1 Thessalonians 1

Scripture

 

1 Thessalonians‬ ‭1:7-9‬

 

“As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia. And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

Paul and Timothy are writing the church in Thessalonica. They are continuing to pray for them and encourage them. They hear nothing but good things about the church over there. How they received God’s message, repented against their sinful actions (worshipping idols), and are now sharing the word of the Lord everywhere they are going. They have become an example to all believers.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Be a man of action!

 

The Thessalonians received the Gospel, allowed the power of the Holy Spirit to transform them, repented from their sinfulness, and shared the good news with others. They were being great examples for others to follow. In verse 3 Paul and Timothy write about the Thessalonians' faithful works, their loving deeds, and their enduring hope. In verse 8, Paul and Timothy write about the Thessalonians' willingness to share the word of the Lord to people everywhere! You can just read how Paul and Timothy were so proud of the people they have now become. Their actions were showing others around them about their faith in Jesus Christ.

 

It’s what Pastor Gary taught this past Sunday, faith without works is dead-(James 2:17). We can say we are Christ Followers. We can tell people all day long we are Christians. But what good is it if our actions doesn’t show it?! Would anyone even want to follow you?

If I can’t see results/transformation from you, why should I listen to you? It’s like a personal trainer who tells you to live a certain way, and do certain things in life, but they don’t even practice what they preach. Why should I listen to them?! I want to follow someone who leads by example. A person who walks the walk, and talks the talk. The way Jesus (God in the flesh), came from the comforts of Heaven, to become a lowly man, and live amongst sinners. Jesus not only taught us how to live life, but He showed us how to live by being a great example Himself.

 

I want to be a man of action. I want my faith to produce actions which point others towards the One who paved the way for me. The One who gave it all...my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

 

Life Application

 

Make sure people can see my faith.

 

I pray that I live a life where people can see my faith. That people will see my selflessness, my love for others, my openness to praise God through the good and the bad times, and my obedience to His ways over my own. I pray to live a life where people can see my Father’s image, and His fingerprints in my life each and every day.

 

-Moses Gaddi

Colossians_4

Scripture

Colossians 4:5-6

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Observation-What does it say?

The theme of Colossians is the overall sufficiency of Christ for salvation and sanctification (gotquestions.org). It's very important to point this out as some of the encouragement/exhortations that Paul gives the church in Colosse may seem like it was work they were to do in their own strength. Actually it was a result of who they were in Christ.

Understanding-What does it mean?

“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”1 John 1:6-7 NIV

Christ's light in us should not result in a double life of being a Christian on Sunday, but living a worldly, of the flesh life during the week. Outsiders (unbelievers) are always watching us, the way we conduct ourselves, act towards them and speak with them. They should be asking us where the purpose of our hope lies, instead of asking us why we claim one thing, yet still walk in darkness, aka are hypocrites.

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 NIV

Life Application

Walk in and WITH the Light, not in the darkness.

The world has enough darkness of its own. It is desperate for the light of Christ and the light shines brightest in the darkness.

Dear Jesus, I pray that You would shine Your light in us. I pray that through our love for each other, they will know we are Christians. I pray that because of the love You've given us for them in the way we act and speak, they will know we belong to You. I pray that Your love in us would draw them to You. Thank You Jesus that it is Your power working through us through Your Holy Spirit that enables us to be witnesses in this world. May Your Name be praised because of all the people You will choose to draw to yourself as a result of our faith, surrender and obedience to You. Amen.  

-Michelle Gaddi

Colossians_3

Scripture

Colossians 3:11-14

¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Observation

Written by Paul while he was in prison, Colossians written to the church of Collossae.  Some interesting notes about Colossians…

“The church at Colossae was under attack from false teachers who were denigrating the deity of Jesus; they were teaching that He was not actually God. Though Paul had never been to the church itself, he addressed these issues head-on.  The nature of Jesus Christ as Creator and Redeemer was nonnegotiable, so Paul wrote to them that he might bring his wisdom to bear on this difficult and trying situation. It was critical to him that this church know God in His greatness and glory, rather than in the deficient view given them by the false teachers (Colossians 1:25; 2:1–2).” https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/colossians

Colossians – along with other of “Paul's epistles to various churches helped establish early Christian theology.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epistle_to_the_Colossians

Understanding

God calls us to unity.

It was a time where people were divided – Gentile vs. Jew, circumcised vs. uncircumcised, slave vs. free; but Paul called for unity among the differences – to look at the thing that bonded them – Christ – instead of all the things that separated them.  Because…Christ is all, and is in all.

Perhaps the dividers are slightly different today, but I believe the call is the same: unity in Christ.  And what does that unity look like?  Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness and love.

Life Application

May we look for things that bind us, rather than those that separate us.  May we seek to find common ground…or, where appropriate, create it!  May we live out the qualities that Paul called the church of Colossae to; may we show compassion and kindness, live with humility, speak with gentleness, act with patience, forgive and…GO LOVE ON SOMEBODY! <3

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