In this episode, we step into the world of 1 Thessalonians by looking closely at its opening verse and the story behind it. Krisan Marotta introduces Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, traces how the gospel first came to Thessalonica, and explains why this young church needed encouragement to endure opposition and remain faithful to Christ. 

In this week’s episode, we explore:

• How New Testament letters are structured and what we learn from the greeting in 1 Thessalonians 1:1
• Who Paul, Silas, and Timothy are, and how God brought them together as a ministry team
• Paul’s dramatic conversion from persecutor of Christians to apostle of Christ
• The path of Paul’s second missionary journey—from Antioch through Asia Minor to Macedonia and Greece
• Why the vision of the “man of Macedonia” in Acts 16 is such a turning point in the spread of the gospel
• What life was like in Thessalonica: its history, culture, strategic location, and religious environment
• How the church in Thessalonica began, including the mix of Jews, Gentile God-fearers, and prominent women who believed
• The intense opposition Paul faced, the mob in Thessalonica, and the charge that these men were “turning the world upside down”
• The contrast between the hostile response in Thessalonica and the “noble-minded” Bereans who searched the Scriptures
• Why Paul had to leave Thessalonica so quickly, what happened when Timothy returned there, and why Paul wrote this letter only months later
• How Paul describes the Thessalonian believers as those “in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” and what that tells us about their faith and identity

After listening, you’ll have a clearer picture of the people, places, and pressures behind 1 Thessalonians. 

 Series: 1&2 Thessalonians: Between Times