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Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 3:1–13

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Scripture

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

Observation

Unable to return to Thessalonica himself, Paul sent Timothy to them while he remained in Athens. Timothy was to strengthen and encourage them and to keep them from being shaken by the troubles that were soon to come against them.

Timothy returned with good news about their faith and love. Paul has been greatly encouraged because they remained strong in their faith.

Paul prays that the Lord will grow their love for one another and for all people.

Application

As disciples of Jesus, who is the embodiment of God’s love, we are to be people who overflow with the love of God.

God’s plan for the church is that we should be an open community of love. Relationships within the community are meant to be as close as the relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one.

Sadly, the church often falls short of this ideal. Personality clashes, political power games, and false gospels result in congregations being less than they should be.

The church is not only meant to be a close community, it is also meant to be open to newcomers – visitors, new believers, and so on. A church that is exclusive is no church at all.

This goal is only possible by the grace of God. So we need to pray to love one another and to love all people with the same extravagance that God has given us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, please help my church to overflow in love for one another and for all people. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 2: 9–19

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Scripture

You accepted what we said as the very word of God – which it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.

Observation

Paul recalls have hard he worked, toiling to earn a living so as not to be a burden while he preached the good news.

Paul and his companions thank God constantly for the Thessalonians. They accepted the gospel as the very word of God

The Thessalonians suffered persecution from the Jews, as did the church in the church in Judea. Some of the Jews killed the prophets and some killed Jesus. Now they were persecuting the followers of Jesus . They fail to please God as they oppose the gospel.

Paul tried to return to Thessalonica, but Satan prevented him. The church there gives him hope and joy. They are his pride and joy.

Application

Paul commends the Thessalonians for receiving his message as the very word of God. We should have the same attitude towards, not just Paul’s letters, but all of scripture.

We often say that we believe the Bible is God’s word, but we don’t act that way.

Some people find reading the Bible is boring or difficult or irrelevant to them. But God’s word is living and active. We should be excited to come to read His word.

Whenever we read the Bible, we should ask the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Ask Him to bring the words to life in your spirit.

When we interact regularly with God’s word, it continues to work in us. Over time, we find our life conforming to God’s purposes more and more. It makes us holy as we let it fill our hearts.

Prayer

Thank you Father for your word. Please give me greater understanding as I read it day by day and help me to live it not just to read it. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

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Scripture

As apostles of Christ, we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. We were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.

Observation

Paul, Silas, and Timothy had been badly treated in Philippi. They were beaten and thrown into jail (Acts 16:19-40). Despite this, they came to Thessalonica and preached the gospel boldly.

They do not preach to win favour or from any impure motives. They are messengers approved by God and entrusted with the Good News. They did not flatter the Thessalonians or pretend to be their friends in order to get their money.

No, it was the opposite. They came as apostles of God, with gentleness. They were like a mother feeding her children. They loved them not just with the gospel, but they shared their lives with them also.

Application

With the rise in awareness of the ministry of apostles in recent years, many people have falsely taken the title of apostle.

People want to be the”big man” in control and able to push people around. Some take advantage of ordinary Christians in order to gain power, money, or status.

This is not the way of Jesus.

The apostles came to Thessalonica in gentleness and with a servant heart. They preached with boldness, but not with impure motives.

Rather than seeking gain from the converts, they gave themselves to them, like a mother who feeds her children.

When assessing christian leaders, we we must look beyond their words, their style and the content of their message, to see how their actions line up with the example of Jesus or the apostles.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to serve your people rather than looking to be served. Amen

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10

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Scripture

They spoke of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven – Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgement.

Observation

Paul, Silas, and Timothy are writing to the church in Thessalonica. They thank God for this faithful group of believers. The Thessalonians are faithful in their work, deeds of love, and enduring hope.

God loves them and has chosen them to be His people. When Paul and the others took the Good News to them, it was not just with words, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Thessalonians responded with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

The word of the Lord is going out from them to people everywhere. People are talking about how they turned from idols to serve the living God how they look forward to the return of Christ.

Application

There is a judgement coming that every person must face. For those who live separately from God, it will be a time of terror. They will suddenly realise their sin as they are thrown into the fires of Hell.

There is a God who is alive. He is the one who created all things for His glory. He created every single person that has ever lived. We rebelled against him and worshipped false gods – whether literal idols or things such as wealth, success, and glory.

On the Day of Judgement, the Lord will divide everybody into two groups – sheep and goats. The sheep will enter eternal joy and fellowship with God. The goats will be separated from God for all eternity.

The only way into salvation is through faith in Jesus, whom God raised from the dead.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for saving me from Hell. You lifted me out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of your dear Son. I pray that everybody reading this reflection will give their hearts to you. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 66

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Scripture

This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.”

Observation

The Lord declares that heaven is his throne and the earth is his footstool. Regardless of where the house is that they build for Him, He has made it all, and they came into being at His command.

The Lord has made all people, and yet they come to Him with offerings and incense even though they eat unclean food and worship idols.. People have chosen their own ways and delight in their sins, so therefore so therefore the Lord will punish them harshly.

Can a country be born in a day? This is what the Lord will do for his people. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her.

The Lord promises to extend peace to Jerusalem and bring the wealth of nations to her.

The Lord will gather the nations together from all over the world. They will proclaim the Lord’s glory. All mankind will come and bow before the Lord.

Application

The Lord’s says that heaven is His throne and the earth is His footstool.

The Lord is the one who made it all and owns it all, including the people on it.

Because the Lord controls the heavens those who think the stars determine their destiny are foolish.

And because the Lord owns the Earth, those who think they can live independently of the Lord are also foolish. He owns it all, including us.

