April 14, 2023: Are People Talking About You?

"For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything." (1 Thessalonians 1:8, ESV)

Some people do not like to be talked about at all! But when you have an open and visible faith in Christ, people will talk about you. Paul was encouraging the persecuted church in Thessalonica with these words. "Your faith has gone everywhere! We do not even have to bring you up in conversation. People are already talking about you!" Their faith was making a name for themselves. What are people saying about you?

The word 'forth' is best understood in this passage as 'to circulate.' To circulate, you have to go forth. You can’t stay in your house or the confines of the four walls of the local church. You have to go out and 'circulate' among the people of the community. Circulating alone is not praise-worthy, but circulating and preaching and demonstrating the Kingdom in faith will leave a God-mark on those who hear and experience God through you.

Jesus' fame spread throughout Galilee because he lived moving from village to village, sometimes from person to person preaching the Kingdom of God and healing the sick. People will talk about you, your preaching, and your faith when that happens