Pastor's Ponderings: Tuesday Bible Study on Paul’s letter, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-7a (May 27, 2025)

May 27, 2025:  Tuesday Bible Study on Paul’s letter, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-7a

May the comfort of Christ's love fill your life today, and may you remember that He is with you in everything that happens, in the tough stuff, and in the joyous stuff too. A reminder for you that Pastor Ron and Becky are home safe and sound as of this past Saturday. This coming Sunday is Gospel Music Sunday at church, and our meal for the day is grilled burgers, both beef and veggie, bratwurst, or two hotdogs for $3 dollars cost which will include buns, condiments, and cheese. I will be up at home at the crack of dawn preparing the meat on our home grill, and it will come into church fully cooked and kept in the warmer in the church kitchen until the mealtime after worship. It you haven't signed up yet, please call the church office this week no later than Thursday to do so. We are also asking that you bring a dish to share for that meal. Money can be placed in the offering in your regular offering envelope, or a pew envelope, or paid at the meal by placing it in the center of the table where you sit.

Today, lets pray for all people in our nation whose lives have been deeply impacted by the current government cuts and changes, and for people who are living with uncertainty about their health care or the financial support which underwrites care for those who are unable to work, and for those who live in subsidized housing as senior citizens.  There are many who are living with all this uncertainty every day. At church our insurance carrier, Church Mutual, is increasing our liability coverage on our building to $10,000 a year, and it will likely go up again next year, as well as placing a $25,000 deductible on any storm damage to the roof of our buildings. I am certain that you are facing these same challenges on your home, just as we are at our home too.

When we begin to read Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, we need to be reminded that they too faced what seemed to be overwhelming challenges. But in the face of all of it, they continued to love one another, and to love the people around them, all who are amazed by their resiliency in the face of what we know to be severe and constant persecution. These new Christians, faced with hardship, had found the abundance of God's Grace to give them the courage and kindness they needed to live lives of thankfulness and love in the face of their troubles. For Paul, his leadership, his thankfulness for the Gospel centered people of Thessalonica, and his own tender love for all of them, had to first be centered in thanksgiving to God for God's own work to seek out, and transform the hearts of the Thessalonian Christians, and like Paul we need to understand that it is God who works in and through us, who transforms hearts and minds, convincing people to receive Him through Christ, His Spirit, and His Church.  Perhaps the biggest problem when we see diminishing attendance and membership is that we have not been thankful enough to God for all His Grace-filled work in our lives and the lives of people who He places in our own Gospel care. Paul's thanksgiving to God needs to be ours as well. Let's face it, in our lives we all have many alliances, and dare I say gods like money, power, property, and even friends with power and money who may mean a benefit for us. In Paul's time there were many cults, may religious beliefs, many opportunities to be drawn away from the true message of God's judgement for those who reject His washing of all of creation with His love through Jesus Christ. We know that this judgement is true in the face of the world's unbelief and that at the end of all things, God's judgement will be given against that worldly rejection. This is why it is so important for us to not get in the way of those unbelievers as God works to move their hearts to be filled with His Grace. This is exactly what the Thessalonians have not done. Instead, the Thessalonians have become the bearers of the news that says there is only One God, who reveals as God the Father Creator, God the Son and Redeemer, and God the Holy Spirit the Sanctifier, and this God is the fullness of Grace, and only True God.   Is it any wonder that Paul boasts in the Thessalonian Christians? They have become, as have we, the living presence of God's Love for all people. This is some especially important food for thought as the Christian Nationalist of our nation seek power and wealth, and spew judgement on unbelievers and believers alike. As I have said many times, God is the only rightful judge! Before that end time judgement, you and I are meant to be Christ's love for all people.

Thanks for being with me today. In Christ's Love, Pastor Kim