August 4, 2028 – 2 Thessalonians 1

Lesson Date: August 4, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

AIM: To lead students to realize that persecution against Christians is a very real thing and discover God’s response to such persecution, and to commit to pray for persecuted Christians.

Before class: Read the notes on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Visit the Voice of the Martyrs website (https://www.persecution.com/), scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the “Stories” link to familiarize yourself with modern persecution against Christians.  Get enough of the little handout slips described in the “Conclusion” step for your anticipated attendance.  Write the word “Persecution” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the word “Persecution” written on the board.  Tell them today’s lesson is about persecution against Christians.

Ask: “Can you name anyone in the Bible who was persecuted for being a Christian?” (they might name Stephen, James, Paul, or the apostles).

Ask: “Can you think of any other times in the past when Christians were persecuted for their faith?” (Foxe’s Book of Martyrs describes deadly persecution against Christians in Europe during the 16^th century; such persecution motivated many of our early colonists and settlers to come to America).

Ask: “Can you think of any anti-Christian persecution in more recent days?” (Muslim terrorists have killed many Christians in this century).

Tell the students that violent and deadly persecution against Christians is still happening today in many countries around the world.  If a story of persecution from the Voice of the Martyrs website was especially meaningful to you, tell the students about it.  Note that in America we might not face violent persecution, but Christians are being muzzled, cancelled, and intimidated into silence.

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is Endure Persecution.  Tell them we will discover God’s response to anti-Christian persecution and what happens when Christians are persecuted.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Godly Living in an Ungodly World; we discovered guidelines for godly living in the midst of a lost and corrupt world).
   • Ask if anyone would recite last week’s memory verses (1 Thess. 5:18, 22).
   • Ask: “How have you done this week living by God’s guidelines?”
   • Tell the class that today we begin a study of the New Testament book of 2 Thessalonians.
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2.
   • Explain that Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians from Corinth shortly after writing 1 Thessalonians (about d. 51).
2. Enduring Persecution Makes Other Believers Thankful.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4.
   • Ask: “According to verse 3, what was Paul thankful for about the Thessalonians?” (their growing faith and their love for one another).
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, what caused Paul to glory or boast about the Thessalonian believers?” (their patience and faith in spite of persecutions and tribulations).
   • Explain the following:
     • When Paul first visited Thessalonica, the unsaved Jews stirred up a riot, forcing him to leave town after only 3 weeks (Acts 17:5-10).
     • The Jews even followed Paul to Berea, stirring up more trouble there (Acts 17:13-14).
     • Those same Jews returned to Thessalonica and persecuted the new believers.
     • The phrase, “glory in you in the churches of God,” meant that Paul told all the other churches about the Thessalonians’ faithful endurance of persecution.
   • Stress the fact that enduring persecution makes other Christians thankful.
   • Summarize: When we experience persecution, we should endure faithfully and patiently, because that causes other believers to be thankful and strengthened.
3. God Will Avenge Persecution Against Christians.
   • Tell the students we will skip verse 5 for now, but will come back to it later.
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 1:6.
   • Ask: “What will God do to those who persecute Christians?” (repay them with trouble and tribulation of their own).
   • Ask: “What do you think it means that ‘it is a righteous thing’ for God to avenge those who persecute Christians?” (it is just, proper, and befitting His righteousness to do so).
   • Stress the fact that God is keeping score, and those who persecute Christians will face special punishment.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Romans 12.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 12:19.
   • Ask: “Who is responsible for taking vengeance upon those who persecute Christians?” (God).
   • Ask everyone to turn to 2 Peter 2.
   • Read 2 Peter 2:4-9.
   • Ask: “According to verse 9, what do the examples of the angels who rebelled, the world of Noah’s day, and Sodom and Gomorrah teach us?” (that God knows how to preserve His children and punish the wicked).
   • Ask everyone to turn back to 2 Thessalonians 1.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Thessalonians 1:7.
   • Explain the following:
     • In 1 Thessalonians 4 we learned about the Rapture, when Jesus will snatch His children away from the earth to be with Him.
     • 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 describe the Second Coming of Jesus, when He will return bodily to the earth to destroy His enemies and set up His earthly kingdom.
     • The return of Christ is so important that Paul referred to it in every chapter of both his letters to the Thessalonians
   • Ask: “In verse 7, what did Paul tell those who are troubled to do?” (rest and take comfort with him in the fact that Jesus will one day return).
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10.
   • Ask: “According to verse 8, what will Jesus do when He returns?” (take flaming, fiery vengeance on those who don’t know Him and haven’t obeyed the Gospel).
   • Tell the class that this includes those who have persecuted Christians.
   • Ask: “According to verse 9, what will happen to them?” (they will be punished and separated from God and His glory for eternity).
   • Explain that the word destruction doesn’t mean they will cease to exist; rather, it means they will eternally be in pain, agony, and torment.
   • Ask: “According to verse 10, when will this take place?” (when Jesus returns to earth at the end of the age to be glorified and worshipped by all His children; Rev. 19:11-19)
   • Stress the fact that God will avenge persecution against Christians.
   • Summarize: When we experience persecution, we should rest and take comfort in the fact that God knows about our suffering and will certainly punish those who persecute us.
4. Blessings That Come Through Persecution.
   • Ask: “How many of you want to be persecuted?”
   • Tell the students that no one looks forward to or enjoys persecution, but the Bible tells us there are some blessings that come through being persecuted.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Thessalonians 1:5.
   • Explain the following:
     • The word “Which” at the beginning of verse 5 refers back to the Thessalonians’ “patience and faith” in “persecutions and tribulations” in verse 4.
     • Suffering in itself doesn’t make a persecuted Christian “worthy of the kingdom of God,” but it shows (as “a manifest token”) that the believer is
     • In other words, when a Christian suffers persecution for the Lord Jesus, it shows that he or she belongs to Him and will spend eternity with Him.
   • Tell the class that when the apostles were beaten and persecuted by the Jewish leaders, “they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.
   • Ask: “According to verse 11, what did the Apostle Paul pray for the persecuted believers in Thessalonica?” (that God would count them worthy of His calling and fulfill His purpose for them).
   • Ask: “According to verse 12, who receives glory when Christians faithfully endure persecution?” (the Lord Jesus Christ).
   • Summarize: When we experience persecution, it shows that we belong to Jesus, and it brings glory to Jesus.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the class that the title of today’s lesson is Endure Persecution.  Briefly review the lesson by telling the students the following:

• Enduring persecution makes other believers thankful.
• God will avenge persecution against Christians.
• There are some blessings that come through persecution.

Ask: “How likely do you think it is that we will suffer some form of persecution for our faith in Jesus?” (it is almost certain, in fact, 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”).

Ask: “How does God feel about the persecution of His children?” (He doesn’t like it and He promises to avenge it).  Ask: “How do you think we should respond to persecution?”  Tell the students the following:

1. Don’t worry or be shaken, because God is watching over all His children.
2. If you are being persecuted in any way, thank God that He considers you worthy to suffer for Him (Acts 5:41; 1 Thess. 5:18).
3. We should pray for those who are persecuted.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “Will you pray for Christians around the world who are enduring persecution?  Will you thank God when you are counted worthy to suffer for His name?  Will you trust God to repay persecutors in His time and His way?”  Allow a moment for silent prayer, then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Give everyone a little handout slip that has the following printed on it:

Pray for Persecuted Christians

https://www.persecution.com/

Encourage everyone to pray for persecuted Christians.