Xerox Corp. said it has found a way to create temporary images on paper that would self-erase in 24 hours or less. The special pages could theoretically be used again and again -- as much as 50 times.

The idea started three or four years ago when its researchers discovered that 40% of printed pages are used for the day, then thrown away. With that in mind, Xerox decided there was clear demand for paper that could be reused, but not recycled, on a daily basis.

The team designed paper covered with special chemicals. Once the paper goes through the printer, the chemicals are exposed to a light source that causes the text on the paper to gradually fade. It disappears completely in 16 to 24 hours, but can be quickly erased by running it through the printer again.

This is what the Bible means when it tells us to redeem the time or make the most of every opportunity. We don’t know how long it will be till the ink fades, till the opportunity is gone to do something for God.

The apostle Paul illustrates this in Acts 17 when he visits the Thessalonians. In three weeks time, God uses him to establish a church. He was kicked out of town, so we find in 1 Thessalonians what Paul accomplished in three weeks, what he did, and what he wishes he had done.

What he accomplished is found in chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians. As a result of a three week ministry, many of the Thessalonians became Christians. They were chosen by God. How do we know?

First, they experienced deep conviction. The Holy Spirit came with power and they believed the message. They were convinced that Jesus died for them. Paul knew of their conviction and it showed him that they truly were believers.

Second, they not only experienced deep conviction, but they received the message with joy. There was a positive reception of the Bible as it was preached. This past week I went to a pastor’s retreat at Living Waters. As I listened to the preaching I realized how unprepared I was in coming. I didn’t bring a notebook or a piece of paper big enough to take notes on. And the messages were good! I thought back to the Thessalonian church and how they received the message with joy! And felt conviction.

This morning we are going to look at the third way Paul knew that these Christians were called of God, were elected, were Christians.

This overlaps some of what has already been said, but Paul starts off with this. We know someone is a Christian if they exhibit the big three.

We can ask two questions about this. The first is short and easy to answer: What are the big three? The answer is that the big three, the three qualities that, when seen in a person identify them as a Christian, is faith, love and hope.

“13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV. We all know this passage. We have heard it at weddings, funerals and in sermons. These are the big three.

The fact that these three identify the Christian comes out in the KJV better than the NIV. Its an issue of punctuation.

“3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5, NIV.

Notice the period at the end of verse 3. Verse 4 is connected with verse 5.

“3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.” 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 4, KJV.

Notice in the KJV that the period is at the end of verse 4 connecting verse 3 and 4.

Now the difference is not important because this truth that faith, hope and love are marks of a believer is substantiated in the New Testament. But here we see faith, hope and love, are a mark that we are chosen, that we are elected, that we are Christians.

The second question is where we will spend out time. How do we see faith, hope and love?

Let me answer the question, then explain my answer. We see faith in our conversion.

You know what conversion is, don’t you? If you convert an engine to fit into a car for which it wasn’t built, you change something about the engine in order to make it fit.

When I use conversion, I mean that there were changes in the lives of the Thessalonians that were seen by others. These changes were related to their faith.

We recently bought a popup camper. Inside it has a converter that changes the power from 220 to 110. That’s what I mean when I use the word conversion, we will see a change.

So let’s look for a change that relates to their faith. We find the change in verse “8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10, NIV.

What did they see? Yesterday they saw them worshipping idols. Today they saw them worshipping God through Jesus Christ their Lord and waiting for his return. It was this “turn” that made people see that they were real Christians.

Every person who is a Christian makes a turn. You might have believed in God all your life, but you didn’t believe in Jesus. You may have believe things about him, but you never really trusted him. But one day, you realized that God loved you, that Jesus died for you and you welcomed him into your life. When you did, those who knew you saw the change.

This is what is meant by the “work of faith” mentioned in verse 3. This faith works. It chucks the old way of thinking out the window and embraces the new truth.

If you are a Christian, then people will see this. They might see that you “switched religions.” They might see that you attend church when you never did before. They may see you pray or hear you quote the Bible. They may find you asking forgiveness or singing Christian songs.

When people see your conversion, they in effect are seeing your faith at work. They will identify you as Christians.

This is a good thing. Other believers will be encouraged when they see your faith act. When Christ is real to you, those who love Christ will see that in you. And it will be a good thing.

Second, we see love in people who help us at a cost to themselves. Verse 3 puts this as the labor of love. The labor of love shows itself in good works. You can tell a person is a Christian when they start doing good things because of Christ.

“8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,” 1 Thessalonians 1:8, 9, NIV.

When we are with people and we are talking about Christ, those people who welcome us in, gives us a cup of coffee, sit down and want to talk about spiritual things, when we are with this kind of person, we know that they are Christians. Their reception, their labor of love show the common bond we have.

1 John says that “When we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another…” When you care about me spiritually and personally, when you give me a good reception because I am a Christian, then that affirms your faith is real.

There is an interesting verse in 2 Thessalonians that sheds light on this. “10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”” 2 Thessalonians 3:10, NIV.

Why did Paul give them that rule? Because part of what they started to do in that three week period was to feed people in the church who had need. The labor of love.

But what if these same people might get in trouble helping us? What if helping us means losing time at work or losing sleep? What if helping us means that they might lose friends because they take our side? That really confirms in us the reality of their love and their place in Christ.

Third, we identify people as Christians who are consistent. Paul calls this “endurance that springs from hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Endurance is keeping on keeping on when the road gets tough. It’s the person who works when they are tired. It’s the mother who kisses her babies good night after a long and grueling day. It’s the Christian who keeps teaching after being criticized by someone for what they say.

Did the Thessalonians endure?

Remember that Paul was staying at Jason’s house? Men from the city came to get Paul and Silas, but they were not home. So they took Jason and other believers and dragged them before the city. After hearing accusations, they made Jason and the others put up bail with the stipulation that Paul would leave Thessalonica or they would collect the bail.

If people came to your home looking for another Christian and you were hauled off to the courtroom, would you show up in church again?

Even after the hostility that did not die down when Paul left, these people endured.

Why? Because they were looking for Jesus to come back. They were redeeming the time. They endured and remained faithful to Jesus in spite of the problem.

When Paul saw and heard that he said, “I know you are a Christian. I know you are chosen by God. For you made it through the crisis.”

“6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 7, NIV.

In spite of severe suffering.

I can’t believe the suffering that some people endure and still trust in Christ. We all know people who have lost a child or have gone through divorce or have had the family come down on them hard when they try to follow Christ. We know that some of these people gave up on the faith.

But we know of others who faced just as bad situations and even worse. But their testimony is that the suffering was temporary, that in the midst, their hope was in God. They endured and in their endurance sent a message to us that their faith was real.

This faith, love and hope were not in the believers as a result of arm-twisting. Paul didn’t have to plead with them to believe, to love, to hope. When the gospel was received and believed, these happened naturally. This was the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. But it became evident through their conversion, their personal cost and their consistency in the face of hard times.

There are three questions we can ask ourselves:

1. Are we converted? Have we added Christian beliefs to our old beliefs or have we left the old beliefs behind and now embrace our Christian faith?

2. Have we paid a personal cost? Do we care about other Christians? Are we part of the team of people that God has placed here to advance the kingdom of God?

3. Are we consistent? Have we taken a back seat because of rough times we have experienced inside the church or outside? Or have the rough times been the backdrop to show our hope in God as we remained consistent in spite of the treatment received?

It’s discouraging to think we are in this battle alone. Paul had taken some real hits along the way. How encouraging it was to see the Thessalonians, people with whom he had been for only three weeks, show such strong faith, love and hope. He knew they had his back and he had theirs.

May that be true of us.