Introduction. Read 1Thes1

Thessalonica was the capital city of the Roman province of Macedonia. It was a great trading city due to its busy port and location on main the east-west land route from Rome to Constantinople. It was an ideal location for a church facilitating the spread of the gospel both west and east.

Paul visited Thessalonica after Philippi. He began his gospel ministry as was his custom in the synagogue. He preached there for three successive Sabbaths. A few Jews were converted but the majority opposed Paul's teaching. It seems likely that Paul continued his ministry in the house of Jason. As a result of this it appears a large number of God-fearing Greeks including not a few prominent women left the synagogue and joined the growing Christian fellowship in Jason's house.

It is ironic that the Jews should have been God's instruments in preparing such a sizeable number of Gentiles for the gospel - and that they rejected it themselves. No wonder the little apostle was puzzled.

The Jews in Thessalonica were not best pleased to see attendance at the synagogue decline as more and more God-fearing Greeks were converted to Christianity. This probably happened over the course of several weeks. Eventually they stirred up so much trouble for Paul and his sympathisers that he had to escape with Silas by night. See Acts17v1to10.

Paul did not spend a lot of time with the new converts in Thessalonica. When he reached Athens he sends Timothy to find out how they are getting on. Meanwhile Paul moves on to Corinth and it is here that he receives an encouraging report from Timothy. See 1Thes3v1,2 and 6.

Paul writes his first epistle to the Thessalonians in response to the glowing report Timothy brings of the Christians there. It was a church that:

(1) Concentrated on the essentials. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

(a) The Thessalonians put their faith into practice.

James wrote: As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds in dead. Jm2v26. See exposition on James2v14to25. My old friend Peter Chaffey often quotes another verse from James: But be ye doers of word, and not hearers only. Jm1v25 AV. I have to say in this instance the modern versions of the Bible do not compare with the AV for driving the truth home.

Let me just give one example of putting faith into practice. Jesus told a story about a widow who pestered a corrupt judge in order to get justice. Eventually the judge was worn down and decided it was easier to give the woman what she wanted than to keep putting her off. Luke tells us that Jesus told this parable to show his disciples that they should always pray and not give up. Lk18v1. Jesus himself said: "And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice and quickly." LK18v8.

You need faith to keep praying and not give up. I was talking to a Christian lady yesterday evening about her family. All her children are ill: two with mental health problems and one with Crohn's disease. The lady, an old pupil, said in something like despair, "I pray for my children but it doesn't seem to make any difference. What is the point?" You do need a lot of faith to keep praying - for years - when no answer is forthcoming.

I pray for Christians in Moslem countries. Many are persecuted in these countries for no better reason than they love Jesus and want to tell others about him. I pray that they will receive justice. I remind God that his Son promised that they would get it quickly. Yet they do not seem to be getting it quickly! It requires faith to keep praying.

(b) The Thessalonians had a love that made them work hard.

Paul commends: Your labour prompted by love.

There is a touchy-feely love and a sweaty-toilsome love. I know a lady who cooks for her widowed father five days a week. She complained to me once because she reckoned her father loved her sister more. "It's because Doreen gives dad a hug and kiss," she said, "What's better a hug and a kiss or a good dinner five times a week?" Well I am partial to a hug and a kiss but I know what the lady meant!

Christian love is practical. It is not just about turning up on Sunday and having nice, warm feelings for our fellow worshippers. It involves helping those who need it.

In Trollope's novel, 'The last Chronicle of Barchester,' Mr Crawley was the perpetually poor curate to the brick-makers of Hogglestock. He was too poor to give them charity. However, he thought nothing of taking two hours on the mangle to help a woman with her washing.

Many years ago my father went to visit one of his church members who lived in an old clay lump cottage near the chapel. He found Alice on her knees mixing wet cement with dirt to fill up the rat holes in her foundations. My father said, "That's no sort of work for a lady." He finished the job for her.

