we abandoned those things which we knew drew us away from God? How long before we fully opened our entire lives to the transforming and cleansing work of the Holy Spirit of God?
And thirdly, do you see how Paul is commending these Thessalonians for serving the living and true God while waiting for the resurrected Jesus to return from heaven?
So, what does “serving the living God” look like in your city, in your life my friends? And honestly now, how often do you think about the Lord Jesus Christ returning to earth to gather up to Himself ALL followers of Jesus from all time? Are you ready for that great event? Are you looking forward to it with a great sense of anticipation? How does that miraculous upcoming rapture of all God’s people affect your priorities and mine today?
Finally, my friends, I see one more interesting phrase in this powerful statement of commendation from Paul to the Thessalonian Christians. Do you see it? “Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
Now what does Paul mean? What is the ‘coming wrath’ and how does or will Jesus rescue us from it when it does come? Christians in the first century knew they were living under the unpredictable iron fist of Rome. At any time, the Caesar could make any declaration and it would immediately become the law of the entire Empire. Already word was spreading from many regions that Christians were being persecuted. Could it be Paul was predicting a horrible Roman wrath against Christians?
If so, how would Jesus rescue the Christians from that? Well, history tells us a terrible wrath did pour out, especially during the reign of emperor Nero and many thousands of Christians died. No, Jesus did not spare them from torture and terrible death, but yes, in their martyrdom, the souls and spirits of these courageous men and women were escorted by Jesus from their place of death, directly into the very Presence of God.
My friends, many Bible scholars believe this interesting phrase of Paul’s describing a coming ‘wrath‘ has much wider implications focused on the future end times of our world. These scholars believe Paul was not speaking about suffering of Roman empire Christians under the wrath of Caesar Nero, but rather a future time when all Christians everywhere will be spared the great outpouring of God’s Wrath in the Great Tribulation time as described in Revelation 6:12-17 “I watched as He opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black… the moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth… The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called out to the mountains and rocks, ‘fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb of God!’ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”
Wow! Now that description far exceeds anything we have ever seen on planet earth, would you agree? This is far beyond the horrificness of both World Wars and the terribly atrocities of the Holocaust. This is far beyond any great disasters such as tsunamis or volcanos or earthquakes or hurricanes or typhoons.
This is part of the horrific outpouring of the justice wrath of God upon the humanity who has rejected God, mocked God, removed God from their schools and their governments and their health care and businesses and even their families. But Paul here is saying the Thessalonian Christians and by implications ALL Christians will be spared this terrible wrath!
How will we be spared? That’s why it’s important to take all of Paul’s statement together as one powerful commendation to Christians… “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.” Later in this very same letter to the Thessalonians, Paul will be even more specific about the glorious rapture of all true believers in the Gospel of Jesus, by the returning Lord Jesus Christ, and that rapture will rescue us from the coming wrath! Oh, praise God my dear friends!
Do you see why it is so vitally important that you are absolutely certain about how you have responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the role Jesus Christ has in your life my friends? Let’s take time right now to talk with Jesus about this great statement from Paul, and here’s a glorious song to help us celebrate these great truths!
Today’s Scripture is 1 Thess. 1:8-10.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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