In this sermon, Pastor Clint opens up 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16. Paul expresses thankfulness for the Thessalonians receiving his message not as mere human words but as the word of God, which actively works within them. He contrasts their acceptance with the rejection faced by the Jewish religious leaders who persecuted both Jesus and the prophets. Here, Paul gives us a robust picture of the nature of God's word and the necessity of right preaching.