Category Archives: Redeemer Day School Devotions

Instructions for Practical Christian Living.

Introduction

Living a Life Pleasing to God

Instructions for Practical Christian Living.

A Life Pleasing to God
Practical Christian Living
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 NLT
⁹But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. ¹⁰Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.
¹¹Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. ¹²Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

Examine the Scriptures:

A Life Pleasing to God

Instructions for Practical Christian Living.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 NLT

⁹But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.

Some instructions for Christian living come through God’s Word (reading God’s Word or being taught by people like Paul who are teaching God’s Word).

Other lessons are taught by God Himself to his children directly.

This verse tells us that the ability for loving others comes directly from God’s (the Holy Spirit’s) work in the believer’s heart.

Christian love is not merely a human effort but a divine enablement.

God himself had taught the Thessalonians to love one another.

Reflect on the following passages of scripture:

Jeremiah 31:33-34 NLT
³³“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. ³⁴And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

Isaiah 54:13 NLT
¹³I will teach all your children,
and they will enjoy great peace.

John 6:45 NLT
⁴⁵As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

1 Corinthians 2:13 NLT
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

Romans 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

God has made Himself known to all people, so humanity is without excuse for ignoring or rejecting Him.

Paul teaches that God has made certain truths about Himself plainly evident to all humanity.

Review:

The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.
The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

Romans 13:8-10 NLT
Love Fulfills God’s Requirements
⁸Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. ⁹For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

John 13: 35 NLT
³⁵Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT
5 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ²Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Galatians 5:22 NLT
²²But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Romans 5:5 NLT
⁵And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

1 John 4:7, 8, 12 NLT
Loving One Another
⁷Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
⁸But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
¹²No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

Love is a work of the Spirit.

Christian love is not merely commanded—it is God-produced in those who walk with Him.

¹⁰Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia.

The Thessalonians already showed their love for all the believers throughout Macedonia.

Their love wasn’t confined to their local church; they extended it “toward all the brothers in all Macedonia,” demonstrating a vibrant and expansive Christian network.

We read about that in:

1 Thessalonians 1:7-8
⁷As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.
⁸And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it,

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 NLT
⁸^:1 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. ²They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
³For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. ⁴They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. ⁵They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.

Paul is talking about the Macedonian believers— specifically, the believers in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. These believers were poor, persecuted Christians whose joyful generosity became a model of Christlike giving for the Corinthian church.

Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.

The Thessalonians already showed their love for all the believers throughout Macedonia, but Paul urged them to love them even more.

There was still room for improvement.

Even in something they do well, Paul encourages continuous growth and greater application.

Christian maturity is an ongoing process.

Even though the Thessalonians loved well, Paul encourages them to love even more.

In the Christian life, love is never a completed task.

¹¹Make it your goal to live a quiet life,

Make it your goal to live a quiet life.

1 Timothy 2:2 NLT
²Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

1 Peter 3:4 NLT
⁴You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Clothe yourself with a gentle and quiet spirit.

Live peacefully with others instead of interfering in others affairs.

Be a person who strives to be at peace with himself and God.

Proverbs 25:17 NLT
¹⁷Don’t visit your neighbors too often,
or you will wear out your welcome.

minding your own business

Mind your own business.

Don’t be a busybody.

Apparently some Thessalonians, probably because of their idleness, were taking undo interest in other people’s affairs.

This directly addresses the busybodies—those who were meddling in others’ lives because of their idleness. Christian love does not involve intrusive gossip or unsolicited interference.

and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.

Earn your own living.

Work itself is a blessing, and working with one’s hands should never be despised by Christians.

Don’t look to be supported by others.

It appears that some Thessalonians were neglecting work and were relying on others to support them.

Some members, perhaps fueled by the expectation of Christ’s imminent return (the next chapter addresses this), may have become idle, neglecting work, and interfering in others’ business.

Diligent, honest labor is presented as a spiritual discipline and a necessary component of a godly, quiet life. This corrects any notion that intense focus on the Second Coming excuses laziness or dependence on others.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 NLT
¹⁰Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”
¹¹Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. ¹²We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.

A self-supporting person is not a burden to others.

Paul’s own example:

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 NLT
⁷For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. ⁸We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.

Love is shown through responsible living, hard work, and not burdening others.

¹²Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live,

NIV so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

ESV so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Putting verses 11-12 into practice wins the respect of non-Christians.

Walk properly before outsiders.

Earn the respect of the unbelievers.

The Christian community’s conduct directly impacts its witness to the non-believing world.

1 Peter 2:12 NLT
¹²Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

Matthew 5:16 NLT
¹⁶In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Titus 2:7-8
⁷And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. ⁸Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

This kind of behavior also wins the respect of believers.

Christians should display integrity, industry, and decency so that outsiders see the gospel lived out.

and you will not need to depend on others.

Paul is not saying every Christian must be completely self-sufficient.

Paul is advocating personal responsibility.

Working prevents the believer from becoming a financial burden on the church or the community, maintaining their dignity and independence.

The combination of love, quietness, and work ensures the church functions with internal harmony and external respectability.

