1 Thessalonians

The epistle to the Thessalonians.

1. Faithful Witnesses

3: faith hope and love are not just states of the soul but qualities of the kind of work that we are doing in the world.

8: A single congregation can spread the gospel to an entire country.

9-10: Conversion is this: turning away from idols, serving the living God, and awaiting his Son to save you from wrath.

Was Paul envisioning a particular political wrath or the cosmic judgment?

2. Paul’s Ministry

2: the boldness to declare the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict - needed to this very day.

4: How does God test our hearts?

6: No need to seek glory from men even if it is owed.

7-8: Love and closeness of a teacher who truly cares.

Instead of lusting and coveting after the lives of others, we must desire them in Christ, that is, to yearn to see them become immortal and be our possession insofar as they are Christ's, a far better possessiveness than that of simply wishing to have what they have in goods or status.

9-12: Holy and righteous and blameless conduct. That is what teachers must hold to.

Walk in a manner worthy of God. That is of more importance than theological speculation.

Teachers exhort and encourage believers to grasp the kingdom and glory of God through right living.

13: We believe in the gospel not just as the words of men but as God's declaration to the world.

14: Jews persecuted the Christian in Judea; pagans persecuted the Christians in Thessalonica.

15-16: The religious authorities killed Jesus, killed the prophets, and conspire to prevent salvation of the nations.

What wrath came upon them at this time?

18: 'Satan hindered us' - does this refer to the Jewish scribes again?

19-20: Our glory in this life as Christians is the work we put in, the work of faith and hope and love, to bring honor and glory to our fellow believers, and to enjoy what God is doing in their lives and spirits.

3. Encouragement

10: What does it mean to 'supply what is lacking in their faith?'

13: at the coming of the Lord WITH all his saints?

4. Living to Please God

1-8: Sexual purity is the explicit requirement of Christ to his people. Anyone saying otherwise is not teaching what Christ taught.

God gives us his holy spirit for us to walk in a pure way and not wrong each other with weird sexual stuff and covetousness.

What does it mean that the Lord is an avenger?

Sexual impurity has severe consequences.

9-12: Our love should grow so that it fills our whole region. Christians must do better at loving the brotherhood of Christians in their whole area.

Beyond that, we should pursue our liberty in peace and quiet.

14: 'through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.' Multiple ways this could be interpreted.

15: Huh?

16-18: The rapture... when did Paul think this was going to happen? Presumably soon.

5. The Day of the Lord

1-3: There is no telling when the Day of the Lord comes.

Is Paul talking about one specific rapture or one specific day of judgment to come upon the Pharisees (such 70 AD), or the end of all things?

Destruction comes upon them suddenly.

12-19: Right living - peace, patience, encouragement, thankfulness, rejoicing.

20-21: Do not despise prophecies? What does Paul have in mind here?

23-24: We must long for the sanctification and holiness that God provides so that we can blameless whenever Christ delivers judgment.

26: Greet the brothers with a holy kiss!