The Book of 1 Thessalonians

Introduction

fascination with doomsday and end of the world things:

in movies - Avengers series, 2012, Mad Max - post nuclear world, World War Z

in TV shows - walking dead

in video games - The Last of Us,

in automobiles - Tesla - built some of their cars with a “bio-defense” mode to fight against extreme pollution and nuclear fall out.

in Christian books - Left Behind series, countless books of end-times prophecies

Many people equate the end of the world as we know it with the return of Christ.

For the people of Thessalonica, the Jesus return was on the forefront of their minds.

Background

Acts 17:1-9; 1 Thes. 3:1-2, 5, 6.

The city of Thessalonica served as the capital of Macedonia. With a population was around 100,000 people in the first century, the city itself was very important for political and economic reasons.

The church at Thessalonica was started around 50AD by Paul and Silas. They had just left some fruitful ministry in Philippi - in spite of being imprisoned. When they came to Thessalonica, Paul taught in the synagogue for about three weeks. A great number of people came to faith - both Jews and Greeks, men and women. So many people began following Jesus there that it caused a stir. Paul and Silas were imprisoned and then forced to leave town.

The fruitful beginning and abrupt departure left this church with little by way of a foundation. It seems that a few weeks or months later, Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to help to establish the church more fully. Several months later, Timothy joined Paul in Corinth with the report of how the Thessalonians were doing. His report is what prompted this letter.

The guys at the Bible Project have done a beautiful job illustrating and outlining the book in two large sections, bracketed by three prayers.

Thanksgiving Prayer - 1 Thes. 1:1-5

A Celebration of Faithfulness - 1 Thes. 1-3

Prayer for Endurance - 1 Thes. 3:11-13

in many ways - this prayer becomes sort of an outline of the next section of the book as Paul prays that they would grow in love, holiness and hope.

A Challenge to Grow - 1 Thes. 4-5

Prayer of Hope - 1 Thes. 5:23-26

As we consider the book today, we are going to think about how to live out what Paul is writing to them.

As I mentioned, one of the things that on the forefront of the minds of the Thessalonian believers was the return of Christ. So as we begin to think about how we should live, we have to wrestle with Paul’s charge to the Thessalonians to...

Live with Jesus’ return in mind

1 Thes. 1:10; 2:19–20; 3:13; 4:13–18; 5:1–11, 23–24

As you read through the book of 1 Thessalonians - you’ll notice that Paul references the return of Christ in every chapter of the book (you’ll find the references in your handout). Sometimes, he does it very subtly (1 Thes. 1:10; 2:19-20; 3:13; 5:23-24). At other times he directly addresses the issue of Christ’s return (1 Thes. 4:13-18; 5:1-11).

It seems that one of the challenges that the church in Thessalonica was facing was a belief in the imminent return of Christ - expecting that he would be returning any day. As a result - some of the believers were worried that those who had died would have missed the opportunity to be with Christ forever. As a result, Paul directly addresses their concern.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This is an interesting and strange picture, but also a source of hope for believers. Remember last week, we discussed Jesus’ comments that he is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). Here, Paul seems to be explaining that a bit more fully as he talks about the return of Christ and the resurrection of the dead.

There is an interesting word that Paul uses for the saints who will “meet” Jesus in the clouds. The Greek word that is used there is often used to refer to a delegation of people who will go out of a town to meet a dignitary who is coming into town - almost like a welcoming party. This word is used three other times in the NT and always refers to a group who will go out to meet someone and then join with that person in coming to the destination. For example, Jesus uses the term in the parable of the 10 virgins who go out to meet the groom, and then accompany him to the feast (Mt. 25).

After assuaging their fears about Christians who have died, Paul addresses another concern about the date. Because some of the Thessalonians believed that Jesus was coming imminently, it appears that they stopped working in order to be ready. We’ll see this more next week in 2 Thessalonians. Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians is that the date of Christ’s return is unknown - it will come like a thief in the night - and so he urges them to be watchful and awake (1 Thes. 5:1-11).

We could easily begin to dive into all sorts of theories of eschatology - or end times events - whether this meeting Christ in the clouds is a rapture and if it’s before, during or after the tribulation. Paul’s purpose in talking about the return of Christ is so that they will be aware that he is coming. He’s not concerned with the other details right here.

In comparing this with other parts of Scripture - it’s unclear as to when exactly this will take place - and so speculation would only be a distraction at this point. The thing that we need to keep in mind is that Jesus will return. We get to find hope and encouragement in that!

Because of the fact that Christ will return, we get to live today in that hope - whether the times in which we live are peaceful and full of persecution.

