Explore the Bible Lesson Preview December 7, 2008 "When You Started Out" Background & Lesson: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Motivation: Three weeks! (literally: three Sabbaths of preaching - Acts 17:2). Three weeks of ministry was all Paul had to plant a church in one of the strategic cities of the Roman Empire. I Thessalonians is an early epistle sent back to this new church shortly after it was formed. We receive an overwhelming sense of God's power to change lives in a very short time! Examination: I. Evidence of Salvation (1:1-4) A. The Greeting (1:1) 1. Author: "Paul..." Paul is the author; Silvanus and Timothy are included in the greeting because they accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey during which the church at Thessalonica was planted. (Acts 17) Paul again identifies himself in 2:18. Believer's Study Bible, p. 1702: 1:1 " Silvanus and Timothy' are not mentioned as co-authors but as fellow laborers of Paul. The Thessalonians knew them and would be pleased by the mention of Paul's companions. 1 / 7
One of them could even have served as an amanuensis of the epistle. Silvanus is a variant of Silas' (Acts 15:40). Paul usually addresses the church in a specific place. Here the emphasis is placed on the vital union of these believers with the Father and the Son, a fulfillment of the promise in John 17:21. This is the basis for unity and spiritual growth in the church." 2. Date: In Acts 18:12-17, Paul appeared before Gallio, the proconsul of Achaia during the latter part of Paul's eighteen month ministry in Corinth. Since Paul wrote I Thessalonians during this period, we can date it c. 51-52 A.D. which makes it perhaps the earliest letter of Paul. 3. Recipients: Believer's Study Bible, pp. 1702-3: "Thessalonica was the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. Situated on a major road, the Egyptian Way, stretching from Rome to the eastern provinces, it was an important military town, the most populous city of Macedonia. As a center of trade and commerce, it was ideally suited to the apostle's missionary strategy of concentrating on centers of influence which could be responsible for the evangelization of the territories around them." B. Christian Virtues (2-3) 1. Thanksgiving "We give thanks to God always for you all" (2) Paul's giving of thanks was continual " always " as well as comprehensive " you all. " Thanksgiving is not an attitude but an action; we are not just thankful, we " give thanks." 2. Prayer "making mention of you in our prayers" (2) Praying, for Paul, was a 24/7 proposition (5:17). Notice that he prayed specifically for people's needs. 3. Faith "remembering without ceasing your work of faith" (3). Paul's ministry in Thessalonica had been barely three weeks. He was "run out of town" by an angry 2 / 7
mob. (Acts 17:5-9); Paul had to escape by night. William Barclay ( The Letters of Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians, p. 181): "What exercised his mind was this. He had been in Thessalonica only three weeks. Was it possible to make such an impression on a place in three weeks' time that Christianity was planted so deeply that it could never again be uprooted? If so, it was by no means an idle dream that the Roman Empire might yet be won for Christ. Or was it necessary to settle down and work for months, even years, before an impression could be made? In that event, no man could even dimly foresee when Christianity would penetrate all over the world. Thessalonica was a test case; and Paul was torn with anxiety to know how it would turn out." (2 Thess. 1:3) So in Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to encourage them and bring him news (3:1). Obviously, Paul was encouraged by what their faith in Christ had produced! 4. Love "labor of love" (3) The word for labor implies effort that results in weariness. Paul set the example of hard work, (4:11; 5:12-13; 2 Thess. 3:10; Col. 1:29; I Cor. 15:58; Heb. 6:10). Their work for the Lord was motivated by love. 5. Hope "patience of hope" (3) Patience is not a passive attitude. In fact, the virtue is one built on hope and actively seeks to fulfill the Lord's plans. These three virtues taken together, faith, love, and hope are again commended in I Cor. 13:13; Rom. 5:1-5, 15:13). The source of all these virtues is " in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father." (3) 6. Genuine Faith (4) "knowing beloved brethren, your election by God" (4) Believer's Study Bible, p. 1703: 1:4 "Election is a doctrine for the elect' of God. Election reminds us that salvation is a work of God; it is the assurance of the providence of God; election is bound up in the foreknowledge of God (cf. Rom. 8:29). 1:5 The word for' introduces a clause that explains the way in which election works. However one understands this mysterious doctrine, the text makes clear its intimate relationship to the gospel of Christ, the preached word, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit." p. 1611: Rom. 8:29 "Predestination and election have always been the subject of theological inquiry. Several 3 / 7
