This past weekend at Eastbrook, we began a new series on 1 Thessalonians entitled “Hope Rising: 1 Thessalonians for Today.” This first week of the series I turned attention to 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 to set the stage for the series and reflect on what it means to begin and sustain a life of hope in Jesus Christ.
You can find the message outline and video below. You can access the entire series here. Join us for weekend worship in-person or remotely via Eastbrook at Home.
“Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1)
An Introduction to 1 Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1)
Timing, authorship, and provenance of the letter
Connections with Paul’s ministry as recorded in Acts
The rationale for this series and the exploration of “hope”
Paul’s Gratitude for Their Faith, Love, and Hope (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)
Paul is grateful
Paul is grateful for their faith, love, and hope
An exploration of their endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
A Description of the Thessalonians’ Hope-filled Living (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10)
They have hope because they have been chosen by God through the Gospel (1:4-5a)
They have hope that echoes the apostles with resilience amidst suffering (1:5b-6)
They have hope that serves as a contagious example to others (1:7-8)
They have hope that lets go of idols to grab ahold of Jesus until He returns (1:9-10)
Dig Deeper
This week dig deeper in one or more of the following ways:
- Memorize Hebrews 10:24-25.
- Set aside space and time this week to read the entire letter of 1 Thessalonians in one sitting. Notice what words or themes you see recurring throughout the letter.
- Watch the Bible Project video, “1 Thessalonians”
Renovate 