Sunday, August 16, 2015

Introduction to 1 Thessalonians


Above chart from: https://wordsofgrace.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/reading-1-thessalonians/

As we so often do, let's start with the "who, what, when, where, why, how" reporting method:

WHO:

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:1: This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
  • Jason, possibly a new Jewish convert to Christianity, hosted Paul and his entourage. The new church was probably meeting in his house.

WHAT:

  • The most prominent theme in 1 Thessalonians is the second coming of Jesus (the parousia). It is mentioned in every chapter of the book. At Jesus’ future coming, the dead in Christ will rise and will be caught up along with the living to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thessalonians looks at the Rapture described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
  • Bruce: "The Thessalonian letters present the first literary evidence for the use of parousia . . . in the sense of the future Advent of Christ: it occurs in this sense six times in the two letters. The event is depicted repeatedly in language borrowed from portrayals of OT theophanies. But it is the ethical implications that are chiefly stressed: the writers look forward to the Parousia especially as the time when their service will be reviewed and rewarded by the Lord who commissioned them, and they will be content, they say, to have it assessed by the quality of their converts."
  • G. Campbell Morgan: "This letter is full of interest because it is certainly among the first of those which have been preserved for us from the pen of Paul. It was the first he wrote to European Christians, and in it the fundamental things of the Christian life are very clearly set forth."
  • During the Apostle's visit to Thessalonica, he preached to both Jews and Gentiles. Four things marked his preaching:
      1) He presented to them Jesus, the Savior, a living Person (the Savior).
      (2) He alleged that Jesus had died and risen again.
      (3) He not only preached the facts of death and resurrection, but the necessity of these great facts. Christ "the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead." (Acts 17:3)
      (4) He used Scripture as his sole and sufficient authority.
  • They believed in Jesus, and boldly confessed their faith, resulting at once in severe persecution.
  • Along with doctrinal teaching, there are also strong exhortations for believers to live according to God’s will.
  • The odds seem to be against the church in Thessalonica in the midst of persecution and opposition. They were being persecuted for their faith.

WHEN:

  • The epistles to the Thessalonian church are among the earliest of Paul's writings. Galatians is possibly Paul's earliest epistle followed by Thessalonians. Paul's initial visit to Thessalonica, probably in the summer of 50 AD, only 18 years after Jesus’ life and death, and is narrated in Acts 17:1-9. This was part of his second missionary trip which had started at Philippi (Acts 16:12-40). He refers to his coming to Thessalonica after the severe opposition he had received at Philippi with Silas in 1 Thessalonians 2:2.
  • During the Acts period, 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 a direct consequence, Paul in Acts 28:28 proclaims that the Good News had been sent to the Gentiles and they would hear it. And so, we have this 2000 year period during which the church, the body of Christ, has been formed:
    • 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.

WHERE:

  • Thessalonica was renamed Thessalonica by Cassander (King of Macedon from 305 BC until 297 BC) after his wife who was a step-sister of Alexander the Great. It was an important city in Roman and Macedonian times and the Romans made it the capital of Macedonia in 164 BC. The city had a population of about 200,000 and was self-ruled, recognized as a free city, and was exempt from most of the restrictions in the empire. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians from Corinth.
  • Thessalonica was a wealthy and large city and for a time, the most influential center in the northeastern part of the Roman empire. Many Jews had settled there and a flourishing synagogue existed in the city.
  • Thessalonica was located at the intersection of two major Roman roads. It was the capital and major port of the whole Roman province of Macedonia.
  • An archaeological excavation team, working in Thessalonica, turned up an ancient, first-century graveyard. And there among the pagan tombstones they found one which was inscribed in Greek with these words: "No Hope."

  • Above map from http://thewordisalive.co.uk/new-testament/pauls-epistles/1-thessalonians

  • Above map of Paul's second missionary journey is from www.wednesdayintheword.com

WHY:

  • After they were forced out of Thessalonica, Paul later sent Timothy back to check on their progress. Catching up with Paul in Corinth, Timothy updated him on the Thessalonian church.
  • Timothy reported that generally the church community was doing well. Some members apparently thought that those who had died would miss out on the Second Coming. The Thessalonians needed reassurance about those who had died and about their own destiny at the Second Coming. When Paul heard Timothy’s generally positive report, he was filled with joyful relief and was eager to encourage the embattled and discouraged Christians and to answer their questions. So, he immediately began composing this letter. Paul’s main purpose was to repair the hope of the Thessalonian Christians in the wake of the unexpected deaths of people in their congregation and to reassure them that both the dead and the living were destined to be saved at the Second Coming.

