- The Explore the Bible lesson for March 6 focuses on 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10.
It is easy to notice beauty in paintings or wood art. The human eye perceives beauty when colors blend or when the artisan molds wood into a beautiful art piece. The painter’s brush strokes vivid colors, providing the human eye with abstract art. A piece of wood is all the artisan carpenter needs to craft a masterpiece. The painter and the artisan take months, if not years, to complete their art.
Once the artwork is ready, they are ready to show their audiences their creation. The audience observes the completed piece. For the common viewer, this may take five to 10 minutes. The viewers provide feedback on what they noticed; their feedback is only on what they noticed in a short period. The viewer, most of the time, ignores the amount of work behind every painting and every piece of art.
Are you noticing what God is doing lately? Are you thankful to God for what he is doing lately in your church?
God knows what you do (1 Thessalonians 1:1-3)
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes to the church in Thessalonica. He is grateful for the faith and the labor shown by the new believers in Thessalonica. It is important to make a note that this letter is directed to the new converts in Thessalonica. Paul, in the first chapter, wants to make sure the reader understands God knows what they do. Pauline letters have short and light openings, but to the Thessalonian church, it is a long praise of their work. Paul mentions others like Silvanus and Timothy as witnesses of the salutation.
The church and believers today are facing exhaustion from the struggles of this pandemic. People are not coming back to church, and church leaders are experiencing emotional and spiritual stress. Paul instructs the church to know that he thanks God for their work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.
God knows what you are facing (1 Thessalonians 1:4-6)
Today, we recognize you are doing the best you can. Do not allow yourself to be self-destructive and ignore the work that has been done. Yes, there is more to do, but take time to reflect on what God has accomplished through you. The insatiable pursuit of attempting great things for God will deflate your emotional and spiritual life. It is time for church leaders and believers to be examples of reflecting their endurance and the work of God in them.
The pressures of life are crushing believers and unbelievers on all fronts. These are times to reflect on what we know. And how can we know God’s power? The New Testament church in the book of (Acts 1:8) is instructed, not invited or suggested, to wait for the Holy Spirit.
Paul reminds the church in Thessalonica that God gave not only the words they received and welcomed, but also his power. To endure these times, the church and believers will need to acknowledge their need for God’s power and their need for the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are promised to be empowered by his Holy Spirit. If we reflect on Pauline letters, you can find time after time the engagement of the believer with the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish great things for God (Romans 8:1-11).
God knows your love for him (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
The work of God is not only noticeable by the work of faith, love and hope, which are Pauline themes, but it is noticeable by the convictions portrayed in the way to live and speak. Paul calls us to be examples, role models of the work of God. If you cannot see God working in your life, it is impossible to display faith, love and hope. Paul says they do not need to talk about faith, love and hope, because their attitude and works speak for themselves.
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Today, church leaders must engage in service, starting at home, their church, their state, their country and the world. Please begin at home. Follow Paul’s example to recognize the work of those around you. Someone needs to know they are doing well. It is noticeable that God is working in their life. Someone needs to hear they are not invisible, that the Lord called them and sent them to serve.
In conclusion, is important for the church to continue to minister and train believers. But the church also needs to deploy believers to make sure their faith, love and hope are known not by words but by actions. You and I serve the living God. We are renewed and have turned from idolatry to serve the living God.
One aspect of idolatry is self-serving. The idolater serves their idol to receive something in return. The idol is a motivator, and the idolater uses the idol in a conditional arrangement of exchange. We believers seek the living God, not for an exchange of blessings, but because in Christ we find purpose and meaning in difficult times.
Ricardo Brambila, M.Div., is pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Dallas and the executive director for West Dallas Community School, a Christian school for boys and girls with limited financial resources in West Dallas.
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