Visible for God 1 Thess 1:1-10 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010 Devotional Scripture: Matt 5:13-15 OUTLINE INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW AND APPROACH TO LESSON LESSON INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator MAJOR THEME ANALYSIS VISIBLE THROUGH A TRANSFORMED LIFESTYLE (1 THESS 1:1-6) Transformed Lifestyle through a work of faith The work of faith is to believe in Jesus (John 6:28-29) The work of faith should be done with all my strength and abilities (1 Cor 15:58) The work of faith expresses itself through love (Gal 5:6) Genuine faith is accompanied by actions (James 2:17) The work of faith results in being credited as righteousness (Rom 4:4-5) Transformed Lifestyle through a labor of love Labor of love because without love there is nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3) Labor of love because God commands us to pursue it (1 Tim 6:11) Labor of love because God knows our deeds (Rev 2:19) Labor of love is the only thing that counts in the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:6) Labor of love comes from a pure heart and good conscience (1 Tim 1:5) Labor of love prompts us to do good works (Heb 10:24) Labor of love means that we love God (1 John 4:21) Transformed Lifestyle through the patience of hope Hope that anchors the soul (Heb 6:18-20) Hope that should be held unswervingly (Heb 10:23) Hope in the glory of God (Rom 5:2) Hope that will not disappoint (Rom 5:5) Hope found in the Scriptures (Rom 15:4) Hope that makes us bold (2 Cor 3:10-12) Hope into which we are called (Eph 4:4) Hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7) VISIBLE THROUGH A TRANSFORMED REPUTATION (1 THESS 1:7-9) Transformed Reputation by being an example An example of godly speech, life, love and purity (1 Tim 4:12) An example of following Jesus (1 Cor 11:1) An example of God's patience and grace (1 Tim 1:16) An example by doing good (Titus 2:7-8) An example of perseverance in trials and persecutions (2 Thess 1:4) Transformed Reputation by being a witness Witness through the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) Witness by using God's word (Rom 10:17-18) Witness to others through teaching (2 Tim 2:2) Witness starting at home (Luke 8:39) Witness about what God has done for us (Ps 66:16) Transformed Reputation by turning from idolatry Turning from idolatry by fleeing from it (1 Cor 10:14) Turning from idolatry by putting to death what belongs to the earthly nature (Col 3:5) Turning from idolatry by being separated from it (2 Cor 6:16-17) Visible for God Page 1 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Turning from idolatry by keeping oneself from idols (1 John 5:21) Turning from idolatry by trusting in God instead (Ps 31:6) VISIBLE THROUGH A TRANSFORMED FUTURE (1 THESS 1:10) A transformed future in heaven A heaven where the former things will be gone (Isa 65:17-18) A heaven that will endure (Isa 66:22-23) A heaven that will be the home of the righteous (2 Peter 3:13) A heaven where better things stored up for us (Ps 31:19) A heaven where hope is stored (Col 1:5) A heaven where a living hope of the inheritance is waiting for us (1 Peter 1:3-4) A transformed future through resurrection A resurrection that is based on Scripture (1 Cor 15:3-4) A resurrection through being united with Jesus (Rom 6:5) A resurrection taught through preaching (1 Cor 15:12-14) A resurrection symbolized through baptism (1 Peter 3:17-21) A transformed future of deliverance Deliverance through being hidden in God (Ps 32:7) Deliverance through God's faithfulness (2 Cor 1:10) Deliverance through a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) Deliverance in a time that has been appointed by God (Dan 11:35) CONCLUSION AND OTHER THOUGHTS CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE NIV STANDARD LESSON COMMENTARY CONCLUDING THOUGHTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR PRACTICAL POINTS FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR HEART OF THE LESSON FROM THE BIBLE EXPOSITOR AND ILLUMINATOR Faith (1 Thess. 1:1-6) Love (1 Thess. 1:7-9) Hope (1 Thess. 1:10) Visible for God Page 2 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Introduction Overview and Approach to Lesson The major outline of the lesson came from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary. The lesson explains how Christians are Visible for God. The study's aim is to urge Christians to live lives of power and joy in spite of negative circumstances. The study's application is to realize that becoming a believer and follower of Jesus affects all aspects of life. Lesson Introduction and Background From the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary What You See Is What You Get Do you remember using a personal computer in the 1980s? If you do, you probably remember being amazed at all the things it could do. Personal computers made it easy to do what was tedious on a typewriter. They fit the text to the length of the line, started a new page at just the right point, and even helped check the spelling. But with their dark monitors with green or amber dots forming the letters, those early computers did not show exactly how a document would look when it was printed. It was a later generation of computers that offered WYSIWYG (pronounced WIH-see-wig), or what you see is what you get, a feature that today s computer users take for granted. Today s text is about what-you-see-is-what-you-get faith. It describes a group of young-in-the-faith Christians whose lives were changed by the gospel. There was no questioning whether their inward and outward lives were in tune with each other. Since they had come to believe in Jesus Christ, they were visibly, obviously becoming a new kind of people. If we are content with the idea that faith in Jesus is an inward, private matter that does not affect our public life, this