Welcome back to the pod! In our new series, we'll explore two of the earliest letters in the New Testament—written by the Apostle Paul to a young church facing pressure, persecution, and cultural confusion. Tune in as we unpack the first few verses of Thessalonians.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at
[email protected] Now --A New Identity in Christ: Kicking Off the Thessalonians SeriesToday we launch a powerful new series on the letters to the Thessalonians. These two short New Testament books—1 and 2 Thessalonians—were written to one of the earliest churches planted by the Apostle Paul. Before jumping into the rich theology and encouragement in these letters, it’s helpful to explore the background: Who was Paul writing to? Why did he write? And how can these ancient letters speak directly to us today?Understanding the Timeline of Paul’s LettersBefore diving into 1 Thessalonians, let’s take a quick detour through the New Testament table of contents. The Apostle Paul wrote 13 letters (or epistles), and they weren't written in the order they appear in your Bible. Understanding their timeline helps us grasp the historical and spiritual context of each one.1 Thessalonians was written around AD 50, making it one of Paul’s earliest writings—possibly his second after Galatians. Here’s a simplified overview of Paul’s epistles in chronological order:Galatians (AD 48) – After Paul’s first missionary journey1 Thessalonians (AD 50) – Written from Corinth after Timothy’s encouraging report2 Thessalonians (AD 51) – Soon after 1 Thessalonians to clarify teaching on Christ’s return1 & 2 Corinthians (AD 55–56) – To address division and reconciliationRomans (AD 57) – A theological masterpiece written before a trip to JerusalemPrison Epistles (AD 60) – Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians from RomePastoral Epistles (AD 63–67) – 1 Timothy, Titus, and finally 2 Timothy before Paul’s deathThe City of Thessalonica and the Church’s BirthPaul planted the church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey (see Acts 17). But his time there was brief. After just three weeks of preaching in the synagogue, persecution forced Paul and his team to flee the city. This sudden departure left the young church without strong leadership during a time of growing hostility.Later, while Paul was in Corinth (see Acts 18), he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check in. Timothy’s report was encouraging, so Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to strengthen, teach, and affirm the faith of these new believers.Importantly, this letter was written before any of the four Gospels had been completed. The early church relied on the oral tradition of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It wasn’t until decades later, as those...
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