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Following is an excerpt of "Tomorrow's Series: No Rest for the Righteous (3 of 9)" by Keith Krell added on 10/16/2009.
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Tomorrow's Series: No Rest for the Righteous (3 of 9)
Keith Krell
World
1 Thessalonians 2:13-20


It's been said, "Only two things in this world are eternal—the Bible and people." If this is true (and it is), it only makes sense to build your life around those things that will last forever. Think about it: God's Word will last forever...people last forever...everything else disappears. In light of this sobering reality, how should we live? We should live our life backwards from the judgment seat of Christ and ask, "What difference will my life make in 10,000 years?" Most of the things we work for or worry about won't matter in three weeks, let alone three months or three years. We focus on the trivial and forget to pursue the eternal. But 10,000 times 10,000 years from now, you'll still be glad you invested your life for Jesus Christ. In 1 Thess 2:13-20 Paul says, "You can shape tomorrow by starting today." In these eight verses, we are challenged to give thanks for two of God's blessings.

1. Thank God for the work of His Word (2:13-16). In this first section, Paul thanks God for the response of the church to Scripture. In 2:13, Paul pens a lengthy but potent verse: "For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe." Paul states that he and his coworkers "constantly" thank God for the way the Thessalonians responded after they preached the gospel to them. He thanks God that they "received" God's Word. The word "received" is an objective external response that refers to "the hearing of the ear." It's like signing a receipt at the post office so you can accept a package. Paul means that the Thessalonians listened intently to the message he preached because they knew it came from God. The word translated "accepted" is a subjective internal response that refers to "the hearing of the heart." This word is used of welcoming a guest into your home. It is a picture of warm hospitality. The point is: it's very possible to listen to preaching and not be changed by it. It's something else to welcome God's message into your heart and let it transform your life.

How frequently do you thank God for people who have received and accepted the gospel? This past Sunday I met a wonderful first-time couple. After church my family and I went to the Mayan restaurant and ran into this same couple. We asked them to join us and we learned that the wife believed the gospel within the last year. Furthermore, she came from a Muslim home in South Africa! After hearing her testimony, I couldn't help but express thanks to God! I was overwhelmed by how He reached this young woman who vowed that she would never become a Christian with the gospel of Jesus Christ. During this past week, I have been reminded to thank God for how He is constantly touching people and r ...

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