Comfort that comforts
Read 1Th 3:1-13
1) vv1-5 repeatedly state that Paul ‘could not bear it any longer’: To bear what exactly?
- v5: What fear could he no longer bear, without doing something about it?
- v4: Was Paul in agony (or feeling sorry) about their sufferings of persecution? Why not? What was his real concern instead?
- How could he be so certain that believers are destined to suffer?
- If God is not there to protect believers from suffering, what protection did Paul wish for them, v3?
2) vv6-10: v6 speaks of a ‘longing for each other’: How do you picture this to have looked like (in a world without communication technology)? And why did Paul recount those times?
- v7 mentions how Paul was comforted in this situation: How?
- vv8-10: Why was news of the sound faith of others more comforting to him, apparently, than even his own faith?
3) v8 speaks of ‘standing fast in the Lord’: What does this mean? cf Phil 1:27
- Can you be a Christian without that? cf 1Cor 15:1; Col 1:23; Gal 5:1 =>
- What does it take to so stand?
- Read 1Cor 10:12, Mt 7:27, Mk 4:17 and Heb 3:12. What does it take for a ‘believer’ to ‘fall away’? [Unbelief that God’s promises are true, throwing away all hope that his salvation is by faith, Col 1:23]
- Read 1Jn 3:9 and 5:4. If the Bible promises that all who are born again will remain in this faith, why does it also speak of falling away? =>
- Read 1Jn 2:27. => How does the Holy Spirit keep believers in their faith? [By teaching them how to believe and speaking God’s word so that it is alive and working in them and leads them to abide]
4) v10: How does the Holy Spirit use godly ministers to comfort and to do His renewing and transforming work within believers?
5) vv11-13 In light of what Paul just said, why did he pray so earnestly to be reunited with the Christians in Thessalonica?
- Hint: How do vv12-13 define what blamelessness and holiness are?
- Why does such brotherly love entirely depend on God’s work in believers from within the heart?
6) Personal & application
- What do you find inspiring in Paul’s example here to direct your own efforts in helping fellow Christians stand firm in the gospel?
- Can you recount any instances in your own life how news about the faithfulness of other believers proved to be a great comfort to you?
- Can you do anything to be such a comfort for others (and an encouragement for your leaders)?
- How do you do in praying (and giving thanks) for others, including those in your care (family, work, church…)?
- Are such prayers for you something else to add to a busy list of tasks that need to be done?
- Have you instead ever thought of (or experienced) such prayers as a source of joy and comfort for yourself?
- How can you help one another to create space for prayer, and to remind one another to pray and how to do it?
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