“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”

The letter begins with a typical greeting. Paul identifies that he is not alone in delivering this message to them, and that Silvanus’ and Timothy’s hearts are with the church as well. In the day, it was not uncommon for a person to have and use both a given name and a Roman or Greek name—depending on the circumstance. (For example, John Mark and Simon Peter). Of course, Paul is his Roman name and Saul his given.

Here also, Silvanus is likely Silas—Paul’s fellow missionary to the Greeks. We will see him again with Paul and Timothy in ministry to the Corinthians.

Although this is a common enough “how do you do” I think that there may be something a bit deeper here:
Paul defines the Thessalonians with the word ekklesia, “church, assembly, community.” This word is used to associate people with a liturgical body and/or the people of God. It is used in the same way as the Hebrew, synagogue. So, to Paul, their assembly exists “in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.” They and their church are who and what they are because of God.

Paul’s greeting continues:
“2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 constantly keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, 4 knowing, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, His choice of you; 5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes.”

The apostle tells them that they are not forgotten, and that they are being lifted to God in prayer. Indeed, their faith—their belief and subsequent deeds—are always on his and his compatriots’ minds. Let’s look a bit more intently at verse three.

“…your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope…” Them’s a lot of “of’s”.

Notice the action words here: work, labor, and perseverance. I am reminded of a line in the movie A League of Their Own when Tom Hanks’ character says that playing baseball professionally is supposed to be hard. In fact, we and the Thessalonians can only remain in faith and in love and maintain hope “in the presence of our God and Father”.

Although Paul doesn’t start his letter directly addressing the reason why he sends it, unlike James does in his, I think we catch a glimpse of the letter’s purpose here at the beginning.

To have faith is more than just to believe. It is to order one’s life around belief—to choose to act in that belief. To keep faith, Paul says here, is work. Now I will remind you of something I brought out in the James series: I think that it is reasonable to assume that—although the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the stories of Jesus—there was in existence a collection of Jesus’ sayings and teachings: all of which could be supported by the Tanak—the Hebrew Bible.

Surely the Thessalonians would know Jesus’ teachings about love—about the love that counts, the love of one’s enemy. This is love that is self-sacrificing for sake of those who hate you. This love is seen when we are kind and merciful to the wicked and the ungrateful. This love is laborious. It involves turning the other cheek and praying for one’s enemies—and not that a piano or widow AC unit will fall on their heads as they walk by!

And finally, Paul constantly keeps in mind the Thessalonians’ “perseverance of hope”. We touched on hope in the Galatians series. There is certainty in following the Law of Moses—certainty in oneself and one’s choices—but there is no faith in it. To be hopeful IS NOT to be CERTAIN; to be hopeful is to act in faith. And when we are under stress, when we are, as I am certain the Thessalonians are, facing great trials, you know as well as I do how easy it is to give up hope.

Yet, Paul in his greeting reminds the Thessalonians of their successes because they have remained in God’s presence. Which makes me wonder how well I have remained in that Presence: “4 knowing, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, His choice of you”.

By implication, Paul lets us know that something is happening TO the church at Thessalonica, but that they are facing it in power and with success. Essentially, the coach is telling the team to keep it up; that no matter what you are facing you can and will prevail because you always have remained faithful, loved, and maintained hope.

Paul tells them that they can rest assured that they can face—and overcome—whatever it is that they are facing because they remain in God—that they have been made a part of God’s people although they are Gentiles.

He writes in verse five, “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sakes.” The Thessalonians can trust that everything that he has just said to them is true because when the gospel was brought to them, it came with the proof of the Holy Spirit. And, he says, this is demonstrated by our character and seen in our faith and choices.

Paul continues building the Thessalonians up:
“6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word during great affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place the news of your faith toward God has gone out, so that we have no need to say anything. 9 For they themselves report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is, Jesus who rescues us from the wrath to come.”

Paul reminds them that they have already become apostles and have already begun changing other people’s lives. They are already examples for other believers who are facing affliction and prove that even in tough times, a Christian and be faithful, loving, and hopeful—not to mention even joyful!
In verse 8 Paul tells them that they are already serving as apostles, declaring the gospel by their work, labor, and perseverance. So much so that in verse nine, he tells them that other believers in other congregations “report about us as to the kind of reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God”. Their story is a witness to the power of God in Jesus! And their reputation precedes them.

The Thessalonians have turned away from other gods and have claimed the LORD as their Savior. They now LIVE by and through God—and that life has the power or change others. Only God is living and true!
Paul concludes this chapter and his greeting encouraging the Thessalonians to remain patient in their time of trial, that Christ Jesus will rescue them in the end.