Proper 25
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Cycle A, THIRD EDITION
THE LESSONS
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
The Lord buried Moses. At age 120 Moses' life comes to an end. For forty years he led God's people from Egypt to the Promised Land which he was permitted to see but not enter. In all of history he probably was the only human buried by the Lord. His greatest accomplishment was his face--to--face experience with God.
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:20--26 (RC); Exodus 22:21--27 (E)
The first and great commandment.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
In spite of opposition, Paul had the courage to preach the gospel to the Thessalonian church. Paul tells why his visit to the church at Thessalonica was not in vain. In Philippi he suffered much by having been whipped, put in stocks, and imprisoned. With courage he preached to the Thessalonians in spite of intense opposition. Having been entrusted with the gospel, he preached not to please them but to please God. In his preaching he did not use flattery nor did he preach for money. Because of his love for them, he treated them gently and shared not only the gospel but himself.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
A people turned to God to serve him.
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
Jesus gives the two great commandments and asks the Pharisees a question they cannot answer. Still trying to trap Jesus, the Pharisees, after the Sadducees failed, asked Jesus through a law expert to give the great commandments. For the first he quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 dealing with love of God, and for the second he quotes Leviticus 19:18 dealing with love of neighbor. In a unique way Jesus combines the two to show their relatedness, for both are needed. Since he answered their question, he asks them a question about Christ as the son of David. Since they cannot answer, it marks the end of any further questions from Jesus' opposition.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 90:1--6, 13--17 (C) - "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us" (v. 17).
Psalm 18:2--4, 47, 51 (RC) - "The Lord is my rock" (v. 2).
Psalm 1 (E) - "His delight is in the law of the Lord" (v. 2a).
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command."
Hymn Of The Day
"Oh, That The Lord Would Guide My Ways"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
1. Test (v. 35). This is the fourth time when Jesus is put to the test by his enemies. He had just silenced the Sadducees by his answer concerning the resurrection. On the one hand, we deplore the malice in the religious leaders to try to trap him so that they would have a reason to bring him to trial and death. On the other hand, we have no fear that Jesus cannot pass the severest tests any enemy can bring to him. He always passes the test of wisdom and love. If we come in the right spirit to test Jesus, he probably would welcome the test. He may say, "Try me, and see if I will not do you good."
2. Great (v. 36). This was no easy question. The Jews had 613 laws surrounding the Decalogue: 365 prohibitions and 248 positive directions divided between heavy and light, great or small laws. Jesus goes to Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 for the answers. Jesus gave not one but two great commandments in the Law. One is to love God and the other is "like it," also great. One is not inferior to the other, but one comes before the other - the "first."
3. All (v. 37). The word of importance is "all," repeated four times for emphasis. We are to love God with all - our whole being. And "all" of the Old Testament (laws and prophets) depends on those commands to love. This calls for total commitment and consecration to God. There can be no halfhearted love of God. It is loving God with one's total being, with the total aspect of every part of one's being.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
1. Top (v. 1). When death came to Moses, he was brought to the top of Mount Nebo. When death comes, we usually think not of a mountain but a valley - "though I walk through the valley of death." We usually associate death with "down," not "up." Perhaps we should speak of going up a mountain to die. For a Christian, death is going up to heaven, to Christ. When we are on a mountaintop, we have vision, as Moses saw the Promised Land. Upon death we get a vision of the glory and majesty of the triune God.
2. He (v. 6). Moses went up the mountain to die. Who would bury him? This verse tells us that Yahweh buried Moses. At no other time and for no other person, not even his Son, Jesus, did God bury a human. Consequently, no human knows where Moses was buried. Well that its location was unknown, for there is no need to have a shrine which could develop into a cult or idol.
3. None (v. 11). The record claims that Moses was "none" like all others in Israel. Of course, the author(s) was living before the time of Christ. Until Christ, indeed Moses was number one, because of his face--to--face relationship with God and the mighty works God did through him. But, we Christians have a greater than Moses. Jesus was not one who knew God face--to--face but was God. God did mighty acts through Moses, but Jesus, as God's Son, did the miracles on his own authority and power. The law came through Moses, but grace came through Jesus.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
1. Vain (v. 1). Preaching can be foolishness. There are times when preaching seems to be in vain. Nothing happens and no decisions are made after a sermon. Paul claims that his preaching at Thessalonica was not in vain. Proof of that was in the lives of the people who accepted the gospel.
