Here we are back in 1 Thessalonians 5 with the Apostle Paul looking at these commands for holy living in the lives of believers. Remember, Paul is addressing the church at Thessalonica and helping them to know how to relate to other believers with these short commands. The first three we looked at last month (3 Rapid-Fired Commands for Holy Living​) were found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, where Paul speaks specifically to some personal commands:

1. “Rejoice evermore.”
2. “Pray without ceasing.”
3. “In every thing give thanks…”

In Part 1 of this study, we explored 6 Key Aspects of God’s Ethos. Last week in Part 2, we discovered 5 Ways Jesus Perfectly Reveals God’s Ethos, and today we're going to look into Part 3—What Jesus Reveals About His Father's Ethos.

We learned that the Ethos of God is evident in His character, heart, and ways. We've seen that Jesus is not just a reflection of God's nature but the exact imprint of it (Hebrews 1:3).

​Today, we dive into one of the most profound statements Jesus ever made about this connection: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Let’s take a closer look at what this means and how it shapes our understanding of God.

God never wastes a good wait, friend, and you shouldn't either! Waiting is something we all experience—yet few of us enjoy it.

Whether we're waiting on

• an answer to prayer
• clarity for a decision
• healing froma sickness
• the fulfillment of a promise

the space between “now” and “not yet” can feel like a silent wilderness. But here’s the beautiful truth: God never wastes a wait—there is always a purpose to this season of life!

The Bible speaks often and powerfully about waiting—whether it’s for God’s promises, His timing, or His guidance. Waiting isn’t passive; it’s active faith. It’s trust in motion. It’s an invitation to endure, hope, and grow in our faith.

In Part 1 of this study, we explored 6 Key Aspects of God’s Ethos:

• God Is Holy
• God Is Faithful and True
• God Is Love
• God Is Just and Righteous
• God Is Merciful and Gracious
• God Is Unchanging

​Today, let’s dive into how Jesus perfectly reveals God’s ethos. Scripture teaches that Jesus is not just a representative of God’s character but the perfect embodiment of it. In fact, Hebrews tells us Jesus is “the exact imprint” of God’s nature.

Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect? It’s the idea that small causes can have big effects—that even tiny changes in a system can eventually lead to massive differences.

The classic (poetic) example from chaos theory says: A butterfly flaps its wings in Brazil, and weeks later it causes a tornado in Texas.

Of course, it’s not literally about butterflies causing tornadoes. The point is that complex systems like the weather are extremely sensitive. A tiny shift early on can snowball into something enormous over time.

In simple terms, small actions matter more than we realize. Tiny beginnings can have giant consequences. And spiritually, the connection is beautiful. Let's explore that today!

What is ethos? And what does it tell us about the character of God? Ethos is a Greek word meaning “character,” and in the world of communication and rhetoric, it refers to the credibility, trustworthiness, or moral character of the speaker or writer. When someone uses ethos, they are saying, “You can trust me because of who I am.”

Think of it this way: 

• A doctor giving health advice builds ethos because of their medical training and experience.
• A pastor preaching about forgiveness builds ethos through their known integrity, consistency, and godly life.

Ethos is powerful. It’s not just what you say, but who you are that makes your message believable. In short, ethos is about who you are and why people should trust you.

Before the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, the disciples responded to the crowd’s hunger with practical concern, yet their faith remained limited. In each Gospel account, they suggested sending the people away to find food for themselves, highlighting their reliance on human solutions in the face of a great need.

In John 6:7, Philip’s response to Jesus further reveals the disciples’ limited perspective. He calculated the cost of feeding the crowd and concluded it was impossible, saying it would take more than half a year’s wages just to give everyone a small amount. Despite having witnessed Jesus perform numerous miracles during the prior three years, the disciples still struggled to grasp the extent of His power.