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We turn to I Thessalonians Chapter 1. This is a letter from Paul and Silas, or Silvanus, and Timothy, and it is sent to the Church, and the wording is most specific and precise.

It is some title – written from Corinth – and there is a strong suggestion that both letters were written within a week or two of each other – or a few months at the most.

We have been dealing with themes and topics recently – all biblical and biblically based – but it is good to take a letter – part of Scripture – a portion of the Word of God – and feed upon it.

And if you like reading other people’s letters, then enjoy Thessalonians.

These are significant opening words - God without Christ can give rise to a question, and Christ without God is nothing but heresy, but God and Christ is power and these people knew the power of God the Holy Spirit.

There is a double emphasis here. The Church belongs to Christ and to God.

When we belong to God we belong to Christ and when we belong to Christ we belong to Almighty God.

There is another double emphasis – Grace and peace to you – which speaks of the unity between the Father and the Son, and of course the Holy Spirit.

There is perfect unity and perfect harmony and perfect agreement. From that unity flows grace and peace.

Grace and peace flow from a source which knows no disunity or disharmony.

No matter what shortages there are on earth, there will never be a shortage of grace and peace.

The Church of Jesus Christ is universal but this letter is written to a church in a particular place.

Thessalonica was named after the sister of Alexander the Great.

It was on the main road from Rome to India – west to east – and we know it was governed by a democratically elected Assembly – and we think this is the first such place to which the Christian faith had come. What happened in this city could be transported and take root elsewhere.

This was another strategically important area for a different reason, from the Roman colony of Philippi.

Alexander the Great came to conquer for Greece.

Paul came in a different direction to conquer for Jesus Christ the King, and with very different methods.

Everywhere Alexander of Macedonia went, the people spoke Greek and as Paul preached in Greek, the Gospel of Jesus Christ swept through the Greek and now Roman Empire.

Although we regard this letter as one of Paul’s, do note that there are three names in the opening greetings. They had had a good mission in the sense that there was spiritual fruit for Christ Jesus and Paul gave thanks for what happened when he visited Thessalonica.

This is being written to real disciples of Jesus Christ just like you and me.

This team was praying for these believers, and they never forgot their very real faith.

Think for a moment of this letter being read – again and again

From our reading of the letter we learn that this was not a church with a lot of people and it did not have a lot of money.

It was not what might be called a busy church – and with not a lot of meetings – but with a lot of faith and hope and love.

This community of faith had the marks which mark the family of God.

It was a faith that acts – we are speaking of work that is produced by faith - and a love that labours – and love that holds on. They had worked at being disciples and being lights for Christ. Their endurance is inspired by hope, or assurance.

Love has very little to do with how we feel – love is what you do as consequence of your faith in Jesus Christ. It is what you do about it that matters.

The love of these people toiled until they were tired – and then some.

Faith and love and hope are all to be found in Jesus Christ.

“Lord God Almighty – prepare us for what You have to say to us and teach us through this part of Scripture – may that grace and peace fill our hearts and lives and overflow from us , as we serve – in Jesus name.”

"Bible verse and quote" from Jan Couns

Bible and Quote - February 18-22