Lesson 127: 1 Thessalonians 1–2
Introduction
Paul
wrote to the Thessalonian Saints after learning that they had been faithful to
the gospel amidst persecution. He praised them for their faithfulness and
willingness to teach the gospel. Paul described the reason he preached to the
Thessalonian Saints.
I.
1 Thessalonians 1 Paul praises the Thessalonian Saints for their faithfulness
in affliction
---Invite
students to share positive experiences they have had while trying to share the
gospel with others.
- What are some challenges we might experience as we try to share the gospel?
---Invite
students to look for truths as they study 1 Thessalonians 1–2 that can help them in
their efforts to share the gospel.
---Invite
students to locate Thessalonica on Bible
Maps, no. 13, “The Missionary Journeys of the Apostle Paul,”
located in the Bible appendix. Ask a student to read aloud the following
description of the Saints in Thessalonica:
---The
Saints in Thessalonica were some of the earliest European converts to the
Church. Paul, Silas, and Timothy had first preached there during Paul’s second
missionary journey but were driven out of the city by some of the Jewish
leaders (see Acts 17:5–15). The Thessalonian Saints continued
to be persecuted even after Paul and his companions left. Paul later wrote his
epistle to the Saints to encourage them as they faced persecution.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 1:2–4 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for why Paul rejoiced over the Saints in Thessalonica.
- Why did Paul rejoice over the Saints in Thessalonica?
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 1:5–6 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for how Paul had preached the gospel to the
Thessalonians during his previous visit.
- According to verse 5, how had Paul preached the gospel to the Thessalonians? (With words and with the power of God.)
---Ask
a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Invite the class to listen for what the
word and power of the gospel refer to.
“The true gospel consists of two
things: The Word, and The Power. Anyone can have the word; the books in which
it is written are universally available. But the power must come from God; it
is and must be dispensed according to his mind and his will to those who abide
the law entitling them to receive it.
“The word of the gospel is the
spoken or written account of what men must do to be saved. …
“But actual salvation comes only
when the power of God is received and used; and this power is the power of the
priesthood and the power of the Holy
Ghost”
(Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:42–43).
- According to Elder McConkie, what does the word of the gospel refer to? What does the power of the gospel refer to?
- According to verse 6, what did the Thessalonians do after they had been taught the gospel by the word and power of God? (They became followers of the Lord and His servants.)
- How would you summarize Paul’s teachings in verses 5–6 as a principle? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: As we teach the gospel of Jesus Christ by the word and power of God, we can help others become followers of the Lord and His servants.)
- What can we do to prepare ourselves to teach the gospel by the word and power of God?
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 1:7–9 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what else the Thessalonian Saints did after they
had received the gospel.
- What else did the Thessalonian Saints do after they had received the gospel? How did their example affect other believers around them?
- What truth can we learn from these verses about how we can share the gospel? (Students may use different words but should identify the following truth: We can share the gospel through our example.)
---To
help students understand this truth, invite a student to read aloud the
following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First
Presidency:
“The most effective way to preach
the gospel is through example. If we live according to our beliefs, people will
notice. If the countenance of Jesus Christ shines in our lives [see Alma 5:14], if we are joyful and at peace with
the world, people will want to know why. One of the greatest sermons ever
pronounced on missionary work is this simple thought attributed
to Saint Francis of Assisi: ‘Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary,
use words’ [in
William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd, Share Jesus without Fear
(1999), 22]” (“Waiting on the Road to Damascus,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2011, 77).
- How can being an example be a more effective way to share the gospel than only speaking about the gospel?
- How has someone’s example helped you to either accept the gospel or more fully live the gospel?
II.
1 Thessalonians 2 Paul describes how he and his companions ministered to the
Thessalonians
---Explain
that after Paul praised the Thessalonian Saints for their righteous example, he
reminded them of his love for them and of the example he had set when he had
previously preached the gospel to them.
---Write
the following scripture reference and question on the board:
- What words or phrases describe the righteous example Paul and his companions set for the Thessalonians?
---Invite
a few students to take turns reading aloud from 1 Thessalonians 2:1–13 while the class
follows along. Or, instead of inviting students to read aloud, you could invite
them to search these verses in small groups, in pairs, or individually. Ask
students to look for words or phrases that describe the righteous example Paul
and his companions set for the Thessalonians. You may want to suggest that
students mark what they find.
---After
sufficient time, invite students to come to the board to list one or two words
or phrases they discovered. Ask them to explain how those words or phrases can
guide our efforts to set a righteous example for others.