text will challenge us! Lesson Background Thessalonica was a prosperous port and center of trade in the region of Macedonia, the northern part of the Greek peninsula. Like most cities of its kind, it was filled with all kinds of people and all kinds of beliefs. Economically there was a wide gap between the rich merchants and poor laborers. Socially there was powerful pressure to conform to established standards. Religiously there were many followers of pagan cults, some encouraging grossly immoral practices, but also a notable number of faithful Jewish worshipers of the God of Israel. When Paul first visited the city, on what we call his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1 10), his preaching there led many to believe in Jesus. But it also provoked persecution, and Paul was forced to leave after only a short time. The new believers were left alone to face the pressures of their environment. Would they persist in their new faith or go back to their old lives? When he was able, Paul sent his assistant Timothy to visit the Thessalonian Christians and report back (1 Thessalonians 3:1 5). Timothy s visit confirmed that the new believers were faithful and growing. Though not without problems, the church was demonstrating its faith through action (vv. 6 8). Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians probably just a few months after leaving the city and soon after receiving Timothy s report. He begins with a thankful celebration of the Thessalonians transforming faith. Far from succumbing to the pressures of their culture, they have become examples to believers in their region and beyond. Through the centuries, their example continues to speak to us today. From the Bible Expositor and Illuminator Genuine Christian commitment by its very nature is visible to God. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he described how their commitment to Christ was visible. They exhibited the triad of Christian virtues faith, love, and hope in their lives. God's power was evident in their response to the preaching of the gospel. They became followers of Paul and of the Christ even while experiencing persecution for their faith. There was no holding them back as they became a model church for all Christians throughout Greece. A dramatic change had taken place in the lives of these Thessalonian Visible for God Page 3 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
believers. They had turned completely from pagan idolatry to the worship of the only true God. Also, they modeled the Christian's expectation of Christ's return by actively waiting for it. Christians need true examples of what it means to be committed to Jesus Christ. The Thessalonian church provides Christians today with a praiseworthy model. It is thought that Paul wrote this first letter to believers at Thessalonica after founding the church there and moving on to Berea, Athens, and Corinth (Acts 17:1-18:1). It was during his second missionary journey. Mistreating Jason and other new believers at Thessalonica, opposing Jews had caused Paul and Silas to flee to Berea (17:5-10). Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica from Athens to establish these new converts in their faith amid persecution. Timothy came back with a good report (1 Thess. 3:1-8). As this lesson text is studied and taught, keep in mind the spiritual progression provided. The work of faith refers to turning away from idols to the worship and service of God. This leads to a life of laboring for Him out of love. It also develops patience and hopeful anticipation of the second coming of Jesus from heaven to earth. See how this theme is repeated by Paul in Titus 2:11-13. Major Theme Analysis (Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV) Visible Through a Transformed Lifestyle (1 Thess 1:1-6) 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 from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, Transformed Lifestyle through a work of faith The work of faith is to believe in Jesus (John 6:28-29) 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." The work of faith should be done with all my strength and abilities (1 Cor 15:58) 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. The work of faith expresses itself through love (Gal 5:6) 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Genuine faith is accompanied by actions (James 2:17) 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. The work of faith results in being credited as righteousness (Rom 4:4-5) 4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Visible for God Page 4 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Transformed Lifestyle through a labor of love Labor of love because without love there is nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3) 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Labor of love because God commands us to pursue it (1 Tim 6:11) 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Labor of love because God knows our deeds (Rev 2:19) 19 I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Labor of love is the only thing that counts in the Kingdom of God (Gal 5:6) 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Labor of love comes from a pure heart and good conscience (1 Tim 1:5) 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Labor of love prompts us to do good works (Heb 10:24) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Labor of love means that we love God (1 John 4:21) 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Transformed Lifestyle through the patience of hope Hope that anchors the soul (Heb 6:18-20) 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Hope that should be held unswervingly (Heb 10:23) 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hope in the glory of God (Rom 5:2) 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Visible for God Page 5 