BIBLE STUDY:
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

QUESTIONS:
Q1. Following Paul’s example, what are you grateful to God for in this last week?

Q2. What accomplishments of work by faith, labour of loves, and endurance of hope have you seen in your community?

eg. Faith: Andrew prepping for Alpha, Love: Steven holding the food bank, Hope: Wini & Tim adopting.

Q3. What works of faith, labours of love, enduring hopes are you working on at the moment?

Q4. How did the gospel of Jesus come to you?

Q5. What do you think it means for the gospel to come in power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction?

Q6. What did Paul and the team do that saw these people come to faith? Look at Acts 17:1-10 and list what happened. If you have time compare this with the previous story of Paul in Philippi, Acts 16:11-40.

Q7. In our time and place, what does it mean to turn away from idols?
- Literal, and what are some of the family dynamics of that?
- Spiritual, eg what are the things we are tempted to worship in the hope that they will give us life?

Q8. Hope is how Paul describes our attitude towards the future. What does verses 9b-10 tell us about the nature of our hope? What is our hope like?

Then…

Pray for each other, because this good news is not just about words but Power!

PASSAGE:
Paul, Silas and Timothy,

1 To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. 

You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 

7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. 

Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. 

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10