truths about election should be noticed in this passage. Here, as in 1 Pet. 1:2, God's foreknowledge logically precedes the elective or predestinative act of God. Another truth to be affirmed is that the Scriptures present salvation as viewed in two very different spheres. The earthly sphere sees man as totally responsible for his actions and faced with the necessity of choosing either to reject or to accept the atonement of Christ. The heavenly perspective in no sense contradicts the earthly, but it does add a new and infinitely more profound dimension. This new dimension declares that God has an elective purpose and that all which ultimately transpires conforms to His purpose, including the salvation of the elect. Difficulty arises in man's seemingly unending efforts to reconcile the heavenly insight with the earthly perspective. Wrong answers are not infrequently the result of erroneous questions. Instead of attempting harmonization of those truths which are ultimately understood only by God (11:34), one ought to ask the question, Why is the doctrine of election present in the Scripture?' Four distinct answers emerge from this passage: (1) As long as the doctrine of election is in the Bible, salvation must be the gift of God alone. Predestination framed in God's foreknowledge assures us that salvation is from start to finish the work of God. (2) The doctrine of God's elective purpose guarantees the perpetuity of salvation. Unthinkable is the idea that one of God's elect could forfeit his salvation. Those whom He has justified He will glorify. So certain is that sequence that glorified' is an aorist tense in Greek, meaning that glorification is already a settled issue in the mind of God (vv. 30-39). How could God lose one of His elect? (3) The doctrine of election assures a peculiar providence which attends the way of every believer. If God's heart is set on us in His elective purpose, we may be sure of His concern and providential intervention in our behalf (v. 28). (4) Finally, that same personal providence bound up in election extends throughout the entire course of history. There is no runaway world. God's hand is systematically guiding the age to its intended consummation (vv. 21, 22)." (Christ is creator, by Him all things consist, He was obedient to the cross and will bring things to consummation.) II. Experience of Salvation (5-6) A. Changed Lives "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake." (5) Paul's experience of sharing the gospel can be our experience today! The Word came with power, was communicated through the Holy Spirit and resulted in changed lives. 4 / 7
B. Fully Devoted Followers "And you became followers of us and of the Lord&qu ot; (6) Paul's example gave the new believers a pattern to follow. C. Overcoming "having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit " (6) Macedonia had been torn by a series of civil wars. Although trade made Thessalonica prosperous, famine had afflicted the working class. So, Paul wrote to the Corinthians " Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.& quot; (2 Cor. 8:1-2, cf. v. 9 & 9:8) III. Examples to Others (7-10) A. Evangelists "you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia...your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything " (7, 8). Believer's Study Bible, p. 1704: 1:8, 9 "Paul's commendation of the intense evangelistic and missionary zeal of the Thessalonian Christians bears testimony to the importance of these activities in the life of the first-century church. Their witness went beyond their homes into different parts of the Roman Empire. One dimension of their witness was in the quality of life that salvation produced in them. They had turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God' (v. 9). Their testimony is likened to the ringing blast of a trumpet, the echo of which continues to be heard. That they had such a reputation despite persecution is a marvelous testimony of their faith toward God.' It is during times of difficulty that one's faith in the Lord is especially precious, sustaining, and essential. 1:9, 10 The word entry' suggests invasion into an enemy stronghold; in the context it is an invasion of the gospel of the Lord Jesus into the territory of Satan and idolatry. There is an order in salvation which Paul observes: (1) men turn to God from idols; (2) they serve God; and (3) they wait for the return of Jesus." B. Expectant "to wait for His Son from heaven" (10) Believer's Study Bible, p. 1704: 1:10 "The resurrection of Christ is the focus of a Christian's constant attitude of attentive 5 / 7
service while he awaits the return of Christ. This event will deliver the believer from the time of wrath (see Rom. 1:18; 2:5). The preposition from' ( ek. Gk.)` favors exclusion from ( out of') the tribulation period rather than being sustained in it (i.e., preservation within')." (Rom. 5:9; I Thess. 1:10, 4:13-18, 5:9; 2 Thess. 2:7; Rev. 3:10) Application: - 1. God's grace plants virtues in the lives of Believers. - 2. God's Spirit cultivates these virtues and allows them to grow. - 3. God's Name is to be spread throughout the land. Leader Pack Item 1: Lesson Illustrations; Item 2: Map of Paul's Mission Field; Item 3: Poster: Unit 1 Outline; Item 4: Poster: Lesson Outline Illustrator: p. 43: "Paul & the Thessalonians"; p. 6: "The gods of Thessalonica" Notes: **You may access David's Lesson Preview in MP3 format at: http://www.hfbcbiblestud y.org/ ; 12/6 - MTC Christmas Store @ Longpoint Baptist (new MTC); 12/6 - Christmas Presentation (Choir/Orchestra) @ 6:00; 12/13 - Preschool/Children's Christmas Party; 12/15-18 - FBA Lower School Christmas Program; 12/17-18 - FBA Primary School Christmas Program; 12/20 - Shane & Shane Concert 7:00; 12/24 6 / 7
- Christmas Eve Services - 5:00 & 11pm; 12/28 - Christmas/New Year's weekend - all three worship services, Afshin Ziafat preaching, no Bible classes. 7 / 7