WEDNESDAY September 1st
1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
NIV (v8) – ‘The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it . . .’
ESV (v8) – ‘For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.’
Our verse today is a continuation from yesterday of what Paul is describing as the testimony of the faith of the believers in Thessalonica to those all around them. I like the wording of the NIV that says ‘the message rang out from you’ I like the ESV as well, (sounded forth) but it is the words ‘rang out’ it tells us that they well and truly belted out the message of the gospel by their lives, they had heard it, they had received it and they had responded to it and now they were passing it on. What God had done among them and for them was evident for all around to see and hear, so much so that Paul didn’t even need to mention it, it was so well known, it had rung out loud and clear.
I think I may have mentioned this in a much earlier devotion, but while I was growing up as a young lad on the farm in Herefordshire, at 6pm either every evening or one particular night a week (I don’t remember, I just remember hearing it) the air raid siren that had been used during the second world war, was tested, this was in the 1960’s so at least 15- 20 years after the end of the war, I guess, because I don’t really know why, it was tested just in case war broke out again, and I do not even know when the practise came to an end, but we lived a few miles away from the city where the siren was sounded, but I can distinctly remember hearing it. It needed to be a clear, specific, and loud sound to give sufficient warning to all. The Thessalonian believers having been gripped by the power of the gospel, were like a siren, they made sure that the message rang out not only in Macedonia and Achaia but everywhere, as far as they possibly could, warning men and women of their sin and their need of a Saviour, their faith was spread forth for others to hear and to know.
May God helps us as individuals and as a Church fellowship in Gateshead to know what it is to be clear, specific, and loud with the presentation of the gospel, so that others will hear and respond by faith. May our testimony ring out loud and clear not only in the vicinity of the Church but in the surrounding areas.