one step: 1 Thessalonians 2.5

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea…

1 Thessalonians 2:14a

I’ve heard it said that imitation is the greatest flattery. In the case of the Church in Thessalonica, their imitation was worthy of praise! The Church in Thessalonica underwent persecution just as the Church in Judea, and similarly they both represented Christ well through it all.*

When we look around us and try to decide who we are going to be, we often imitate others that look something like however we define “success.” For the Church in Thessalonica, they saw success as representing Christ no matter the cost.

It was a pivotal time for the Church. In fact, at the time that Paul wrote this letter, the word “church” wasn’t even designated for the Christian community as it is today.* The word ekklesia (Greek for “church”) could refer to a wide range of groups included Hellenistic or Jewish groups.* Nowadays, if you say, “I’m a part of a church,” people instantly know that you refer to some branch of Christianity. In the time of Paul, it would be like saying, “I’m a part of community.”

This open meaning to ekklesia prompted Paul to describe the Church in the following two ways:

• “of God” - belonging to God*

• “in Christ Jesus” - denotes the unity of the churches under Christ*

Where do you find yourself today? Are you at a crossroads or on a journey of figuring out who you are?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to imitate the Church in Thessalonica. Perhaps today God would have you define yourself as belonging to God and a part of His family. Maybe today God would have you represent Him in some area of your life even if it’s hard.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (p. 82). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 110–111). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 141–142). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 241–244). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, p. 64). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 80–82). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 165–166). Baker Academic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 2.4

For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Paul, after likening his (and his team’s) approach to serving the Church to that of a nurturing, nursing mother, then turns to describe his approach as that of a father. In these two short verses, Paul sheds light on the role of a father, points to his motivation for serving as a father, calls the Church to live intentionally, and points toward the role of the Church body as family.* Let’s look at each:

• Role of a father: In this verse, Paul describes the role of the father as one who commands and comforts.* The three Greek words that Paul uses imply that fathers serve through acts of appealing, exhorting, requesting, and imploring as well as encouraging, comforting, cheering up, and consoling.*

• Motivation for serving as a father: “in order that you may lead a life worthy of God.”* What does this mean? How does one live a life worthy of God? Does this mean we need to earn the love or attention of the Father? Why would Paul father the Church toward a life worthy of God?

• Intentional living: to live a life worthy of God means to intentionally act, speak, and think in a way that reflects the greatest goal of believers: to live submitted to God and to share in His divine glory.* Our attempts to live a life worthy of God is not an effort to earn, but it is a response to the amazing grace that He has given us (which we could never earn).* Paul wants this lifestyle and posture for the Church.

• Role of the Church body as family: Paul has demonstrated that within the body of Christ, each of us can receive the familial needs that reside within each us (needs for mothering and fathering).* When those needs are not met in our families of origin, the family of God can fill that gap.*

These two verses invite reflection: What has been your experience of fathering? Was what you experienced encouragement, comfort, and a call to greater living? Did the fathering you experienced growing up point you toward responding appropriately to the extravagant gift of grace from God (Jesus Christ)?

If not, God wants us to know that good examples of the Father’s heart exist within the body of Christ. Our experiences with others don’t always reflect the heart of God for us, but sometimes they do.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to receive Him as Good Father. Perhaps today God wants you to receive the family of God as family. Maybe today God wants you to reflect His heart to those around you. Perhaps today there is something inside of you that God wants to heal.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 67–68). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 107–109). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 135–138). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 227–231). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 61–62). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 74–76). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 155–158). Baker Academic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 2.3

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:7-8

After saying what they were not motivated by (greed and fame), Paul shares their heart for the people.* Unlike the philosophers of the time, and unlike many of the message-givers of our day, Paul, Silas, and Timothy do not offer a simple message for personal gain, but they offer the entirety of who they are.*

As mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 2.1, Paul and Silas had endured great hardship in Philippi because of the Gospel, and it almost cost them their lives. Now, they entered into a similarly-hostile environment to share this same Gospel of God. They brought their message with a willingness to die to share it. Why?

Paul juxtaposes the selfish motivators of fame and greed to the care and love of a nursing mother. Their motivation for sharing the Gospel was deep, caring love.*

Sharing the Gospel may feel like a duty at times, and certainly we know that some may share the Gospel out of wrong motivations (Philippians 1:15-18). The Gospel will only be preached in difficult places, however, if motivated by caring love.

There are places in your life that are difficult. There is tension at work, strife at home, fear at school, etc. These places and environments do not necessarily make us feel safe enough to share the Gospel, yet they are in need of it most. God’s love for His people (which includes us) must shine in and through us to a needy world.

