notes

Main point summary

Your faith brought us lively comfort in our suffering, so how then can we thank God for you?

Discourse

editing

NT

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10

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But m now that Timothy has come to us from you,

But now Timothy has come 6 to us from you and given us the good news of your faith and love and that you always think of us with affection 7 and long to see us just as we also long to see you! 8

But now that a Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of b your faith and love, and that you always c think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,

Timothy arrived! He made it from you back to us,

and has brought us the good news of n your faith and love

and delivered the encouraging tidings of the faithful love of the church

and reported o that you always remember us kindly and p long to see us,

and his report card shows that you think of us fondly and miss spending time with us,

as we long to see you—

in the same way that we miss you!

comparison

series

for this reason , brothers, 1 in all our distress and affliction q we have been comforted about you through your faith.

So 9 in all our distress and affliction, we were reassured about you, brothers and sisters, 10 through your faith.

for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;

Therefore church, even though we are in the middle of great trouble and suffering, we took courage and peaceful strength regarding you when we heard of your trusting belief.

inference

For now we live,

For now we are alive again, 11 if you stand firm in the Lord.

for now we really live, if you a stand firm in the Lord.

Because our spirits now revive,

if you r are standing fast in the Lord.

if your faith persists (in spite of challenges) in Christ.

conditional

ground

For s what thanksgiving can we return to God for you,

For how can we thank God enough for you, 12 for all the joy we feel 13 because of you before our God?

For a what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,

What blessings can we then expound before God on your behalf,

for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,

because of the blessings of wonder you've provided us before God,

as we pray most earnestly t night and day

We pray earnestly night and day to see you in person 14 and make up what may be lacking in your faith.

as we a night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may b see your face, and may c complete what is lacking in your faith?

while we stream constant intercessions in earnest

u that we may see you face to face

that we might have fellowship in person again

and v supply what is lacking in your faith?

and provide that missing piece of your faith puzzle?

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actionresult

What is this "missing" or "lacking" piece?

discourse

Meditations

Finding takeaways Commands - The one implied command is "Stand fast in the Lord". Paul turns the condition of his own "life" (spiritual health in the fellowship of faith and love toward the church) upon "if" the Thessalonians are standing fast in the Lord (or not). He therefore prompts them to keep on persisting in faith as they have been. There is a "reverse" command in that Paul is asking, in essence, how can we pray for you ? Means - Prayer and the fruit of the Spirit. The church was assured of prayers. Long, continuing, persistent prayers on their behalf. These prayers were earnestly poured out before the very throne of God himself. The Spirit provides the means of this urged faithfulness. Notice the many fruit(s) of the Spirit mentioned here - love, joy, patience, goodness, faithfulness and kindness! Motivations - If the church continues in faith, then the apostles continue having reason to rejoice in the midst of suffering. Fellowship is a mutual motivation among brethren. The future hope of meeting again is present. Anchors - Past performance - here and several other places in this letter Paul affirms how the church has proven their faith through good works. "In the Lord" - God's presence and working is present throughout.

Notes

Author: Paul, Silvanus and Timothy Recipients: The faithful church at Thessalonica Occasion: Report from Timothy Themes: Rejoicing at a good report of mutual love and esteem Purpose: Encouragement and thanksgiving Tone: Pastoral, fondness in Christian fellowship Key words: good news, comfort, faith, joy Anything else you might observe: several of the fruit of the spirit are mentioned here - love, joy, goodness, kindness, patience, faithfulness the remembering was mutual between the two parties as they were apart (v 6) suffering is constant throughout 1 Thess - here "distress and affliction" (v 7) Why do the apostles live if the church stands in the Lord? - what does this phrase mean? (v 8) God receives the glory! (v 9) What was lacking in their faith? (v 10) Version compare (in general the three compared are very close) (v 6) ESV "remember" rendered "think kindly" (NASB) and "Think of us with affection" (NET) (v 7) "for this reason" not present in NET (v 8) NASB resolves the "live" question by adding "really" - "really live" (v 10) interesting placement of "may" ESV may see you NASB may see you / may complete what is lacking... NET what may be lacking... Who? - Timothy, church What? - a good report When? - now and in the future Where? - from Thess to Paul and Silvanus Why? - encouragement for a good report card How? - through mutual faith Anything else that you can think of. Figure of speech - "for now we live if you are standing..." the apostles were alive regardless of the faithfulness of the church - "pray night and day" - what kind of prayer would this be? - the apostles slept and carried on other activities besides prayer