A Noble Church

If you remember, Paul and his two missionary friends planted this church in the town of Thessalonica as recorded in Acts 17. This church was one of the fastest growing church plants in the bible. Paul and Timothy and Silas were there only a few months to at most a year before being driven out. The first letter was to encourage this young church to be faithful in the midst of persecution. There was so much more work yet to be done. Paul’s second letter, written also from Corinth, followed quickly on the heels of the first to continue to encourage this young church in their suffering from persecutions, false teaching and the disruption from some idle and unengaged members of the church. Paul is writing to give thanks to God for this noble church, growing in faith, love and endurance even in the midst of trials. Let's look at this church so as to learn the qualities of this mature and noble church.