November 10, 2019, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Post 2

V.
Let’s pick up where we left off Monday.

Who and what is on the list I asked you to think about? Where have you encountered something of the lifestyle Paul saw in the folks he was writing to?

I think of a college professor, two pastors, a congregation who restored my faith in churches, a Sunday School teacher of a high school boys class (who was later “fired” as the teacher of that class, but that’s a story for another day). And a woman who volunteered to help in the “cradle role” ministry of a church, who when I was seven introduced me to church. And let me not forget a group of people who have made their mark on the world by caring for mentally disabled folk in a setting that is more home than many homes I have been in.

Who/what shows up on our list?

VI.
Paul told the folk they were “imitators of us and the Lord.

Imitators, of Paul and his companions. Really?

Was Paul trying to brag? Trying to impress the people in Thessaloniki that any accomplishments they might have made were because he was their mentor?

I suspect not.

Maybe he knew we learn from one another. As we see Christ-like behavior modeled we have an opportunity to begin to try it on, live it out, and more to the point – grow into Christlikeness.

That still goes on today. Thank God, it does.

VII.
“We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers …”

Who are you thankful for?

Who is in your prayers?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}


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