Living in Gratitude SPECIAL FOCUS

Leader Guide SPECIAL FOCUS

Living in Gratitude

GETTING STARTED

DISCUSS: As you get ready for Thanksgiving, what are you looking forward to most?

RECAP (PAGE 103): On a recent trip to Greece, one of our favorite stops was a store called The Nut House in the town of Thessaloniki . As soon as we entered, we were amazed at the colorful displays of nuts and dried fruits from the Mediterranean . But then we immediately noticed what took up a large portion of the shop from front to back: a conveyor belt with thousands of shelled nuts moving along, being roasted and readied to be enjoyed .

That conveyor belt reminds me of the Christian life as we’re moved along in our growth to become equipped by Christ . We’re “conveyed” through a variety of life experiences and challenges . Regardless of what we encounter, though, one trait should ride with us: gratitude .

Gratitude is more than a simple “thank you ”. It’s a way of living . The apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonian church in that same city long ago, understood that if this ingredient is seasoned into the life of believers, it will transform their lives and their church .

GUIDE: Direct attention to The Point on page 104 . Invite group members to fill in the blanks . THE POINT: Give THANKS … in EVERYTHING.

STUDY THE BIBLE

GIVE BIBLICAL CONTEXT: First Thessalonians 5:12-22 focuses on a gospel community . As Paul came to the close of his letter to these Christians, he was concerned to leave them with a picture of a Christ-centered church . How should a community of believers conduct themselves? Aspects of such a community include believers having an attitude of love and gratitude toward their leaders in the faith, a love for their fellow believers, and a joyful, prayerful spirit .

RECAP (PAGE 104): First Thessalonians was one of Paul’s earliest letters . His ministry in Thessalonica wasn’t very long (Acts 17:1-9) and the church now had questions and concerns over what would happen to those who had recently died . Naturally that led to questions about the return of Christ . Additionally, persecution still persisted in the city so fear filled the hearts of some . Every chapter in this letter references the return of Christ and the book as a whole points to how believers are to live in that hope .

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 on page 104 .

172 LEADER GUIDE special focus © 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources GUIDE: Direct your group’s attention to the following heading on page 104: Express gratitude toward those who ENCOURAGE you in your walk in Christ.

RECAP (PAGE 104): As Paul approached the close of his letter, he wrote “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing” (v . 11) . In verse 12, Paul pointed to one way we can offer encouragement: express gratitude to leaders in the church . Paul’s words mean more than simply paying them more attention than you normally would on a Sunday morning . The verb carries the idea of “knowing fully, appreciating their true worth” and then granting them the appreciation that comes with understanding the sacrificial nature of what they do .5 For added emphasis, Paul underscored this point in verse 13: “regard them very highly in love because of their work ”.

DISCUSS: Who has been instrumental in teaching you how to walk with God? [ALTERNATE: How can we practically recognize and appreciate spiritual leaders?]

DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity, Give Thanks, on page 104, on their own . If time allows, invite volunteers to share their responses .

Give Thanks: Use the template below to write a thank you note to someone who has helped you spiritually . Find a time this week to mail, text, or share your message .

Dear ______, I’m writing to say “thank you” because ______. You’ve been important influence in my spiritual growth, especially the way you ______. Sincerely, ______READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 on page 105 .

GUIDE: Direct your group’s attention to the following heading on page 105: Encourage OTHERS in their walk with Christ.

RECAP (PAGE 105): Coming off the heels of the command to be at peace with one another, Paul offered several commands that help us live that out .

Warn the idle. The word Paul used for “idle” (v . 14) is broader than just being lazy . It was used for someone who was out of line or disruptive . These individuals wouldn’t only bring themselves to ruin but also hurt the reputation of the body of Christ . Comfort the discouraged and help the weak. The “discouraged” (v . 14) were those who were suffering from persecution . Those who are weak could have included those who were being persecuted, but also could include the poor, the sick, the physically disabled, or those who suffer the death of loved ones . Be patient. To accomplish the previous command to comfort , one important mark was needed: “be patient with everyone” (v . 14) . Paul reminded the Philippian church that they needed the humility that considers “others as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3) .

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 173 © 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources Do good to others instead of evil. Any desire for revenge was to be held in check; instead they were to pursue what is best for the other person .

DISCUSS: What does it look like to obey these verses in the church today? [ALTERNATE: When has someone followed one of these commands in a way that helped you in your walk with Christ?]

READ: Ask a group member to read aloud 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 on page 105 .

