Let it Ring

SCRIPTURE
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of sever suffering, you welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere.

I Thessalonians 1:4-8

OBSERVATION
What a success story of a new community of believers.  The church is Thessalonica began with a bang.  Paul commends the church for becoming a model to other believers.  It's interesting here that Paul uses the singular "model" emphasizing the community of believers rather than "models," which would emphasize individuals.  It seems like a portion of their success happened because they were a true community.  Of this community, Paul admired their "work produced by faith, their labor prompted by love, and their endurance inspired by hope."  The result, the message of the Lord rang out from Thessalonica to the ancient world.  

APPLICATION

What a community of faith!  Not only were the Thessalonicans a model to the believers in their day, but they are a model for us today.  And they are model not just how we are to live as individual believers, but as a community of Jesus' followers.  Together, we can pursue work produced by faith.  Together, we can develop labor prompted by love.  And together, we can experience endurance inspired by hope.  We truly are better together when we are a Christ-centered community.  If we can do this, then, like the Thessalonicans, our faith, love and hope will "ring out" to those around us.

PRAYER
Father, help Koinonia to be a place of true community characterized by faith, love and hope.  Use us to spread your message of grace and mercy to those who haven't heard.