The First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians MARANATHÁ – OH LORD, COME!

Geography

Modern Thessaloniki Θεσσαλονίκη

History  Built by Cassander, 315 BC, named after his wife  Church founded by Paul on 2 nd missionary journey  Jews, Greeks & wives of some citizens converted  Acts 17:1-9 – how long was Paul there? Cf. Phil 4:16  Caused uproar, forced to flee to Berea then to Athens

Overview – 5 models 1. The model church – their faith, love & hope 2. The model servant and his reward 3. The model Christian brother – news from Timothy 4. The model walk of the believer – sanctification 5. The model hope – the return of Jesus

A Recurrent Theme  1 Thess 1:10 - to serve God & to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus … (NIV)  2:19 – our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming (ESV)  3:13 – may He establish your hearts blameless … at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (ESV)  4:17 – we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds (ESV)  5:23 – spirit, soul & body (note the order!) be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (NIV)

A Practical Message (chap. 2)  Witness & pray as if He could come at any time  Work as if He were not coming for 100 years  Practical pastoring:  Its qualities:- like a nursing mother & a father!  Its mode:- exhorting, comforting, charging  Its reward:- (a) salvation (b) reunion at 2 nd coming  Practical (spiritual) parenting: stewards, mothers & fathers all necessary

This is the Will of God  … our sanctification (I Thess 4:3)  … to be joyful, prayerful & thankful (I Thess 5:16-18)  … silence the ignorant by doing good (I Pet 2:15)  Many often puzzle & strive over will of God …  … very simple – cf. Jn 6:29  Sexual immorality very prevalent in ancient Greece – linked to idol / demon worship

I John 3:2-3  what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself as he is pure.  Cf. also Titus 2:12-13 – Godly living & Godly hope  Church’s lost this hope  lost purity & distinction ?

The Great Escape?  3 steps: 1) His appearing 2) Their resurrection 3) Our being caught up  When? – see Mark 13:32-33 – many errors here!  The concern of the Thess.  Not a doctrine of “soul-sleep”

Sequence of Events  Cf. I Cor. 15, John 14:1-3, I Thess. 4:12-18  Rapture events totally different from return of Christ to earth in Power and Great Glory  I Thess. 4 speaks of return to the air  Cf. Zech 14:4 for description of return to earth  If we are to return with Christ (Rev 19:14) we must first be with Him!

The Believer’s Model Walk  We walk in the light of His coming – not darkness  Respect for leaders – not ecclesiastical: functional  Preoccupation with 2 nd Coming  idleness!  Insight into early church meetings – informal and participative  Don’t quench Spirit but neither be gullible!  5:23 – note the order: spirit  soul  body