1 Thessalonians: Preparing for Christ's Return

1 Thessalonians Preparing for Christ's Return

2015 Cindy Brown. All Rights ReservedThis study was written using the ESV.

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1 Thessalonians

Day 1: Background

Read Acts 16-17:15 to understand how the church in Thessalonica was established.

Paul visited Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. Paul had seen a vision of a man from Macedonia asking them to come and help them. Sensing this was God's call, Paul, Silas and Timothy headed to Philippi and the persecution began! I think this is a great example that being in God's will does not guarantee an easy road. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown in prison, but in the midst of the difficulty, the Philippian jailer came to Christ. From Philippi, they headed to Thessalonica where many Jews and Gentiles believed the gospel message. However, some Jews became jealous and stirred up opposition against Paul and his companions. So the believers sent Paul, Silas and Timothy to Berea where the gospel again bore fruit. The Jews in Thessalonica heard what was happening in Berea and they followed them there to continue the persecution. From Berea, Paul headed on to Athens and then Corinth, where he stayed for about a year and a half. But the church at Thessalonica was heavy on his heart. Were they standing strong in the midst of persecution? So around 51 A.D., while still in Corinth, Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Now read the book of 1 Thessalonians in one sitting.

Mark every occurrence or suffering or affliction, and every reference to Jesus coming or the day of the Lord

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Day 2

Read chapter 1 and note everything you learn about Paul and his companions in the verses below.

v. 2 _____________________________________________________________

v. 5 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 2 and continue noting what you learn about Paul, the author of this letter.

v. 1 _____________________________________________________________

v. 2 _____________________________________________________________

v. 3 _____________________________________________________________

v. 4 _____________________________________________________________

v. 5 _____________________________________________________________

v. 6 _____________________________________________________________

v. 7 _____________________________________________________________

v. 8 _____________________________________________________________

v. 9 _____________________________________________________________

v. 10 _____________________________________________________________

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v. 11-12 _____________________________________________________________

v. 13 _____________________________________________________________

v. 17 _____________________________________________________________

v. 18 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 3 and continue noting what you learn about Paul.

v. 1-2 _____________________________________________________________

v. 4 _____________________________________________________________

v. 5 _____________________________________________________________

v. 7 _____________________________________________________________

v. 8-9 _____________________________________________________________

v. 10 _____________________________________________________________

v. 11 _____________________________________________________________

v. 12 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 4 and continue noting what you learn of Paul.

v. 1-2 _____________________________________________________________

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What did you learn about how Paul interacted with these believers? What examples do you see that are worth imitating? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Day 3

Read chapter 1 and note what you learn about the recipients of this letter.

v. 3 _____________________________________________________________

v. 4 _____________________________________________________________

v. 6 _____________________________________________________________

v. 7 _____________________________________________________________

v. 8 _____________________________________________________________

v. 9 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 2 and note what you learn about the recipients.

v. 13 _____________________________________________________________

v. 14 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 3 and continue noting what you learn about the recipients.

v. 6 _____________________________________________________________

v. 7 _____________________________________________________________

Read chapter 4 and note what else you learn about the recipients.

v. 1 _____________________________________________________________

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What are these believers known for? For what does Paul commend them? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What concerns did Paul have for them? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Day 4: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Read chapter 1 today.

Who was with Paul when he wrote this letter? This is who he is referring to when he says "we" later on in the book. ______________________________________________________

Because they are in God and Christ, what is offered to them? ______________________________________________________

How does Paul pray for these people? Look for the descriptive adverbs. ______________________________________________________

Paul is such a good example to us of the praying Christian. No doubt Paul was a busy man and had the concern of many churches, but prayer was a priority for him. We know it was important to him because he spent so much time doing it. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and we make time for what is important to us. He prayed for them constantly, without stopping. Paul's prayer life gives us evidence of how dependent He was on God.

What three things does Paul remember about the Thessalonians? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

True faith is always worked out in our lives. Read James 2:20-22 and note what it says about faith and works. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Thessalonian church was known for having an active, living faith that was evidenced by their good works.

They were also known for their labor of love. Love is not a mushy feeling, but many times calls for sacrifice. It is not usually convenient to put others first, and Paul remembers these people for being ones whose love was active and visible.

Lastly, they were known for their steadfast hope in Christ. Steadfast speaks of unwavering and constant.

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Read Romans 15:4 to see what helps us to have steadfast hope. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Romans 5:3-5. What gives us hope? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Notice in these verses how closely suffering and hope are connected. When life is going easy, we often don't feel the need to focus on the hope that we have in Christ, but when life is hard and painful, it has a way of sharpening our vision and making us yearn for heaven. Trials helps us remember the hope that Christ has won for us. The Thessalonians had suffered persecution, and it had developed in them an unwavering hope in Christ.

What do we learn about God in verse 4? ______________________________________________________

Often times when we go through difficulties, we are tempted to think that God must not love us if he is allowing such pain. But the cross is God's eternal declaration of love to us, not our circumstances. In the midst of persecution, Paul does not want them to forget that they are loved by God.

Next, he mentions that God chose them. The big question is: what were they chosen for? This question is the subject of huge theological debates, but we must always go back to Scripture. Let's look at some verses and see some things that God has chosen us for.

Ephesians 1:4 ______________________________________________________ 1 Peter 2:9 ______________________________________________________ Romans 8:29 ______________________________________________________ John 15:16 ______________________________________________________ Ephesians 2:10 ______________________________________________________

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Based on the verses you read, what does God choose people for? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now let's go back to 1 Thessalonians. Verse 4 says that God chose them, but we need to read the context to find out what they specifically were chosen for. Read verses 4-10 and note what the text says the Thessalonians were chosen for. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe how the gospel came to the Thessalonians from verse 5. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The gospel is not mere words, and is not like any other story. Romans 1:16 tells us that the gospel is the very power of God. It doesn't contain the power of God, it IS the power of God. That is why when Paul spoke of the gospel, it was in the power of the Holy Spirit and with conviction, because Paul had seen it radically transform lives, including his own.

Aside from just telling the good news of the gospel, what is also important in our presentation from verse 5? ______________________________________________________

Our words and the way we live must match up with the gospel. When our lives back up what we say, lives can be radically changed, as was the case with the Thessalonians. Tomorrow we will look at that transformation and their testimony more closely.

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Read 1 Thessalonians 1 again.

In what two ways did the Thessalonians receive the gospel? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read Acts 17:1-10 again and try to picture this scene in your mind. Describe the "much affliction" that Paul is referencing. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Despite there being a huge mob and the city being in an uproar, those who believed Paul's message, had great joy! That is the power of God! The natural response would be fear and concern for their own safety, yet these believers fully embraced the gospel with joy despite the danger.

What is even more amazing was that these believers became imitators of Paul and of the Lord. They had seen first hand the price that Paul had to pay for being a strong witness for the Lord. Instead of being intimidated and afraid, they followed his example and continued to boldly proclaim the gospel.

What does verse 7 say about the Thessalonians? ______________________________________________________

We often don't see that when we are going through persecution or suffering how God can use that in the lives of others. Based on the context, in what way were they an example? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verses 6-7 we see a neat progression. Paul is following the Lord, and the Thessalonians imitate Paul. As a result, the Thessalonians themselves become examples to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. We often don't realize it, but the way we live our lives can have an impact on those we may never even meet. Our actions matter and affect other people down the road, for good or for bad.

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In verse 8, where has the gospel spread to as a result of the believers' testimony? ______________________________________________________

Paul said he didn't even need to say anything about them because everyone had already heard and knew what kind of testimony they had. What a wonderful example these people were and still are for us today!

What specifically were the Thessalonians known for? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

How is God described in verse 9? ______________________________________________________

Idols are neither living nor true. They are lifeless and powerless to save us. But our God is alive and the only true God (John 17:3) and we have eternal life when we know Him.

Verse 10 is about hope! What were the Thessalonians waiting for? ______________________________________________________

Because God raised Jesus from the dead, we have hope! We have the certain hope that Jesus will one day come back for us and take us to heaven. When life gets hard, it is encouraging to remember this isn't all there is. We have eternity with Jesus to look forward to!

What else has Jesus done for us according to verse 10? ______________________________________________________

Scripture tells us that Gods wrath will be poured out on sin. (Romans 2:5,8). But because Jesus took the full brunt of God's wrath on the cross in our place, we will never have to experience that. Because our sins have been forgiven, there is nothing for God to be angry about when he looks at us. Now instead of his wrath, we enjoy his fellowship, favor and acceptance! Rejoice today in the perfect, peaceful standing you have before God!

What is the theme of chapter 1? ______________________________________________________

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1 Thessalonians 2


Read 1 Thessalonians 2.

In verse 1, Paul agrees with the believers that his visit to them was not in vain. Vain here means producing no results, or useless. Besides the obvious result of them getting saved, based on all that you learned in chapter 1, what were some other results of Paul's visit to Thessalonica? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 2, Paul mentions the shameful treatment that he received at Philippi. Read Acts 16:10-40 and note below some of the persecution that Paul encountered. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Even though Paul had been beaten, had open wounds that needed tending and was put in prison, he could not be silenced. Where did Paul's boldness come from? ______________________________________________________

Paul had such confidence and conviction in the truth of the gospel, that he was willing to endure anything in order to see people saved. Read the following verses to see Paul's heart.

Acts 20:24 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Philippians 1:20 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May God grow us into this type of Christian! May we be willing to go down any road, at any cost in order to see God glorified and people saved!

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From verse 3, Paul says the message of the gospel is not based on three things. Read the following verses that confirm Paul's statement.

Not based on error: See 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10. Where do error and truth come from and what are the results of believing either one? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Not based on impurity (unclean or sinful living): See 1 Thessalonians 4:7. What is God's purpose for those who believe the gospel? _____________________________________________________________ Not based on trying to deceive: See 2 Corinthians 4:2. Explain what Paul avoided in sharing the gospel. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

According to verse 4, who was Paul accountable to in his presentation of the gospel? ______________________________________________________

Two words stand out in this verse: approved and entrusted. Look them up in the Greek to get a better understanding of what they mean.

Approved: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Entrusted: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because Paul had been approved by God and entrusted to share the gospel as His ambassador, what did Paul seek to do in verse 4? ______________________________________________________

Wow, this is such an important point! So many times it seems people are driven by being able to give a report of how many salvation decisions there were. We may worry that if we have no good results to show, people will think we are doing something wrong or doing nothing at all. Often the temptation to impress people with the results of "our" ministry is what drives us. Paul lived his life for an audience of One: the One who had saved him and knew his heart. May we learn to care more about what pleases God than what pleases other people!

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Paul and his companions are a great example to us of how to share the gospel and disciple others. Read verses 5-12 and then in the chart below fill in what Paul did not do with the Thessalonians and also what he did do. Note the verse where each item is found. Then we will go back and take a closer look at each of these things.

From verse 5, look up the definition of "flattery" in the Greek. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flattery is really false and insincere praise. Normally we use flattery to manipulate and please the other person so they will give us something we want. Paul said that was not how he acted with the Thessalonians. His motives and his words were pure among them.

He also says he didn't come with a pretext for greed. Look up "pretext" in the Greek. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What Paul did do What Paul did not do

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Paul says he did not come pretending to want to minister to them when his motivation was really for money or for the Thessalonians to support him. Again, his motives were pure and sincere.

How does Paul say he knows this is true? ______________________________________________________

A witness is someone who testifies to what he has seen. God could look at Paul's heart and testify that what Paul was saying was true.

In verse 6, Paul also says he did not seek glory from people. This ties back in with verse 4. Because Paul was living to please God, he wasn't concerned with getting praise or honor from men.

Lastly in verse 6, Paul says he did not use his position as an apostle to make demands on the Thessalonians.

Instead of being demanding, what analogy does he use in verse 7 to show how he did treat them? ______________________________________________________

Think about a nursing mother for a minute. What words would you use to describe how a nursing mother treats her baby? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 8, Paul says he was affectionately desirous of the Thessalonians. This means "to experience a yearning affection for someoneto have a great affection for, to have a yearning love for."

This is how Paul really felt about these people. Because he felt this deep love and affection for them, what was the result in verse 8? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Our service to God and to others flows from our heart. May God give us this type of love for the people that we minister to and serve. Often times we get tired and people can seem like a burden or a bother, but motivated by the love and power of the Holy Spirit, God's love will flow out of us and into those around us.

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In verse 9, Paul goes on to give some tangible examples of his love for the Thessalonians. What else did Paul do? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul was intentional here by working night and day. He did not want the Thessalonians to be burdened by him in any way. He didn't want them to be distracted by caring for him, he wanted their full attention to be on the Word of God as he preached the gospel to them.

In verse 10, Paul again says that the Thessalonians saw his good conduct lived out before them. Like Christ, he was holy, righteous and blameless.

In verse 11, to what does he compare his conduct with them? ______________________________________________________

Think about a father for a moment. How would a godly father interact with his children? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 12, Paul explains what this looked like. Look for the verbs in this verse. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To exhort means "to ask for something earnestly and with proprietyto request, to plead for, to appeal to.

To encourage means "to cause someone to become consoledto comfort, to encourage."

Remember that these people had suffered persecution for their faith, so Paul comforted them in their trials, encouraging them to keep pressing on.

Lastly, Paul charged them. This word is very interesting. The Greek is martyromai. The root word is martys, where we get our English word

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martyr. It is interesting that many in the early church who gave witness about Jesus ended up as martyrs. This word charge means "to be emphatic in stating an opinion or desireto insist."

So Paul is begging them, encouraging them and insisting that they do what? ______________________________________________________

Many times in the epistles Paul exhorts people to walk worthy of the Lord. (Phil. 1:27, Col.1:10, Eph. 4:1). Worthy means "pertaining to having a relatively high degree of comparable merit, worth or value." It was a word used in weighing things on a scale. If an item was of "equal weight or value," it would be worth a certain amount. Think about this in terms of our conduct. Our actions and the way we live should be of equal value to who Jesus is. We could say that our lives should "measure up" and accurately portray the worth of Christ!

What is our motivation to live in this way? What has God done for us in verse 12? ______________________________________________________

To call means simply "to issue a summons or to invite." God has invited us to come into his kingdom and enjoy the glory of who He is. How would you conduct yourself if the President or King of a country invited you to live in his house? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In the same way, because God has invited us to himself, our lives should be lived in a way that showcase the matchless worth of Christ. Our lives should be an outflow of all that Christ has done for us in inviting us to Himself.

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Read chapter 2 again.

What does Paul thank God for in verse 13? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We see a progression in this verse. What three things did the Thessalonians do that the end result was God's Word working in their lives. (Look for the verbs). ______________________________________________________

When we receive, hear and accept God's Word, the result is a changed life!

In chapter 1, verse 6, we read that the Thessalonians imitated Paul and the Lord. In verse 14, who else did they imitate? ______________________________________________________

In what way did they imitate them, from verse 14? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When the Jews became followers of Jesus, they immediately suffered persecution. So they were an example to this Thessalonian church of how to persevere in the midst of difficulties. You never know how God might use your godly response to a trial in someone else's life!

According to verses 15-16, what negative things have the Jews done? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will be the end result of this? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God will always judge sin, and for those who refuse to accept His Son, wrath will one day be poured out upon them. May this motivate us to continually share the good news so people won't have to experience the brunt of God's wrath for their sin.

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Read chapter 2 once more.

In verse 17, what do we learn about why Paul had to leave this church? ______________________________________________________

Read Acts 17:5-10 for the account of Paul and his companions being "torn away" from the church in Thessalonica.

What was Paul's desire? ______________________________________________________

What prevented him from doing this? ______________________________________________________

We are in a spiritual battle. Paul knew that Satan was the one preventing them from staying there in Thessalonica. We know from James 1:13 that God never tempts anyone to sin, so it is clear in this instance that Satan was motivating the Jews in Thessalonica to fight against the gospel being proclaimed in that city. We should never forget that we do have an enemy who wants to "steal, kill and destroy," but "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

Why was Paul so eager to see them from verses 19-20? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 19, Paul refers to this church as his "crown of boasting." What exactly is he talking about?

In 2 Corinthians 10:17 and 1 Corinthians 10:31 Paul quotes Jeremiah 9:23-24. Read these verses and then explain what you think it means when Paul says he can boast about these people. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is one thing we learn about Jesus' return in this verse? ______________________________________________________

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The way we live our lives now makes a difference for eternity! We will either be joyful and be able to boast in the Lord, or we will suffer the loss of a reward because we have squandered the time God has given us by living for ourselves.

Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. After reading these verses, answer the following questions.

1. What is it that will be tested and judged in these verses? ____________________________________________________

2. Are these verses referring to believers or unbelievers? ____________________________________________________

3. What is the result for the one whose foundation survives? ____________________________________________________

4. What about the one whose work is burned up? ____________________________________________________

The Bible also refers to crowns that we will receive. Read the following verses and note what type of crowns are mentioned.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 ______________________________________________________

What things are mentioned that this crown is given for? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

James 1:12 and Revelation 2:10 ______________________________________________________

What is mentioned in both of these verses that tell what this crown is given for? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 Peter 5:1-4 ______________________________________________________

Who is this crown given to and for what? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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What else is mentioned as a crown in Scripture? Read Philippians 4:1. ______________________________________________________

So we will be rewarded for the work we have done and the people we have invested in!

In Revelation 4, the apostle John shows us a scene in heaven that will take place. Read Revelation 4:1-11.

When the living creatures around the throne give glory to God, what do the twenty-four elders do? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Although this scene mentions the twenty-four elders casting their crowns before Jesus' throne, I think it is safe to say that we will one day do the same. Anything good we have done, is only through the power of the Spirit and for the glory of God so it is fitting that our crowns should be returned to Jesus in worship. May this motivate us to live lives that honor and glorify God so that we too can return our crowns to Jesus, the one who has saved us!


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1 Thessalonians 3


Read chapter 3.

In verse 1, what hardship was Paul willing to endure for this church? ______________________________________________________

In order to understand why this was a hardship, let's look back to Acts 17:13-21. What type of place was Athens? What kind of influences were there? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

According to Acts 17:18 and 32-34, what type of response did Paul get? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So this was a pagan city, full of idols and people spent their time listening to the different philosophers of the day, ready to hear something "new." A few people did believe, but most wrote Paul off as a babbler and mocked him. Despite the unfriendly atmosphere, Paul was so concerned about the Thessalonians, that he sent Silas and Timothy back to make sure they were okay.

According to verse 2, what was Timothy sent there to do? ______________________________________________________

To establish means "to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief.

From verse 3, what was Paul afraid might make them waver in their faith? ______________________________________________________

What "promise" does verse 3 give us? ______________________________________________________

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We don't normally like to think that as believers we are destined for hardship, but Scripture does speak of this over and over again. Look up these verses and note what is says about believers and suffering.

Acts 14:22 ______________________________________________________ 2 Timothy 2:3 ______________________________________________________ James 1:2 ______________________________________________________ Matthew 10:16-22 ______________________________________________________ John 15:18-20 ______________________________________________________

In verse 4, what does Paul say he had warned them about? ______________________________________________________

I find Paul's warning to these new believers so different from the modern day message we often hear in America. So often we tell people that Jesus will give them peace, that he will bring comfort and help and blessings if they will just follow Him. The truth is, life is hard and we have an enemy who hates us and would like to see us destroyed. God will give peace and comfort, but it is not always experienced through an easy, trouble-free life. Often times His peace and presence are experienced in some of our darkest days.

What was Paul's concern in verse 5? ______________________________________________________

In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul tells another church he is afraid that the tempter will lead them astray from "a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." Paul was afraid that the persecution these believers were experiencing would make them waver in their faith and cause them to quit following Jesus. As we will see tomorrow, Paul's fears were unfounded! What a wonderful example these believers are for us today!

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Read chapter 3.

According to verse 6, what was the report that Timothy brought back? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How did this good report affect Paul? ______________________________________________________

Paul was still undergoing distress and affliction himself! But this good news brought comfort and consolation to the apostle's heart.

What does verse 7 say specifically comforted Paul? ______________________________________________________

Do you want to be a comfort and encouragement to others? Be faithful! Live out your faith in a practical way where others can see it. When people see you keeping the faith despite trials and difficulties, it encourages them in their faith too!

In verse 8, Paul is trying to express how much it meant to him to hear that they were standing fast. He says, "Now we live." Before Paul heard back from Timothy, it must have felt like a living death, so concerned was he for their well being. Now he must have felt alive, revitalized and encouraged that they were keeping the faith!

In verse 9, how does Paul feel about the Thessalonians? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is Paul's prayer in verse 10? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We aren't told in what area their faith was lacking, but we all have areas in which we need to grow. Paul says he is praying earnestly that he can come see them so that this can be accomplished.

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Paul says he is praying for them night and day. The danger was real! Paul was storming the gates of heaven on behalf of these believers because he wants to see them continue to be strengthened in their faith.

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What is Paul praying for in verse 11? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What does he ask for in verse 12? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who is the one who makes our love increase and abound? ______________________________________________________

We do not have to muster up this kind of love. We can't! But as God works in us, He causes us to have the kind of love that keeps increasing and overflowing. God is love, and only He can produce that in us.

What does verse 13 say is the result of a heart that is overflowing with God's love? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When God produces His love in our hearts, we become "blameless in holiness." Blameless means to be without fault. Who can find fault with one who is showing love?

This is how God wants to find us when Jesus comes back! The Scripture tells us that the last days will be evil and filled with wickedness. What a beacon in the dark a person would be who overflowed with Christ's love and as a result could not be blamed! Again, God is the actor in these verses. It is he who makes our love increase and He establishes our hearts. To God be the glory when we reflect Him in this way!


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1 Thessalonians 4


Read chapter 4.

What is the change you see in the book between the first three chapters and chapter 4? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the charge Paul gives them in verse 1? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul says the instructions he gave them come from the Lord. He then proceeds to speak about sexual immorality. No matter how unpopular these instructions are in our day and age, we must remember they come directly from God.

What is God's will for us according to verse 3? ______________________________________________________

Sexual immorality refers to sexual sin of any kind and includes many different behaviors. We are to abstain and to avoid all of it.

In verse 4, when we know how to control our own bodies, Paul says we act in a way that is holy and honorable. So when we sin sexually, we are really dishonoring ourselves. Paul also speaks of this in Romans 1:24 and says that people dishonored their bodies through their lusts. We all want honor and respect, but the Bible says you bring dishonor on yourself when you engage in sexual sin.

What do verses 4-5 say is true about those who don't know God? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those who don't know God are controlled by their own lusts. What should control a believer? See Ephesians 5:18. ______________________________________________________

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We have already seen that we dishonor ourselves when we sin sexually. Who does verse 6 also say we wrong? ______________________________________________________

What will be the consequence according to this verse? ______________________________________________________

To avenge means to punish. God will punish sexual sin and Paul says he has already solemnly warned them about this. No doubt the city of Thessalonica was a city with much immorality so Paul felt the need to address this issue.

According to verse 7, what is the reason we should avoid sexual sin of any kind? ______________________________________________________

What does verse 8 say about the person who disregards this teaching? ______________________________________________________

The focus here is holiness. Because we have the Holy Spirit, our lives should be characterized by His holiness and be free from immorality.

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The focus moves now from lust (v.1-8) to love!

What is the encouragement given in verse 9? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the exhortation in verse 10? ______________________________________________________

In verse 11, what does Paul encourage them to do? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will be the result of this in verse 12? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Several years ago my husband, who is a pastor, found himself unexpectedly caught up in a boundary dispute involving our church. My husband had been using a backhoe to level some ground to put in a playground on the corner of the church parking lot. A man in the community accused him of infringing on his property and said that the playground crossed over the property line. Despite the disagreement, we later heard from the man's wife that he had said, "I'll say one thing- that pastor knows how to work!"

There is a lot to be said for being a hard worker and here Paul says when we do this, we "walk properly" among outsiders, or unbelievers.

In verse 13, Paul again shifts his focus to the coming of the Lord. I don't know if you noticed it or not, but in the first three chapters, Paul ended those chapters with remarks about the Lord's coming as well. For those suffering persecution, it is a topic he wants them to focus on.

What does he want them to be informed about in verse 13? ______________________________________________________

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This was a topic they did not know much about. Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. Here Paul refers to it as a mystery, something that had not been revealed in earlier times. Record what you learn about the Rapture in these verses. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Some in the church had fallen asleep, or died, maybe as a result of persecution, and he wants them to know the truth so that in their grief, they will still have hope!

In verse 14, what fact is true that makes what he is going to tell them possible? ______________________________________________________

What does he tell them about those who have died? ______________________________________________________

In verse 15, how can they know that what Paul is telling them is true? ______________________________________________________

In verse 15, what does he say about those who are still alive when Jesus returns? ______________________________________________________

In verse 16, what will we hear when Jesus descends from heaven? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What will happen first? ______________________________________________________ What will happen next? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the comforting truth Paul shares in verse 17? ______________________________________________________

These verses are a huge comfort! How many times I have longed to be in heaven with Jesus, especially when life is hard and painful. These believers had experienced suffering as well. Knowing that one day all the sin, sadness

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and suffering will be over and we will be with the Lord forever brings us great comfort and helps us to be faithful to the end!

Not only does it bring encouragement to our hearts, we are to encourage "one another." This is something we should be talking about. We should be reminding each other about the hope that we have so that we do not lose heart.


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1 Thessalonians 5


Read chapter 5.

In chapter 4, Paul wrote that he did not want his readers to be uninformed about the Rapture and went on to explain what that would look like. Now read verse 1 again.

Do you think he is continuing his thoughts from chapter 4 or starting a new subject? ______________________________________________________

If you are not sure, hold on and it will become clear in the next few verses!

He uses the phrase "times and seasons". This phrase is only used a few times in the Bible and it is Jewish in nature. Read Acts 1:6-7. What were the disciples wanting Jesus to do in this verse? This will give us a clue to the period that "times and seasons" refers to. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In Scripture, the phrase "times and seasons" refers to the time when God will again turn his attention back to Israel, judge the nations for their sin and set up his kingdom.

Another phrase we see used in verse 2 is "the day of the Lord." The reason these readers knew about this already and Paul did not need to inform them about it is because it is spoken of many times in the Old Testament. Look up the following verses and note what you learn about the day of the Lord.

Amos 5:18-20 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Isaiah 13:9-13 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Zephaniah 1:14-18 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When will the Day of the Lord begin? Compare Joel 2:30-31 and Revelation 6:12-17. Do they seem like the same event? The things mentioned here happen before the Day of the Lord. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4. What else must happen before the day of the Lord comes? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read 2 Peter 3:10-13. What will happen after the day of the Lord? When will it end?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So based on what you read, do you think "the day of the Lord" is the same thing you read about at the end of chapter 4? ______________________________________________________

So it appears that the day of the Lord is a period when Gods wrath will be poured out against sin. It will start during the Tribulation after the man of lawlessness, or the Antichrist is revealed. It seems the Day of the Lord extends through the Millennium and the destruction of the heavens and the earth.

Now back in Thessalonians, how does Paul say in verse 2 this day will come? ______________________________________________________

In verse 3, what will the attitude be of people before the Day of the Lord comes? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul uses the analogy of a woman in labor to make his point. First, like a pregnant woman never knows when her labor will begin, so the Day of the

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Lord will also be unexpected. Also, a woman in labor goes through intense pain and that will also be a characteristic of the Day of the Lord.

What will happen to those people? ______________________________________________________

The verses you read in the Old Testament described the day of the Lord as a day of darkness and gloom. What does Paul say about his readers in verses 4-5? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Based on this description, do you think believers will experience the Day of the Lord? ______________________________________________________

Paul has given us a glimpse into the future in these first five verses; tomorrow we will see how we should live.

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Paul has told us that we are "children of light, children of the day." During the day, people are awake and active. This is how children of God should be: awake, alert and actively serving their Lord.

Paul also tells us in verse 6 that we should be sober. Look up the definition in the Greek. ______________________________________________________

In verse 7, two things characterize people of the night or the unsaved. First is that they sleep at night, that is they do no work for the Lord. Second is that they get drunk, a metaphor for having no self-control. When you are drunk, the liquor is what controls and influences you. People of the night have no restraint and sin controls them.

In verse 8, Paul again reminds them that they belong to the day. Paul tells us why we can be sober or self-controlled. What two pieces of armor have we put on that helps us to be sober? ______________________________________________________

What is on our spiritual breastplate? ______________________________________________________

A breastplate protects your heart. When we have faith and trust God, that protects our heart from being anxious or stressed. Our breastplate is also covered in God's love. When we understand and live in God's love, we feel secure and are protected. Living in faith and experiencing God's love helps us to live self-controlled, sober lives.

What is our spiritual helmet? ______________________________________________________

What exactly is Paul referring to here when he speaks of the hope of salvation? These were believers, so he cannot be referring to salvation from the penalty of sin. There could be two possibilities. First, he could be referring to the time when God completes our salvation and saves us from even the presence of sin, in heaven. Also based on the context of the Day of the Lord, he could also be referring to saving us from going through the Tribulation.

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Verse 9 seems to indicate the second view. What are all believers saved from in this verse? ______________________________________________________

Ten times in the book of Revelation, God's wrath is referred to in terms of the Tribulation. It will certainly be a time when God unleashes his wrath against sin. In chapter 1, verse 9 we are told that Jesus saves us from the wrath to come. This one fact convinces me that believers will not go through the Great Tribulation. If we were to suffer God's wrath during the Tribulation, that would make God a liar because He has told us that Jesus has saved us from God's wrath, and God can never go back on His Word!

What contrast do you see in verse 10? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Because Jesus has saved us, what should our response be in verse 11? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To build up means "to make more able or to strengthen." Given the difficulties these believers were facing, this was a timely reminder. What things so far has Paul talked about that would help them to be encouraged and strengthened in their faith? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

How important it is to encourage others and build them up, to strengthen them in their faith. Life is hard and we need encouragement. Who do you know today that needs some encouragement?

When people are going through hard times, we often don't know what to say to encourage them. Paul gives us some ideas here. Focusing on what Jesus has done for us in saving us from the wrath that we deserve and looking ahead to our future hope will give us strength to continue on in the here and now and press on towards the future.

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In verses 12-13, in what two ways are Christians supposed to treat their spiritual leaders in the church? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 12, where does it say Christian leaders labor? ______________________________________________________

Those God has given to the church as pastors and elders, should be working right among the people, hurting with them, laughing with them and living life among them. They should not have an attitude of being better than those they minister to.

Also in verse 12, what position does it say church leaders hold? ______________________________________________________

This does not necessarily mean they are more spiritual or have a closer walk with God, or that they are a better Christian. But rather it is a position of authority that God has placed them in.

Look up Hebrews 13:17 and James 3:3. What do you learn in these verses about church leaders responsibilities that might help you understand how they are "over you in the Lord"? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paul encourages the church to be at peace among themselves. I think it is interesting that immediately following the exhortation to respect and highly esteem their church leaders, Paul calls for peace. I think the two are related. Church leaders are not perfect. They will disappoint us and make mistakes. When they do fall short of our expectations, if we approach them with an attitude of respect and thankfulness for their service to the Lord, peace can still prevail.

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In verse 14, urge means "to ask for earnestly, to plead." What four things does Paul urge them to do in verse 14? These are not just suggestions; these are important things we should be doing! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Admonish means to warn through instruction. If they saw a fellow Christian who was being idle or lazy and undisciplined, they were to warn them.

Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12. This was written to the same group of people. How exactly were they being idle? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

These verses give an even stronger exhortation. Here it says to stay away from the idle person. Perhaps they had already been warned and rejected the warning. Now Paul says to keep away from this type of person.

Why do you think Paul says to stay away from this type of person? Read 1 Corinthians 15:33. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When I first read these verses in 1 Thessalonians, I thought perhaps Paul meant they were being spiritually lazy, but in 2 Thessalonians, we see they were being physically lazy and not working, and I'm sure that did carry over into their spiritual life, too. But this is something God takes very seriously.

Why do you think Paul takes such a strong position about the lazy person? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Next Paul urges us to encourage the fainthearted. Fainthearted means "to be discouraged, to lose heart, to lack motivation to attain the goal." Life and ministry is hard and these are people who want to give up and quit. Paul urges us to come along side them and encourage them and cheer them on. May we always be looking for ways to encourage those who are tired and discouraged! Who might God want you to encourage today?

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Another group Paul mentions is the weak, those who are unable or have a limited capacity to do something. Look up the following verses that explain what a weak Christian looks like.

Romans 14:1-13 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Corinthians 8:7-13 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Weakness in the New Testament is often described as being weak in faith or having a weak conscience. These people do not feel the liberty or freedom to do certain things that God has deemed acceptable. The encouragement to us is to help this type of person.

Read the above verses again and look for practical things we can do to help this type of person. How should we treat them? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lastly Paul encourages us to be patient with them all. We are to be patient with the idle, the fainthearted and the weak. These certainly are people that it might be difficult to be patient with. Patient means "to be long-suffering or to bear up under difficult circumstances or people." People do tend to try our patience, especially if they struggle in an area that we do not. Instead of getting frustrated with them, Paul urges us to bear patiently with them.

In verse 15, it is a given that evil will be done to us. Perhaps we hear that someone has gossiped about us; perhaps they have broken our trust or betrayed us. Maybe they have disappointed us, not lived up to our expectations or hurt us deeply.

When this happens, what should be our response? ______________________________________________________

Wow! This is hard! When we have been hurt or mistreated, it is natural to want to respond in kind and hurt them back. Instead, we are commanded to seek to do good to them! To seek means "to do something with intense

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effort and with a definite purpose or goal." It is a very proactive word! We are to look for ways to show them kindness. We should be praying and asking the Lord to show us ways to do good to those who have hurt us!

When we respond like this, what does Romans 12:21 say can happen? ______________________________________________________

God's Word promises that we can overcome the evil done to us by doing good. It might not be right away and it is guaranteed to be hard, but as we trust God and follow Jesus' example, instead of becoming a part of the problem, we can overcome the problem by doing good. Is there someone who has hurt or offended you? Like David prayed in Psalm 51:12, ask God to give you a "willing spirit" to do good to them. Then seek the Lord for specific ways you can put this into practice.

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In verse 16, we are told to rejoice always. Life is hard and there are situations that are just plain bad. There might not be anything good in the situation itself, but we are still told to rejoice. How is this possible to rejoice in hard times? Scripture gives us some answers.

Read the following verses and note why we should always rejoice, even in our difficulties.

James 1:2-4 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1 Peter 1:6-7 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Think of something right now that you find difficult, maybe a person or a situation. Write below some specific things you can rejoice in. Focus on who God is and what he might want to do in you through the situation. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In verse 17, we are told to pray constantly and continually, without stopping. This might seem impossible because we all have jobs and responsibilities throughout the day. But all day long, we should have an attitude of dependence on our Father, talking to him about every difficulty and thanking him for every joy. They don't have to be long prayers, but in every situation, we should be acknowledging and talking to him.

What is God's will for us in verse 18? ______________________________________________________

Notice it doesn't say to give thanks for all circumstances, but to give thanks in all circumstances.

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Think of a difficult situation you have been through or are going through now. What are some ways you can give thanks in it? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

From verse 19, look up the definition of quench. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Figuratively, this word means "to extinguish a fire." What a scary thought it is to know that through our actions and hardness of heart, we can cause the activity of the Spirit to cease in our lives. It doesn't mean we are not still his children, but we may be unable to hear his voice through our willful disobedience.

In verse 20, a prophecy is simply "an utterance inspired by God." At the time this was written, God's Word was still being given and written down, but today we have his complete Word. How should we treat God's Word? ______________________________________________________

Look up the definition of despise in the Greek. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some ways we might despise or show scorn for God's Word? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God tells us in His Word how valuable it is. Look up Psalm 19:7-11 and note what God says about His Word. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Read the verses again and note what God's Word does for us. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This is why we should not despise God's Word! It has the power to change us, protect us, enlighten us and reward us. It is better than the most valuable treasure and according to 2 Peter 1:4, through it, we become partakers of the divine nature. Christ's character is seen in us as we read, study and apply His Word.

In verse 21, we are told to test everything. Look up the definition of test in the Greek. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

No matter who says it, or where we read it (even this Bible study), we must examine it against God's Word to make sure it is true.

After we have tested it and it has been shown to be worthwhile, what should we do? ______________________________________________________

To hold fast means "to continue to believe and practice, to continue to follow." May we always continue to believe and practice God's good Word!

What contrast from holding fast to good do we see in verse 22? ______________________________________________________

To abstain means to avoid or keep from doing something. Evil comes in many different forms and we are to avoid them all. The way we do this is by holding fast to God's Word!

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Read chapter 5 one more time.

Yesterday we saw how we are to hold fast to God's Word and avoid all forms of evil. When we do this, what does God say He himself will do for us in verse 23? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To sanctify means to cause someone to have the quality of holiness. Holiness means we are set apart from sin and set apart for God. God is the one who sets us apart for himself and makes us holy, like Him!

As God sanctifies us, what else happens from verse 23? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The more we are separated from sin and live our lives set apart for God, we will be kept blameless. Kept means "to cause to continue," but it also has the idea of being guarded. Holding fast to God's Word keeps us from sin and guards us so that we remain blameless.

Blameless means "being without fault or guilt." Because we have Christ's righteousness, God certainly sees us as blameless. Our sins are not held against us because they have been paid for on the cross. But our lives should reflect this truth and the fact that we are blameless before God should be visible in our everyday actions before men.

What is the goal in verse 23? How long should we live blameless lives? ______________________________________________________

What is the wonderful promise in verse 24? ______________________________________________________

As we cooperate with God and submit to His Word in our lives, he promises to be faithful to work in us. He will do it!

In verse 25, what is Paul's request? ______________________________________________________

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Paul doesn't ask for anything in particular, but since these believers had such a close friendship with Paul, I bet they knew how to pray for him.

In verse 26, the "holy kiss" mentioned so often in Paul's closing remarks, would be the equivalent of our modern day hand shake. Notice they were to greet all the believers like this, not just the ones they got along with.

In verse 27, Paul puts them "under oath". This means "to be certain that one will carry out a request or command." Paul is asking them to make sure this letter is read to all the believers. It was to be passed around and not held on to for themselves. What a good admonition that is for us today! May we be people who spread the Word around!

What is the last thing Paul encourages them with in verse 28? ______________________________________________________

Read 2 Corinthians 9:8. What does Paul tell us about God's grace in this verse? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

God's grace is with us at all times and is sufficient for all circumstances. His grace is sufficient for any work he has called us to. May we be people who live and experience God's abounding grace as we eagerly await his return!


What is the theme of the whole book? ______________________________________________________

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Documents

1 Thessalonians: Preparing for Christ's Return