Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
It was not easy being a Christian in the city of Thessalonica. In spite of the persecution that started as soon as people began receiving the gospel, these new believers were not deterred in their new-found faith and their unwavering belief became famous throughout the region. They had found a joy greater than the persecution, and they knew the wrath of their neighbors was nothing compared to the coming wrath of God. The Thessalonian believers remind us that faith built on the sure foundation of Christ helps us overcome the fear of what might happen to us in this life and in the life to come.