Surprised by a life of mission
God surprises us when we least expect it. The surprises of God are often encounters with people who God has used greatly in mission. Those encounters can leave us a bit afraid of whether or not God can -- or would -- use us in such a wonderful way. But be assured, God can take the encounter to give you an example. And God can take the example to make you excited to act when the opportunity to serve comes to you.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-9 (Contemporary English Version)
From Paul, Silas, and Timothy. To the church in Thessalonica, the people of
God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that God will be kind to you
and will bless you with peace! We thank God for you and always mention you in
our prayers. Each time we pray, we tell God our Father about your faith and
loving work and about your firm hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. My dear friends,
God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people. When we told you
the good news, it was with the power and assurance that come from the Holy
Spirit, and not simply with words. You knew what kind of people we were and how
we helped you. So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and
the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad. You
became an example for all the Lord's followers in Macedonia and Achaia. And
because of you, the Lord's message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now
the news of your faith in God is known all over the world, and we don't have to
say a thing about it. Everyone is talking about how you welcomed us and how you
turned away from idols to serve the true and living God.
Click on the resources link below and enjoy the lesson, written by Carrie Cyphers, a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.