Week 27: Paul in Corinth

Opening

Begin by reading 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 together. What strikes you most about Paul’s description of Christ’s return? How does this passage function as comfort rather than speculation?

Review Questions

Acts 18:1-17

1. What do we learn about Corinth as a setting for church planting? How did the city’s commercial prosperity, ethnic diversity, and moral reputation shape the challenges Paul faced?
2. God tells Paul, “I have many people in this city.” What does this statement reveal about God’s sovereignty in evangelism? How should it shape our own expectations when we serve in difficult places?
3. What was the significance of Gallio’s ruling for the early church? How did Roman legal indifference to internal Jewish disputes affect the spread of Christianity?

1 Thessalonians 1-4

1. Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians’ “work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope.” How are these three qualities interconnected? Can you have one without the others?
2. Paul describes his ministry as being like both a nursing mother and an encouraging father (chapter 2). What does this dual metaphor teach us about healthy spiritual leadership? How does it challenge one-dimensional models of pastoral care?
3. Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica at personal cost – remaining alone in Athens – because he could not endure the uncertainty about the young church’s welfare. What does this decision reveal about the emotional dimension of ministry?
4. How does Paul’s teaching on sexual purity in chapter 4 connect to his theology of the Holy Spirit? Why does he ground ethics in the presence of the Spirit rather than in mere moral rules?
5. The Thessalonians were grieving believers who had died, fearing they had missed the Lord’s return. How does Paul’s response in 4:13-18 transform the way Christians approach death and grief?

Going Deeper

• Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians from Corinth around 50-51 AD, making it one of the earliest New Testament documents. How does knowing this affect the way you read it? What does it tell us about what the first Christians believed?
• The parousia (second coming) is mentioned in every chapter of 1 Thessalonians. Why was this hope so central to the identity of the early church? Is it still central for Christians today, and should it be?
• Paul warns against living in “the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (4:5). How do we faithfully apply this teaching in a culture where sexual norms have shifted dramatically from Paul’s day?

Closing Prayer

Pray together for:

• Courage to speak the gospel in places that seem hostile or indifferent
• Integrity in ministry and leadership, free from self-interest and manipulation
• Comfort for those who are grieving, grounded in the hope of the resurrection
• Holiness in daily life – especially in areas where the surrounding culture normalizes what God calls sin