WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.480 Okay, welcome back to the podcast. 2 00:00:02.480 --> 00:00:03.480 Whoa! 3 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:05.520 Whoa, I'm so full of energy this morning. 4 00:00:05.520 --> 00:00:09.200 I woke up really early and that has energized me. 5 00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:09.960 Huge. 6 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:11.720 Yeah, how's your morning been? 7 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:14.520 I didn't wake up early, I woke up late and I got here late. 8 00:00:14.520 --> 00:00:15.800 But I'm here now. 9 00:00:15.800 --> 00:00:16.320 Come on. 10 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:17.240 Let's go. 11 00:00:17.240 --> 00:00:18.480 I'm so excited for today. 12 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.080 It's just the two of us. 13 00:00:20.080 --> 00:00:25.280 In case you haven't met us or seen us before, I'm Zach. 14 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:29.080 I'm a follower of Jesus, you know. 15 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:30.600 Prince, you know what I was thinking about? 16 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:31.440 Tell me. 17 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:34.160 If I'm an adopted son of the king, does that make me a prince? 18 00:00:34.160 --> 00:00:35.640 I always say, because people always say, 19 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:38.000 I'm a princess in the daughter of the unclean. 20 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:39.840 I'm a literal queen. 21 00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:41.000 Don't, don't, don't regret me. 22 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:43.360 Well, beside me, I have a sister in Christ. 23 00:00:43.360 --> 00:00:44.400 My name is Madavam. 24 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:46.680 Is the awful name, huge. 25 00:00:46.680 --> 00:00:48.040 What's your middle name? 26 00:00:48.040 --> 00:00:49.040 Joy. 27 00:00:49.040 --> 00:00:49.880 Yeah. 28 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:51.120 Is the joy Madavam. 29 00:00:51.120 --> 00:00:52.320 Is about. 30 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:56.400 Today we have the joy of opening up God's Word, 31 00:00:56.400 --> 00:01:01.000 reading first Thessalonians chapter one. 32 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:04.160 If you're excited, say you're excited in the comments. 33 00:01:04.160 --> 00:01:05.520 I'm ex, oh. 34 00:01:05.520 --> 00:01:06.760 I'm excited in the comments. 35 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:13.240 This is a completely new series. 36 00:01:13.240 --> 00:01:14.960 We're going to be going through, 37 00:01:14.960 --> 00:01:18.560 I don't actually know five chapters 38 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:21.600 and then into second Thessalonians. 39 00:01:21.600 --> 00:01:22.400 Probably. 40 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:23.400 Probably. 41 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:24.440 I don't actually know that. 42 00:01:24.440 --> 00:01:26.680 But I'm really looking forward to this. 43 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:28.840 So yeah, so we're going to be starting first Thessalonians. 44 00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.800 I thought we could just start by saying a prayer 45 00:01:31.800 --> 00:01:32.760 over this series. 46 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:33.600 That sounds nice. 47 00:01:33.600 --> 00:01:34.800 And over the audience as well. 48 00:01:34.800 --> 00:01:35.640 Do it. 49 00:01:35.640 --> 00:01:36.880 Okay, let's pray. 50 00:01:36.880 --> 00:01:38.400 Lord, I just thank you for this day 51 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:40.520 and I thank you that we have the opportunity 52 00:01:40.520 --> 00:01:42.840 to get to talk about you today. 53 00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:45.200 I pray that this series would be encouraging, 54 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:47.960 that it would be loving, that it would be full of truth 55 00:01:47.960 --> 00:01:49.160 and life. 56 00:01:49.160 --> 00:01:51.640 We pray all this in Jesus name. 57 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:52.480 Amen. 58 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:53.320 Amen. 59 00:01:53.320 --> 00:01:56.960 So if you want to join us, open up to first Thessalonians. 60 00:01:56.960 --> 00:01:59.360 Where, how would you describe where first Thessalonians is? 61 00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:01.080 Because it's a smaller book of the Bible. 62 00:02:01.080 --> 00:02:04.080 It's on page 891. 63 00:02:04.080 --> 00:02:06.160 My Bible. 64 00:02:06.160 --> 00:02:09.760 It's after, so like, there's those a few books that 65 00:02:09.760 --> 00:02:13.560 pull rights, that the Ephesians, whatever. 66 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:15.760 I always remember them as AEIOU as the order. 67 00:02:15.760 --> 00:02:17.960 Like, that's the, like, I don't know. 68 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:22.000 Yeah, so it's like, Ephesians is the second one. 69 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:23.280 What's the first one? 70 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:25.480 Galatians, glee. 71 00:02:25.480 --> 00:02:29.400 And then Ephesians and then Philippians, I, 72 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:31.160 and then I don't know if it actually goes into the O. 73 00:02:31.160 --> 00:02:32.840 O Colossians. 74 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:35.120 And then you've got it. 75 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.200 We're at Thessalonians. 76 00:02:38.200 --> 00:02:39.040 There we go. 77 00:02:39.040 --> 00:02:40.240 What Bible are you reading from? 78 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.320 I'm the NIV. 79 00:02:42.320 --> 00:02:43.120 Interesting. 80 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:43.880 You're not. 81 00:02:43.880 --> 00:02:44.520 I'm not. 82 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:46.320 I'm ESV. 83 00:02:46.320 --> 00:02:48.800 Okay, well, before we jump into it, 84 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.680 I feel like it's only right to give a little bit of context 85 00:02:51.720 --> 00:02:53.560 going into this new series. 86 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:55.280 Who wrote Thessalonians? 87 00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:57.040 Why did he write it? 88 00:02:57.040 --> 00:02:58.680 What's kind of like the main themes? 89 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:00.760 What can we expect from this book? 90 00:03:00.760 --> 00:03:03.400 I thought I'd first just jump over to you. 91 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:04.240 Let's do it. 92 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.320 What do you know about First Thessalonians? 93 00:03:07.320 --> 00:03:09.280 So much. 94 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:10.480 But let's begin with the writer. 95 00:03:10.480 --> 00:03:12.400 I've already said Paul. 96 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:16.440 So Paul's quite a key person in the New Testament. 97 00:03:16.440 --> 00:03:19.160 He wrote a large majority of the books. 98 00:03:19.160 --> 00:03:21.440 But his story is very interesting, isn't it? 99 00:03:21.440 --> 00:03:23.320 Don't give a brief synopsis of his story. 100 00:03:23.320 --> 00:03:25.360 Paul used to persecute Christians. 101 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:27.760 That means he used to kill them. 102 00:03:27.760 --> 00:03:32.120 And while he was on his way to basically go 103 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:35.080 and try and kill some Christians, 104 00:03:35.080 --> 00:03:38.360 the Lord met him on the road, blinded him 105 00:03:38.360 --> 00:03:41.520 because he saw Jesus in as all his glory. 106 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:45.640 And then he was blind for a few days, 107 00:03:45.640 --> 00:03:49.200 repented, turned, believed in the gospel, 108 00:03:49.200 --> 00:03:52.880 and then in this kind of ironic reversal of his life, 109 00:03:52.880 --> 00:03:56.360 then started to convert people to Christianity. 110 00:03:56.360 --> 00:04:03.840 And went on a few journeys across kind of like Greece, Asia, 111 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:07.600 and the Middle East, and pretty much the gospel to people. 112 00:04:07.600 --> 00:04:08.600 Yeah, it's pretty crazy. 113 00:04:08.600 --> 00:04:11.160 He went from, as you say, literally killing Christians 114 00:04:11.160 --> 00:04:15.000 to now being a large majority of the writers of the New Testament. 115 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:16.000 Yeah, insane. 116 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:17.240 So we love that. 117 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:18.600 Love a little. 118 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:19.920 OK, so he's on his journey. 