Our gateway today is the entrance to Glacier National Park. As is obvious, everyone cannot freely enter into the Park. A fee must be paid to enter.
Imagine for a moment that someone graciously paid the fee for everyone in the entire country. The fee has been paid, and everyone is offered a Yearly National Parks Pass … for free! The only thing a person would need to do is accept the gift, then they would be allowed entrance into any National Park for a full year.
Now imagine for a moment that some people decide not to accept the free gift of a Yearly Pass, choosing rather to create their own currency for admission. Imagine they cut small cardboard circles then cover them over with shiny aluminum foil … to create coins. Imagine they create the most beautiful paper money! When these people show up at this entrance gate and offer their shiny aluminum-foil coins and beautiful homemade paper money … would they be allowed entrance into the Park? Of course not.
The same thing is true when it comes to being allowed entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Everyone is not automatically allowed entrance into Heaven. A fee must be paid. Jesus Christ has graciously paid the fee for everyone! Jesus offers an Eternal Kingdom of Heaven Pass … for free! The only thing a person must do is believe in Jesus and accept His free gift.
However, many people decide not to accept this free gift from Jesus. They would rather try to pay on their own to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But no other currency is accepted. Only Jesus’s Eternal Kingdom of Heaven Pass allows entrance.
The people who lived in the city of Thessalonica had eagerly accepted this free gift from Jesus! They had passed through the entrance gateway into the Kingdom of Heaven!
As a person passes through the entrance gateway into Glacier National Park, the entire Park is now open for them to explore and discover! The Park is so big! There are so many breathtaking things to see! So many discoveries! So many hikes! Where does one even start??
The same thing is true when it comes to passing through the gateway of Jesus into the Kingdom of Heaven. The Christian life is all so new! Where does a person even start??
The people who lived in the city of Thessalonica were the same way. These people were brand new believers in Jesus! In the book of 1 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul is writing to these brand-new Christians to encourage them!
“I thank God for you! Because …
– You are loved by God – 1 Thessalonians 1:4
– You are chosen by God – 1 Thessalonians 1:4
– You are living out your faith – 1 Thessalonians 1:3
– You are demonstrating love for others – 1 Thessalonians 1:3
– You are enduring hard times because of the hope you have in Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 1:3
– You have turned away from idols and are following Jesus wholeheartedly – 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
– You are sharing the message of Jesus with others – 1 Thessalonians 1:8
– You received God’s Word and believed – 1 Thessalonians 2:13
– You have become imitators of Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 2:14
Perhaps you too are a new believer in Jesus and have just passed through the entrance gateway into the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed as you wonder what it means to be a Christian. The Bible is so big! Where do you even start??
A great place to start is in the book of 1 Thessalonians.
As you read the book of 1 Thessalonians you will see that the new Christians in the city of Thessalonica were just like you. The book of 1 Thessalonians offers so much encouragement for new believers in Jesus!
“May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Jesus Christ in 1 Thessalonians
Jesus is our source of hope and comfort
– 1 Thessalonians 1:3
– 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Jesus is the one who rescues believers from the coming wrath
– 1 Thessalonians 1:10
– 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
Jesus is the Soon Coming King! – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
