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TAUGHT BY GOD TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER

Text: 1 Thessalonians 4
31 May 2020

TAUGHT BY GOD

We come to the end of another month, where we have not been able to gather together for public worship. We have also missed the Fellowship Meetings, the Sunday School ministry etc. But we can still speak of being taught by God.

9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 

10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;      1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

  1. Paul had written on a number of subjects in 1 Thessalonians

a) The faith of the Thessalonians

b) Their hope

c) Their love

d) The tribulation they were experiencing (etc.)

  1. There was something he did not elaborate on

a) The subject of “Love”

b) He had observed that the Thessalonians did not need to be taught by him

c) The reason was that Paul felt that they were already well taught

  1. “Taught-by-God”  (Greek “Theo-didaktoi”) 

a) The phrase “taught by God” in English would suggest

i) That God was teaching the Thessalonians

ii) This is not very accurate

b) The phrase should be “Taught-by-God people”

i) The phrase is actually a single word in the Greek text

ii) Paul was describing the Thessalonians in a special way

iii)  They were highlighted as “people-taught-by-God”

  1. What did God teach them?

a) To love and care for others (John 13:34-35)

b) This love was very evident and real among the Thessalonians      (1 Thessalonians 1:3)

  1. How did God teach them?

a) In the heart

b) In the mind

c) He filled them with a love that is obvious expressive of God’s own heart of love

How wonderful to be called “people-taught-by-God” to love! 

A CHALLENGE TO INCREASE THE FRUIT OF LOVE

Paul’s challenge was to urge them to increase in this love more and more. This is a love that we must seek to increase too! May Bethany be a congregation made up of “Theodidaktoi!”