1 Thessalonians Study: 1 Thessalonians 1

(1) This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God give you grace and peace.

Silas was a Judean Christian and was apparently a Roman citizen as was Paul:
- Acts 15:22, 39-40: Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders - Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas. ... Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
Timothy, of Lystra in southern Galatia, was the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father and joined the ministry team when Paul passed through his hometown during the early stages of his second missionary journey:
- Acts 16:1-3: Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek.
Church - Greek ekklesia (called out):

THEY WERE NOT formally, legally incorporated as "a church" as is so common today and met in homes - no "mother church", no building, no steeple, no church administrative and program support staff, no “church board”, no building fund, no carillon, no church bells, no "church services", no rigid "order of worship", no "mass", no priest with expensive clothes designed to distinguish himself from the peons, no "minister" with a turned-around collar, no choir, no bands, no piano, no organ, no parties, no coffee bars, no theological seminaries, no tax exemptions, no "denomination", no web site, no video broadcasts, no calls for money to maintain the building and the system - just believers in the risen Christ who came together to fellowship, worship, study and share in God's Word IN HOMES! Of course, today's "Christians" would avoid such a church today - too boring - no entertainment! They clearly understood they would be persecuted and hated and a very small minority. No, they were the ekklesia, that is, the "called-out-ones," by God separating them or calling them out of the world through the Gospel - the Good News that Messiah had come, died for their sins and was risen from the dead proving He was God incarnate. And, they along with other "churches" and the apostles were "turning the world upside down." I find it interesting how so many church organizations refer themselves as "Acts churches" or "New Testament churches", yet they do not even resemble churches during the Acts period. I'm convinced that the believers in the early church would be dumbstruck at our modern concept of church life.
There were no special buildings for worship of Christ for the first 200 years of its existence! Even then, church buildings were very rare until the time of Constantine in the 4th century.
Far too often, the person you see in "church" on Sunday morning is not the same person in real life - it's a show. I remember as a young chemist going to a business convention in Chicago with my boss, my boss' boss and the president of the company. I knew my boss' boss was an elder in his church and that the president of the company, a Quaker, was on the board of the Indianapolis Council of Churches. So, I was shocked when they wanted me to go with them (and their wives) to the Playboy Club and then to even worse places. I finally worked up the courage to say that I could not be in such places, was reprimanded, left and went for a very long walk along Lake Michigan, praying. I learned a valuable lesson that day about Christian "pretenders."
I am not advocating "house churches"; only pointing out that a "church" is not a building. Below are verses illustrating how believers met in the first century:
- Matthew 18:20: For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
- Acts 2:42-47: All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper ), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
- Acts 8:3: But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
- Acts 12:12-17: When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. He motioned for them to quiet down and told them how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what happened,” he said. And then he went to another place.
- Acts 14:23. 27-28: Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. ... Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too. And they stayed there with the believers for a long time.
- Acts 16:40: When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
- Acts 17:5: But some of the Jews were jealous, so they gathered some troublemakers from the marketplace to form a mob and start a riot. They attacked the home of Jason, searching for Paul and Silas so they could drag them out to the crowd.
- Acts 20:7: On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight.
- Acts 20:20: I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.
- Romans 16:3-5: Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 16:19: The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings.
- Colossians 4:15: Please give my greetings to our brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.
- Philemon 1:2: and to our sister Apphia, and to our fellow soldier Archippus, and to the church that meets in your house.

