Does your faith ring forth in the community where you live? Does it resound? Is it a trumpet call for God? When Paul writes to the Thessalonians, he commends them on their faith, love, and hope. Although they were a young church, living in a place that was very hostile to Christians, they had become examples of what it meant to follow Christ. Their city was a seaport that welcomed people from everywhere. Their faith spread far and wide.
Faith as a Trumpet Call: The Testimony of the Thessalonian Church
In 1 Thessalonians 1:8, Paul says of this church:
"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything."
This church was so successful in displaying their faith that Paul didn't need to add or say anything more. How were they doing this? Why were they so successful?
Paul explains that they worked, labored, and were patient. They received the Word, and they were joyful. What you see in this description is that their faith "sounded forth" which means like a trumpet blast, not because they spoke out loudly about being a Christian, but more so because their lives showed the love of Christ.
Paul describes the Thessalonians using action words. The world could see their lives had been changed. So changed, that this faith of theirs had spread far beyond the city of Thessalonica into the whole region.
The Purpose of Salvation: A Trumpet Blast of Faith
For what purpose are we saved if not this? Yes, of course, our salvation is immeasurably important to our relationship with God because, without it, there would be none. But our purpose is to spread the knowledge of God far and wide—to wake up their souls with the sound of a trumpet blast, showing that there is more—unbelievably more—to life than what those without Christ can imagine.
In Matthew 28:16-20, the very last command to the disciples was to "make disciples of all nations" and teach them to obey the commands of Jesus. We call this the Great Commission. Certainly we do this through preaching and teaching, but what the world sees first and foremost, what they "hear" is our lives. Are we as different as we say we are? Or is our trumpet blast, more like a squeaky child's toy trumpet, barely heard a few feet away?
Love as the Foundation of Christian Witness
According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1, without love, we are like a "tinkling cymbal or as sounding brass". What Paul was probably talking about was an echoing brass sound, signifying emptiness. Either we aren't heard, or when we are, our words or actions are meaningless without love. As Christians, everything we say, or more importantly, do, must be rooted in Christ's love. We won't reach the world the way the church at Thessalonica did without love. This love is our call to action.
Are Our Lives a Clear Call to Action?
One thing about trumpets: when they are played well, the notes are clear. But if you have ever heard a trumpet played by a beginning Junior High Band member, it often has unstable pitch, with notes that waver up and down. Another problem beginning trumpet players have is a harsh tone, caused by putting too much pressure on their lips.
Does Our Life Sound Like a Trumpet?
Is this us? When we live our lives for Christ, do we show the world a clear and consistent message of what that is, or are we one day living for Him and the next not so much? When we speak out, is it with love, or is it harshly and judgmentally? Do we clearly show the world who it is we love?
In ancient times trumpets, known as shofars, which were made from a ram's horn, were often used as a call to action. They were used in battle, to gather the congregation at the temple, and for major announcements. Our faith today resounds like a trumpet in similar ways.
The Power of Our Trumpet Call
Our trumpet call to the world should be heard so that the world understands that there is a battle for their soul between good and evil, stirring up a desire to worship God, and it should announce the good news of salvation to all. We are called to be living testimonies of Christ's love, showing the world that true fulfillment is found in Him alone.
Just as a trumpet calls people to attention, our faith should catch the ears of those around us. It should prompt questions, stir curiosity, and ultimately lead others toward the knowledge of God. When we live genuinely for Christ, our lives sound in a way that words alone cannot—speaking volumes without saying a word. But where does the ability to blow the trumpet come from?
The Source of Our Strength: The Holy Spirit
I like how McClaren's Exposition explains it:
"If the Church is the trumpet, who blows it? God! It is by His Divine Spirit dwelling within us, and breathing through us, that the harsh discords of our natural lives become changed into a melody of praise and the music of witness for Him."
We can't accomplish this on our own. It is the working of the Holy Spirit in us that allows us to grow to be more like Christ. This allows our lives to speak louder than our words.
A Wake-Up Call to the World
Why choose a trumpet? Why not a harp, or a soft violin? We are to "sound forth" to the world—not put them to sleep. Paul reminds us of the words of Isaiah, which he quotes in Ephesians 5:14, when he says:
“Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
We should use the church at Thessalonica as a role model. Our lives should be a trumpet blast that wakes the sleeping and the dead to show them the light of Christ. A resounding call that goes out to every place. Our lives are not just lived for ourselves; they are lived to show the world that the love of Christ changes us and changes the world. Our influence, for good or bad, for Christ or not, spreads beyond us, this we should always remember.
