1Th 1:1-3  "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,  remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 

We are writing to all of you in Thessalonica who are "in" God The Father and Jesus Christ. You know what I mean, you are folded into and your life is now hidden in the life of God. You no longer walk alone and no longer are you on your own. You are in God and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Walking in and by The Spirit of God. He is Absolute Love. Grace is upon you and peace enfolds you. 

Here is how we know that you are chosen by God and are in God's love, because you not only heard the Word of God, you have a full conviction and display in your actions the power Of His Holy Spirit. You have known and acknowledge how what we brought to was a gift to you.

1Th 1:4, 5  "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake." 

You became imitators of us and in turn imitators of The Lord Jesus. Even in being afflicted by others because of following Christ and God's Word, you are filled with Joy. This only comes from God's Holy Spirit within you. You are the example of the way a Christ follower acts.

1Th 1:6, 7  "And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." 

Not only do you share with those close to you the Love of God, but your love from God is reaching far and wide. You turned away from idols and you are servants of God fully alive and Him alive in you. All this is in preparation, waiting and looking forward to the coming of the risen Christ. He is alive and coming again. He has redeemed and rescued us from God's wrath that is stored up against those rebelling against Him. His wrath will be terrible and just. 

1Th 1:8-10  "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. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."