Introduction
What if you had a neighbor who always waved and smiled when they saw you, but they were always letting their trash blow into your yard, letting their dog wander onto your back porch, whose campfire pit was half on your grass, and who always wanted to borrow your tools but never returned them. If they tried to tell you about something that had changed their life, would you be interested? What if you knew a young woman who was always helping someone when you saw her – whether it was the seniors at the senior center where your dad was, the clerk at the grocery store who was having trouble bagging, a mom whose screaming baby just needed a little attention so she could fulfill her prescription. You had recently heard that she had been offered a management job at the largest department store in town with a salary twice what she currently had, but she turned down the offer even when they offered to double the salary twice more. When they asked if the salary was too small, she had replied “The salary is big enough, but the job isn’t.” The extra hours would have kept her from her commitments to help various people and to tell them about her Jesus. If she wanted to tell you about the God who had changed her life, would you listen? In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 we see that a true Christian lives a pure life without greed, deception, and immorality so that no one will have cause to say their life doesn’t match their testimony. Learn methods that a true Christian must never use when sharing the gospel, and be encouraged that God will provide boldness as you study this passage.
Observation
Pray
Humble yourself before the Lord and ask for Him to open the eyes of your understanding, to reveal Himself to you, to reveal your heart and life, and to show you what He wants you to continue and what to change as you read and study this portion of His Word.
Read Focus Verses
Read the first 6 verses of 1 Thessalonians 2 and notice that it explains part of a story.
Basic Outline
Let’s pull together the basic outline of the story found in these verses. Who are the brethren in verse 1?
Who?
Who is talking in this passage? (Hint look at 1 Thessalonians 1:1)
Where?
Where had Paul, Silas, and Timothy been before going to Thessalonica according to verse 2?
What?
What were they doing in Thessalonica?
Why?
According to verse 4, why did they preach the gospel in Thessalonica?
Keyword - Bad Methods
In this passage, they talk a lot about the methods they did and didn’t use as they preached the gospel in Thessalonica. Mark in red the methods they did not use while they were sharing the gospel.
Bad Methods
Go ahead and mark all the methods that they chose not to use while they preached the gospel in Thessalonica that they mention in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6.
Keyword – Good Methods
In contrast, mark in green the methods that they did use in their ministry.
The Bad List
List the things they would not do as they shared the gospel – there are at least 7.
The Good List
List the things they did and focused on as they shared the gospel – there are at least 4.
Suffering
What were they facing and overcoming to preach the gospel to these believers according to verse 2?
Interpretation
Background
To get a feel for what Paul means when he said they were suffering, let’s read a few verses which tell us the story of their work at Philippi and then at Thessalonica. Start with Acts 16:22-24.
Thessalonica
Read the account of their work in Thessalonica right after they had gotten out of jail (freed by God through an earthquake that scared the city leaders) in Acts 17:1-11.
Important
With that understanding, how important was sharing the gospel to these men? Why do you say that?
Boldness
Read Ephesians 3:8-12 and notice what it says about boldness.
Source
Where does this kind of boldness come from?
No Deceit
Read what 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 says about deceit.
Temptation
1 Corinthians 1:18-29 explains why it might be tempting to change the gospel a little bit as you share it.
Why?
Why might someone be tempted to change the gospel when sharing it? Why is that deceitful and wrong?
Uncleanness
When the world hears about a leader in the church who has used his position to live immorally, how does that reflect on the gospel?
Guile
2 Peter 1:16 also speaks of not using tricks and cunning to try to get people to accept the gospel.
So That…
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 explains why not using guile or trickery when sharing the gospel is so important.
In Your Words
In your own words, why does the Bible say it is so important that someone who is sharing the gospel not try to use slick methods or clever trickery to convince people of the gospel?
Flattery
What are some ways you can think of that a messenger of Jesus Christ must not use flattering words?
Greedy Preachers
The Bible speaks a lot about people who preach the gospel to get money or other things from those to whom they speak. It calls them false teachers and warns that pastors and deacons must not be greedy. Notice the somewhat humorous description of this kind of preacher in Romans 16:18 and notice that it is associated with using deceit in this verse too.
Contrast
In contrast, Paul explains several times in the New Testament that he did not covet their money or things, and that he even worked to provide for his own needs so that no one could think he was preaching for the money. See what he says to the leaders at Ephesus in Acts 20:33-34.
Praise of Men
Twice in today’s passage, in verses 4 and 6, Paul clarifies that he was not seeking praise or glory from people. Galatians 1:10 explains why.
Praise of Men
Why is it so important that a Christian who is sharing the gospel is not doing it for the praise of men? If they did, how might that interfere with the way they share the message God has given them?
Put in Trust
Paul says that Christians are put in trust with the gospel. It is like we are trustees of a vast treasury. How does that understanding impact the way Christians share the gospel?
Secrets of the Heart
Like verse 4 says, God makes it clear in Scripture that He judges us not only on our actions that other people can see, but on the thoughts and desires of our hearts. Read what Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 concludes because of this.
Pleasing God
Our response, according to 1 Thessalonians 2:4 should be to seek to please God. Hebrews 6:10 encourages us in this by reminding us that God is not unrighteous and so will not forget what we do for Him. Instead, we are told a little later, He is faithful to reward those who are faithful.
Expanded Horizons
Perhaps these truths seem inspiring, but distant. See what 1 Peter 3:14-16 says about who should always be ready to speak the gospel.
All Christians
Are there any Christians who do not have to be characterized by the things in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 since all are called to be ready to share the gospel with a good testimony? Why?
Application
Bad Associations
Are there people whose bad testimony of greed or immorality or tricks have given you a bad impression of the gospel or Christians? As you see in this passage, that is not God’s message. Perhaps you need to let that go and hear what God says about the gospel without associating it with those who have lived shamefully while claiming it. How are you going to begin that? (Suggestion: Do the study for 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10, “The Gospel and How it Changes Lives” to understand the gospel better.)
Your Life
If you are a Christian, in what ways do you need to change your life so that you live in a way that pleases God and brings a good testimony to the gospel?
Boldness
Do you lack the boldness Paul had to share the gospel despite people’s negative reactions? You saw that this boldness comes from Jesus Christ. Paul prayed for this boldness (Ephesians 6:18-20) and so can you. Use this space to write out a prayer for boldness to share the gospel in your situation.
Wrapup
Closing
We hope this study has challenged you to consider how you present the gospel by your daily life and witness, if you are a Christian, and who’s testimony you associate with the gospel, if you are not a believer.
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