2/18/2024

1 Thessalonians 1:1-7  Thessalonians A Great Church In Tough Times

Intro:  Paul started the church at Thessalonica.  Acts 17:1-4 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:  2And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 4And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.  Thessalonica was an important Grecian metropolis by the Roman period of history.  It was the second largest city of the Byzantine empire. It was located on the intersection of two Romans roads.  It was a major port.  It was a center of paganism and also a fairly influential Jewish population.  Jews from Thessalonica forced Paul to flee the city for awhile even though in three weeks he established a strong church there made up of mostly gentiles.  Today it is the modern city of Thessaloniki in Greece.  About one million population.