"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love" 1Thess:3:6b
Have you heard the expression that some is "bad news" it is general a reference to person who thru
their word and action causes strife and or other problems , or being involved in things which are generally through to be immoral, a person who we want to stay away from or avoid.
St.Paul wrote to Christians in the Greek city of Thessalonica in the Roman province of Macedonia. Thessalonica was an important city as being the provincial capital and being a major trade city along the Egnatian way and being a seaport on the Thermaic Gulf.
A city such of this would be inundated with travelers from and their ideas from many parts of the world moving east and west to Rome or into the heart of Roman Europe.
St.Paul and his co-worker St.Silas came to the city of Thessalonica and first, and as they had done many time, visited the local Synagogue and presented the message of Gospel about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Some Jews, undoubtedly, heard the word and believed the message of the Gospel providing St.Paul a base to reach the mixed gentile population of the city. It seems from St.Lukes account in Acts:17:1-9 that most of those who came to believe were gentiles. This mixed group of Jews and gentiles formed a Church in the city.
After the founding of the Church in the city St.Paul and St.Silas, it seems were forced by that circumstances to depart rather quickly due to a group Jews in that city who rose up to opposes the Gospel message leaving the fledgling congregation.
St.Paul's Letter
After leaving Thessalonicia St. Paul and St.Silas traveled to Bera and then to Athens .It is possible that St.Timothy stayed behind to give the young convert what instruction he could before he too departed.
After arriving and ministering in Athens St.Paul , around 51 AD, took the time to write to the Church at Thessalonicia to answer some questions and to provide some Apostolic and Pastoral guidance and encouragement to the Christians in that city.
After reminding the Thessalonian Christians of his time among them and his ministry even in the face of opposition ,which led to he and St.Silas' departure ,the Apostle then, moves to tell them as to why he sent the young pastor Timothy to them so that he might ascertain their progress and provide them encouragement.
The Good News
St.Paul ,then tells the Thessalonians that St.Timothy had return to him and has brought a report regarding the Church in that city.The Apostle calls this report about them "Good News".
"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love" 1Thess:3:6b
What is interesting is, that St.Paul chooses to use the very word which describes the Christian message about Jesus and the Kingdom of God ; "Euangelion", to describe St.Timothy's report about the Thessalonians. This is the only time in the Epistles of St.Paul that the word "Euangelion" is applied to a message about anyone other than Jesus and his Kingdom.
Why would St.Paul do this?
Living the Gospel
St.Paul is taking the opportunity tell these Christian , and all Christians down thru the ages, that he perceived in them , thru the report given by St.Timothy , that they were living the Gospel. These Christians received the message and embraced it.
These Christians received the word preached by St.Paul and St.Silas for what it is, a message from the Great God to his human Children about his love for them expressed and revealed all thru Jesus.
"For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us,you accepted it not as the word of men,but for what it really is,the word,God which also preforms its work in you who believe." 1Thess:2:13
The message transformed them, they began to live out the message having their hearts and minds stayed upon Jesus. They became living "Good News" they were "Being Good News" to all around them. This is what our God wants from any and all who hear and believe the Gospel message.
Living Epistles
St.Paul had a similar concept in mind when he wrote to the Christians i n the Greek city of Corinth.These Christian as well received the message and were , like the Thessalonians, transformed and were activity living out the message of Christ in their daily lives.
"You yourselves are our epistle,inscribed upon our hearts,known and read by everyone. It is clear that you are a letter from Christ, the results of our ministry,written not with ink,but with the Spirit of the living God,not on tablets of stone but on tablets of the human heart" 2Crth:3:2
St.Paul saw the transformed lives of those who have received the Gospel message and have been forevermore transformed by its power. All who hear this message and embrace it are themselves conduits for the Kingdom of God to be daily read by others around us in our own lives, we are to become living epistles of the Gospel. That others , when they speak of us can call us "Being Good News".
Benediction:May we each and all when we hear the Gospel be transformed by its power and live it out that others can read it in our lives that we each are being good news, all to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore.Amen
The Fountain of life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion 2101 Old National Pike Washington, Pennsylvania, 15301 www.gcfountainoflife.org
The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
You can follow the Fountain of Life on Face Book - Click on our Face Book link : https://www.facebook.com/Fountain-of-Life-Church-349595355088375/
"If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"
No comments:
Post a Comment