GUIDE: Direct your group’s attention to the following heading on page 105: EXPRESS your thanks to God.

RECAP (PAGE 105): Paul gave two other commands that help us live a life of persistent gratitude . Rejoice and pray—and do so continually . If God desires for us to give thanks in all things, this means that we’re continually aware of God’s presence, power, and control over every circumstance . But to do this, we have to be in a continual disposition of prayer that keeps us in tune with Him . Paul next warned against shutting down the work of the Spirit through other believers . Finally, he encouraged his readers to be vigilant and avoid all kinds of evil .

DISCUSS: Which of these commands do you find most challenging to follow?

DISCUSS: What does it look like to “give thanks in everything”? [ALTERNATE: What’s the relationship between a thankful heart and knowing and doing God’s will?]

ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): In advance, create a Spotify® playlist with several of your favorite worship songs . Share the name of the playlist with your group and make sure it’s set to “public” so your group members can access it . Encourage your group to listen this week as they travel to work, cook dinner, or just complete tasks, incorporating praise into each day .

LIVE IT OUT

SAY: “How will you live in gratitude?”

GUIDE: Direct group members to review the three bulleted statements under Live It Out on page 106 . Call on volunteers to share (1) which of these statements is something they want to pursue further, or (2) ways this study will transform their prayer life this week .

Thank God. Take time daily to express gratitude to God . Consider what He has given for you: a recent provision, a character trait, or the life of His Son . Reflect on this and express thanks throughout the day . Thank others. Pray for your pastor and/or another believer who has helped you in your walk with Christ . Send a card, a text, or an email expressing simply respect and gratitude . Initiate a gospel conversation. Start a conversation with a friend or acquaintance about things he or she is thankful for . Listen to the response . Ask, “Who or what do you credit

174 LEADER GUIDE special focus © 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources for your good fortune? To whom do you direct your thankfulness?” Use this opportunity to learn more about his or her faith . Share what you’ve learned about Jesus as the Source of our greatest gift: forgiveness .

GUIDE: Invite each person to gather with two or three Christ-followers of the same gender this week for a deeper discussion, using Talk It Out (page 106) to guide their discussion . Encourage group members to spend time each day in God’s Word with the devotions found in the Daily Study section (pages 107-110) .

PRAY: Close with a prayer . Praise God for the way He provides . Ask Him to develop within your group members a spirit of gratitude for what He’s already done and what He will do in the future .

DIG DEEPER

Use the commentary below as you prepare to lead the session .

[VERSES 12-13]: Paul’s first request was that the Thessalonian believers give“ recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you ”. The Greek term translated “recognition” means to recognize, pay attention to, and/or cherish . The apostle instructed the Thessalonian believers to “regard them [church leaders] very highly in love ”. This isn’t a call for exaltation or reverence, but simply for respect and to hold these individuals in high esteem for the particular work that they do for the church .

[VERSE 14]: Paul offered a framework regarding how the Thessalonian Christians (as well as believers today) should treat each other . Paul identified three groups of people in particular who needed to be loved and ministered to within the church . Paul’s concern was that the church be active in their care for one another .

[VERSE 15]: Paul urged that believers “see to it that no one repays evil for evil ”. In our personal relationships and in the Christian community, believers have a high and holy calling to reflect the likeness of Christ, always seeking the good of those both inside (“for one another”) and outside (“for all”) the church .

[VERSE 16]: Next, Paul addressed the responsibilities of individual believers in worship . Paul used a trio of imperatives which could pertain to both private (individual) and public (corporate) worship of God . The consistent nature of these three commands is found in the terms that modify the believer’s actions: “rejoice always,” “pray constantly,” “give thanks in everything” (emphasis added) .

Believers are told to “rejoice always ”. Christian joy is unique and not to be equated with happiness . Happiness is reliant on temporary life circumstances . Joy, on the other hand, has as its foundation the believer’s relationship with God in Christ . Such joy finds its uniqueness in the fact that it emerges even under the most trying of circumstances .

BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE 175 © 2019 LifeWay Christian Resources [VERSE 17]: Paul also urged the Thessalonian believers to “pray constantly ”. This doesn’t mean we’re to develop some sort of nonstop prayer life; rather, it suggests a life typified by a habit of praying in all things . Such consistent prayer indicates our awareness of our total dependence on God for all things .

[VERSE 18]: Paul exhorted the Thessalonian believers to “give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus ”. Paul wasn’t calling the evil things and events that happen to us good, and neither should we . He was saying is that God is able to bring good out of such evil as He conforms us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-30) .

