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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1 THESSALONIANS 2
LESSON #04
THE FAMILY ASPECT OF MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH:
v MEMORY VERSE: TITUS 2:13
v HOMEWORK RESPONSE AND DISCUSSION:
Ø HOW DOES THE TIMING OF THE RAPTURE AFFECT THEWAY A CHRISTIAN LIVES THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?
v READ 1THE 2:1-6 A MINISTRYS TRUE MOTIVES
Ø PAULS PREACHING IN THIS CITY WAS NOTSIMPLY ENTERTAINMENT. IT CHANGED THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE. THESE PEOPLE LIVED DIFFERENTLY AFTER PAUL CAME FROM THE WAY THEY LIVEDBEFORE HE CAME. THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD LIFE WERE NOW DIFFERENT. (1)
Ø HOWEVER, PAULS PREACHING TO THEM CAUSEDA LOT OF CONTENTION. (2)
§ THE WORDCONTENTION MEANS = AGONY OR DISTRESS.
· PAUL WAS TREATED BADLY IN THECITY OF PHILIPPI. (SEE ACTS 16:12-40)
¨ THE PEOPLE BEAT AND IMPRISONED PAUL AND SILASBECAUSE THEY CAST OUT AN EVIL SPIRIT FROM A YOUNG GIRL WHO EARNED HER MASTERS A LOT OFMONEY. THOSE PEOPLE WHO LOST MONEY TURNED THE TOWN AGAINST PAUL AND SILAS.
§ PAUL WOULD NOT CHANGE HISMESSAGE JUST TO PLEASE MEN AND MAKE HIS OWN LIFE EASIER. (3-4)
· THE CLOAK OFCOVETOUSNESS (5-6)
¨ THE MOTIVES OF A MINISTRY ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
Ø IF THE MOTIVES ARE FOR MONEY, POWER,PRESTIGE, HONOR, FAME, OR POSITION, THE MOTIVES ARE WRONG AND DO NOT HONOR GOD. INSTEADTHESE MOTIVES HONOR MAN.
Ø DISCUSSION:
§ IF A GOVERNMENT OR NATIONFORBIDS A CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY FROM ENTERING THAT COUNTRY FOR THE PURPOSES OF PREACHINGTHE GOSPEL, SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN DISREGARD THAT PROHIBITION AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TOPREACH THERE ANYWAY?
v READ 1THE 2:7-9 THE MATERNAL NATURE OF PAULS MINISTRY
Ø PAUL, THE NURSE:
§ THE WORD NURSEIN VERSE 7 MEANS = A NURSING MOTHER WHO BRINGS NOURISHMENT TO HER CHILD.
· WE SEE THE TENDER LOVE OF PAUL TOTHESE PEOPLE. HE SAYS HE WAS WILLING TO GIVE THEM HIS OWN SOUL, OR GIVE UP HIS LIFE FORTHEM. (8)
¨ IN OTHER WORDS, PAULS MOTIVE WAS LIKE AMOTHER THAT IS WILLING TO DO ANYTHING IN HER POWER FOR THE GOOD OF HER CHILD.
· LIKE A MOTHER WHO STAYS UP ALLNIGHT WITH A SICK CHILD, PAUL MINISTERED TO THEM NIGHT AND DAY. (9)
v READ 1THE 2:10-13 THE PATERNAL NATURE OF PAULS MINISTRY
Ø A FATHER HAS A DUTY TO GOD AND TO HISCHILDREN TO PROVIDE FOR THEM. HE SHOULD ALSO PRESENT HIMSELF AS A GOOD ROLE MODEL FORTHEM. (10)
§ THE WORDEXHORTED (parakaleo) IN VERSE 11 MEANS = TO COME ALONG SIDE.
· INCIDENTALLY, THIS IS THE SAMEWORD USED FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO COMES ALONG SIDE TO COMFORT US.
¨ JOH 16:7-11 TELLS US THE HOLY SPIRIT COMESALONG SIDE TO CONVICT US OF SIN, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND OF JUDGMENT.
Ø THESE ARE THE THINGS INCLUDED IN PAULSMESSAGE TO THESE PEOPLE. HIS WORDS CONVICTED THEM CONCERNING SIN, CONCERNINGRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND CONCERNING JUDGMENT.
