Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

a. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy: Paul was an amazing man and apostle of God, but he was not a "one-man show." Whenever he could, Paul worked with a team. Here, Paul mentions the men he worked with.

i. Silvanus (also known as Silas) was a long and experienced companion of Paul. He traveled with Paul on his second missionary journey and was imprisoned and set free with Paul in the Philippian jail (Acts 16:19-24). When Paul first came to Thessalonica, Silas came with him (Acts 17:1-9), so the Thessalonians knew Silvanus well.

ii. Timothy was a resident of Lystra, a city in the province of Galatia (Acts 16:1-3). He was the son of a Greek father (Acts 16:2), and a Jewish mother named Eunice (2 Timothy 2:5). From his youth, he had been taught in the Scriptures by his mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15). Timothy was a trusted companion and associate of Paul, and he accompanied Paul on many of his missionary journeys. Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians on a previous occasion (1 Thessalonians 3:2).

b. To the church of the Thessalonians: Paul himself founded the church in Thessalonica on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). He was only in the city a short time because he was forced out by enemies of the gospel. But the church of the Thessalonians left behind was alive and active. Paul's deep concern for this young church he had to suddenly leave prompted this letter.

i. On Paul's second missionary journey, he was imprisoned in Philippi, then miraculously freed from jail - only to be kicked out of the city. Then he came to Thessalonica, the prosperous capital of the province of Macedonia (northern Greece), located on the famous Egnatian Way.

ii. After several weeks of prosperous ministry, he had to flee from an angry mob. He moved on to Berea - again enjoying several weeks of ministry, but soon was driven out by the same Thessalonian mob.

iii. His next stop was Athens, where he preached a good sermon but had mixed results. By the time he came to Corinth, he was in weakness, in fear and in much trembling (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul was a very discouraged missionary!

iv. No doubt he was greatly concerned about the churches he had just founded - how were they doing? While at Corinth, Silas and Timothy came to him from Thessalonica with great news: the church there was going strong, and Paul got so excited that he dashed off this letter to the Thessalonians, probably his first letter to any church. He wrote it just a few months after he had first established the church in Thessalonica. After writing and sending this letter, Paul enjoyed a sustained and fruitful ministry in Corinth - and eventually returned to the Thessalonians.

c. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Paul brings his customary greeting to the Thessalonian Christians, hailing them in the grace and peace of God the Father.

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,

a. We give thanks to God always for you all: When Paul thought of the Christians in Thessalonica, his heart filled with gratitude. Paul started the church there in less than ideal circumstances, being run out of town after only three weekends with them (Acts 17:1-10). Yet the church was strong and full of life. Paul knew that this work was beyond him, that it was the work of God.

b. Making mention of you in our prayers: When Paul prayed for people and churches, it wasn't necessarily a long time of intercession. It could simply be making mention of a church or a person in prayer (Romans 1:9, Ephesians 1:16, Philemon 1:4).

Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

a. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith: There were things about the Christians in Thessalonica that Paul just could not forget. He always remembered them. What he remembered about them made him thankful.

i. Paul's gratitude didn't come because all the Christians in Thessalonica thought so highly of him. Later, Paul will use a whole chapter defending himself and his ministry against slander and false accusations.

ii. Paul's gratitude didn't come because the Thessalonian Christians were morally impeccable. Later in the letter, Paul will strongly warn them against their slide into sexual impurity.

iii. Paul's gratitude didn't come because the Thessalonian Christians were completely accurate in all their doctrine. He has corrections to make there also.

b. Your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ: Despite the problems, Paul had such gratitude to God for the Thessalonians because there was an undeniable work of the Holy Spirit, and a marvelous change in their lives. They had the three great Christian virtues: faith, love, and hope.

i. Faith looks back to a Crucified Savior. Love looks up to a Crowned Savior. Hope looks on to a Coming Savior.

c. Knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God: Paul reminds them that God loves them (beloved) and that He chose them (election). The two go together. When we love someone, we naturally choose them.

B. The cause and effect of the changes in the lives of the Thessalonians.

For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

a. For our gospel did not come to you in word only: The gospel is not a matter of mere words. Today, people get enough "mere words" from our entertainment culture. The world needs more than just words, it needs the power and life of the gospel.

b. Also in power: The message of Jesus Christ has power. It has power for miracles, power for wonderful signs from God, and best of all, power to change minds, hearts, and lives.

c. And in the Holy Spirit: It is a gospel by the Holy Spirit, a living Person, who works within the hearts of the hearers, to convict, to comfort and to instruct. If only the preacher speaks, then it is a matter of word only, but when the Holy Spirit works through the word, a great spiritual work is accomplished.

d. And in much assurance: It is a gospel given in much assurance. This describes the preacher who really believes what he preaches. There is no substitute for that assurance, and if a preacher doesn't have it, he should get out of the pulpit.

And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

a. And you became followers of us and of the Lord: They stopped following other things, but followed after Paul and the Lord. Paul says that it was a good thing for the Thessalonians to follow him, and he wasn't shy about saying "follow me" because he knew where he was going.

b. Having received the world in much affliction: They received the word, even in much affliction. There are many who will receive an easy, painless gospel, but how many will embrace a gospel that comes with adversity? The Thessalonians did and Paul thanked God because of it.

c. With joy of the Holy Spirit: When the Thessalonian Christians faced the affliction from receiving the word, they didn't just face it with a resigned fatalism. They faced it with joy of the Holy Spirit.

So that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

a. So that you became examples: First, Paul was an example to the Thessalonian Christians. Then they became examples to others. This is exactly how the work of God should happen.

b. The Christians in Macedonia and Achaia needed examples, and the Thessalonians, though they had only been followers of Jesus a short time were godly examples. Then and today, the world cries out for those who will show them Christianity, not just tell them about it.

For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

a. From you the word of the Lord has sounded forth: This was part of the good example the Thessalonian Christians provided. Sounded forth means "a loud ringing sound, as of a trumpet blast." The good work the Lord did among the Thessalonians became known all over the region, and everyone talked about the changes.

i. In a cosmopolitan, trading city like Thessalonica, the good news could sound forth in every place to all the earth.

b. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything: Paul says, "You Thessalonian Christians are sounding forth the word of the Lord so effectively that you are putting me out of business! We do not need to say anything!"

i. Paul pairs two ideas. The word of the Lord sounded forth, and their faith toward God has gone out. Those two aspects are essential if a church will spread the gospel. First, they need a gospel to spread, and they need it to impact their own lives. Second, they need the faith to go out, so that their faith toward God goes out to all the world.

c. How you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven: When the Thessalonians received the Word of God from Paul, they responded to it by leaving their idols, and they gave themselves to serve the living and true God. Their reception of the Word and their faith in God was shown as true because they did something with the Word of God.

i. "Instead of asking yourself whether you believe or not, ask yourself whether you have this day done one thing because He said Do it, or once abstained because He said, Do not do it. It is surely absurd to say you believe or even want to believe in Him if you do not do anything He tells you." (George MacDonald)

d. Even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come: Paul points to the essence of salvation in saying Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come. We are saved from something, and that something is the righteous wrath of a holy God.