1 THESSALONIANS LESSON 2


     We will begin this lesson in I Thessalonians 2:1 "For yourselves,
brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:"

     Paul is speaking to the Thessalonians themselves in this verse
above. Paul says, you know that the message we brought was Truth and
you received it unto yourself. It was empowered by the Spirit of God
and now you received it so fully that you are empowered with that same
Spirit to minister. Paul had asked nothing from them in return for
bringing the gospel to them. His reward was in knowing that they
received the True Word of God an were transformed into servants of the
Most High God.

     I Thessalonians 2:2 "But even after that we had suffered before,
and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold
in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention."

     Paul never allowed a little persecution to keep him from bringing
the gospel message to all who would receive it. Contention, in this
verse means conflict or fight. Everywhere Paul went, there seemed to
be conflict. Most of his problems came from the Jews. He had been a
Pharisee of the Pharisees, before he came in close contact with the
Light of the world on the road to Damascus. It seemed the conflict at
Philippi had been so great that he had left there and come to
Thessalonica. He did not stop preaching because of the conflict, he
just moved locations. Paul counted it a pleasure to be able to suffer
for Christ and the gospel message. The message that Paul had brought
to Thessalonica was not made milder by the conflict, but if anything
was even bolder and more sure. Paul's boldness seemed to increase with
every persecution.

     I Thessalonians 2:3 "For our exhortation [was] not of deceit, nor
of uncleanness, nor in guile:"

     Paul was not a man of untruths. He spoke the message of God,
exactly the way the Lord had given it to him. He did not alter the
message to please man. Guile, in this verse would possibly mean trick.
Paul had not tried to trick anyone. He knew the Jews were caught up in
the outward cleanness of a man. He explains that he was not an unclean
man. Paul's message was straightforward. He never varied to the right
or the left. He spoke Truth.

     I Thessalonians 2:4 "But as we were allowed of God to be put in
trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God,
which trieth our hearts."

     I love the word "allowed" in the verse above. Paul counted it a
privilege to be trusted with the gospel message. We should count it a
privilege to be allowed to work for God ourselves. Paul spoke as an
oracle of God. Paul did not choose what he would say. He turned his
tongue over to God and spoke the words as the Spirit gave him
utterance. Most ministers today have this all turned around. They are
preaching what the people want to hear. The Bible calls that preaching
to itching ears. II Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap
to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"  This verse in Timothy
is speaking of ministers called of men to preach, not called of God.
Paul was called of God to carry the message God chose to the people.
The people did not always want to hear what the Spirit of God speaking
through Paul had to say. It many times stepped on their toes. The
Spirit brought out sins in them that they thought no one knew about.
God knew. Paul had no desire to please men. His desire was to bring
the message God wanted the people to have as accurately as he could.
Paul's desire was to please God, not man. If it brought persecution,
so be it. God looks on the heart, and judges righteously. He looks on
the heart of the minister, and the people he is ministering to. Let me
mention, one more time, the gospel is {good news}.

     I Thessalonians 2:5 "For neither at any time used we flattering
words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God [is] witness:"

     Paul was not trying to get anything from them. He did not covet
anything that belonged to them. When someone flatters you, they are
usually setting you up to get something from you. Paul had none of
these desires. He was compelled within himself to bring the Truth of
the gospel to all who would receive it. Some believe that Paul was
trying to make up for the times when he himself had persecuted the
Christians. I really believe that Paul loved God so much that he
wanted everyone to know and love God as he did. He was truly grateful
that God had loved him enough to turn him around on the right path. I
believe that Paul loved God even when he was persecuting Christians.
He even thought he was doing that for God. His eyes of his
understanding had not been opened where he could see Jesus for who He
really is. Paul knew that even if the people did not understand what
he was trying to do, God did. He really had to answer to no man but
God.

     I Thessalonians 2:6 "Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you,
nor [yet] of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the
apostles of Christ."

     We already mentioned in the book on Philippians that Paul would
not accept any gifts from any of the churches except the church at
Philippi. Paul preached the gospel to them with no strings attached.
He did not even ask for an offering from them. We see in this that
Paul was not seeking to be thought of as the great apostle. He
included Timothy and Silas in this letter right at the beginning. Paul
was not looking to be honored by these people. He knew his reward
would be in heaven. He did not ask them to think of him as the number
one apostle.

     I Thessalonians 2:7 "But we were gentle among you, even as a
nurse cherisheth her children:"

     Paul had made himself as one of them. He had not elevated himself
up above the people. His message to them, had been a message of the
love of God. He was tenderly teaching them as a parent would his own
child.

     I Thessalonians 2:8 "So being affectionately desirous of you, we
were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only,
but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."

     In this, Paul was bringing them the good news of the gospel of
Christ, but wanted them to feel the love that he had for them as well.
Paul had such great love for them that he would have been willing to
face most any hardship to bring them this message that would bring
Life to them. He is also saying that he preached from his heart. He
was not trying to scare them out of hell, but love them into heaven.

     I Thessalonians 2:9 "For ye remember, brethren, our labour and
travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be
chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God."

     The best way to explain this is with another Scripture. Romans
10:14 "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher?"  I Corinthians 1:21 "For after
that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."  Paul
did not stop when the sun went down. He preached into the night when
necessary. He also prayed for the people he preached to. The call of
God is not an 8 hour a day job. The called of God are on call 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year, for the rest of their life. Paul is saying
that he will not be held responsible by God for not telling them the
good news of the gospel. He told them all. He will have a clear
conscience when he stands before God.























                     1 Thessalonians 2 Questions


1.  What is Paul saying to them in verse 1?
2.  What was the power in the message brought?
3.  What was the only reward Paul wanted and got?
4.  Where had Paul suffered persecution just before he cam to
    Thessalonica?
5.  Did the persecution Paul faced alter the strength of his message?
6.  What does "contention", in verse 2, mean?
7.  Where did most of Paul's problems come from?
8.  What had caused Paul to change from being a Pharisee?
9.  He did not stop preaching because of the conflict he just _______
    _____________.
10. For our exhortation was not of _________, nor of __________, nor
    in ________.
11. What did "guile", in verse 3, mean?
12. The Jews were caught up in the ___________ cleanness of man>
13. What word in verse 4 did the author say she loved?
14. Paul counted it a __________ to be entrusted with the gospel
    message.
15. What did Paul speak to the people?
16. The Bible calls it preaching to __________ ______ when we preach
    what the people want to hear.
17. Quote 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3.
18. Why did the people sometimes take offence at what Paul preached?
19. What does gospel mean?
20. God was witness that Paul had not done what in his ministering?
21. When someone flatters you, what do they do it?
22. What was Paul truly grateful to God for?
23. Who did Paul have to answer to?
24. Who was the only church Paul would allow to help him financially?
25. What does Paul compare the gentleness of his message to them to in
    verse 7?
26. What did Paul want them to feel besides the love of God in the
    gospel message?
27. Why did Paul want to do this?
28. He was not trying to scare them out of ______, but to love them
    into _________.
29. Quote Romans chapter 10 verse 14.
30. It pleased God to save them that believe by the foolishness of
    ____________.
31. Why would Paul feel no guilt when he stands before God?