Have you ever wondered how the strength of faith could radically transform a community? Settle in as we journey through the letter of Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the Thessalonians, a testament of love, faith, and courage in the face of adversity. We dive into the unique aspects of this letter - from Paul's gentle greeting, devoid of his usual authority stamp, to the palpable love he had for the Thessalonians. As we traverse these scriptures together, let's reflect on how we can channel that same love and prayers towards our communities.
Imagine transitioning from idol worshipers to passionate followers of the gospel. That's the story of the Thessalonians. Their faith not only transformed them but also had a massive impact on their community, making them a beacon for believers in Macedonia and Achaya. As we dissect the journey of the Thessalonians, we touch on the fear of suffering, the courage it takes to face adversity, and the power of faith to effect change. Join us as we draw inspiration from the Thessalonians' radical transformation and learn the power of unwavering faith.
Have you ever wondered how the strength of faith could radically transform a community? Settle in as we journey through the letter of Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the Thessalonians, a testament of love, faith, and courage in the face of adversity. We dive into the unique aspects of this letter - from Paul's gentle greeting, devoid of his usual authority stamp, to the palpable love he had for the Thessalonians. As we traverse these scriptures together, let's reflect on how we can channel that same love and prayers towards our communities.
Imagine transitioning from idol worshipers to passionate followers of the gospel. That's the story of the Thessalonians. Their faith not only transformed them but also had a massive impact on their community, making them a beacon for believers in Macedonia and Achaya. As we dissect the journey of the Thessalonians, we touch on the fear of suffering, the courage it takes to face adversity, and the power of faith to effect change. Join us as we draw inspiration from the Thessalonians' radical transformation and learn the power of unwavering faith.
Welcome back to the two fish podcast. My name is Nick, I'm Aaron and this week we're going first by verse and starting first Thessalonians.
Speaker 2:That's right. This week we're going back to verse by verse. Last week we dove into a parable because we hadn't done a parable in a while. In there we had a series going to parables and we're like this week, we're going to start the big book of first Thessalonians.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and if you didn't hear last week's episode, go back, pause this one, go back, listen to that one, because, man, it was so good Talking about forgiveness and we ended up talking about grace, and man, it was just really good. So this week, first, thessalonians. Going back to one of the letters in the New Testament, this one's by Paul. Paul's obviously a missionary. He's with Savannas and Timothy. Now, at this point in Paul's ministry he's hanging out with some sketchy places, with some sketchy people, and I only say that because I can't pronounce the names, so I'm going to assume he's in a weird spot.
Speaker 2:Who's your say he's with?
Speaker 1:Silvanas and Timothy. What does your?
Speaker 2:say Silas, what? That's so much easier to read.
Speaker 1:He's with Paul, Silas and Timothy.
Speaker 2:I do have a footnote down there for the Greek name and it's a variant of.
Speaker 1:Silas yeah.
Speaker 2:Apparently I am reading out of the NIV version and I am.
Speaker 1:ESV or die, and apparently die on that one.
Speaker 1:Die on that one Holy cow, alright. So he's hanging out with Paul, silas and Timothy and they're traveling and they're spreading the word and this is a letter back to the Church of Thessalonians and so they've already been there, they've already been through there and this first chapter it's not very long 10 verses and there's just a whole lot of praise for this community, for this church. So we'll just kind of go, we'll stop here and there. If you never heard a verse by verse style episode that we've done, this is kind of what we do. Go back and listen to some of the other ones we've done man, james, and 1st and 2nd Peter and Philemon, we've been done a bunch of them now. So kind of bounce around and we're in Thessalonians. So here we go, first Thessalonians, chapter one Paul, silas and Timothy to the church of Thessalonians. In God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace. Just a quick introduction.
Speaker 2:Yeah, with Paul's signature. Grace and peace to you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what he doesn't do here, though and he does a lot is say something like the apostle Paul or a slave to Jesus has some authority, he puts some authority there, and to me this one's a little bit more laid back feeling, yeah it's a good point. He usually have the apostle Paul or a slave to Jesus. One of those things of just saying hey, this is who I am, you can trust me, I have some authority here. What am I about to say? Means something.
Speaker 1:We just did that study on Philemon and that reminds me how he opened that one and it was more of a it's not that same same opening and this one's similar to that yeah verse number two, we give thanks to God always for all of you, consistently mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you because our gospel came to you not only in word but also in power and the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you.
Speaker 2:For your sake, let's stop right there, I think I'm like dive into verse two here. We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. Do you do that?
Speaker 1:No, not like this.
