“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thessalonians 1:7).
TEXT — 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10
Message
We can only agree with Edith Wharton, the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, who observed, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). The church in Thessalonica reflected this light so much as to become an example to other believers in the whole region of Macedonia and Achaia. Apostle Paul and his companions (Silvanus and Timotheus) were glad to see the positive effect of the gospel preached by them in the lives of church members. The people received the gospel wholeheartedly and with conviction. They became followers of the ministers (sharing the same belief and conduct) even amid persecution and with Holy Spirit-inspired joy.
Producing such strong Christians does not happen by chance. In the case of the Thessalonian church, it started with the quality of the message they received and the ample work of the Holy Spirit among them. The gospel that Paul and his companions preached to them did not stem from mere wisdom of men marked by psychological and emotional manipulations. The pure gospel produced a significant change in their hearts and lives. Miraculous manifestations and Spirit-induced convictions followed, and they modelled the lifestyle of the ministers who taught them. The results are usually sound and exemplary Christians wherever these factors are present.
In these days of borderline Christianity, deception and self-delusion, it is necessary to examine our spiritual lives to ensure we are on the same page with God. Like the Thessalonian believers, we must embrace the gospel with all our hearts, not picking and choosing what tickles our fancy. We must seek the Lord sincerely and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. We must stick with proven gospel ministers who demonstrate Christ’s doctrines through their teaching and lifestyle. This is how we can become solid and exemplary Christians.
Thought for the day
The best proof that you know the way is to go that way.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
Leave a Reply