1 Thessalonians

How would you define hope?

1. a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

The school system in a large city had a program to help children keep up with their school work during stays in the city's hospitals. One day a teacher who was assigned to the program received a routine call asking her to visit a particular child. She took the child's name and room number and talked briefly with the child's regular class teacher. "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now," the regular teacher said, "and I'd be grateful if you could help him understand them so he doesn't fall too far behind."

The hospital program teacher went to see the boy that afternoon. No one had mentioned to her that the boy had been badly burned and was in great pain. Upset at the sight of the boy, she stammered as she told him, "I've been sent by your school to help you with nouns and adverbs." When she left she felt she hadn't accomplished much.

But the next day, a nurse asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" The teacher felt she must have done something wrong and began to apologize. "No, no," said the nurse. "You don't know what I mean. We've been worried about that little boy, but ever since yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back, responding to treatment. It's as though he's decided to live."

Two weeks later the boy explained that he had completely given up hope until the teacher arrived. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. He expressed it this way: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a dying boy, would they?"

1 Thessalonians

Here, There, Or In The Air

Author: Paul

Date: 51 AD

Key word: Rapture

Theme: Living In Light of the Rapture

Background

The opening verse lists Paul as the primary author, along with Silvanus (Silas) and Timothy.

Paul wrote the letter from Corinth during his 18-month plus stay there in AD 50–51 (Acts 18:11). This can be dated precisely because of an archaeological inscription found at Delphi that mentions Gallio, the proconsul who heard charges against Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:12–17; compare 1 Thess 3:4).

Before writing this letter, Paul had visited the city of Thessalonica on his second missionary journey (circa AD 49–51). He started his ministry in Thessalonica by preaching in the local synagogue, leading several people to follow Jesus (Acts 17:2–4). However, a riot instigated by other Jews compelled him to leave the city (17:5–10).

It is where Paul and his coworker Silas went to the ancient Greek city of Thessalonica.

After just one month of telling people the good news about Jesus, a large number of Jewish and Greek people gave their life to Jesus. They formed the first church community there. But trouble was brewing. Paul's announcement of the risen Jesus as the true Lord of the world led to suspicion and eventually led to the accusation of the Christians defying Caesar, the Roman Emperor. Obviously, Caesar could not let this go so naturally this led to a persecution that got so intense Paul and Silas actually had to flee from the city. This was painful for them because they love the people there so much.

After Paul went south to Athens, he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check on the believers there (1 Thess 3:1–2). Later, Timothy joined Paul in Corinth and gave him an update on the Thessalonians, and Paul decided to write to them (Acts 18:5; 1 Thess 3:6).

Thessalonica was the capital of Macedonia (northern Greece), a Roman province. It was one of the major commercial centers in the area and a strategic city for Paul’s ministry. First Thessalonians and Acts suggest that most of the church there consisted of non-Jewish people (1 Thess 1:9; 2:14; Acts 17:4). During Paul’s visit and after his departure, the believers in Thessalonica experienced persecution (1 Thess 1:6; 2:14; 3:3–4). Roman emperor worship—which was popular in the city—made the residents suspicious of Christians, who claimed that Jesus was a king (Acts 17:7). In response to this persecution, Paul encourages the Thessalonians to continue in the faith and to put their hope in the resurrected Christ, who suffered and died for them and who will come again (1 Thess 4:13–18).

Outline

• Paul and the Thessalonian church (1:1–3:13)

• Practical instructions and Christ’s return (4:1–5:22)

• Prayer and conclusion (5:23–28)

Themes

In the midst of great difficulties, Paul encourages the Thessalonians—noting that the message he preached, and the gospel they received, is authentic (2:13–16). The good news of Jesus could have come only from God, and they can trust it to sustain them until the very end (5:1–11). They have proven that they can endure persecution and turn away from idols (1:6, 9), and now they must continue to faithfully follow Jesus (4:1–12; 5:12–22).

Paul’s message in 1 Thessalonians is that we can trust the character of God and the truth of the gospel (1:10; 2:19–20; 5:1–11). Paul reassures believers who have died that they have not missed anything; both the living and the dead will participate in Christ’s return (4:13–18). This would have encouraged the Thessalonians to endure persecution, even to the point of death.

Since Christ will surely come again, we must live faithfully in light of this reality. Like the Thessalonians, we still grieve for those who have died. But we do not grieve like those who have no hope. Because Jesus has been raised, our resurrection is certain—and we can face any hardship with the confidence that God is with us.

When you think about how to remember the book of 1 Thessalonians it’s important to keep in mind the Rapture. The Rapture and Second Coming of Jesus are two separate and distinct events. The easiest way to remember the difference between the Rapture and Second coming is to keep in mind that in the Rapture Jesus comes FOR His church and at the Second Coming Jesus comes WITH the church.