---Summarize
1 Thessalonians 2:14–18 by explaining that
Paul said the Saints in Thessalonica were being persecuted for accepting the
gospel. He told the Saints that he had tried to visit them again but had been
“hindered” by the adversary (verse 18).
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul described as his “hope, or joy, or …
rejoicing” (verse 19).
- What did Paul describe as his “hope, or joy, or … rejoicing”?
- How might Paul’s hope, joy, and rejoicing reflect Heavenly Father’s hope, joy, and rejoicing for us?
---Conclude
by testifying of the truths identified in this lesson. Invite students to
ponder how they can share the gospel both by speaking about it and by setting a
righteous example. Encourage them to act on the promptings they receive.
Commentary and Background Information
1 Thessalonians
1:1, 3. “God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ”
Paul
often began his epistles with declarations of both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
affirming the doctrine that the Father and the Son are separate beings.
1 Thessalonians
1:4. “Your election of God”
The
word election in 1 Thessalonians 1:4 refers to being chosen
by the Lord based on worthiness in the premortal life to be numbered among His
covenant people. The elect “are given special blessings and duties so that they
can bless all the nations of the world” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Election,” scriptures.lds.org).
1 Thessalonians
1:6–9. “Ye were ensamples to all that believe”
Elder
Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described why Paul
rejoiced in the Thessalonian Saints:
“Paul
rejoiced in the fact that what he had told the Thessalonians was not
meaningless words to them, for they had listened with great interest, and what
was taught them produced a powerful desire for righteousness in their lives. …
Paul was pleased that the gospel message had been received with such joy and
happiness, despite many hardships. Finally, he noted what must have been their
crowning achievement—that they were inspiring examples to all their neighbors
and that from them the word of the Lord had extended to others everywhere, far
beyond their boundaries. Paul paid tribute to them when he told them that
wherever he traveled, he found people telling him about their remarkable good
works and faith in God” (“There Am I in the Midst of Them,” Ensign, May
1976, 56–57).
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Rephrase
the question
Sometimes
students might struggle to answer a question because they do not understand
what it is asking. You may need to rephrase the question or ask students if
they understand what was asked. Avoid asking a series of questions in
succession without giving students adequate time to think deeply enough to
formulate appropriate responses.
Lesson 128: 1 Thessalonians 3–5
Introduction
The
Apostle Paul desired to strengthen the faith of Thessalonian Church members. He
taught them about the Resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ and taught them how to prepare for the Second Coming.
I.
1 Thessalonians 3–4:12 Paul desires to strengthen the faith of Thessalonian Church
members
---Provide
students with a copy of the following true–false quiz concerning the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ, and ask them to select the answer true or false next to
each question:
- T / F The faithful Saints who die before the Second Coming will not be resurrected until the end of the Millennium.
- T / F The faithful Saints who are alive at the Second Coming will be caught up to meet Christ when He comes.
- T / F The Second Coming will surprise everyone as a thief in the night.
©
2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
---Explain
that you will not provide answers to the quiz at this point but that students
can discover the correct answers during today’s lesson. Invite students to look
for truths about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as they study 1 Thessalonians 3–5.
---Remind
students that after preaching the gospel for a short time in Thessalonica,
Paul, Silas, and Timothy were forced out of the city by Jewish leaders (see Acts 17:5–15). Later, Paul sent Timothy back to
Thessalonica to check on new converts and strengthen their faith. In 1 Thessalonians 3:1–7, we learn that Timothy
reported to Paul that the Saints had remained faithful despite experiencing
persecution. Timothy also likely reported that the Saints had many questions
about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote his epistle to the
Thessalonian Saints to answer their questions.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 3:9–10 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul said he prayed for during his absence
from the Thessalonian Saints.
- What did Paul say he prayed for during his absence?
- What does the phrase “perfect that which is lacking in your faith” in verse 10 mean? (Paul desired to strengthen the faith of Church members in Thessalonica.)
---Explain
that one way Paul sought to strengthen the faith of Thessalonian Church members
was to help them better understand how to prepare for the Second Coming. Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul hoped the Lord would do for the Saints
to prepare them for His Second Coming.
- What did Paul hope the Lord would do to prepare the Saints for His Second Coming?
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 4:1 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul exhorted the Saints in Thessalonica to do
to prepare for the Second Coming.
- What did Paul exhort the Saints in Thessalonica to do to prepare for the Second Coming?
