Thessalonians: Living in the Light of His Coming (Part 1)

• Paul and company started a church in Thessalonica on his 2^nd journey.
• He stayed in Jason’s home.
• Immediately there was persecution.
• Paul was expelled from the city after only a month.
• The people from Thessalonica followed Paul to Berea where they stirred up the people resulting in Paul’s departure to Athens.
• While at Athens, Paul sends Timothy to Thessalonica and Silas to Philippi.
• Timothy and Silas reunite with Paul in Corinth.
• In response to Timothy’s news, Paul writes this epistle.
• Written from Corinth during Paul’s 2^nd Missionary Journey.

• Jews were impugning Paul’s credibility.
• Proclaiming Paul as a wandering charlatan (like some medicine man).
• The people at Thessalonica were confused doctrinally concerning the second coming of Christ and what happened to believers who died before Christ returns.
• The people at Thessalonica had stopped working because they believed Christ’s return was imminent.
• Some of the people were sinking back into the immorality of the culture.
• Every chapter ends with a reference to Christ’s 2^nd coming.

​The Preachers of the Church (1)

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

He includes Silas and Timothy; they are not co-authors but Paul’s co workers.

The Position of the Church (1)

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

• The church of the Thessalonians.
  • Which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Believers, not buildings.
  • The term church was first used by Jesus and stood for a group of baptized believers.

Matthew 16:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Prayer for the Church (2)

1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were grateful to God for His people. They prayed for them and their needs. This is something all believers should do for one another.

Samuel viewed it a sin if he did not pray for God’s people.

1 Samuel 12:23 (KJV) ²³ Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

The Performance of the Church (3)

1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

Please note the positive impact of prayer in the life of those who pray. Prayer warms our hearts. Prayer makes us grateful.

Their Ministry Was Real

Paul remembered their work of faith. Their conversion from idol worship (9).

1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

A saving faith is a working faith.

James 2:20 (KJV) ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

This is a faith produced work. Christians do not perform good works in order to be saved, but because they are saved.

Their work was a labour of love. They were not laboring out of guilt or for the praise of others but were laboring for the Lord because they loved Him. Paul calls it a labour of love. The only proper motivation for serving the Lord is love.

Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

They continued with a patience of hope. The word patience means to "remain or abide under." The word hope means to "anticipate or expect with confidence." These precious people labored under a blessed anticipation. What was their hope? It is the same hope we have today. It is the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)

These Thessalonian believers lived and labored for Christ because they wanted to be found faithful at His coming. The imminent return of Jesus Christ motivates the believer to live a holy life and promotes the purity and separation of the Church from the world. This is our blessed hope.