Speaker 2:Tell you, what do you like? Do you pray for five people in your church, even five?
Speaker 1:No on a consistent basis. Consistently is the word mine says no mine continually yeah, no, what about your town?
Speaker 2:Nope, you ever prayed for your town?
Speaker 1:Walk a rusa? Yeah, I don't think so.
Speaker 1:a lot going on in this little town like you know, they ended with deep conviction and that's where you ended, yeah most right yeah and I'm like, well, we can go back first to and I'm pretty convicted that there's not too many people in my church that Of recent I have prayed for by name or even in another community, like whether it's your church, or maybe it's a Bible study, or maybe it's a your co-workers or I mean just any community You're a part of. Not that long ago, aaron and I did a men's thing and I think there's several names that come to mind when I think of that community that that weekend and I know I prayed for one of them there was a situation with his family, but the other ones I really haven't. So no, and that then you're right, that was a little convicting to say, okay, I need to go back and I need to start praying for those guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's pretty terrible, like I think we could spend a whole episode just on that. First probably and again. I it man.
Speaker 1:this opening is very, very much laid back feeling to me versus some of his other ones, and but it's deep, but yeah, that's pretty, and I wonder how that would have come across, maybe, as yo, I'm Paul, I'm the apostle, I'm a servant of God, I have this authority. I pray for you constantly and you did a good job.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it definitely comes across differently when and you guys, I pray for you constantly because you did such a good job I just think there's an attitude here.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Remembering you verse 3 and your work of faith and labor and love. I can just imagine them coming through Receiving the gospel. That verse 5 man, that really. Hey, we didn't just come to you in word, but we came to you with the power of the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. That's kind of where he's getting that. Hey, we came in and we came in hard. Right. Verse 3 read yours again, remembering before our God and father your work of faith and labor of love.
Speaker 2:Instead, fastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ really like how mine reads we remember before our God and father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope and our Lord.
Speaker 1:Jesus Christ. That is a lot. I like that. That calls me back to our last week conversation, where it's like which we call back to another episode where we were saying you know, salvation isn't works, it's faith, but works come out of that. I think this is a great example, then, the way that reads of here's the proof in the pudding. He should be writing this letter to all the other people, saying all the other churches saying, hey, look at Thessalonius.
Speaker 2:All right. Look at the work they're doing because of their faith.
Speaker 1:This is the example. Yeah verse number six, and you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much Afflection with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all believers in Macedonia and in Achaya.
Speaker 2:Chia.
Speaker 1:Achia, macedonia and Chia. That's where Macadone macaroni and cheese came from that that area of the world, and and the chia pet a chia pet.
Speaker 2:No, not really, we have no idea.
Speaker 1:We're terrible. There you go. He says it you guys have become an example. Yeah, because you're living this out. You accepted it, you understand it and you're living it out. You're showing the fruits. You became imitators. I mean, I think of Paul in the Hall of Apostles. You know what I mean? He is the example, Jesus is the example, and then Paul's like okay, this is how we practically live it out right, yeah, mine.
Speaker 2:Mine reads you became imitators of us. So being us as Paul, silas and Timothy, and of the Lord For you, welcome the message in the midst of severe suffering, with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. That just reminds me that, like, as we become Christians, there's gonna be suffering. Oh yeah, god's gonna. Let us go into the fire to be refined. There's a way out of it and it's going to refine you and you're to find joy in that and the joy is going to come from the Holy Spirit as you're going through these moments of suffering.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and obviously the Solonia has done a great job of going from affliction mine says affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, Because it's one thing to go through trials and be upset about it and be angry and kick the dirt. It's another way to say, oh man, I hate this, but thank you, Lord, Because I know what this is going to produce. Like you said, I'm going through the fire. This is going to make me better on the other side.
Speaker 2:I don't have my phone, but my divo today it was the fear of suffering is greater than the suffering.
Speaker 1:That's interesting the fear because we don't want to suffer. No one wants to suffer, Right? So do everything we can to not have to suffer. And if we would?
Speaker 2:just allow the process.
Speaker 1:The actual suffering is nowhere near what the fear of suffering or the end result is total is 180 degrees and different than what we thought it was going to be Right. We thought, going through the suffering, we're going to result A was going to happen, but really result B happened and that's a result B is really what we were hoping for and without having to go through suffering Sometimes.
Speaker 2:if we would just allow God to do what he needs to do, I think we fight it for sure.
