1 Thessalonians (Program #3) – The Triune God Embodied in the Word to Produce a Holy Life for the Church Life (1)

The word of God is so marvelous, the more you discover its’ infinite riches and hidden treasures the more you realize that there is far more to see than we can ever possibly exhaust. Its’ structure, its’ order even the subtle ways in which several passages begin are full of meaning and significance.

For example consider a passage that you may have read hundreds of times and never really stop to consider. Paul begins his letter to the Church in Thessalonica not in a general way, but in way that it is unique from the way he open any of his letters to the other Churches.

“Paul and Silvanus,” he writes, I Thessolonians 1:1, “and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”  Even in a simple greeting we just read we will see there is a lot of meaning here.

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1 Thessalonians (Program #2) – Characteristics of a Holy Life for the Church Life

The more you read the book of 1 Thessalonians, the more you can realize that this letter was written to very new believers. The apostle Paul passing through Macedonia close to one year before spent three weeks preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in, to use his word, power, in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance to the people of this dark and sinful city.

In God’s mercy a good number of these worldly people got saved in a marvelous way. And from that short time of labor the Church in Thessalonica was born. Their testimony became an encouragement to the entire region. And now several months later the apostle writes the first of his two epistles to them with the goal not just of encouraging them but of strengthening them in three important characteristics of the Christian life.

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1 Thessalonians (Program #1) – Introduction to a Holy Life for the Church Life

The apostle Paul’s two letters to the Church in Thessalonica may be considered his earliest writings. They are also significant in that they represent his fellowship to new believers, for the church in Thessalonica was made up almost exclusively of young people whom Paul personally preached the gospel to less than a year before he wrote this letter.

Acts chapter 16 gives us the account of how the Church in Thessalonica came into being.  In chapter 16 of Acts beginning in verse 9.  “And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: A certain man, a Macedonian, was standing and entreating him and saying, come over into Macedonia and help us.  And when he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavored to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to announce the gospel to them.”

And now jumping to chapter 17, “And they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.  And according to his custom Paul went in to them, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, opening and setting before them that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying, this is the Christ, the Jesus whom I announce to you. And some of them were persuaded and were joined to Paul and Silas, as well as a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and of the chief women not a few.”  So, a Church was born.

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Colossians (Program #48) – Persevering in Prayer

After some of the highest speaking, the highest utterance on Christ in the entire divine revelation contained in the Bible, the apostle Paul in the final chapter of Colossians, comes to this verse (v. 2), “Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving.” Nothing high or lofty but a burden on his heart. It’s interesting it matches very closely his utterance in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 where he says simply, “Unceasingly pray”. We conclude this life-study of Colossians today in the matter of prayer.

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Colossians (Program #47) – The Word Of Christ Inhabiting Us

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to God.” Immediately after speaking about the peace of Christ arbitrating in us, Paul goes on to tell us to let the word of Christ dwell in us. Why does Paul mention the indwelling word after the peace of Christ? The answer to this question relates to a basic principle revealed in the Bible that God’s speaking requires oneness. Whenever God’s people are divided, His word becomes rare. But when oneness is intact, even the oneness that is produced by the very life of Christ operating in us, God’s word automatically opens and the light pours in.

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Colossians (Program #46) – The Peace of Christ Arbitrating in our Heart

Allow me to ask a somewhat probing question. Are you at peace with God? Well, if you have received Christ as your redeemer and savior, there’s absolutely no reason not to be. Now, the same question with a twist. Are you at peace with all of God’s people? Aha, it’s not so easy to say, is it? Invariably within His one Body, there are and will be fractions and situations. These can ultimately lead even to more divisions and schisms within the body. So certainly, this is a serious matter. If we are enlightened a little, we know that we need Christ to make peace between us and God. But, how do we manage to make peace with His dear saints, His believers? By His mercy, we’ll get much help on today’s life study of Colossians.

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Colossians (Program #45) – The Renewing of the New Man

Here is an interesting question for us to ponder. Just what is Christ doing today? We all know that following His resurrection and ascension into glory, He was seated at the right hand of throne of God in the heavens. Well, does that mean He is just resting there? Or is He actively involved in the carrying out of God’s eternal plan and purpose?  Hebrews tell us that He’s very busy, in fact, interceding, that means praying on our behalf to God the Father. And, there’s more that He’s engaged in as we’ll see today.

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Colossians (Program #44) – One with Christ in the Things Above

The full salvation that we receive in Christ is not a simple thing. Yes, we have been forgiven and eternally secure to be with the Lord. That, in itself, sounds simple, but our salvation brings with it much more than simply this. For example, do you know that you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Well, this is a direct quote from Colossians 3:3. So what does it mean for our life to be hidden with Christ in God? Well, we’ll find out a bit more today, but for sure it means that when we receive Christ into us as life at the moment of regeneration or rebirth, Christ then hides us in Himself and brings us into God as our realm and our sphere. Still think salvation is a simple thing?

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Colossians (Program #43) – Christ as All the Members and in All The Members In the New Man

Colossians 3:4 says, “When Christ our life is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory.” What a wonderful utterance by Paul the Apostle! Christ our life. What is it to have Christ as our life? Well Paul goes even farther in Colossians to bring us to the eventual stage of having Christ not just as our life, but as our living. Christ, as our life, bring us to an awareness, a consciousness of His Body and our place as members in His Body. But Christ as our living bring us to the higher stage of the new man, where Christ is all and in all.

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Colossians (Program #42) – One Position, One Life, One Living, One Destiny, and One Glory With Christ

On one hand, Christ is mysterious, He is at the same time sitting at the right hand of God in the heavenlies but also simultaneously dwelling in us. He’s also practical. He not only saves us eternally, but He wants to become our very living, that is to live Himself out in our everyday life. We’ve been treated to a marvelous view of Christ in the book of Colossians for many weeks now. And as we near the end of this memorable life-study, we want to come back to a few key passages to be nourished and enlightened once again.

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