Transcripción

When you think of people who have had a great influence on you, what is it about them that comes to mind? Is it some wise counsel they offered you—some friendly words of encouragement? I remember being greatly impacted by a renowned theologian telling me that he prayed for me every day. I remember being surprised and encouraged by a well-known missionary statesman, the president of his mission’s organization, who asked me about my wife and children—and he knew their names.  

What marks the people who have the greatest influence on us is not their wealth or their fame, but their humility, kindness, and concern.

When the apostle Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonian church, he did not begin by rehearsing doctrinal truths, but rather his own memories of how they had influenced and encouraged his life. In fact, he holds them up as a model for us today.

The letter opens with Paul’s typical comments, always including his colleagues in sending greetings. In verse 1, Paul mentions “Silvanus and Timothy,” who were currently serving with him. Silvanus is another name for Silas. Silas had helped Paul establish this church in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9). Timothy had also traveled with them; in fact, later, in chapter 3, we will find that Timothy had recently visited this church and then reported back to Paul.

Thessalonica—or Thessaloniki, as it is pronounced today—is located on the Greek peninsula in a province that used to be called Macedonia. We do not know how long this missionary team had spent there, but we do know they were eventually run out of town by the enemies of the gospel.[1] In spite of opposition, they had planted this thriving church, made up of Gentiles along with some Jews. Paul is writing this letter to them from Corinth, where he is serving with Silas and Timothy by his side (Acts 18:1-5).

Paul mentions his prayers for this church in verse 2. He was no longer with them, but his ministry to them was not over. I am sure it was incredibly encouraging to learn that this great theologian and missionary statesman was praying for them every day.

Beloved, encouraging others is a ministry we can all engage in. It does not take much time to write a note or share some encouraging words with others; and we should be adding people to our prayer list and remembering them by name.

In verse 3 Paul writes about the Thessalonians’ godly influence. Specifically, he recalls their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Faith, hope, and love—what an example of Christlike virtues! No wonder the Thessalonian Christians impacted the heart and life of Paul. He writes here that their faith was not just some intellectual commitment; it was active—it was the “work of faith.” Their faith produced godly works.

The same thing is true of their love. Paul calls it their “labor of love.” Love is not just a warm feeling, beloved. True love is action, labor, effort on behalf of others.  

Then their hope produced “steadfastness.” Their hope—like yours and mine—is not some kind of wish upon a star; biblical hope is assurance based on God’s promise. Our assurance in God’s promises produce steadfastness in life.

This is concrete evidence that the believers in Thessalonica were chosen by God. They were redeemed, but they were also ready to live out the gospel. Paul writes, “Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (verse 5).

I think these believers would be blushing a little bit upon receiving such high praise from the apostle Paul. They probably had no idea that their example had traveled far and wide.

Let me tell you, beloved, you have no idea who is watching your life today. You are an influencer more than you know. You are being watched and perhaps even copied by some younger believer even now.

A couple sent me a story about their three-year-old daughter. They had been teaching her how to pray in Jesus’ name and why that was important. They were teaching her the broader principle that everything we do should be done in Jesus’ name—approved by Jesus. Well, she did not quite grasp the concept, evidently. One afternoon her mother told her to pick up her toys. She said, “No.” After some back and forth, this little girl looked up at her mother and said, “In Jesus’ name, no.” Well, I am sure they had a little theology lesson on prayer and obedience right then and there.

When we do everything in Jesus’ name, we are going to do the right thing. And people are watching what we are doing today.

Paul makes an interesting comment here in the last part of verse 5: “You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” Evidently there were people who were accusing Paul and his colleagues of being the wrong kind of example. And Paul is going to defend himself against those false charges later on, in chapter 2. For now, he wants the Thessalonian Christians to remember the truth—to remember how they had conducted themselves with integrity and humility.

Then Paul refers again to the testimony of this faithful church. He tells them in verse 8, “Your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.” He is declaring that their testimony speaks for itself. And Paul is not the only one who has noticed. Word has spread. Paul writes that it is known far and wide how these Thessalonians “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (verse 9).

The Greek word Paul uses here for their serving God is the word for serving as a slave. These believers had been freed from the chains of pagan idolatry. They now recognize the Lord as their true Master, and they are totally committed as the servants of Christ.

Beloved, these believers did not just get a little “religion”; they were not going to “try Jesus” for a little while and see if He paid off. No, they were servants of a new Master. Paul writes in verse 10 that they were waiting “for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

They not only believed that Jesus was their resurrected Lord; they also believed He was their returning Lord. Jesus is coming back!

Do not overlook the warning here as well as the promise. Paul mentions that when Jesus returns, He will rescue the church “from the wrath to come.”

This is the promise of what theologians call the pretribulation rapture. Paul will describe the time line later in this letter. But for now, we can say that the Lord’s return is in two phases. The first phase is when He comes for His church and raptures us away before the tribulation period begins. This is the pretribulation rapture. After the rapture, the wrath of God begins to fall upon the human race, as described in Revelation chapter 6.

The second phase of the Lord’s return occurs at the end of the tribulation. He is not coming for us then; He’s coming with us (Revelation 19). At that time, Jesus comes all the way down to earth, and He sets up His glorious, millennial kingdom, with Jerusalem as His capital city.

So, we who follow Him today are given this promise in verse 10: we will be delivered “from the wrath to come.” The Thessalonians were not waiting for the Antichrist; they were looking for the return of Christ. Let us live like them, serving Christ and anticipating His return. When we do that, we are the right kind of influencers, the right kind of trendsetters, for those who are watching us today.