In fact, persecution was a major factor in the founding and the on-going life of the church at Thessalonica. Many people were against the burgeoning faith of the believers there. Paul had to leave because of the persecution. As a result, some people accused Paul of peddling the faith for a quick buck. So, in the first three chapters of the letter, we see a great deal of autobiographical information about Paul and his actions and the reasons he did what he did. Mark Dever, in his sermon on this book, distilled Paul’s comments in these three chapters into “seven signs of genuine ministry.” (Dever, 306-308). Let’s consider these as we reflect on...

Paul’s example in ministry (1 Thes. 1-3)

(The verses and themes are derived from Dever’s analysis).

At various times in our lives, God will call us to ministry. Sometimes that ministry is formal, such as an elder or deacon, teacher, worship leader, usher, missionary, etc. At other times, that ministry is more informal - helping a neighbor, showing hospitality, visiting the sick or those in prison. Still other times, that ministry is natural as a mother, father, grandparent or even a friend. Whatever the form that ministry takes, as Paul describes and defends the nature of his ministry among the Thessalonians, he provides an example for us to consider in the ministry opportunities that God places before us. One thing we notice is that we must have a...

Willingness to suffer and sacrifice - 1 Thes 2:1-2; 2:13-14; 2:3-6; 2:9 - Throughout Paul’s ministry, he experienced opposition and persecution. There are some Christians who suffer because of how they go about proclaiming the Good News, but generally, we are called to suffer because the message of the Gospel, while it is full of hope and life, is a threat to the conventions of this world. Paul experienced suffering from religious groups, civil groups, and was even rejected by his family. In these passages, he talks about some of the suffering he has endured and the suffering that the Thessalonians have encountered. Another sign of genuine ministry that we see is...

Motherly Care - 1 Thes. 2:7-8 - Paul demonstrated a tender care for the Thessalonians - much like the nurturing care a mother gives to a child. In the ministries that God calls us to, I believe we also should demonstrate that same kind of care and tenderness. Sure, there will be times when discipline is needed, but ministry also needs nurturing - something mothers seem to know very well. Paul also discusses how he showed...

Fatherly encouragement - 1 Thes. 2:10-12 - In the short time that Paul got to be with the Thessalonians, he and Silas were careful to exhort, encourage, and challenge the believers there personally. He talks about doing this to “each one.” If you have siblings, have you ever noticed how different you and your siblings are? You have different personalities, different talents, different strengths and weaknesses. A good father will recognize those differences and seek to adapt the lessons that need to be learned appropriately to each child. In our ministry, while there is a general movement toward holiness, we have to recognize that each person we minister to will progress toward holiness differently. I believe learning how to encourage, exhort, and challenge this way can truly only be done by the guidance of the Spirit. As Paul describes and defends his ministry, he reflects on a...

Thirst for togetherness - 1 Thes. 2:17; 2:18; 3:6, 10-11; 3:1-5 - Time and again, Paul longs to be in fellowship with the Thessalonians - and frankly the other churches. There is something beautiful, godly, and profound about fellowship; about being together. This pandemic has helped some of us to recognize that as we experience the absence of true fellowship.

Calm delight (joy) - (1 Thes. 2:19-20; 3:7-10 ) - Paul sees the Thessalonians as a source of joy or calm delight. As we minister to others, seeing them mature and grow is a beautiful and profound experience. In spite of the challenges they may face, there is a joy that we can experience knowing that God is at work in them. Paul seems to find joy in the fact that in the return of Christ, the Thessalonians will be ready. Another element of Paul’s ministry is...

Thankfulness in prayer - 1 Thes. 1:2-3; 2:13 - Throughout his letters, he talks frequently about being thankful for the people to whom he is writing. In spite of the short time that he had with them, Paul expressed gratitude for how they received the word and began to imitate him. Finally, one of the “signs of genuine ministry” that Dever sees in Paul’s letter here is...

Persistent hope - 1 Thes. 2:12; 2:19; 3:13 - Paul exhibits a hope in the coming of Jesus which is seen in the life of holiness that the Thessalonians demonstrate in the present.

Paul looked back on how he acted toward the Thessalonians and provided an example for us as we have opportunities to minister. In the final two chapters of this letter, Paul paints a picture of...

Life as Christians (1 Thes. 4-5)

There should be something drastically different between how we live now verses how we lived before. For the first century Thessalonians, their lives before coming to Christ would have been filled with selfishness, pleasure seeking, idolatry, and more. Just as he discerned several signs of genuine ministry, Dever notes several signs that should mark the Christian life. (quoted lines are direct quotes from Dever’s sermon)

Live for God’s pleasure - 1 Thes. 4:1-2 - In these first two points, Paul seems to be encouraging us to get our actions and habits in the right place - to live a life that is pleasing to God and not for our pleasure alone. That’s not to say that we can’t enjoy things in this life - but that in our enjoyment of things here, we should enjoy them in line with God’s pleasure.

