Those who were Fulfilling the Commission. 1st Thessalonians 1:1 Paul was a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ from the moment he was converted on the road to Damascus. He describes himself as a willing bondslave who loves his Master and desires to serve the Lord. The Lord chose him to be an apostle to the Gentiles, so he knew from the start of his Christian journey what he was set apart to do. In that calling, he had come to Greece and Thessalonica with Silvanus and Timotheus.
Silvanus is the Roman form of Silas, a man who accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey. He was a Jewish leader of the Christians in Jerusalem, where he participated in the council that addressed the Jewish-Gentile issues in Antioch. He traveled with Paul and Barnabas to Antioch carrying a letter of welcome and acceptance to the Gentile believers there. When Paul and Barnabas parted ways, Paul chose Silas to join him. They traveled and preached together, sang hymns, prayed in prison, and shared evangelism experiences in the “regions beyond.” His association with Paul seems to have ended after he went to Corinth at Paul's request. Peter mentioned him in his first letter.
There are times in the lives of the Lord’s servants when they are “out front” and openly involved in the work of the Gospel. Then, as life progresses and they grow older, younger brothers step forward to take on public roles and “bear the yoke in their youth.” Instead of being in the “forefront of the battle,” they choose to step back and support those whom the Spirit of God moves to carry the work forward in their generation.
Timotheus (Timothy) was also with Paul on this second missionary journey. Paul considered him like a son who could be trusted to handle tough situations. Paul sent him back to Thessalonica to see how the new believers were coping with the situation and the opposition after the riot. He brought back good news that encouraged Paul to write this letter, in which he answered some of their questions. They were strong in faith and united in the Lord's work, which proved the reality of their profession.
The church of the Thessalonians reminds us that there is a special relationship between those who are in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. “In” refers to the whole group of believers and God being united as one. The deity of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ is equal, and we acknowledge this in our worship as God's church. We pray to the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit. “God the Father” establishes our relationship; “Lord” signifies sovereignty and deity; “Jesus” identifies Him as our Savior and His humanity; “Christ” affirms that He is the anointed Ruler by God and the true Messiah who was promised.
“Grace” (charis) was a common Greek word used when greeting someone, and “peace” (shalom) was the word Jews used. When used together, these two words teach us that Paul was not making a difference in desiring these two gifts from God for all of the saints. Grace and peace were the heart of his own personal experience, and he desired that they would be in the assembly of God’s people.
We can receive the grace we need when we ask for it at the throne of grace. The knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord is also a means to obtain the grace we need in our daily lives. Grace can be shared with believers through one another during fellowship. Combining these ideas, we see that the Lord’s people can receive grace from God as a response to prayer. Learning from God's word and discussing what we know with other believers makes that grace come alive to us.
The Lord Himself granted His disciples peace amid chaos, opposition, and danger. His peace is different from the peace of the world. Worldly peace means everything around us is quiet and calm so we can do what we want. God’s peace is genuine and always available in any situation when our minds stay focused on Him. When our focus is on Him, we can experience peace in any circumstance we face.