As we, the local church, are experiencing the challenges of isolation from one another, and from our formal gatherings, it is worth taking a closer look at the letters of Paul to the churches. The longing of Paul to be reunited with his brothers and sisters in Christ is a common theme throughout his epistles. Whether he is separated from the body of Christ by distance, or by chains, his desire for both continued and renewed fellowship continues to be displayed and our desires likewise should reflect these same longings.
1 Thessalonians 1:1–10
“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
Paul shares his humanly authorship of this letter with both Silvanus and Timothy, though Paul himself is the chief author. Timothy has recently returned from Thessalonica with encouraging reports of the believers there, and this letter overflows with Paul’s joy upon the receipt of this news.
Paul throughout his first letter to the Thessalonians, after being forced to separate from them under much duress (Acts 17), shows an ardent desire to reunite with the believers there. Much like our current situation, he experienced forced and violent separation from the believers in Thessalonica, and this has only served to increase his longing to see them again. Paul says in 1 Thes. 2:17-18a “But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you”
The news Timothy has brought of these new believers has caused Paul to share of the thanks for them he says he constantly gives God in his prayers. This is not thanks for the great people that the believers have turned out to be, but the outworking of their faith that has taken place and is being reported not only by Timothy, but by believers that have seen their example in Macedonia and Achaia.
Their faith has blossomed from underneath the persecution of both the Romans and the Jews, who had driven Paul from them previously. Paul reminds them of the joy he has found in seeing their faith produce works of love and steadfastness, just as we see elsewhere, in James, are the necessary results of true faith.
We see that their faith has produced in them not just a perfunctory claim to allegiance with Christ, but has indeed caused them to turn from their idols, to serve their co-labourers in the faith, and to do this with joy. This has occurred with so much voracity that, in fact, Timothy’s report has only served to reinforce the news Paul has already heard from others concerning them.
It should likewise, be our continual prayer for one another to see our current trials produce these same things in our fellow believers. That we too would turn from our idols; our idols of self sufficiency, comfort, selfishness. That we would proclaim the Word of God fearlessly. That our example would bolster these claim’s truths to those around us. That we, as Paul, would rejoice in seeing the power of the gospel revealed in the lives of our fellow believers, knowing that these things reveal the indwelling power and conviction of the Holy Spirit in us, and are the assurance of our election. And, let our desire for one another echo Paul in his desire for the Thessalonians: (1 Thess. 3:10) “We pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith”