1Thess1

PART 1

PART 1 : 7 Big themes – underlying foundations of the book

1. An Intriguing Book – a quick overview

2. A Success Story – how the gospel had been received there.

3. Persecution – the extent of the opposition to the Gospel there,

4. Apostles Approach – Paul's defence as to how they had come.

5. Apostles Frustration – Paul longing to return to them

6. The Lord's Return – Paul's teaching on the Lord's return

7. Living meanwhile – Paul's teaching on everyday living

PART 2: 7 Big Principles – picking up some of the ways God works

8. Motivation – faith, love and hope, driving forces

9. The Work of God – the work of salvation from the beginning

10. Facing Idolatry – the alternative to worshiping God

11. Judgment – Accountability before God

12. Building the Church – the outworking of salvation

13. Spiritual Blindness – the example of the Jews

14. To Please God – why we DO

Part 3: Detailed Practical Teaching - for living the Christian Life

15. Sexual Purity 4:3-7

16. Brotherly Love 4:9,10

17. The Quiet Life 4:11,12

18. Respect Spiritual Authority 5:12,13

19. The Idle and the Timid 5:14

20. Suffering Others 5:14

21. Good Heartedness 5:15

22. Good Heartedness (2) 5:15

23. Be Joyful 5:16-18

24. Giving Thanks 5:16-18

25. Pray Continually? 5:16-18

26. God's Will for You 5:16-18

27. Quenching the Spirit 5:19

28. Care with Prophecy 5:20

29. Test Everything 5:21,22

30. Hold the Good 5:21,22

31. Avoid Evil 5:21,22

PART 1

1. An Intriguing Book

1 Thess 1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

Thessalonians is an interesting little book (letter). We're going to approach this series of meditations in a slightly different manner to usual. The first half dozen or so meditations (Part 1) are going to cover the big themes of the letter, then in the next part (Part 2) we are going to consider principles of the way God works as seen in this book, and then, finally, the following meditations (Part 3) will continue in the usual style of a verse or verses in order, looking at specific practical instructions that Paul gives this church for day to day living.

But to start with let's note how it basically came about. Our starting place has got to be the record in Acts of Paul first going to the city: “When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue , and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.” (Acts 17:1-4)

At first sight it appears that they were there for only three weeks but when you read Paul's letter to the Philippians something else is conveyed: “as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need.” (Phil 4:15,16) The words ‘again and again' in respect of giving to Paul would indicate a much longer period and we may suppose, therefore, that the “three Sabbath days” in the previous verses is simply in respect of the number of times Paul went into the local synagogue to reason with them. It is clear from the letter that their ministry there in the city was very successful and it is probable that for that to have occurred greater time was required.

Paul's ministry there was curtailed when the local Jews (who had not believed) became fed up with him and they caused a riot. The end result of that was that it was clearly thought best to get Paul out of the city and he continued his missionary journey: “But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city……. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea .” (Acts 17:5) Clearly the opposition was very strong and thus curtailed the length of Paul's time there. Both the subject of persecution and Paul's desire to come back occur again and again and Paul clearly felt utterly frustrated that he was unable to get back to them. Despite his prayers, there is no record of him ever having gone back to them.

It is interesting to observe the amount of teaching and number of references that there are in this little letter to the Lord's return and it may be that this is specifically linked to the opposition that the church was receiving. This, we suggest, is the reason for the second coming teaching that is here with references to it at the end of every chapter. We will look at this more fully in the sixth study but often New Testament encouragement in the face of strong hostility and opposition comes in the form of reassurance that the Lord would be coming back and such opposition would not go on for ever. Living two millennia on, we realise that although the teaching is valid, the time-frame is longer than the early apostles envisaged.

This letter therefore comes with a strong sense of frustration from Paul at not being able to be with them and is therefore full of teaching designed to encourage the new church to persevere in the face of hostility. The historical context see there in Acts 17 is especially important.

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2.Thessalonica – a Success Story

1 Thess 1:5 our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

There is no doubt that Thessalonica was a success story - as well as a story of opposition and persecution. Perhaps the enemy will always seek to bring the latter where there is the former. Our starting point again has to be the historical account in Acts: “ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.” (Acts 17:4) For three Saturdays the apostles had been going to the local synagogue and reasoning there with the Jews. Maybe there had also been Gentiles there or maybe they had also been evangelizing in public places. Whichever it was we are told that there was a threefold response to them. First of all some of the Jews in the synagogue (presumably) were persuaded and became believers. Second, a large number of God-fearing Greeks also believed. Of course Thessalonica is in Greece and so this is simply telling us that a good number of the locals turned to Christ, those who, it would appear, were God-orientated already. Third, more than a few ‘prominent women', i.e. a lot! Again and again in Scripture it seems that women are often faster to believe than men and the fact that they were prominent women in that society made them stand out. The clear impression that we are given is that a lot of people turned to the Lord at the time in that place.

But when Paul writes about their experience there he says, “our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.” (1:5) In other words when they spoke they knew a particular enabling of God. We didn't just speak words, he says. No, he goes on, when we spoke we found real power in our speaking, a real enabling of the Holy Spirit, so much so that it brought deep conviction. Whether it is the work of God or the openness of the people or, more likely, a combination of the two things, the bringing of the Gospel there achieved a deep and meaningful work. This was no casual or surface acceptance of the truth. These people were well founded in their new birth. God's word had come powerfully and had had a profound impact. There is from the start a well founded church. God saw the openness and moved powerfully.

We may take this for granted but it isn't always so – if only it were! In another series we wrote, Jesus' parable of the Sower (Mt 13:3-) shows us that there are many and varied responses to Jesus' word. Some reject it from hardness of heart, some receive it but soon fall away, some receive it gladly but under the pressures of life soon fall away, while other receive it and it goes deep in them and brings total change and fruitfulness. Where there is deep conviction there is going to be change and fruitfulness. Where there is only a shallow conviction, they we should not be surprised when people fall away. Whenever we share the Gospel we should pray for there to be deep conviction that brings a well-founded new birth that will bring long and lasting fruit.

But more than this, when Paul speak about the believers there he is able to say, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1:3) There is clear fruit being seen in these new believers. They are a faith people and faith people do stuff! These were a doing people. Even more what they did was prompted by love so they were a people who understood and were motivated by the love of God that they had received. A faith AND love people! Yet even more their circumstances had been difficult for they had the opposition of the religious Jews who had refused to believe, but these new believers endured their opposition and they persevered in their faith. Yes there had been real fruit born in these people – work, labour and endurance – the outworking of faith, love and hope. This is a good work! Can we, or the people of our church, be described in these terms – people who work, who labour, who endure, because we are motivated by faith, love and hope?

Such is the work of God in these people that Paul is able to go on and say, “And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia--your faith in God has become known everywhere.” (1:7,8) Wow! These believers became like a beacon to other churches in the area who heard of their faith and the outworking of it, but such was it that the news of them spread far and wide. What a challenge! How many churches do you know that have this sort of reputation? What churches do you know that stand out for their faith, their love and their hope which causes them to be known for their works and their endurance? The word goes out about these people, “They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” (1:9) Put another way, they tell of the complete transformation that took place in all of you.

Within all this we find a number of measures by which to assess the work of God through salvation as we see it in people turning to Christ. Do they receive the word with deep conviction? Does their new birth experience herald a time of learning that produces a people founded in faith, love and hope, which in turn brings the fruitfulness of work, labour and endurance? Is the change in them truly life transforming so that it is patently obvious to others? I confess I have observed over the years conversion that seemed to lack most of those things and that raised questions within me, that were answered when such people fell away. These are the measures of conversion. Let's pray for them, expect them and work for them and look for them! Amen!

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3. Persecution

1 Thess 2:2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi , as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition

Again our starting point must be the historical record of what happened in Thessalonica when the apostles shared the Gospel there: “ But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea .” (Acts 17:4-10) At some point – and we have discussed previously that it was probably longer than three weeks after they got there – the Gospel is having such effect that the religious Jews of the city start a riot aimed at the apostles AND the local Christian community. Jason is obviously a local who has a house and who lives there and the brunt of their anger is focused first on him. So great is the tumult that the church considers the safest thing is for Paul and Silas to be smuggled out of the city at night.

Now when we come to the letter itself, we find that a big thing is not made of it and yet persecution and opposition is mention no less than five specific times and one implied time. Let's take them in order in the letter, first the implied one where Paul speaks of “your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ .” (1:3) Knowing the historical background as we do we are not surprised when Paul speaks of endurance because you endure when the going gets tough. As we've noted previously, and is seen here, they are enabled to endure – to ‘hang on in there' – by the hope that they now have in Jesus. Hope is always about the future and our hope is always threefold: a) our hope of meeting him in eternity when we die and b) our hope that he will be working out his plans and purposes for us while we are still on this planet, and that will be for good and c) our hope that his grace in the form of his holy Spirit within us will always be sufficient to carry us through whatever tomorrow holds.

Now on to the first of the specific references: “in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” (1:6) Severe suffering! The only suffering we know about is that suffered by the believing Jews from their unbelieving fellow-Jews, or the general hostility from these Jews that the new Gentile believers encountered. Anyway, despite this opposition they received the word gladly and with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit. In adverse circumstances when under enemy attack, our resource is always, initially at least, the Holy Spirit within is, the Spirit of Jesus, God Himself.

Moving on through the letter Paul later says, “We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi , as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.” (2:2) This is an interesting comment because the subject of persecution falls on Paul as much as on the Thessalonians in that he speaks of the struggles that they had had in Philippi , as well as the opposition they all received in Thessalonica.

A bit later in the letter he focuses it back on them: “You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. (2:14-16) The Jews generally, even though they had been the core or foundation of the early church, had been the greatest source of opposition to the Gospel. Perhaps it was their fear that the Old Testament and the Law would be cast aside. They were the ones who opposed Paul, not the Romans and not the local peoples mostly.

In the next chapter we find, “We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials . You know quite well that we were destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted . And it turned out that way, as you well know” (3:2-4) Trials and persecution were seen by Paul as natural parts of the Christian life. Obviously when the Gospel was first presented there and people turned to Christ, as part of the general teaching, Paul had warned that opposition comes when the Lord blesses. The enemy is never happy about it!

Finally, a few verses on he says, “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.” (3:7) That again appears to reflect more on the apostles than on the church in Thessalonica. The apostolic ministry brought with it opposition, hostility and outright persecution, but now Paul hears the good things that have been continuing in Thessalonica and, he implies, that makes it all worth while. That is the truth: when God blesses, the enemy so often rises up in reaction through the unbelieving world, but nevertheless the fruit of salvation and being able to lives changed for the good, makes it all worth while. Press on, and look for the fruit!

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4.The Apostles' Approach

1 Thess 1:5,6 You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

There have obviously been mutterings about the way the apostles had behaved when in Thessalonica because when we come to chapter 2 Paul enters into a long passage (v.1-12) about how they had behaved with integrity when they were there. Perhaps that muttering came from the Jewish community, the unbelieving part who were out to pull down the apostles and their ministry. The first glimmer of this defensiveness comes in verse 5 of chapter 1 when he says, “You know how we lived among you for you sake.” There he starts reminding them of the interaction there had been between the apostles and the new church coming into being. The basis of their work had been personal relationships. They had not preached ‘from a distance' so to speak like so many visiting speakers do when they come to a church. They speak and move on with very little personal contact except with the top leader(s). The apostles lived among these people for a number of weeks at the very least, possibly a lot longer, and the new believers saw how they lived godly lives and used them as examples to follow.

In chapter 2 he starts reminding them how they came, in a sense, in great weakness having just suffered persecution before but that hadn't stopped them fulfilling their ministry: “ You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi , as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.” (2:1,2) That was the background to all that happened and showed their commitment to the Gospel and to the new believers.

But then he goes on to speak about their right approach to the people of Thessalonica to whom they brought the Gospel: “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.” (v.3) They came with complete integrity. They were open and honest and did nothing underhand. No, the truth was they came in completely the opposite way to that (rumoured?) approach: “On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed--God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else.” (2:4-6) No, quite to the contrary they came not as self-centred purveyors of some cult message but as messengers of God. They didn't come with human methods, they didn't use flattery to win over people, they didn't appear nice people while trying to get money from them and they didn't come looking to win praise and a reputation. No, they were straight forward bringers of the Gospel.

He goes on to remind them how they were in their personal dealings with them. He starts, “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you,” (2:6) i.e. we could have made demands of you to provide financially for us. No, he goes on later, we worked to provide for ourselves: “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” (2:9) But more than that, their attitudes towards them throughout their time there had been one of humility and gentleness: “but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” (2:7,8) They exhibited care and gentleness while they were with them, sharing their very lives, being with them the whole time. As we noted earlier, they worked out of relationship with these people, and when you do that you have to act well.

He emphasises their integrity and honesty in all their dealings with them, reiterating again the depth of loving relationship they had with them: “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” (2:10-12) No, they had been holy, righteous and blameless in all their dealings with the Thessalonians. They were there, they were witnesses to the truth of this – and so is God before whom they stand and to whom they are accountable (implied). Again this strong emphasis on relationship. Earlier he had said they had been like a mother caring for her children. Now he uses the analogy of a father who urges his children on in life to achieve and do well. They had encouraged, comforted and urged them on. It wasn't only the way they had spoken but what they had said; they had been all out for these people, looking for their best as they received the Gospel and went on in Christ.

Whatever had been said in the gossip or rumours that the Jews in opposition had spread after they left, was not true. That this is almost certainly what happened is confirmed by what we read in the historical account in Acts. While still in Berea , where they had gone after Thessalonica, we find that “When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea , they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.” (Acts 17:13) The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica had it in for Paul and the others and took it on themselves to do all they could to oppose them, which included spreading false rumours about them. For this reason Paul has had to defend the way they had behaved when they were there. Their behaviour had been faultless!

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5. Apostles' Frustration

1 Thess 2:18 For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again--but Satan stopped us.

Now I have always marvelled at this verse, and still do. Here is Paul who had fled Thessalonica in the face of persecution and had longed to go back and see them again – and again – but had been hindered and stopped in doing that – and he blames Satan. Now I'll tell you why I find that strange: it is because when I have studied Satan in the Bible I see that he is a fallen angel with power but he only has it because he is granted it by God and God only allows it to further His overall purposes. Indeed I have observed that God uses him t o reveal men's hearts , t o bring judgement on unbelievers, to bring discipline to believers , t o subjugate unbelievers, to maintain humility in our lives , t o develop faith & righteousness in our lives, to bring about trials whereby we can be rewarded, to teach us how to fight and to demonstrate God's power over the enemy. Those are clear reasons revealed in Scripture why God tolerates Satan. (Let's face it, He could wipe him out with a single word and we could claim that would be justice!) He uses him!

So the question arises, why did God allow Satan to hinder Paul from getting back to Thessalonica? Well before we answer that, let's look at what else he says about his frustration. They have clearly been on his mind: “ We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember… your…” (1:2,3) But it goes way beyond that for in chapter two after he has made his comments about how they had been when they were with them, he really opens his heart: “But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you.” (2:17) It had not been long (“ a short time ”) before he felt a concern for them and made attempts to get back there. He had an “intense longing” and therefore “ made very effort ” to get back. That is strong, purposeful language.

But he carried on, “For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again.” (2:18) Perhaps some of the others hadn't had such strong feelings but he certainly had, which is when he shares the reason, “but Satan stopped us.” Having failed himself to come back, and realizing it wasn't going to happen, they talk alternative measures: “So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens . We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.” (3:1-3) Now that is interesting because if Timothy could physically get back there, surely Paul could. There must have been reasons why Paul could not leave wherever it was he was writing from.

Trying to piece together the apostle's journey we find from Thessalonica he went to Berea (Acts 17:10) and then on to Athens (Acts 17:15). There he was joined by Silas and Timothy and according to this letter Timothy was then sent back to Thessalonica to check on them. Paul then moved on to Corinth (Acts 18:1) and it was to there that Timothy came with the news of the Thessalonians (Acts 18:5) that we find being referred to in this letter: “But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love.” (3:6) He thus presumably wrote this letter in Corinth . Now of course we know from the letter to the Corinthians that Paul received both opposition and encouragement there (see Acts 18:6-10) and ended up having to stay there for a year and a half (Acts 18:11) but while there received even more opposition from the Jews (Acts 18:12,13) Now of course we don't know when in that year and a half that Paul eventually realised he was just not going to be able to get back to the believers in Thessalonica and so wrote this letter.

So now we begin to see the agency that Satan used that Paul was blaming – the unbelieving Jews in every place whose hostility rose up against him wherever he went. Now our question, why did God allow him to do this begins to get an answer. The price God pays, if you like, for allowing Satan access to His world is that he captures the minds of unbelievers. Thus the apostle John was able to write, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” (1 Jn 5:19) Unless God overrides the free will that he gives every person, then Satan is going to be able to stir up and use the minds and lives of ungodly people. The book of Job shows us this very clearly when he clearly stirs up the ungodly to come and destroy Job's family and possessions.

As Paul clearly shows us in the verses we have to live in a battle, a fallen world where the enemy has access to unbelievers and uses them to seek to thwart the work of God through His people. From our perspective sometimes this seems very frustrating as we long for one thing but are hindered getting it. Indeed Paul went on, “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.” (3:10) We have to say he didn't get an answer to that prayer, or if he did it was, “No!” He never, it seems managed to get back to them. Was his ministry thus a failure? Definitely not! The Lord used him in Athens and Corinth and so on, just simply not back in Thessalonica, but in many ways they seem, to be getting on quite well without him! Timothy, at least, had been back there and no doubt encouraged them and had in turn been encouraged and brought a good report back to Paul in Corinth . Does God always give us everything we ask for? No. Does that mean we are failures and wrong for asking? No. It just means we are in a battle in a fallen world and the Lord deems it best that we go other ways. Rest in that and rejoice in it. He IS Sovereign even though at times it seems Satan is getting his way. If he does, it is still within the plan of God. Our question has to be, what next?

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6. The Lord's Return

1 Thess 1:9,10 They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”

Possibly more than any other letter, this letter of Paul's abounds with references to the second coming of Jesus Christ. The probable cause for this is the fact of the persecution that this church was enduring. So often in Scripture encouragement to endure in the face of persecution comes in the form of the reminder that one day Jesus is going to return and right all wrongs and bring to account those who have opposed His people – and thus it is here. It comes at the end of every chapter, again and again to encourage them and stir them on.

It starts with our verses above and sets the past against the present and then against the future. The past: “ They tell how you turned to God from idols.” That had been their past; they had been idol worshippers as every person is who doesn't worship God. But they had turned from that “to serve the living and true God .” That was now where they were in the present, serving the God who is alive, the only one who is truly God (as against the lifeless, false idols). And then in their present struggle they overcome as they “wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” We have the confidence in his future coming because of the incredible things that happened to Jesus while here – put to death and then raised from the dead by the Father to save us now and in the eternity to come. This is the general biblical approach to help overcome in the face of adversity and persecution.

But then in the next chapter, where Paul first justified his ministry and speaks of them, how they had “received the word of God ,” (2:13), “became imitators of God's churches,” (2:14), and “suffered from your own countrymen,” (2:14) he thinks into the eternal future of how all this will reflect on them, the apostles: “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.” (2:19,20) When Jesus returns to hold all accountable for what they have done the ‘crown' that the apostles will receive, the thing that will reveal them for who they have been, will be this people, this church; they will be the evidence of the apostles' obedience and faithfulness.

But not only does Paul give thought to Jesus return as a time when he and his fellow apostles will be vindicated, he knows it will be a time when this church, as they allow the Lord to continually “strengthen your hearts” (v.13a) they will be able to stand and so on that last day will therefore be seen to be “blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (v.13b) This follows after a chapter of explaining why he couldn't be with them but finishes with him encouraging them to “make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else,” (v.12) As they let God work in them, so on that last day they will stand true and strong.

For the sake of space we will only briefly mention his wider teaching about what happens to believers when they “fall asleep” (die 4:13). On the last day, “we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him,” (v.14) so “the dead in Christ will rise first .” (v.16) There will be no question about this day “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.” (v.16) As Revelation 19:11-18 shows, this will be a public demonstration of the Lord's power and might as he comes to bring an accounting. If we are alive at that time there is an encouragement for us as well: “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (v.17) That is a summary of Paul's teaching of what will happen to believers – dead and alive – when Jesus returns.

But he doesn't leave it there for into the beginning of our chapter 5 he brings further explanation, encouragement and warning as to the WHEN of Jesus return: “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” (5:2,3) i.e. it will come suddenly, but even then there will be warning signs. He uses this to encourage them to be alert for those warning signs: “So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” (5:6)

Then, finally, as he goes to conclude the letter he blesses them with God's desire to continue to work in them to present them blameless when Jesus does come: “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” (5:23,24)

In all of these references Paul speaks of Jesus return as a mean of encouraging the church there in Thessalonica to hang on in against the trials and persecution they were suffering and to continue to let the Lord work in and through them so that they will be found true, faithful and holy when he eventually returns. These are all motivations to stand and prevail. Hallelujah!

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