---Assign
each student in the class one of the following references (depending on the
size of your class, more than one student may be assigned the same reference): 1 Thessalonians 4:2–5; 4:6–8; 4:9–12. Invite students to read their assigned
references and answer the following questions (you may want to write these
questions on the board):
- What did Paul exhort the Saints to do to please the Lord?
- How do you think living that teaching would help them be prepared for the Second Coming?
---After
sufficient time, invite several students to report their answers to the class.
II.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 Paul teaches about the Resurrection of the dead at the
Second Coming of Jesus Christ
---Display
the picture The Second Coming (Gospel Art Book [2009],
no. 66; see also LDS.org).
---Explain
that the Thessalonian Saints misunderstood certain aspects of the Second
Coming. They worried that Church members in Thessalonica who had died would not
be able to experience the blessings of the Second Coming.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, 16 aloud. Ask
the class to follow along, looking for what Paul taught about the faithful
Saints who die before the Second Coming. Explain that Paul used the words asleep
and sleep to refer to those who are dead.
- What truth did Paul teach about faithful Saints who die before the Second Coming? (Students should identify the following truth: Faithful Saints who die before the Second Coming will be resurrected when Christ comes again.)
- What does the phrase “them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” in verse 14 mean? (The faithful Saints who are resurrected at the Second Coming will be caught up to meet Jesus Christ and will descend with Him in glory [see D&C 88:97–98].)
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 4:15, 17 aloud. Ask the
class to follow along, looking for what Paul taught about faithful Saints who
will be alive when Christ comes again. Invite the student to also read the Joseph
Smith Translation in verse 15, footnote a. Then invite him
or her to read the Joseph Smith Translation in verse 17, footnote a. You may want to
point out that the Joseph Smith Translation replaces we in these verses with they,
reflecting that the Second Coming would not occur in Paul’s day.
- What truth did Paul teach about faithful Saints who will be alive at the Second Coming? (Students should identify the following truth: Faithful Saints who are alive at the Second Coming will be caught up to meet Jesus Christ when He comes.)
---Invite
students to read 1 Thessalonians 4:18 silently, looking for
what Paul hoped the Saints would do after hearing these truths about the Second
Coming. Invite students to report what they find.
- What comfort do you find in these doctrines about the Second Coming?
III.
1 Thessalonians 5 Paul teaches Thessalonian Church members how to prepare for
the Second Coming
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 5:1–3 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for the two analogies Paul used to describe the timing
of the Second Coming.
- What are the two analogies Paul used to describe the timing of the Second Coming? (“A thief in the night” [verse 2] and “a woman with child” having labor pains [verse 3].)
---Explain
that a thief in the night usually comes “unexpectedly and without warning”
(Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols.
[1965–73], 3:54).
- What does Paul’s analogy of a thief in the night teach us about the Second Coming?
- What does Paul’s analogy of a woman in labor teach us about the Second Coming?
---After
students answer the preceding questions, you may want to point out that Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the
following concerning the analogy of a woman in labor: “She does not know the
hour or the minute of the child’s arrival, but she does know the approximate
time” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:54). Based on this analogy, we
might also consider how trials preceding the Second Coming are similar to labor
pains. But just as the arrival of a baby is wonderful, so will the Second
Coming be wonderful to the righteous.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 5:4–6 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for why faithful Saints will not be surprised by the
Second Coming.
- Why will faithful Saints not be surprised by the Second Coming?
- What does it mean to be “children of light”? (The phrase “children of light” in verse 5 refers to faithful Church members who “cast off the works of darkness” [Romans 13:12], have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and will therefore be prepared for the Second Coming [see D&C 106:4–5].)
- What does it mean to “watch and be sober”? (1 Thessalonians 5:6).
- How would you summarize what Paul taught the Thessalonian Saints about how to prepare for the Second Coming? (Using students’ words, write the following truth on the board: If we are faithful and watch for the signs preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, then we will be prepared when He comes again.)
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by President Joseph Fielding
Smith, and ask the class to listen for how we can prepare for the Second
Coming:
“The earth is full of calamity, of
trouble. The hearts of men are failing them. We see the signs as we see the fig
tree putting forth her leaves; and knowing this time is near, it behooves me
and it behooves you, and all men upon the face of the earth, to pay heed to the
words of Christ, to his apostles and watch, for we know not the day nor the
hour”
(Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56],
3:52–53).
- According to President Smith, how can we prepare for the Second Coming?
---Invite
students to review the true–false statements and the answers they wrote at the
beginning of class.
- Based on the truths you have learned in this lesson, would you change any of your answers? (Answers: [1] False, [2] True, [3] False.)