§ THE WORDCOMFORTED IN VERSE 11 MEANS = TO PERSUADE URGENTLY.
· IN LOVE, PAUL URGENTLY PERSUADEDTHESE PEOPLE TO RECEIVE CHRIST JUST AS A FATHER PERSUADES HIS CHILD TO MAKE CORRECTDECISIONS THAT BRING PEACE.
§ THE WORDCHARGED IN VERSE 11 MEANS = TO FIRMLY DISCIPLINE.
· LIKE A FATHER DISCIPLINES HISCHILD BECAUSE OF LOVE, PAUL DISCIPLINED THESE PEOPLE SO THEY WOULD WALK WORTHY INTOHIS KINGDOM AND GLORY (13).
¨ THE CHRISTIAN IS TO LIVE HIS CHRISTIAN LIFEIN SUCH A MANNER THAT HE IS WORTHY OF THE TRUST CHRIST WILL PLACE ON HIM IN THE MILLENNIALKINGDOM WHEN WE RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST.
¨ THE CHRISTIAN IS TO LIVE HIS CHRISTIAN LIFEIN SUCH A MANNER THAT HE IS WORTHY OF THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE THAT TAKES HIM INTO ETERNALGLORY.
Ø A FATHER SETS DOWN THE RULES OF THE HOUSEHOLDAND THE CHILD RECEIVES THOSE RULES AS THOUGH THEY ARE POWER AND AUTHORITY WRITTEN INSTONE.
§ THE PEOPLE OF THESSALONICARECEIVED PAULS WORDS AS THOUGH THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER HAD SPOKEN DIRECTLY TO THEM INPOWER AND AUTHORITY.
· THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE LIKETHOSE PEOPLE. WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING IN THE WORD OF GOD, OR WHEN THE PREACHER PREACHES FROMTHE WORD OF GOD, WE SHOULD RECEIVE THOSE WORDS AS THOUGH THEY ARE A MESSAGE FROM GOD TO USPERSONALLY.
v READ 1THE 2:14-16 THE BROTHERLY NATURE OF PAULS MINISTRY
Ø THE UNIVERSAL BODY OF BELIEVERS OPERATES AS ABROTHERHOOD. (14)
§ WHAT MAKES PEOPLE IN THETHESSALONICA CHURCH BROTHERS WITH CHRISTIANS IN OTHER CHURCHES? THEY HAVESOMETHING IN COMMON.
· ALL BELIEVERS IN THE UNIVERSALBODY OF CHRIST HAVE JESUS CHRIST IN COMMON. THEY HAVE ALL RECEIVED HIM INTO THEIR HEARTSAS THEIR SAVIOR.
· THE BELIEVERS IN THESSALONICASUFFERED PERSECUTION FROM NON-BELIEVING JEWS JUST AS OTHER CHURCHES AT THAT TIME. (14-15)
¨ THESE CHURCHES HAD NOT YET BEGUN TO SUFFERTHE SEVERE PERSECUTION THAT CAME LATER FROM ROMAN EMPERORS.
¨ JEWISH NON-BELIEVERS WERE FORBIDDINGBORN-AGAIN JEWS, LIKE PAUL, TO PREACH TO GENTILES. (16)
Ø REMEMBER THAT THE CHURCH IN THESSALONICA WASPRIMARILY A GENTILE CHURCH.
Ø THE REASON FOR THIS PROHIBITION CAME FROM AMISUNDERSTANDING OF THE MESSAGES OF OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS.
§ FILL UP THEIRSINS (16) = THE CUP OF INIQUITY OR GODS FURY:
· ISA 51:17 REFERS TO THE CUP ASGODS CUP OF FURY POURED OUT ON MAN BECAUSE OF HIS SIN. THE IDEA IS THAT GOD ALLOWSTHE ACCUMULATION OF SIN ONLY UP TO A POINT, AND THEN GOD WILL POUR OUT HIS JUDGMENT WHENTHE CUP IS FULL. (GEN 15:16)
· THE JEWS BELIEVED THAT IT WAS ASIN TO PREACH RIGHTEOUSNESS TO GENTILES. JEWS, LIKE PAUL, WHO PREACHED TO GENTILES WEREACCUMULATING SIN, FILLING UP THE CUP, AND, THEREFORE, HASTENING THE DAY WHEN JUDGMENT FROMGOD WOULD BE POURED OUT ON THE EARTH.
