1 Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2 – Missions and Love

Paul’s heart towards the Thessalonians comes out in chapter 2. He starts off by telling the church that he preached boldly, even though there was conflict and hardships. Acts 17:1-11 recounts Paul’s stay in Thessalonica. It was a very short stay as the believers sent Paul and Silas away at night due to persecution. The [...]


Gal. 1:10; 1 Thes. 2:4; 1 Cor. 9:19-23; Phil. 2:5-11

Does Christian love call us to please people? This is a more complex question that it first appears. On the one hand, we might say, of course, we should please people and not ourselves, but Paul is rather emphatic that a servant of God cannot in the end be a people-pleaser. He writes in Galatians [...]


1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 – Sermon

Introduction As I was thinking about this text, I was struck by Paul’s statement that he kept telling the Thessalonians while he was with them that they would suffer. In fact, in 1 Thessalonians 3:3, Paul goes as far as to say that we are destined for these things.