2. Please (v. 4). We aim to please, but who? Are preachers to please the people by telling them what they want to hear, by flattering them, and by telling them how good they are? Some preachers try to please their congregations by never mentioning sin. Paul was not this kind of preacher. He aimed to please God in his preaching by telling the truth and by telling what the people needed to hear. His was a message of repentance and faith.
3. Share (v. 8). "Share" is a popular word in our time. In preaching Paul shared the gospel with his people. It was "my" gospel, and he shared it with the others. To be effective, this kind of sharing is not enough. Paul says that he also shared himself with his people. He loved his people and they were very dear to him. He shared himself by giving himself unflinchingly, by pouring out his soul and energy in their behalf. Unless preachers share themselves with their people, their sharing the gospel will be in vain.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
1. Example (vv. 6, 7). Paul was an example to the church at Thessalonica, and in turn the members were an example to their churches. It takes courage to put one's self up as a model of Christianity and to challenge others to imitate the example. Is it because our holiness is not what it ought to be that we hesitate to ask others to imitate us in Christian living? There is a chain reaction to living an example. Paul gave an example which was initiated by the church. This church in turn was an example to others. It is a call and a challenge to say, "Look how I live the Christian faith. Imitate me!"
2. Idols (v. 9). The Thessalonian Christians came a long way from idols to the one, true God. Here is the first step in being a Christian - repentance and conversion. Here there is no pluralism - God among gods. It is another "all" we found in Jesus' great commandment. To be a Christian is to be all for God. It is leaving the past for the present, the old for the new. Today people are still worshiping idols, or they are limping between God and an idol. What is an idol? An idol is what we consider to be of ultimate value and importance to us. It is what we idolize, worship, and adore. Consider the idols of our time.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
1. How Simple Can You Be? 22:34--40
Need: Our tendency is to make things complicated, obscure, and involved. The more obscure we can be, the more educated and sophisticated we think we are. We avoid being simplistic. We shun simple answers. It was the same in Jesus' day. The Pharisees came with a question which they felt no one could adequately answer. They had 613 laws surrounding the Decalogue, divided into major and minor, great and small, heavy and light laws. Jesus was asked which one of all the laws was the greatest. With divine wisdom Jesus answered by giving the two commandments in the Gospel Lesson. When Karl Barth was an old man, a student asked him what was the most fundamental truth he learned in his forty years of teaching and writing theology. He simply replied, "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so." The whole of religion is summed up in these two commands.
Outline: The whole Bible in two sentences. ("On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.")
a. What to do: love - v. 37.
b. Whom to love: God and neighbor - vv. 37, 39.
2. Twin Commandments. 22:37--39
Need: What is the relationship between loving God and loving neighbor? They key is in verse 39 - "And a second is like it." The two are not the same, but the two are alike in commanding love and are alike in being of supreme importance. This is not an academic matter but a practical one. In our day the emphasis is upon neighbor, upon loving neighbor. Some go as far as to say that to love neighbor is to love God. The sermon is to show the proper relation between the two.
Outline: Consider the twin commands.
a. Loving neighbor is not loving God.
b. Loving God is loving neighbor.
c. Loving God and neighbor is obedience to Jesus' commands.
3. Can Love Be Commanded? 22:34--40
Need: Is love something that you can make yourself do when you do not feel like doing it? Can a person say to another by way of command, "Love me"? Can you force yourself to love one you dislike or even hate? In this Gospel, we are commanded to love God and neighbor. Maybe it is not so hard to love God, but it may be an impossibility to love neighbor. No one can force us by way of a command or fear of punishment for not obeying, but can one force one's self to love one you do not care about? These questions and problems are faced by many. This sermon is needed to answer these questions and to help people struggling with these problems.
