“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7)
The reach of the Thessalonian believers was incredible. Essentially, Paul was telling them—and the rest of the churches in that region—that if the church at Thessalonica were modeled, the whole area would be better for it. What were they doing that made them exemplary? The following verses show us:
“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
It was their public testimony, seen both in their preaching—“from you sounded out the word of the Lord”—and in their lifestyle—“but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad.” They were practicing what they preached. They weren’t preaching forgiveness while holding grudges or preaching faith while trusting in men. They lived what they preached, and that will always be the most effective testimony a Christian can have.
We have seen their public testimony, but I want to focus on their private testimony, which made them public examples. Every outward expression is rooted inwardly in the heart. A person may appear to have a spotless outward testimony, yet their Christian life may be powerless if there is a disconnect between who they truly are and who they present themselves to be. I have known lost people who went to the same church as good Christian people, practiced the same lifestyle, listened to the same music, wore the same clothes, and had the same friends—yet there was a serious lack of power in their lives. That is because the power of the Christian life is not rooted in outward relationships and displays, but inwardly. I have seen some of these same people later get saved, and suddenly, there was a new life, a new zeal, a new power that they never had before. Outwardly, nothing had changed—but inwardly, everything had.
The key to the Thessalonian church’s powerful testimony is found in verse 3:
“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”
They didn’t just have work, they had a work of faith—meaning what the world saw as work was actually an outflow of their trust in God. They didn’t just have labor, they had a labor of love—motivated by love for Christ and others. And they didn’t just have patience, they had patience of hope—enduring trials because their confidence was in God’s promises.
I want to stress the absolute importance of motivation. It does not matter what we do—what truly matters is why we do it. We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons, and when that happens, the power of God is absent from our actions. Yet if we first get our motivation right, the work we do will be a natural byproduct of our inward life. If I truly believe in the promises of God, I will begin to work according to them. If I truly love Christ, I will begin to labor for Him. If I truly love my neighbor, I will labor for them. If I truly love the flock of God, I will labor in the Word and pray for them. And if I have the hope of Christ, I will patiently wait for His return, enduring seasons of difficulty, knowing there is hope yet.
Perhaps you’re not convinced. I hope these next examples will make it clear that God is only interested in works of faith, not just work; labor of love, not just labor; and patience of hope, not just patience. Fast forward about 50 years and read Christ’s words to the church at Ephesus:
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience…” (Revelation 2:2a)
This church had works, labor, and patience—just like the Thessalonian church. Yet what kept them from being exemplary?
“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” (Revelation 2:4)
Their public testimony was completely disconnected from the true position of their hearts. They kept serving Christ like they had for years, but somewhere along the way, their works became rooted in appearances instead of affection for Christ. Their work was no longer a work of faith, but a drudgery of obligation. Their labor was no longer for love, but out of fear of losing what had been established. Their patience was no longer rooted in hope, but in the unstable foundation of sheer willpower.
What’s most startling is not just that this happened, but the serious warning they received:
“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2:5)
Oh my! Christ is so grieved by this type of empty work, labor, and patience that He threatens to remove His presence from them! This honestly scares me, because I know there have been many times when the work continued, the labor persisted, and I remained patient—but for all the wrong reasons. The Lord shook me to the reality that this is not just less than ideal—it is actually grievous in His sight. Unless I repented, He would no longer lend His power to my dishonest displays of service!
What should we do if we have continued serving with a cold heart?
Repent. Stop everything you are doing. Do not waste another ounce of energy on the what—shift all your focus to the why. You will find that, before long, your heart will be so full of faith that your feet will move again in faith, so full of love that you will labor with joy, and so full of hope that patience will be a natural disposition. Let your heart fall in love with Jesus again, and the natural outpouring of such a heart will be an exemplary life.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)
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