by Darrel Cline (darrelcline biblical-thinking.org)
Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 2 Study # 1 February 7, 2024 Broadlands, Louisiana (Download Audio)
I. The Overall Paragraph In Terms Of Its Focus.
A. Paul's prayers because of the response the Thessalonians gave to the message of the Gospel.
1. Began with "thanksgiving".
2. Continued with "prayers for you".
3. Were rooted in his "remembering" their three-fold response toward Jesus and God (faith, love, and hope).
4. Were expressed on the basis of his "knowing" their election.
a. Because the Gospel in words was accompanied by power, the Holy Spirit, and full conviction.
b. Because they responded to the impact of the kind of men Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy demonstrated themselves to be.
c. Because their response was that of "imitators" in spite of much tribulation, was rooted in the joy of the Holy Spirit.
d. Because this response made them exemplary disciples for all the believers as they sounded forth the Word "in every place" and they became known for their faith as many were telling Paul, et. al., about the impact the Gospel made in them in respect to turning to God from idols to serve God and await His Son from heaven.
B. Taken all together, the focus of this opening paragraph is upon God's unusual outpouring of Grace in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9).
1. It is unusual because what happened there produced the "example" of how believers are "supposed" to respond to the Gospel.
a. The straightforward implication of this description signals the reality that most believers do not respond so whole-heartedly [Note Paul's struggles with the Galatians because their response was so short-lived and 3:5 of this letter as a scar from the past].
b. If the response in Thessalonica was "the norm", it would not be held out as an "example": "example" means others ought to take it as a demonstration for their "discipleship" -- thus indicating that they need the "prodding" of the exemplars.
2. It is unusual because it is so clear that it makes "knowing the election of others" possible (Note Paul's words in 2 Timothy 2:19 which strongly imply that it is the "norm" for people to wonder about the "election" of those around them who profess to believe -- as in Revelation 3:1).