Exploring the Scripture
A central message in Paul’s letter to the new church community in Thessalonica is to encourage people. He counsels them to deepen their love for one another as they grow in faith and prepare for Christ’s return. The preacher can approach this scripture text in two parts—Paul’s acknowledgment and joy of the community’s continued faithfulness (v. 9–10) and Paul’s prayer for the people as they prepare for Christ’s coming (v.11–13).
This new group experienced cultural challenges and persecution as the disciples tried to live and share in love and faith. Through their witness, Paul found strength and hope that filled him with joy. Though Paul no longer lived with them, he felt the blessings of community. They reciprocated Paul’s love in how they lived their faith, their love for Christ, and their love for Paul.
When we are willing to make our love and faith known, we make it possible for others to experience the hope that can fill their lives with joy. The blessings of a community formed in Christ-like love can be the stimulus of hope coming alive in another. When hope is alive, it opens a pathway for us to receive and share love.
As Paul expresses his love and joy for this community, he shares a moment of blessing with it, which is the second part of the text. Paul’s prayer reminds people that the strength they can experience increases as they grow in love for one another and all, just as they experienced Paul’s love for them. In his prayer, Paul invites them to widen the circle and to see the Worth of All Persons. But as his prayer continues, he calls them to remember that Jesus strengthens their hearts as they continue to live faithfully with an attitude of holiness and prepare for Christ’s coming.
Their growth in communal love reflects their preparation for Christ’s coming. Paul’s prayer for the community does not counsel it to sit and wait for Christ’s coming; his prayer encourages people to keep living, loving, and caring for all. In this act of living and loving, discipleship will deepen.
Paul’s focus is not on what Christ has done, but on what Christ has been doing and Christ’s role in the future. In many ways, this is what Advent invites us to ponder. Advent is when we find ourselves on the journey to the manger as we remember and celebrate what God did for us through the life of Jesus. But Advent does not end at the manger. The Advent journey of reflection and remembering awakens us to be intentional to see what Christ is doing and will do among us.
Advent is a time for us to deepen our faith as we live, love, and care for all as Christ has for us. To hope is to live purposefully, knowing God’s love so we can love one another as living expressions of life as disciples.
On this first week of Advent, we invite the faith community to let hope be alive within people. Paul’s words of encouragement and prayer point us toward a future formed in God’s deep love for all. Love makes hope possible! Christ will come because love is at the heart of who Christ is and what Christ yearns for the whole creation to experience.
Project Zion Podcast
Hosts Karin Peter and Blake Smith consider how this week's scripture connects to our lives today.
Central Ideas
- The Blessings of Community formed in Christ-like love can be the stimulus of hope coming alive in others.
- The Advent journey invites us to see what Christ is doing among us intentionally and as we live into the future with Christ.
- Paul’s words of encouragement and prayer point us toward a future formed in God’s deep love for all.
- Christ will come because love is at the heart of who Christ is.
Questions to Consider
- When has the faithfulness of your community blessed your life with joy? Celebrate those moments with the community.
- When have you experienced acts of love awakening the presence of hope in another and your life?
- How do you see Christ moving and working among the community during this Advent season?
- Even through life’s struggles, how can our effort to be faithful to Christ help us live with love and hope?