119 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:20.800 Sorry, continue. 120 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:21.640 Yes. 121 00:04:21.640 --> 00:04:23.440 He's on his journey. 122 00:04:23.440 --> 00:04:25.840 He's traveling around these different places. 123 00:04:25.840 --> 00:04:27.880 And you can read a lot of the story 124 00:04:27.880 --> 00:04:29.000 through the book of Acts. 125 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.520 And it talks about the area of Thessalonica in Acts 17. 126 00:04:33.520 --> 00:04:35.160 You wanted to read some of that, did you not? 127 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:38.160 Yeah, well, I mean, I may just summarize it. 128 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:38.680 Yeah. 129 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:41.560 Because it's a whole nine verses. 130 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:42.920 That's not actually as much as I thought. 131 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:43.920 No, I was fine. 132 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:44.880 Summarize. 133 00:04:44.880 --> 00:04:50.720 Basically, Paul is traveling through modern-day Greece. 134 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:51.720 Yeah. 135 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:57.880 I believe he stopped at Philippi before he got to Thessalonica, 136 00:04:57.880 --> 00:05:01.840 which is the town, or it would have been considered a city 137 00:05:01.840 --> 00:05:03.480 at the time, a really large city, actually. 138 00:05:03.480 --> 00:05:09.800 It was a capital of Macedonia, and he's traveling through, 139 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:11.120 and he's preaching in different places. 140 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.720 In Acts 17, basically tells us the story 141 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.240 of the arrive in Thessalonica. 142 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:18.600 And Paul preaches three times. 143 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:20.480 It doesn't really say how long he was there for. 144 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.920 He could have been there for three weeks 145 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:27.400 and preached like on the Sabbath each week in the synagogue. 146 00:05:27.400 --> 00:05:29.280 Or he could have been there for a few months 147 00:05:29.280 --> 00:05:31.240 and just happened to have preached three times. 148 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:31.960 But it wasn't long. 149 00:05:31.960 --> 00:05:34.000 But it wasn't long, either way. 150 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.800 And all of the people in the town basically get 151 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.000 like riled up by the Jewish leaders at the time. 152 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:45.320 And they start this big revolt against Paul. 153 00:05:45.320 --> 00:05:48.520 They take Jason, who's hosting Paul, 154 00:05:48.520 --> 00:05:51.440 and they drag him to the authorities 155 00:05:51.440 --> 00:05:54.960 and basically have their home searched. 156 00:05:54.960 --> 00:05:59.960 And Paul and his two friends, Silas and Timothy, 157 00:06:00.320 --> 00:06:01.520 just barely escaped. 158 00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:02.840 Yeah. 159 00:06:02.840 --> 00:06:05.440 And Paul flees and continues on his journey. 160 00:06:05.440 --> 00:06:07.160 Do you know where he goes next, actually? 161 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:08.160 Oh, I wrote it down. 162 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.440 Let's have a little look. 163 00:06:10.440 --> 00:06:12.160 Kicked out the city. 164 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:15.120 Then to Beria. 165 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.360 Yeah, I think he goes to Beria. 166 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:18.800 And then several weeks. 167 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:21.120 Then it's driven out again by the same mob. 168 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:24.240 Then goes to another place and then cheers. 169 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:25.760 But it doesn't go necessarily super well. 170 00:06:25.760 --> 00:06:26.840 It wasn't super encouraged. 171 00:06:26.840 --> 00:06:28.200 And then he goes to Corinth. 172 00:06:28.200 --> 00:06:30.640 And then he's feeling very discouraged there. 173 00:06:30.640 --> 00:06:31.640 Right. 174 00:06:31.640 --> 00:06:34.440 Where Tim and Silas come back. 175 00:06:34.440 --> 00:06:35.280 That's right. 176 00:06:35.280 --> 00:06:39.360 So they Tim and Silas, 177 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:42.240 who you'll notice in verse one of first Thessalonians, 178 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:45.280 he says, Paul Silvanis and Timothy. 179 00:06:45.280 --> 00:06:48.480 Oh, my son is actually, so yeah, 180 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:49.960 depending on the version you read you, 181 00:06:49.960 --> 00:06:52.000 you might see the name Silvanis. 182 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.480 That's just another way of saying Silas. 183 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:55.560 This is the same person. 184 00:06:56.520 --> 00:07:01.080 But Silas and Timothy take like a slightly different route. 185 00:07:01.080 --> 00:07:04.560 And Timothy specifically stays in Thessalonica 186 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:06.320 to be with this church. 187 00:07:06.320 --> 00:07:08.720 That Paul has kind of founded through his preaching, 188 00:07:08.840 --> 00:07:10.120 bringing the gospel to them. 189 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:13.320 So Timothy comes back from Thessalonica 190 00:07:13.320 --> 00:07:17.560 and he provides this report of this really good news 191 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:19.880 that the believers are, 192 00:07:19.880 --> 00:07:22.360 well, you'll see later in chapter one 193 00:07:22.360 --> 00:07:24.480 that they're like known for their faith 194 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:26.360 in the whole region. 195 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:31.040 And Paul rightfully so is quite like distraught 196 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:34.960 from being literally chased after out of the one town, 197 00:07:34.960 --> 00:07:37.080 into the next town where they then follow him 198 00:07:37.320 --> 00:07:39.000 and chase him out again. 199 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:40.560 And then he goes to Athens 200 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.920 and the gospel's not well received. 201 00:07:42.920 --> 00:07:46.360 Now he's in Corinth, he's just like a bit discouraged 202 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:48.760 and gets this great report. 203 00:07:48.760 --> 00:07:51.960 And so he thinks, well, that's awesome. 204 00:07:51.960 --> 00:07:53.320 What great news? 205 00:07:53.320 --> 00:07:55.520 Why don't I encourage this church? 206 00:07:55.520 --> 00:07:59.240 And this whole story is important to note 207 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:02.840 because Paul not only wants to celebrate the good 208 00:08:02.840 --> 00:08:06.680 that's happening, but encouraged through the bad 209 00:08:07.640 --> 00:08:10.880 that's happening, which is this extreme persecution 210 00:08:10.880 --> 00:08:12.560 of those who are believing. 211 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:17.560 And it says that the number of them was not the number of them. 212 00:08:18.760 --> 00:08:21.240 It says that there were a large number of them 213 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:25.960 who were Greek and there was also a number 214 00:08:25.960 --> 00:08:27.520 of prominent women. 215 00:08:27.520 --> 00:08:29.440 Which I think is just a really cool picture as well 216 00:08:29.440 --> 00:08:33.600 because I don't know, I often picture 217 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:38.080 like early culture back then being really against the Gentiles 218 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:39.600 and against the women. 219 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:41.800 And they're specifically noted here as basically 220 00:08:41.800 --> 00:08:43.480 being the foundation of this church. 221 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:45.680 Why didn't that's part of why people were so angry 222 00:08:45.680 --> 00:08:48.200 because it was so against the culture of the time, 223 00:08:48.200 --> 00:08:50.680 but also that Jewish culture. 224 00:08:50.680 --> 00:08:54.200 So having a church being built of Gentiles or Greeks 225 00:08:54.200 --> 00:08:58.240 and these prominent women, I think it's, yeah, 226 00:08:58.240 --> 00:08:59.760 incredibly counter-cultural. 