1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

 ¹Paul, Silas, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.²We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. ³We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

-1 Thessalonians 1:1-3

V1 These were the people that God had called at the moment.

Paul was regarded as small person with a very big heart. He wasn’t the most handsome man in the world. In fact, he wasn’t attractive at all. He was a man who truly understood the meaning of God’s calling and God’s Power.

Silas was a prominent leader among the leaders of the early church. He volunteered to go into the missionary field with Paul. He sang praises to God in the prison the cold prison cell that lead people to faith in Christ.

Timothy was a timid and shy person who would rather hide in the crown then stand among thousands preaching. It’s amazing to see him stand next to Paul in the ministry.

Sometimes we’re so into the physical appearance of a person that we neglect people who are small. If we allow ourselves to be stuck in the mentality of this world we can lose out on the calling of God for our lives. Paul, Silas, and Timothy were small people who did great things despite their physical flaws.

V1 The church in Thessalonica didn’t exist by man but by God the father and Jesus Christ. It was a church built in God. Paul greeted the church with grace and peace.

V2 Paul was thrilled to hear from the church. He had missed them a lot and longed to learn of their well being. When he discovered that the church was thriving, he thanked God and prayed continuously for them.

V3 When thinking about the church in Thessalonica he was thankful for their:

1.       Faith: Paul thought about the warm faith that was in action and the fruits that were produced by it.

2.       Labor: He thought about the labor they went through because of their love for God. It wasn’t small labor; it was hard, bloody, sweaty labor. These people were burnt out for the cost of the Gospel. These people loved God unconditionally.

3.       Endurance: They endured if the face of difficulty. They rose above the storms and pressed forward in the hope they have in Jesus Christ.