Outline: Yes, love can be commanded, because -
a. God commands us to love, and God is always right.
b. Love is the indispensable quality of a Christian.
c. Love is more than emotion: it is good will in action.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
1. None Greater Than Moses. 34:10--12
Need: For Jews there is no one greater than Moses. This is the conclusion of those who wrote before Christ. To claim Moses was superior to all others before or since he died, is to make a great estimate of the man. Greater than Abraham? David? Isaiah? Jeremiah? For Christians there is greater than Moses -Jesus. When we see the greatness of Moses, we can appreciate the greater Christ. In this sermon we want to see not only the greatness of Moses, but his greatness in relation to the greater greatness of Jesus.
Outline: One greater than the greatest -
a. Moses: face--to--face relationship with God - v. 10. Jesus: "He who has seen me has seen the Father."
b. Moses: a prophet - v. 10. Jesus: More than a prophet: "I say to you."
c. Moses: a man of power - v. 12. Jesus: "All power is given to me."
2. How To Die Young. 34:7, 10--12
Need: The number of senior citizens is growing rapidly because the life span is increasing. It is no longer rare to hear of one who has reached or surpassed the century mark. We are surpassing the Bible's "threescore years and ten." While the years may accumulate, we need not grow old. We can die young in spirit. As the body deteriorates and weakens, we can be renewed inwardly and die in strength and vitality. Moses is one who died young even though he was 120 years old. To die young we can follow his example.
Outline: How to die young -
a. Take care of the body - v. 7.
b. Maintain a personal relationship with God - v. 10.
c. Be active in doing God's work - vv. 11--12.
Lesson 1: Exodus 22:20--26 (RC); Exodus 22:21--27 (E)
What It Means To Love Your Neighbor. Exodus 22:20--26
Need: In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus gives the two great commandments: love God and neighbor. What does it mean to love our neighbor? Lesson 1 shows us what love of neighbor involves. Love is a practical thing, not only a romantic or emotional feeling. The sojourner, widow, orphan, and the poor are powerless people who live at the mercy or oppression of the strong and well--to--do. In today's society we have the poor in the ghettos living on food stamps, the aged lonely couple, the unemployed, the one--parent families, the homeless living on city streets, and the handicapped. Church people need this sermon to motivate them to love their neighbors in need of their help.
Outline: If you would love your neighbor -
a. Love God first - v. 20.
b. Know the needs of your neighbor - vv. 21--26.
c. Be motivated to love your neighbor.
1. God knows how you treat your neighbor - v. 23.
2. God punishes disobedience - vv. 20, 24.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
1. How Brave Are You? 2:2--8
Need: Paul says he had the courage to preach the gospel in the face of intense opposition. How brave are we when it comes to telling the truth when the truth is unpopular and threatening? Are we afraid to tell the truth because of possible reprisals? Christians are to fear no one but God. They are obligated to tell the truth at all times.
Outline: What makes us brave to witness to Christ -
a. Accept the possibility of suffering - v. 2.
b. Determine to please God, not people - v. 4.
c. Do it for the love of people - v. 8.
2. The Joy Of Sharing. 2:8
Need: Sharing is a popular word in today's language. We are asked to share ideas, problems, or experiences. You share by giving to others what you know, what you have learned, and what you have experienced. It is communication with the aim of helping others. In our text Paul writes about his sharing with his people.
Outline: Come and share with us -
a. Share what you have - the gospel - v. 8a.
b. Share what you are - "our own selves" - v. 8b.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
An Example Of Love. 1:5b--7
Need: People need an example to follow and Christians need to be such examples for the world. In this text, we see that Paul was an example to the Thessalonians, and they in turn became examples to the churches in Macedonia and Greece. But, who wants the responsibility of being an example, parents to children, pastors to people, governmental officials to citizens? As Christians we need to set an example of the two great commandments.
Outline: Be imitators of us Christians.
a. In loving God with our whole beings.
b. In loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
The Lord buried Moses. At age 120 Moses' life comes to an end. For forty years he led God's people from Egypt to the Promised Land which he was permitted to see but not enter. In all of history he probably was the only human buried by the Lord. His greatest accomplishment was his face--to--face experience with God.