Live to Please God

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Live to Please God

Introduction

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Thessalonica, but it is certainly applicable to us 2000 years later.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 NLT
Live to Please God
^4:1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. ²For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
³God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. ⁴Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— ⁵not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. ⁶Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. ⁷God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. ⁸Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 NLT

Live to Please God

^4:1 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus

“dear brothers and sisters”

“We urge you”

“in the name of the Lord Jesus” Paul taught with authority from Jesus Christ. Paul’s teaching carries divine authority, not just personal advice.

Paul is saying “This is important!”

to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you.

Live in a way that pleases God.

“as we have taught you”

Do what you know you should be doing.

Scripture instructs us to live lives that please God.

2 Corinthians 5:9 NLT
⁹So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

Ephesians 5:8-10 NLT
⁸For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! ⁹For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
¹⁰Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

Ephesians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Pray

For us:

Psalm 19:14 NLT
¹⁴May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

For others:

Colossians 1:9-10 NLT
⁹So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more.

The words “even more” show sanctification is a lifelong process—there is always room to grow in holiness and love.

²For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³God’s will is for you to be holy,

Set apart from sin.

Romans 6:6 NLT
⁶We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

To be holy is to belong fully to God — to live for His purposes, not just our own.

“God’s will is for you to be holy.”

Ephesians 1:4 NLT
⁴Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

This means our values, priorities, and behavior should be different from the world’s — guided by God’s truth rather than culture or self-interest.

Romans 12:1-2 NLT
^12:1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. ²Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

so stay away from all sexual sin.

You have been set apart for God’s purposes and you need to be growing in moral purity.

For former pagans, the lure of sexual sins was strong.

In the first century moral standards were generally very low.

Sexual immorality was tolerated in the Mediterranean world.

Prostitution was allowed.

In many Greco-Roman cities (like Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome), temple prostitution was part of pagan religion.

In the Greco-Roman world, sexual immorality was common and socially accepted, so Paul’s teaching marked Christians as distinct.

Ephesians 5:3 NLT
³Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people.

Stay away from all sexual sin.

⁴Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—

Holiness begins in the body; what we do with our bodies matters to God.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NLT
¹⁸Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. ¹⁹Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ²⁰for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

2 Timothy 2:21 NLT
²¹If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

⁵not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways.

Ephesians 4:17-19 NLT
Living as Children of Light
¹⁷With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

Don’t live like pagans.

A Christian, with God’s help, can overcome sexual temptations.

Knowing God is basic to living a holy life.

True knowledge of God transforms moral behavior.

⁶Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife,

Sexual sin harms others besides those who engage in it.

Sexual sin is not private; it offends both God and others, resulting in destructive social and spiritual implications.

Sexual sin doesn’t just defile the sinner; it harms others, violating trust and community.

for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before.

Colossians 3:5-7 NLT
⁵So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. ⁶Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. ⁷You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.

David experienced this.

2 Samuel 11:27 NLT
²⁷When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

2 Samuel 12:11 NLT
¹¹“This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, (referring to David’s sin with Bathsheba) I will cause your own household to rebel against you.

Hebrews 13:4 NLT
⁴Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

⁷God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.

³God’s will is for you to be holy,

To live a holy life means to be devoted to God, transformed by His Spirit, guided by His Word, and marked by love and purity in every area of life.

God’s plan for a Christian includes purifying his life.

A holy life demonstrates God’s supernatural power at work overcoming what is natural and it glorifies God.

⁸Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God,

Other translations of this verse:

Therefore, whoever rejects these instructions isn’t rejecting a human authority. They are rejecting God, (CEB)

So anyone who refuses to obey this teaching is refusing to obey God, not us. (ERV)

Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God (NIV)

The one who turns away from this teaching does not turn away from man, but from God. (NLV)

Sexual sin is against God.

To reject Paul’s teaching on sex is to reject God’s teaching, the source of Paul’s instruction.

who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Galatians 5:16 NLT
Living by the Spirit’s Power
¹⁶So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

The Holy Spirit enables us to avoid sexual immorality.

Holiness, then, is not achieved by self-effort but by yielding to the Spirit’s work within.

Paul Prays to Return to Thessalonica

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Paul Prays to Return to Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NLT
¹¹May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon. ¹²And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. ¹³May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NLT
Paul Prays to Return to Thessalonica

Paul prays:

Verses 11-13 are a prayer.

Look back at verse 10.

“Night and day we pray earnestly for you…” (v. 10)

¹¹May God our Father and our Lord Jesus

God the Father and God the Son working together.

“God and Lord Jesus” are also used in verse 1 and verse 13 as well in 2 Thessalonians 1:1, 2, 8, 12; 2:16; 3:5

A lesson within a lesson.

Paul frequently pairs “God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” to show their shared divine authority and unity of purpose.

Jesus is God.

By naming both God our Father and our Lord Jesus, Paul emphasizes distinction of persons within the Godhead.

1 Corinthians 8:6 NLT
⁶But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
    by whom all things were created,
    and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
    through whom all things were created,
    and through whom we live.

Paul often adds “Holy Spirit”.

2 Corinthians 13:14 NLT
¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

bring us to you very soon.

Paul longs for personal fellowship with the Thessalonians.

In person interaction is so much better than “on line” interaction.

Watching a church service on TV is just not the same as being in a church service with other believers.

