Well, good morning everybody! Pastor Josh White opened 2024 with a brand new series through the book of First Thessalonians — one of the most-loved letters Paul ever wrote. If you’ve ever wondered what it looks like to grow as a follower of Christ while you wait for His return, this is the book for you.
Who Were the Thessalonians?
Before diving into the letter, Pastor Josh wanted us to understand where it came from. Thessalonica was a major city in Paul’s day — the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, with a population somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000. It sat on a major sea port and was traversed by the main Roman road running east to west, making it a strategic crossroads for trade and travel.
Paul arrived in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, probably around AD 50–51. He went to the synagogue — his custom — and for three Sabbaths he reasoned from the Scriptures, proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this Jesus is that Messiah. Some Jews were persuaded, along with a large number of Greek God-fearers and prominent women. But as always, the Jews were jealous. They stirred up a mob, attacked the house of a man named Jason, and dragged him before the city authorities. Paul and his team had to flee by night — first to Berea, then to Athens, and eventually to Corinth, where Paul wrote this letter from about 18 months later.
Despite the brief and turbulent time Paul spent there, the church was planted — and it flourished. That’s part of what makes this letter so remarkable.
Three Things That Made the Thessalonian Church
As Pastor Josh closed the message, he posed a question every one of us should sit with: Who are you today, and why? He identified three primary factors that shape who we become:
1. Who and What Influences Us
We are all shaped by influences beyond our control at first — our parents, our upbringing, our city, our country. But as we grow, we get to choose. And Scripture warns us to be discerning:
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
— Colossians 2:8
The Thessalonian believers were surrounded by jealous Jews, pagan cults, and a culture saturated with false gods. Those influences were real — but they didn’t define them. They chose to turn from idols and follow the living God.
2. What We Believe
Pastor Josh made a crucial distinction: there’s a difference between what we know and what we believe. Knowledge is academic. Belief is transformative — it changes how we think and how we live. Jesus asked His disciples the most important question anyone can answer:
“But who do you say that I am?”
— Matthew 16:15
Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And that answer changed everything — for Peter, for the Thessalonian believers, and for every follower of Christ since. Our belief in who Jesus is determines the trajectory of our entire lives.
3. The Choices We Make
Every day we make choices. Some are small — what to eat, what to wear. Others are enormous — who to marry, what career to pursue, how to spend our money and time. Pastor Josh boiled it down to this: we make choices either according to the flesh (seeking instant gratification, self-promotion, comfort) or according to the Spirit (led by God’s Word, surrendering to His will).
Paul exhorted the Philippian church with words that apply to every believer:
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
— Philippians 2:12–13
We choose to say yes to the Spirit and no to the flesh — and as we do, God Himself works in us to become more like Christ.
So What?
This opening message set the stage for a foundational series. If you’re new to the book of Thessalonians, here’s your takeaway: the Christian life is a process of growth. God doesn’t expect you to be perfect on day one — He wants you to mature. And that happens as you:
- Surround yourself with the right influences — other believers who will encourage you, challenge you, and hold you accountable.
- Deepen what you believe about Jesus — not just head knowledge, but a heart knowledge that changes the way you live.
- Make daily choices by the Spirit — running to the Father, falling into His grace, saying no to the flesh and yes to sanctification.
Like a parent teaching a teenager to drive, God is patient with us — but He’s also preparing us to go out on our own and navigate the roads of life safely, for His glory and the good of others.
Scripture References
- 1 Thessalonians 1 — Paul’s greeting and thanksgiving for the Thessalonian church
- Acts 17:1–10 — The founding of the Thessalonian church
- Colossians 2:8 — Warning against false influences
- Matthew 16:13–16 — “Who do you say that I am?”
- Philippians 2:12–13 — Working out salvation with fear and trembling