1 Thessalonians 5

1 Thessalonians 5:1–28 (NLT)

1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you.

People often ask why we spend so much time studying prophecy.

1] one-third of the Bible is prophetic, so we will inevitably encounter a great deal of prophecy as we journey through the Word.

2] we study prophecy because the present times and seasons point to the coming of Christ.

2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.

i. It does not refer to a single day, but to a season when God rapidly advances His agenda to the end of the age. The day of the Lord “Is a familiar Old Testament expression. It denotes the day when God intervenes in history to judge His enemies, deliver His people, and establish His kingdom.”

ii. Paul certainly was not one to set dates in regard to prophecy, and Jesus forbade setting dates when He said of that day and hour no one knows (Matthew 24:36). God wants this day to be unexpected, but He wants His people to be prepared for the unexpected.

3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

i. Again, we are impressed that Paul was with the Thessalonians only for a few weeks (Acts 17:2). In that time, he taught them about the prophetic times and seasons regarding the return of Jesus. Paul would be surprised that some people today consider the return of Jesus an unimportant teaching.

ii. Jesus criticized the religious leaders of His day because they could not discern the signs of the times ( Matthew 16:1–3). We should also study the Scriptures, and look to the world around us, so we can be aware of the times and the seasons.

4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.

5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

ii. In some respect, the coming of Jesus will be a surprise for everybody, because no one knows the day or the hour ( Matthew 24:36). But for Christians who know the times and the seasons, it will not be a complete surprise. No one knows the exact hour a thief will come, but some live in a general preparation against thieves. Those who are not in darkness, who live as they are all sons of light and sons of the day, these are ready for the return of Jesus.

iii. But if we are in darkness—perhaps caught up in some of the sin Paul warned against previously in this letter—then we are not ready, and need to make ourselves ready for the return of Jesus

6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded

i. Not sleep: Paul used a different word here than for the sleep of death mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:13. “The word sleep is here used metaphorically to denote indifference to spiritual realities on the part of believers. It is a different word than that in 4:13–15 for the sleep of death. It covers all sorts of moral and spiritual laxity or insensibility.” (Hiebert)

ii. Sleep speaks of so much that belongs to the world (the others), but should not belong to Christians:

• Sleep speaks of ignorance

• Sleep speaks of insensibility

• Sleep speaks of no defense

• Sleep speaks of inactivity

iii. In a sermon on this text titled, Awake! Awake! Spurgeon showed the folly and tragedy of the sleeping Christian with three powerful pictures:

• A city suffers under the plague, with an official walking the streets crying out, “Bring out the dead! Bring out the dead!” All the while, a doctor with the cure in his pocket sleeps.

• A passenger ship reels under a storm and is about to crash on the rocks, bringing near-certain death to the hundreds of passengers—all the while, the captain sleeps.

• A prisoner in his cell is about ready to be led to execution; his heart is terrified at the thought of hanging from his neck, terrified of death, and of what awaits him after death. All the while, a man with a letter of pardon for the condemned man sits in another room—and sleeps.

The unbelievers are in the dark concerning the Lord’s return, The Day of The Lord , or the rapture.

Believers, on the other hand, should know what their Bibles’ say.

Be alert and on guard, says Paul, that the Lord is coming soon

.

7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.

8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

c. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation: Paul used the images of a soldier’s armor to illustrate the idea of watchfulness. A soldier is a good example of someone who must watch and be sober, and he is equipped to do that with his armor.

i. When one compares this description of spiritual armor with that found in Ephesians 6, there is not an exact correlation. This indicates that Paul saw the idea of spiritual armor as a helpful picture, not something rigid in its particular details.

ii. Faith and love are represented by the breastplate because the breastplate covers the vital organs. No solider would ever go to battle without his breastplate, and no Christian is equipped to live the Christian life without faith and love.

iii. The hope of salvation is represented as a helmet, because the helmet protects the head, which is just as essential as the breastplate. Hope isn’t used in the sense of wishful thinking, but in the sense of a confident expectation of God’s hand in the future.

Where do we get faith?

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

The only way we will be strong in faith is to stay in the Word.

Ephesians 6:13–17 (NLT)

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.

14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

If you put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope and salvation,

you will constantly live in the hope that the Lord is coming soon.

9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.

10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

Paul says, “God has not pouring His anger on us” Why? Because we’re so cool? Because we’re so good?

No. The wrath that should have come down on humans was poured out on Jesus Christ when He took our place on the Cross.

Consequently, we are not ordained for the wrath of the Lamb, but for His marvelous, glorious work of salvation.

1 Peter 1:18–19 (NLT)

18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value.

19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

As Paul begins to close his first letter to the Thessalonians, he does so with a series of practical exhortations intended to refine their walk.

1 Thessalonians (5. Our Privilege: Comfort One Another [11])

5. Our privilege: comfort one another (11)

a. Therefore comfort each other: Paul again tells us not to take comfort, but to give comfort. If all Christians have a heart to comfort each other, then all will be comforted.

b. And edify one another: To edify means to build up. When we have our first interest in building up other Christians, then God will edify us. The idea is of a church full of active participants, not passive spectators.

i. “It is clear that in the primitive churches the care of souls was not delegated to an individual officer, or even the more gifted brethren among them; it was a work in which every believer might have a share.” (Hiebert)

c. Just as you also are doing: It wasn’t that there was no comfort among the Thessalonians, or as if no one was edified. But they had to continue to comfort others, and to do it more and more.

12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.

13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

We are to think highly of those who are called to instruct, admonish, or challenge us in the Name of the Lord—not because of their personalities, but because of their position; not because of who they are, but because of the invaluable work they do.

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

The four injunctions Paul gives provide a wonderful picture of true ministry:

1] Clearly warn those whose behavior is out of line with the way of the Lord.

2] Comfort those who have a hard time understanding the will of the Lord.

3] Support those who are weak in the Lord.

4] Show patience to all—even to those who don’t know the Lord.

15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

Don’t be evil. Follow that which is good, both to those within the Christian community, and those without.

16 Always be joyful.

17 Never stop praying.

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

What is God’s will? Paul succinctly defines it as praying without ceasing, giving thanks in everything and rejoicing forevermore.

19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

20 Do not scoff at prophecies,

Some scoff at the gift of tongues or words of wisdom. They do so to their own spiritual poverty because those who fail to acknowledge the manifestations of the Spirit actually quench His presence in their own lives.

21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

If you want to be used by the Lord, you must deal with the issue of appearances. You might be innocent, but if anything you’re doing even appears evil, it can compromise your usefulness.

23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

The idea behind the word sanctify is “to set apart”—to make something different and distinct, breaking old associations and forming a new association. For example, a dress is a dress; but a wedding dress is sanctified—set apart for a special, glorious purpose. God wants us to be set apart to Him.

24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.

27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.

28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 5

“I pray for you,” writes Paul, “and I know God will see you through because He is faithful.”