1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 ~ The Ministry of Love
(Our Reforming Group Guides are designed to be inductive, using the COMA form of study: Context, Observation, Meaning, Application). For more on this method, check out this article.)
By way of introduction: What do you think is compelling about a local church?
Paul uses the language of ‘brotherly love’, the love of a church family, and says that ‘you have no need for anyone to write to you…’ Why?
So when and how were the church at Thessalonica taught by God to love one another? (check out cross-references of Acts 17:2-3, John 13:34-35, John 15:12-17)
In verse 10, Paul says that the Thessalonians church is loving one another well, yet also urges them to do this more and more. How is it necessary and possible to love more and more?
As Paul continues this train of thought, we see at the start of verse 11 an ‘and’ which connects what he has been saying about love with what follows… How are verses 11-12 and verses 9-10 connected in thought?
As we read the next conjunction in verse 12 (‘so that’), how does this help us to see the big idea of what Paul is writing about here?
When we don’t love as we should or could, how does the gospel of Christ change everything for us?
We live in testing times, so spend a few moments imagining together what a church of loving one another (even and especially when disagreeing) could look like.
What will loving one another more and more mean for us in this group, and us as Reforming Church?
Pray for one another of Reforming, and for friends of Reforming who need to meet Jesus in the Bible.
