1 Thessalonians 1

Just the day before yesterday, people were celebrating the so-called birth of our Saviour; even those who are not even Christians.

Now, normally, I wouldn’t think twice about this (being so used to automatically filtering out anything related to Christmas) but because of a few things I saw and heard, I started to consider the festive season from another angle.

Would you connect the season of ‘peace and thanksgiving’ with persecution? What about relating it to dangers that young believers face? Not usually right?

Strangely, the things that I noticed happening showed me how closely it can actually be related to the above. Comments on Facebook noting how a sister is always in a ‘bah, humbug’ mood this time of the year, a young believer buying Christmas presents as well as several other miscellaneous events suddenly made me realise how this festive (and largely commercialised) season can be a point of persecution and danger to believers.

This is very apt for our chapter today. After we read the chapter, allow me to share some basic background (I can’t help but feel the need to do that every time we start on a new book J) and discuss what it has to do with the issue I raised.

Bible Passage:  1 Thessalonians 1

Background

Author: Paul (um, obviously J)

Date: About A.D. 51 (one of the earliest epistles, most likely the second after the epistles to the Galatians)

Historical Background: Thessalonica was one of the first cities Paul and Silas evangelised in when they came to the continent of Europe. It was the vision of the Macedonian call (Acts 16:9-10) that led the two workers to this region. After preaching in Philippi (think Lydia), they travelled another hundred miles southwest to Thessalonica, a thriving port and bustling city located on an important trading route (Does ‘Singapore’ ring a bell?), the Egnatian Way, where they spent three Sabbaths preaching but ultimately left due to the fierce opposition of the jealous Jews. This was also the place where Jason was brought before the magistrates because he was harbouring ‘the people teaching that there was another king’.

Despite the relatively short time Paul spent there and the persecution the believers had to face, the church was rooted in faith and became an exemplary church exhibiting great spiritual courage under fire. Paul was greatly comforted by this church and thanked God constantly for them, letting the believers know this in his epistles to them.

Points of Discussion

Now, what has that got to do with the issue of Christmas then? Nothing directly I guess but I just can’t help but see the link between the city of Thessalonica and our Singapore today. Busy, wealthy and most probably full of interesting things to do.

Likewise, there is persecution (of varying degrees, definitely less for us) for not conforming to the ‘accepted’ religious practices (Judaism for them, Christmas for us) and also dangers of not being sure what our beliefs are.

As I mentioned earlier however, the church in Thessalonica did not allow these things to impede their growth but instead, through the strengthening of faith and patience of hope, rooted themselves in the love of God even more. By seeking to learn and understand what they believe in, they not only strengthened themselves but also became an evangelistic hub from which ‘the word of the Lord has sounded forth’ (v.8). Don’t you think we should be emulating their example in the world we face today?