When an athlete runs in a competition, they demonstrate endurance by running a route that has been set out for them by someone else. As Christians, God has set before us the task of becoming and making disciples. This requires endurance. 

Making disciples is a lifetime commitment, and we need to start strong. For this to happen, we need to understand what running the race looks like and we need to develop the discipline needed to succeed.

God has the expectation that His people are going to be faithful workers in the Kingdom, and for the Kingdom.

Trusting in the Good News of our salvation in Christ allows us to stand firm in the face of attempts to deceive us.

Those who are in Christ will bear fruit in ways that are obvious. While this will bring hardship, God is perfectly faithful and just; he will punish those who persecute his people, and he will give his people everything they need to be faithful demonstrations of his love because of his grace. 

Trusting in God’s faithfulness allows and encourages us to live in ways that bring Him honor and glory and build up others and point them to Christ.

God has a plan and purpose for us- to be his witnesses. Paul teaches the church at Thessalonica that they will witness faithfully by not only telling others about his Son Jesus, but by demonstrating the life that the resurrection makes possible through our purity, our consistent work, and our trust & lack of anxiety over when he is returning.

Discipleship takes a lifetime and the entire church has a role.

Paul writes two letters to the Church at Thessalonica to let them know how grateful he is for their consistent faith, to tell them of the ways they encourage him in his, and to encourage them to love and serve God through loving and serving one another.

Paul begins his first letter to the church at Thessalonica by reminding them of the Gospel and by telling them of the impact their acceptance of that Gospel is having all around the world.