Thessalonica:
- Philippians 4:15-16: As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.
Lord (Greek - Kurios):
- In the NLT version of 1 Thessalonians, the word "Lord" is found 25 times in this letter and 22 times in 2 Thessalonians for a total of 47 times! Jesus Christ is described as Lord (Kurios) and this title was the common term for God among the Jews of the time. A Jew, like Paul, would never place the name of a mere mortal alongside the name of God. Josephus remarked that Greek-speaking Jews refused to call the emperor Kurios because they reserved that word for God.
- Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
- Romans 10:13: For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
- Romans 10:9: If you openly declare that JESUS IS LORD and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6: But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is ONE LORD, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.
- Philippians 2:9-11: Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
Grace and Peace:
- Whenever you read Paul using this salutation, notice that Paul always has “grace” first and “peace” second.
- Grace
  - Grace simply means to get something you DON'T DESERVE, as opposed to getting payment for something you do deserve.
  - Mercy is a similar idea, but mercy means to be forgiven of a punishment you DO DESERVE.
  - The idea is tied to something John said in 1 John 4:19: “We love each other because he loved us first.” It means that God reaches out to us in love before we respond to Him. He loved us simply because he does. There was nothing we did to deserve that love. Thus, it is grace.
  - Ephesians 2:8-10: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
- Peace:
  - Because of the grace of God’s love, we can have the peace that follows.
  - Isaiah 26:3-4: You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.
  - Isaiah 48:22: “But there is no peace for the wicked,” says the LORD.
  - Isaiah 57:21: There is no peace for the wicked,” says my God.
  - John 14:27: “I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
  - John 16:33: I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
  - Romans 5:1: Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
  - Romans 15:33: And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.
  - Philippians 4:6-7: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
(2) We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.