When my two friends Dorothy and Edward got crippled up with arthritis one of the members of our congregation went and fixed a banister to their steep staircase.

These are all examples of love in action - the sort of love that the Thessalonians displayed.

(c) The Thessalonians had a hope that endured hardship - or, as Paul put it: Your endurance inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I found as a schoolteacher that there were always children who were reluctant to endure hardship. They found Geography difficult and wanted to give up studying it. These children had no hope. They neither desired nor expected to do well in the subject.

We shall be able to endure hardship if we strongly desire and expect to attain a certain goal.

A classic example of this is Jacob agreeing to work seven years for his uncle Laban in order to marry his daughter Rachel. We read in Gen29v20: So Jacob worked seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her. He endured all that time of unpaid labour in sure and certain hope of eventually marrying the woman he loved.

Christians should serve Jesus with their eyes upon the goal and with every expectation of attaining it. As Paul put it: But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. Phil3v14.

(2) Had proved receptive and teachable.

Paul writes of them: You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. v6.

Some people cannot be taught. This may be because they:

(a) Have a low opinion of the teacher.

There are a variety of reasons for this all of which involve having a plank in the eye that distorts judgment.

• The plank of prejudice. Some managers find it difficult to coach professional footballers. Very successful players have been known to taunt a new manager with, "Show us your medals". Their attitude is, "You've done nothing - so who are you to tell us what to do."

  I had this on a small scale when I coached a boy's Under 14 side at Debenham High School. The lads wouldn't listen because I was too old. They couldn't begin to imagine that I had once been a decent footballer.

  Jesus couldn't teach many of the religious leaders anything because of their prejudice against him. They were prejudiced against anyone who grew up in Galilee, who had a working class background, who hadn't received the right education and whose attitude to the Law was highly unorthodox.

  Today there are lots of Christians who can only be taught by those of their own persuasion. The Roman Catholic Church would not allow its members to be taught by a Protestant like me! Bible colleges that cater for those with a Reformed theology would discourage students from reading Arminian commentaries. The vast majority of evangelical Christians would be prejudiced against sects like the Sixth Day Adventists. I found an article in a Sixth Day Adventist magazine very helpful in understanding what happens in the after life. I have even had my views on this subject dismissed as belonging to the sects! They must be in error!!

• The plank of bias. There is no doubt that many teachers find it difficult to teach some children simply because they are disliked. It is very hard for a teacher to take over a class that has been taught for several years by the same person. Children are very conservative. Once they have got used to a teacher they do not welcome a change. Some children never warmed to my style of teaching. I was too loud, too bombastic, too scary and too vulgar. On occasions, of course, a child's attitude would change. They would be won over, listen, learn and begin to make rapid progress.

  Christians need to beware of bias. Some pastors have a very tough time following a popular predecessor. In these days of greater mobility it has been known for "picky" Christians to give a new man a month of two and then move off to another church if they do not take to him.

  It is even worse if you are an itinerant preacher. My pupils were stuck with me and most gradually got used to my style. Church congregations are not like that. They invite you to speak - and if they do not like you they never invite you again. You never get an explanation. What could they write? Sorry, we don't want you back again because the old ladies didn't like you! I am the least used itinerant Grace Baptist preacher in the whole of England!

  There were a considerable number of Christians in the Corinthian church who did not like Paul very much. He wasn't impressive enough. The apostle had a very unprepossessing appearance and was by no means an eloquent speaker. He comments in his second epistle to the Corinthians: For some say, "His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing." 2Cor10v10.

  The plank of bias is just as damaging as the plank of prejudice but evangelical Christians are remarkably complacent about having this plank in their eye. Paul spent a long time taking the Corinthians to task for their appalling judgment - judgment that damaged their spiritual education.

• The plank of familiarity. Jesus lived for nearly 30 years in Nazareth. He spent many of those years working as a carpenter. You might have expected the people of the town to be impressed by his amazing quality of life. But they were not. The inhabitants thought they knew him - they knew his family after all. He was one of them. Jesus couldn't be special. They had so little faith in Jesus he could perform few miracles in the town. The Master summed up the situation by saying in sorrow: "A prophet is not without honour - except in his own city."

