1 Thess 1:8The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--- your faith in God has become known everywhere
Paul is
crediting the believers in Thessalonica for their faith in Jesus Christ and
their good works which have spread throughout the region. This is the region of
Europe which is part of the Grecian peninsular and predominantly the people are
well educated and are great philosophers. In terms of culture and religion,
these people used to believe in and worshipped multiple gods.
We are
familiar with Greek mythology and all the ancient stories of gods and strange
supernatural beings. However as people who are thinkers and who are seeking for
the truth, they found the truth in the Gospel that Paul had brought to them in
early years. Now there has been a strong and scriptural based church which not
only teach the word of God but they moved in a great demonstration of the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Paul wrote
in verse 5-6 ‘…because our gospel came
to you not with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep
conviction…you became imitators of us and the Lord,…’
Vs 7 ‘And so you became a model to all the
believers in Macedonia and Achaia…vs 9 .. they tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God.’
Paul
confirmed that the Thessalonian Church had been faithful to the teachings of
the apostles and they have become true disciples doing exactly what they have seen
and heard the apostles did. This is what Christian leadership is about. As the
apostle have learned and received from Jesus, they in turn passed on what they
have to others in the body of Christ.
In other
words, leaders must duplicate themselves through the Church. What they have
received, they are to pass it on to others. This is true disciple making. Jesus
commanded that we go to the ends of the world preaching and baptising and
making disciples.
This is the
great commission, not only to preach the gospel but we are also to make
disciples so that the work can be carried on for posterity. We are here for a
short time and a short season, when our work is over then we need to pass it on
to others. No one is supposed to hang on forever. This was what Jesus showed
the disciples and in turn they too passed on the mission to others who reached
the whole world with it.
Let us also
be the faithful ones like the Thessalonians and become good testimonies for the
gospel of Jesus Christ wherever we are.
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