University Avenue Church of Christ

UA-NT-10 Essay on I Thessalonians

Written by Eddie Sharp Tuesday, 09 March 2010

You might want to review Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica in Acts 17. I won’t take long to read it. Paul didn’t get to stay very long. After Paul left, he wanted to send a letter of encouragement to the young church. I Thessalonians is that encouraging letter.

Paul thanks God for their active Christian lives prompted by their faith, love and hope. Their response to Christ as they turned from idols to the living God is already an example for others in Macedonia and Achaia. Paul says that his manner around them was that of a mother caring for her little children. He follows that with his assurance that he treated them like a father would treat them: encouraging, comforting and urging them on in their faith. And like a proud father or mother, Paul celebrates the purity and passion of their faith (2:13-16).

Paul was so eager to have some word from them, so he sent Timothy to visit in Thessalonica. Paul is writing this letter in response to Timothy’s report of their faith. Paul only has two teaching points for the Thessalonians Christians. He teaches them the value of sexual purity. This is always a good point to make. The other teaching is about the hope for those who have died in Christ. Perhaps someone had died before Timothy’s return, so they asked for further teaching on the matter. Beginning in 4:13, we have Paul’s great statement on the hope all Christians have when one of their number dies.

Christian grief is different from the grief of those without hope.  Christian death is a falling asleep. Jesus cannot forget his saints who die. They come with him. They rise first. Then the living in Christ will meet him. The great, eternal reunion will begin.

With this hope so secure, Christians make good choices, deciding to live in the light rather than to follow the deeds of darkness. The faith, hope and love that motivated Christian action in chapter one form the Christian armor in chapter five.

Paul ends the letter with a series of admonitions. We need all of them. The ones we know by heart are: Be joyful always; pray continually; do not put out the Spirit’s fire. Paul’s command imperatives are always wonderful.

Before you leave I Thessalonians, notice that Paul refers to the coming of Jesus at the end of each chapter and at the beginning of chapter five. These six references to the coming of Jesus got the Thessalonians focused on the coming of Jesus. II Thessalonians will respond to that expectation.

Now read the benediction from I Thessalonians again: “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. ²⁴The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it” (5:23, 24).