1 Thessalonians 1 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: 1 Thess 1:1-3

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace and peace to you.

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

A. Find Out:    

1. From what 3 people does this letter come? v.1a
2. To whom is it written? v.1b
3. What do they want for the church there? v.1c
4. What did they do all the time? v.2
5. How is God referred to? v.1,3
6. What 3 things did they remember, inspired by what? v.3

B. Think:

1. How is this shown to be a “team letter”?
2. How does the team show their commitment to this church?
3. What are we told about this church?

C. Comment:

     Let’s highlight the things noted above. First of all let’s consider the TEAM writing this letter. It comes from Paul, Silas and Timothy who, as we’ve seen in the Introduction, worked together taking the Gospel to Thessalonica. These are three men well known to this church. Yes, Paul heads it up, but the letter comes with the force of the team behind it. That makes it pretty powerful!

     But then they show their heart commitment to this church. They’d given up their lives to travel and bring the Good News to that part of the world, but more than that, when they left they didn’t forget them, they prayed and carried on praying for them. That says their hearts were with this church. They felt for them, they were with them, and therefore anything they might say about them comes out of that sort of heart care and commitment.

     Finally, let’s consider what we’re told about this church in these few verses – apart from the fact that they’ve caught the hearts of these three men! They are a church whose faith works! They serve the Lord, they are active in sharing the word and building one another up. They endure – that means they persevere against opposition, they keep on going even though it’s tough – and we’ll see something of that in these two letters. This is a church that is doing stuff and has kept on doing it!   

D. Application:

1. Do we let our hearts get caught by others – and so pray?
2. Are we serving the Lord and keeping on despite opposition?

Passage: 1 Thess 1:4-6

4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

A. Find Out:

1. How do they refer to the church first of all? v.4a
2. How. next. do they refer to them? v.4b
3. Why do they know that? v.5
4. What contact had they had together? v.5c
5. What had the church become? v.6a
6. What had they done, despite what? v.6b

B. Think:

1. What do the apostles say about this church and God?
2. Why are they so sure about that?
3. What do these verses say about the work of God & man in salvation?

C. Comment:

     First of all note how the apostles describe this church: loved and chosen. That is true of every Christian but we sometimes need reminding of that. God loves us and is totally for us. Why? Because He has chosen us and we are now His children and He’s not going to do anything less than that!

     Second, note how the apostles know that. They know it because they have seen how God was working through them in the bringing of the Gospel. Some people almost drift into belief (and are unsure – how sad!) but that wasn’t true of this church. No, when the apostles preached the Gospel there in Thessalonica it wasn’t just words. They knew the power and the presence of the Lord which brought strong conviction to the listeners. There was no question about their salvation.

     Third, note that their assurance wasn’t built on just what happened at conversion, they had seen this church respond and change as Christians. The new believers took on board the message gladly and started behaving like the apostles, copying their lifestyle, despite the opposition that they received from the unbelieving Jews of the town. No, the assurance that the apostles had about this church came from observing the way they had responded to the initial message and then the way they had changed and grown subsequently.

D. Application:

1. Is my reception of the Gospel still with joy?
2. Am I going on with the Lord and not standing still?

Passage: 1 Thess 1:7-10

7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore, we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

A. Find Out:

1. What had this church become, to whom? v.7
2. What 2 things had happened? v.8a
3. So what did the apostles feel about that? v.8b
4. What was being said about this church? v.9a
5. What also was being told? v.9b
6. So what was the church now doing? v.10

B. Think:

1. How, generally, were this church influencing this area?
2. How, specifically, was that happening?
3. What have they said about Jesus here?

C. Comment:

     In the previous verses Paul and the others have been commenting on the way that this church received the Gospel so positively. Here they expand on that by commenting on the feedback they have been getting from other churches in the area. This church, here in Thessalonica, has been like a shining beacon to the surrounding area.

     How? Well previously everyone had known the sort of place that it was – people worshipped idols there. Then the apostolic team came and preached the Gospel. Suddenly idol worship was gone and worshipping the one true God was in. The way they had been open to the apostles and the way they had listened to them and responded to the message was being talked about all over the place.  God’s life transformation in these people was the talk of the country!  But isn’t that how it’s supposed to be!   Today?

      Now note how Paul closes this little section talking about their response (well there is actually more to come but from a different angle). He says that part of their ongoing salvation is waiting for Jesus to return. Why does he say this? Because he’s obviously heard that there are misunderstandings about Jesus’ return and it’s going to be a major topic he’s going to raise with them, so this is just an early nudge in that direction. We’re going to see more of it in both letters.

D. Application:

1. We are called to be light and salt (Mt 5:13 ,14). Are we shining?
2. Are others hearing about Jesus’ transforming work in us?