27. READ: 1 THESSALONIANS 2:1-15
[1 Thessalonians 2:1] [Paul, writing to the church in the
seaport city of Thessalonica:] "You know, brothers, that our
visit to you was not a failure. [2] We had previously suffered and
been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our
God we dared to tell you His Gospel in spite of strong opposition.
[3] For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure
motives, nor are we trying to trick you. [4] On the contrary, we
speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel. We
are not trying to please men but God, Who tests our hearts. [5] You
know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up
greed--God is our Witness. [6] We were not looking for praise
from men, not from you or anyone else.
"As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to
you, [7] but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her
little children. [8] We loved you so much that we were delighted to
share with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well,
because you had become so dear to us. [9] Surely you remember,
brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order
not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the Gospel of God to
you.
[10] "You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy,
righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. [11] For
you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his
own children, [12] encouraging, comforting and urging you to live
lives worthy of God, Who calls you into His kingdom and
glory.
[13] "And we also thank God continually because, when
you received the Word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted
it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the Word of God,
which is at work in you who believe. [14] For you, brothers, became
imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ
Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those
churches suffered from the Jews, [15] who killed the Lord Jesus and
the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are
hostile to all men..."
a. Who should we try to please?
b. What does God test?
c. What kind of lives should we live?
d. What does God call us into?
e. What is at work in believers?
f. Who did they become imitators of?