227 00:08:59.760 --> 00:09:03.600 That's why Paul felt inspired to write an encourage 228 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:05.800 and support them in that. 229 00:09:05.800 --> 00:09:07.080 So far. 230 00:09:07.080 --> 00:09:11.240 I guess we could just do like a short overview 231 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.040 of the book of what we're gonna be reading over this series. 232 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:18.680 And exactly like you're saying, he's encouraging the church. 233 00:09:18.680 --> 00:09:21.640 I think there's also a little bit of, as we'll see, 234 00:09:21.640 --> 00:09:23.480 a little bit of maybe guidance 235 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:26.080 because it's a young church. 236 00:09:26.120 --> 00:09:31.440 They haven't necessarily had any prominent member 237 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.520 of the established church with them 238 00:09:33.520 --> 00:09:36.080 for an extended period of time at this point. 239 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.560 And so Paul's encouraging them. 240 00:09:38.560 --> 00:09:40.240 He's reminding them of some things 241 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:42.440 that maybe they need guidance on. 242 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.360 And then also a big theme that we'll see is 243 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:47.960 he encourages them through their persecution 244 00:09:47.960 --> 00:09:51.400 by reminding them that Jesus is gonna come back. 245 00:09:51.400 --> 00:09:54.880 So imagine loads of your Christian brothers and sisters 246 00:09:54.920 --> 00:09:59.920 are being legitimately not to kind of water it down. 247 00:10:00.800 --> 00:10:02.640 They're being tortured and killed 248 00:10:02.640 --> 00:10:05.040 for believing in Jesus, professing their faith 249 00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:06.920 and living it out daily. 250 00:10:06.920 --> 00:10:09.960 And that's obviously quite discouraging. 251 00:10:09.960 --> 00:10:13.280 And the encouragement in and through that 252 00:10:13.280 --> 00:10:15.240 is that Jesus is coming back 253 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:17.160 and death doesn't have the final work. 254 00:10:17.160 --> 00:10:18.000 Yeah. 255 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.360 And so you don't have to be entirely disheartened 256 00:10:22.400 --> 00:10:25.040 that your brothers and sisters are dying 257 00:10:25.040 --> 00:10:28.120 and being persecuted because Jesus has the final say. 258 00:10:28.120 --> 00:10:30.920 And so we'll see that in the end, few chapters. 259 00:10:30.920 --> 00:10:33.760 But I think with that, we're basically ready 260 00:10:33.760 --> 00:10:34.760 to jump in the scripture. 261 00:10:34.760 --> 00:10:36.000 I think so. 262 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:37.200 That's so crazy. 263 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:40.080 Let's get into this introductory chapter. 264 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:41.800 I'm gonna read from verse one. 265 00:10:41.800 --> 00:10:43.760 I'm just gonna go through, actually, 266 00:10:43.760 --> 00:10:45.960 we'll just start with the first two verses, 267 00:10:45.960 --> 00:10:48.000 look through those and then we'll take it in chunks. 268 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:51.000 We'll go verse, let's go verse three to five 269 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:52.520 and then six to 10. 270 00:10:52.520 --> 00:10:54.240 Okay, here's the first two verses. 271 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.280 Follow along with me again. 272 00:10:55.280 --> 00:10:56.560 I'm reading the ESV. 273 00:10:57.760 --> 00:11:01.280 First Thessalonians chapter one, verse one. 274 00:11:01.280 --> 00:11:04.720 Paul, Sylvanas and Timothy 275 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:07.240 to the church of the Thessalonians 276 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:11.120 in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 277 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.200 Grace to you and peace. 278 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:16.400 We give thanks to God always 279 00:11:16.400 --> 00:11:20.320 for all of you constantly mentioning you in our prayers. 280 00:11:21.280 --> 00:11:22.720 It feels weird to stop there. 281 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:23.760 I'm just gonna keep going. 282 00:11:23.760 --> 00:11:24.600 Okay. 283 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:27.400 Remembering before our God and Father, 284 00:11:27.400 --> 00:11:30.200 your work of faith and labor of love 285 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:34.800 and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 286 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:39.680 Anything stand out to you in those beginning verses, is he? 287 00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:41.520 Little bits and bobs, you know. 288 00:11:41.520 --> 00:11:43.800 I think there's actually something that every single verse 289 00:11:43.800 --> 00:11:45.160 in this, I've taken a little, 290 00:11:45.160 --> 00:11:48.480 a little note of, so we'll see what I have to bring. 291 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:53.040 But I think it's him thanking God immediately, 292 00:11:53.040 --> 00:11:55.520 which it's not Paul taking any of the credit. 293 00:11:55.520 --> 00:11:58.320 It could only be by God that this church was established 294 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:00.040 and that the Spirit has come 295 00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:01.760 and the lives have been transformed, 296 00:12:01.760 --> 00:12:03.080 especially if you think he was there 297 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.560 for a number of weeks or months, 298 00:12:05.560 --> 00:12:07.080 but a very short amount of time. 299 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:10.920 It's like the fact that this church is actually so zealous, 300 00:12:10.920 --> 00:12:15.280 so transformed, it can only be through God 301 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:19.760 and him giving God that glory from the get-go. 302 00:12:19.760 --> 00:12:21.320 I think he's really clear. 303 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:22.440 So interesting. 304 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:26.160 The thing that stood out to me was in verse two, 305 00:12:26.160 --> 00:12:31.080 where he talks about always mentioning this church 306 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:32.320 in his prayers. 307 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:35.640 I know you're a prayer warrior. 308 00:12:35.640 --> 00:12:37.040 I'm really trying to work on my prayer. 309 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:42.120 I have to find there's so much to pray about. 310 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:46.760 There's so much, especially in the world right now. 311 00:12:46.760 --> 00:12:50.720 It feels like there's so much to pray about globally, 312 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:52.600 even just in my own friends, 313 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:54.640 but I feel really challenged by this 314 00:12:54.640 --> 00:12:58.560 because it's not often that I actually just pray 315 00:12:58.560 --> 00:13:02.160 for either my own church or the church, 316 00:13:02.160 --> 00:13:06.000 the global church, do you pray for the church? 317 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:09.000 I pray for my own church most days 318 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:14.000 and my community and the work of the church that I attend. 319 00:13:14.120 --> 00:13:19.200 I'm not as great as praying for the wider church, 320 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:22.400 but I also think that Paul, even just saying, 321 00:13:22.400 --> 00:13:24.440 he often says that I'm thinking of you and praying for you, 322 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:27.080 and I don't know if that's always these deep, 323 00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:32.400 long, contemplative prayers, 324 00:13:32.400 --> 00:13:33.560 or if it's actually been like, 325 00:13:33.560 --> 00:13:35.400 God be with that church and then he's not moving on. 326 00:13:35.400 --> 00:13:38.520 I don't know if it's, and also I think God's beyond 327 00:13:38.560 --> 00:13:41.840 that, sometimes a church can pop into our mind 328 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.960 or a situation pop into our mind. 329 00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:46.720 God may be with them in that situation, 330 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:49.400 and God is so powerful that he can just use that. 331 00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:51.120 So I'm not like every day being like, 332 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:53.280 God, your global church needs your help, 333 00:13:53.280 --> 00:13:54.640 and maybe I definitely should be, 334 00:13:54.640 --> 00:13:57.840 but I'm a lot better at practically praying 335 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:00.920 for my own church and my own community. 