1 Thessalonians #3 - A Theme of 1 Thessalonians
Grace Bible Chapel
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Message #3 in 1 Thessalonians
A Theme of 1 Thessalonians
I. Introduction
A. Genesis 3:16-19
Life is hard and then you die. Vanity of vanities.
The most intimate of relationships, that relationship built on covenant faithfulness and love, will be strained. How will any other relationship stand a chance?
That which was to bring satisfaction and joy will be accompanied by pain, toil, and sweat.
And after wrestling through strained relationships
B. Ephesians 6:10-13
And if you become a Christian, you are promised abundant life.
What? No death? No strained relationships? Complete satisfaction with one’s work?
On the contrary, a battle begins. And not a battle of somewhat equal strength human beings, but a
lifelong assault from the enemy of our souls, the lion that prowls about looking for someone to devour, that servant of old, that one that Martin Luther referred to as “on earth is not his
equal.” And he seeks our destruction in every way.
Encouraged or depressed? Happy or sad? Do you see any hope of joy?
II. Repetitions in 1 Thessalonians
A. Affliction – 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2:2, 14; 3:3-5
1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NASB95)
6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
1 Thessalonians 2:2 (NASB95)
2 but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 (NASB95)
14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews,
1 Thessalonians 3:3-5 (NASB95)
3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
4 For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
B. The return of the Lord Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:1-11
1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NASB95)
10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.
1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NASB95)
19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?
1 Thessalonians 3:13 (NASB95)
13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NASB95)
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NASB95)
1 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
3 While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
C. The will of God – 1 Thessalonians 1:4; 2:4; 4:3
1 Thessalonians 1:4 (NASB95)
4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;
1 Thessalonians 2:4 (NASB95)
4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NASB95)
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;
D. Excel still more – 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 10; 5:9, 18
1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NASB95)
1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.
1 Thessalonians 4:10 (NASB95)
10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more,
1 Thessalonians 5:9 (NASB95)
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB95)
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
III. A theme of the book – parakaleō, paraklēsis
A. 1 Thessalonians 2:3
1 Thessalonians 2:3 (NASB95)
3 For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;
B. 1 Thessalonians 2:11
1 Thessalonians 2:11 (NASB95)
11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,
C. 1 Thessalonians 3:2
1 Thessalonians 3:2 (NASB95)
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
D. 1 Thessalonians 3:7
1 Thessalonians 3:7 (NASB95)
7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;
E. 1 Thessalonians 4:1
1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NASB95)
1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.
F. 1 Thessalonians 4:11
1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NASB95)
11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you,
G. 1 Thessalonians 4:18
1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NASB95)
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
H. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NASB95)
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
I. 1 Thessalonians 5:14
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NASB95)
14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
IV. Implications and conclusions
A. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (NASB95)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer;
7 and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.
B. John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7
John 14:16 (NASB95)
16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:26 (NASB95)
26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
John 15:26 (NASB95)
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
John 16:7 (NASB95)
7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
C. 1 John 2:1
1 John 2:1 (NASB95)
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;
D. Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB95)
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
E. Day By Day
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for! fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.