An Introduction to Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 1:1-

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 -

1 Thessalonians 1:4-7 -

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 -

1. Acts 17:1-15 provides the basic background on how the church in Thessalonica was started. Read through these verses and list 3-5 things you learn about how this church was started.

2. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1. According to this verse, who is the letter from? Who is the letter to?

3. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:2. In this verse, Paul says he thanks God for the Thessalonians. How often does he do this and what method does he use? Do you think he means they have corporate prayer together, they do this individually, or possibly both?

4. Paul says he thanks God for “all of them.” Try to think of all the people in our church. Are there some that you don’t particularly like, that grate on you, that irritate you, etc.? Try to come up with several reasons why Paul, Timothy, and Silas would thank God for the difficult people in the church.

5. How often should you be praying for all the people in our church? How often should you be thanking God for “all” the people in our church, even the ones that really grate on you? How does this study change the way you think about the difficult people God has placed in your life?

6. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:3. Write down three things Paul and the boys continually remembered that the Thessalonians were doing, and the three means by which these things were transpiring.

7. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5. Write down three things in verse four that would have and should have made the Thessalonians feel very special.

8. In the last phrase, Paul says he and his friends lived among them in a certain way for their sake. How do you think they lived among them? Do you have people in your life that you need to be living a certain way in order to help them in their spiritual walk? If so, explain.

9. Read 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10. In this passage, Paul uses the metaphor of a model. What is the model? Look back at the ways in which the Thessalonians are modeling.