Thursday after the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on September 5, 2024 by under
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 (NKJV)
1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Devotion
The Gospel of salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ is not just about saying nice things and having ‘good feels’. It is the power of God. It is the reality of His grace, fulfilled in human events. People are quick to send “thoughts and prayers” on social media, but if there is some action that needs to be done, many of those same people will say, “Leave me alone; I’m taking care of me and mine…”
False teachers make it sound like our Savior only went around preaching, “I love you guys; don’t feel guilty and go play nice, you awesome kids.” But if we actually read the Scriptures, we see that the Lord teaches us to “Repent…” and “Seek the kingdom of God.” Through everything He did, He showed us what the fruit of that teaching looks like. He was humble. He understood His vocation and He served according to it. He sacrificed and suffered for the sake of what was true and right.
St. Paul’s apostolic work among the Thessalonian believers did likewise. By the power of God’s Holy Spirit, he and his fellow ministers not only taught the truth, they also worked according to it. The saints of the Church there also learned and did these things that bore fruit. And it gave witness to God’s Word and work, glorifying Him in the Gospel of Christ Jesus crucified!
Collect: Keep, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy Church with Thy perpetual mercy; and, because the frailty of man without Thee cannot but fall, keep us ever by Thy help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