[VERSES 19-20]: Paul offered several exhortations to help the Thessalonian believers discern the Word of God . First, Paul warned, “Don’t stifle the Spirit ”. The context of verse 20 suggests the issue was related to the use or misuse of a certain spiritual gift: “Don’t despise prophecies ”. In the New Testament, prophecy was the spoken manifestation of revelation from God through the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:27-28; 1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14), but it was most commonly associated with the written Word of God (Matthew 13:14; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Revelation 1:3; 22:7) . It appears there may have been some in the Thessalonian church who had flagrantly abused this gift and the leadership reacted by discouraging or completely rejecting all prophecy . Paul warned against this sort of overreaction and encouraged the church to give proper place for genuine expressions of the gift for the edification of the congregation and as a witness to those outside the church .

[VERSES 21-22]: In order to maintain a healthy balance in receiving true prophecy while rejecting false prophets, Paul’s admonition was to “test all things ”. This is a call for careful examination and discernment in response to the warning of verse 20 . Not everything that was attributed to inspiration was from God, so the first-century church had the responsibility to put all teachings to the test in order to determine if such teachings were from God .

Although today there are no longer prophets speaking the Word of God in the sense that it’s Scripture, the command to test all things remains true as a general principle . It’s still the Christian’s duty (both individually and in conjunction with other believers) to test preaching and teaching to confirm it’s in accordance with God’s Word .

EXTRA!

Free additional ideas for your group are available at BibleStudiesforLife c. om/AdultExtra

Answers to Tough Questions

Session 1 Do We Need to Defend Our Faith? (Jude 1-4,20-25) Session 2 Is There a God? (Psalm 19:1-6; 111:7-10) Session 3 Does Absolute Truth Exist? (John 1:14-18; 8:30-32; 18:36-38a) Session 4 Is Jesus God? (Luke 1:26-35) Session 5 Aren’t All Religions the Same? (Isaiah 44:6-11; John 14:5-7) Session 6 What Proof Does My Testimony Offer? (Acts 26:2-5,12-18,24-26)

When Life Gets Hard

Session 1 Why Does Suffering Exist? (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 8:18-25) Session 2 How Can God Use Me When Others Suffer? (Isaiah 58:3-11) Session 3 Why Am I Suffering? (Job 11:13-16; 23:8-12; John 9:1-3) Session 4 What Is God’s Answer to Suffering? (Job 40:1-8; 42:1-6) Session 5 Does God Really Understand My Pain and Suffering? (Isaiah 53:2-12) Session 6 Where Does Comfort Come From? (2 Corinthians 1:3-11) Session 7 How Can I Honor God in My Suffering? (2 Corinthians 4:7-18)

ENDNOTES 1. well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/worried-youre-not-alone. 2. water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html. 3. psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hope-relationships/201409/the-psychology-behind-hoarding. 4. www.industrytap.com/knowledge-doubling-every-12-months-soon-to-be-every-12-hours/3950. 5. Leon Morris, The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians (Eerdmans, 1991), 165. 6. Robert H. Mounce, Romans, vol. 27, The New American Commentary (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1995), 187–88. 7. James White, “Justification,” inHolman Illustrated Bible Dictionary [HIBD],gen. ed. Chad Brand, rev. ed. (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2015), 948. 8. F. F. Bruce, Romans, vol. 6, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1985), 178. 9. Byron Longino, “Glory,” in Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary [HIBD], gen. ed. Chad Brand, rev. ed. (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2015), 648.

The Pathway of Discipleship

Growing in Christ is a journey—a lifelong journey—but what does that look like? LifeWay’s research reveals eight markers consistently present in the lives of believers who are growing spiritually . Each year, Bible Studies for Life engages all eight of these areas . Following this intentional plan for discipleship ensures progress on the pathway to becoming more like Christ . Visit www .BibleStudiesforLife c. om for a more complete view of this discipleship plan through 2022 .

8 MARKERS Fall 2019 Winter 2019-20 Spring 2020 Summer 2020

Simplicity: Obey God Finding Contentment and Deny Self in a Busy Life

How to Know Seek God God’s Will

Answers to Tough Share Christ Questions: Defending What You Believe

When Life Gets Hard: Exercise Faith Big Questions About Pain and Suffering

Holy Vocabulary: Engage with Unpacking the Scripture Language of Faith

Build Dealing with Messy Relationships Relationships

Living with Hope Live Unashamed in a Broken World

Serve God Why Do I Need and Others the Church?