---Summarize
1 Thessalonians 5:7–22 by explaining that
Paul further counseled the Saints on how to prepare for the Second Coming.
---Invite
students to read 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22 silently, looking
for what Paul counseled the Saints to do to prepare themselves and others to
meet the Savior at His Second Coming. Encourage students to select an item of
counsel that stands out to them. Invite students to answer the following
questions in their class notebooks or scripture study journals. (You may want
to write these questions on the board.)
- What counsel from 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22 stands out to you?
- How can living this counsel help you and others be prepared for the Second Coming?
- How would you encourage someone to use this counsel in daily life?
---After
sufficient time, invite students to report their answers to a classmate.
---Invite
a student to read 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 aloud. Ask the class
to follow along, looking for what Paul said God would do for His faithful
Saints as they prepare for the Second Coming.
- What will God do for His faithful Saints as they prepare for the Second Coming?
---Conclude
by testifying of the truths taught in this lesson, and invite students to
faithfully prepare for the Second Coming.
Commentary and Background Information
1 Thessalonians
4:17. “Caught up together”
“The
Joseph
Smith Translation of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 reads: ‘Then they who
are alive, shall be caught up together into the clouds with them who remain, to
meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord’ (in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, footnote a). Many
Christians use the word rapture (from a Latin term meaning ‘caught up’) when
referring to the time when the righteous will be caught up to meet the Savior
at His coming” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual,
2014], 450).
1 Thessalonians
5:19. “Quench not the spirit”
“Toward
the end of 1 Thessalonians, Paul gave several items of practical counsel
on how to prepare for the Lord’s coming (see 1 Thessalonians 5:6–23). As part of his
counsel, Paul asked the Saints to ‘quench not the Spirit’ (1 Thessalonians 5:19). To quench the Spirit
means to extinguish or stifle the influence of the Holy
Ghost in one’s own life (see also Ephesians 4:30–31). Elder David A. Bednar
[of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles] pointed out that to fully enjoy the
companionship of the Spirit, we must avoid activities that will drive the
Spirit from us:
“‘If
something we think, see, hear, or do distances us from the Holy Ghost, then we
should stop thinking, seeing, hearing, or doing that thing. If that which is
intended to entertain, for example, alienates us from the Holy Spirit, then
certainly that type of entertainment is not for us. Because the Spirit cannot
abide that which is vulgar, crude, or immodest, then clearly such things are
not for us. Because we estrange the Spirit of the Lord when we engage in
activities we know we should shun, then such things definitely are not for us.
“‘… As
we become ever more immersed in the Spirit of the Lord, we should strive to
recognize impressions when they come and the influences or events that cause us
to withdraw ourselves from the Holy Ghost’ (‘That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us,’
Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 30)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 451).
1 Thessalonians
5:20–21. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good”
As
members of the Church, we have been admonished to examine and to prove (or
test) the things we read, hear, or have been taught. President Joseph Fielding
Smith taught that we can test the truth of what we have read, heard, or been
taught by comparing it to the teachings of God’s words in the standard works
(see Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols.
[1954–56], 3:203). If what we read, hear, or have been taught is not in harmony
with God’s words found in the scriptures or the words of His living prophets
and apostles “so far as they accord with the … standard works,” then we have
the responsibility to reject it as untrue (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of
Salvation, 3:203). If it is true, then we have the responsibility to live by
those teachings.
1 Thessalonians
5:22. “Abstain from all appearance of evil”
“Paul
taught the Saints to abstain from all ‘appearance’ of evil, or in other words,
from all ‘kinds’ of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22, footnote b). Church
officials have also used 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to teach that we should
avoid appearing as though we are doing something evil. For example, President
James E. Faust [of the First Presidency] taught: ‘I strongly urge you that
if there is any question in your minds or hearts about whether your personal
conduct is right or wrong, don’t do it. It is the responsibility of the
prophets of God to teach the word of God, not to spell out every jot and tittle
of human conduct. If we are conscientiously trying to avoid not only evil but
the very appearance of evil, we will act for ourselves and not be acted upon’ (‘The Devil’s Throat,’ Ensign or Liahona, May
2003, 51). Paul offered similar counsel in 1 Corinthians 8:9–13” (New Testament Student
Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 451).
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use
a variety of teaching methods
Even
a persuasive teaching technique may become ineffective or boring if overused.
While you should not select teaching methods for the sake of variety alone, you
will be a more effective teacher if you vary the way you teach from day to day.
Using a variety of methods can help you reach students who learn in different
ways.
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