What does it mean to be Elect and Chosen by God?

What does it look like when a church is truly shaped by the gospel? In this opening message from our Future Now series, we go to 1 Thessalonians 1, where we see a young church that became a powerful example of faith, love, and hope.

Despite pressure and persecution, the Thessalonians received the gospel not only in words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction. Paul knew that God has chosen them. Their transformed lives echoed the message of Jesus throughout the region—and continue to speak to us today.

This message will encourage and challenge you to consider:

• How does the gospel shape your everyday life?

• Are we a people marked by faith that works, love that labours, and hope that endures?

Summary:

In this sermon on 1 Thessalonians 1, Pastor Simon delves into Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church, examining how the gospel shapes believers’ lives and future outlook. He provides context for the letter, written around 50 AD to a young, persecuted church that Paul had recently established.

Simon emphasizes three key aspects of the Thessalonians’ faith that Paul commends: their work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. He explains how these qualities, along with the reception of the gospel “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:5), serve as evidence of God’s election.

The pastor highlights the transformative power of the gospel, noting how it changed both Paul (a former persecutor of the church) and the Thessalonians. He challenges listeners to examine their own lives, asking what future they’re living toward and how the gospel is shaping them. Simon concludes by emphasizing three key actions: turning from idols, serving the living God, and waiting for Jesus’ return.

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