¹²And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow,

The Thessalonians were already noted for their love, but Paul prayed that their love would grow and overflow even more for fellow believers and for all people.

God is the source of Love.

1 John 4:7 NLT
⁷Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.

God is the one who causes our love for others to grow.

Genuine Christian love is one thing in the Christian life which cannot be carried to excess.

More verses about loving others. (The challenge is clear.)

1 Thessalonians 4:9 NLT
⁹But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another.

Romans 12:10 NLT
¹⁰Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Romans 13:8 NLT
⁸Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT
³Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

1 Peter 1:22 NLT
²²You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

1 John 3:11 NLT
¹¹This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

1 John 3:23 NLT
²³And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.

1 John 4:9-12 NLT
⁹God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. ¹⁰This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
¹¹Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. ¹²No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

2 John 5 NLT
⁵I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning.

Scripture tells us to love one another.

just as our love for you overflows.

¹³May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy

God is the one who makes our hearts strong, blameless, and holy.

Blameless

Someone whose conduct aligns with God’s will

Someone who doesn’t cause others to stumble.

The character of a person who consistently seeks to do what is right and repents when they fall short.

A life of wholehearted sincerity, integrity, and faithfulness to God, free from the willful defiance of God’s will.

To be blameless means to live with integrity, sincerity, and devotion to God—so that nothing in your life brings shame to His name or gives others cause to accuse you of hypocrisy.

Holy

Set apart for God’s purposes.

Separated from sin and dedicated to God.

Conforming more and more to God’s moral character.

Reflecting God’s purity and righteousness in your life.

This involve a lifetime process. The process of sanctification.

More verses about God turning us into the people He wants us to be. (Enjoy)

Ephesians 1:4 NLT
⁴Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

Romans 12:2 NLT
²Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 NLT
⁷God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.

John 17:16-17 NLT
¹⁶They do not belong to this world any more than I (Jesus) do. ¹⁷Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

Hebrews 10:10 NLT
¹⁰For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Titus 2:14 NLT
¹⁴He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

God chose us to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

as you stand before God our Father

One day we will all stand before God. (God is preparing us for that day.)

We are being prepared (verse 12 & 13a) for the return of Christ

when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.

All His holy people can mean either angels or believers.

Amen.

Timothy Returns and Reports to Paul

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Timothy Returns and Reports to Paul

Introduction

Paul is writing to the church in Thessalonica after being forced to leave the city due to persecution. He sent Timothy back to check on the believers and bring back news about their faith (3:1–6). Timothy’s good report greatly encouraged Paul, yet he still longs to return to strengthen them further.

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 NLT
Timothy Returns and Reports to Paul
⁶But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you. ⁷So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. ⁸It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.
⁹How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence. ¹⁰Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 NLT
Timothy Returns and Reports to Paul

⁶But now Timothy has just returned, (most likely to Corinth)

Paul had sent Timothy back to the church in Thessalonica to “find out whether their faith was still strong. Paul was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of them and that his work had been useless”. (v.5)

and

Paul wanted Timothy to encourage the Thessalonians in their faith.

Timothy had just returned from this mission.

bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.

Timothy had returned to Paul with a good report.

He brought good news about their faith and love.

“Your faith” – The Thessalonians had remained faithful to Christ.

“Your love” – The Thessalonians remembered Paul’s visit with joy and wanted to see the apostles as much as they wanted to see the Thessalonians.

Faith, love, and hope represent the core of Christian life: faith toward God, love toward others, and hope for the future.

Paul had previously seen these qualities in the Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 1:3 NLT
³As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.

The tempter had gotten the best of them.

Hearing of the Thessalonians’ faith was a source of encouragement to Paul and his team.

In this passage Paul expresses great relief and joy after hearing good news about the Thessalonian believers from Timothy.

It is encouraging to us to see young families, who are a part of the Redeemer family, stranding firm in the Lord.

⁸It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.

Paul’s heart was heart is revived; the Thessalonian’s perseverance showed him that his ministry was not in vain.

Paul was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of them and that his work had been useless”. (v.5)

The Thessalonians were standing firm in the Lord. It’s crucial that we do the same.

Stand firm in the Lord.

Other challenging words of encouragement from Paul:

2 Thessalonians 2:15 NLT
¹⁵… stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you …

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT
¹³Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Galatians 5:1 LT
^5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

Ephesians 6:11 NLT
¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Philippians 1:27 NLT
²⁷Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Philippians 4:1 NLT
^4:1 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord.

⁹How we thank God for you!

Paul’s joy leads to overflowing gratitude to God.

Paul thanks God for all that God had done in the church at Thessalonica.

Paul’s time at Thessalonica had been very productive. However, Paul recognizes that it was because of what God had done, not what he had done.

Philippians 2:13 NLT (Paul speaking to the Philippians)
¹³For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Every sign of faithfulness among believers is cause for worship and gratitude.

Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.

Repeat a verse used in our previous lesson.

3 John 4 NLT
⁴I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

¹⁰Night and day we pray earnestly for you,

“Night and day …” Paul’s unceasing prayer shows his deep concern.

“… we pray earnestly for you.” – Paul prayed with intensity.

Paul knew their faith was still young and needed strengthening.

Paul’s ministry to them continues through prayer even though he’s physically separated.

