1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, Jude: As You Wait for the Coming of the Lord Copyright 2001, 2012, 2017 by Catherine Schell

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1 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from Q Place, P.O. Box 1581, Wheaton, IL, 60187, USA; ; info@qplace.com. 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, Jude: As You Wait for the Coming of the Lord Copyright 2001, 2012, 2017 by Catherine Schell Cover photo used under license from icedmocha stock.adobe.com. First printing 2017 Printed in the United States of America ISBN

2 CONTENTS FOREWORD GETTING STARTED How to Use this Discussion Guide What Is a Q Place? Q Place Guidelines Q Place Discussion Tips Tools for Studying the Bible in a Q Place When You Are the Question-Asker & 2 THESSALONIANS, 2 & 3 JOHN, JUDE As You Wait for the Coming of the Lord Introduction to 1 Thessalonians Acts 17:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 1 5 Background and Overview of 1 Thessalonians Thessalonians 1 As You Wait, Be a Model Thessalonians 2:1-16 As You Wait, Seek the Praise of God, Not Man Thessalonians 2:17 3:13 As You Wait, Anticipate Great Joy Thessalonians 4 As You Wait, Live to Please God Thessalonians 5 As You Wait, Be Ready

3 Introduction to 2 Thessalonians Thessalonians 1 As You Wait, Trust God s Justice Thessalonians 2 As You Wait, Don t Panic Thessalonians 3 As You Wait, Don t Be Idle Introduction to 2 John and 3 John John and 3 John As You Wait, Balance Truth and Love Introduction to Jude Jude 1:1-16 As You Wait, Contend for the Truth Jude 1:17-25 and Review of the Study As You Wait, Build Yourselves Up Map... 88

4 FOREWORD To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 1:24-25 What a powerful blessing this unrestrained praise to God that wraps us up in the security of his great strength! This benediction concludes the short letter written by Jude, an early Christian leader, and we could well imagine the apostle Paul and the apostle John giving a resounding Amen. In the 1st century A.D., Paul, John, and Jude each felt compelled to write short letters on specific topics to Christians who needed guidance. Their letters give warnings, counsel, and encouragement for life in the present; yet they may all be seen as instructions for how to live in readiness for an event that could come even in the next moment the physical return of Jesus. Both letters written by Paul to the Thessalonians include specific teaching related to Jesus return. Just after Jesus ascended into heaven, angels appeared and gave this promise to his disciples: This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Acts 1:11). FOREWORD 5

5 How fortunate for us that the Thessalonians needed direction to understand and apply this teaching. Christians throughout history have struggled with the same question that the Thessalonians faced: If you really believe that Jesus could return in the next moment, how should you live? In 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, and Jude, we have general principles and specific guidance that will help us understand how to live and how to face a variety of situations... as we also wait for his coming. Q Place Publishing Team 6 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, Jude

6 1 THESSALONIANS Introduction In the first century, Thessalonica was a large and flourishing port city in the region of Macedonia in Greece. (See the map on pages ) Located on a gulf of the Aegean Sea, Thessalonica was an important hub for trade between Europe and Asia at the intersection of two major Roman roads. The missionary team of Paul, Silas, and Timothy spent only a short time in Thessalonica in the early summer of A.D. 50. Acts 17 mentions three Sabbaths during which Paul explained the Scriptures about the Christ (the Messiah) in the Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica. As a result, some Jews and many prominent Gentiles believed in Jesus. Jealousy prompted other Jews to instigate a riot, forcing the missionaries to leave the city. In the next six months, however, news of the converts faith and transformed lives spread all over Macedonia and Achaia (present day northern and southern Greece). Concerned for these young Christians after the missionary team had to leave them so quickly, Paul sent Timothy back for news. To Paul s great relief, Timothy returned to report their strong faith in spite of continuing persecution. He also brought Paul the questions that were troubling them. Just six months after Paul had left them, he writes from Corinth to encourage the Thessalonian Christians and to answer their questions. Many think that this is the first of Paul s letters to the young churches he founded on his journeys. Introduction to 1 Thessalonians 11

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8 1Acts 17:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 1 5 Background and Overview of 1 Thessalonians Have you ever said goodbye to someone very wise and then immediately thought of questions you wished you had asked while you had been together? The first letter of Paul written to the Thessalonians provides a fascinating view of Paul s deep pastoral concern for a very young church. Since Paul s time in Thessalonica had been cut dramatically short by opposition, he had left the young church without experienced leadership. As a result, this letter reveals questions that the earliest Christians were asking, and Paul s wise answers. Read Acts 17: On the map on pages 88-89, find the cities mentioned in Acts 17:1. 2. Where, when, and what does Paul preach in Thessalonica (verses 1-3)? Background and Overview of 1 Thessalonians 13

9 3. Who responds positively to the news about Jesus (verses 2-4, 9b-10)? What negative responses do some people have, and why (verses 5-9)? Note: In verse 4, God-fearing Greeks were people who followed the Jewish religion to some extent without being full converts. 4. What positive and negative responses to Jesus do people have today? 5. If you were one of the new believers in Thessalonica, what emotions would you feel during the riot and as you help Paul, Silas, and Timothy to escape (verses 5-10)? Read Paul s first letter to the Thessalonians 6. Take one chapter each and read the whole letter from a contemporary translation (NIV, NLT, CEV) & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, Jude

10 From the tone of the letter, how would you describe the relationship between Paul and these new believers? 7. Based on the topics that Paul mentions, what might be areas in which this young church needed teaching and encouragement? What topics in this letter catch your interest? SUMMARY 1. From what Paul communicates to the Christians at Thessalonica, what is he hoping this letter will accomplish? 2. If you had been part of the church in Thessalonica, how would you have felt as you heard this letter read? Background and Overview of 1 Thessalonians 15

11 3. Jude 1:24-25 is a blessing that has been used in the church through the ages; it is also an excellent response to the content of this study. In future weeks you will have the opportunity to learn and recall these verses. As a group, decide which translation you would like to memorize so that you can easily say the verses together. (You may want to use the version printed in the foreword on page 5, which is the NIV.) This week, write the verses out on a 3x5 card and place it where you will see it often. PRAYER O Lord, just like the Christians at Thessalonica, each of us has a story of how you have changed our lives. Thank you for those who introduced your message to us and who helped us to grow. May we trust you when we experience conflict because of our relationship with you. Help us to live for you even in times when our leaders aren t able to walk alongside us. Help us to be open to their direction when they do speak your wisdom into our lives. May our actions be filled with faith and love and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ so that he will be glorified. Amen & 2 Thessalonians, 2 & 3 John, Jude