How does 1 Thessalonians 1:5 connect to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Scripture Foundation “because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with great conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Shared Mandate: Proclaiming the Gospel • Both passages center on the gospel message going out. • Paul notes that “our gospel came to you” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Jesus commands, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). • The Thessalonian experience demonstrates what obedience to the Great Commission looks like in practice—real people in a real city hearing and receiving the good news. Shared Power Source: The Holy Spirit • 1 Thessalonians 1:5 highlights the Spirit’s role: “in power, in the Holy Spirit.” • Matthew’s Commission ends with Jesus’ promise of His abiding presence, fulfilled by the Spirit (cf. Acts 1:8: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”). • Effective evangelism never rests on human effort alone; it flows from Spirit-empowered words and works. Shared Method: Word, Power, and Modeling • “Not only in word” (1 Thessalonians 1:5) echoes “teaching them to obey” (Matthew 28:20)—sound doctrine proclaimed. • “But also in power” mirrors the miraculous authentication of the gospel in Acts (e.g., Acts 14:3). • “You know how we lived among you” parallels Jesus’ call to model obedience—disciple-makers live what they teach (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1). Shared Certainty: Great Conviction and Christ’s Presence • Paul ministered “with great conviction.” That confidence rests on Christ’s authority (Matthew 28:18) and His promise, “I am with you always.” • Boldness in Thessalonica sprang from the same assurance every disciple has today. Shared Goal: Transformed, Reproducing Disciples • The power and presence of the Spirit produced Thessalonian believers who “became imitators of us and of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 1:6) and “an example to all the believers” (1 Thessalonians 1:7). • This fulfills the Great Commission’s aim: disciples who obey and in turn disciple others (2 Timothy 2:2). Putting It Together 1 Thessalonians 1:5 is a living snapshot of the Great Commission in action— • The message proclaimed (word) • The Spirit empowering (power) • The messengers modeling (life) • The recipients transformed into disciple-makers. What Jesus commanded in Matthew 28 is exactly what Paul and his team carried out in Thessalonica, and it remains the blueprint for gospel ministry today. |
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