Session 12 2 Thessalonians 2:13–3:5
notice elements of encouragement in Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians.
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace,17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.
Emphasize that because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have the opportunity to talk to Him directly.
Invite volunteers to define and describe prayer in their own words.
underline the words encourage and strengthen in verse 17,
noting that these were things Paul prayed for the Thessalonian believers.
Remind them that the Thessalonian church family was experiencing severe persecution.
Paul asked God to give them the strength for continued perseverance throughout the struggle.
Discuss as a group
why Paul didn’t ask God to remove the church from their difficult situation
or change their circumstances instead.
In the third chapter of 2 Thessalonians,
Paul shifts from praying for the church family
to asking the church family to pray for him, Silas, and Timothy.