Reforming Church

View Original

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 ~ What is Our Reward?

Russ Grinter

(Our Reforming Group Guides are designed to be inductive, using the COMA form of study: Context, Observation, Meaning, Application). For more on this method, check out this article.)

By way of introduction: There is a saying: “distance makes the heart grow fonder”, but how might that not be true in some instances?

Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

  1. Could you outline the context of this letter so far?

  2. As you read verse 17, what did you observe about Paul’s use of language to describe the long distance relationship between him and the church of Thessalonica?

  3. From verse 18:

    • what do we know about just how Satan hindered Paul from getting back to Thessalonica?

    • what don’t we know?

    • Why is it dangerous to speculate how Satan hinders, just from this text? (For added discussion, what is the difference between exegesis and eisegesis?)

    • Since that old reformation saying is true and found in the Bible (Luke 24) that “Scripture interprets Scripture” - from our series in the Book of Job and 1st Peter, what do we know about Satan’s intent and activity in “hinderance”?

  4. When we hear Paul speaking about his own boasting, we’re used to him speaking about this in the context of 1 Corinthians 1:31 and Galatians 6:14, yet here in verses 19-20 it’s different, how?

  5. Paul speaks about the Philippians in similar ways (Philippians 4:1), and when he looks at his part in making disciple-makers (Matthew 28:16-20) he writes to the church of Corinth with 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. As we hold all these texts together, what is Paul saying about Christ and about Christians?

  6. Who is your hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

  7. In the near return of Christ, what aspects of being ready for Him does this passage encourage and equip us with?

  8. The Bible is full of benedictions (benediction = word of blessing, see Numbers 6:22-27). How does the benediction of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and the need of being ‘blameless’ get changed by Jesus for us? How could we pray this for one another?

Pray for one another of Reforming, and for friends of Reforming who need to meet Jesus in the Bible.