Day 737: The great expectation - 1 Thessalonians 1 vs 5 - 10

5-7 You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8-9 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, 10 and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10 English Standard Version

In the New Testament book of Acts the writer, Luke, tells us that the apostle Paul and his co-workers often met up with fierce opposition in the places where they preached the gospel. Having been whipped and spending a night in prison in Philippi, Paul and Silvanus, with Timothy, travelled on to Thessalonica. After hearing the gospel many people there believed on Jesus, but it was followed by a riot in the city and some of the new believers were dragged before the city officials and accusations were made against them. That's the context of vs 5-7 in today's short reading.

Verses 8-9 go on to show that, though this was almost 2000 years before the world was transformed by the modern way of spreading news on the internet, news of what happened in Thessalonica spread quickly to the surrounding regions. It seems too that some of the new converts must also have travelled to surrounding towns to tell others of Jesus Christ. That's how excited they were about being saved from sin. It's a message that should still stir our hearts with great joy. What was the essential change that had taken place in their lives? (vs 10)

Firstly, they had turned from dead idols to know and serve the true and living God. Readers who, like myself, grew up in a country that was vastly shaped by a Judaeo-Christian culture will probably not grasp just how huge such a change was for those Thessalonians. When a similar thing happened in the city of Ephesus a violent riot broke out, started by artisans who earned their living from making silver shrines of a pagan goddess called Artemis. She was regarded by the Greeks as the goddess of hunting, wild animals, children and birth. We can best understand their dramatic change by likening it today to a devout Muslim who forsakes Muhammed to believe in Jesus Christ as the only Saviour.

The other big change that took place in their lives was that they believed wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ is going to return to our world, and that He will usher in the great day of judgment when God's wrath will be revealed against all ungodliness, including that of serving the false gods invented by men.

The idea of God showing wrath towards unrepentant sinners, and of a great judgment at the end of the age, is not popular in the world. But it is a truth that is often spoken of in the Bible. The man known as John the Baptist cried out to those who were superficial in their response to God's word: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance.” (Luke 3:7-8) The apostle John wrote: “The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36) And the apostle Paul said: “God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” (Romans 1:18)

People may not have silver shrines of Artemis or other pagan gods in their homes today, but may still have many idols in their hearts. Anything people prize more that God will be the thing that is suppressing the truth about God, and keeping them from turning to Jesus Christ for salvation. And then they will not be bothered about the return of Christ – until it is too late. But blessed is the man, woman or child who has turned to the One whom God raised from the dead, and is eagerly looking forward to His return.