336 00:14:00.920 --> 00:14:02.640 I think it's so important as well. 337 00:14:05.280 --> 00:14:07.040 Prayer is really powerful. 338 00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:09.840 We see Jesus praying constantly. 339 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.400 Here we have an example of Paul. 340 00:14:11.400 --> 00:14:13.360 It says, it says in mind, 341 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:16.080 it says constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 342 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:18.160 but I like, it has a little note and says, 343 00:14:18.160 --> 00:14:20.120 or without seizing, 344 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.400 that just like, I don't know, 345 00:14:23.400 --> 00:14:25.640 that language really portrays to me 346 00:14:25.640 --> 00:14:28.200 that they understood the power of prayer. 347 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:31.320 I think we're, if we're hungry to see the Lord move 348 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:33.040 and transform more lives. 349 00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:34.080 We gotta be praying about it. 350 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:35.680 Yeah, well, there's that verse isn't it 351 00:14:35.680 --> 00:14:37.080 that he probably wrote as well, 352 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.160 that it's like praying continuously 353 00:14:39.160 --> 00:14:40.760 with all different kinds of prayers, 354 00:14:41.800 --> 00:14:43.520 and that is continuously. 355 00:14:43.520 --> 00:14:44.960 So as you're walking about your day, 356 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:46.680 just like talk to God about it, 357 00:14:46.680 --> 00:14:47.960 if that's journaling in the morning, 358 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:49.920 if that's worshiping and singing, 359 00:14:49.920 --> 00:14:51.360 if that's in the car, 360 00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:55.240 or through art or through dance, 361 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:56.800 and you're giving it to God and praying, 362 00:14:56.800 --> 00:14:59.720 like it's continuously in all different kinds of prayers, 363 00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:01.360 but we should just be bringing him in 364 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:04.480 and knowing that there is genuine power in prayer, 365 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:06.160 like that can move mountains, 366 00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:07.840 and he's simply sight of that. 367 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:11.480 And again, like even maybe part of the reason this church 368 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:13.280 is actually still going strong is 369 00:15:13.280 --> 00:15:15.440 because Paul was praying for it. 370 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.520 So I think it's, we don't know- 371 00:15:17.520 --> 00:15:18.360 Like that. 372 00:15:18.360 --> 00:15:20.200 Yeah, but like sometimes things only happen 373 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.160 because we pray for it and things don't happen 374 00:15:22.160 --> 00:15:23.560 because you haven't prayed for it. 375 00:15:23.560 --> 00:15:27.000 So maybe in this example is Paul's in praying 376 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:28.920 and the church is thriving. 377 00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:30.520 I also love how encouraging it is. 378 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:32.840 It's encouraging not only that he prays, 379 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:36.240 but then if you read on in verse three, 380 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.720 remembering before our God and Father, 381 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:42.160 your work of faith encourages them in their work of faith, 382 00:15:42.160 --> 00:15:46.600 labor of love and steadfastness of hope 383 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:48.520 in our Lord Jesus Christ. 384 00:15:48.520 --> 00:15:51.960 And we're gonna see how he continues to just encourage. 385 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:53.440 Yeah. 386 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:57.080 Like I don't know, I find it so easy to get down the dumps 387 00:15:57.080 --> 00:15:59.560 about all the negative things that are happening. 388 00:15:59.560 --> 00:16:02.320 Seems like Paul's first inclination 389 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:05.160 to respond to their persecution that they're receiving 390 00:16:05.160 --> 00:16:07.160 is to encourage them and what they're already doing. 391 00:16:07.160 --> 00:16:10.120 Think like there's probably so many people 392 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:14.000 who are really giving their all for Jesus 393 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:17.000 and are not encouraged by the church. 394 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.480 I think alongside praying for one another, 395 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.320 we could really do a number on encouraging one another. 396 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:23.160 Yeah. 397 00:16:23.160 --> 00:16:24.760 So hey, I just wanted to encourage you. 398 00:16:24.760 --> 00:16:25.760 Oh, dear. 399 00:16:25.760 --> 00:16:26.560 Oh? 400 00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:27.960 Sorry, I'm ready. 401 00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:29.360 Do you not take encouragement well? 402 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:30.640 I'm just not on camera. 403 00:16:30.640 --> 00:16:31.920 Okay, I'm ready. 404 00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:33.560 No, I was just gonna say, 405 00:16:33.560 --> 00:16:35.680 I have known that you're a prayer warrior 406 00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:36.480 for quite some time. 407 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:37.640 I want to celebrate that. 408 00:16:37.640 --> 00:16:38.480 Thanks. 409 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.000 You really do invest in prayer. 410 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:42.600 And that's something that I want to, 411 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:43.440 I want to press into. 412 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.680 You inspire me. 413 00:16:46.680 --> 00:16:48.280 I'm gonna move on. 414 00:16:48.280 --> 00:16:49.280 There you go. 415 00:16:49.280 --> 00:16:51.040 That's a little example of how you could encourage so what else? 416 00:16:51.040 --> 00:16:52.040 Should we keep reading from? 417 00:16:52.040 --> 00:16:53.160 No, I was something else to say. 418 00:16:53.160 --> 00:16:53.840 Oh, you're something else to say. 419 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:54.840 I have something else to say. 420 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:55.840 No, okay. 421 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.640 So I think this is the first let's say 422 00:16:58.640 --> 00:17:01.240 that Paul wrote to a church, right? 423 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:04.280 And so I also, I find that really cool. 424 00:17:04.280 --> 00:17:08.160 Wait, so that means we think it's the first letter anyway. 425 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.200 This is like the, you're saying this is like 426 00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:12.800 the earliest letter that we have. 427 00:17:12.800 --> 00:17:13.640 I think so. 428 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:16.040 So it's like the start of the New Testament. 429 00:17:16.040 --> 00:17:18.080 It's not the new. 430 00:17:18.080 --> 00:17:19.160 Sorry, I interrupted. 431 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:20.000 That's fine. 432 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.840 That's pretty cool. 433 00:17:20.840 --> 00:17:22.280 We're reading like the OG. 434 00:17:22.280 --> 00:17:23.280 Yeah. 435 00:17:23.280 --> 00:17:25.200 Yeah, that kind of actually is on my point. 436 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:28.320 But this trio of faith, hope and love 437 00:17:28.320 --> 00:17:30.320 Paul uses quite a lot throughout his letters. 438 00:17:30.320 --> 00:17:32.120 And this is therefore the first mention 439 00:17:32.120 --> 00:17:35.720 of this faith, hope and love in the New Testament. 440 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.560 Okay. 441 00:17:36.560 --> 00:17:39.040 And the way it's written in my Bible is slightly different to yours. 442 00:17:39.040 --> 00:17:43.320 But it's about the remember before our God and father 443 00:17:43.320 --> 00:17:47.920 your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love 444 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.600 and your endurance inspired by hope. 445 00:17:50.600 --> 00:17:54.200 And I think it's like it's not just these things, 446 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:56.280 but actually what they produce. 