1 Thessalonians 2.13-16

Are you a grumbler?

Or, are you grateful?

Are you quick to find something to complain about?

Or, do you quick find something to be thankful for?

Does the statement “Why did this have to happen to me?,” or the feeling of “poor me,” sound familiar?

According to the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, the average person has about 70,000 thoughts each day! There’s one big problem with this — the vast majority of these thoughts are negative.

Shawn Achor, a psychologist who teaches at Harvard, suggests that we can train our brains to become more grateful by setting aside just five minutes a day for practicing gratitude. He cites a one-week study in which people were asked to take five minutes a day, at the same time every day, to write down three things they were thankful for. They didn’t have to be big things, but they had to be concrete and specific, such as, “I’m thankful for the delicious Thai take-out dinner I had last night.” Or, “I’m thankful that my daughter gave me a hug.” Or, “I’m thankful that my boss complimented my work.” The participants simply expressed thanks for three specific things at the same time every day.

At the end of one month, the researchers followed up and found that those who practiced gratitude—including those who stopped the exercise after one week—were happier and less depressed. Remarkably, after three months, the participants who had been part of the one-week experiment were still more joyful and content. Incredibly, after the six-month mark, they were still happier, less anxious, and less depressed. The researchers hypothesized that the simple practice of writing down three thanksgivings a day over the course of a week primed the participants’ minds to search for the good in their lives.

In this morning’s section of Paul, Silas, and Timothy’s 1st Century letter to the Christians gathered in the Greek city of Thessalonica, the authors return to making a list of the reasons that they regularly give thanks to God the Father when they look at the Thessalonian Church.   

Let’s here the gratitude list that our authors make in 1 Thessalonians 2.13-16 now.

[13] And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. [14] For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, [15] who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind [16] by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! (ESV)

There are three specific reasons that Paul and his ministry companions give thanks to God when they see and remember the Thessalonian Christians.

First, the Apostle Paul is thankful that the Thessalonians received the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the Word of God.

When Paul looked at the Christians in the city of Thessalonica, he prayed and praised saying,

“Lord, thank you that they have received the word of God for what it is—your own word!”

What do we mean when we say that the Bible is God’s own Word?  After all, weren’t the books contained within the Bible written by human men?  We have already said that today’s Biblical text was written by three human men—Paul, Silas, and Timothy.  So, what gives?

To better understand how we got the 66 books that make up the Bible, we need to understand three theological terms.

First, the words in the Bible are revelation.  This means that God revealed the truth of creation, sin, salvation, and eternal life to the authors.  Because of the corruption of original Sin, the human heart and mind would never be able to know or understand infinite truths.  But, through God’s grace and God’s will that all men and women come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, God the Father made eternal truths known to the men who would write the words contained within the Bible.

Galatians 1:11–12 says this:

[11] For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. [12] For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)

And, 2 Timothy 3:16–17 tells you that:

[16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (ESV)

Second, God’s words from the author’s mouths and pens come from divine inspiration.

2 Peter 1:16–21 says:

[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” [18] we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. [19] And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (ESV)

Last, we are able to understand the divine revelation and inspiration contained within the Bible through the Holy Spirit’s illumination of the text when we read and hear it.  Those who are untied with Christ through faith have the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them into all of the truth of God’s Word.

When you look around your church, do you give thanks to God because the people in the pews receive the word of God for what it is—God’s own word?”

Do you personally praise God because you have confidently received the word of God for what it is—God’s own word?

The second thing that the Apostle Paul is thankful for is that the Word of God is actively working to change the Thessalonian believers to be more like Jesus Christ.

When Paul looked at the Christians in the city of Thessalonica, he prayed and praised saying,

“Lord, I want to stop right now, and I want to thank you because I see your word at work in them.”

Philippians 2:13 says,

[13] … it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (ESV)

This Biblical text tells you that when the word of God is read or proclaimed, it is living and active and does the work that God wants done in you and in others who receive it with faith.

And, when God’s Word changes a person, the change in their speech and their actions becomes undeniable to the watching world—both inside and outside the church.  

When you look around your church, do you give thanks to God because the people in the pews have been and are continually being changed by God’s Word to be like Jesus Christ?

Do you praise God because you have been and are continually being changed by God’s Word to be like Jesus Christ?

Third, the Apostle Paul is thankful that the Thessalonian Christians are willing to continue trusting God’s love for them even though they experience rejection and suffering for their faith.

When Paul looked at the Christians in the city of Thessalonica, he prayed and praised saying, 

“Lord, thank you that the gospel is so real in their lives that they’re willing to bleed for it.”

The Thessalonian Christians actually found joy in their suffering for their faith because they knew the suffering that they experienced for their faith made them more like Jesus.

In another New Testament book, James speaks of finding joy in our suffering for our faith when he says to you, the believer,

[2] Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, [3] for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. [4] And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4, ESV)

And,

[12] Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12, ESV)

In our first sermon in this series we heard that Christians will suffer for their faith because trust in Christ turns the world upside down and inside out.  And, not only will they suffer, but they are actually called to suffer and not give up hope when they are rejected, mocked, threatened, or even punished as Jesus was.

When you look around your church, do you give thanks to God because the people in the pews are willing to suffer in their daily lives rather than deny the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that has rescued them from God’s wrath upon their Sin?

Do you praise God because you are willing to suffer in your daily life rather than deny the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection that has rescued you from God’s wrath upon your Sin?

Another researcher, Arthur C. Brooks, gave a summary based on numerous studies on the benefits of gratitude.  He found that thankfulness raises human beings’ happiness and that gratitude can make us more resilient, and enhance relationships by strengthening romantic ties, bolstering friendships, and creating family bonds that endure during times of crisis. It may improve many health indicators, such as blood pressure and diet. Gratitude can make us more generous with others, more patient, and less materialistic.

One of the major things that I learned from Alcoholics Anonymous is the exercise of reviewing my day and listing the things that I am thankful for.  

This nightly exercise in daily thankfulness, very similar to the one suggested by the Harvard physiologist above, has been so life changing that I have moved the practice to be a part of our evening family devotions.  After reading a piece of the Bible together, I, along with my wife and two boys take a few minutes to write down things we are thankful for in journals dedicated to daily thanksgiving lists.  After we are done listing the things we are thankful to God for, we end our time together in prayer.

Each of us has a minimum of three things that we can list every single night.

First, you can thank God that in Jesus, a life of perfect obedience to God’s will was lived and given to you.

Second, you can thank God that in Jesus, your sins were paid for through His death on the cross.

And, third, you can thank God that in Jesus, the power of sin and death has been defeated for you through His resurrection, giving you eternal life in Heaven.

In accordance with today’s text, you can add another three things to be thankful for.

You can thank God that He has revealed, inspired, and illuminated His Word so that you and the people in your church can recognize your sin that separates you from Him and you can recognize Jesus your Savior that connects you back to Him.

Next, you can thank God that you and the people in your church have been changed and are continually being changed to be more like Jesus Christ as you live out the rest of your days in this world.

And, finally, according to today’s Biblical text, you can thank God that you and the people in your church are willing to suffer for your faith without bending to the ways of the unbelieving world which denies God’s Creation and Jesus’ salvation.

So, today,

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

This is the revealed, inspired, and illuminated Word of God for you today.

This is the Grace of God for you today.

Amen.

Reverend Fred Scragg V.

July 26, 2026.