Listen to Pastor Nick read the “Firestarter”
from the version for young people and the reading.

[From the version for young people]

We turn to a letter of St. Paul to a church in ancient Greece, way up in the north on the Aegean Sea.  Like Corinth, it was a busy seaport city with bustling trade going on all the time. 

As often happens in St. Paul’s letters, he begins by praising the church to which he is writing.  Think about it: once there was a community that received this letter for the first time from their dear pastor, Paul.  In place of e-mail and letters to individuals, this letter was read aloud to a community, perhaps gathering in someone’s house to worship and pray to the Lord Jesus. 

Pray about the three great spiritual gifts from God that we call the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love.  Hope is a wonderful extension of faith, being confident that something is really going to happen along the lines of what we believe in.  Love is the very essence of God that is radiating out from God through us. 
So let’s sit down with all those hearing this letter of St. Paul that will be our focus for six autumn Thursdays.

Faith, Hope and Love – from the original version.

Faith, hope and love—familiar virtues that receive a fresh touch from St. Paul as he celebrates and praises a local church in Thessalonica. This was the second major church established in Europe. As Corinth, it was a busy commercial seaport on the Aegean Sea, in the northeast corner of the Grecian peninsula.

Place yourself among those gathered, perhaps in someone’s house by the sea as you listen to this letter for the first time. Are you grounded in faith, hope, and love? Hope is faith’s extension, confident that something of God is going to be accomplished from the faith planted in your heart. Love is the power of God at work radiating from the center of your soul.

1 Thessalonians 1

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Steadfast in faith, hope and love v. 3

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In season of Kingdomtide this year,
we read 1 and 2 Thessalonians; Revelation 4—11.

For all the Firestarters in the original version, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.