(3) As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Work ... loving deeds ... hope:
  - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary observes about the three factors mentioned: “The order is logical and chronological: FAITH relates to the PAST; LOVE to the PRESENT; HOPE to the FUTURE.”
  - What a contrast this was with the Ephesian church in Revelation 2:2. They too had works, labor and patient endurance, but they had lost their first love. There is no mention there of faith, love and hope, except for the loss of their first love.
  - FAITH has to do with what we believe and our trust in God for salvation
    LOVE has to do with living the Christian life day in and day out
    HOPE has to do with what we look forward to when Jesus returns.
- Hope: For Paul during the Acts period, the word “hope” stood for the expectation of the soon return of Jesus Christ from heaven. Speaking about the pagan world, Paul said in Ephesians 2:12 that they are: “without God and without hope.” For the Christian is reserved “the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27 NKJV) Paul defines hope in Titus 2:13 by saying that we are: “we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.”
(4) We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
- Chosen - literally ‘elected’ - Greek ekloge, which also means selected. Paul tells the Thessalonians that they were chosen by God and therefore he can reassure them that they are forever secure:
  - Paul also speaks of Christians as those "called according to His purpose for them" (Romans 8:28). They are called in the will and purpose of God. Then he describes the grand eternal process through which that calling was and will be accomplished (Romans 8:29-30), "God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." It is not something deserved but given before a man is born (Romans 9:11). It is a matter of God’s free choice (Romans 9:15-16). The Potter has a right to do what He will with the clay (Romans 9:21-23), and there are those whom he has prepared beforehand for glory (Romans 9:23). God knew from the foundation of the world who would choose to follow Him and who would not. In Romans 9:14-29, we encounter what may be the most difficult section in the entire Bible. This passage on predestination has been notoriously labeled a “pastor’s graveyard.” Paul’s words seem to contradict other passages that emphasize human responsibility. Nevertheless, "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (Romans 10:13). The doctrine of election does not prevent anyone from coming to Him, only unbelief does that.
    - Psalm 139:16: You saw me BEFORE I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
      Jeremiah 1:5: "I knew you BEFORE I formed you in your mother's womb. BEFORE you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world."
    - Romans 9:11-23: But BEFORE they were born, BEFORE they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God CHOOSES people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.” In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” So you see, God CHOOSES to show mercy to some, and he CHOOSES to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
    - Ephesians 1:4: Even before he made the world, God loved us and CHOSE us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
    - Ephesians 1:11: Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he CHOSE us from the beginning, and all things happen just as he decided long ago.
    - 1 Timothy 2:3-4: This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
    - Titus 3:5: He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit.
    - Peter 1:2: God the Father CHOSE you long ago, and the Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed Jesus Christ and are cleansed by his blood. May you have more and more of God's special favor and wonderful peace."
    - 2 Peter 3:9: The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.
(5) For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know of our concern for you from the way we lived when we were with you.
- Words ... with power (Greek - dunamis):
(6) So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.
- Severe suffering:
  - The word literally means to be “pressed to the limit.” It has the idea of being under the thumb of another person, feeling the pressure pushing you down.
  - The Thessalonian Christians distinguished themselves because they received the word, even in severe suffering (much affliction in the KJV). The message they heard came with adversity, yet they received it and Paul thanked God because of it.
  - Morris: "The word for 'affliction' outside the Bible usually denotes literal pressure, and that of a severe kind. The corresponding verb, for example, was used of pressing the grapes in wine-making till they burst asunder, and so metaphorically came to mean very great trouble."
  - Jesus says in Mark 4:17 that a false convert falls away "as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word." In contrast, the Thessalonians had joy from the Holy Spirit "in spite of the severe suffering" - showing the genuineness of their conversion. We live in a country with little persecution, but persecution is rapidly escalating to the point where being a Bible-believing Christian is considered a bigot and worse. We are supposed to accept abortion, gay marriage and all the rest.
- Imitated:
  - Greek mimetes, where we get our word "mimic."
  - The Greek word mimetes is from mimeomai, “to imitate, emulate, use as a model” and is where we get our word "mimic." This is not merely conformity, but change from the inside out by means of the Spirit and the application of Biblical truth as seen in the life of the mature Christian model. As I often say to other believers - "Someone is watching you to see if your faith is real." May we live our lives such that unbelievers want to have what we have in Christ and may we never stumble someone who is watching us.
  - 1 Corinthians 11:1: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
  - 1 Thessalonians 2:14: And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews.
  - 2 Thessalonians 3:7: For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you.
  - Ephesians 5:1: Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.
  - 1 Timothy 1:16: But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
(7) As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece - throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.
- Example - Greek tupos - type, pattern:
  - The word tupos originally meant the mark made by a blow, then an impression made by a seal or die, then an image generally and then a pattern (Hebrews 8:5).
  - Here is a great secret of evangelism. The best way to win others is by the example of your own changed life. Remember what Jesus said to the man who wanted to accompany him on his travels, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” (Mark 5:19). We all know that a satisfied customer is always the best advertisement for any product. The best place for you to make an impact for Christ is right where you are. You don’t have to go overseas to be a missionary. You can start by living for Christ and showing others the difference he makes on a daily basis. Many people will never read a Bible, but they're going to read your life like a book.
