1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
Today we are reading 1 Thessalonians 5
As we read these verses stood out to me:
1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 - 2 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Please, take some time to Share your Thoughts with Us as they relate to this passage.
You can share anything that is on your heart but, if you don’t know where to start try reading these verses and answering one or more of the following “Honest Questions.”
Honest Questions:
Make a list of the people you know that hold some sort of church leadership position. Would you be willing to reach out to at least one of those people today and express your gratitude to them for the work they do?
Do you know of any follower of Christ that you are not currently at peace with? If so, pray for yourself and that person. Would you be willing to reach out to them and do your part in restoring/bringing peace to the relationship?
Do you know anyone who seems to have a “consumer mentality” at your church? What is one way that you could invite them to join you as you use your gifts to serve the community where God has placed you?
Do you know anyone who seems to be struggling in their faith right now? What could you do to help them?
Compare 1 Thess. 5:14, “be patient with them all” to 1 Corinthians 13:4, “love is patient.” What sort of people do you have the hardest time being patient with? Do you generally think of your impatience as something that is unloving? If not, why not?
Is it easier for you to “do good” to the people who are part of the church you attend or to the people who are not part of the church you attend? What do you think that says about the way God desires to use you to minister to the world around you?
Compare 1 Thess. 5:16-17 to Revelation 5:8. How frequently do you spend time alone with God in prayer and worship? Do you keep a prayer journal of any kind? If so, would you mind telling us about how you use it, why you use it, and when you got started?
Read 1 Thess. 5:18. Do you think all of the things listed in this chapter are God’s will for your life or do you think that the Holy Spirit was leading the Apostle Paul to specifically emphasize God’s desire for gratitude to be part of our lives in all situations?
In what ways does the gift of prophecy get used in your community of faith? Do you think of your church as being a good example regarding the use of this gift? Why or why not?
What are some of the questions that you have after reading 1 Thessalonians 5 and how do you intend to respond to what you are reading?
We us our Basic Bible Reading Plan to guide the discussions in this group.
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