RECEIVE GOD'S WORD AS GOD'S WORD

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16

Key verse: 13

NIV

13 And we also thank God continually(A) because, when you received the word of God,(B) which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators(C) of God’s churches in Judea,(D) which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people(E) the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus(F) and the prophets(G) and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles(H) so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.(I) The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[a]

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or them fully
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

13 And (A)we also thank God constantly[a] for this, that when you received (B)the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it (C)not as the word of men[b] but as what it really is, the word of God, (D)which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, (E)became imitators of (F)the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For (G)you suffered the same things from your own countrymen (H)as they did from the Jews,[c] 15 (I)who killed both the Lord Jesus and (J)the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and (K)oppose all mankind 16 (L)by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always (M)to fill up the measure of their sins. But (N)wrath has come upon them at last![d]

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Or without ceasing
  2. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Greek word anthropoi can refer to both men and women
  3. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 The Greek word Ioudaioi can refer to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, who opposed the Christian faith in that time
  4. 1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or completely, or forever
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. God's word at work in believers (13)

The Bible is the word of God. When we accept it as the word of God, it works in us powerfully. God's word works in those who believe. To accept God's word as God's word means that we humbly obey God's commands; we persistently believe God's prom- ises and we accept the Biblical view of ourselves and the world. The Thessalonians could grow spiritually and boldly challenge their godless culture because they accepted God's word as God's word to them.

2. Suffering for the sake of world mission (14-16)

The believers in Thessalonica were persecuted by their own countrymen because their obedience to Christ challenged the culture in which they lived. History was repeating itself. Jesus was killed by his own people because he challenged them to be God's people; Paul was driven out by his own people because he was a missionary to the Gentiles. Those who seek to obey Jesus' world mission command may be persecuted, but God's wrath will fall on those who hinder world evangelization.

Prayer: Lord, give me an absolute attitude toward your word and use me in your work.

One Word: God's word is God's word