A Gospel of Word, Power, Spirit, and Conviction

Paul was afraid for the young church he had been forced to leave in the city of Thessalonica. They were three weeks old and facing severe suffering for their choice to follow Christ. Paul's great concern, and the reason he sent Timothy to the people, was that in the midst of their trials they would have been tempted to abandon the faith. Wonder of wonders, that our passage this week is filled with Paul's thankfulness to God, that the young and seemingly ill-equipped church has not faded, but flourished in faith, love, and hope. Their faith became a model throughout the surrounding region and beyond. How can such a thing be possible? This church shouldn't have survived, let alone become a model to imitate. Human wisdom says this is very unlikely, if not impossible. The answer is they are a people chosen by a God who loves them. For this reason alone, the gospel they received was not simply words, but power, with the Holy Spirit, and conviction. What great power is bestowed upon those the Lord loves and has chosen? A power grounded in the reception and conviction of the word– power that results in a people of faith, love, and hope in Jesus, sharing in the glory of his suffering.