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Hope that will not disappoint (Rom 5:5) 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Hope found in the Scriptures (Rom 15:4) 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Hope that makes us bold (2 Cor 3:10-12) 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. Hope into which we are called (Eph 4:4) 4 There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called Hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7) 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. Visible Through a Transformed Reputation (1 Thess 1:7-9) 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, Transformed Reputation by being an example An example of godly speech, life, love and purity (1 Tim 4:12) 12 Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. An example of following Jesus (1 Cor 11:1) 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. An example of God's patience and grace (1 Tim 1:16) 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. An example by doing good (Titus 2:7-8) 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Visible for God Page 6 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
An example of perseverance in trials and persecutions (2 Thess 1:4) 4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. Transformed Reputation by being a witness Witness through the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Witness by using God's word (Rom 10:17-18) 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Witness to others through teaching (2 Tim 2:2) 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Witness starting at home (Luke 8:39) 39 "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Witness about what God has done for us (Ps 66:16) 16 Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. Transformed Reputation by turning from idolatry Turning from idolatry by fleeing from it (1 Cor 10:14) 14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. Turning from idolatry by putting to death what belongs to the earthly nature (Col 3:5) 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Turning from idolatry by being separated from it (2 Cor 6:16-17) 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." Turning from idolatry by keeping oneself from idols (1 John 5:21) 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. Turning from idolatry by trusting in God instead (Ps 31:6) 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord. Visible for God Page 7 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Visible Through a Transformed Future (1 Thess 1:10) 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. A transformed future in heaven A heaven where the former things will be gone (Isa 65:17-18) 17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. A heaven that will endure (Isa 66:22-23) 22 "As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the Lord, "so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me," says the Lord. A heaven that will be the home of the righteous (2 Peter 3:13) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. A heaven where better things stored up for us (Ps 31:19) 19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. A heaven where hope is stored (Col 1:5) 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel A heaven where a living hope of the inheritance is waiting for us (1 Peter 1:3-4) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you, A transformed future through resurrection A resurrection that is based on Scripture (1 Cor 15:3-4) 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, A resurrection through being united with Jesus (Rom 6:5) 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Visible for God Page 8 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
A resurrection taught through preaching (1 Cor 15:12-14) 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. A resurrection symbolized through baptism (1 Peter 3:17-21) 17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, A transformed future of deliverance Deliverance through being hidden in God (Ps 32:7) 7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Deliverance through God's faithfulness (2 Cor 1:10) 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, Deliverance through a living hope (1 Peter 1:3) 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, Deliverance in a time that has been appointed by God (Dan 11:35) 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. Conclusion and Other Thoughts Concluding Thoughts from the NIV Standard Lesson Commentary Paul describes Christian faith as more than mere ritual. It embraces every aspect of life, bringing purpose, direction, and confidence. It transforms ordinary people into world-changers. It gives meaning to the most mundane of daily affairs. It provides assurance that the future contains boundless blessing. Knowing Jesus Christ makes us the people God intended us to be, living as God intended us to live. The change is public, visible, and unmistakable. And it continues for a lifetime. Concluding Thoughts from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator People who become Christians in the United States usually do not suffer for their faith. They are not jailed or physically abused. It is comparatively easy to follow the Lord in America. Think what it must be like to knowingly place your life on the line when you become a Christian. The text provides us with an example of people who came to Christ in the intense heat of persecution. It tells us that they embraced the gospel "in much affliction." To do this in such an atmosphere is like a pass receiver who knows that as soon as he catches the Visible for God Page 9 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
