Our reading challenge for the day is 1 Thessalonians 1-5. I’ll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?
1 Thessalonians 1 - The fellowship of the believers with one another, looking to the Lord in faith, serves as a witness to the world that God has granted life and salvation through faith in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 2 - See the love that Paul, Silas and Timothy, the apostles, have for the people in Thessalonica. This mutual love and respect is based on the bringing and reception of the Gospel as God’s true word. What respect do we have for the Word of God and for those who bring it to us, as well as those who receive it with us or from us?
1 Thessalonians 3 - How do we react when someone is critically ill? We are concerned, we check on the person, we send others to check on the person, we notify all our friends to pray. How do we react when someone is shaken or weak in the Christian faith? Do we, like Paul, see that this is a very serious condition, worthy of all our care?
1 Thessalonians 4 - The resurrection of the dead is a great encouragement. I have had several opportunities in recent months to encourage people who have just been bereaved. In the most recent situation we were looking together at Jesus’ promises of resurrection. Sharing communion in the hospital room we observed that the gentleman who had died in Christ was himself in perfect communion with the Lord and was looking now to the resurrection of the body. Do we see our earthly death as the end? Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
1 Thessalonians 5 - The end of the world is a hot topic just now. Recall that the last day is a day of comfort and hope to the Christian. It is the day when our Lord will gather his people to himself and rescue them from all danger.
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