Walking Worthy: The Legacy of a Church Worth Remembering

The city of Thessalonica bustled with commerce, politics, and paganism. Its streets echoed with the language of empire, its temples bowed to the Caesars, and its people chased after every philosophy the world could offer. Yet in the heart of that cultural and spiritual chaos, the gospel of Jesus Christ found a home.

Paul and Silas didn’t spend long in Thessalonica; just three Sabbaths, according to Acts 17, but those few weeks changed eternity for many. The Word took root. Lives were transformed. Idols were forsaken. And a church was born: small in number, rich in faith, and ablaze with hope.

Paul couldn’t forget them. He had left in haste amid threats and accusations, but his heart remained with those new believers. Would they stand firm? Were they discouraged? Had the pressures of persecution smothered their joy?

So he wrote.

First Thessalonians is a letter of affection. It radiates with warmth and pastoral concern. Paul writes like a spiritual father, recalling their conversion, commending their example, and encouraging their endurance. He reminds them, and us, that the Christian life is marked by faith, love, and hope. That even in affliction, we are called to holy living. That the Lord Jesus is coming again, and we are to live in the light of His return.

But confusion crept in.

False reports stirred fear. Some claimed the “day of the Lord” had already come. Others abandoned daily responsibilities in anticipation of Christ’s immediate return. So Paul wrote again.

Second Thessalonians is a letter of correction, but it never loses the tone of comfort. Paul answers deception with truth. He affirms that the Lord’s return has not yet occurred, and he clarifies the prophetic timeline with pastoral clarity. He exhorts the idle to work. He strengthens the weak to stand. And through it all, he lifts their eyes again to the hope of glory.

These two letters are not ancient relics or esoteric prophecy guides. They are living words for a waiting church.

In a world no less hostile, no less confused, and no less desperate for truth, the message of Thessalonians is strikingly relevant. We too are called to endure hardship with joy. We too must resist the temptation to grow idle or disillusioned. We too must fix our eyes on Jesus, who “delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10) and will soon return in power and glory.

This 13-week study is not just about understanding two of Paul’s earliest epistles: it’s about walking worthy of the God who has called us into His kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 2:12). It’s about finding strength for today and hope for tomorrow. It’s about becoming the kind of church that heaven remembers; a church that endures, a church that imitates Christ, a church that waits well.

So come ready to be encouraged. Come ready to be challenged. Come ready to walk worthy: between the cross and His return.

This Fall, I invite you to join me for a 13-week journey through the Thessalonian epistles. Together we’ll see what it means to walk worthy of God’s calling in the last days.

First Thessalonians: A letter of affection. Second Thessalonians: A letter of correction.

Walking Worthy: A life of devotion and expectancy

Whether you attend the in-person class at Lakeview or follow along through 73Twenty updates and teachings, my prayer is that this study will encourage your faith and anchor your hope: until He comes.

📅 Begins August 27, 2025 | 🕕 Wednesdays @ 6 PM📍 Lakeview Baptist Church, Belton, TX

Hosted by L.I.F.E. @ LBC | 📚 Resources via 73Twenty Publishing