Table of Contents
Introduction
A Reason For Thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 1)
1)Background
2)Reason For Thankfulness (1:1-5)
Response to the Gospel (1:4-5)
Evidence of That Response (1:2-3)
3)Imitators But Not Imitations (1:6-10)
They Imitated Paul
They Imitated Christ
They Were a Model For Others
4)Principle
Only by the power of the Holy Spirit is a life of faith made possible.
5)Applications
How well is your faith, hope, and love known outside your Christian circles?
When was the last time you thanked God for the evidence of faith you witnessed in another believer?
When was the last time you told someone you were thankful for that evidence?
A Motive of Selfless Giving (1 Thessalonians 2-3)
1)Paul's Motive For Ministry (2:1-8)
The Context – Suffering, Shame, and Conflict (2:1-2)
To Please God (2:3-4)
An Illustration (2:5-8)
No Flattery, Greed, or Glory (2:5-6)
Love, Affection, and Sacrifice (2:7-8)
2)Their Response to the Word (2:13-16)
A Work of the Spirit (2:13)
It Endures, Even Under Opposition (2:14-16)
Illustration
3)Paul's Desire for Their Perseverance in Affliction (2:17-3:5)
4)Timothy's Encouraging Report (3:6-13)
His Prayer (3:11-13)
5)Principle
Christians are to commit themselves to the needs of others.
6)Applications
What's your motivation in your work for the Lord?
What has God given you that He expects you to pass on to others? Hope? Encouragement? Warning? Understanding?
How comfortable are you with other believers following your Christian example?
A Life of Holy Living (1 Thessalonians 4-5)
1)Please God More and More (4:1-12)
Don'ts (4:3-8)
Do's (4:9-12)
2)The Hope of the Believer: Christ's Return (4:13-18)
3)The Day of the Lord (5:1-11)
4)Finally (5:12-22)
5)Benediction and Final Greetings (5:23-28)
6)Principle
Jesus will return as Savior to the righteous but judge of the unrighteous.
7)Applications
What don'ts do you need to stop doing?
What do's do you need to keep doing (more and more)?
Are you ready for Christ's return or will you be one of the many who will be surprised?
Conclusion
Introduction
360 reviews (you had to be there ;)
A Reason For Thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 1)
1)Background
Paul had been in Thessalonica right after they left Philippi (remember the jail incident)
They reasoned in the synagogue and saw some Jews, many devout Gentiles, and not a few leading women come to faith in Jesus Christ.
They could not have been with them more than a couple months when they were attacked by the Jews and some rabble they stirred up.
And Jason and some others had to post some security money to ensure the believers would not be causing any trouble.
At this point, the brothers sent Paul and his companions on their way.
2)Reason For Thankfulness (1:1-5)
Response to the Gospel (1:4-5)
Paul could honestly say that he knew these believers were God's chosen because of the evidence.
It was not merely words that they concurred with, but it was the Gospel accompanied by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit is the one that takes the word of truth and applies, with conviction, to the heart of the sinner. And with that conviction comes conversion and repentance.
Evidence of That Response (1:2-3)
Paul was thankful for the faith, hope, and love of the Thessalonian believers.
This is a triad Paul often mentions (note: 1 Corinthians 13) many times in his letters.
Here he introduces them and will repeatedly mention them throughout the remainder of the letter.
3)Imitators But Not Imitations (1:6-10)
They Imitated Paul
They Imitated Christ
They Were a Model For Others
4)Principle
Only by the power of the Holy Spirit is a life of faith made possible.
5)Applications
How well is your faith, hope, and love known outside your Christian circles?
When was the last time you thanked God for the evidence of faith you witnessed in another believer?
When was the last time you told someone you were thankful for that evidence?
A Motive of Selfless Giving (1 Thessalonians 2-3)
Advancement. Become great. Climb the ladder. Be successful. You name it, these are common temporal pursuits we find ourselves caught up in. In some way, we equate the success or greatness of a person in proportion to such categories as these.
Jesus wants all believers to strive to be the greatest in his kingdom. However, in God's economy, greatness equates to becoming a servant of all. Of giving one's self for the sake of others.
1)Paul's Motive For Ministry (2:1-8)
The Context – Suffering, Shame, and Conflict (2:1-2)
After what Paul and Silas had been through in Philippi, the natural thing to do would be to tone things down, get some rest, reevaluate you strategy.
But that's not at all what we find:
1 Thessalonians 2:2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
To Please God (2:3-4)
Nor error, nor impurity, nor deception (vs 3)
Approved by God.
Entrusted with the Gospel.
To please God.
Hearts tested by God.