Live a sexually holy life - 1 Thes. 4:3-8 - Dever writes that, “Sexual promiscuity was even more accepted and practiced in the ancient pagan world than in our own world today.” One of the clearest ways that we demonstrate living for God’s pleasure is in relation to sex. This means that we should honor God by the way that we honor our bodies and other people’s bodies. A sexually holy life is one the enjoys sex inside the covenant relationship of marriage - between a husband and wife - everything else is unholy. (Bible Project podcast - distortion of life as God intended because of the fall - seen most clearly though our money and sex - as people indwelt by God’s Spirit - we walk around like little temples - living for God’s pleasure means that we will enjoy the pleasures of this world His way - when it comes to sex - inside of marriage.)

Live a life of unconditional brotherly love - 1 Thes. 4:9-10 - Paul does something very interesting here. He essentially combines two different words for love. “Now concerning “philadelphia” or brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to “agape” or “unconditionally love” one another...” - he is essentially encouraging them to have a dearness and a deep affection for one another in the church. Imagine what it might have been like for a pagan Roman to come to faith - along with a devout Jew - they are approaching Christ and one another from completely different positions - and yet now they are one. Where once they might have hated each other, now they get to lay aside their differences and love one another. I don’t think this was as big for them as it was for the Galatians or Ephesians - but it is still important - our unity in Christ should be seen in our love for one other - ethnicity/race, politics, economic status, personality, talents - all take a back seat to unconditional brotherly love.

Live an honorable life - 1 Thes. 4:11-12 - For those of us who are introverts, this kind of exhortation from Paul is a celebration. Some translations say… “so that you may win the respect of outsiders....” There is a charge here for independence, for doing our work, providing for our needs, but also in order to have a sense of witness. I think Paul gives this charge to the Thessalonians because some of them didn’t want to work - they wanted simply to wait for the return of Christ.

“Live a life awake to God"- 1 Thes. 5:1-10 - There is a false sense of security that we can find ourselves relying on when we look too closely and depend too much on the resources and conditions of this world. In Verse 3, Paul seems to be quoting a statement that may have been a message of political propaganda - and yet Paul urges the believers to be awake to how God is moving. Don’t be drunk in order to be numb to this world, and don’t metaphorically sleep - blocking out the circumstances around us. Pray for a wakefulness from God. Pray that we would see with Spiritual eyes all that God is doing and rest in the hope that we have for the return of Christ.

“Live an encouraging life” - 1 Thes. 5:11-15 - in word and in deed. (read 11) Amidst all of the challenges and trials of the last year - one common phrase that I have heard among Christians is that God is sovereign, He is at work, he has a grander plan - even this too shall pass. As we encourage one another with the truths of God’s word regarding the future hope we have in Christ, we also get to live this out in the ways that we do good to one another.

Live a life oriented around God - 1 Thes. 5:16-18 - Right on the heals of living an encouraging life, Paul seems to encourage us to orient our lives around God - rejoicing always, praying continually, giving thanks to God in all circumstances. Having our lives centered on God anchors us to the author of all live - the ruler of all things. (Story of Tim and his challenges with a previous church - all the things God taught him there and how grateful he was that things did not work out the way he initially hoped.)

Live a life of discernment - 1 Thes. 5:19-22 - Paul urges them to “test everything” - to examine or discern. This is sometimes very difficult. The Spirit is our guide and comfort in this. He can illuminate our understanding of situations and times. We can’t simply get caught up in the every wave of new thinking or culturally dictated point of view.

These eight marks of a genuine Christian life should identify us. I realize it’s a lot to take in. Let me encourage you this week to take your notes and to meditate on the scriptures related to each mark. Maybe even ponder one or two each day - thinking through how you might put this into practice.

Conclusion

I realize that this message is filled with a lot of detailed elements - things that can easily get us weighed down by the number and quantity - sort of like the “to do” list that is too long. As we close, I want to bring your attention one other common thread in the book.

Paul seems to bookend the letter with the “triad” of Faith Hope and Love.

In his opening prayer, Paul says...

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Near the end of his letter he writes...

1 Thessalonians 5:8 ESV

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Throughout the letter, these three elements have cropped up as a persistent theme - as a common thread. The memory verse for this week has strains of these themes of faith love and hope - even though it does not contain all of those words.

1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 ESV

and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Beloved - Stand firm in your Faith - knowing that God has called you out of sin and into a relationship with him. Be steadfast in your love - for God and for one another. Live in the expectation of the hope that is to come in the return of Jesus Christ.

Let’s pray

Memory Verse: 1 Thes. 3:12-13

Benediction:

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

References:

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/1-thessalonians

Cairns, Alan. Dictionary of Theological Terms. Belfast; Greenville, SC: Ambassador Emerald International, 2002.

Crossway Bibles. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008.

deSilva, David Arthur. An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004.

Evans, William, and S. Maxwell Coder. The Great Doctrines of the Bible. Enl. ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1974.

Dever, Mark the Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept, Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005

Gromacki, Robert G. New Testament Survey. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1974.