The Thessalonians: A Life Worth Imitating
“Set a good example!” You’ve probably said it if you’ve been around kids for any length of time. I know I have. We all agree that we should be a good example, but what does a good example look like for a follower of Christ? The Apostle Paul applauded the Thessalonians for being good examples to believers throughout Greece (1 Thessalonians 1:7), but what set them apart? How did they model for us a life worth imitating? Let’s turn to 1 Thessalonians and find out. They Persevered in Their Faith From the very beginning, the church at Thessalonica encountered opposition and resistance. So much so that Paul feared the Thessalonians wouldn’t be able to resist the lies of the enemy and that his missionary work in Thessalonica would be in vain (1 Thessalonians 3:5). Paul did not have as much time as he would have liked with the Thessalonians. Persecution followed him everywhere he went, and Thessalonica was no different. After three weeks of preaching the Good News, he was pushed out of the city, leaving the newly founded Thessalonian church to fend for itself. It turns out that Paul feared needlessly because, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Thessalonians persevered in their faith despite encountering much persecution and suffering. They Remained Planted When the Thessalonians heard the Good News, they could have been like the seeds in Jesus’ parable of the sower that were sown on rocky ground with little soil. These seeds sprung up quickly but soon withered and died in the sun because they had no roots. Jesus explains that these seeds represent people who receive the Word with joy but immediately fall away when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word. (Matthew 13:5-6,20-21). You’ll notice similarities between the Thessalonians and the fair-weather friends represented by the seeds that fell on rocky ground. Both received the Word joyfully and then experienced great tribulation and persecution because of it. However, the Thessalonians didn’t fall away, unlike the stony ground seeds. They remained planted, growing into a flourishing and generous church. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) So what made them different? Why did they stay planted? Holy Spirit Empowered Them The Thessalonians did not fall away because they received the Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Paul knew that it was only because of the power of the Holy Spirit that the Thessalonians could receive the Word with joy amid severe suffering AND hold on to it too! Paul thanked God that when the Thessalonians received the Word, they accepted it not as the word of men but as it really was, the Word of God, which Paul described as “at work in believers.” (1 Thessalonians 1:13) The Holy Spirit worked within the Thessalonian believers, convincing them of the truth of the Word of God. This conviction enabled them to persevere even during persecution. The Thessalonians stood firm in their conviction because they kept their hearts open to the Gospel: they heard the Word, understood it, and put it into practice. They became imitators of Christ and of the Apostles. They Became Imitators Today we often think of the term imitator in a negative sense. People say, “don’t imitate others; just be yourself!” However, in the New Testament context, being an imitator is a positive thing: we are encouraged to imitate godly examples and the ultimate example, Christ. Let’s break the word “imitator” down a bit. In Greek, it is “mimetes,” meaning an imitator, or a follower. It is the root of the English word “mimic,” which means one who imitates or emulates. The HELPS Word-study explains it as “the positive imitation that arises by admiring the pattern set by someone worthy of emulation, i.e., a mentor setting a proper example.” Imitation Empowered by the Word Twice Paul describes the Thessalonians as imitators of the Apostles and Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2:14). Each use of the term “imitator” directly follows Paul’s account of how the Thessalonians received the Word of God. The Thessalonians only became imitators of the Apostles and Jesus in their suffering BECAUSE the Word empowered them. With open hearts, they received the Gospel in power, through Holy Spirit, with conviction and believed it was the Word of God. But the Thessalonians did more than imitate the Apostles and Jesus in their suffering; they also imitated them in their response to their suffering! Their response was one of JOY. Paul and Jesus both knew something about joy in suffering. Paul sums it up this way: Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5 Imitators of Paul Throughout the New Testament, Paul repeatedly admonishes believers to imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, Ephesians 5:1). Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to imitate him, the other apostles, and Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:6, 3:9). Paul did more than talk the talk. Paul walked the walk. He lived his life as an example to follow. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul’s pattern of living is worth emulating. He set a good example that we can still follow today. Not only should we look to Paul’s godly leadership in Scripture, but we should also look for godly leadership in the church. The key is finding leaders worth imitating. Seek godly leadership like Paul. Get to know their heart. Do they know Christ and put Him before all else? Do they rightly handle the word of truth? (1 Timothy 2:15) Carefully consider the outcomes of their way of life: are they producing the fruits of the Holy Spirit? Do they look like Christ? If so, imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7). I like how Leonardo De Chirico put it in his article “Watch
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