Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Where do you find the strength to persevere and even to flourish when you experience tribulation? "Tribulation" is not a word we use very often. It is an old biblical word. It denotes distress or suffering. Tribulation describes a trying experience.

In our modern, first-world context, some people turn to self-help books or counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, or medications. Most of us usually lean on our friends, families, or coworkers to help us through trying times. As Christians, we also look for help from God, pastors, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Our reading this morning from the Book of Acts describes the founding of the church in Thessalonica. Paul’s custom was to evangelize in the local synagogue first. Luke tells us that Paul and Silas spent three consecutive sabbaths seeking to persuade the members of the synagogue of Thessalonica. Luke records, “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead" (vs. 2-3a).

Paul’s focus was the scriptures, which would have been the books of the Old Testament. From the Old Covenant, Paul argued, explained, and proved that it was necessary for the Messiah, God’s promised king, to suffer and to rise from the dead. This is not what first century Jews were expecting. They thought the Messiah would be a political and military figure, not a suffering servant.

Paul’s second focus was on Jesus as the one who fulfilled all that the Old Testament said about the Messiah. Luke quotes Paul’s words: ““This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you.”

And the Gospel of Jesus as the Messiah had success! “Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women" (v. 4). Some of the Jews believed, but many the devout Greeks believed. The “devout Greeks” were gentiles who were attracted to Judaism’s monotheism and moral law. However, they were not full members of the covenant because they had not been circumcised yet. For the first time they learned that they could be full members of God’s new covenant with the human race through the death and resurrection of the Son of God.

Luke also notes that “not a few of the leading women” also joined Paul and Silas. If women were as important in the synagogue as Presbyterian Women are in our congregation, then winning these leading women over was crucial to the success of the mission!

But not everyone received Paul and Silas’ message gladly. “But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar" (v. 5a). The Jews of the synagogue organized a riot with the help of “ruffians from the marketplace.” Thessalonica was a huge port city, and like any port city (We might ¹think of New Orleans.), there was a rough element to its citizenry. The riot soon gave way to violence and legal action. Look at the later part of v. 5. “But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly, they attacked Jason’s house. When they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some believers before the city authorities, shouting, 'These people who have been turning the world upside down have come here also, and Jason has entertained them as guests. They are all acting contrary to the decrees of the emperor, saying that there is another king named Jesus.' The people and the city officials were disturbed when they heard this, and after they had taken bail from Jason and the others, they let them go" (vs. 5b-9). Jason is a Greek name, so he was probably one of the devout Greeks who believed. Apparently, he opened his home to the believers as a meeting place.

The unruly mob leveled three charges against the nascent church. First, they were “turning the world upside down.” They were challenging the status quo. They were stirring up trouble. They were troublemakers. Second, they were acting contrary to the decrees of the Emperor. Nothing is specified, but the implication is that they were acting unlawfully and immorally. Third, they were proclaiming a new king named Jesus.

Essentially the charges implied that Christians were fomenting a violent revolution, but nothing could have been farther from the truth. Paul and Silas and the Thessalonian Christians were turning the world right side up from the tyranny of sin, evil, and death. They were not acting contrary to the laws of Caesar. The early church encouraged Christians to be subject to the higher authorities as God’s servants for their good. However, they were proclaiming a new king, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. That new loyalty was subversive in that it called all other loyalties and traditions into question.

The church in Thessalonica was born out of tribulation. Paul and Silas were forced to flee the city. How were these brand-new Christians able to persevere and flourish?

The Book of Acts does not answer that question, but the reading from Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians does. It is thought that First Thessalonians is the earliest book of the New Testament. It was written as early as 48 A.D. That is twenty years before the gospels were written. Paul, Sylvanus (probably Silas), and Timothy wrote the Thessalonians about a month after the events described in Acts 17. They were trying to exercise pastoral care from a distance. Their purpose was to help establish the persecuted church in the faith.