It's all about God and not what men think about us.
Our message may be received or rejected but that does not change our message or purpose – it's still all about God.
An Illustration (2:5-8)
Paul reminds them of how they did come in order to illustration the truth of what he just told them.
No Flattery, Greed, or Glory (2:5-6)
The message was the gospel and reasoning from the Scriptures. They were not interested in tickling their ears.
They worked night and day, so greed was not why they were there – obviously!
They were not seeking acceptance by men, like the Jews who drove them out, they only cared about doing the will of God.
Love, Affection, and Sacrifice (2:7-8)
What a great example of sacrifice, affection, and love – a mother nursing her baby.
Sometimes the baby is unreasonable and seems to cry for nothing. But a loving mother will try to calm the little one and provide whatever he needs.
In fact, a mother gives and gives without expecting anything in return. Mothering is a job of self-sacrifice for the needs of the baby.
And that is just what Paul, Silas, and Timothy lived out with these Thessalonian believers. They didn't want to be a burden, they gave of themselves, and shared their lives for the sake of this church.
He expands on this idea of giving themselves in verses 9-12, though we don't have time to delve into them now.
2)Their Response to the Word (2:13-16)
Paul was also thankful for the spirit in which the Thessalonians received the word of God.
A Work of the Spirit (2:13)
The word of God often comes through human vessels, Paul, but it is really only by a work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the hearer that makes it effective.
And Paul is thankful to God that they received it, accepted it, and were affected by it.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
It Endures, Even Under Opposition (2:14-16)
Just like the churches in Judea, the Thessalonians were facing the same type of persecution from the Jews as well as others who hate God and His word.
This opposition was one of the main concerns Paul had for these new believers. He had told them to expect it, but he also wanted to be there to encourage them while they endured it.
Illustration
There's something comforting about going through a difficult time and having someone else who has gone through the same issue come alongside you.
[Illustration from my life]
Paul was not sharing some theoretical understanding of endurance under suffering. He ha and abundance of first hand knowledge about the difficulties they were facing.
3)Paul's Desire for Their Perseverance in Affliction (2:17-3:5)
Paul had come to them in persecution, he had lived with them and then was driven away by persecution. As he says in 2:17, ...we were torn away from you...
Paul makes it clear that though they were torn away in person, their hearts were still with them. And you can see that is the case in every way throughout this letter: prayer continuously, thankful for them, longing to see them, concerned about them, etc.
Apparently he had tried again and again, but was prohibited from returning to Thessalonica. And so, when he could bear it [the separation and concern for them] no longer, they waited in Athens and sent Timothy back to them in order to establish them (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
His primary concern for them was that none fall away.
He wanted the roots to go deep, so to speak, so that they would be able to endure what the enemy had to throw at them.
4)Timothy's Encouraging Report (3:6-13)
When you have a wayward child who you pray for again and again, never seeming to desire to come to the Lord, but then one day you see that child (maybe as a young adult) come to faith in Christ – what a joy that is. Your concern for their soul during those years of rebellion, turns to rejoicing for their salvation.
Well, Paul had more than a casual concern for the Thessalonian believers even though he had only been with them a few months at the most. He was concerned for their souls and he was well aware of the deceitfulness of the deceiver.
So when Timothy returned with the news of how things were, Paul was ecstatic. This was the primary reason for the letter, to encourage them based upon what he had witnessed and from the report he had received. He wanted to address any of the concerns they might have now that he knew of their steadfast faith and love in the Lord.
The words Paul uses in 6-13 show the depth of his relief and concern over their spiritual condition:
Vs 6-7 – because of their faith and love and desire to see Paul, he is comforted in spite of distress and affliction
Vs 8 – we live because you are standing fast in the Lord
Vs 9 – joy and thanksgiving to God because of their faith
His Prayer (3:11-13)
To be reunited with them (Acts 20 this happens)
Increase in love (abound)
Holy living now in anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus when we will be glorified.
5)Principle
Christians are to commit themselves to the needs of others.
6)Applications
What's your motivation in your work for the Lord?
God sees the motive of the heart – (2:4-5 – God tests the heart; God is witness)
What has God given you that He expects you to pass on to others? Hope? Encouragement? Warning? Understanding?
How comfortable are you with other believers following your Christian example?
A Life of Holy Living (1 Thessalonians 4-5)
Have you ever noticed that often, after a spiritual high point in life, you are most susceptible to fall into temptation and sin? There's something encouraging about encouragement, but there's also a tendency, in the fallen human nature, to take credit for something that God has done. To allow pride to creep in and corrupt the fruit of the Spirit in one's life.
