Acts 15:36 – 18:11; 1 Thessalonians; 2 Thessalonians

The early years of the church were perilous. New converts and missionaries were assailed by Jews and Gentiles, alike. In Corinth, they rose against Paul and assaulted Sosthenes, a Jew who converted to Christ (1 Corinthians 1:1) and the Romans did not intervene.

And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him before the judgment seat, saying, “This man persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or of vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to put up with you; but if there are questions about words and names and your own law, look after it yourselves; I am unwilling to be a judge of these matters.” And he drove them away from the judgment seat. And they all took hold of Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was not concerned about any of these things.

Acts 18:11-17

Paul was getting used to this mistreatment by now. From the moment he set foot in Europe following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, there was trouble. After the first baptisms in Philippi, the Gentiles accused Paul and Silas and had them thrown in jail. The jailer obeyed the gospel after a miraculous earthquake, but Paul moved on to Thessalonica.

Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

Acts 17:1-7

Once again, the gospel found both fertile soil and opposition. Unlike extended stays in Corinth and Ephesus, Paul was only in Thessalonica for a few weeks before he had to leave. Because of this, Paul wrote two letters to the new converts there to teach them and encourage them as he would have done if he had been able to stay with them longer.

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

1 Thessalonians 1:6-8

Shared troubles bring an undeniable fellowship among Christians, and Paul’s bond with the church in Thessalonica was born in tribulations. In the short time there he was able to impart fundament truths about what it means to be a child of God in Christ and what is expected of the church. They became evangelistic, sharing their faith, knowing the trouble that would follow.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; 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 sake.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-5

Faith, hope and love. It all we ever had once we gave ourselves to the Lord Jesus. No promise of tomorrow. No promise of earthly peace. A working faith, a laboring love and an enduring hope of eternal life in heaven. It’s all we need. It was all the Thessalonian brethren needed, but Paul knew he needed to reinforce this truth.

The Holy Spirit moved Paul to provide wonderful comfort to infant Christians making their way without the shepherding of the evangelist who shared the gospel with them. It is evident that they had two fundamental concerns; physical death and physical tribulations. Being promised that Jesus would return, they thought that day was imminent and some simply wanted to stop everything and wait. Others worried about Christians who died, thinking perhaps they would miss out on the promise. Still others wanted retribution on persecutors. They were at war, and they wanted to fight back. The truths Paul shared echo through time to all Christians of all ages.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Physical death does not affect our spiritual destiny. Jesus is coming back, but we do not know when. Until He comes or until we pass from this life, the work of faith and labor of love must continue in our enduring hope.

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed–for our testimony to you was believed.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-10

Physical tribulation does not affect our spiritual destiny. Jesus will avenge Himself on all who do evil and persecute His body. Until He comes we cannot be the instrument of revenge and fall into evil ourselves, instead clinging to faith, hope and love.

We must believe – we must trustingly know – Jesus is coming back and order our lives around this truth. In standing firm, all that we do must be cloaked in love. Our expectant desire – our living hope – is that Jesus will makes all things right, and we will live with Him forever. Faith, hope and love. It is all we ever had. It is all we have been promised. It is all we ever needed.

When will He come? When will the trouble end? Someday.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!