Pastoral love involves both prayer and instruction.

Here at Redeemer, we are imitating Paul when we pray for our students.

Your students benefit from your love, your prayers, and your instruction.

Some verses to reflect on:

Colossians 4:2 NLT
²Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

1 Timothy 2:1 NLT
^2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸Pray in the Spirit (under the guidance, influence, and power of the Holy Spirit), at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.

Paul is not criticizing the church. He is acknowledging that they had not reached their full potential.

The Thessalonians were still maturing.

All believers have room to improve.

Paul wanted to be with the Thessalonians, in person, so that he could “to fill in the gaps in their faith”.

Even strong believers have areas where their faith needs to be strengthened.

Spiritual growth is a lifelong process.

Paul’s Desire to Return to Thessalonica

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Paul’s Desire to Return to Thessalonica

Introduction

1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5 is a deeply personal section where the Apostle Paul expresses his intense love and concern for the young church in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians 2:17- 3:5 NLT
Paul’s Desire to Return to Thessalonica
¹⁷Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. ¹⁸We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. ¹⁹After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! ²⁰Yes, you are our pride and joy.
^3:1 Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens, ²and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, ³and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. ⁴Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know. ⁵That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 2:17- 3:5 NLT

Paul’s Desire to Return to Thessalonica

¹⁷Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while

Paul was forced to leave Thessalonica.

Acts 17:1-10 NLT
Paul Preaches in Thessalonica
^17:1 Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. ²As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. ³He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” ⁴Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women.
⁵But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. ⁶Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. ⁷And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”
⁸The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. ⁹So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them.
¹⁰That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

Paul and Silas left Thessalonica because of persecution.

This separation from the Thessalonians was not Paul’s choice.

The Thessalonians were losing their spiritual parents.

The Thessalonians had been “orphaned” by Paul’s forced departure.

This was a deep emotional loss for Paul and his co-workers.

(though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again.

Though physically absent, Paul says he remained spiritually and emotionally close.

Paul longed to be with the new believers in Thessalonica.

Paul had similar, but maybe not as intense, feelings toward other believers. He says this to the Colossians:

Colossians 2:5 NLT
⁵For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you.

In 1 Corinthians 5:3 Paul addresses the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 5:3 NLT
³Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit.

Paul speaking to the Philippians.

Philippians 1:7 NLT
⁷So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart.

¹⁸We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again,

Paul tried repeatedly to go back to Thessalonica.

Paul’s desire to visit the Thessalonians was urgent and persistent.

but Satan prevented us.

Satan hindered their return to Thessalonica.

Paul attributes his inability to return not to chance or mere human opposition, but to Satan’s hindrance.

Paul knew who the enmy was:

Ephesians 6:10-12 NLT
¹⁰A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹²For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

¹⁹After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! ²⁰Yes, you are our pride and joy.

Paul looks ahead to Christ’s second coming -a key theme throughout 1 Thessalonians.

A crown was the prize in the Greek games.

The Thessalonians are the present source of Paul’s greatest joy. There is immense joy in seeing people come to faith in Christ and grow spiritually.

Paul really cared for these Thessalonians.

The lasting fruit of ministry—students transformed by the gospel and persevering in faith—is the teacher’s greatest reward, hope, and cause for rejoicing on the day Christ returns.

^3:1 Finally, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to stay alone in Athens, ²and we sent Timothy to visit you.

Paul’s emotional burden for the Thessalonians reached a breaking point; he had to know how they were doing.

Timothy returns to Thessalonica.

Sending Timothy to Thessalonica was a sacrifice on Paul’s part.

He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith,

Timothy acted as Paul’s trusted delegate.

Timothy was a worthy substitute.

Timothy was sent to Thessalonica to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians in their faith.

This was a big responsibility for Timothy.

Clearly, Paul thought very highly of Timothy.

Paul maintained contact with the church at Thessalonica by sending Timothy and writing letters. There is no biblical record that specifically says that Paul revisited the church at Thessalonica, however Acts 20:1-6 implies that Paul was in the area during his third missionary journey.

Refer to a map of Paul’s third missionary journey.

Acts 20:1-6 NLT
Paul Goes to Macedonia and Greece
^20:1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. ²While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he traveled down to Greece, ³where he stayed for three months. He was preparing to sail back to Syria when he discovered a plot by some Jews against his life, so he decided to return through Macedonia.
⁴Several men were traveling with him. They were Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea; Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica; Gaius from Derbe; Timothy; and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. ⁵They went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. ⁶After the Passover ended, we boarded a ship at Philippi in Macedonia and five days later joined them in Troas, where we stayed a week.

After traveling through Macedonia, he came to Greece (which included the area around Thessalonica), where he stayed for three months. While the text doesn’t explicitly state that he was in Thessalonica during this time, it is strongly inferred that he visited the churches there to encourage them. The list of companions who sailed with him from Philippi (a nearby city) to Troas includes Thessalonians, suggesting Paul had been in the area.

³and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles.

⁴Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come—and they did, as you well know.

Suffering for the faith is often part of a Christian’s life.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 NLT
⁶So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 2:14 NLT
¹⁴And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.

Suffering for Christ is a privilege.

Philippians 1:29 NLT
²⁹For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.

