June 9, 2024 – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Lesson Date: June 9, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

AIM: To lead students to discover and discuss five marks of godly ministry, and to use those marks to evaluate themselves, their class, and their church.

Before class: Read the notes on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Get enough copies of the Marks of Godly Ministry Evaluation for your anticipated attendance.  Have some pens or pencils on hand for any students who might need one.  Write the word “Scandal” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the word “Scandal” written on the board.  Ask: “What is a scandal?”  Allow time for some responses, then tell the class that a dictionary definition of the word scandal is, “a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it.”[i]

Tell the students that because of our fallen human nature, scandals occur in every walk of life: in the business world, in politics, and even in schools.  State that some of the most shocking scandals take place in churches and Christian ministries.  Share the following examples:

• A few years ago the Christian world was shocked to learn that the recently deceased founder of an international Christian ministry had been involved in scandalous sexual behavior for years prior to his death.
• This year an organization that provides training conferences for Christian ministers was rocked by news of scandalous sexual misconduct between its founder and CEO.
• It is no longer unusual for the news media to reveal that a local church pastor or staff person has been arrested because of some sort of sex scandal.

Tell the students it is often hard to predict which ministers and ministries will become involved in scandals, but the Bible identifies some characteristics that will be evident in godly ministries.  Tell them the title of today’s lesson is Marks of Godly Ministry; we will discover five marks of a genuine, godly ministry, and use those marks to evaluate ourselves, our class, and our church.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians.
   • Be sure everyone has a copy of the summer Sunday School Member Quarterly.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Evidences of Genuine Salvation; we discovered several evidences of general salvation and examined ourselves to see if those evidences are present in our lives).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verses (1 Thess. 1:9-10).
2. Boldness in Spite of Opposition.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2.
   • Ask: “What did Paul say in verse 1 about his ministry among the Thessalonians?” (it was not in vain or fruitless; in other words, it was fruitful and beneficial).
   • Ask: “According to verse 2, what did Paul and his companions experience at Philippi?” (suffering and shameful treatment; locate Philippi on the Map).
   • Explain the following:
     • Paul went to Philippi, led people to the Lord, and established a church.
     • Some of the local people opposed them, so Paul and Silas were thrown into prison.
     • The Lord miraculously opened the prison doors with an earthquake, but none of the prisoners escaped.
     • After seeing that, the Philippian jailer and his family trusted Jesus for salvation.
     • The next day, the town leaders freed Paul and Silas and sent them away.
   • Ask: “After being treated so badly in Philippi, how did they preach the Gospel in Thessalonica?” (with boldness).
   • Explain that the first mark of godly ministry is boldness in spite of opposition.
   • Erase the board and write “Boldness in Spite of Opposition” on it.
   • Ask: “What do you think it means to be bold in spite of opposition?” (allow time for some responses).
   • Ask: “Why do you think genuine Christians and godly ministries can have boldness in spite of opposition?” (because they are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit and realize the trials of this world are not worthy to be compared with the glory awaiting them in heaven).
   • Ask: “Can you think of a Christian who was bold in spite of opposition?” (one example is Elizabeth Elliot, who took the Gospel to the same native tribesmen who killed her husband).
   • Summarize: The first mark of godly ministry is boldness in spite of opposition.
3. Honesty.
   • Read 1 Thessalonians 2:3.
   • Tell the class the second mark of godly ministry is honesty.
   • Write the word “Honesty” on the board.
   • Ask the students to look at verse 3 again and identify the words that attest to the honesty of Paul’s ministry (there was no deceit, uncleanness, or guile in his ministry).
   • Ask: “Does it matter if a Christian minister or ministry is honest?” (yes).
   • Ask: “Why is honesty necessary in the Christian ministry?” (if the minister is not honest, people will not trust their message, entrust them with the care of their family, or trust them to deal honestly with God’s money).
   • Ask: “What happens if a ministry or minister is found to be dishonest?” (it destroys their credibility, people no longer trust them, and it puts all other ministries in a bad light).
   • Summarize: The second mark of godly ministry is honesty.
4. Pleasing God Rather than Men.
