Edited by author 10-07-2009 06:35 PM
Here's the link to our study of 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Titus, and Philem

http://www.quicktopic.com/43/H/FPkRtWdHfYGq5

Some background information as we begin 1 Thessalonians...
The apostle Paul had visited the city of Thessalonica during his second missionary journey (see Acts 17:1-10). He and his companions planted a church there, but then had to leave quickly because their lives were threatened. When it seemed safe to do so, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check up on the believers. Timothy brought a good report back to Paul, but they also had a few questions about their new faith. Paul wrote this letter to help answer their questions.
The believers in Thessalonica were being persecuted externally by unbelievers and plagued internally by uncertainty and doubt. Paul wanted to encourage them that the Lord is coming back. So they should stay the course, keep living in a way that honors Him, and keep trusting and waiting. And while they worshiped and worked and waited, they should be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.
(good advice for us too!)

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 28
Death could not hold Jesus, but energized by the power of the Spirit He burst forth from the grave.
When Jesus claimed "all authority in heaven and on earth" He meant that there is no one or thing with power to limit His freedom of action. It is significant that this affirmation is linked with the command that we "go" and make disciples of all nations.
KEY VERSES: 28:18-20 A last command to obey.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Christ is with us when we witness.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 26-27
Events now rush to a close, as Matthew describes the final two days of Christ's life.
KEY VERSE: 26:64 Jesus is who He claimed.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Meditate on the Cross, and remember what your salvation cost Christ.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 25 - Chapter Summary
Jesus continues instructing His disciples concerning His second coming. His return may seem delayed to those eager to participate in the wedding feast, but those who are wise will be ready however long the wait (25:1-13). While the Master is gone, servants must actively use whatever they have been entrusted with in His interest (vv. 14-30). When Christ does come, there will be a final judgment in which He separates the righteous and unrighteous, the blessed and the cursed, and assigns each to his or her eternal state (vv. 31-46).
KEY VERSE: 25:13 Heed repeated warnings!
PERSONAL APPLICATION: God needs alert and watchful Christians.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 24 - Chapter Summary
Jesus stimulates three questions concerning the end of the age by announcing that the second temple will be destroyed (24:1-3). The disciples' questions are answered in reverse order: When will this happen? is answered in verse 36. What will be the sign of Your coming? is answered in verses 30-35. What will be the sign of the end of the age? is answered in verses 4-29. But more important than questions about the future is Jesus' word of advice to the disciples and to us: "Watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come" (v. 42). Our challenge is not to solve the mysteries of prophecy, but to be faithful in our service to our Lord until He comes (vv. 36-51).
KEY VERSE: 24:42 Concentrate on the "now."
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Serving Jesus now is more important than debating the shape of the future that Scripture describes.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 23 - Chapter Summary
Following a series of controversies, Jesus bluntly warns against the Pharisees and leaders who have rejected His claims (23:1-12). In the strongest possible terms Christ characterizes them as fools, hypocrites, and even "sons of hell," and announes a series of seven woes - denunciations that imply both anguish and divine judgment (vv. 13-14, 15, 16-22, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28, 29-32). Jesus identifies this generation's leaders with those of the past who killed the prophets. Yet He weeps over the city, expressing God's amazing yearning to gather His own to Himself despite their sins (vv. 33-38). One day He will. But not until God's ancient people acknowledge Jesus as their Christ (v. 39).
KEY VERSE: 23:15 Even religious power corrupts
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Strive to be a servant, not a "leader."