football, he will be hit by an opposing player whose aim is to make him drop the ball. The Thessalonian believers knew in advance that becoming a follower of Christ would cost them dearly, but they still came to the Lord. They are to be commended for their courage. Their example has been used by the Lord to embolden others to believe despite repercussions. When the world is especially hostile to the gospel, those who openly profess faith in Christ bring unique glory to the Lord. Such bold faith magnifies the Lord and proclaims, "There is none other name under heaven... whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). The Thessalonian believers deserve our praise, but the Lord especially deserves our praise, for He enabled them to fearlessly believe. The Holy Spirit caused the message of salvation to impact the Thessalonians in a powerful way. First Thessalonians 1:5 declares that the gospel had come to them "in power." In other words, they were deeply and supernaturally drawn to the message of the gospel. This powerful working is through the agency of the Holy Spirit. As Paul preached the word, the Holy Spirit worked simultaneously in people's hearts, urging them to receive the Lord Jesus. God always works abundantly, for He is a great God. We see this in the Thessalonians' desire to trust in the Lord despite the hazards of such a confession and in the joyful nature of their reception of Him. The text affirms that they "received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." A definite mark of true conversion to Christ is the joy produced by the Holy Spirit, whom God sends into the hearts of those who truly believe (cf. Gal. 4:6). This joy is not just an emotional experience; it is rooted in the knowledge of the forgiveness of sins and the personal possession of eternal life. When a person professes to have placed faith in Christ but has no joy, it is possible that he has not truly come to Christ. A false believer does not possess the Holy Spirit and thus lacks joy. The Thessalonians' joy was evidence that they had become true believers, and their obedience to the Lord also proved it. The text indicates that they became followers of the Lord. True believers begin as spiritual babies (cf. I Cor. 3:1, 2), but that does not mean that they are fruitless. They may be babies and take baby steps, but they still are following Christ. Practical Points from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator 1. The best thanks we can give for others is to pray for them consistently (1 Thess. 1:1-2) 2. Faith, hope, and love are characterized not just by attitudes but by actions that should mark every Christian life (vs. 3-4) 3. If we are simply faithful messengers of God, His powerful Word will do the rest (vs. 5) 4. We will never be worthy examples to others if we lack joy in our lives (vs. 6-7) 5. Humble faith speaks more loudly than any words (vs. 8) 6. Serving Christ and looking for His coming go hand in hand (vs. 9-10) Heart of the Lesson from the Bible Expositor and Illuminator What are the essentials necessary to live for Jesus Christ in today's world? Our text, I Thessalonians 1:1-10, tells us that there are three such essentials. In fact, these three qualities form a triad that the Apostle Paul cited several times (cf. I Cor. 13:13; Col. 1:4-5). Faith (1 Thess. 1:1-6) When Paul came preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ at Thessalonica on his second missionary journey (cf. Acts 17:1-9), some of the people who heard him responded in faith. Paul called it a work of faith (cf. John 6:29). That is, they trusted in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay their penalty for breaking God's law, was buried, and rose again, as the sufficient and efficient sacrifice to cleanse them from their sin and provide them eternal life. Paul put it this way in I Thessalonians 1:5-6: "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost." For faith to be a valid and a true and eternal experience for the believer, it must have the right object. Jesus Christ is that right object. He lives as the crucified, risen, and ascended eternal Lord Jesus Christ. Visible for God Page 10 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010
Love (1 Thess. 1:7-9) Genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour always issues forth in action in the believer's life. This is what happened in the lives of the Thessalonians who trusted in Christ as their Saviour. Paul penned, "From you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad" (1 Thess. 1:8). The words "sounded out" mean "to' echo, or to reverberate." As the Thessalonians shared their love for each other as believers (cf. John 13:35), it reverberated throughout the entire area. Such love was an example to the unbelievers that attracted them to Christ. It was a labor of love! In fact, the people's love for each other as believers and for those needing the Lord was a clear testimony that they had turned from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9). How can this kind of love be evidenced in the lives of believers today? Hope (1 Thess. 1:10) The believers in Christ in Thessalonica had a patient hope, that is, an enduring hope. What was that hope? It was that Jesus Christ could return at any time for them. They knew that they deserved God's wrath, but they trusted Christ's promise of mercy. This is what caused them to be hopeful despite persecution. Their enduring expectation was not based on themselves or some passing idea of man. Rather, it was built on the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, who had ascended into heaven and could return for them at any time. Then they would be delivered from the wrath to come the judgment that would come upon the world. The hope that Christ may return at any moment should cause us to serve the Lord with expectancy. Is that how we serve the Lord? Faith, love, and hope are these part of our daily lives? Visible for God Page 11 of 11 SS Lesson for 06/06/2010