When your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
⁶So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. ⁷These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

1 Peter 2:21 NLT
²¹For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

1 Peter 4:19 NLT
¹⁹So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

⁵That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless.

Again Paul mentions “the tempter” (Satan)—connecting back to 2:18.

Satan is a powerful foe.

Satan is a strong and dangerous enemy

Satan is constantly working against God’s purposes, trying to lead people away from truth and righteousness.

Satan is clever and deceptive.

Matthew 13:38-39 NLT
³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. ³⁹The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

Mark 4:15 NIV
Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
⁴Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

John 8:44 NLT
⁴⁴For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
tay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

Final thought:

3 John 4 NLT
⁴I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.

The Reception of the Good News in Thessalonica

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The Reception of the Good News in Thessalonica

Introduction

Paul’s reflections on the Thessalonians’ response to the gospel and the opposition they faced.

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 NLT
The Reception of the Good News in Thessalonica
¹³Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.
¹⁴And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. ¹⁵For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity ¹⁶as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 NLT
The Reception of the Good News in Thessalonica

¹³Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us,

Paul gives thanks a second time.

Paul is thankful that the Thessalonians recognized the divine origin of the gospel message. (More about this shortly.)

The first time:
1 Thessalonians 1:2 NLT
²We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.

A third time:
1 Thessalonians 3:9 NLT
⁹How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.

Paul was a very thankful person, and his letters consistently show a spirit of gratitude toward God and toward other believers.

Paul is giving us some good behavior to imitate.

(repeat) ¹³Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us,

you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas.

Paul was not sharing “mere human ideas”.

Paul had received the gospel message directly from Jesus Christ, not from any human teacher or apostle.

Paul clearly says in Galatians 1:11-12

Galatians 1:11-12 NLT
Paul’s Message Comes from Christ
¹¹Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. ¹²I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is.

The “word of God” here refers to the message spoken by Paul and his co-workers.

Paul praises the Thessalonians for recognizing the divine origin of the gospel message.

What did Paul preach?

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 NLT
⁹For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. ¹⁰Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. ¹¹So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Acts 17:3 NLT
³He (Paul) explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NLT
¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 NLT
¹⁴He (God) called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul preached the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonian Christians recognized the supernatural truthfulness of the Gospel that Paul preached as the Holy Spirit brought this conviction home to their hearts.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 NLT
⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.

And this word continues to work in you who believe.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT
¹²For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

The Word of God deeply penetrates a person’s inner life.

It can discern between what is merely human (soul) and what is spiritual (spirit) – what comes from our own desires versus what comes from God.

God’s Word penetrates to our deepest motives, thoughts, and attitudes, uncovering what’s hidden.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

The gospel is not merely persuasive speech but God’s living message that changes hearts.

The Thessalonians’ changed lives and steadfast faith are evidence of this divine work within them.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NLT
The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers
²We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. ³As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁴And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.

The early Jewish Christian churches in Judea were persecuted by fellow Jews who rejected Jesus as Messiah.

Acts 8:1& 3 NLT
^8:1 … Persecution Scatters the Believers
A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ²… ³But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

The Thessalonian believers faced opposition from their fellow citizens (Current verse 2:14)

Both groups faced persecution for their faith in Christ:

Paul’s expresses his gratitude for the Thessalonians’ faithfulness and endurance under persecution.

Sharing in Christ’s sufferings and those of other believers shows true discipleship.

Knowing that other believers suffered for the same faith offers courage and perspective.

Believers who follow Christ can expect persecution; this unites them with other faithful communities.

¹⁵For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too.

Stephen refers to this when he address the Council.

Stephen Addresses the Council

The Council was made up of chief priests, scribes, and elders

Acts 7:51-54 NLT
⁵¹“You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! ⁵²Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. ⁵³You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”
⁵⁴The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.

Believers who follow Christ can expect persecution.

Suffering for the gospel is not unique, but part of a larger story of faithfulness shared by all who follow Christ.

Resistance to God’s messengers has been consistent through the ages, from prophets to apostles.

Some Jews were responsible for persecution taking place in Thessalonica.

Paul can relate to this on a personal basis.

They (referring to some of the Jews) fail to please God and work against all humanity

¹⁶as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins.

But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

Simply put:

- - Persistent opposition to God’s work ultimately brings judgment.

“the anger of God has caught up with them at last.” likely refers to God’s present and impending judgment on unbelief.

Some see it as pointing to a foretaste of judgment already experienced, such as national turmoil or persecution.

Others see it as prophetic, anticipating the coming destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

It might even refer to the ultimate and universal judgment by God at the end of time — when every person, living and dead, will stand before God to give an account of their life.

However you interpret this, the phrase emphasizes that continued opposition to God’s work inevitably brings judgment.

Paul Remembers His Visit to Thessalonica

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Paul Remembers His Visit to Thessalonica

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 NLT
⁷ As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. ⁸ We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
⁹ Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. ¹⁰ You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. ¹¹And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. ¹²We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 NLT
Paul Remembers His Visit to Thessalonica

⁷ As apostles of Christ

Paul’s calling:

Galatians 1:1 NLT
¹ This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.