Therefore , theright response to God’s grace is to surrender our lives to Him. God will punish those who choose their own way, especially those who have a veneer of respectable faith.

Let us give ourselves entirely to worshipping and obeying our Lord.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for the privilege of being called your child. Please help me to live for you every day. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 65

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Scripture

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!”

Observation

The Lord was ready to respond but no one called to Him. He said, “Here I am!” but they did not call on His name. He is waiting for His people, but they are burning incense to idols.

The Lord will destroy the wicked, but He will preserve those who are truly His servants. He will preserve a remnant to possess the land. He is creating a new heavens and a new earth. Jerusalem will be a place of joy. Babies will not die prematurely, and adults will live to a hundred.

The blessings will be so great that God will answer prayers before they even pray.

Application

We live under the new covenant that Isaiah looked towards. It is not yet fully consummated as the creation still needs to be reformed.

God’s blessings towards his people are enormous. We don’t think of God answering prayers before we ask or while we are talking about the needs. God sees our need before we do, and His heart is so favourable to us that He answers before we ask.

This chapter begins with God expressing anger because He is ready to respond, but they don’t ask. In the new covenant age, He is happy to answer before we ask.

This does not say that we do not need to pray or to seek the Lord. Prayer is meant to be relational not transactional. We don’t pray to get answers, but from a need to be close to the Lord.

Prayer

Thank you Father for the privilege of prayer. Thank you that you desire to communicate with me. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 64

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Scripture

For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him.

Observation

Come down from heaven Lord and cause the mountains to shake and the nations to tremble. When you came down long ago, you did awesome deeds.

Since the world began, no eye has seen nor ear heard of a God like this one, who works for those who wait on Him.

The Lord welcomes those who walk in His ways, but the people of Israel have not been like that. No one calls on the name of the Lord or asks for mercy.

Yet He is our father. After all the destruction that has happened, will He continue to be silent?

Application

The pagan idea of God, or gods, was that they were unpredictable and likely to cause great suffering unless people offered them sacrifices do mollify them.

But our God is different. He is so different in fact, that nobody has ever heard of anything like it. He does not demand our service; rather, He works for those who wait for him.

This is partnership, not servitude. We wait on God and listen. We make our requests to Him and we listen to His directions. We serve him, but He also works for us.

God is a Father not a distant king. He loves each one of us and is working out our lives so that we become all that we can be in Him.

We need to be careful that we do not start to think of God as our personal assistant, or worse still, as a vending machine of blessings and goodies. It is all about relationship – living and loving.

Prayer

Lord, you are my God. Thank you that you invite me to walk with you each day. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 63

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Scripture

Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes marching in his great strength? “It I I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!”

Observation

The Lord comes with his robes stained red. He has come from His winepress where He has crushed Israel’s enemies like grapes.

The Lord was amazed that no one intervened to save His people from their enemies. So He stepped in to save them.

The Lord has saved His people even though they rebelled against Him. Then they remembered the days of old when they knew the Holy Spirit and received His rest.

Application

The Lord judges people and punishes His enemies. It is a sad fact that not everybody will be saved. Many people will reject God’s gracious offer of salvation.

The result is that God will destroy them. His royal robes will be stained red by the blood of those who hate the Lord.

There can be no heaven without a sorting and a judgement. The whole point of salvation is to remove our sinful rebellion against against God. If God allows sin to go on in eternity, heaven will be no better than earth.

There will be a judgement. Those who reject God will themselves be rejected by Him. Those who accept God will be accepted by Him.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for salvation through Christ’s death on the cross. Please help me to be faithful to the end. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 62

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Scripture

The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. and you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.

Observation

The nations will see the righteousness of Jerusalem. The leaders will be blinded by her glory. It will never again be called “The forsaken City”, but it will be called “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God.”

The Lord has sworn to protect Jerusalem. The citizens will raise the grain and they will eat it.

The Lord tells the people of Israel that their Saviour is coming. They will be called “The Holy People.”

Application

Collectively, we the church shine the glory and righteousness of God to the nations. You and I are glowing in the darkness of the world, pointing people to the salvation that comes in Christ

Even though we might not feel that important or that holy, the things that we do, the words we speak, and the decisions that we make all point to the glory of Jesus.

Yes we sin. All of us are works in progress. Our growth in God and the changes that He makes in our lives are a testimony to God’s grace.

God gives us all a new name, a new destiny. The name that God gives us speaks of that new destiny and the new character He is building in us. We are bound to Him by His love in a never-ending covenant.

Prayer

Lord, you are so good to me. Thank you for rescuing me from the kingdom of darkness and giving me a new name as your child. Amen.

Reflection on Isaiah 61

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Scripture

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, praise instead of despair.

Observation

The Lord has anointed the servant to bring good news to the poor, to comfort the brokenhearted, to proclaim release for captives, to declare that the time of the Lord’s favour has arrived.

To everyone who mourns, He will give beauty for ashes, blessing for mourning, praise for despair.

The people of Israel will rebuild their cities. They will enjoy a double share of honour and of prosperity. Joy will be theirs forever.

Isaiah says he is overwhelmed with joy in the Lord. He is dressed in the clothing of salvation, a robe of righteousness.

Application

God is all about exchanging human weakness and sin for a new state of holiness and strength. He takes away the old burdens and clothes us with new righteousness.

Here he promises a crown of beauty for the ashes of mourning, joy instead of sadness, and praise instead of despair.

At times when I have felt worn down by grief, I have felt joy bubble up from within me. Despite my current difficulties I am united with the eternal God, and this grief will only last for a short time.

He doesn’t always take the pain away completely, but he does give us strength to continue the journey.

Prayer

Lord, you promise to exchange our mourning and despair for joy in you. Thank you for this wonderful promise. Amen.