The Gospel we share is life. The Gospel we share is power. The Gospel we share is that Jesus Christ came to earth to reestablish His Kingdom rule by living perfectly and sinlessly, paying our death-debt, rising again to life three days later, and living forever in victory. The Good News is that the Kingdom of God is at hand! This kind of Gospel must be shared, and God’s love will help us give our whole selves to share it.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to share His Gospel out of love today. Perhaps today God would have you examine your heart with Him to answer the question: why do I do what I do? Maybe today God would have you pour out your life for His purposes.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 63–65). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 98–105). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 125–129). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 209–217). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 55–59). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 72–73). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 142–149). Baker Academic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 2.2

For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-6

How many times in our culture have we seen ministers that seem to have fallen into the trap of fame and money? Sadly, once would be more times than is acceptable, and the numbers reach well beyond that.

Paul’s words resonate with us as we look for pastors and ministers of the Gospel who have some how remained pure. In the time of Paul, it was not uncommon for orators to use their skill to persuade and manipulate others into praising them or giving them money.* In fact, this became the reputation of philosophers and public speakers in the time of Paul.* Paul had to overtly state that he and his team were not after money and fame because so many that came before them had.* The orators of the time of Paul were akin to the rockstar legends or Hollywood stars of our day.*

It was imperative that Paul overtly oppose those motives and seek to have his life align to his claims.

Interestingly, Paul, according to the expectations on a community for how to treat an apostle such as Paul, should have been expecting him to ask for honor and financial compensation, yet Paul did not.* He wanted to preserve the integrity of the Gospel.

How do people view Christians in your circle? Do you seek to overtly represent the purity of the Gospel by separating yourself from those things that they think or say that don’t align to the heart and person of Christ?

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to seek after the purity of the Gospel. Perhaps today God wants you to step toward aligning some area of your life to Christ. Maybe today God wants you to live holy as He is holy. Perhaps today God wants you to set aside greed and fame as pursuits in order to pursue after sharing the hope of Jesus to humanity.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 62–63). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 96–98). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 121–124). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 207–209). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 54–55). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 68–71). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 138–142). Baker Academic.

one step: 1 Thessalonians 2.1

For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2

As mentioned, the Church in Thessalonica faced persecution. Surrounded by idolatry and cultures from which they turned away, Paul praised the Church in Thessalonica for staying true to their faith and representing Christ well (see One Step Daily Devotionals for 1 Thessalonians 1).

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2, Paul tells the Church that he, Silas, and Timothy shared the Gospel boldly in Thessalonica despite their suffering in Philippi. It’s easy to skip over verses that we don’t understand. A verse like this can be interesting to read, but cause little pause or thought. With a little context, however, we realize that there’s a lot more that we can appreciate in what Paul and his team overcame.

The persecution that Paul refers to in Philippi is recounted in Acts 16.* In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were on their way to a place of prayer when they ran into a woman in need of freedom and deliverance. Naturally, they set the woman free (They’re nice guys, but honestly, the evil spirit inside of her was taunting them for many days, and they had enough). The men who used her demonic ability to tell the future for financial gain lost their business in this freedom-act, so they drug them to the public square for an on-the-spot trial. Without even a trial (which Roman citizens like Paul were due), Paul and Silas were stripped naked in public, beaten severely, and thrown into prison. The trauma, injustice, and shame were indescribable!

The modern day version of being falsely accused, stripped naked, beaten within an inch of your life, and then imprisoned all all while in the public square during the time of Paul and Silas would be like all of these things happening to someone on social media today for all to see.

I cannot even imagine.

Now, the story ends well as God sets Paul and Silas free (you should read it; it’s incredible), but Paul points out: despite all of that, they shared the Gospel boldly in Thessalonica (a place where their experience in Philippi could very well have been repeated). Surely, in Thessalonica, they would shrink back, be more careful, or attempt to be sensitive to the cultural climate into which they were stepping? Nope. They preached boldly. That’s amazing!

How many times have you felt the tug of the Holy Spirit or been invited to share your faith? Did you allow past experiences to stop you or slow you down? Did a fear of “what could happen” stop you from obeying God? Has the fear of the rejection of people prevented you from living a life that brings Him glory in all that you do?

Paul and Silas challenge me. They inspire me. The humble me. I am not confident that I would respond to their situation in the same way if it happened to me. As the phrase “the gospel of God” as well as the subsequent verses clue us, Paul and Silas did not work in their own strength and power, but by the power of God at work inside of them. I pray that I allow God to work similarly in me.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to receive HIs power to be a witness. Perhaps today God wants to show You His redemptive work in your life by calling you to minister in places similar to ones in which you have been hurt before. Maybe today God is calling you to set others free no matter the cost. Perhaps today God wants you to take a step toward singing His praises even in the prisons of life (see Acts 16:25-26).

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 61–62). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 90–96). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 114–117). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 190–194). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 51–53). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 63–65). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 130–133). Baker Academic.