Kingdom Disciples

In Chapter 3 of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he issues a prayer that concludes the first half of the Letter. In it, he reiterates two requests stated previously. First, for the opportunity to return to Thessalonica to continue ministering to the congregation. Second, for God to increase the Assembly’s love for him and others. The fulfillment of both requests will make the faith of the Thessalonians complete on the day when Jesus “arrives” from Heaven.

If the Thessalonians continue to emulate the apostolic example, they will receive the Crown of Glory when Jesus arrives from Heaven . Opposition from the local synagogue had compelled Paul to leave Thessalonica prematurely. Though initially, some members of that group had welcomed his message, they turned against him once the Gentiles began to embrace the Gospel. Even after he left the city, some synagogue leaders pursued Paul when he preached the Gospel elsewhere in Macedonia.

In  Matthew , the life, words, and deeds of Jesus echo key events in the history of Israel. He brings the things God began in the past to their intended fulfillment. He is the Greater Lawgiver foreshadowed in the story of Israel’s exodus from Egypt. By presenting parallels between Moses and Jesus,  Matthew  sets the stage for the teachings of Christ, especially as represented in his ‘Sermon on the Mount’.

To the Colossians, Paul emphasized the exalted position of Jesus that he attained through his death and resurrection . In his Letter, the Apostle stresses the exaltation of Jesus following his resurrection. It seems some members of the congregation were confused about his authority over the spiritual powers that remained hostile to God and His people; therefore, Paul reminds the Assembly of just how highly God exalted the very one who became the “ Firstborn of the Dead .”

Some members of the Corinthian congregation denied the bodily resurrection of the righteous. The Apostle Paul responded not only by stressing the necessity for it but also by appealing to the past resurrection of Jesus, which was and remains the precedent for the coming resurrection of believers. His faithful disciples will be raised bodily from the dead when he “ arrives ” at the end of the age, and his appearance will result in the termination of Death itself.