Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-07
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON, JULY 9
BY DIR. MARION MICH. HULL

l19:l5), but while there he became so
concerned about the church at Thessa-
lonica that he had organized. that he
sent Timothy back to look into its con-
| ditiOn q Thess. 3.l-2ls In the mean
time, Paul left Athens and went to-
Corinth Here he was Joined by Silas
and Timothy (Acts 1851, and the good
report which they brought from the
IThessalonians cheered him so CThess.
1867 that he sat down at once and wrote
this letter. the first of all of the Pauline
epistles found in the sacred writings.
The letter is quite different from 9th
eTs. IL does not deal with doctrine and
yet IL is doctrinaL 1t is not argumenta-
tivt and yet il is logical; il looks into
the future as much if not more than any !
Of the other of Paurs letters, and yet il !
is eminently practical 1t is SSSt the
kind Of letter you woud expect a man TO J
| write who has been in suspense which /
had been suddeny removed by haring /
good news. 1t is eminenty persoaL
| THE FIRST LETTER.
In the first chapter he expresses his !
Thanksgiving for the way in which they |
had received the gospel Their lives /
had been so completely changed that
| they had become examples everywhere. In /
the second chapter he deals with the /,
way in which he had preached to them. ,
He had not fiattered nor tried please I
hem: bu earnestly, honesty, frankly, gent
/ ", persistently, he had proclaimed to l
them the Word Of God. They had receiv-
ed his word not as mans word, but
las Gods Word, because he had lived I
/ amongst them holly and righteously and
/ Fundamentally exhorting encouraging /
and testifying to them so that they
should walk as would please God. He /
/ expresses his longing TO see them, but
/ tells how he has been hampered by /
Satin. probably through that peace bond
of Jasons
In chapter three. he tells them he !
cOud stand it no onger, and had sent
Timothy TO find out whether the tribua-
tiOn through which they had passed had
shaken their faith, and how he was
Overjoyed TO know that Timothy's re-
/ turn that they had stood fast and
/ had stood fast and has continued |
/ to grow. He expresses a wish that
some time he may have the privilege of /
coming to them. and prays for them that
their love may increase yet more and
more.
In the fourth and fifth chapter he exhorts
| them 70 abound yet more and more in life ,
| which will be satisfying 10 God. He takes up
| certain practical problems which are confront
| ing them. and deals with them. They had not
yet gotten rid Of their heather custom with re.
gard to the marital relations, and he deals with
/ this. There was a tendency their part to be i
| lazy and inert. and he urges them 10 be indus
| tri0us that they be not dependent on others, i
and thus bring the gospel into disrepute. Hei
comforts those who have lost loved ones with
| the recital Of what will happen to them when
| the Lord returns. and urges them to live with
| Christ wether they wake sleep. He finally
ends viii practical suggestions for their spirit.
| ual life.
THE PROGRAM AND THE TRIPOD.
/ This letter which Paul wrote TO them is re-
markable for several things. In the first place
| II sets forth in a most remarkable way the
program of Christianity. These Thessaioniau
Christians turned from idols to serve the living
| and true God and 20 wait for His son from !
/ n. Wait-thls
| is the program of Christianity An idol is /
that which commands your worship, occupies /
your thought and time, envelopes your affec-
| tons: That idol may be image, or business
| OF pleasure. or self. The first step in the
God the object of your devotion. weld Him
Your homage, and look to him for orders. The i
| whatever they may be. There win be one thing ,
| for you and another thing for me. The impor-
tant thing is that We do what He tells us. But
| mls Is not enough While we serving We
| must wait. always looking forward to that timr
when His Son shall return to earth and set mo |
/ the Kingdom which He viii come to establish
And we must remember all the while that they
also serve who only stand and wait
Ihere Is another interesting thing in this 4
H'tter. He speaks Of their work of faith their /
labor OF love. their patience Of hope Then in |
| the NTH chapter he speaks of their putting on
| the breastplate Of faith and love and TO have
Il hope for an helmet. Faith, love and hone
! these constitute the tripOt of life Faith isl
4 respiration Hope is nerve action, and love is
| the tripod fail in the body the physical liSe
Il becomes extinct; just all three OF these arc
Il and stable. " ~"
Another interesting thing is that each ehspteri
/ .h tnls letter closes with some reference to
/ Ihe Iorl-s coming. In the first chapter IL is
Il RESTFULNESS. While we are serving We o.
waiting: not anxious about the results but will
/ ing 10 leaNe those In Gods hands, knowing that
| when He comes we will he enabled to see tbe
Il result Of our labOrs and that the results will
an ~ ,S as Scd wanted them to be. This takes
AZ OF ue WEAKNESS ont a work. The second
i ceapter closes with REWARD. The Thssssio-,
| man converts and others like them were 10 he !
which his Lord would give him when He comes
Il Ine third chapter closes with RTGHTFoTrS
4 I .t- ne prays for them that their love may
/ ABOUND Yet more and more. that their hearsl
| might be established in righetousness ar tbo
soining OF the Lord Jesus Christ; that in the
Jay When me thougts ~ the heart will he re- |
VesIed tey will show righteous in Gods sight
i Inc fourth chapter closes with reunion We
s,tb Spec chsrt more OF this IN a moment. And the
| spiTit and soul and body. the trinity Of man
81 ~. DC preserved entire and without blame
sn a tne spirit and soul are not the same They
can De divided asunder. An animal has a soul
| snd oody-a man has a spirit a soul and \ |
THE BLESSED HOPE.
/ some of the Thessalonians have lost loved |
ones They were discouraged because tbeT
tnoosht these would not share in the glories
q o. the e.. lords return but Paul writes them
iect and tells them that when the lord re- |
T 5Rrns inc dead In Christ shall arise first
have died win not he raised from the dead st |
/ that time. But those who are raised win he
/ given Spiritually instead OF the sonl-bodv
/ We have now bodies which are fit fo- Cnr I
| souls "a live IN. Then will have bodies
| which are ut for our sDirits to i've In and
ma~tfeSts fhemselvns through. These bodies
/ shsW he Ike PiS hofv was nftar his resr-- /
| reetion. resembling the other one enough for
| our fT!ands ~ recognize u.s. and vet NOT no
/ Ing subject 70 the laws or time and Rpace
| As hoittes are now
| Afte- these have hnan raised from the dead
/ and gtven their snirit-hN-iies. then who
| ere alive and looking for Wis coming
| shan he CHANGED 81 moment. I'm tho twintlinR
81 eve. and SVEN SHirft-hndies w-ithnnt
having 80 fhrourh death NJ all. Than we
/ With them shail ~ caught Nm To meet the
| r"-d IN the air and shall we ever be with
th@ Tnrf.
Those who have NOT believed Christ hsfo-a
fnnth ard those whN livinp when To
[ NN-nns and ~ nor believe Him. ana noss
blv those who have believed hut who 80
-ot t0r'rfng 80 Htu' WHOM rFa ftha vvo-If-
Il i--airfeH rb-fsttausl. WIN 10 Tho first
1 --fT ~ left in th0'- g-@vAS until tho rlaSn ~ |
/ ere rnir~r-'uTn. Tho living ones viz rem. IN
- the cash Tor time. goin~ th-0r-h 4 te--
-ifir exnerience. the t-fhuIa tinr fha
~---ot - congratulated beforehand So ter
rihta g ~.
cs- Won not 500. therefore. whv the Io-d's