Represent

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. 6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 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. 9 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, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

In the U.S. we are used to the principle of representation, if for no other reason than our government structure. In its pure form, we elect a person to represent thousands of others. They ‘represent’ our views and our concerns to the totality of the governing body, and when they stop doing that we un-elect them.

This has not been true of the world for very much of its history, and was certainly not rue during the time of Paul’s first letter to the church at Thessalonica. Throughout world history, despots have ruled in one form or another, either through power, (which has been true most of the time,) or through a form of benevolence, which has only been true in rare instances.

Imagine how blown away the Thessalonians must have been upon hearing their calling - now that they had become disciples of Jesus Christ. The Thessalonians lived in a world of Roman despotism, under Emperor Claudius, and then Nero. All they knew of governance was complete, total, silent submission. Anything else would result in death or severe persecution.

There was no participation in government. None.

Along comes Paul, the presenter of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Who is The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. King of Claudius even. Lord of Nero. And now Paul says, “I want you to represent The King of Kings to the world - to your world.” This gospel will so change your life, that when people look at you they will see Jesus Christ. He will be here in person in you. What a promotion this would have been to the life of the simple man. To represent Jesus to a lost and dying world. How could this be?

-  Pastor Bill