447 00:17:56.280 --> 00:17:58.480 And so faith is work. 448 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.080 And then love is labor and they're a bit different. 449 00:18:01.080 --> 00:18:02.520 I think work sometimes. 450 00:18:02.520 --> 00:18:04.000 I mean, I kind of looked into it briefly, 451 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.120 but work could be more pleasant 452 00:18:05.120 --> 00:18:07.200 where labor is a bit more like a strange way. 453 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.640 And then hope is endurance. 454 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:13.800 And that's like the perseverance through the difficulty 455 00:18:13.800 --> 00:18:17.520 and the persecutor, the persecution 456 00:18:17.520 --> 00:18:22.000 that they're facing, the stumble of my tongue there. 457 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.800 But I think it's this is a theme that he brings up 458 00:18:24.800 --> 00:18:26.200 a lot through the New Testament. 459 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:27.720 And it's straight off the bat. 460 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:28.800 It's like faith, hope and love. 461 00:18:28.800 --> 00:18:31.280 And this is what they produce. 462 00:18:31.280 --> 00:18:34.600 Why do you think he brings that up so often? 463 00:18:34.600 --> 00:18:36.400 To know. 464 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:39.840 But it's always been something that's been in my life. 465 00:18:39.840 --> 00:18:43.080 So the church I grew up in, they're like motto tagline 466 00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:44.200 which is faith, hope and love. 467 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:46.080 And so I've always lived stick when it comes up. 468 00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:46.840 Interest. 469 00:18:46.840 --> 00:18:48.920 But I think they're really like their key things 470 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:52.240 that should define our life is faith, hope and love. 471 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:56.520 And that is, should be in us, but also produce us working 472 00:18:56.520 --> 00:18:58.160 and produce us, right? 473 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.120 So cool. 474 00:18:59.120 --> 00:19:00.400 Enjoying all that stuff. 475 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.240 So cool. 476 00:19:03.040 --> 00:19:04.840 Hello, I'm just interrupting the podcast. 477 00:19:04.840 --> 00:19:06.000 I say, thanks for listening. 478 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.200 And I hope you're enjoying. 479 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:09.840 But we would love that if you're watching on YouTube 480 00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:11.840 to give us a like and a subscribe. 481 00:19:11.840 --> 00:19:14.360 And if you're listening on Apple or Spotify, 482 00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:16.800 then why don't you give us a follow and a little rating 483 00:19:16.800 --> 00:19:19.720 because our mission is to share the good news of Jesus 484 00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:21.200 with every young person online. 485 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:23.520 And you doing that really helps make that possible. 486 00:19:23.520 --> 00:19:25.400 But let's get back to the episode. 487 00:19:27.280 --> 00:19:31.680 Verse four, for we know, brothers loved by God, 488 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.680 that He has chosen you because our gospel came to you 489 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:40.880 not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit 490 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:43.160 and with full conviction. 491 00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:46.720 You know what kind of men we prove to be among you. 492 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:50.440 For your sake, stop there. 493 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:53.040 The Lord was moving in Thessalonica. 494 00:19:53.040 --> 00:19:54.240 You really was. 495 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.080 They didn't just show up and speak the gospel. 496 00:19:58.080 --> 00:20:00.000 Like it says, he moved in power. 497 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:01.520 What do you think happened? 498 00:20:01.520 --> 00:20:03.520 I've underlined the word power, 499 00:20:03.520 --> 00:20:06.640 which means I had a thought to say on it. 500 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.760 Can I remember it at this very moment in time? 501 00:20:08.760 --> 00:20:11.960 No, I can't, which means it probably was irrelevant. 502 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:14.920 But yeah, it is power, something happened, 503 00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:19.120 something was transformed, their life was transformed. 504 00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:23.520 And I think it's, I mean, the little notes I have for verse four 505 00:20:23.520 --> 00:20:27.320 is they're loved by God and He's been chosen. 506 00:20:27.320 --> 00:20:30.560 Like when we love someone, we naturally choose them. 507 00:20:30.560 --> 00:20:32.120 So actually it's like God loves them. 508 00:20:32.120 --> 00:20:33.080 So he's choosing them. 509 00:20:33.080 --> 00:20:35.040 And as they learn what God is, 510 00:20:35.040 --> 00:20:37.320 they've loved God and then chosen God. 511 00:20:37.320 --> 00:20:40.880 And this word, what's your translation of verse four? 512 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:42.640 Three, no brothers and sisters loved by God. 513 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:43.480 It's like what you all say. 514 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:45.840 So does you all say beloved? 515 00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:47.360 No, it says loved. 516 00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:49.560 So in some, another translation it speaks about, 517 00:20:49.560 --> 00:20:52.080 like it's beloved by God. 518 00:20:52.080 --> 00:20:54.320 And previously that word is only used 519 00:20:54.320 --> 00:20:58.800 to describe like Moses or Solomon or the nation of Israel. 520 00:20:58.800 --> 00:21:02.960 But now this word beloved of God loving them 521 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:05.120 is now used for the Gentiles. 522 00:21:05.120 --> 00:21:07.600 And for this early church, I think it's beautiful. 523 00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:11.080 Again, as this first letter, this is poor saying, 524 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:13.880 this is legit, this is church, this is Jesus. 525 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:15.880 This is God moving and you are beloved. 526 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:18.760 And I think that's really beautiful. 527 00:21:18.760 --> 00:21:22.440 And then that comes into power. 528 00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:24.560 Like God is moving in power. 529 00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:27.800 So when God loves these people, these beloved people, 530 00:21:27.800 --> 00:21:30.240 stuff happens, life changes. 531 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:33.520 The spirit comes and you know, all that good stuff. 532 00:21:34.560 --> 00:21:36.320 What are your thoughts? 533 00:21:36.320 --> 00:21:38.320 Well, I just got a weird sense from Lord. 534 00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:39.800 Okay. 535 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:42.440 I really highlighted the word chosen. 536 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:47.200 I will, I almost get the sense that someone watching this 537 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:50.640 needs to know that they are chosen by God, 538 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:55.640 that he sees you and he wants a relationship with you. 539 00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:03.880 And he chose to die for you, 540 00:22:03.880 --> 00:22:07.520 to receive his love and everlasting life. 541 00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:10.000 And there's something really special in that, 542 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:12.560 like that you are seen and loved. 543 00:22:12.560 --> 00:22:14.800 I don't know, maybe someone just needed to hear that, 544 00:22:14.800 --> 00:22:19.800 but I think that's always a good reminder anyways. 545 00:22:20.280 --> 00:22:21.440 Absolutely. 546 00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:25.280 God chose you and he was for you 547 00:22:25.280 --> 00:22:30.200 before you could even have the choice to be for him. 548 00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:31.960 And that's like so special. 