Greetings and welcome back. I am happy and thankful that you are here.
Anytime sexual impurity touches a marriage, the temptation exists to allow the sin and the pain of the moment to steal away the joy of our salvation. If we succumb to the temptation, we will become focused on our problems, and this leads to depression, anger, fear, and bitterness. But God, who is rich in mercy, has provided a way out of this trap, and that’s what our lesson is about today.
Let’s begin this study with the words Paul wrote to the persecuted church in Thessalonica: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Question 1. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, what is the will of God for you:
It is God’s will for us to rejoice, pray and give thanks in all things. And these instructions aren’t merely a suggestion for our consideration, they are commands.
It is interesting to note that these words were written by Paul who faced some harsh circumstances. Take a moment and consider this description of Paul’s life that he shared in his letter to the Corinthians:
“Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
Paul didn’t write these words, “rejoice, pray and give thanks in all things” to the persecuted believers in Thessalonica flippantly. No, he was well acquainted with suffering. And God used all these dreadful experiences to teach Paul the power of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks.
When considering these commands we must first take note of the object of our rejoicing. Look with me at Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice.” Again, we see the command to rejoice always, but this time, the instruction is more specific.
Question 2. According to Philippians 4:4, in Whom are we to rejoice always?