   • Ask a volunteer to look up Acts 5:29 and be prepared to read it in a few moments.
   • Ask another volunteer to read 1 Thessalonians 2:4-6.
   • Tell the class verse 4 reveals that Paul viewed the preaching of the Gospel as a sacred trust he was allowed to carry out for God, not as a burden or merely a job.
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, who did Paul and his companions try to please?” (God, rather than men).
   • Tell the students that in verses 5-6 Paul said they didn’t try to butter people up for their own advantage, or seek fame or glory in the eyes of men.
   • Tell the class the third mark of godly ministry is pleasing God rather than men.
   • Write “Pleasing God Rather than Men” on the board.
   • Ask: “What do you think it means to please God rather than men?” (allow time for some responses).
   • Ask: “Why should Christians focus on pleasing God instead of pleasing men?” (because we belong to God and He is the one to whom we must answer; Col. 3:23-24).
   • Ask: “Can you think of a Christian who tried to please God regardless of what other people thought?” (one example is Billy Graham, because he didn’t change his message regardless of whether he was speaking to a world leader, a crusade crowd, an interviewer on TV, or a group of prisoners).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Acts 5:29.
   • Ask: “Who did Peter and the apostles say they should obey (please), God or men?” (God).
   • Explain that whenever a church, class, or individual seeks to please men rather than please God, the result will be a weak, corrupt ministry.
   • Summarize: The third mark of godly ministry is pleasing God rather than men.
5. Gentleness and Love.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8.
   • Ask: “In verse 7, Paul said they were gentle toward the Thessalonians; to what did he compare their gentleness?” (a mother nursing her baby).
   • Tell the class in verse 8 Paul said they were “affectionately desirous” of them, and they were “dear” to them.
   • Ask: “What emotion is expressed by those words?” (love).
   • Tell the class the fourth mark of godly ministry is gentleness and love.
   • Write “Gentleness and Love” on the board.
   • Ask the following questions for discussion:
     • “What do the words ‘gentleness’ and ‘love’ mean to you?”
     • “In practical terms, what does it mean for a ministry to be gentle and loving?”
     • “What are some ways we can ensure that our class and our church are marked by gentleness and love?”
   • Ask everyone to look back at verse 8.
   • Ask: “In addition to the Gospel, what else were Paul and his partners willing to give to the Thessalonians?” (themselves, their own souls).
   • Summarize: The fourth mark of godly ministry is gentleness and love.
6. Hard Work and Faithfulness.
   • Write “Hard Work and Faithfulness” on the board, and tell the class this is the fifth mark of godly ministry.
   • Ask everyone to listen for signs of hard work and faithfulness as you read verses 9-11.
   • Read 1 Thessalonians 2:9-11.
   • Ask: “What words and phrases in those verses reflect hard work and faithfulness?” (labor and travail, laboring night and day, holily and justly and unblameably, exhorted and comforted and charged).
   • Ask the following questions for discussion:
     • “What do the words ‘hard work’ and ‘faithfulness’ mean to you?”
     • “Why is hard work and faithfulness important in a godly ministry?”
     • “What are some ways we can ensure that our class and our church are marked by hard work and faithfulness?”
   • Tell the students in verse 7 Paul compared their love and gentleness to that of a mother, and in verse 11 he compared their encouragement and instruction to that of a father.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 1 Thessalonians 2:12.
   • Ask: “What was the goal of Paul’s hard work and faithfulness among the Thessalonians?” (that they would walk worthy of God).
   • Summarize: The fifth mark of godly ministry is hard work and faithfulness.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is Marks of Godly Ministry.  Tell them we have discovered five marks of godly ministry in the experience of Paul and his ministry partners with the Thessalonian believers.

Give everyone a copy of the Marks of Godly Ministry Evaluation and a pen or pencil if needed.  Read the instructions printed on the form, and stress that this is a personal evaluation which no one will see.  Give the students a few moments to fill out the evaluation form.

Tell everyone to look at how they evaluated their personal service for God.  Tell them if there is an area in which they are deficient, they should confess that as sin and ask God to enable them to improve.  Tell them if our class or church is deficient in any area, it is our responsibility to pray and work to make it better.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them to talk to God about their needs, as well as the needs of our class and church.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Tell everyone to pray daily that these marks of godly ministry would be manifested in them, their class, and their church.

[i] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scandal