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 22 - Chapter Summary
Jesus tells a parable to show the significance of His rejection. The Jews are like guests invited to a wedding banquet, a common figure for Messiah's kingdom. But they make all sorts of excuses not to come. So the king invites "anyone" and fills his hall (22:1-14). The invitation of God will be extended to all, and "whosoever wills" may come!
The religious leaders again try to trap Jesus. The Pharisees pose a trick question about taxes to be paid to Rome (vv. 15-22), and the Sadducees attempt to trip Him up with a common puzzler concerning resurrection (vv. 23-33). Jesus answers a final question (vv. 24-40), and then Christ poses a question which His antagonists cannot answer, silencing them at last (vv. 41-46). This is the last attempt of the leaders to defeat Jesus with words. Soon their hatred will lead them to drag Him to the cross.
KEY VERSES: 22:37-40 Love sums up law.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Augustine said it. Love God - and do what you please. If you love, what He wants will please you.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 21 - Chapter Summary
Matthew now begins his account of Jesus' last week on earth. In his account of events leading up to the Cross we discover the ultimate purpose for which Christ came.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem He is acclaimed by the crowds as "Son of David," a messianic title (21:1-11). He drives the merchants from the temple courts, again to the enthusiastic plaudits of the crowd (vv. 12-17). The next morning as Jesus approaches the city He sees and curses a fruitless fig tree, which represents an Israel which appears spiritually vital but has failed to produce fruit (vv. 18-22). When the religious leaders challenge Jesus, He asks a simple question that shows up their claims to authority (vv. 23-27). He tells two stories that charge them with failure to respond to God (vv. 28-32) and also reveal their motives for hating Jesus (vv. 33-46).
KEY VERSE: 21:43 It is dangerous not to respond to God.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: We must either love Jesus, or fear Him.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 20 - Chapter Summary
Jesus tells a parable about a third futile path which the religious take. His story of workers in a vineyard teaches that every relationship with God rests on His grace and generosity. We wrongly assume that the harder we work, the greater our reward. It is not self-effort, but responsiveness to Christ's words that count (20:1-16).
Jesus again predicts His death (vv. 17-19), but the disciples are too focused on visions of power when Christ becomes king to hear what He says (vv. 20-23). Jesus uses emotion stimulated by the politicking of James and John to drive home a major truth. Greatness in Christ's kingdom is found in serving, not in power or position (vv. 24-28). He then demonstrates the attitude that must underlie our practice as, despite concern over His coming crucifixion, He stops to heal two blind men who cry out for His aid (vv. 29-34).
KEY VERSE: 20:25 Greatness is for servants.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: In stooping to serve others we become great in God's kingdom.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 19 - Chapter Summary
Jesus has taught that the way of greatness for citizens of God's kingdom is to live in the community of faith so as to preserve each believer's responsiveness to Christ. Now, in incident and teaching, Matthew explores futile pathways to greatness that religious people sometimes take. The Pharisees and their questions represent the way of legalism and self-righteousness (19:1-14). And a rich young man represents the way of a self-serving philanthropy (vv. 15-30). It's so easy for religious people to feel that discipleship is practiced by rigid adherance to do's and don'ts, or by an enthusiastic commitment to doing good - and so to miss the simple pathway of love Jesus describes in Matthew 18.
KEY VERSE: 19:14 Come as children.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: God loves us because we are His, not because of what we do for Him.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 18 - Chapter Summary
In a sequence of teachings and experiences Jesus shows His disciples the way to greatness in God's kingdom (chaps 18-20). The underlying principle is seen in a little child's responsiveness to Jesus' call (18:1-5), a quality the disciples are urged to maintain (vv. 6-9). We do this by remembering that we human beings are sheep, who are likely to go astray and must be brought back not with recrimination but with joy (vv. 10-14). We are brothers and sisters who are sure to sin against each other, but who are to be confronted and then granted unlimited forgiveness (vv. 15-22). And if it seems too hard to forgive multiplied offenses, we are to remember the overwhelming debt that God, our Heavenly Father, has forgiven us (vv. 23-35).
KEY VERSE: 18:3 A change for the better.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Respond to God's Word, don't assess it.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 17 - Chapter Summary
This chapter contains Matthew's last related miracles of Jesus. It is the final proof of who He is, offered not to the crowds but to the disciples. The first and most wonderful proof is witnessed only by Peter, James, and John, who see Jesus "transfigured," as the brightness of His essential deity radiates from Him (17:1-13). Returning to the crowds Jesus heals an epileptic His disciples had been unable to help (vv. 14-21). Despite His evident powers, Christ speaks again of being killed, and then raised again (vv. 22-23).
The chapter concludes with an incident that illustrates a point Israel's response to Jesus has made clear. Peter unthinkingly commits Jesus to pay a temple tax. Jesus then point out that earthly kings do not collect taxes from their children.
The very fact that God imposed a temple tax shows that birth into the Old Testament covenant community does not automatically convey personal relationship with God! (vv. 24-27) To become a child of God, we must have faith in His son.
KEY VERSE: 17:2 Jesus, as He really is.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Maintain balance in thinking about Christ between the compassionate Jesus and the glorious Son of God.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 16 - Chapter Summary
The Pharisees again demand, and are refused, a miraculous sign (16:1-4). Christ warns His disciples against the Pharisees' "yeast," that legalistic attitude which underlies and finds expression in their teaching (vv. 5-12). Jesus sends His disciples to circulate among the crowds and find out who they say He is. The Twelve report that the crowds view Jesus as a great prophet only (vv. 13-14). In contrast Peter confesses Jesus as the promised Messiah ("Christ") and as "son of the living God" (vv. 15-16). On this reality Christ's church will be built and triumph (vv. 17-20).
This chapter describes the turning point in Christ's ministry. Before He spoke of the kingdom. Now His message is one of the Cross (vv. 21-23). Before He spoke to the crowds, now His ministry is primarily to the disciples (vv. 24-28). From now on Christ's path will lead Him straight to Calvary.
KEY VERSE: 16:21 The turning point.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Following Christ may mean the death of our old self. But it also means life to our new.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 15 - Chapter Summary
Jesus' miracles stimulate worship from His disciples (14:33). But they generate only hostile antagonism from His people's religious leaders, who again challenge Christ on the basis of traditional interpretations of Old Testament Law (15:1-2).
Jesus in turn challenges tradition, showing that the rabbis' approach to Scripture has actually distorted and nullified God's Word (vv. 3-9). "Cleanness" is no matter of ritual observance, but a matter of one's heart (vv. 10-20). Again Matthew uses contrast. He tells the story of a pagan woman whose faith is rewarded and thus reveals the futility of the Pharisees' legalistic approach to religion (vv. 21-28). The chapter ends with another story of contrast. While the Pharisees argue about the Law's minutia, Jesus expresses God's concern for human need by feeding thousands (vv. 29-39).
KEY VERSE: 15:18 Spiritual purity is inside out.
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Guard your heart, and your life will be pure.

From Larry Richards Bible Reader's Companion: Matthew 14 - Chapter Summary
Everyone in the little Jewish homeland seems to have a theory about Jesus' miraculous powers. Herod's noton is the Christ must be John the Baptist, whom he has executed, risen from the dead (14:1-12). Jesus simply continues to minister. He heals and even feeds a hungry crowd that follows Him into a wilderness area (vv. 13-21). Matthew, then reports an incident that reveals the budding faith of Jesus' disciples. Christ walks on storm-tossed waters to join His disciples in their boat. This first stuns them, but then stimulates both worship and faith (vv. 22-36). Unbelievers like Herod misinterpret miracles. The disciplies, who believe, understand the evidence and realize who Jesus is.
KEY VERSE: 14:33 Those with Him understand
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Don't expect others to recognize the miracles you see God perform for you.