Galatians 1:15-16 NLT
¹⁵But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him ¹⁶to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

Silas and Timothy were co-workers, fellow soldiers, brothers, or messengers. Don’t get hung up on the word apostles. In a broader sense an apostle could be referring to a person being sent out to share the Gospel.

we certainly had a right to make some demands of you,

In this section, Paul continues defending his ministry among the Thessalonians.

Apostles had the authority to request support.

1 Corinthians 9:3-14 NLT
³This is my answer to those who question my authority. ⁴Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? ⁵Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does? ⁶Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?
⁷What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? ⁸Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? ⁹For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? ¹⁰Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.
¹¹Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? ¹²If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.
¹³Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. ¹⁴In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.

Paul rightfully could have expected the church at Thessalonica to support his team financially.

but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.

ESV But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.

NKJV ⁷But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

Paul and his team treated the new believers at Thessalonica much like a mother cares for her children.

Intimate, patient, loving and selfless.

Jesus talking to the disciples:

Matthew 20:25-28 NLT
²⁵But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. ²⁶But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Paul and his team chose to minister rather than to be ministered to.

⁸ We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

Paul’s team loved the believers in Thessalonica.

The apostles’ ministry was not just about delivering a message. They gave themselves—their time, energy, resources, emotions, and even faced persecution—for the sake of the believers.

The gospel and their lives were inseparably linked.

Genuine ministry involves vulnerability and love, not just teaching.

⁹ Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.

2 Thessalonians 3:8 NLT
⁸We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.

Acts 18:3 tells us that Paul was a tentmaker.

Paul’s love was shown by his long hours of manual labor. He worked hard to pay his own expenses rather than depend on the Thessalonian believers for support.

Ministry is about giving, not taking.

¹⁰ You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers.

Paul called on both the Thessalonians (human) and God (divine) to affirm his holy conduct in the ministry.

2 Corinthians 1:12 NLT
¹²We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you.

Paul called on both the Thessalonians and God to affirm his holy conduct in the ministry.

Paul’s life reflected his preaching.

¹¹ And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children.

Having used the metaphor of a mother (v. 7), Paul now uses a father image.

The Thessalonians were Paul’s children in the faith.

A loving father disciples (guides, instructs, encourages, and holds accountable) his children.

Ministry involves both nurturing tenderness (mother) and guiding discipline (father).

Ministry involves both nurturing tenderness and guiding discipline.

¹² We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy.

Pleaded
Encouraged
Urged
Implored
Exhorted
Begged
Comforted
Charged

The personal touch of a loving father.

Strong positive appeals.

Verses for us to consider:

Colossians 1:9-10 NLT
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

Ephesians 4:1-3 NLT
4 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Colossians 4:5 NLT
⁵Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.

For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

Colossians 1:13-14 NLT
¹³For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Ephesians 5:8 NLT
⁸For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Romans 8:17-18 NLT
¹⁷And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Colossians 1:27 NLT
²⁷For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

We have been called to share in God’s Kingdom and glory.

Paul Defends His Ministry to the Thessalonians

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Paul Defends His Ministry to the Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NLT
^2:1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. ²You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. ³So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.
⁴For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. ⁵Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! ⁶As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NLT

Paul Defends His Ministry to the Thessalonians

^2:1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure.

Paul is reflecting on his ministry among the Thessalonians. He reminds them that his preaching was neither empty nor useless but carried eternal significance.

In spite of all the positive comments in our previous lesson one, Paul felt that he needed to defend his ministry and his conduct.

Paul’s words suggest that people outside the church were charging him with unworthy motives and improper conduct.

Paul seems to spend a great deal of energy defending his ministry.

You yourselves know

Paul begins by appealing to the Thessalonians’ own memory.

Paul’s (along with Silas and Timothy) ministry was effective and fruitful.

The Thessalonians had “turned away from idols to serve the living and true God”. (1 Thessalonians 1:9)

People were saved.

A vibrant church was planted.

The church grew and flourished after Paul left.

You yourselves know

Never forget the good things God does for you.

Psalm 103:2 NLT
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 105:1&5 NLT
¹Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
⁵Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

Psalm 78:4 NLT
⁴We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.

John 14:26 NLT
26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

²You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there.

Acts 16:16-24 NLT
Paul and Silas in Prison
¹⁶One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. ¹⁷She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
¹⁸This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her.
¹⁹Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. ²⁰“The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. ²¹“They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
²²A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. ²³They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. ²⁴So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

(This is followed by the conversion of the Philippian Jailer and his family.)

Paul and his companions were often treated badly because of their faith and ministry. The New Testament records many hardships they faced, including persecution, imprisonment, beatings, and rejection.

Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 NLT
⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. …

The ministry of Paul, Silas, and Timothy was God-empowered courage, not human ambition.

Our ministry is God-empowered.

³So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

Paul clarifies his motives.

Paul is defending his ministry.

Acts 17:5 NLT
⁵But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.

Paul’s message was not deceptive, it was truth.

Paul’s motivation was pure.

Paul’s method was straightforward and transparent.

⁴For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News.

God uses faithful messengers to share the Good News. (That’s us.)

Our purpose is to please God, not people.

Paul and his companion’s aim was to please God alone.

Galatians 1:10 NLT
¹⁰Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Acts 5:29 NLT
²⁹But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.

