October 15

Day 215: Encouragement

I read through First and Second Thessalonians this morning. Took a bit of a while, but in doing so I was able to see the major themes of these two letters Paul wrote to that church.

Thessalonica had not been an easy missionary endeavor for Paul and his companions. They had faced much opposition. He even relates to his readers how they "had received the word in much affliction."

He compares the difficulties endured by the Thessalonian Church to similar opposition endured by the first Christians in Jerusalem. So Paul wrote to encourage them.

The gospel of Jesus had come to them, not just in words, "but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction," meaning, they had been led by God Himself to believe and be saved. What man could not do, God had done. The gospel had now taken root in that city.

After telling them to grow even more in their love for each other, and because he wants to encourage them, Paul points their hearts to the return of Jesus. He borrows a thought from Malachi 3:2, "But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?" Here saying, you are made ready, so be ready; be watchful, even if the culture around you refuses to do so.

Paul paints for them a picture of what that "Day" will be like; how the Lord Jesus will return with a host of angels and His already resurrected saints to judge the world, "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."

Paul writes to encourage his readers. Their lives and times are hard. He gives them perspective, beyond the present and toward the future. They can manage and even flourish in their present days, because the future is secure. Their salvation will be realized in full.

Throughout these two letters Paul repeated says, "Encourage one another with these words."

There is likely not a person reading this that does not need encouragement. The person writing this (me) needs encouragement. Our Lord says in response, "encourage one another with these words."

Paul ends his second letter saying, "Do not grow weary in doing good." And, "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way."

Encourage each other. Love each other. Keep at the calling to live out a gospel life in community with the saints. And accept the peace of God for the present, with watchful eyes on the future of the return of Jesus.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church | Juneau