1Thessalonians 3:1

Outline:
I. \\#1:1\\ Salutation
II. \\#1:2-2:12\\ Remembering
    A. \\#1:2-3\\ Remembering Their Devotion
    B. \\#1:4-5\\ Remembering Paul’s Confidence
    C. \\#1:6-10\\ Remembering Their Character
    D. \\#2:1-12\\ Remembering Our Labor
III. \\#2:13-3:10\\ Knowing
    A. \\#2:13-16\\ Knowing How the Gospel Changed Them
    B. \\#2:17-20\\ Knowing How Much Paul Want to See Them
    C. \\#3:1-5\\ Knowing Why Paul Sent Timothy
    D. \\#3:6-10\\ Knowing How Thankful Paul Was for Timothy’s Report
IV. \\#3:11-13 \\ Desiring
    A. \\#3:11-13\\ Desiring That God Would Establish Them
    B. \\#4:1-12\\ Desiring That You Would Walk in Christ
V. \\#4:13-5:22 \\ Teaching
    A. \\#4:13-18\\ Teaching about the Dead In Christ
    B. \\#5:1-10\\ Teaching about the Day of the Lord
    C. \\#5:11-22\\ Teaching About How We Should Live
VI. \\#5:23-28\\ Closing

III. Knowing
    C. \\#3:1-5\\ Knowing Why Paul Sent Timothy
        1. In \\#2:17-18\\ Paul had expressed how he wanted to see
            them, but Satan hindered him from returning.
        2. \\#3:1-2,5\\ So when in Athens, Paul sent Timothy back to
            Thessalonica, leaving him alone in Athens.  His goals for
            Timothy were:
            a. \\#2\\ To establish them
            b. To comfort them
            c. \\#3\\ To be certain that they had not been moved from
                Christ by Paul and his group’s afflictions.
                (1) Paul had told them that this was the ministry he
                     was appointed to have:

1Tim 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew
forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them
which should hereafter believe on him to life
everlasting.

                (2) \\#4\\ Paul understood this so well, that he had
                     taught it to the Thessalonians BEFORE it began
                     there.
        3. I believe these verses, along with Acts 17, settle that
            Paul wrote this epistle from Corinth and not from Athens
            as the postscript after the book says.
            a. \\#Acts 17:14-15\\ Paul had been taken to Athens by
                the saints of Thessalonica, leaving Timothy and Silas
                behind, but when he arrived there, he sent for
                Timothy and Silas to join him.
            b. But Paul, concerned for the Thessalonians, sent
                Timothy back to check on them \\#1Thess 3:1\\, again
                leaving Paul alone.
            c. By the time Timothy joined with Paul, he was in
                Corinth \\#Acts 18:5\\.
            d. Since Timothy had returned with word that the church
                in Thessalonica was well \\#1Thess 3:6\\, it seems
                sound to say that Paul was in Corinth when this
                letter was written.

    D. \\#3:6-10\\ Knowing How Thankful Paul Was for Timothy’s Report
        1. \\#6\\ Timothy reported that the Thessalonians:
            a. Had "faith and charity"
            b. Always thought of Paul and his group well.
            c. Desired to see Paul as much as he desired to see
                them.
        2. \\#7\\ This brought Paul great comfort, even as he still
            suffered affliction and distress.
        3. \\#8\\ Their strength and steadfastness gave Paul even
            more strength to live.
        4. \\#9\\ They had filled him with joy, as he desired even
            more to see them and "perfect" their faith \\#10\\.

IV. \\#3:11-13\\ Desiring That God Would Establish Them
    A. Paul shared at least part of his prayer for them:
        1. \\#11\\ That God would direct him and his group back to
            them.
        2. \\#12\\ That their love would increase:
            a. toward one another
            b. toward all others
            c. And that it would be as great as his love for them.
        3. \\#13\\ And Paul desired all of this, that:
            a. Their hearts might be established.
            b. Their hearts might be established without blame.
            c. Their hearts might be established without blame and
                in holiness.
            d. And that their hearts might remain established without
                blame and in holiness until Jesus returns.

<Outline Index>  <Close Window>