1 Thessalonians - Lesson 3
Excerpt
Last week we learned that Paul was grateful that what he had taught the young Thessalonian church stuck with them because they apparently had teachable spirits. We also learned that when believers suffer for their faith, that it most often strengthens their faith, something the unbelieving world could never understand. We learned that there are limits to our authority, but there are no limits to God’s authority. That is an important one to remember! We learned that Paul was both a mother and a father to the Thessalonian church in the way that he thought about them and nurtured them to maturity. These believers glorified God and that glory brought Paul much joy.
Go ahead and read all of 1 Thess. 3. You have to admit that Paul was completely honest with the Thessalonian church regarding what they could expect. He didn’t sugar-coat anything. As believers, we don’t get a pass on affliction. Suffering has a way of perfecting us or maturing us in certain areas. What does James say in James 1:2-4 say about suffering?