549 00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:32.720 Yeah. 550 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.240 Like how loved we are. 551 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:37.080 It's even just, it's even just special 552 00:22:37.080 --> 00:22:40.240 if like your parent tells you that they love you. 553 00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:44.480 The God of the universe who created everything, 554 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:47.360 especially looking out for you 555 00:22:47.360 --> 00:22:50.240 and sees you on your journey. 556 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:54.080 He chooses to be with you despite anything 557 00:22:54.080 --> 00:22:56.320 that's happened in your life. 558 00:22:56.320 --> 00:22:58.520 I don't know, maybe someone needed to hear that, but. 559 00:22:58.520 --> 00:23:01.040 Maybe you'll need to hear it from time to time as well. 560 00:23:02.040 --> 00:23:02.880 Exactly. 561 00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:05.560 There we go. 562 00:23:05.560 --> 00:23:08.480 I hope that encouraged someone. 563 00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:10.800 Well, I just had a question. 564 00:23:10.800 --> 00:23:12.120 I don't know if you know the answer. 565 00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:12.960 Okay. 566 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.920 So just before we go on to the rest of chapter one, 567 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:18.120 I saw in the end of verse five, 568 00:23:18.120 --> 00:23:21.480 it says, you know what kind of men we prove to be among you 569 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:23.640 for your sake. 570 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:28.640 And that indicates like the purpose of their actions 571 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:30.920 was to pour love on others. 572 00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:33.120 But do you ever have to like remind yourself 573 00:23:33.120 --> 00:23:36.640 of the purpose of why we imitate Christ 574 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.040 and why we love others? 575 00:23:39.120 --> 00:23:40.120 Yeah. 576 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:46.680 It can be so easy to make Jesus all about me, 577 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:48.640 all about like this. 578 00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:49.560 I wanna live this way. 579 00:23:49.560 --> 00:23:52.840 So I'm seen, you know, by Jesus a good person. 580 00:23:52.840 --> 00:23:55.960 Actually, he pours out his gifts on us. 581 00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:58.160 The purpose is purely for other people. 582 00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:00.720 Like he gives us the spirit of the purpose 583 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.240 for other people to be blessed and to have his love. 584 00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:07.240 How do you remind yourself of that truth? 585 00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:10.880 To be honest, most of the time I'm reminded 586 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:13.200 through me being blessed with other people. 587 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:16.280 And then I'm like, oh, that's what I meant to be to others. 588 00:24:16.280 --> 00:24:19.960 And I think it's like I think I'm quite good at 589 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:21.520 living my life for Jesus. 590 00:24:21.520 --> 00:24:23.960 I walk the Christian way, 591 00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:26.200 but I think I often forget the power of it. 592 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:29.040 And then you have conversations and you are reminded, 593 00:24:29.040 --> 00:24:31.360 that I think sometimes we do have to actually 594 00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:33.880 self remind ourselves because sometimes we don't see 595 00:24:33.880 --> 00:24:35.240 the fruit of it. 596 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:38.440 We don't see people seeing our lives and therefore seeing Jesus. 597 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:41.280 Sometimes you hear the stories years later of how, 598 00:24:41.280 --> 00:24:42.880 actually, that was an answer to prayer 599 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:44.880 or how God really used you in that moment. 600 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:47.280 But a lot of the time you kind of have to have faith 601 00:24:47.280 --> 00:24:50.080 that if the spirit is in me, if Jesus is in me 602 00:24:50.080 --> 00:24:52.520 and living in me, that he's gonna be shining out 603 00:24:52.520 --> 00:24:54.800 and doing something and it's probably beyond my knowledge. 604 00:24:54.800 --> 00:24:58.040 Let's hope so because my knowledge is very limited. 605 00:24:58.040 --> 00:24:59.080 But I'm so true. 606 00:24:59.080 --> 00:25:03.600 But I, yeah, I think it's that I have to remind myself 607 00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:08.600 that Jesus giving me the spirit isn't solely for me. 608 00:25:08.960 --> 00:25:11.520 It's actually to work through me for others. 609 00:25:11.520 --> 00:25:14.040 And that's how, that's how he works. 610 00:25:14.040 --> 00:25:16.880 That's how Jesus came. 611 00:25:16.880 --> 00:25:20.320 And even that, like the story of Jesus washing 612 00:25:20.320 --> 00:25:22.480 the disciples' feet and then in response, 613 00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:25.760 it's not they then wash his feet, it's no, 614 00:25:25.760 --> 00:25:28.000 I'm washing your feet so then you can wash other feet. 615 00:25:28.120 --> 00:25:31.960 Like it is purely so he comes, he gives love to us 616 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:34.240 and then in response, ours us to love others. 617 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:36.960 And I think that's the, that's our call. 618 00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:38.600 But we have to remind ourselves daily 619 00:25:38.600 --> 00:25:41.600 because I think our natural human instincts is very much. 620 00:25:41.600 --> 00:25:45.080 Me, me, me, me, me, me, me. 621 00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:47.680 Do Re, me, fa, solatee, do. 622 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.680 Wow. 623 00:25:50.340 --> 00:25:51.680 Verse six to 10. 624 00:25:51.680 --> 00:26:01.420 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the Word in much affliction 625 00:26:01.420 --> 00:26:06.940 will come back to that with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example 626 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:11.360 to all the believers in Macedonia and Akaya. 627 00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:17.680 For not only has the Word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Akaya, but 628 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:20.800 your faith in God has gone forth everywhere. 629 00:26:20.800 --> 00:26:24.200 We'll come back to that. 630 00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:27.020 So that we need not say anything. 631 00:26:27.020 --> 00:26:32.120 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you and 632 00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:37.640 how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God. 633 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:39.280 We'll come back to that. 634 00:26:39.280 --> 00:26:40.680 Awesome. 635 00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:45.880 And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus, who delivers 636 00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:48.840 us from the wrath to come. 637 00:26:48.840 --> 00:26:51.040 First one we are going to come back to. 638 00:26:51.040 --> 00:26:55.800 You received the Word in much affliction. 639 00:26:55.800 --> 00:26:58.800 That again, we're just circling back. 640 00:26:58.800 --> 00:27:00.400 They received it. 641 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:07.320 They were persecuted for it, but the joy of the Holy Spirit says in the end of that verse. 642 00:27:07.320 --> 00:27:14.560 Dude, the joy of the Holy Spirit, this is classic Sunday school. 643 00:27:14.560 --> 00:27:18.240 The joy is a little bit different from the happiness. 644 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:19.240 Yes. 645 00:27:19.240 --> 00:27:21.240 Do you think they were happy in the midst of their suffering? 646 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.680 I don't think they were very happy. 647 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:23.920 I don't think they'd be happy about it. 648 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:30.800 I think they may have chosen different circumstances if they could have just as a guess. 649 00:27:30.800 --> 00:27:37.800 But joy does something really interesting, at least I've noticed in my life, that the 650 00:27:37.800 --> 00:27:47.920 joy of the Holy Spirit means that despite the circumstances, I can have hope, and I'm 651 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:53.080 trying to think of a better word other than joy to explain joy. 652 00:27:53.080 --> 00:28:01.280 But I can kind of have an uplifted spirit within me, despite bad things happening all 653 00:28:01.280 --> 00:28:02.280 around me. 654 00:28:02.280 --> 00:28:03.880 Boy, do we need that today? 