KEY VERSES:

  • 1 Thessalonians 1:4-7: We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 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. 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. As a result, you have become an example to all the believers in Greece - throughout both Macedonia and Achaia.
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:13: 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.
  • 1 Thessalonians 3:4-7: Even while we were with you, we warned you that troubles would soon come - and they did, as you well know. That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you and that our work had been useless. But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you. So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.
  • 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13: And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. 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 4:1-3: Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:7: God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17: And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 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. 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.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. 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.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10: Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19: Never stop praying. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

KEY THEMES:

  1. Jesus’ death and resurrection are the basis for the Christian’s hope. 4:14; 5:10.
  2. Christians are destined not for wrath but for salvation at Jesus’ coming. 1:10; 5:4; 5:9.
  3. Christians who die will participate fully in the Second Coming. 4:14-17; 5:10.
  4. Christians should live lives of comprehensive holiness. 3:13; 4:3–8; 5:23.
  5. Christians must never shirk their responsibility to work. 4:9-12; 5:14.
  6. Joy, especially in suffering, is a mark of the Christian. 1:6; 5:16.
  7. Faith, hope, and love are essential and universal traits of the Christian.

OUTLINE per Wanamaker:

I. Salutation and greeting 1:1
II. Personal commendations and explanations 1:2-3:13
     A. Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians 1:2-10
          1. Summary statement 1:2-3
          2. Specific reasons 1:4-10
     B. Reminders for the Thessalonians 2:1-16
          1. How the gospel was delivered 2:1-12
          2. How the gospel was received 2:13-16
     C. Concerns for the Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
          1. Desires to see them again 2:17-3:5
          2. Joy on hearing about them 3:6-13
III. Practical instructions and exhortations 4:1-5:24
     A. Christian living 4:1-12
          1. Continued growth 4:1-2
          2. Sexual purity 4:3-8
          3. Brotherly love 4:9-12
     B. The Rapture 4:13-18
     C. Personal watchfulness 5:1-11
     D. Church life 5:12-15
          1. Attitudes toward leaders 5:12-13
          2. Relationships among themselves 5:14-15
     E. Individual behavior 5:16-24
          1. Personal actions and attitudes 5:16-18
          2. Actions and attitudes in corporate living 5:19-22
          3. Divine enablement 5:23-24
IV. Conclusion 5:25-28

Below are excerpts from Acts 16 and 17 to give you the context of Paul's time in Thessalonica.

Acts 16:9-40: That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there. We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.” A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison - and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 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 17:1-11: Paul and Silas then traveled through the towns of Amphipolis and Apollonia and came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was Paul’s custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he used the Scriptures to reason with the people. He explained the prophecies and proved that the Messiah must suffer and rise from the dead. He said, “This Jesus I’m telling you about is the Messiah.” Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. 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. Not finding them there, they dragged out Jason and some of the other believers instead and took them before the city council. “Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,” they shouted, “and now they are here disturbing our city, too. And Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all guilty of treason against Caesar, for they profess allegiance to another king, named Jesus.” The people of the city, as well as the city council, were thrown into turmoil by these reports. So the officials forced Jason and the other believers to post bond, and then they released them. That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

A Slavetrader’s Conversion by Ray Pritchard (from www.keepbelieving.com/sermon/turn-turn-turn/)

He was born in 1725, the son of an English sea captain. At the age of 11 he went to sea for the first time. He was forced to join the Royal Navy, tried to escape but was arrested in West Africa. He became the slave of a white slavetrader’s black wife. For two years he lived in hunger and destitution.

He eventually became a slave-ship captain, taking black Africans to the Mediterranean and the West Indies. In 1747 he boarded a ship for England but a violent storm in the North Atlantic hit the ship, which began to fill with water. The timbers broke away from the side. An ordinary ship would have gone to the bottom immediately but they were carrying a load of beeswax and wool which were lighter than water.

In the midst of the struggle to save the ship, the young man said to himself almost without thinking, “If this will not do, the Lord have mercy on us.” By his own word it was the first desire for mercy he had felt in many years. That was the turning point of his life.

He left the slave trade and later entered the ministry in Olney, England. He soon became known as a great preacher who attracted enormous crowds. He wrote nearly 300 hymns - most of which have long since been forgotten. But some we still sing - "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken,” “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,” and the one hymn that is perhaps the most famous hymn of all time. Around the world millions sing it in dozens of languages:

Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind but now I see.

Before he died, he prepared his own epitaph, which reads this way:
John Newton, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy.

That’s what God can do. That’s true conversion.

NOTES:

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)