Discipleship

Impact

Undoubtedly, the church at Thessalonica had a big impact on the missionary ventures of Paul in the regions of Greece including Athens and Corinth, the capital and commercial centre of the old empire.  Today, we try hard to make sure that we plan for success.  Church programmes are put together with research into the effectiveness of methods, with detailed studies of the different peoples who are to be targeted and with training in suitable methodology.  Also, young person today can gain a Phd in missiology with a lot of academic and Biblical research, much good will, and relatively little mission experience.

All of this is part of the way God’s people approach their mission in today’s world, and much good can come from people who have exercised carefully discipleship and researched how to communicate the Gospel.  However, the key ingredient of this great venture of Paul is the Holy Spirit.  At each major point in the story we find Paul prompted by the Spirit to take the right companions (Acts 15:36-40), directed unexpectedly by the Spirit (Acts 16:7) or led to take radical or surprising action (Acts 19:2f.).  So here in this passage, Paul’s mention of the Holy Spirit in verse 6 is essential.  For the Christian, the ‘joy of the Holy Spirit’ is the only antidote to persecution and suffering!

Getting things known

It is a sign of the success of the church when people begin to speak about what it does or what effect it has on its locality.  Sometimes, people will gossip about what happens at a church for the wrong reasons, but it is far better for the church to be known than not known.  There is no time left for us to be complacent in our world.  The testimony of Christ needs to be ‘out there’ and not inside us, and what we do needs to be affecting the world around us.  If it is not, we have become irrelevant!  But because the Holy Spirit is never irrelevant to the world, it is us who have the problem, not Him!

Further questions for reflection

1. In what ways do we suffer to proclaim the Gospel today?  Discuss in your group how to help Christians who face persecution.
2. How far has the news of the faith of your own church travelled?  Who knows about it, if anyone, in the locality?
3. What idols have people turned from today in order to serve the living God, or is Paul’s comment about idols irrelevant to today?

Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, in those difficult times when life feels numb and love seems far away, come gently, we pray.  Bring a word, a touch, a sense of Your presence; and place within us the seeds of hope and renewal.  Then, with every day that passes, may we increasingly know Your graciousness and care and rejoice in the transforming power of Your love.  Thank You Lord Jesus;   AMEN

6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the Word in the face of severe suffering with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 and in this way, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  8 As a result of this, the Lord's message has been broadcast not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place where your faith in God has become known; so we have no need to speak about it!  9 They themselves report what kind of reception you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the true and living God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead; Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come!