655 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:05.880 The joy of the Lord is our strength. 656 00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:06.880 What's that? 657 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:08.520 It's not like a Neomir or something. 658 00:28:08.520 --> 00:28:10.520 That's so rogue if it's not that. 659 00:28:10.520 --> 00:28:12.000 I don't know where that is in the Bible. 660 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:13.400 You come up on the screen. 661 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:18.600 But I think another word that is still joy, but like is they can still rejoice in the 662 00:28:18.600 --> 00:28:19.600 Lord. 663 00:28:19.600 --> 00:28:20.600 There's things to be grateful for. 664 00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:23.440 There's things that they can still praise and give thanks for. 665 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:28.920 And when actually when you have that joy and you can rejoice in God, it's like your 666 00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:31.960 perspective changes because again, you know, he's got the victory. 667 00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:33.440 You know that he's in it. 668 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:35.440 He's with you in it. 669 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:37.840 And he's done so many incredible things. 670 00:28:37.840 --> 00:28:40.320 And so, but that is a spiritual gift. 671 00:28:40.320 --> 00:28:41.640 That's not a normal human thing. 672 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:45.440 The normal human thing is like, why the heck is this happening to me? 673 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:49.200 But the joy of the Lord and the joy of the spirit is like, this is happening. 674 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:54.360 Yeah, I'm going to praise and I'm going to give thanks because my God is so good. 675 00:28:54.360 --> 00:28:55.880 My middle name is joy. 676 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:58.160 Cool back from earlier. 677 00:28:58.160 --> 00:28:59.160 Huge. 678 00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:00.160 Huge. 679 00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:05.200 So they're, yeah, they're in affliction. 680 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:07.760 They have the joy of the Holy Spirit. 681 00:29:07.760 --> 00:29:09.760 Let's circle back to you. 682 00:29:09.760 --> 00:29:15.240 You became an example to all the believers and then it expands. 683 00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:19.600 Your faith in God has gone forth everywhere. 684 00:29:19.600 --> 00:29:24.960 Dude, these guys are like stand up students. 685 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:30.680 They're like, they're getting all the a's, all the best grades and all the praises. 686 00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:32.680 Everyone knows about their faith. 687 00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.680 Yeah. 688 00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:37.440 But I think it's also so it's you became a model to all of the believers. 689 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:42.560 And I suppose it's, we sometimes need others to show us how to follow Jesus. 690 00:29:42.560 --> 00:29:44.560 Not just here about how to follow Jesus. 691 00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:45.560 And so I think. 692 00:29:45.560 --> 00:29:46.920 Wait, wait, say that again, say that again. 693 00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:51.000 We need others to show us how to follow Jesus. 694 00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.320 Not just like here about how, but they just show us how. 695 00:29:55.320 --> 00:29:59.560 And I think this is an example of that is that actually it's ringing out as mine says 696 00:29:59.560 --> 00:30:04.840 it rang out from you to, you know, everywhere, but actually it's, it's not just hearing 697 00:30:04.840 --> 00:30:10.400 about how you should, but it rang out because they were showing it. 698 00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:15.000 And again, that really comes back to the question you asked me of like previously, 699 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:20.200 I can't remember how you were to do it in the end, but about how like actually that's 700 00:30:20.200 --> 00:30:22.480 the power of when you're living for Jesus. 701 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:26.560 When you show people what it means to know Jesus, that's what rings out. 702 00:30:26.560 --> 00:30:31.040 And it goes beyond just your city, but goes out everywhere. 703 00:30:31.040 --> 00:30:35.240 And it actually was, when he says everywhere, it probably means it really did spread out far 704 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:36.240 beyond. 705 00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:38.640 I mean, that's why he was even chased out of the next town. 706 00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:40.280 It was going beyond and beyond. 707 00:30:40.280 --> 00:30:46.080 And Thessalonians was, as we said, the capital of the province of Macedonians, I say, 708 00:30:46.080 --> 00:30:47.840 which is in Northern Greece. 709 00:30:47.840 --> 00:30:51.760 And it was like this cosmopolitan trading town where there's a lot of people coming in 710 00:30:51.760 --> 00:30:52.760 and out. 711 00:30:52.760 --> 00:30:56.600 So it really, people were like, yo, what's happening with these people? 712 00:30:56.600 --> 00:31:03.520 And then it really was spreading across all that time and place, which is pretty sick. 713 00:31:03.520 --> 00:31:07.000 Like and we probably don't realize the power that that still has today. 714 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:08.000 I mean, like we're in London. 715 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:12.640 That's quite a cosmopolitan trading town, something to say. 716 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:16.560 So actually, what would it look like for us in our town? 717 00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:18.800 People coming in out everywhere in the world. 718 00:31:18.800 --> 00:31:23.680 What does it look like for our town, for our context, if us showing what it means to live 719 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:26.480 for Jesus, how that could ring out far beyond? 720 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:27.840 Well, what do you think? 721 00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:35.760 Because I really want to be known for Jesus living through me, for my relationship with 722 00:31:35.760 --> 00:31:36.760 God. 723 00:31:36.760 --> 00:31:40.320 I don't know if I'm really there yet. 724 00:31:40.320 --> 00:31:44.080 I don't know if people would based on my character. 725 00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:52.160 I think they might know because I'll repost like a church reel or because, I don't know, 726 00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:57.280 I'll make a like a Christian joke or a Bible joke every once in a while or I might talk 727 00:31:57.280 --> 00:32:01.200 about how I go to church, but I don't know if people would know based on my character. 728 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:02.200 I actually disagree. 729 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.520 I think they do. 730 00:32:03.520 --> 00:32:07.640 If you think of you, now it looks to me encouraging you return. 731 00:32:07.640 --> 00:32:08.640 Wow. 732 00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:10.280 Who knew what happened? 733 00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:17.360 So your job as a youth leader, so actually you have influence over hundreds of children. 734 00:32:17.360 --> 00:32:21.160 And so actually them seeing you is your their example. 735 00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:25.480 And from your character, are they understanding more what it means to love like Jesus and 736 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:27.880 live like Jesus than if you weren't there? 737 00:32:27.880 --> 00:32:29.480 Yeah, they totally are. 738 00:32:29.480 --> 00:32:33.040 Does it look like, I don't know, going to different towns and spreading out? 739 00:32:33.040 --> 00:32:35.760 I don't know, but also we don't know what these youth are going to grow up to be. 740 00:32:35.760 --> 00:32:37.560 But I'm pretty certain that they'll remember. 741 00:32:37.560 --> 00:32:39.040 I remember Zach, that youth leader. 742 00:32:39.040 --> 00:32:41.880 He just like, he just loved me in such a way. 743 00:32:41.880 --> 00:32:44.120 He was so fun, so full of joy. 744 00:32:44.120 --> 00:32:46.320 Yeah, he could talk so deeply about Jesus. 745 00:32:46.320 --> 00:32:49.160 Like that will impact more than you realize. 746 00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:56.200 So not to have a little glaze actually, but, but like you will be making an impact. 