READ THIS: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?
On the first day of Thessmas, Paul thanked God for the Thessalonians' faith, love, and endurance, and now Paul is going back to thanking God! This time, he is thanking God for letting the Thessalonians see that Paul and his crew weren't just talking to talk. They were talking because God wanted the Thessalonians to see Him!
When we hear about Jesus and realize that it isn't just because some random people want us to know about Him, but rather that God Himself wants to know us, that makes us take the words we hear more seriously. It's like the difference between reading the Bible and thinking that some super religious people just wanted to spread their religion versus reading the Bible as the living Word of God. When we read it the second way, we take what's written a little more seriously. Part of why Paul knows that the Thessalonians took what the Word seriously was because they acted on it. Not only did they decide to imitate Paul, like we talked about two days ago, but they also imitated the churches in Judea who were super on fire for Jesus. Because of that, the world started to persecute the Thessalonians just like they persecuted the Judeans.
People who don't know Jesus and His Way tend to have two reactions to hearing about Him. They either are curious to know more or they want to shut down the conversation, typically by making fun or attacking. Paul does say, though, that God reacts to that. He doesn't just let His people get trampled on forever. He is just today, and will certainly make sure that justice reigns at the end of all time!
THINK ABOUT IT:
1. Yesterday, you were challenged to tell someone about Jesus. Did you get any push back? Was the person curious? If you didn't tell someone, then, how has talking about Jesus to others gone for you in the past?
2. Who is someone that has taken what they heard about Jesus seriously? How can you tell they took it seriously?
TRY THIS:
Take something from today's reading seriously! Look over the verses and decide to take a verse as seriously as you can take it!
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