First, they affirmed that the church in Thessalonica was “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 1a). The word “church” simply means an assembly. It was used in the Greco-Roman world to describe all kinds of assemblies, but the Christians in Thessalonica were no ordinary assembly. They were in Christ and God the Father, that is, they were brought into existence by God; a divine instrumentality was at work in and among them. And they had grace from God, unmerited, undeserved favor from God. They also had peace with God. They were no longer at odds with God. They were God’s friends. “Grace to you and peace" (v. 1b).

Second, the Thessalonians were undergirded by prayer. “We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father" (vs. 2-3a). Paul and Silas and Timothy, and undoubtedly many other believers in Corinth (where they were when they wrote to the Thessalonians) were constantly praying for them.

Third, the three Christian virtues were powerfully at work in them. The apostles speak of “your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 3b). Faith, hope, and love were undergirding their life together and were manifest for all to see. Theirs was a sweet communion and a winsome witness.

Fourth, the Thessalonians knew that God had chosen them; they were numbered among the elect. “For we know, brothers and sisters, beloved by God, that he has chosen you" (v. 4). They were beloved by God, chosen by God. It is sort of like when children choose teams on the playground. Two captains begin to call individuals from the crowd to join their team. If you have ever experienced this kind of sorting, you know just how much you want your name to be called, the sooner the better. The two teams envisioned in the Bible are the team of Jesus Christ and the team of the world, the flesh, and devil. The Thessalonians knew God had called them by name. God had said to them, “I choose you. I want you.” That made all the difference in the world as they were enduring tribulation.

Fifth, the Thessalonians had the Holy Spirit. They wrote, “Our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (v. 5a). Even though Paul and Silas were not able to stay in Thessalonica to nurture the church, the Holy Spirit did the work of establishing them. Jesus had promised, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (Jn. 14:16-18).

Sixth, the Thessalonians had excellent role models in Paul and Silas. Their stay was brief, three short weeks, but they made a lasting impression. The authors of First Thessalonians said of them, “just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us" (v. 5b). And they also had the supreme example in Jesus Christ, who had been portrayed to them by the apostles. “You became imitators of us and of the Lord" (v 6a).

Seventh, and finally, the Thessalonians flourished. Immediately, they began replicating themselves. The tribulation they experienced did not make them retreat and hide and isolate themselves. They did not adopt a “fortress mentality,” shut off from a hostile world. Instead, they continued the work of preaching Jesus Christ as the Messiah. “So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you" (vs. 7-9a). They in turn began to turn the world right side up, to challenge the false claims of empire and culture, and to claim that a new king had come. They aligned their lives with the new narrative of King Jesus and invited others to join them. They flourished instead of fading.

The church in Thessalonica was born out of tribulation. The tribulation came in the form of oppression and persecution from their neighbors and government. This is not true for us. We are not oppressed or persecuted, but we do know suffering, distress, and trying experiences.

The times we are living through are really difficult. The possibility of a life-threatening illness is ever present. There is terrible economic hardship for individuals, households, and businesses. This long period of isolation is really hard. And the uncertainty about the future looms over us too. All of these are forms of tribulation.

But what was true of those first Christians is still true for us. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have brought us into existence and will sustain us. We have grace from God and peace with God, whatever the future brings. Faith, hope, and love are still at work in us and are evident among us as we care for each other during these trying times. Never forget that we have been chosen by God. God has said to us, “I want you. I choose you.” We have the blessed Holy Spirit, the Spirit of comfort, in all our trials. We have the example of the apostles and of all who have gone before us in the faith. We can imitate them even as they imitated Christ. We, too, in our turn can become examples of Christ. Herein is strength for trying times. We can not only survive but flourish, even during a pandemic.

Take comfort from all that God in Christ has done for us. And may the testimony about us be the same as the witness about the Thessalonians. May our friends, coworkers, neighbors, and families say in awe: They “turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming" (vs. 9b -10).

And all the glory be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Blessed be the Lord who does all things well.

Alleluia! Amen!