· INSTEAD, PAUL IS SAYING THATJEWISH PERSECUTION OF BELIEVERS IS FILLING UP THEIR OWN CUP, OF WHICH GOD WILL SOON JUDGE.
¨ PERHAPS PAUL HAD IN MIND THE DESTRUCTION OFJERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE THAT WAS STILL TO COME IN 70 AD.
¨ OR PERHAPS PAUL HAD IN MIND THE WRATH OF GODDURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD THAT WOULD COME UPON THE JEWS AS A PEOPLE.
v READ 1THE 2:17-20 THE RESULTS OF A FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS
Ø A FAITHFUL AND TRUE WITNESS WILL HAVEOPPOSITION BY SATAN. (18)
§ THE WORD SATANMEANS = ADVERSARY.
· SATAN OPPOSES AND HINDERS THEWORK OF GOD AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF GOD.
¨ PAUL WAS RUN OUT OF THE CITY, BUT HIS HEARTIS STILL WITH THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST. (17)
Ø THE BENEFITS AND REWARDS OF A FAITHFUL ANDTRUE WITNESS: (19-20)
§ HOPE
· THE HOPE PAUL HAS IS THAT, AT THERAPTURE OF THE CHURCH, PAUL WILL FINALLY DISCOVER THE END RESULT OF ALL HIS HARD WORK INMINISTRY.
¨ WHEN CHRIST, THE BLESSED HOPE, APPEARS, HEWILL LEARN ABOUT THOSE HE NEVER KNEW WHO WERE SAVED BECAUSE OF HIS MINISTRY.
§ JOY
· THE JOY PAUL HAS IS THAT ONE DAYHE WILL LEARN ABOUT HOW AND TO WHAT EXTENT PEOPLE MATURED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO GODBECAUSE OF HIS MINISTRY.
§ CROWN OF REJOICING (19)
· THE CROWN OF REJOICING PAUL WILLRECEIVE AFTER THE RAPTURE AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST IS THE SOUL WINNERS CROWN.
§ THE FINAL PRESENCE OFBELIEVERS AT CHRISTS COMING
· AT CHRISTS COMING PAUL WILLSEE ALL THESE DEAR BELIEVERS AGAIN.
v SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
Ø CHRISTIAN MINISTRY TO OTHER PEOPLE IS AFAMILY AFFAIR. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE TREAT BELIEVERS LIKE A MOTHER LOVESHER CHILDREN, OR LIKE A FATHER WHO LAYS DOWN THE LAW TO HIS CHILDREN, OR LIKE A BROTHERWHO LOVES AND ACCEPTS OTHER BELIEVERS ON AN EQUAL BASIS.
§ PAUL IS OUR EXAMPLE OF THECHRISTIAN IN MINISTRY TO OTHERS. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO THIS KIND OF MINISTRY, NOTJUST THE PROFESSIONALLY PAID STAFF.
Ø THERE WILL BE OPPOSITION AND AT TIMESPERSECUTION, BUT ALWAYS THERE IS GREAT REWARD HERE AND NOW AND IN THE FUTURE WHEN CHRISTCOMES.
Ø THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CHRISTS COMINGSHOULD KEEP US MOTIVATED TO KEEP WORKING FOR HIM BECAUSE THE TIME IS SHORT. THE HOPE OFCHRISTS COMING SHOULD KEEP US WORKING.
Ø HOMEWORK
Ø 1 THESSALONIANS 3
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
v APPLICATION FOR 1THE 2
Ø EVALUATE YOUR OWN CHRISTIAN LIFE AS AMINISTRY TO OTHERS. WHICH OF THE THREE AREAS, A MOTHERLY ATTITUDE, A FATHERLY ATTITUDE, ORA BROTHERLY ATTITUDE, NEEDS MORE ATTENTION? EXPLAIN YOUR ANSWER.
v PREPARATION FOR 1THE 3
Ø READ 1THE 3:1-13
§ WHY IS THE COMING OF CHRISTA PURIFYING HOPE?
v MEMORY VERSE: 1THESSALONIANS 3:13