Lesson 1: Exodus 33:20--26 (RC); Exodus 22:21--27 (E)
The first and great commandment.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
In spite of opposition, Paul had the courage to preach the gospel to the Thessalonian church. Paul tells why his visit to the church at Thessalonica was not in vain. In Philippi he suffered much by having been whipped, put in stocks, and imprisoned. With courage he preached to the Thessalonians in spite of intense opposition. Having been entrusted with the gospel, he preached not to please them but to please God. In his preaching he did not use flattery nor did he preach for money. Because of his love for them, he treated them gently and shared not only the gospel but himself.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
A people turned to God to serve him.
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
Jesus gives the two great commandments and asks the Pharisees a question they cannot answer. Still trying to trap Jesus, the Pharisees, after the Sadducees failed, asked Jesus through a law expert to give the great commandments. For the first he quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 dealing with love of God, and for the second he quotes Leviticus 19:18 dealing with love of neighbor. In a unique way Jesus combines the two to show their relatedness, for both are needed. Since he answered their question, he asks them a question about Christ as the son of David. Since they cannot answer, it marks the end of any further questions from Jesus' opposition.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 90:1--6, 13--17 (C) - "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us" (v. 17).
Psalm 18:2--4, 47, 51 (RC) - "The Lord is my rock" (v. 2).
Psalm 1 (E) - "His delight is in the law of the Lord" (v. 2a).
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command."
Hymn Of The Day
"Oh, That The Lord Would Guide My Ways"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
1. Test (v. 35). This is the fourth time when Jesus is put to the test by his enemies. He had just silenced the Sadducees by his answer concerning the resurrection. On the one hand, we deplore the malice in the religious leaders to try to trap him so that they would have a reason to bring him to trial and death. On the other hand, we have no fear that Jesus cannot pass the severest tests any enemy can bring to him. He always passes the test of wisdom and love. If we come in the right spirit to test Jesus, he probably would welcome the test. He may say, "Try me, and see if I will not do you good."
2. Great (v. 36). This was no easy question. The Jews had 613 laws surrounding the Decalogue: 365 prohibitions and 248 positive directions divided between heavy and light, great or small laws. Jesus goes to Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 for the answers. Jesus gave not one but two great commandments in the Law. One is to love God and the other is "like it," also great. One is not inferior to the other, but one comes before the other - the "first."
3. All (v. 37). The word of importance is "all," repeated four times for emphasis. We are to love God with all - our whole being. And "all" of the Old Testament (laws and prophets) depends on those commands to love. This calls for total commitment and consecration to God. There can be no halfhearted love of God. It is loving God with one's total being, with the total aspect of every part of one's being.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
1. Top (v. 1). When death came to Moses, he was brought to the top of Mount Nebo. When death comes, we usually think not of a mountain but a valley - "though I walk through the valley of death." We usually associate death with "down," not "up." Perhaps we should speak of going up a mountain to die. For a Christian, death is going up to heaven, to Christ. When we are on a mountaintop, we have vision, as Moses saw the Promised Land. Upon death we get a vision of the glory and majesty of the triune God.
2. He (v. 6). Moses went up the mountain to die. Who would bury him? This verse tells us that Yahweh buried Moses. At no other time and for no other person, not even his Son, Jesus, did God bury a human. Consequently, no human knows where Moses was buried. Well that its location was unknown, for there is no need to have a shrine which could develop into a cult or idol.
3. None (v. 11). The record claims that Moses was "none" like all others in Israel. Of course, the author(s) was living before the time of Christ. Until Christ, indeed Moses was number one, because of his face--to--face relationship with God and the mighty works God did through him. But, we Christians have a greater than Moses. Jesus was not one who knew God face--to--face but was God. God did mighty acts through Moses, but Jesus, as God's Son, did the miracles on his own authority and power. The law came through Moses, but grace came through Jesus.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
1. Vain (v. 1). Preaching can be foolishness. There are times when preaching seems to be in vain. Nothing happens and no decisions are made after a sermon. Paul claims that his preaching at Thessalonica was not in vain. Proof of that was in the lives of the people who accepted the gospel.