Colossians 3:23 NLT
²³Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

Matthew 5:16 NLT
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Our purpose should be to please God, not people.

He alone examines the motives of our hearts.

God knows the motives of our hearts.

Psalm 139:23-24 NLT
²³Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

⁵Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know.

Flattery and greed were common among traveling teachers in Paul’s day.

Flattery is deceitful and manipulative

Proverbs 29:5 NLT
⁵To flatter friends
is to lay a trap for their feet.

Proverbs 28:23 NLT
23 In the end, people appreciate honest criticism
far more than flattery.

Psalm 12:2-3 NLT
2 Neighbors lie to each other,
speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.
3 May the Lord cut off their flattering lips
and silence their boastful tongues.
And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!

God is our witness.

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that he had every right to claim respect and honor as an apostle, but he did not seek such recognition.

Apostles were entitled to be supported by the church.

1 Thessalonians 2:9 NLT
⁹Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.

2 Thessalonians 3:8 NLT
⁸We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you.

⁶As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

Traveling philosophers and orators were common in the Roman Empire. They traveled from place to place, entertaining others for personal fame and fortune. Paul and his companions had nothing in common with such men.

Instead of demanding status, Paul and his companions chose humility and service.

The Thessalonians’ Example to All Believers

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The Thessalonians’ Example to All Believers

1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NLT
⁶So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. ⁷As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.
⁸And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, ⁹for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. ¹⁰And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NLT
The Thessalonians’ Example to All Believers

⁶So you received the message

The Thessalonians received the Gospel.

The Thessalonians believed the Gospel.

John 3:16 NLT
¹⁶“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Review 1 Thessalonians 1:5 NLT
⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.

The Holy Spirit convinced the hearers that the message of the Gospel was true.

with joy from the Holy Spirit

The Thessalonians experienced deep inward joy given by the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit convinced the hearers that the message was true. (repeated)

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NLT (repeated from previous lesson)
⁴And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. ⁵I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy relied on the power of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13 NLT
¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.

John 14:26 NLT
²⁶But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything (give a deeper understanding of Jesus’ words) and will remind you of everything I have told you.

Galatians 5:16-25 NLT (selected verses)
Living by the Spirit’s Power
¹⁶So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. …
²²… the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. …
²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.

The Thessalonians were persecuted by both Jews and Gentiles.

Acts 17:5-9 NLT
⁵But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd. ⁶Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. ⁷And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.”

The Thessalonians experienced the joy of salvation in spite of the trials they were experiencing.

Joy in Christ can coexist with hardship.

When people take a stand of faith in God, they should expect to encounter difficulties.

1 Peter 4:12-14 NLT
Suffering for Being a Christian
¹²Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
¹⁴If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

Joy in the midst of suffering is evidence of the reality of salvation.

Following Jesus doesn’t mean an easy life. The Thessalonian believers faced opposition, but the Spirit gave them joy that suffering couldn’t take away.

Our hardships can actually become testimonies when we endure them with hope-filled joy.

Matthew 5:11-12 NLT
¹¹“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. ¹²Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

Philippians 2:17 NLT (Paul)
¹⁷But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.

In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.

The Thessalonians lived lives that imitated Paul, Silas, and Timothy and more importantly the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4:16 NLT
¹⁶So I urge you to imitate me. (Paul)

1 Corinthians 11:1
¹And you should imitate me, just as I (Paul) imitate Christ.

1 Peter 2:21 NLT
²¹For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

Imitate your spiritual parents. (Students imitate their teachers.)

⁷As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.

To those in the north (Macedonia)

And those in the south (Achaia).

The Thessalonians faithful response to the gospel turned them into examples for other believers.

⁸And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia,

Remember, Thessalonica was located on a busy seaport and was a key crossroads situated on the Via Egnatia.

for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God.

Much like:

Acts 1:8 NLT
⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

A genuine faith, even under pressure, has a ripple effect beyond one’s local community.

Matthew 5:14-16
¹⁴“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Ephesians 5:8 NLT
⁸For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

The Thessalonians had an authentic faith that was visible to others.

We don’t need to tell them about it,

⁹for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.

Thessalonica was full of idol worship, but the believers made a radical break, a complete reorientation of life—serving the living and true God instead of dead idols.

The Thessalonians turned away (repented) from idols to serve the living and true God.

Turned away

Matthew 3:1-2 NLT
3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, ²“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Acts 2:38 NLT
³⁸Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 20:21 NLT Paul speaking
²¹I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

Turned away “from idols to serve the living and true God”.

Turning from (repentance) and turning to (faith).

In a pluralistic religious environment, the call to forsake the ancestral gods was unusual.

¹⁰And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus,

A major theme found in 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians is the return of Christ.

The Christian life is not only about turning and serving but also about waiting in hope.

whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the core of the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 NLT
³I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. ⁴He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 NLT
¹⁴For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

John 14:1-3 NLT
^14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ²There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

“The coming wrath” points to final judgment, but believers have assurance of rescue in Christ.

The Thessalonians show us what authentic Christianity looks like— turning from idols, serving God faithfully, imitating Christ, rejoicing in hardship, testifying boldly, and waiting in hope for Jesus’ return.

