To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:1)
We as a church are "in" a Father and "in" a Lord. What does that mean?
The word "Father" implies primarily care and sustaining and protection and provision and discipline. So to be "in" the Father would mean mainly to be in his care and under his protection.
The other designation is Lord: we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word "Lord" implies primarily authority and leadership and ownership. So to be "in" the Lord means mainly to be in his charge, under his authority and in his possession.
So Paul greets the Thessalonian church in such a way as to remind them that they are a family (in the care of a Father) and that they are servants (in the charge of a Lord). These two descriptions of God as Father and Lord, and thus of the church as family and servants, corresponds to two of our deepest needs.
The two needs that every one of us has are the need for rescue and help and the need for purpose and meaning.
We need a heavenly Father to pity us and rescue us from sin and misery. We need his help at every step of the way because we are so weak and vulnerable.
But we also need a heavenly Lord to guide us in life and tell us what is wise and give us a great and meaningful charge to fulfill. We don't just want to be safe in the care of a Father. We want a glorious cause to live for.
We want a merciful Father to be our Protector, and we want an omnipotent Lord to be our Champion and our Commander and our Leader. So when Paul says in verse 1, You are the church "in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ," we can take rest and help from one and take courage and meaning from the other.
This devotional is written by John Piper. For more information about Piper's ministry, writing, and books, visit DesiringGod.org.
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