  Many a Christian is undervalued by his own church. Most independent fellowships where the membership appoints the pastor prefer an outsider rather than someone brought up among them. They are prepared to be taught by an outsider - but not by a brother who really knows them!

(b) Have a high opinion of themselves.

It is very difficult to teach a know-it-all. I have had this problem coaching sport. Little boys who played in a local league, watched games on TV and listened to the professional pundits thought they knew more about tactics than I did. They paid no attention to my advice and lost game after game after game. I can remember giving some timely instruction to my niece, Ruth. She is a keen cricketer and a decent bowler. Her batting leaves something to be desired. So when I watched her play elegant forward defensive strokes and keep missing the ball I told her, "Watch the ball on to the bat Ruth." But did she want to know? "Of course I'm watching the ball," she snorted. "So why do you keep missing it?" I asked. Whereupon she threw down the bat and stalked off.

I also had a lot of problems teaching boys and girls how to use a computer program to interrogate a data base. Once some of them are sat by a computer they think they know much more about it than does their teacher. So they do not listen but click the mouse at random. Boys and girls are encouraged in this behaviour by pundits who tell them they know more about computing than their teachers do. It is very difficult to properly interrogate a data base unless you first understand the data and the sort of questions it will answer.

Jesus encountered know-it-alls during his earthly ministry. Many, not all, the religious leaders of his day had a very high opinion of themselves and couldn't be taught. The reaction of the Pharisees to the man born blind whom Jesus healed is very revealing. During their interrogation of him the formerly blind man said to the Pharisees: "Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. Jn9v33and34. THEY COULD NOT BE TOLD.

Some Christians have a very high opinion of themselves. It makes them difficult to teach. Paul encountered this problem with the Corinthians. He said to them: Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings and that without us. How I wish that you really had becomes kings so that we might be kings with you! 1Cor4v8. Several Corinthian Christians considered that they had made such great spiritual advances that they had left Paul behind. He had nothing left to teach them!

One of my saddest experiences is that during the last eleven years some of my closest Christian friends have never so much as looked at this website. They obviously feel that I have nothing to teach them!

(c) Don't want to know.

Every teacher becomes aware that there are some children who consider their subject a waste of time. They cannot see its relevance to their future. A boy may be looking forward to starting an apprenticeship in his father's plumbing business. In his opinion Geography is not going to help him in his chosen career one iota. All the arguments of the teacher to the end that it is important to know about the world you live in are like so much water off a duck's back.

The members of the Sanhedrin didn't want to hear Stephen when he began talking about the Righteous One whom they had betrayed and murdered - the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Luke writes: At this they covered their ears. Acts7v57.

Most Jews didn't want to hear the gospel Paul preached. He invariably went to the Jews first in all the cities he evangelised but ended up excluded from the synagogue and ministering largely to Gentiles.

There is no doubt that most people in Western Europe do not want to know about Jesus. They are happy to remain in ignorance about his teaching, example and saving work. But many Christians are not much better. They have closed minds to some aspects of truth. Fundamentalists don't want to hear how Science and the Creation account can be harmonised. They are not interested in indications from the text that the Genesis flood was local in extent. They are not prepared to listen to reasons why Jonah should not be taken literally.

We need to be like the Thessalonians. They were open to the word Paul preached. They took careful note of his conduct - conduct based upon the teaching of Jesus - and sought to imitate him. If you are a teacher there is nothing quite so uplifting as a receptive class; a class that likes you, admires you and wants to learn from you. It is a sad state of affairs when members of the congregation view the sermon as something to be endured. Nor should it be entertainment only. Every Christian teacher should aim to enlighten and edify.

(3) Set a good example. So you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Archaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere. v8.