2. Please (v. 4). We aim to please, but who? Are preachers to please the people by telling them what they want to hear, by flattering them, and by telling them how good they are? Some preachers try to please their congregations by never mentioning sin. Paul was not this kind of preacher. He aimed to please God in his preaching by telling the truth and by telling what the people needed to hear. His was a message of repentance and faith.
3. Share (v. 8). "Share" is a popular word in our time. In preaching Paul shared the gospel with his people. It was "my" gospel, and he shared it with the others. To be effective, this kind of sharing is not enough. Paul says that he also shared himself with his people. He loved his people and they were very dear to him. He shared himself by giving himself unflinchingly, by pouring out his soul and energy in their behalf. Unless preachers share themselves with their people, their sharing the gospel will be in vain.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
1. Example (vv. 6, 7). Paul was an example to the church at Thessalonica, and in turn the members were an example to their churches. It takes courage to put one's self up as a model of Christianity and to challenge others to imitate the example. Is it because our holiness is not what it ought to be that we hesitate to ask others to imitate us in Christian living? There is a chain reaction to living an example. Paul gave an example which was initiated by the church. This church in turn was an example to others. It is a call and a challenge to say, "Look how I live the Christian faith. Imitate me!"
2. Idols (v. 9). The Thessalonian Christians came a long way from idols to the one, true God. Here is the first step in being a Christian - repentance and conversion. Here there is no pluralism - God among gods. It is another "all" we found in Jesus' great commandment. To be a Christian is to be all for God. It is leaving the past for the present, the old for the new. Today people are still worshiping idols, or they are limping between God and an idol. What is an idol? An idol is what we consider to be of ultimate value and importance to us. It is what we idolize, worship, and adore. Consider the idols of our time.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Gospel: Matthew 22:34--46 (C, E); Matthew 22:34--40 (RC)
1. How Simple Can You Be? 22:34--40
Need: Our tendency is to make things complicated, obscure, and involved. The more obscure we can be, the more educated and sophisticated we think we are. We avoid being simplistic. We shun simple answers. It was the same in Jesus' day. The Pharisees came with a question which they felt no one could adequately answer. They had 613 laws surrounding the Decalogue, divided into major and minor, great and small, heavy and light laws. Jesus was asked which one of all the laws was the greatest. With divine wisdom Jesus answered by giving the two commandments in the Gospel Lesson. When Karl Barth was an old man, a student asked him what was the most fundamental truth he learned in his forty years of teaching and writing theology. He simply replied, "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so." The whole of religion is summed up in these two commands.
Outline: The whole Bible in two sentences. ("On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.")
a. What to do: love - v. 37.
b. Whom to love: God and neighbor - vv. 37, 39.
2. Twin Commandments. 22:37--39
Need: What is the relationship between loving God and loving neighbor? They key is in verse 39 - "And a second is like it." The two are not the same, but the two are alike in commanding love and are alike in being of supreme importance. This is not an academic matter but a practical one. In our day the emphasis is upon neighbor, upon loving neighbor. Some go as far as to say that to love neighbor is to love God. The sermon is to show the proper relation between the two.
Outline: Consider the twin commands.
a. Loving neighbor is not loving God.
b. Loving God is loving neighbor.
c. Loving God and neighbor is obedience to Jesus' commands.
3. Can Love Be Commanded? 22:34--40
Need: Is love something that you can make yourself do when you do not feel like doing it? Can a person say to another by way of command, "Love me"? Can you force yourself to love one you dislike or even hate? In this Gospel, we are commanded to love God and neighbor. Maybe it is not so hard to love God, but it may be an impossibility to love neighbor. No one can force us by way of a command or fear of punishment for not obeying, but can one force one's self to love one you do not care about? These questions and problems are faced by many. This sermon is needed to answer these questions and to help people struggling with these problems.