Speaker 1:That makes me think of about that men's thing you and I did and there was a guy there that spoke and said it's more like climbing a mountain, except you're never at the top. Right, you start climbing head towards God and then you get to where God is, except now he's going further up the mountain. Yeah, he doesn't just. You don't just get there. We need God. We're there, he worked on us, we're good and now we can just chill there. God's like no, I got more for you. It's going to keep backing up that mountain and we've got to keep climbing that mountain. We're going to go through things. Climbing a mountain is not easy. That's why a lot of people don't do it.
Speaker 2:If you guys could have saw Nick's face, that was great.
Speaker 1:People don't do it because it's hard, and so you're going to go through things as you climb that mountain and I love the way that guy said it that weekend but you get to where God is and then he said let's keep going, yeah.
Speaker 2:And said what Nick didn't even go on want to go on a walk with his wife down the flat roads of. Indiana, but oftentimes we make God chase us down the mountain Instead of us chasing him up the mountain. Right, that's good. So we all need to be a little more Sounds like the Thessalonians, yeah.
Speaker 1:Verse number eight, for not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. And what a compliment in my mind if I'm a Thessalonian reading this, I'm like, oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, coming from a man of power. Yeah, a man, I don't want to say power Authority.
Speaker 1:Authority Over the and he's realizing hey, what's coming out of you, what's coming out of your area? I mean, you're doing everything right. You're doing such a great job and the world sees it and it's making a difference. You're the example. We don't even have to say anything because you're doing it right.
Speaker 1:Verse number nine, for they themselves report concerning us, the kind of reception we had among you and how you turn to God from idols to serve the living God and to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, jesus, who delivers us from the wrath, to come. I think and I feel like we've talked about this before on some other books that we've done, but this is definitely a community that obviously this one says idolatry, served idols and then completely turned around and now they're the example. So for this community, go from serving idols to hearing the gospel, accepting the gospel and now showing fruit of the gospel, so much that it's not just hanging out in their little community, it's going forth the results of the. I mean it's like when people say you're changing your family tree. This is a community that's completely and radically changed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would imagine if you were living back there and you saw a whole pound just flip the script, you're going to notice that, because I imagine there's some should probably look this up. But there's probably some really unhealthy things going on in this area and they found Christ and flipped it. And as people came in for those unhealthy things, they're probably like, hey, no, we're not doing that anymore here. That idol, no, it's not here. We got Jesus. Now you?
Speaker 2:want to hear about Jesus Let me share Jesus with you and why we don't have this idol anymore. Which kind of brings me back to the whole convictions thing of verse two, Like are we doing that in our communities? Are you doing that with your own family? Perhaps I can't help but think of the one guy from the weekend and hopefully, someday maybe we could hear a story. But he went home and his kids saw the change of heart.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then they got baptized. Yeah, and the ones testimony was I knew God was real because of how my dad changed. And that's that's Thessalonians, right? I like that's what Paul's writing to them and thanking them for doing and for their willingness to to follow the Holy Spirit.
Speaker 1:So I mean, this is a very short chapter, a very first, short opening of this book of Thessalonians, but I definitely think there are things we can pull from this self. Reflect for a second how am I, nick, how am I praying for others from the standpoint of Paul and Silas and Timothy, like, am I praying for others that I've talked with or witness to, or those things? Am I going back and thinking about those people and praying for their journey? Am I doing that? Am I praying for the community around me? And then am I people looking at me and not just saying, oh, there's Nick, but the same man, there's something different about him, and they can see Christ, now that I am Christ, but they can see the fruits of my Christian witness and I think sometimes, going through life, that's not the case. I'm content with being read my Bible and I put a church, and sometimes I don't even do that because you get busy and you skip church because you haven't slept in a month.
Speaker 2:You know right.
Speaker 1:And you make sacrifices, places where you shouldn't. Am I that? And if you are in a season of that and look towards that's lonely, and as we continue to go through this book, turn away from that and say I need to show the light. That has been. People need to see Christ through me, they need to see the fruit. So I can't, I shouldn't just hold on to it. The people around me should be able to be able to see that fruit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think there's even a. There's even a third one we didn't even really talk about and that's if you know somebody that's doing that being encouraged or send them a letter, and encouraging letter, and hey, I see how you have changed and I see what you're doing. It's going to impressive.
Speaker 1:I know who you were before and that might make a huge difference to someone. We were just talking to my wife before we came down in the studio. It's like my wife is saying I didn't realize how much of a words of affirmation person I can be sometimes. It really fills me up, yeah, so that might just be something that this person needs. Hey, I see you're doing a great job. I see Christ, keep going, I don't know. Reflect on those things this week as a short episode, that's all right, and next week we'll be back first as long as chapter to read it this week as you go and then join us next week on the two fish podcast.
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