1 & 2 THESSALONIANS STUDY 4

Making Christ real – methods and results 1 Thess. 2:7-16

Introduction

In evangelism and church growth a considerable emphasis is placed on organisation – and rightly so. Neither Mission ’89 nor the on-going programme of Oakhall Church would get far without it. So we plan and develop our methods and look for the results.

However, that’s only part of the story. While Paul’s organised structures were established – you see his pattern of evangelism in Acts 17:1-4 – he had another kind of ‘method’ which we’ll look at this week. It involved a spiritual dimension without which no amount of organizing would have been of any use. There’s nothing merely mechanical about bringing people to Christ, nor are results a matter of merely counting heads.

So look out for the key words in this passage: like caring, loving, toiling, encouraging, comforting, urging, etc.

We start with:

1. Methods (vs. 7-12)

Paul would probably have stated first and foremost:

a. Be spiritual parents (vs. 7,8,11,12)

Two emphases emerge: CARE for spiritual children (7) and GIVE ourselves to and for them (8).

i. Pick out the ‘mother qualities’ (vs. 7,8)

How does being ‘gentle’ express a mother’s attitude? How does this apply to dealing with new Christians? Why do they need gentle handling? Paul uses the same word in 2 Tim. 2:24,25.

The other ‘mother quality’ seems to be ‘love’ (v.8). Why is this of vital importance in dealing with children? And equally with spiritual children? Think about ways in which love will be challenged in nurturing new Christians?

ii. But we also discover ‘father qualities’ (vs. 11,12)

Look at the three characteristics in v. 12. Think of new Christians coming into the church: what situations and kinds of people would call for encouraging; how might they need comforting, and when might ‘urging to live lives worthy of God’ be necessary? To what extent does this kind of counselling presuppose that we know and understand such people well? And what kind of demands will this make of us? What does ‘living a life worthy of God’ (v.12) mean? Paul uses the phrase several times, which probably helps us to understand what he had in mind, e.g. Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 1:9,10.

Also, part of Paul’s method was:

b. Hard work (v.9)

The word ‘toil’ is the same as comes in 1:3 where we defined it in Study 2. It also comes in Col. 1:29. What picture of God’s servant does this draw, and what is it saying to us?

Another aspect of Paul’s hard work is referred to in 3:10. What lesson does that teach?

A third element in Paul’s method was to:

c. Be a good example (v.10)

Why are the three qualities he refers to of vital importance if we’re involved in counselling or helping new Christians in any way?

Think of situations where these qualities are called for in everyday living.

Paul longed that from such methods results would flow.

2. There were results in Thessalonica (vs.13-16)

a. They accepted God’s word (v. 13)

How can we ensure that people are grounded in God’s Word rather than in our ideas?

Think, too, about 1 Cor. 2:3-5.

What part should a Bible reading programme, like Scripture Union’s, have in our programmes for new believers?

b. They were willing to suffer (v.14)

Think about John 15:20. How can we prepare new Christians for this, and help them when they experience it?

Postscript:

Positive results don’t automatically follow good methods. Paul was undoubtedly similarly motivated in Corinth, but remember the situation when he wrote 1 Corinthians: adultery, quarrels, lawsuits, incest, drunkenness …

What does that teach us about sin and the devil?

And what about Paul’s reaction? More letters, visits, etc.

He didn’t give up. Neither does God!