1 Thessalonians 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul is very full of Christ. His heart is full of love to God our Father, and, therefore, it is that twice over in as many lines he mentions both names. He uses no vain repetitions, as the heathen do; but his inmost soul is taken up with communion with the Father and with the Son; and so in one single verse he twice gives us their names.

1 Thessalonians 1:2. We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

Paul had a very high opinion of the Church in Thessalonica, and no doubt it deserved it. See how he speaks of it with such confidence. «Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.» Their character was such that he felt sure that he saw the mark of God's elect about them, and he speaks most positively of them perhaps more positively than he does of any other church. Well, there were three grand signs. There was the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope; and where we see three works of the Spirit we may be fully persuaded that electing love is there.

1 Thessalonians 1:5. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Paul never had a happier time in preaching, it would seem, than when he preached to these Thessalonians. He felt a power resting upon him. He spoke the gospel with great positiveness and assurance, and consequently the people received it in power, and the assurance of the hearer made the assurance of the speaker. It is a great mercy when it is so.

1 Thessalonians 1:6. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

Ah! dear friends, we read of one that he was more honourable than his brethren because his mother bore him with sorrow. And so when faith is born in the heart in the midst of affliction, it is a very precious faith. It is faith indeed. «Having received the Word in much affliction with joy.» I seem to see that joy of theirs floating, like Noah's ark, above the floods of their affliction. It seems to be a contradiction that we can be in affliction and yet be full of joy. But many a believer will tell you that there is no contradiction in it. He knows what it is to be sorrowful, and yet to be always rejoicing.

1 Thessalonians 1:7. So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

Brethren, let us not only be Christians, but let us be samples of Christians. They are sure to pick out the best for a sample. Oh! that we might be such that, if God himself were to select Christians to show what they are like, he might select us to be samples.

1 Thessalonians 1:8. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Paul here states that all the churches abroad knew what a wonderful time he had had with the Thessalonians, and with what alacrity they had received the gospel, and how they had turned away from their idols in thorough earnest to become worshippers of the living God. This was a great comfort to Paul, and he speaks about them here with great joy.