WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday November 10, 2019
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FAITH
THAT SETS AN EXAMPLE
(The
faith of the Thessalonian Believers)
(1
Thessalonians 1)
Paul’s
first doctrinal letter to the Church at Thessalonica was written around A.D. 50
to 51 while he was still residing in Corinth, and not long after he had left
Thessalonica during his second missionary journey.
Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke had made the
journey to Philippi from Troas after Paul had received a vision from GOD of a
man from Macedonia calling for help. Responding to the call, Paul and his
faithful co-workers for CHRIST crossed over into Europe and preached at Philippi
before making the 100-mile journey on to Thessalonica. They traveled west along
the Egnatian Way, the main Roman road from Rome to the Orients.
Thessalonica, in the first century, had a
population of about 200,000, which was a massive amount of people for a city in
that day. Its population consisted of a very diverse make-up of inhabitants
which included Greeks, Romans, Asians, and Jews, with Greeks making up the bulk
of the populace. It was one of the most important centers of trade in the world
at that time, both by land, and by sea, and it also occupied a strategic
location from both a governmental and military standpoint.
The city of Thessalonica was built by a man
named Cassander in 315 B.C., and was named after his wife, “Thessalonica”, who
was the half-sister of “Alexander the Great”. Cassander held the powerful
position of being one of four generals in Alexander’s army. The city was later
captured by the Romans circa 146 B.C., and when the Romans re-organized Macedonia,
they made Thessalonica its capital.
In 42 B.C. Thessalonica was given “free
City” status by Anthony and Octavian (Caesar Augustus), because the
Thessalonians had helped them defeat their adversaries, Brutus and Cassius, who
had murdered Julius Caesar and taken control of Rome just two years earlier.
When Paul and his co-workers reached this
great city of Thessalonica, they visited the Jewish synagogue there, seeking to
find those citizens who shared in their Christian faith. Being a well-known, well-trained
teacher by this time, Paul, of course, was allowed to speak in the synagogue.
Paul’s message that day consisted of two
points; first he spoke of the Old Testament concept of the MESSIAH, which is
that of a suffering, dying, and resurrected CHRIST; and secondly, he described
how Old Testament Prophesy was fulfilled in JESUS of Nazareth. After teaching
in the synagogue for a period, Paul continued evangelizing out of the house of
Jason (Acts 17:7), and as a result, many people were converted, especially, the
Greek Gentiles in the city.
Through Paul’s Thessalonian epistles, he
seeks to answer questions that had been brought up by them regarding his
teachings since he departed from them, and, to also encourage the Thessalonians
to persevere in their beliefs, despite their many persecutions from
non-believers. He also wanted to correct or dispel misinformation and false
accusations that had circulated about him after he left Thessalonica. Among those
accusations and misinformation were that, he was preaching for financial gain,
and, that he had left because he was a coward and a hypocrite.
In addition to his letters, Paul sent
Timothy back to Thessalonica to see, first hand, how the new Christians there
were holding up under the pressures of their suffering and persecutions. Timothy
was able to return with a report of good news that the Church at Thessalonica
had remained strong in their faith through it all.
It is of the utmost importance to note
that, in those days, the New Testament had not yet been written. Therefore, the
only way the Thessalonians or anyone else had to learn was from Paul and the
other apostles’ teachings about CHRIST, and, by watching how they behaved among
themselves, and, towards others, and what they saw, they imitated. And so Paul and
JESUS’ other disciples were “role models” in the purest sense of the words. Being
an example for others was, and still is an extremely important element in the Christian
Church today.
The Church at Thessalonica went on to
become a shining example for other churches already in, and, coming into the Christian
Faith. There is something very inspiring about the defiance of the early Church
despite its persecutions from the world at large. The easiest thing in the
world for them to do to avoid the suffering that they endured was to pack it
all up and go home. However, they chose instead to blaze on, compelled by their
strong faith, they were never ashamed, nor were they afraid to show who they
belonged to, or who they served. They understood clearly that the Christian was
not called “to serve the world”, but rather, they were called “to serve CHRIST
JESUS in the world”.
Paul was a great teacher who put the best
of himself into his work for CHRIST. When a teacher has taught someone and has
put a measure of themselves into their teaching, they sometimes become anxious
to see how that training will stand the test of life.
The same holds supremely true with CHRIST
JESUS. HE staked so much on mankind when HE visited us in HIS incarnate state
as a 100% human being. HE loved and taught us with a sacrificial love that
surpasses all understanding. And now HE waits anxiously to see how we will accept
and respond to HIS teachings, and HIS love, to help one another.
There is nothing like the joy of a parent
who can point to a child they have taught to the best of his or her ability,
who has in return, done excellent in life. The help, anxiety, and joy of
teaching are, altogether, a wonderful thing. But ultimately, when we can serve
no other way, like JESUS, and, like Paul, when we are unwillingly separated
from the people we teach, there is one thing we can still continue to do. We can
still, pray for them.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website
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