Outline: Yes, love can be commanded, because -
a. God commands us to love, and God is always right.
b. Love is the indispensable quality of a Christian.
c. Love is more than emotion: it is good will in action.
Lesson 1: Deuteronomy 34:1--12 (C)
1. None Greater Than Moses. 34:10--12
Need: For Jews there is no one greater than Moses. This is the conclusion of those who wrote before Christ. To claim Moses was superior to all others before or since he died, is to make a great estimate of the man. Greater than Abraham? David? Isaiah? Jeremiah? For Christians there is greater than Moses -Jesus. When we see the greatness of Moses, we can appreciate the greater Christ. In this sermon we want to see not only the greatness of Moses, but his greatness in relation to the greater greatness of Jesus.
Outline: One greater than the greatest -
a. Moses: face--to--face relationship with God - v. 10. Jesus: "He who has seen me has seen the Father."
b. Moses: a prophet - v. 10. Jesus: More than a prophet: "I say to you."
c. Moses: a man of power - v. 12. Jesus: "All power is given to me."
2. How To Die Young. 34:7, 10--12
Need: The number of senior citizens is growing rapidly because the life span is increasing. It is no longer rare to hear of one who has reached or surpassed the century mark. We are surpassing the Bible's "threescore years and ten." While the years may accumulate, we need not grow old. We can die young in spirit. As the body deteriorates and weakens, we can be renewed inwardly and die in strength and vitality. Moses is one who died young even though he was 120 years old. To die young we can follow his example.
Outline: How to die young -
a. Take care of the body - v. 7.
b. Maintain a personal relationship with God - v. 10.
c. Be active in doing God's work - vv. 11--12.
Lesson 1: Exodus 22:20--26 (RC); Exodus 22:21--27 (E)
What It Means To Love Your Neighbor. Exodus 22:20--26
Need: In today's Gospel lesson, Jesus gives the two great commandments: love God and neighbor. What does it mean to love our neighbor? Lesson 1 shows us what love of neighbor involves. Love is a practical thing, not only a romantic or emotional feeling. The sojourner, widow, orphan, and the poor are powerless people who live at the mercy or oppression of the strong and well--to--do. In today's society we have the poor in the ghettos living on food stamps, the aged lonely couple, the unemployed, the one--parent families, the homeless living on city streets, and the handicapped. Church people need this sermon to motivate them to love their neighbors in need of their help.
Outline: If you would love your neighbor -
a. Love God first - v. 20.
b. Know the needs of your neighbor - vv. 21--26.
c. Be motivated to love your neighbor.
1. God knows how you treat your neighbor - v. 23.
2. God punishes disobedience - vv. 20, 24.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 2:1--8 (C, E)
1. How Brave Are You? 2:2--8
Need: Paul says he had the courage to preach the gospel in the face of intense opposition. How brave are we when it comes to telling the truth when the truth is unpopular and threatening? Are we afraid to tell the truth because of possible reprisals? Christians are to fear no one but God. They are obligated to tell the truth at all times.
Outline: What makes us brave to witness to Christ -
a. Accept the possibility of suffering - v. 2.
b. Determine to please God, not people - v. 4.
c. Do it for the love of people - v. 8.
2. The Joy Of Sharing. 2:8
Need: Sharing is a popular word in today's language. We are asked to share ideas, problems, or experiences. You share by giving to others what you know, what you have learned, and what you have experienced. It is communication with the aim of helping others. In our text Paul writes about his sharing with his people.
Outline: Come and share with us -
a. Share what you have - the gospel - v. 8a.
b. Share what you are - "our own selves" - v. 8b.
Lesson 2: 1 Thessalonians 1:5--10 (RC)
An Example Of Love. 1:5b--7
Need: People need an example to follow and Christians need to be such examples for the world. In this text, we see that Paul was an example to the Thessalonians, and they in turn became examples to the churches in Macedonia and Greece. But, who wants the responsibility of being an example, parents to children, pastors to people, governmental officials to citizens? As Christians we need to set an example of the two great commandments.
Outline: Be imitators of us Christians.
a. In loving God with our whole beings.
b. In loving our neighbors as ourselves.
