DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE TESTIMONY OF A CHURCH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE TESTIMONY OF A CHURCH

"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how 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, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (I Thessalonians 1:8-10)

The reputation of the Believers at Thessalonica had spread far and wide, how they had forsaken their idols to serve the true and living God. They had received the Gospel – how Jesus came from heaven to die on the cross, to be raised from the dead, and provides salvation from the wrath to come – and they embraced it.

Every church has a reputation. In some instances, a church has the reputation for being a divided, fighting church. The community knows about the churches that have split into separate congregations. In other instances, a church may be known as an evangelistic church with a desire to spread the Gospel. Some are known as a social gospel church. Some churches are known for their emphasis on education and discipleship, as Bible-centered fellowships. Many, thankfully, are known as loving people.

We need to be very careful about how people perceive our fellowship. It may mean the difference between them accepting Christ as Savior or rejecting the Gospel because of what they perceive as the character of the church.

Paul recognized the church at Thessalonica as a fellowship that demonstrated their work of faith, their labor of love, their patience or endurance, and their hope in the Lord Jesus Christ (vs. 3).

We are representatives of the Lord Jesus, not just as individuals, but also as corporate assemblies. May we always bring honor and glory to the Lord.

Love, Dad