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

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The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 NLT
¹This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give you grace and peace.
²We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. ³As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
⁴We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. ⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.

Examine the Scriptures:

1 Thessalonians 1:1-5 NLT

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

¹This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica,

to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a profound statement about the identity of this group of Thessalonians. It means their existence and community are rooted in their relationship with God and Jesus. Unlike other greetings of the time, this phrasing is distinctively Christian and suggests a close, intimate connection to the divine.

Paul makes it clear that this was not a Jewish assembly.

To “belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” shows union with both Father and Son. This was not true of the Jews (for the most part).

Acts 17:2-3 NLT
²As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. ³He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.”

Judaism does not recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah or as the Son of God in the way Christianity does.

This was a strong encouragement to believers who were surrounded by pagan cults and emperor worship.

The Thessalonian believers were reminded that their true identity wasn’t rooted in the city’s political power or in pagan worship, but in the living God and His Son.

Paul’s words drew a contrast between belonging to Rome and belonging to Christ.

A believer’s true identity is rooted in the living God and His Son Jesus Christ.

May God give you grace and peace.

More words of encouragement to new, persecuted believers.

“Grace and peace”
In a city bustling with trade and politics, “peace” usually meant Roman order maintained by military might. Paul offers a deeper, spiritual peace that comes only from God’s grace.

Grace is God’s free and undeserved gift of love, forgiveness, and power, made fully known in Jesus Christ.

Peace is the wholeness, harmony, and well-being that comes from a reconciled relationship with God—made possible through Christ.

The combination of these two words underscores that true peace comes from the grace of God.

***These are words of encouragement for all believers.

Romans 1:7 NLT
⁷I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

²We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.

Paul regularly prayed for the churches he started (and even some he didn’t personally found). His letters show that prayer was a central part of his relationship with the congregations.

Taking time to pray for others benefits the person or persons being prayed for as well as the person doing the praying.

As we pray, God not only hears and acts on behalf of the other person, but He also works in us — giving us compassion, insight, patience, or even prompting us to be part of the answer to that prayer (a word of encouragement, a helping hand, forgiveness, etc.).

³As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

More powerful words of encouragement.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy rejoiced together for what God had done in the lives of the Thessalonian converts. The Thessalonians were a constant source of joy to them. The Thessalonians served as a model for all Christians.

Similar words to the church at Colossae.
Colossians 1:4-5 NLT
⁴For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, ⁵which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.

Things that made Paul, Silas, and Timothy thankful:

The triad of faith, hope, and love.

Faithful work (work produced by faith).
Genuine faith shows itself in action.

Loving deeds (labor prompted by love for Christ).
Love involves effort, even sacrifice.

Enduring hope (hope in Christ).
Hope gives endurance during trials.

These things that last forever.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
¹³Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

These three virtues (faith, hope, and love) stood out in the lives of the Thessalonian believers.

Galatians 5:6 NLT
⁶… What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

A description of a believer.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT
⁸But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

The Thessalonians had exercised faith when they believed the Gospel. (past)
The Thessalonians were loving Christ (and others) in the present.
The Thessalonians were hoping for Christ’s return in the future.

The Thessalonians were living lives focused on Christ.

The Thessalonians’ faith, love, and hope demonstrated the authenticity of their conversion. (The same should be true about us.)

*** Do others think of our faithful work, our loving deeds, and the enduring hope we have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴We know, dear brothers and sisters,

Paul treated the Thessalonians as equals, as brothers and sisters.

Gentiles were his equals before God.

Remember our 1^st devotional: The Church is one body with many parts (like the human body) that are designed to work together as a single unit.

that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.

Verses about being chosen by God.

Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT
⁴Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
⁵God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Colossians 3:12 NIV
¹²Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Christians are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.

More verses about being chosen by God.

Romans 9:15-16 NLT
¹⁵For God said to Moses,
“I will show mercy to anyone I choose,
and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”
¹⁶So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.

Colossians 1:11-14 NLT
¹¹We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, ¹²always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. ¹³For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, ¹⁴who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 NLT
¹³As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.

⁵For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.

The Holy Spirit convinced the hearers that the message of the Gospel was true.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NLT
⁴And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. ⁵I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

John 16:8 NLT
⁸And when he (the Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

The Spirit makes the gospel alive—changing hearts, breaking addictions, bringing new life.

Romans 1:16 NLT
¹⁶For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

We do have a part in this.

Our work

John 6:29 NLT
²⁹Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

Romans 10:9 NLT
⁹If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

John 3:16 NLT
¹⁶“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Joshua 24:14-15 NLT
¹⁴“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 NLT
¹⁹“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! ²⁰You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This^[^a^] is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were living lives that were consistent with what they were preaching.

Paul reminds them that he and his companions lived with, so their lives matched their preaching.

People are often convinced by what they see in us more than by what we say.

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Category Archives: Redeemer Day School Devotions

Instructions for Practical Christian Living.

Live to Please God

Paul Prays to Return to Thessalonica

Timothy Returns and Reports to Paul

Paul’s Desire to Return to Thessalonica

The Reception of the Good News in Thessalonica

Paul Remembers His Visit to Thessalonica

Paul Defends His Ministry to the Thessalonians

The Thessalonians’ Example to All Believers

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers