Take a look at the photo, and what do you see? Pockmarked gloves evidence of hard work? Yet a bright smile. This could very well be a posed photo. After all, the worker’s t-shirt is bright white. Whether posed or candid, the photo communicates a message of joy in the midst of work.
Joy and work are often at odds with each other. How do you feel about work? Perhaps its indicative of our busy culture, but many, me included, long for a break from work. Words like “labor, endurance, and work” sound off-putting. In this post, we conclude this week’s study through 1st Thessalonians 1:1–3, and like the man in the picture, we hear about joy in the midst of work for the mission of Jesus.
After setting the tone of grace and peace, as we studied in the previous post, Paul continues with his greeting in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 2,
“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”
Paul is a pray-er. Paul prays a lot it seems. In his letters, he regularly talks about praying and what he prays for. In this verse he tells the Christians in Thessalonica two things his prayer includes, and both things are about them.
First, he always thanks God for them. Second, he continually mentions them. Paul’s prayers include thanking God and making requests of God. In both of those elements of prayer, Paul uses the descriptor “always” or “continually.” So we not only learn the content of Paul’s prayers, we learn about the regularity of his prayers.
For Paul, then, his practice of conversation with God is consistent, regular, continual. How does that compare to your practice of prayer? That can be a challenge to me, I will tell you. Consistent prayer. I went on a prayer retreat recently. It was a Friday 9am-1pm, and it was excellent. Sometimes we need accountability, like an actual date and time and place. Like that retreat.
Finally, Paul says that when he prays, he not only mentions the Thessalonians, but he remembers the way they have practiced their faith, their discipleship, the mission of Jesus. He mentions three things about their practice of the faith. Here’s what he says in verse 3:
“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Notice the three ways they have practiced their faith?
Work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope.
The first words in each of those three phrases are synonymous: work, labor, endurance. When he uses those words, Paul is not referring to their career or employment. He is referring to the Thessalonians’ practice of following Jesus.
The words “work, labor and endurance” indicate that they were not lazy, they were not passive. They were actively involved in the mission of the Kingdom of God. They served God, and they would have done so in addition to their income-earning activities. Paul is referring to their voluntary participation. Their participation in the mission of Jesus was so active, Paul could use words like “work, labor and endurance” to describe their level of participation, their energy, their passion for serving Jesus, and their commitment to it.
By using words like “work, labor, and endurance,” Paul is conveying the idea that the Thessalonian Christians placed the mission of Jesus at a priority. They sacrificed for Jesus. Jesus got more than what was easy for them, Jesus got more than their leftover time. Jesus’ mission wasn’t just a side hobby. Jesus got their work, their labor, their endurance. And they were not paid for it. Paul is not talking about professional ministers.
Let me clarify what I am talking about. We can think that participating in Jesus’ mission sounds like this: “I just served at a church event for four hours in addition to my work day.” Or “I serve on numerous church committees and go to various Bible studies.” Or “I give so much money and time.” Those are all very good things. But those activities can be like items on a checklist that we accomplish, so that the other parts of our lives become unrelated to the mission of Jesus.
What Paul is describing is that the Thessalonians lived a lifestyle of mission. They sought to have a heart like Jesus, an attitude like Jesus, deep care like Jesus, love like Jesus, for other people, such that it was the defining mark of their lives. The mission of Jesus was their regular life. The mission of Jesus and their regular lives were indistinguishable.
And why? What motivated them? Why would a group of people give so much to the mission of the Kingdom?
Paul says it was their faith, love and hope that motivated the Thessalonian Christians to a passionate, sacrificial commitment to the mission of the Kingdom.
Many people say they have faith in God, that they love him and the people around them, and that they have placed their hope in Jesus. Many people say a lot of good things. But saying it is different from allowing faith, love, and hope to produce in us a particularly active kind of life, an active missional life for Jesus, one that we are laboring for in a way that is marked by endurance.
That brings me back to the three week time-frame that Paul was with them. They were on fire for Jesus. How about you? Have you allowed your relationship with Jesus to get in a rut? Do you need to be reignited by faith, love and hope?
If Paul were to hear about your life, would he say, “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”?
Do your life habits and heart demonstrate that kind of sacrificial commitment to labor for Jesus? If not, or if you’re not sure, let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about what your next step could be. Comment below, I’d love to chat.
Photo by David Siglin on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 