Turned - Sunday June 10, 2012
They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead-Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 NIV
The Thessalonian believers demonstrated their faith by turning from their idols to serve the Living God. Their culture was steeped in idolatry. There were "gods" for literally everything in their everyday life. If you wanted rain, food, guidance, health and so on, you would make offerings to the various "gods" to appease them and get their blessing. In those days, emperor worship was also almost inseparable from their culture. The people of that day could worship any so-called god as long as they also declared Caesar is Lord! Caesar was regarded as the "son of God." This was the "good news" of the Roman Empire, which brought the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) to the known world. It was in this climate that the Thessalonians made a complete break with their culture to worship and serve the living God alone. This would be like giving up our cell phones and computers today. They turned from idols in order to live a life in service for God.
What idols do we need to turn from? Do you have idols of comfort, happiness, security, money, possessions, prestige, position, control, or reputation? What "gods" are you appeasing so you can have your own way? These are the questions I am asking myself too. Let's follow the example and pattern of the Thessalonians by turning from our 21st century idols to serve the Living God, while waiting for Jesus to return and usher us into the New Creation.
Submitted by:
Doug Brown
Lee's Summit Community Church
Lee's Summit, Missouri
One-Year Reading Plan:
1 Kings 7:1-51
Acts 7:30-50
Psalms 128:1-6
Proverbs 16:31-33
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.