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I Thessalonians
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Chapter Four
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By Peter Marshall McLewin
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First and Second Thessalonians are among the earliest books of the New Testament to have been written. If Galatians was written before the first council of Jerusalem, then First and Second Thessalonians were the second and third books of the New Testament to be written. Their placement in the middle of the Paul’s writings can mislead one to think they were written after Romans, I & II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians. The arrangement of the New Testament letters has more to do with subject matter than with the order in which the books were written. With that in mind, we discover that I Thessalonians 4:13 - I Thessalonians 5:11 contains the first reference to Christ’s return to earth!
“The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” I Thessalonians 4:16
Think of how these words sounded to the Thessalonians. They had placed their faith in Christ without ever seeing Him. Now Paul tells them they will see Christ!
Paul had related to the Thessalonians these wonderful words from Jesus’ own lips, “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places … if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am you may be also.” John 14:2-3
Paul told them about the dramatic experience that the disciples had on the Mount of Olives when Jesus returned to heaven. An angel announced to them, “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you to heaven, will come again in the same manner as you have seen Him go!” Acts 1:11
Now Paul answers some of their questions and teaches them more on the subject of Christ’s return. Paul answers three basic questions that concerned not only the Thessalonians, but all thinking Christians.
What happened to those who have died since Paul was in Thessalonica?
We grieve but with the hope of being reunited. Tombs have been found in Thessalonica that were engraved with the words, “No Hope.” Paul wanted the Thessalonian believers to live with the hope of seeing their loved ones who died in the Lord again when Christ returns.
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” I Thessalonians 4:13
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” I Thessalonians 4:17-18
Our loved ones who placed their faith in Christ are with the Lord.
“Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— for we walk by faith, not by sight— we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8
The toughest thing a minister ever does is take a funeral for someone who has never publicly said that he has accepted Christ as his Savior.
When will Jesus return?
We don’t know. His coming will be like a “thief in the night” and when people are thinking “peace and safety.”
“For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.” I Thessalonians 5:2-3
The details of Christ’s return are not for us to know.
“ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority…” Acts 1:7
How do we prepare for His coming?
Keep working. Keep a good testimony.
“…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you…” I Thessalonians 4:11
Stay alert and sober.
“So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” I Thessalonians 5:6
We must be alert to the attacks of the enemy.
We must be alert to the opportunities for service that God brings to us.
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Chapter Links
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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Study Links
Thessalonica
First Missionary Journey
Second Missionary Journey
Third Missionary Journey
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Greece Report
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This site was written and produced by Peter McLewin, all rights reserved, 2001
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