Paul writes two letters to the Thessalonian Christians. The theme of 1 Thessalonians is how to keep growing in the faith, how to keep growing in love, and how to keep growing in hope. Consider the circumstances in which we are now living, this is a very timely message.
1 Thessalonians 1:1
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
The things Paul, along with his companions Silvanus and Timothy, desires for these Christians are grace and peace.
Grace: God’s unmerited favor and love
Grace is the truth that God’s love for us is not deserved and cannot be earned. God loves us and blesses us based on Him and who He is, and not on us.
Peace: It is the reality being joined or weaved together
Peace is not just the absence of strife and hostility – it expresses the desire for harmony with God and with other people.
God desires that we experience grace and peace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the grace and peace of God in our daily lives.
1 Thessalonians 1:2
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.
Paul wants the Thessalonian Christians to know that he is constantly praying for them and giving thanks for them. In Ephesians 6:18 Paul says that we are to pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication, to that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. Just as Paul prayed for the Thessalonian Christians, we are to pray for each other as fellow followers of Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is praying continually for our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul remembers three things about these Thessalonian Christians.
Their Work of Faith
Faith is not just an intellectual acknowledgment of truth. Faith is having trust to the extent that you are incorporating what you trust into your everyday life. Faith in Jesus is believing not just in Jesus, but believing Jesus - who He is and what He says. And then living your life based on those truths.
These Thessalonians Christians lived their lives and worked based on their faith in Jesus. We are not saved by works but we are saved to works.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living daily based on our faith in Jesus.
Their Labor of Love
Love is not just an emotion. It is not a mushy feeling, an inability to eat, or obsessively thinking about a person. Love is action.
God loved so He gave His one and only Son.
Jesus, the Son, loved so He gave His life on the cross for our sin.
These Thessalonian Christians loved so much that they labored to show that to others daily. Their labor of love flowed out of their being committed to their first love – Jesus. Our labor of love has to also flow from our commitment to our first love – Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving others in the way that Jesus loves us.
Their Steadfast Hope
Biblical hope is not the same as wishing. Biblical hope is a confident assurance that God is and will fulfill His promises. It is total dependence on God and His Word. Hope in God and His word is the key to allowing the Holy Spirit to set you apart for God’s purpose and for God using you for His honor.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living daily based on the promises of God.
Their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfast hope is all done in Jesus as their Lord. Everything we do has to be done in and out of the truth that Jesus is Lord.
We need to remember that:
No joy without peace,
No peace without grace
No grace without Jesus
In fact, without Jesus there is nothing of real value.
With the Presence of Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
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