1. The Book of 1 Thessalonians - 28th
March 2016
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects
this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy
Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)
We can learnfrom1 Thessalonians1:1, “Paul,SilasandTimothy,To the church of the Thessaloniansin
Godthe Fatherand the Lord JesusChrist: Graceand peace to you”.This indicatesthatthe Bookof 1
Thessalonianswaswrittenbythe apostle Paul,probablyalongwithSilasandTimothy. The Bookof 1
Thessalonianswaswrittenaround A.D.50. It seemsthatinthe church of Thessalonicathere weresome
misunderstandingsaboutthe returnof Christ.Paul desiredtoclearthemupin hisletter.He alsowrites
it as an instructioninholyliving.
We can learnof some keyversesthroughthisletter:In 1 Thessalonians3:5, we read of Paul’sworry
aboutthe faithinthe church of Thessalonica: “Forthisreason,when I could standit no longer,I sent to
findout aboutyour faith.I was afraidthat in some way the tempter mighthave tempted you andour
efforts mighthave been useless.” We can learninthe same paragraph where Paul affirmstheirfaith
evenwhenfacedwithdistressandpersecution.We readthisin1 Thessalonians3:7,“Therefore,
brothers, inall our distressand persecutionwe were encouraged aboutyou because ofyour faith.”
We can learnof a reference toJesus’secondcomingin1 Thessalonians4:14-17, "We believethat Jesus
died androse againand so we believe that Godwill bringwith Jesus those whohave fallenasleep in
him.Accordingto the Lord'sown word, we tell you that we who are still alive,who are lefttill the
comingof the Lord, will certainlynot precede those who havefallenasleep. For the Lord himselfwill
come down fromheaven, with a loudcommand,withthe voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
call of God,andthe dead inChrist will rise first.After that,we whoare still aliveand are left will be
caughtup together withthem in the cloudsto meet the Lord inthe air.And so we will be withthe Lord
forever."We can alsolearnwhenPaul admonishesus asChristianstobe joyful inall circumstances.We
learnin1 Thessalonians5:16-18, “Be joyful always;praycontinually;givethanksin all circumstances,
for thisis God’swill for youin ChristJesus.”
The firstthree chaptersare aboutPaul longingtovisitthe church inThessalonicabutnotbeingable to
because Satanstoppedthem:“Forwe wanted to come to you—certainlyI,Paul,did,againand
again—butSatanblockedour way. (1 Thessalonians2:18). It alsotellsus how Paul cared forthemand
was encouragedtohearhowtheyhad been.Paul thenpraysforthem:“Nowmay our GodandFather
himselfandour Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12
Maythe Lord make your love
increase andoverflow foreach other andfor everyone else,just as ours doesfor you. 13
Mayhe
strengthen your hearts so that you will be blamelessandholyin the presence ofour Godand Father
when our Lord Jesus comes withall hisholyones” (1 Thessalonians3:11-13).
In chapter4, we can learnwhen Paul isinstructingthe believersinThessalonicaonhow to live,inChrist
Jesus,aholylife “
ForGoddid not call us to be impure,but to livea holylife. 8
Therefore, anyonewho
rejects thisinstructiondoes notreject a humanbeing but God,the very God who gives youhis Holy
Spirit.(1 Thessalonians4:7-8).Paul goeson to instructthemof a misconceptiontheyhad.He tellsthem
that the people whohave diedinChristJesuswill alsogotoheavenwhenHe comesback as we read
from1 Thessalonians4:13-18,and 5:1-11. The book endswithfinal instructionsof livingthe Christian
life.

2. Paul remindsthe Thessaloniansthatthe persecutiontheywere receivingfromtheir“owncountrymen”
as saidin: 1 Thessalonians 2:15,”…whokilledthe Lord Jesusand the prophets and also drove us out.
They displease Godand are hostile to everyone” becauseitwas the JewswhorejectedtheirMessiah.
We can learnthat Jesuswarnedthattrue prophetsof God wouldalwaysbe opposedbythe unrighteous:
“Because ofthis, Godinhis wisdomsaid,‘I will send them prophetsand apostles,some ofwhom they
will kill and others they will persecute.’ (Luke 11:49).
Thisbookcan be appliedtomanylife situations.Itgivesusthe confidence asChristiansthatdeador
alive whenChristcomesbackwe will be togetherwithHim.We canlearnthisfrom 1 Thessalonians
4:13-15, “Brothers andsisters, we do not want you to be uninformedaboutthosewho sleep in death,
so that you donot grieve like the rest of mankind,whohave no hope. 14
For we believe that Jesus died
and rose again,andso we believe that Godwill bring withJesus those who havefallenasleep in him.
15
Accordingto the Lord’s word, we tell youthat we who are still alive,who are left until the comingof
the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallenasleep. 16
For the Lord himselfwill come
downfrom heaven, witha loud command,withthe voice of the archangel and withthe trumpet call of
God,andthe dead inChrist will rise first”.
Thisletteralso assuresusas Christiansthatwe won’treceive God’swrath:“Butsince we belongto the
day,let us be sober, puttingonfaith andlove as a breastplate,and the hope ofsalvationasa helmet.
9
For Goddidnot appointus to sufferwrath but to receive salvationthroughour Lord JesusChrist. (1
Thessalonians5:8-9).This letteralso instructsushow to walkthe Christianlife daily whichwe canlearn
fromthe twopassagesin 1 Thessalonians4–5.
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects
this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy
Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)