In Thessalonica, Apostle Paul’s teaching of Jesus as the Messiah was so controversial that it was met by an incredibly violent response in the synagogue of the Jews (read Acts 17:5-9).
This opposing Jewish faction, forming a mob, set out in
search of Paul and his missionary companion Silas, however they could not be
found, as their friends, to protect their own security, had ushered them out of
the city.
The angry mob turning their ire against Paul’s friend Jason and
other believers instead, brought them before the city authorities accusing these
men of accommodating Paul and Silas and colluding with them in acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that
there is another king, Jesus (ref. Acts 17:7 ESV).
Jason and the other believers were eventually released when
money was taken from them as security (ref. Acts 17:9).
The fact that Paul’s religious enemies had attacked his character,
was not the only problem facing the Thessalonian church, the influence of idol
worship was still a lure, and other religious and social issues were troubling
its members. So, in an effort to quell the confusion that was brewing among the
believers, and to defend himself, Paul wrote to the church. Towards the end of his
first letter he writes,
Now may God himself, the God
of peace, make you holy in every way [sanctify you completely/through and
through]. May your whole self—spirit, soul, and body—be kept faultless [blameless] when
our Lord Jesus Christ comes. – 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (EXB)
Paul’s teaching in the synagogue focused primarily on the
Thessalonians turning away from their dependence on any form of idolatry and
placing their sense of security in the Living God as they awaited His return; a
core message Paul emphasized in his letter.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is recorded as telling a
parable about a rich man who owned very fertile land (12:16-21). This land
produced so much that the man decided to tear down the barns he already had to build larger ones.
Decision made, this rich man then said to his soul,
Soul, you have many good
things laid up, [enough] for many years. Take your ease; eat,
drink, and enjoy yourself merrily. (v 19)
In saying
this, this rich man has implanted in the core of his being that his sense of
security is in his possessions. His material wealth in land and its harvest gave
this man a sense of security.
The bond that
Jason and the others paid gave them a sense of security and the angry mob in
Thessalonica hung their sense of security on violence.
In each of
these instances, the sense of security was misplaced.
For the
wealthy landowner, if his land remained bountiful, then he’s fine however, his
dependence on that was a precarious position for his soul.
Contrary to this rich man, the writer of Psalm 42 told his soul to Hope in God.
While the rich man in Jesus’
parable was thirsty for more and greater possessions, this psalmist was thirsty
for the living God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the
living God. (v 2 ESV)
The rich man put his trust in the material; his stuff kept
him safe. Your sense of security must never be entrusted in things that
surround you or that you have amassed.
Jesus said, not to be anxious about your life, food, your body, your clothes. Aren’t these all the things you stress over? But Jesus said that life is more than food, more than clothing and tells us to look at the birds and consider the lilies. He wants us to observe the rest of creation to see how God takes good care of them. If God makes provision for them then He will certainly provide for you, for you are more valuable than birds and lilies.
Read Matthew 6:25-34 for yourself.
Beloved, stop looking for your sense of security in all the
wrong places. Deuteronomy 28:12 (ERV) assures that,
The Lord will open
his storehouse where he keeps his rich blessings. He will send rain at the
right time for your land. He will bless everything you do. You will have money
to lend to many nations. And you will not need to borrow anything from them.
God’s word is clear, you will prosper and be in good health
as your soul prospers, therefore the manifestation of all that God’s word contains
in your life begins with a healthy soul. You must plant the good seeds of God’s
word into your soul to reap a bountiful harvest in every area of your life; it's all God,
Amen †
Shelley Johnson “Your Sense of Security” ©2026 January 24,
2026
No comments:
Post a Comment