The Transforming Word
1 Thessalonians 2. Chapter one introduced us to Paul the evangelist. Chapter two introduces us to Paul the pastor, because it explains how the apostle cared for these new believers. The church at Thessalonica was born through the faithful preaching of the apostle, and the church was nurtured through the faithful pastoring that Paul and his friends gave to the infant church. This helped them stand strong in the midst of persecution.
Paul had to remind this young church that he had been sincere and straightforward with them, working night and day at a secular job to earn his own keep (2:9). And, he had cared for them like a mother and a father (2:7-8). The reason he had to remind them of these things is the fact that the Jews had hired "lewd fellows of the baser sort" (Acts 17:5 KJV) to falsely accuse him of fanning the flames of revolution against Caesar.
That brings us to v.13 that I want us to focus on. Paul was thankful that they had received the Word of God, and that it was the Word of God that continued to work in their lives. The Word of God has the power to change. It is powerful and effective to transform lives, if it is received. Paul credited the changes in the Thessalonians to this spoken Word of God. Not only had it effected changes in them in the past, but also it was continuing to change them in the present. In short, it's by the Word of God we're saved- "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" and it's by the Word of God we're sanctified- "sanctify them by Your Truth, for Your Word is Truth".
Allow the Word of God to permeate your life. Read it and study it everyday. Accept it and place your life under God's mighty hand to be shaped according to His divine will. Hide the Word in your heart so that you may not sin against God. (Ps.119:11). To fall in love with the Word is to fall in love with Jesus, for Jesus the Living Word is Jesus the Written Word; Jesus the Truth (John 14:6) is Jesus the Word which is Truth (John 17:17); Jesus the Light (John 8:12) is Jesus the Word which is Light (Ps.119:105); Jesus the Bread (John 6:35) is Jesus the Word which is the Bread of Life (Matt.4:4). Spend time in the Word and you're spending time with Jesus!
Paul had to remind this young church that he had been sincere and straightforward with them, working night and day at a secular job to earn his own keep (2:9). And, he had cared for them like a mother and a father (2:7-8). The reason he had to remind them of these things is the fact that the Jews had hired "lewd fellows of the baser sort" (Acts 17:5 KJV) to falsely accuse him of fanning the flames of revolution against Caesar.
That brings us to v.13 that I want us to focus on. Paul was thankful that they had received the Word of God, and that it was the Word of God that continued to work in their lives. The Word of God has the power to change. It is powerful and effective to transform lives, if it is received. Paul credited the changes in the Thessalonians to this spoken Word of God. Not only had it effected changes in them in the past, but also it was continuing to change them in the present. In short, it's by the Word of God we're saved- "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" and it's by the Word of God we're sanctified- "sanctify them by Your Truth, for Your Word is Truth".
Allow the Word of God to permeate your life. Read it and study it everyday. Accept it and place your life under God's mighty hand to be shaped according to His divine will. Hide the Word in your heart so that you may not sin against God. (Ps.119:11). To fall in love with the Word is to fall in love with Jesus, for Jesus the Living Word is Jesus the Written Word; Jesus the Truth (John 14:6) is Jesus the Word which is Truth (John 17:17); Jesus the Light (John 8:12) is Jesus the Word which is Light (Ps.119:105); Jesus the Bread (John 6:35) is Jesus the Word which is the Bread of Life (Matt.4:4). Spend time in the Word and you're spending time with Jesus!
posted by Royce Hendry at
4:51 AM
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