Good Morning Friends,
“Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.” (2 Thessalonians 1:1-4)
Paul began his second letter to the Thessalonians in the same way in which he began his first: by thanking God for them. In both cases he looked at the characteristics of the Thessalonian church that deserved special praise and both times he pointed to their faith and their love (in the first letter he also mentions their hope).
They were known as a church of faith. Not just static faith, either, but faith that kept growing as they matured and walked with the Lord. Faith is important to God. In fact, without faith no one can please God at all. (Hebrews 11:6) And what is true in the lives of individuals is also true for whole churches. To please God, churches must have faith. Faith that trusts God even in the midst of trials. Faith that is willing to step forward even when the way is not clearly laid out, trusting that when God has revealed one step He will continue to reveal each additional step as it is needed.
They were known as a church that loved each other. Again, it wasn’t love that stayed at the same level. It was love that kept increasing as they got to know God better and got to know each other better. Love for others is important to God, too. In fact, it is the very characteristic that Jesus said would be the mark by which His followers would be known. (John 13:35) Love that is willing to keep loving even when someone isn’t very loveable. Love that is willing to keep loving even when that love requires great sacrifice.
Faith and love -- I can’t think of any two characteristics that I’d rather have my church known for!
His, by Grace,
Steve
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