Session 2 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

SHARED

FOCUS ATTENTION

describe the making of homemade taffy.

1. heating a few ingredients, such as sugar and corn syrup, to a boil.
2. stretch and pull the cooked substance
3. until it can be formed into candy.
4. Otherwise, taffy would be a runny collection of raw ingredients.

Ask:

• How does the process of making taffy compare with enduring hard times in life?

reflect on people they know who have allowed hard times,
to make a positive difference in their lives.

Call attention to the first paragraph on page 21.
Refer to last week’s session and the discussion of
the Thessalonian believers’ persecution.

ASK:

• How does persecution for one’s faith in Jesus lead to a stronger faith in Him? (p. 21)

TRANSITION:

Paul was beaten and imprisoned, but he remained obedient,
boldly sharing the gospel with compassion and grace.

EXPLORE THE TEXT

INTRODUCE:

Point to Pack Item 2 (Outlines 1, 2 Thessalonians), displayed on the wall,
to indicate the focus for this session—Conduct in Ministry.

Summarize the information from Understand the Context (p. 21)
to give background on the experience Paul encountered in Philippi.

Acts 16:16-24 NASB

16 It happened that as we were going to the place of prayer,
a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us,
who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying,
"These men are bond-servants of the Most High God,
who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation."
18 She continued doing this for many days.
But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit,
"I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!"
And it came out at that very moment.

19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone,
they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place
before the authorities,
20 and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said,
"These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews,
21 and are proclaiming customs which it is not lawful
for us to accept or to observe, being Romans."
22 The crowd rose up together against them,
and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them
and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods.
23 When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison,
commanding the jailer to guard them securely;
24 and he, having received such a command,
threw them into the inner prison
and fastened their feet in the stocks.