During my life time there have been those who have set me a good example. It does me good to remember the two children I taught who died of cancer. Their lives were short. They kept coming to school in spite of being horribly ill. THEY MADE THE MOST OF WHAT LIFE THEY HAD.

Old Mrs Vincent had a very difficult time with her husband. Len suffered from bouts of depression. It made him hard to live with. Towards the end of his life, Len mercifully improved although it could never be said he brimmed with confidence. I have an abiding memory of Ruth and Len. One soft Sunday evening after church I watched them walking home together down Chapel Lane. They were arm in arm - a tribute to Ruth's faithfulness.

My father was a very good man for whom I had a great admiration. He wasn't the least bit materialistic or possessive. He was very forgiving and scrupulously honest. My father would always help when and where he could. He was happy to accept a favour without feeling the need to pay the person back.

The example Paul valued in particular was the faith the Thessalonians exhibited. Corrie ten Boom had a wonderful father. His faith was an inspiring example to his daughter. One day when Corrie's mother was ill and the watchmaker's business in Haarlem was not going very well Corrie said, "Father, what must we do? Everything is so terrible!"

Mr ten Boom replied, "Don't forget Corrie - underneath are the everlasting arms. We won't fall. We have the promise of security when His arms are beneath us - holding us - supporting us - strengthening us."

Thirty years later Corrie was lying on a filthy mattress in a German concentration camp. Next to her in the pitch dark was her sister, Betsie. Corrie racked her brain to say something comforting before they fell asleep. Then she remembered the dining room conversation with her father.

"Betsie," Corrie asked, "Are you asleep?"

"No, not yet," she replied.

"Remember what Father told us: 'God is our dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms.'"

"Oh, yes, Corrie," replied Betsie, "And they will never leave us."

The two sisters took heart from the remembrance of their father's faith in the providential care of God.

The writer to the Hebrews details the faith of one Jewish hero after another. He concludes by writing: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw of everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Heb12v1

We have been set many fine examples of faith - so we too should be willing to endure hardship as discipline. Heb12vk7

(4) Was expectant. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God to wait for his Son from heaven. v9and10.

It is important to:

(a) Turn from idols.

An idol is a bit like a babies' dummy. A dummy is a substitute for the real thing. It may divert, comfort and satisfy but a dummy cannot sustain the baby. The baby needs life-giving milk.

Many people in Britain have found a substitute for God - an idol - a dummy to suck on. Every Saturday thousands upon thousands of fans give a football team the sort of adulation that only God deserves. Young people satisfy their craving for someone to admire and look up to by idolising a pop star or celebrity. Older folk derive their satisfaction from success at work or material possessions. A lovely home and gorgeous garden provides comfort and a spurious security to many.

All these things are as much use in providing eternal life as a babies' dummy. The only way to receive forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and the promise of eternal felicity is through Jesus Christ.

(b) Serve the true and living God.

As I get older - after many years trying to excel as a sportsman and striving even harder to be a successful teacher - I realise that the only thing that gives my life any significance is the extent to which I am able to serve God.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 1Cor15v58. This is a wonderfully encouraging text. We should count it a privilege to be of any use to God. It is an incredible bonus to know that whatever we do for Christ's sake will never be in vain.

(c) Wait for God's son from heaven.

It is appropriate for Christians to eagerly anticipate Christ's return to this earth from heaven because on that day their trust and devotion will be vindicated. When Jesus comes in glory the wisdom of believers and the folly of unbelievers will finally be revealed.

The clear and emphatic teaching of Scripture is that Jesus is coming again and all those wo believe in him should be ready for his return. God has delayed Christ's coming so that more and more should be saved to enjoy eternal life but that does not mean the promised return will not take place.

Jesus is coming! sing the glad word!
Coming for those He redeemed by his blood,
Coming to reign as the glorified Lord!
Jesus is coming again!

Jesus is coming! The promise is true:
Who are the chosen, the faithful, the few,
Waiting and watching, prepared for review?
Jesus is coming again!