  - If our lives are not what they should be, others not only will not want to follow us, they will become repelled by what we are.What did young people learn from the example of Bill Clinton's infidelity and his lies? Actions speak so much louder than words!
  - Because of their discipleship, they became examples to their fellow-believers in surrounding provinces. Paul could point to them and say, "That is what the God produces in people who turn to Him."
  - 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9: We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.
  - Philippians 3:17: Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
  - 1 Timothy 4:12: Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
  - 2 Timothy 3:10: But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance.
  - Titus 2:7: And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.
  - Hebrews 13:7: Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
  - 1 Peter 2:21: For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
  - 1 Peter 5:3: Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.
(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,
- Word of the Lord is ringing out:
  - When Paul says the message “is ringing out,” he uses a term from the orchestra. It means to strike the cymbal. As the Thessalonians shared Christ, the message reverberated throughout the entire region.
  - Part of my motivation for teaching and writing these lessons is I love to see the results in people’s lives. But, it is also disheartening when you see some people whose lives and morals are unchanged in spite of the teaching. Sometimes, I wonder why some people come to the Bible study when their lives remain unchanged and continue to live in sin.
  - 2 Thessalonians 3:1: Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.
(9) for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.
- Keep talking about:
  - Spurgeon: "Everybody asked, 'Why, what has happened to these Thessalonians? These people have broken their idols: they worship the one God; they trust in Jesus. They are no longer drunken, dishonest, impure, contentious.' Everybody talked of what had taken place among these converted people. Oh, for conversions, plentiful, clear, singular, and manifest; that so the word of God may sound out! Our converts are our best advertisements and arguments."
- Turned away from:
  - The word Paul uses for turned is the closest he comes to technically describing someone’s conversion to Christianity. It indicates what happens when someone stops going in one direction, turns around and goes off in a completely new direction. He had called on those in Lystra to do the same when they had tried to worship Paul and Barnabas as gods because a man had been healed. (Acts 14:15: “Friends, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings - just like you! We have come to bring you the Good News that you should turn from these worthless things and turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.)
  - Repentance is a decisive CHANGE in direction. It’s a CHANGE of mind which leads to a CHANGE of thinking which leads to a CHANGE of attitude which leads to a CHANGE of feeling which leads to a CHANGE of values which leads to a CHANGE in the way you live.
  - Titus 2:11-13: For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
- In The Tyndale Commentary, Leon Morris states the following about the last two verses of this chapter: “First, they had turned away from idols, which must have been a very important part of the evidence of their conversion. In every age such action is a mark of the true Christian. Secondly, they had come to serve the living and true God. A negative attitude is not sufficient. The word rendered serve really means ‘serve as a slave’ and reminds us of the way in which Paul delighted to call himself a ‘slave of Jesus Christ’. It underlines the wholehearted nature of Christian service. Notice that God is spoken of as living, which contrasts with dead idols, and true, which means ‘genuine’ over against the shadowy and unreal. The conjunction of these two terms gives emphatic expression to Paul’s essential monotheism. Thirdly, they awaited the second advent. Today this doctrine is neglected in many quarters to our great loss, and its rediscovery is sorely needed; for as J. E. Fison says: ‘It is precisely that kind of conversion which the church as well as the world needs today, and which only the rediscovery of a living eschatological hope can produce.’ ”
- Living and true God:
  - Paul's description of God as "living" does not simply mean that He is alive; it means that He is also active. He is the "true" (genuine, Greek alethinos) God as opposed to false, unreal gods.
(10) And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven - Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
- Looking forward to the coming:
  - Spurgeon: "Oh! This is a high mark of grace, when the Christian expects his Lord to come, and lives like one that expects him every moment. If you and I knew tonight that the Lord would come before this service was over, in what state of heart should we sit in these pews? In that state of heart we ought to be."
  - The return of the Lord Jesus was a prominent subject of the preaching of Paul at Thessalonica. Much of these two letters dwells in depth on this doctrine.
  - The Thessalonian believers are pictured as looking forward to the return of Christ. The clear implication is that they had a hope of His imminent return. If they had been taught that the great tribulation, in whole or in part, must first run its course, it is difficult to see how they could be described as looking forward to Christ's return. Then they should rather have been described as bracing themselves for the great tribulation and the painful events connected with it. No, they were looking forward to His return to take them to be with Him - before the horrors of the Tribulation.
  - We are waiting for a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, OUR LIFE. Then we shall also appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4: For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
  - During the Acts period during which Paul wrote this letter, the imminent return of Christ was anticipated, but was dependent on whether the nation of Israel recognized Jesus (Yeshua) as Messiah. Of course, while many Jews became Christians, the majority did not and the religious rulers rejected Christ as is true even today. As a direct consequence, Paul in Acts 28:28 proclaims that the Good News had been sent to the Gentiles and they would hear. And so, we have this 2000 year period during which the church, the body of Christ, is being formed and completed:
  - Acts 3:19-20: Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. THEN times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.
  - Acts 28:28 (KJV): Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
- Coming: Greek - Parousia.
  - Parousia designated the royal visit of an emperor, king, a governor, ruler or famous person. For such visits, special preparations had to be made. Taxes were imposed to present the king with a golden crown. All things must be made ready for the visit of the king. Provinces were dated as a new era of time from the parousia of the emperor. It was common to strike new coins to commemorate the visit of a king. The coming of the king brought a new set of values. The word is used to describe the entrance of a new conquering power and the visitation of a god. The day is coming when the King of Kings will come and reign with all of His glory and power.The same Jesus who ascended to heaven will come again to visit the earth in personal presence at the end of the age in power of glory to destroy the antichrist and evil, to raise the righteous dead, and to gather the redeemed. See the verses below.
  - Matthew 10:23: When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.
  - Matthew 16:27-28: For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”
  - Matthew 24:1-3: As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!” Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world? ”
  - Matthew 24:27,30, 39, 42-44: For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. ... And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ... People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. ... “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
  - Matthew 25:31: “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
  - Matthew 26:64: Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
  - Mark 13:26: Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory.
  - John 5:28-29: Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.
  - John 14:3: When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.
  - Acts 1:11: “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
  - Acts 3:20: Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.
  - 1 Corinthians 1:7: Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  - 1 Corinthians 15:23: But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.
  - Philippians 3:20-21: But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
  - Colossians 3:4: And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
  - Titus 2:13: while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed.
    - Revealed in Titus 2:13 and Colossians 3:4 - shine forth - Greek phaino - from the same Greek word “phos” from which the word “phosphorescent” is derived. This is not the same Greek word Paul is using here.
    - Charles Welch: "Whereas parousia is used to define the hope of the kingdom (Matthew 24:3) and of the Church of the Acts period (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:1), epiphaneia is reserved for the hope of the Church of the Mystery" - the body of Christ.
  - 1 Thessalonians 2:19: After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!
  - 1 Thessalonians 3:13: May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.
  - 1 Thessalonians 4:15: 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.
  - 1 Thessalonians 5:23: 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.
  - 2 Thessalonians 1:7,10: And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, ... When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.
  - 2 Thessalonians 2:1: Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.
  - 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9: Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles.
  - 1 Timothy 6:14: that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
  - James 5:7-8: Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.
  - 1 Peter 1:7: These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold - though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
  - 2 Peter 3:10-14: But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
  - 2 Peter 1:16: For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes
  - 1 John 2:28: And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame.
  - 1 John 3:2: Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
  - Revelation 1:7-8: Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”
  - Revelation 16:15: “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”
  - Revelation 19:11: Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
  - Revelation 22:7: “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book. ”
  - Revelation 22:20: He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
- Raised from the dead:
  - Acts 2:24: But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip
  - .Acts 17:31: For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
- Has rescued us:
  - The verb is not in the past tense. It is rather, "Jesus, who delivers us" or "Jesus, our Deliverer." The point is that Jesus who is coming from heaven will deliver us from the wrath that is coming.
- From ... judgment:
- Judgment ("wrath" in the KJV):
APPLICATION: Walvoord: "This first chapter of First Thessalonians constitutes a real challenge to every thinking Christian. It is first of all a challenge for us to ask, “What do people think of us when they pray for us?” Do they remember our work of faith, our labor of love, and our patience of hope? When they think of us, are they assured of our salvation? Do they see in our lives the evidence that the Word of God has come in power, that we have been transformed, that we have been made followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we exercise our faith in the midst of affliction, that we have the evidence of the joy of the Holy Spirit and a transformed life so that our testimony is spread abroad? Is that true of us? And is it true of us, like the Thessalonians, that there is the living hope of the coming of the Lord, the same one who loved us, who died for our sins that He might deliver us from the wrath to come, and who was raised in victory over the grave? Yes, this letter was written many years ago, to Christians who long since have left the earthly scene, but the truth lives on. May the truth of this chapter not only live in the written pages of the Word of God, but may it be manifested in our hearts and in our daily lives."

NEXT STUDY: 1 Thessalonians 2: You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory. Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last. Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! Yes, you are our pride and joy.

NOTES:
- Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
- Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://1thessaloniansstudy.blogspot.com/2015/08/1-thessalonians-references.html
- Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/

1 Thessalonians Study

Sunday, August 16, 2015

1 Thessalonians 1

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