They were examples. They were known throughout the region, and beyond, for their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” When the gospel had come to town, it had come in power . . . and when those in Thessalonica, whom God had chosen, heard the word, the word changed them big time. Though it would come with a certain amount of persecution and affliction, the joy of the Holy Spirit propelled them to dive head first into the implications of the gospel . . . into the realities of the kingdom of light . . . into the world of new creations and new things. And though they were pretty new to the faith and had a lot to learn, they “fast tracked” by becoming imitators of Paul . . . and, as they learned more about Jesus, doing what Jesus would do.

They were an example to all the believers. And I guess I’d do well to heed their example. Paul summed them up this way . . .

. . . you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.   (1Thessalonians 1:9b-10 ESV)

Talk about your revival! Paul had only been in Thessalonica a few short weeks (Acts 17:1-10) . . . but during that the time the word was preached . . . the Spirit descended . . . darkness gave way to light . . . idol worship gave way to idol bonfires . . . and a number of born again people started turning their worlds upside down . . . so much so that their reputation was spoken “everywhere.” And all because the Spirit of God moved in them to determine “to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven.” Serve and wait . . . not a bad motto to seek to live by.

These sinners made saints traded their chains of bondage to the world and to the flesh for a new type of liberating slavery . . . becoming servants of the true and living God and slaves to righteousness. Their Savior was also their Master. Though they had received the free gift of salvation, they also understand that the gift had come at a great cost . . . they had been bought with a price . . . they were no longer their own . . . they were His redeemed possession (1Cor. 6:19-20). And so they would submit and they would serve . . . a work of faith . . . a labor of love.

And all with an eye to the sky. Oh, how they anticipated meeting God’s Son from heaven. They waited for the One who said He was going to prepare a place for them and promised to return for them so “that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3). They imagined what it would be like to have their eyes of faith give way to that first face-to-face encounter . . . to move from sensing His presence through the Sprit to beholding Jesus up close and personal. Having been delivered from the power of sin, they couldn’t wait to be delivered from the presence of sin. And, until then, they would serve.

Encountering the Master as they sought His will and walked in His ways increased the anticipation of being with Him. And the anticipation fueled the desire to be found faithful and to continue to faithfully be about the Master’s business. Heavenly service fed the longing for home . . . expecting Jesus’ imminent return spurred on the passion to lay up treasures in heaven.

Examples to all believers . . . that’s what the Thessalonians are . . .

Serve and wait . . . Wait and serve . . . by God’s grace . . . for God’s glory . . . amen?