In short the book of 1 Thessalonians was written to encourage the church to live in light of the Rapture. Believing Jesus could come for His bride at any time was then and is still now to be the motivation of how we live our lives each day.

If you knew Jesus could come at any moment you could hold on when you were being persecuted for your faith and suffering for believing in Jesus. Living in light of the Rapture we find motivation to live pure and holy lives while eagerly awaiting the return of Christ in the Rapture. Knowing Jesus is coming back and that today could be the day we find the strength to press on and to hold on to our faith in Jesus and not turn back to our old way of life.

There are significant passages in this book that relate to the rapture of the church (1 Thess 4:13-18) and the Day of the Lord (1 Thess 5:1-11).

Introduction to 1 Thessalonians

Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica to encourage believers. He is enthusiastic—both about the Thessalonians’ faith and about the way in which they have shared the good news of Jesus in their region (1 Thess 1:7–8).

New Living Translation 1 Thessalonians 1:7–8

7 As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece—throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.*

8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it,

Would it be fair to say that they were known by their fruit?

Let me take a quick detour by asking you a question. And this question is for me as much as it is for you. How are we known?

Talk about a time when you did not represent Christ in your actions.

Listen to this study:

“In 2007, the Barna Group did an extensive research project in which they asked non-Christian people why they rejected Christianity. Many Christian leaders were surprised to learn that none of the top six answers were evidential reasons. They rejected Christianity for moralistic reasons. The top three problems people had with Christianity were that it was viewed as

1. Anti homosexual (91 percent of responders)

2. Judgmental (87 percent)

3. Hypocritical (85 percent)

Modern people contend that the greatest proof that God does not exist is the behavior of Christians themselves! In short, the way Christians live and act is solid proof in their minds that what Christians believe is not true.”

How many times have we professed Jesus with our lips then walk out the door and denied Him by our lifestyle? How many times in our marriages have we done that, or with our children? I will be the first to put my hand up.

That’s a hard thought for 6 am isn’t it!

Moving on,

But Paul also addresses two pressing issues. First, he offers an explanation and a defense of his work among them. Second, he assures them that all fellow believers who have already died will be resurrected to life with Jesus (4:15–18).

New Living Translation 1 Thessalonians 4:14–18

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.* 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died* will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

And this is the theme of this book. Living In Light of the Rapture. Think of the fear they would have lived in with the persecution they faced. It’s the thing we as Christians should be most excited about. Meeting our Lord in the air to be with Him forever!

New Living Translation Luke 23:43

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

New Living Translation 2 Corinthians 5:8

8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

The Lexham English Bible 1 Thessalonians 4:14–15

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, thus also God will bring those who have fallen asleep through Jesus together with him. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain until the Lord’s coming, will not possibly precede those who have fallen asleep.

The Lexham English Bible 1 Thessalonians 5:8–9

8 But becauseb we are of the day, we must be sober, byc putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet the hope of salvation, 9 because God did not appoint us for wrath, but for the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rapture can be controversial topic in today’s denominations, but it should not distract us from the call of God on our lives. And it doesn’t change the reality of who God is and what He did on the cross. Think of this, there are three major ideas of the timing of Jesus’ return (Pre, Mid ,and Post Tribulation rapture). Let’s assume for sake of argument that the pre-tribulation rapture is true, which I believe the biblical evidence supports. Jesus comes and we live in eternity with Jesus. Now, lets, for the sake of argument assume that the mid tribulation view is correct….we live with Jesus in eternity. What if it’s a post tribulation that’s correct….you got it! It doesn’t matter in the scene of eternity. This is how people get distracted with arguing and fighting and lose sight of the commission which is to preach the gospel to the whole world!

If we can grasp that, we can appreciate what Paul is trying to stress to the church this letter is addressed to. And that applies to our lives right now. No matter what we are going through God it there for us. And we have a hope for a day when we are together with the Lord forever!

This letter charges the Thessalonians—and us—to place our confidence in Christ.

Paul closes all of these exhortations like he began, with a hopeful prayer that God would permeate their lives with his holiness that he would set them apart to be completely devoted and blameless until the return of King Jesus. First Thessalonians reminds us that, from the very beginning, following Jesus as king has produced a truly countercultural or holy way of life. This will sometimes generate suspicion and conflict among our neighbors. The response of Jesus' followers to such hostility should always be love, meeting opposition with grace and generosity.

This way of life is motivated by hope in the coming kingdom of Jesus that has already begun in his resurrection from the dead.

I will leave you with Paul’s final greeting:

1 Thessalonians 5:23–28 NLT

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. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us. Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss. I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.