Paul showed himself to the Thessalonians as a disciple of Christ worth imitating, demonstrating the faith, hope and love that it takes to follow Christ.
The apostle Paul once told the Corinthians to "imitate me as I imitate Christ." Discipleship is the sincerest form of imitation.
Paul teaches the Thessalonians to recognize Godly leadership in others, and to practice it faithfully by correcting some, comforting others, carrying the burdens of weaker members.
Jesus teaches His disciples to pray earnestly, using what we know as The Lord's Prayer. The more earnestly we pray in secret, the more effectively we play out in the open when it's needed.
Paul teaches the Thessalonians that the Christian walk is not free from grief and mourning, but that ours is a different kind, thanks to Jesus -- that we don't mourn "as those who have no hope."
From the book of Acts, we take a look at the beginnings of the church at Thessalonica, which sets the stage for a series of messages from 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
