But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.  (8) So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become so dear to us.  (9) For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.  (13) For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.  

The letter to the Thessalonians was written by the apostle Paul. In chapter one of this letter Paul writes praising God for His election of the Thessalonians and the power of the Spirit so evident in their transformation.  Despite hostility toward Paul in that city, the faithful were devoted To the gospel he preached.  For three weeks Paul reasoned, as a visiting rabbi in the synagogue at Thessalonica, from the scriptures explaining that Christ had to suffer and rise fron the dead.  The message of a crucified Messiah was not what the Jews of that day were expecting – but all his reasoning would have been for naught without the convicting power of the Spirit. And the power of the Spirit was much in evidence in Thessalonica as word of their remarkable conversion and faith went out through the known world.

in our verses today Paul writes of their experiences and the evidence that God  had clearly called/elected the faithful at Thessalonica. Paul has been sent to them by God and their consciences tells them that Paul’s gospel is right and true by both word and example. Paul sought neither money nor glory and did not spare himself – he avoided burdening any one individual even though the law of Christ requires every church furnish His ministers with food and other necessities. Paul wanted no hindrance to the reception of the gospel.  He mentions his gentle approach “just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children”: Paul not only gives them the gospel but their very lives.

Pall charges the Thessalonians to recall his example of discharging his apostolic duties.  He made no financial demands (he labored as a tentmaker) and was working as a servant of man and God in his ministry.  His example was to serve with integrity and devoutly before God and upright before men.  Paul was given the power of the Spirit and was all in.