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THE KING’S BUSINESS
The Thessalonian Christians JULY 9, 1916. LESSON II. I Thess. 1:1-10; 4:13-18. (Read the entire epistle. Com mit 4 :16, 17). G olden T ext : “If we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even so they also, which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with,Him.”—1 Thess. 4:14.
DAILY BIBLE READINGS Mon., July 3—1 Thess. 1:1-10. (The Lesson). Tues., July 4—1 Thess. 2:17-20; 4:13-18. (The Lesson)1. Wed., July 5—John 16:15-20. Thurs., July 6 —Matt. 13:36-43. Fri., July 7—Matt. 24:29-35. 'Sat., July 8 —Matt. 24:36-46. Sun., July 9—2 Peter 3:10-18.
EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
1:1. “Paul and Silvanus, and Timotheus (Timothy), unto the church of the Thessa- lonians, which is (omit, which is) in God the Father, and in ( omit, in) the Lord Jesus Christ: grace be unto (to) you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ ( omit, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ).” This verse tells us the local habitation of the church, Thessalonica, and its real and eternal hab itation, “in God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.” The church may be located in any city, town or village as far as its earthly habitation is concerned, but, if it is a true church, its real habitation is “in God the Father and in His Son Jesus Christ.” The Deity of our Lord Jesus comes out very clearly in this verse, in the way in which His name is coupled with that of the Father. It would be impossible for a reverent mind to couple in this way the name of any finite being with that of the Deity. Paul prayed that the church in Thessalonica.might have two things “grace” and “peace.” Here as everywhere in the New Testament where the two are found together, grace.precedes peace: there is no real péace possible except through God’s grace. v. 2. “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” Paul was constant in his thanks giving for those whom he had led to Christ
in Thessalonica and whom he had been forced to leave. But his constant thanks givings were accompanied with unceasing prayers. Prayer and thanksgiving should always go hand in hand (Phil. 4:6; ch. 5:17, 18). It is evident from a compara tive study of the epistles of Paul that he must have spent very much time in prayer in order to have prayed as much as he did for those to whom he wrote that he was praying for them (cf. Rom. 1 :9; Eph. 1:16; Col. 1 :9; T Thess. 3:10; 2 Tim. 1:3). v. 3. “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of (before our) God and our (omit, our) Father.” Three things Paul bore especially in mind regarding the Thessalonians that led him to give thanks for them: ( 1 ) (Their “work, of faith;” (2) Their “labor of love;” (3) Their “patience (or endurance) of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” By a comparison of the words here Used we learn that faith works, love labors (a much stronger Greek word is here used than the one rendered “works”), hope endures (i. e., stands up under trial and temptation. This is the force of the word translated “patience”)., The only kind of work that'counts with God is the work of faith; the only kind of labor that is really acceptable to Him is the labor of love, and the only kind
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