747 00:32:56.200 --> 00:33:00.920 We all be making more of an impact in our circles than we realize just by being us. 748 00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:04.600 But we may not see it personally, we'll see the fruit of it, but it will be happening 749 00:33:04.600 --> 00:33:07.920 if we're truly showing what it means to live like Jesus. 750 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:12.880 Okay, give me before before we move on to the last few verses, give me a challenge. 751 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:21.600 How could someone in today's day and age average person more center their character around 752 00:33:21.600 --> 00:33:25.400 Christ in such a way that it would be visible to others? 753 00:33:25.400 --> 00:33:29.200 I think it's different for everyone, but I think we actually can personally reflect on 754 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:33.160 ourselves and challenge ourselves. 755 00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:38.920 So for me, I recently gave this challenge where I can quite often like have a situation 756 00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:41.440 and then grab a friend and just like speak quite negatively. 757 00:33:41.440 --> 00:33:48.040 And even though it's like to a safe person, like what if I just don't speak negatively 758 00:33:48.040 --> 00:33:49.960 about someone to someone else. 759 00:33:49.960 --> 00:33:54.640 So for me, that's something I'm very purposefully doing, which is like, just don't say it. 760 00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:58.880 If someone is annoying me, instead of outwardly saying, oh, this person's really annoying 761 00:33:58.880 --> 00:33:59.880 me. 762 00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:05.560 Like, instead, I would be like, just say nothing at all, but I'm being like an intentional. 763 00:34:05.560 --> 00:34:09.440 That's a challenge for me to bring that to God instead of speaking out, but it could 764 00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.440 look different. 765 00:34:10.440 --> 00:34:13.320 It depends what that looks like for you. 766 00:34:13.320 --> 00:34:18.520 And you know, I think we all kind of know in our hearts something we could do. 767 00:34:18.520 --> 00:34:19.520 Yeah. 768 00:34:19.520 --> 00:34:21.120 What do you think you could do? 769 00:34:21.120 --> 00:34:27.960 Yeah, I think I have a real tendency to make jokes at others expenses. 770 00:34:28.640 --> 00:34:30.440 Did that make sense? 771 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:36.000 I don't know if that's the most Christlike quality. 772 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:43.800 I think there's room for me to kind of like have a laugh in a more kind way. 773 00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:44.800 Lift them up. 774 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:50.040 And genuinely, yeah, genuinely like in every interaction, only be lifting up those of 775 00:34:50.040 --> 00:34:51.040 around. 776 00:34:51.040 --> 00:34:56.120 Still can challenge, but yeah, I like that. 777 00:34:56.120 --> 00:35:00.640 Well, we challenge those watching to have a little reflect on themselves and what they 778 00:35:00.640 --> 00:35:04.040 can do and write it down and commit to it. 779 00:35:04.040 --> 00:35:05.040 Okay. 780 00:35:05.040 --> 00:35:07.440 Last one, we've read a lot of these 10 verses. 781 00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:10.640 What was the, what was the thing that you said we're going to circle back to? 782 00:35:10.640 --> 00:35:12.680 It's how they turned from idols. 783 00:35:12.680 --> 00:35:13.680 Hmm. 784 00:35:13.680 --> 00:35:20.640 Well, we can say they tell how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. 785 00:35:20.640 --> 00:35:26.000 So it's actually, it's not that they just heard the word of God and was like, I believe 786 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:30.240 it and become nice persons, they genuinely changed their lives. 787 00:35:30.240 --> 00:35:33.280 They threw out idols, they changed the culture. 788 00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:35.080 They were quite radical about it. 789 00:35:35.080 --> 00:35:37.920 They weren't soft with it. 790 00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:40.640 They weren't, I'm going to bring Jesus into what I'm already doing. 791 00:35:40.640 --> 00:35:41.760 They were like proactive with it. 792 00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:45.360 And I think that's again, really inspiring. 793 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:50.360 And it's like lives of true Jesus followers, preach for themselves. 794 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:55.920 So like, yeah, kind of what we're talking about already, but like the lives, if you follow 795 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:59.080 Jesus, will preach for themselves. 796 00:35:59.080 --> 00:36:03.680 And I hear this phrase is a lot of like sometimes all the only Bible, some people read or preach 797 00:36:03.680 --> 00:36:08.040 the gospel and if needed, use words, which I don't love that phrase because Jesus used 798 00:36:08.040 --> 00:36:09.040 words. 799 00:36:09.040 --> 00:36:13.840 So therefore we probably should use words because if he had to, then we should too. 800 00:36:13.840 --> 00:36:18.840 But I think it is the importance of people should be able to look at our lives and identify. 801 00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.840 Right. 802 00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:27.720 There aren't idols, there aren't super dark cultural stuff in it, but it is just Jesus 803 00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:29.520 at the center. 804 00:36:29.520 --> 00:36:38.240 And then the end of number 10, verse 10, he basically brings it back to Jesus and encourages 805 00:36:38.240 --> 00:36:41.520 them that Jesus will return and will rescue us. 806 00:36:41.520 --> 00:36:46.560 And I suppose it's when we expect Jesus to come at any moment, we live like it, like 807 00:36:46.560 --> 00:36:48.920 our heart posture changes. 808 00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:54.560 So if we know, and maybe that's why they lived in such a radical way, why their life was 809 00:36:54.560 --> 00:37:00.760 so changed, is because they understood that Jesus is legit, we should be expecting him, 810 00:37:00.760 --> 00:37:05.680 he's going to come back, he's going to, you know, etc, etc. 811 00:37:05.680 --> 00:37:08.840 And therefore we should live like it and our heart should be in that posture for it. 812 00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:12.920 And I think that's again a challenge for us is we should also live in that same expectancy 813 00:37:12.920 --> 00:37:17.360 that Jesus is going to return and we should also live like it. 814 00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:19.000 Dang, he coming back. 815 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:20.200 Yeah. 816 00:37:20.200 --> 00:37:27.960 Well, unless you have anything else to say, I think it's been a great bottle study. 817 00:37:27.960 --> 00:37:31.080 And I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series meeting. 818 00:37:31.080 --> 00:37:36.080 Make sure if you're watching this, make sure you're on the lookout for first Thessalonians 819 00:37:36.080 --> 00:37:39.280 chapter two, it'll be out soon. 820 00:37:39.280 --> 00:37:45.160 And I just want to encourage all the listeners and the viewers, I'm loving it. 821 00:37:45.160 --> 00:37:48.840 Hey, man, the Lord's looking out for you guys. 822 00:37:48.840 --> 00:37:49.840 You guys are killing it. 823 00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:56.840 Keep pressing on, keep showing others your love and your faith and your hope. 824 00:37:56.840 --> 00:38:00.480 And we can't wait until the next episode. 825 00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:01.480 Nice. 826 00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:03.520 What emoji should they drop? 827 00:38:03.520 --> 00:38:07.080 Um, the, oh, this is my favorite emoji at the moment. 828 00:38:07.080 --> 00:38:08.080 The hands. 829 00:38:08.080 --> 00:38:10.920 I was going to say the hands hot. 830 00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:13.480 Drop the hands heart to spread the love. 831 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.480 Yeah. 832 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:17.240 Hey, why don't you as a little challenge as well? 833 00:38:17.240 --> 00:38:19.960 Go and encourage another brother or sister in Christ. 834 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:23.400 Tell them what you noticed in them and let's build one another out. 835 00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:24.960 But thanks so much for watching. 836 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:25.960 This has been awesome. 837 00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:26.960 It's been great. 838 00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:28.600 It's been great to study the Bible. 839 00:38:28.600 --> 00:38:30.520 Thanks for joining us. 840 00:38:30.520 --> 00:38:31.520 See you next time. 841 00:38:31.520 --> 00:38:32.520 Bye.