Celebrating the Evidence of Grace
September 6 | Dave Morton
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1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
The Thessalonians' Faith and Example
2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
The Thessalonian church is a fledgling congregation in a large, metropolitan, cultural melting pot of a city along a global transit hub. They had turned from the polytheistic, imperial idolatry that permeated social and family life. They experienced the blessing of a new family of faith, the power of the Spirit, but also the “affliction” of going against the tide of their culture.
In this first chapter, with the voice of a founding pastor, Paul is noticing, celebrating, and giving thanks for all the evidence of God’s grace at work in this young community of faith. At the same time, he is modeling a pattern of gratitude for this young church to imitate. Today, we too have the gift of this correspondence, inspired by the Spirit, to guide us in our noticing, celebrating, and thanks giving.
Evidence of Grace
God is at work in the Thessalonian church. This local congregation has been chosen by God, has become a part of the family of God, is loved by God, has been transformed by God, and is being used by God as a witness to the community around them. Paul lists several evidences of this divine work: faith that works, love that labors, hope that endures (v.3), the power of the Spirit as the gospel was proclaimed (v. 5), their joy in affliction (v.6), lives that imitate Jesus (v.6), a witness that sounds forth (v.7-8), repentance and transformed allegiances (v.9), lives oriented toward Jesus' return (v.10). These are marks of God’s work in a local church.
God’s work in a community begins in hearts and minds, but doesn’t end there. As we turn from idols to serve the one true God, internal transformation produces external fruit that affects our schedules, our budgets, our free time, and our priorities.
Notice. Celebrate. Give Thanks.
Paul spends the first page of this letter recounting and listing all the ways he notices God at work among the Thessalonians. It’s not a prayer, though he lets the church know how he prays for them. He takes time to notice, celebrate, and give thanks for what God is doing. He is not merely giving them encouragement; he is teaching them how to see their own church. By naming the evidence of grace among them, Paul models a way of looking at one another through the lens of God's work rather than their problems or shortcomings. In the face of difficulty, loss, persecution, and doubts that may surface as the "affliction" wears at their resolve - taking time to notice, remember what God has done and express gratitude to God and each other is essential.
God is at work at Via Church. He has chosen you. We are brothers and sisters. We are loved by God. The gospel has come to us, not just in words but in power. The Spirit is transforming you. We see His grace in all the love-driven labor, faith-fueled work, and deep-rooted hope we see around us. We see His grace in lives transformed by the Spirit, repentance that changes our allegiance, and a church that bears witness to Jesus in our community. We see His grace when people endure hardship with joy, when our lives increasingly resemble Jesus, and when we live with confidence that He will come again.
May we take the time, each day, to notice, celebrate and give thanks for the evidence of God’s grace all around us.
Discussion Questions
As you look back over the last few months, where can you see evidence that God's grace has been at work in you? Anything that you might have overlooked?
Who is someone whose faith, love, hope, or growth has been evidence of God's grace to you? What have you seen God doing in them? Have you taken the time to tell them?
What are some practices or habits that have helped you (or could help you) make noticing, celebrating, and giving thanks a regular part of your day, week, etc.?