Transformed Lives
Paul was very happy with the church in Thessalonica...They had not had it easy... Shortly after Paul had formed a church community in the city, the local Jews started a riot and Paul was forced to flee for his life. The trouble-makers were so intense that they even followed Paul to the next town and started riots there.
The fledgling church in Thessalonica, however, continued to grow and flourish in spite of the suffering and persecution they experienced. Paul compliments them saying "...you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere."
What an incredible testimony!
What a witness!
How was this possible that a brand new group of believers could be so transformed?
Paul supplies the answer in 2:13
| And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (1Thessalonians2:13) |
Do you want God's message to ring out from you into the world all around you?
The good news is that because of the active power of God's Word, this can happen!
But what is God's Word?
For the Thessalonians it was the Old Testament and the preached gospel as Paul proclaimed it to them. Today we are fortunate to have the Old and New Testament, we have the gospel proclaimed to us and the Word preached from the pulpit and in the books we read and the songs we sing.
Let me be clear: not all preaching is the word of God, and neither are all books we read or the songs we sing. But when sermons, books and songs draw from Biblical Truth which is the Gospel message of the Son of God who came to earth to die in our place and send His Spirit into our hearts, then we are on track. The best place for us to find God's Word is in the Bible which is the ultimate source of God's Word and God's Truth.
Like the film in an old camera, when we "expose" our hearts to God's Truth, an image will be formed in us and we will be transformed.
