Have you ever read a verse that made you stop and think, “Wait…what does that mean?” Instead of reading past it, stop.

Ask questions.

Be curious.

Wrestle with the Scripture.

This is exactly where Bible study begins. It’s how you learn. Because you will wonder about a word or a concept and that will get you to digging and searching. And then you will discover more!

The reason people can get so much out of a bible verse, or a verse passage is because they take the time to let the Holy Spirit move and breathe when they are reading. If you just blaze past it all, trying to check the box for your reading plan today, you may very well get something. We’re not saying it was in vain. No way we would limit God like that. He says His Word is living and active. It also goes forth and does not return void. So, you very much can get something from your reading as part of a daily reading plan.

But we don’t want you to limit yourself. Take time to slow down and let the Holy Spirit have space to speak to your heart.

1 Thess 2: 19-20 (NLT), “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy.”

So, let’s use this passage above from the Apostle Paul in the book of 1 Thessalonians and kind of walk through this process. At first pass when you read it point blank, you may get confused and think it sounds like Paul is trying to take credit for these people’s salvation. Immediately, you may start to do some theological arguing in your mind. This is good. This is “wrestling with the Scripture.”

When our kids were little and we were homeschooling, they would be working on a math problem and get stuck and we would say, “Does your answer make sense?”

So, if you read this verse passage and you think is Paul trying to take credit for these people’s salvation? Ask, “Would that make sense?” No. Paul knows Jesus Christ is the One Who saves because that’s Paul’s own testimony. So, he is not trying to take credit for these Thessalonian believers’ salvation. But did you notice what other process happened in that wrestling with the Scripture? You do some form of cross referencing in your mind, recalling from Scripture, what you already know to be true. What’s a good cross reference to further show this? 1 Corinthians 3:5–7 where it says Paul planted, Apollos watered, “but God gave the growth.”

So, what role did Paul have in the salvation of the Thessalonian believers?  1 Corinthians 3:8–9 tells us that Paul was a worker in God’s field. God accomplished the work, but Paul faithfully participated in it.

As you are beginning to ask questions as you read and study Scripture, you will start to notice the Holy Spirit bringing some parts of the verse to light. For example, notice how Paul says:

What gives (us hope and joy)

“What gives” is present tense; therefore, it’s talking about right now.

You are (our pride and joy)

“You are” is a present tense declaration, again talking about right now.

But then Paul changes his wording and says:

What will be (our proud reward and crown)

“What will be” implies future tense, meaning it hasn’t happened yet. How do we know? Because Paul gives detail when he says, “as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns.” Guess what? Jesus hasn’t returned yet. Just in case you were wondering.

So, the question may be, “If the Thessalonian believers give Paul and his team hope and joy right now and they are his pride and joy right now, then why are they also not his proud reward and crown right now?” “Why does he have to wait for that?”

See, the cool thing about asking one question is that it usually brings about many other questions. Again, this is a good thing because you are wrestling with the Scripture. This is exactly what you should be doing in bible study. God wants you to know His Word and understand it and obey it. The Bible is a gift, a wonderful blessing for us. God’s Word was powerful working in our salvation, but it is also sanctifying us.

When your bible study time starts to feel boring. Slow down. Ask questions. Wrestle with the Scripture!

So back to the question, “Why aren’t these believers Paul’s proud reward and crown right now?”

Remember, he gives you a clue when he tells you the time: “When the Lord Jesus returns.”

You should be thinking: Hmm, so when the Lord Jesus returns, something is going to happen. There will be a crown and a reward given. Does this make sense? Yes. Why? Because the Bible talks about this. Where?

In Revelation 22:12, Jesus says, “Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work.”

What other “crowns” are associated with Christ’s return?  In 2 Timothy 4:7–8, Paul anticipates the “crown of righteousness” the Lord will award “on that day.” And in James 1:12, it says those who endure receive the “crown of life.”

Did anyone else other than Paul and Jesus mention crowns that believers will receive when Jesus returns? Yes. Who? James and Peter. Where do we find this in the Bible? James 1:12 tells us the person who endures trials “will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” And 1 Peter 5:4 says, “When the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

Is there anywhere else in the Bible where it says believers are rewarded when Christ returns?  Yes. We are told in 1 Corinthians 4:5, When the Lord comes, “then praise will come to each one from God.”

Is there anywhere else in the Bible where it says God rewards us for participating in His work? Yes. How do we know? Where does the Bible talk about this? 1 Corinthians 3:8, 12–14 says, “Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”

Has Paul called people his crown before? Yes. Where? In Philippians 4:1, Paul uses almost identical language when he says, “my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown.” People he has ministered to are his joy and crown.

Does Paul connect people he’s ministered to with future rejoicing? Yes. Where? In 2 Corinthians 1:14, Paul says they will boast in one another “in the day of our Lord Jesus.”

Does Paul talk elsewhere about rejoicing over those he discipled when Christ returns? Yes. Where? In Philippians 2:16, Paul hopes to “boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing.”

Did you notice what we just did?

We asked:

• Why?
• Where else?
• What kind?
• Who else says this?
• Does another passage clarify this?

That’s how Bible study works. But you’re not done. Because now you need to ask yourself some questions. This is part of applying what you have read and learned.

Who is your crown?

Who are you investing in?

If you answered no one, maybe that’s the point. Christianity isn’t merely about getting to heaven. It’s about introducing people to Jesus so they can receive salvation and go to heaven too.

We ask questions so we can understand what God is saying. We search the Scriptures to find and confirm the answers. But then we have to ask one final question:

What am I going to do with what I now know?

God’s Word was never meant to simply fill our heads with information; it was meant to transform the way we live. So, keep asking, keep searching, keep digging, and keep wrestling with the text. And when God shows you truth, don’t just underline it, highlight it, or write it in the margin, actually begin to live it out!