26 February - The Word at Work
“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, 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.”
1 Thessalonians 2:13
Paul has previously begun thanking God for the Thessalonian Church (1:1-10) and now, after describing his team’s ministry with them, he returns to this theme of thanksgiving.
Our verse today is pregnant with theological riches that deserve careful teasing out. Here are four things to note from it:
1. The Thessalonians received the word of God from Paul and his team. The ‘word of God’ here refers to the Gospel: the message of Jesus Christ - his death for our sins in our place and his resurrection which shows his Kingship (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This was the ‘word of God’ which Paul and his team faithfully preached and the Thessalonians received. And it is the same word that we are to proclaim to others.
2. The Thessalonians accepted it not as a human word but as the word of God. The Thessalonians believed that the Gospel which was preached to them was God’s word and they therefore obeyed it – they turned from idols to serve him and wait for the Lord Jesus to return (1 Thessalonians 1:11-12). We too are to receive the Gospel as it actually is: God’s message that comes from him and act on it.
3. That word continued to be at work in the Thessalonians as believers. This was seen in their perseverance despite persecution (2:14-16), their godly living (4:1) and their mutual love (4:9). The Gospel is not just the entry point to becoming a Christian but it continues to work in believers to motivate, teach and enable us to follow Jesus throughout our Christian lives. We never ‘graduate’ from the Gospel. Every day we know we are sinners and so every day we should be thankful for Jesus who ‘rescues us from the coming wrath’ (1:10) by his death for us and every day we should live to serve him as our coming King.
4. God was the one to be continually thanked for all this. The Gospel is God’s message and those who are chosen by him believe it only through the powerful work of his Spirit (v.1:5). So, in the end, God is the one who is glorified as the Word does its work.
PONDER
Whenever the Gospel is believed and acted on, that is evidence that God is at work. Where have you seen that in your own life and in the lives of others?
PROMISE
When we share the gospel, we don’t have to feel under pressure to make people believe. We are to faithfully proclaim the message but it is up to God to enable them to receive it as his word.
PRAYER
Pray that God would be at work in the hearts of people in your own area as his word goes out – and that it would be seen not only in initial repentance but in ongoing changing lives. We need to pray because it is only by God’s Spirit that people will receive the Gospel not as a human word but as the word of God.
Article by the Very Reverend Dr Andrew Cheah, Dean of St Mary’s Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur and a member of the Provincial Synod.