Thessalonica was a large, thriving port city and the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. It was the center of wealth and influence, and as such experienced much corruption and immorality. In today’s world, it might be called “sin city.”

It never ceases to amaze me that little more than 20 years after the death and resurrection of Christ, the apostle Paul was providing advice (in his letters) to congregations and church leaders on how to live a Christian life and how to serve as pastors and lay leaders. His advice still speaks to us nearly 2000 years later. With that in mind it becomes very clear why Jesus so dramatically touched and transformed Paul in the Damascus Road encounter. He knew what Paul’s role would be in building His Church.

In his absence from the Thessalonians, Paul sends Timothy to Thessalonica and later receives a very encouraging report of the faith and perseverance of those he left to build the church. In chapter 3, he expresses his joy and gratitude for their faith and love, but he does much more.

Despite the environment in Thessalonica before Paul and Timothy arrived, the evidence based on Paul’s letters is that the people of the church at Thessalonica were gloriously transformed. For them the Hellenistic creeds were no longer applicable. Increasingly the people were able to act in faith, trusting not only God but also each other. They developed the capacity to care for one another, and their earlier tendency toward self-interest, materialism and natural physical drives and passions were replaced by new values and new desires.

Many of us are curious and confused by eschatology (i.e., the Second Coming, the last judgment or the end times). In that regard, we are not unlike the first-century Christians of Thessalonica, and we should probably take heed of Paul’s words and advice in chapter 5.