It's always good to be reminded of those areas in life that pose the greatest weakness. Due to the lifestyle these Greeks had lived, Paul wants to remind them of the snares that lie ahead. If persecution won't bring them down, certainly lifestyle patterns from the past might cause them to stumble.
1)Please God More and More (4:1-12)
Two times, in these 12 verses, Paul mentions “more and more”, thus indicating that the Christian life is not a plateau we aspire to, but a continual progression and growth until life ends or Christ returns.
Don'ts (4:3-8)
Much of what Paul addresses here in these verses are practices that would have been very common occurrence in their former pagan worship. And so Paul reminds them of what he had already told them before.
Note: he had told them to abstain from these practices, not as a means of becoming right with God, but because of their right relationship with God through faith.
He deals with not only the outward practices of sexual immorality, but with the inward motivation, such as lust. He calls for control of one's own body.
The motivation behind this is that they now belong to God and so they need to live like that is true.
Vs 7 – For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
Vs 8 – to disregard this is disregarding God himself, not man. (It isn't Paul's desire that counts, but it is God's)
Do's (4:9-12)
Love one another – this is natural for the believer; but over time, it can wain – it should increase
Live quietly – an ordinary life, not making trouble, but living as an upstanding citizen on earth (who is really a citizen of God's kingdom)
Mind your own affairs – don't be a meddler; don't get involved in things that you have no business getting involved in; be led by God, not culture
Work with your hands – Paul is not saying that all believers must become manual laborers, he is just saying that we should work. The tendency in some eras is that people get so focused on eternity, they don't do a good job in this short life. (Don't pack your bags for the Misty Mountains...Oh, oh, oh...)
All of this so that outsiders (unbelievers) have nothing they can accuse you of. And so that you are not needing to be dependent on others to support you.
2)The Hope of the Believer: Christ's Return (4:13-18)
Contrary to many popular views, this teaching of the return of Christ does not necessitate a separation of the resurrection of believers and unbelievers.
Paul is merely addressing a concern of the believers regarding their believing loved ones who have died. There concern is that the Lord will return and they will miss it. Or that they will never have fellowship with them again.
But Paul teaches them that our grieving, though very real, is not a hopeless situation, but one of great hope.
Since Jesus died and rose again, he is our exemplar. It is through Jesus that God will bring (along with us) those who are dead.
In fact, they will precede us, then we will all be caught up with the Lord.
From that point on, there will be no more separation – we will always be with the Lord.
We are to encourage each other with these words just as Paul told the Thessalonians to encourage one another.
3)The Day of the Lord (5:1-11)
The Lord's return is imminent – it can happen at any time. There is nothing that must first take place. He could come tonight.
5:2 – Paul says it will be like a thief in the night. In other words, nobody has an appointment with a thief, he comes when he wants: when you're not expecting him.
The return of Christ will be like this. The world will think everything is peaceful and secure. Life is going to go on like this forever.
But little do they know the destruction that awaits. There will be no escape.
This is a warning regarding the urgency of the gospel message. Take every opportunity to share the Gospel with your lost friends, family, and co-workers. There will be no chance once the Day of the Lord arrives.
Notice how Paul uses this language of darkness and light:
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
This is similar to John's writing in 1 John:
1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Those of us who have had the light of the gospel shed abroad in our hearts ought not get caught up in the cultural norms of walking any way we please.
We are children of light, and we are anticipating the coming of Christ in power. Our lives ought to reflect that anticipation.
You see, wrath awaits the unrighteous. God leaves no sin unjudged.
But those who belong to God are righteous, not because of the way they live, but because of a foreign righteousness. The One who bore our wrath also gives us his righteousness.
Therefore, we should seek to honor him and live the reality of who we are in a dark and dying world.
4)Finally (5:12-22)
Respect and love the elders (vss 12,13)
Live in peace with each other (vs 13)
Admonish the idle (vs 14)
Encourage the faint-hearted
Help the weak
Be patient with them all
Don't repay evil with evil
Seek to do good to all
Rejoice always
Pray continually
Give thanks in all circumstances
Don't quench the Spirit
Don't despise prophecies
Test everything and hold fast to the good
Abstain from evil
This would be a great list of items to keep on hand.
5)Benediction and Final Greetings (5:23-28)
6)Principle
Jesus will return as Savior to the righteous but judge of the unrighteous.
7)Applications
What don'ts do you need to stop doing?
What do's do you need to keep doing (more and more)?
Are you ready for Christ's return or will you be one of the many who will be surprised?
Conclusion
Who, on your 360-list do you need encourage? Admonish?
The final review is near: the day when we are all retired from service. Let's be ready!
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